ABSTRACT
From the tenth to the twelfth century, the power centres of the region of Middle Europe displayed many differences alongside superficial similarities. For the Holy Roman Empire the Kievan Rus' was lost as a sphere of direct interest by the end of the twelfth century. The Kievan Rus' was not a preferred destination for German settlers in large numbers, probably due to geographical distance, as well as the consequences of the schism that by that time had also become unavoidable in Middle Europe. The arrival and acceptance of individuals and groups, each bringing with them Western European ideas and attitudes, had significant consequences both for the economy and society of the various polities in the region. The notion of a Middle Europe is used for all of the territory that was within reach for the two great powers of the day: the Byzantine and Holy Roman empires.
