Kiev princes from 982 to 1054. Rulers of Kievan Rus

As it was written in the previous article about the formation of the first settlements on the territory of Kiev, signs of urban development began to appear around the 5th-6th century. There is no exact data on who founded the city, but most theories say that the first rulers of Kiev were immigrants from Scandinavia - the Varangians. The intensive growth of the city was facilitated by a very favorable geographical location (the famous trade route from the "Varangians to the Greeks" along the Dnieper), as well as the growing power of the squad (army) of the Polyan tribe (the center of which was Kiev). It was the military superiority of the Polyana lands that helped to unite around Kiev, the nearby neighboring East Slavic tribes, most of them located on the territory of modern Ukraine. All interesting information about the first Kiev princes is available during our tours around Kiev.

Board of Askold and Dir in Kiev. Radziwill chronicle

Askold and Dir. The first princes of Kiev, whose names are mentioned in the annals, are the princes Askold and Dir, who ruled Kiev in the period from 860 to 880. Reliably little is known about this period, as well as how the princes "sat down" in Kiev, but theories of their origin also converge on Scandinavian roots, and some scholars argue that Askold and Dir were Rurik's combatants. There is an opinion that Askold could be a descendant of Kiy, and Dir is only his middle name or nickname. The first military campaign of the Kiev army against Tsargorod (Constantinople) to Byzantium was made at the same time, which testifies to the already certain power of the Kiev lands.

Oleg in Kiev. According to one of the main sources on the basis of which we can build a chronology of the development of Kiev - this is the Tale of Bygone Years, in 882, Prince Oleg entered Kiev and killed Askold (Askold and Dir) and began to rule Kiev and all the lands under his control. Oleg was most likely a relative of the legendary Rurik. According to the general theory, after the death of Rurik, taking with him his son, still a young Igor, Oleg recruited an army and began to descend in a southerly direction. After the conquest of Smolensk and Lyubech, Oleg came to Kiev, and having killed the local princes, he began to rule here. Oleg liked the new city and its location, and he decided to sit down in it, thereby, supposedly, connecting his northern lands with the new, Kiev ones and making them the capital.

The image of Oleg in the painting by Viktor Vasnetsov

Oleg ruled Kiev for over 30 years. During this time, he significantly increased the possessions of his new power - he annexed the Drevlyans, Radimichi and northerners to Kiev. During the victorious campaigns against Byzantium in 907 and further in 911, one of the first written agreements between Constantinople and Kiev was signed, preferential rights for trade of Russian merchants were established. Oleg had the title of Grand Duke, is considered the founder of the Rurik dynasty-princes of Kiev. Legends about the death of Oleg from a snakebite also gained popular popularity.

Kiev in the time of Igor, Olga and Svyatoslav

The formation and foundation of Kiev

Rurik (d. 879). The beginning of the reign in Novgorod - 862. The founder of the dynasty that ruled in Kievan Rus and individual Russian principalities of the period of feudal fragmentation and in Russia until 1598. According to the chronicle tradition, Rurik with the brothers Sineus and Truvor were called to Russia by representatives tribes: Novgorod Slavs, Polotsk Krivichi, all (Veps) and Chud (ancestors of Estonians) and began to reign in Nov-Gorod or Ladoga. The question of who Rurik and his tribesmen were, where they came from to Russia, whether Rurik was called to reign or invited as the leader of a military squad, remains controversial to this day.

Oleg (reign: 879 - 912). The eldest in the Rurik family, Prince of Novgorod. In 882 he made a campaign to the south, annexed the Kievan lands, moved the capital of the state to Kiev. On the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks" an early feudal monarchy arose - Kievan Rus, similar to the empire of Charlemagne in Western Europe. He made successful military campaigns against the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople (Constantino-Pol). He laid the foundation for long-term military and peaceful relations between Byzantium and Kievan Rus. The circumstances of the death of Prophetic Oleg are contradictory. According to the Kiev version, his grave is located in Kiev on Mount Shchekovitsa. The Novgorod chronicle places his grave in Ladoga, but also says that he went "beyond the sea." In both versions, there is a legend about death from a snakebite. According to legend, the wise men predicted to the prince that he would die from his beloved horse. Oleg ordered the horse to be taken away and remembered the prediction only four years later, when the horse had long since died. Oleg laughed at the Magi and wanted to look at the bones of the horse, stood with his foot on the skull and said: “Should I be afraid of him?” However, a poisonous snake lived in the horse's skull, which mortally stung the prince.

Igor Rurikovich (reign: 912 - 945). For 33 years of his reign, he managed to strengthen Russia and, after military campaigns against Constantinople, he concluded profitable agreements with Byzantium. However, he gained fame not because of his politics, but because of his tragic death. He was torn at the feet by the Drevlyans after an unsuccessful attempt to collect tribute from them a second time.

Olga is the Christian name Elena (c. 894 - 969). The beginning of the reign is 945. The Grand Duchess of Kiev, the wife of Prince Igor. After the murder of her husband by the Drevlyans in 945, she brutally suppressed their uprising. Having conquered the Drevlyans, Olga in 947 went to the Novgorod and Pskov lands, assigning lessons there (a kind of tribute measure), after which she returned to her son Svyatoslav in Kiev. The princess established the size of the "polyudya" - taxes in favor of Kiev, the timing and frequency of their payment - "dues" and "charters". The lands subject to Kiev were divided into administrative units, in each of which a princely administrator - "tiun" was appointed. Olga established a system of "graveyards" - centers of trade and exchange, in which taxes were collected in a more orderly manner; then temples began to be built around the graveyards. Princess Olga laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Russia (the first stone buildings of Kiev - the city palace and Olga's country house), with attention to the improvement of the lands subject to Kiev - Novgorod, Pskov, located along the Desna River, etc. On the Pskov River, where she was born, Olga, according to legend, founded the city of Pskov. In 955 (or 957) she visited Constantinople; accepted Christianity. In 968, she led the defense of Kiev from the Pechenegs. Canonized by the Russian Church. When it comes to Princess Olga, the question always arises about her origin.

According to the earliest ancient Russian chronicle, The Tale of Bygone Years, Olga was from Pskov. The Life of the Holy Grand Duchess Olga specifies that she was born in the village of Vybuty, Pskov land, 12 km from Pskov up the Velikaya River. The names of Olga's parents were not preserved, according to the Life they were of an humble family, " from the Varangian language". According to the Normanists, the Varangian origin is confirmed by her name, which corresponds in Old Norse as Helga. The presence of presumably Scandinavians in those places is noted by a number of archaeological finds, possibly dating from the first half of the 10th century. On the other hand, in the chronicles the name of Olga is often rendered in the Slavic form " Volga". The ancient Czech name is also known Olha. The so-called Joachim Chronicle, the authenticity of which is questioned by historians, reports Olga’s noble Slavic origin: “when Igor matured, Oleg married him, gave him a wife from Izborsk, the Gostomyslov clan, who was called Beautiful, and Oleg renamed her and named her his own. name Olga. The typographic chronicle (end of the 15th century) and the later Piskarevsky chronicler convey hearing as if Olga was the daughter of the Prophetic Oleg, who began to rule Kievan Rus as the guardian of the young Igor, the son of Rurik: “ Netsyi say, like Olga's daughter was Olga". Oleg married Igor and Olga. Bulgarian historians also put forward a version about the Bulgarian roots of Princess Olga, relying mainly on the message of the "New Vladimir Chronicler" ("Igor's life [Oleg] in Bolgareh, sing Princess Olga for him") and translating the chronicle name Pleskov not as Pskov, but like Pliska - the Bulgarian capital of that time. The names of both cities really coincide in the Old Slavonic transcription of some texts, which served as the basis for the author of the New Vladimir Chronicler to translate the message of the Tale of Bygone Years about Olga from Pskov as Olga from the Bulgarians, since the writing Pleskov to designate Pskov has long been out of use.

Svyatoslav Igorevich (929 - 972). A brave warrior, according to the chronicler, who openly challenged the enemies “I’m coming at you!” Svyatoslav made a number of successful campaigns. He freed the Vyatichi tribe, who lived in the Oka basin, from paying tribute to the Khazars; defeated the Volga Bulgars and the powerful Khazar Khaganate, having made a victorious campaign against the Lower Volga, the North Caucasus and the Sea of ​​Azov. But the disappearance of this powerful state led to irreversible, and in the historical perspective - catastrophic geopolitical changes in Eastern Europe. The Khazar state held back the migration waves rolling in from Asia. The defeat of the kaganate made the Pechenegs masters of the situation in the southern Russian steppes, and Svyatoslav himself already felt this change, so the people of Kiev, besieged by the Pechenegs, had every reason to reproach their prince for looking for foreign lands, but not protecting his own. But the Pechenegs were only the first wave of nomadic hordes, in a century they would be replaced by the Polovtsians, and in another two by the Mongols.

Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (942 - 1015). He became Prince of Novgorod in 970, seized the throne of Kiev in 978. The son of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich from Malusha, the housekeeper of Princess Olga. As a youth, Vladimir was sent to live in Novgorod, accompanied by his uncle, the governor of Dobrynia. Having cunningly dealt with his brother Yaropolk (who had previously killed the third son of Svyatoslav - Oleg), Vladimir becomes the sole ruler of Russia. In 988, Vladimir was baptized, and then (in 988 or 990) proclaimed Christianity the state religion of Russia. In Kiev, the baptism of the people passed relatively peacefully, while in Novgorod, where Dobrynya led the baptism, it was accompanied by uprisings of the people and their suppression by force. In the Rostov-Suzdal land, where the local Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes retained a certain autonomy due to remoteness, Christians remained a minority even after Vladimir (until the 13th century, paganism dominated the Vyatichi). In baptism he received the name Vasily. Also known as Vladimir the Holy, Vladimir the Baptist (in church history) and Vladimir the Red Sun (in epics). Glorified among the saints as equal to the apostles; Memorial Day in Russian Orthodoxy is July 15 according to the Julian calendar.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise (about 978 - February 20, 1054). The beginning of the reign in 1016. The time of Yaroslav – the time of internal stabilization, which contributed to the growth of the international authority of Russia, as evidenced by the fact that Yaroslav's daughters became queens: Anna - French, Elizabeth - Norwegian, and then Danish, Anastasia - Hungarian. During the years of his reign, the first Russian monasteries appeared, book-writing activity developed. The path of this prince to power was far from being so righteous (internecine wars with his brothers), but having established himself on the throne, he put a lot of effort into earning the gratitude of his contemporaries and descendants, imprinted in the nickname Wise. Under Yaroslav the Wise, Kiev was often compared in beauty with Constantinople. The Western chronicler of the same century, Adam of Bremen, calls Kiev a rival of Constantinople. Under Yaroslav, the first Russian monasteries arose. In 1030, Yaroslav founded the monasteries of St. George: the Yuriev Monastery in Novgorod and the Kiev Caves Monastery in Kiev; commanded throughout Russia to "create a holiday" of St. George on November 26 ("St. George's Day"). He published the Church Charter and "Russian Truth" - a set of laws of ancient Russian feudal law. In 1051, having gathered the bishops, he himself appointed Hilarion as metropolitan, for the first time without the participation of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Hilarion became the first Russian metropolitan. Intensive work began on the translation of Byzantine and other books into Church Slavonic and Old Russian. Huge amounts of money were spent on the correspondence of books. In 1028, the first large school was founded in Novgorod, in which about 300 children of priests and elders were gathered. With him appeared coins with the inscription "Yaroslavl silver". On one side of it was depicted Jesus Christ, on the other - George the Victorious, the patron of Yaroslav. It is known that in order to maintain peace on the northern borders, Yaroslav annually sent 300 hryvnias of silver to the Varangians. Moreover, this payment was too small, rather symbolic, but it ensured peace with the Varangians and the protection of the northern lands.

Vladimir II Monomakh (1053 - 1125). The beginning of the reign in 1113. The true successor to the glory of Yaroslav, who managed to revive the former power of the Kievan state. The last prince of Kiev, who practically controlled all of Russia. The result of Monomakh's peacemaking efforts was the so-called Lubech snem (princely congress) in 1097, which reflected an important milestone in the political history of Kievan Rus. The congress was called upon to eliminate the cause of the strife, but the decision of the congress had a double meaning. On the one hand, it streamlined relations between the princes, on the other hand, it meant the legal consolidation of the beginning of the collapse of Kievan Rus. This is the prince-creator, the organizer, the calmer, the commander, the ideologist. He made 83 military campaigns, mostly successful, including against the dangerous neighbors of Russia - the Polovtsy. In addition to military leadership and managerial talents, Vladimir Monomakh also had the gift of an outstanding writer. He is the author of the famous "Teacher", calling the princes to unity in the conditions of the beginning of feudal fragmentation.

According to one legend, he received the nickname Monomakh (martial artist) for winning a duel with a Genoese prince during the capture of Kafa (Feodosia). According to another legend, the nickname is associated with maternal kinship with the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomakh.

Part 2

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Military affairs The first Kiev princes

If the first princes of Kiev had been versed in our modern theory of state building, they would undoubtedly have been inspired by its lofty goals and ideals. But, to the greatest regret, they did not know this theory. And therefore they would be very surprised if they were told that they were driven by the idea of ​​creating a powerful state or a flourishing civilization. Apparently, they understood power and wealth more simply. And if they were driven by anything in their desire for both that knew neither rest nor pity, it was precisely the search for direct sources of enrichment. For example, when the "prophetic" Oleg conquered Kiev, uniting it with Novgorod, he undoubtedly was aware of all the advantages of owning both largest "warehouses" on the trade route "to the Greeks" (and most importantly - "from the Greeks"). In general, the activities of the princes for the most part came down to trade and collecting tribute. Every spring, as soon as the rivers were freed from ice, the tribute collected during the winter had to be rafted to Kiev. It was regularly paid by numerous East Slavic tribes. Meanwhile, in Kiev, a whole armada of princely ships was already preparing for a long voyage. Loaded to the top with furs and slaves, these ships, under the escort of princely combatants, set off for Constantinople. The journey was difficult and dangerous. Below Kiev, they had to overcome the Dnieper rapids - or die in a raging whirlpool. The last threshold, bearing the ominous name of the Insatiable, was considered insurmountable. It had to be bypassed by land, dragging ships by dragging and exposing the entire expedition to another mortal danger - falling into the hands of nomads who constantly scoured those places. The American historian Richard Pipes compared the trading expeditions and, in general, the trading "enterprise" of the Varangians in Kiev with the first commercial companies of the Modern Age, such as the East Indies or Hudson's Bay, which operated on virtually uncontrolled territory and, in order to extract maximum profit, were forced to engage in minimal administration. . “So the great prince of Kiev,” says Pipes, “was first of all a merchant, and his state was a trading enterprise, consisting of cities loosely connected to each other, whose garrisons collected tribute and in one way or another maintained public order.” Pursuing their commercial interests, robbing local residents little by little, the first rulers of Kiev gradually turned it into the center of a huge and powerful political entity.

Oleg(reigned from 882 to about 912 ᴦ.). This is the first Kiev prince, about which there is more or less accurate historical evidence. At the same time, as already mentioned, this evidence is too small to get an idea of ​​​​the personality of Oleg himself. It remains unclear whether he really belonged to the Rurik dynasty or was the first of the impostors who adhered to this dynasty (although Nestor the Chronicler "legitimized" his connection with Rurik several centuries later). One thing is certain: Oleg was a gifted and determined ruler. Having conquered in 882 ᴦ. Kiev and having conquered the glades, he then asserted his power over the neighboring tribes by force, that is, the right to collect tribute from them. Among Oleg's tributaries there was even such a large and strong tribe as the Drevlyans. The Khazars did not like Oleg's conquests, and they started a war with him, which ended sadly for themselves: Oleg destroyed their ports in the Caspian. Finally, in 911 ᴦ. Oleg reached the climax of his list of victories when he attacked and sacked Constantinople at the head of a large army. And yet, The Tale of Bygone Years, apparently, exaggerates his fame, claiming that he nailed his shield on the main gate of the Byzantine capital. One way or another, Oleg's military force exerted the necessary pressure on Byzantium, and the Greeks agreed to sign a trade agreement, which was very beneficial for the Kiev prince.

Igor(913-945). Igor ruled far from being as successful as his predecessor. Actually, the rule begins to operate from him, which then became mandatory for all Kiev princes: ascended the throne - assert your power over the rebellious tribes. The Drevlyans were the first to rise up against Igor, and then they were convicted. He and his squad had to spend several years on exhausting campaigns in order to force the rebels to pay tribute to Kiev again. And only after solving all these internal problems, Igor was able to continue Oleg's business - distant semi-trading, semi-pirate expeditions. The peace treaty concluded by Oleg with Byzantium, by 941 ᴦ. has lost its power. Igor went on a sea voyage to Constantinople. But even here he had no luck. The Byzantines used their new invention - a combustible mixture, nicknamed "Greek fire". The Kiev fleet was burned to the ground, Igor shamefully fled. As a result, he had to sign a humiliating treaty with the Byzantine emperor in 944 ᴦ. However, in the same year, Igor decided to try his luck in the east and finally succeeded. With a large detachment of warriors, he descended the Volga, plundered the rich Muslim cities on the Caspian coast, and with all his booty returned home with impunity. And there I had to start all over again: the Drevlyans rebelled. Judging that Igor goes to them too often for tribute, the Drevlyans, during the next campaign of the Kiev prince in their lands, ambushed and killed him. Together with Igor, his entire retinue perished.

Olga(945-964) - Igor's widow. She ruled until their son Svyatoslav came of age. The ancient chroniclers - the compilers of The Tale of Bygone Years - clearly sympathize with Olga (in Scandinavian - Helga), constantly talking about how beautiful, strong, cunning, and most importantly, wise she is. From the lips of a male chronicler, even an unheard-of compliment for that time breaks down to the “male mind” of the princess. In part, all this can be explained by the fact that in 955 ᴦ. Olga converted to Christianity: this was important for the monk-chronicler. At the same time, and from the most objective point of view, Olga's reign cannot but be recognized as outstanding in many respects. Revenge is the first commandment of pagan morality. Olga's reprisal against the Drevlyans was quick and cruel. This, however, did not prevent her from drawing appropriate state conclusions from the death of Igor and carrying out the first “reforms” in Russia. Now the tribute was not to be collected where and when, where and when the prince of Kiev pleased. From now on, the inhabitants of each region knew exactly when and how much they had to pay. Olga also took care that the collection of tribute did not deprive her subjects of all means of subsistence: otherwise, who will pay tribute in the future? But the whole tribute in furs under Olga began to flow directly into the princely treasury. This meant that the treasury would never be at a loss. During the years of her reign, Olga traveled around her vast possessions, visited all lands and cities in order to get to know her country better. And in relations with her neighbors, the princess tried to manage by means of diplomacy, and not war. In 957 ᴦ. she went to Constantinople to negotiate with the Byzantine emperor. Kievan sources are full of stories about how she outwitted the emperor. Foreign chronicles are more reserved about her diplomatic successes. Be that as it may, the very fact of equal negotiations with the most powerful ruler in the entire Christian world testified to the growing importance of Kiev.

Svyatoslav(964-972). "Ardent and bold, brave and active," - this is how the Byzantine chronicler Leo Deacon certifies the Kiev prince Svyatoslav. And the Ukrainian historian Mikhail Grushevsky wittily calls him either a “Cossack on the throne of Kiev”, or a “knight-errant”, explaining that “the role of the prince-ruler, the head of state in the activities of Svyatoslav completely recedes into the background before the role of the leader of the squad.” The war was the only, all-consuming passion of Svyatoslav. By name a Slav, by the code of honor a Varangian, by a way of life a nomad, he was the son of all great Eurasia and breathed freely in its steppes and thickets. The era of Svyatoslav was the culmination of an early, heroic period in the history of Kievan Rus.

Kiev princes

In 964 ᴦ. The 22-year-old prince, overwhelmed by ambitious plans, sets off on a large eastern campaign. First, he conquered the Vyatichi - an East Slavic tribe that inhabited the Oka Valley (from there, in fact, modern Russians come). Then Svyatoslav descended in boats along the Volga and defeated the Volga Bulgars. This led to a sharp skirmish with the powerful Khazars. Rivers of blood spilled. In the decisive battle, Svyatoslav utterly defeated the Khazar Khagan, and then wiped out his capital Itil on the Volga. Then he went to the North Caucasus, where he completed his conquests. This whole spectacular campaign had far-reaching consequences. Now, after the victory over the Vyatichi, all the Eastern Slavs were united under the rule of the Kiev prince. The way to the northeast was opened to the Slavs - to those endless expanses that are now called Russia. The defeat of the Khazars put an end to the long history of rivalry for hegemony in Eurasia. From now on, Russia undividedly controlled another great trade route - the Volga. However, the fall of the Khazar Khaganate also had its unexpected flip side for Kiev. The Khazars were the buffer that held back the nomadic hordes in the east. Now, nothing prevented nomads like the Pechenegs from hosting the Ukrainian steppes. Svyatoslav dedicated the second half of his reign to the Balkans. In 968 ᴦ. he entered into an alliance with the Byzantine emperor against the powerful Bulgarian kingdom. At the head of a huge army, he broke into Bulgaria, destroyed his opponents and captured the rich Danube cities. Of these, he especially liked Pereyaslavets, where he set up his headquarters. Only the threat of a Pecheneg invasion of Kiev made the prince needlessly return to his capital. But as soon as the storm had passed, Svyatoslav, who now owned all the lands from the Volga to the Danube, declared that he did not intend to stay in Kiev: “I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube - there is the middle of my land, all good things flow there: from Greek lands - gold, canvases, wines, various fruits, from the Czech Republic and from Hungary silver and horses, from Russia furs and wax, honey and slaves. And leaving the eldest son of Yaropolk to rule in Kiev, the middle one, Oleg, sending him to the Drevlyans, and Volodymyr, the youngest, to Novgorod, Svyatoslav returned to Bulgaria. But now the Byzantine emperor was afraid of a new neighbor, opposed him and, after long and fierce battles, forced him out of Bulgaria. When the defeated troops of Svyatoslav returned to Kiev, the Pechenegs attacked them at the Dnieper rapids. The Tale of Bygone Years says this about it: “And Kurya, the prince of the Pechenegs, attacked him, and they killed Svyatoslav, and took his head and made a cup from the skull, bound him, and drank from it.” Thus ended his days this "errant knight."

Grand Dukes of Kiev rulers of Kievan Rus and the Kievan principality. Askold and Dir, princes of Kiev (no later than 860 882) did not have the title of Grand Duke. Oleg Veshchy (882 912) Igor Rurikovich (912 945) Olga (945 957) ... ... Wikipedia

Belozersky princes- Belozersky principality, Belozersky princes. Belozersk, according to ancient letters and scribe books Belo ozero (up to Catherine II), was founded in ancient times. According to an unreliable legend, Belozersk stood on the northern shore of the lake in ancient times. Prince ... Biographical Dictionary

Moscow princes- Rulers of Russia, Russia, USSR (862 2009) History of Russia Ancient Slavs, Russes ... Wikipedia

Chernihiv princes- We do not find news anywhere about the time of the foundation of Chernigov. For the first time it is mentioned in chronicles under the year 907, which speaks of Oleg's peace treaty with the Greeks and where Chernigov was placed first after Kiev among the cities to which Oleg ... ... Big biographical encyclopedia

Grand Duke of Kiev

Grand Duke of Kiev- The Grand Dukes of Kiev, the rulers of Kievan Rus Askold and Dir (864 882) Prophetic Oleg (882 912) Igor Rurikovich (912 945) ... Wikipedia

Kievan Grand Duchy- The Grand Dukes of Kiev, the rulers of Kievan Rus Askold and Dir (864 882) Prophetic Oleg (882 912) Igor Rurikovich (912 945) ... Wikipedia

Rurikovichi- Rurik princely, later also royal (in Moscow) and royal (in Galicia-Volyn land) family of Rurik's descendants, which was split over time into many branches. The last rulers of the ruling Rurik dynasty in Russia were ... ... Wikipedia

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise- Request "Yaroslav the Wise" redirects here; see also other meanings. Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise ... Wikipedia

History of Kiev- Monument to the founders of Kiev. sculpt. V. 3. Borodai. The history of Kiev, the largest city in Ukraine, has at least 1 ... Wikipedia

Books

• , Antonin Petrovich Ladinsky. The heroes of the historical novel `The Last Way of Vladimir Monomakh` are the legendary rulers of Ancient Russia, the great Kiev princes, warriors, residents of cities and towns. There was a time when Rus… Buy for 854 UAH (Ukraine only)
• The last journey of Vladimir Monomakh, Antonin Petrovich Ladinsky. The heroes of the historical novel "The Last Way of Vladimir Monomakh" are the legendary rulers of Ancient Russia, the great Kiev princes, warriors, residents of cities and towns. There was a time when Russia...

THE FIRST PRINCES OF KIEVAN RUS

The Old Russian state was formed in Eastern Europe in the last decades of the 9th century as a result of the unification under the rule of the princes of the Rurik dynasty of the two main centers of the Eastern Slavs - Kiev and Novgorod, as well as lands located along the waterway "from the Varangians to the Greeks." Already in the 830s, Kiev was an independent city and claimed the title of the main city of the Eastern Slavs.

Rurik, as the chronicle tells, when dying, transferred power to his brother-in-law Oleg (879-912). Prince Oleg remained in Novgorod for three years. Then, recruiting an army and moving in 882 from Ilmen to the Dnieper, he conquered Smolensk, Lyubech and, having settled in Kiev to live, made it the capital of his principality, saying that Kiev would be "the mother of Russian cities." Oleg managed to unite in his hands all the main cities along the great waterway "from the Varangians to the Greeks." This was his first target. From Kiev, he continued his unifying activity: he went to the Drevlyans, then to the northerners and subjugated them, then subjugated the Radimichi. Thus, all the main tribes of the Russian Slavs, except for the outlying ones, and all the most important Russian cities gathered under his hand. Kiev became the center of a large state (Kievan Rus) and freed the Russian tribes from Khazar dependence. Throwing off the Khazar yoke, Oleg tried to strengthen his country with fortresses from the eastern nomads (both Khazars and Pechenegs) and built cities along the border of the steppe.

After the death of Oleg, his son Igor (912–945) came to power, apparently having no talent for either a warrior or a ruler. Igor died in the country of the Drevlyans, from whom he wanted to collect a double tribute. His death, the courtship of the Drevlyan prince Mal, who wanted to take Igor's widow Olga for himself, and Olga's revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband are the subject of poetic tradition, described in detail in the annals.

Olga remained after Igor with her young son Svyatoslav and took over the reign of the Kiev principality (945–957). According to the ancient Slavic custom, widows enjoyed civil independence and full rights, and in general, the position of a woman among the Slavs was better than among other European peoples.

Her main business was the adoption of the Christian faith and a pious journey in 957 to Constantinople. According to the story of the chronicle, Olga was baptized "by the tsar with the patriarch" in Constantinople, although it is more likely that she was baptized at home in Russia, before her trip to Greece. With the triumph of Christianity in Russia, the memory of Princess Olga, in holy baptism Elena, began to be revered, and the Russian Orthodox Church, Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga was canonized as a saint.

Olga's son Svyatoslav (957-972) already bore a Slavic name, but his temper was still a typical Varangian warrior, combatant. As soon as he had time to mature, he made himself a large and brave squad, and with it began to seek glory and prey for himself. He got out of his mother's influence early and "was angry with his mother" when she urged him to be baptized.

How can I change my faith alone? The squad will start laughing at me,” he said.

With the retinue, he got along well, led a harsh camp life with her.

After the death of Svyatoslav in one of the military campaigns between his sons (Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir), an internecine war took place, in which Yaropolk and Oleg died, and Vladimir remained the sovereign ruler of Kievan Rus.

Vladimir waged many wars with various neighbors for border volosts, he also fought with the Kama Bulgarians. He was also drawn into the war with the Greeks, as a result of which he adopted Christianity according to the Greek rite. This most important event ended the first period of power of the Varangian Rurik dynasty in Russia.

This is how the Kiev principality was formed and grew stronger, uniting politically most of the tribes of Russian Slavs.

Another even more powerful unification factor for Russia was Christianity. The baptism of the prince was immediately followed by the adoption of Christianity in 988 by all of Russia and the solemn abolition of the pagan cult.

Returning from the Korsun campaign to Kiev with the Greek clergy, Vladimir began to convert the people of Kiev and all of Russia to the new faith. He baptized people in Kiev on the banks of the Dnieper and its tributary Pochaina. The idols of the old gods were thrown to the ground and thrown into the river. Churches were built in their place. So it was in other cities where Christianity was established by princely governors.

Even during his lifetime, Vladimir distributed the administration of individual lands to his numerous sons.

Kievan Rus became the cradle of the Russian land, and historians call the son of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, Grand Duke of Kiev Yuri Dolgoruky, who was also the prince of Rostov, Suzdal and Pereyaslav, the first ruler of Russia.

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The first Russian princes, the table of information about which is presented below, ruled the state of Rus from the moment of its formation until the time of its actual disintegration into specific principalities. Chronologically, this time can be designated as the period from the 9th to the middle of the 12th century.

The name of the prince and the years of his reign	Domestic politics during the reign	Foreign policy
Rurik (r. 862-879)	Ruler of Novgorod, founder of the Rurik dynasty
Oleg (ruled in 882-912)	Unification of principalities of Novgorod and Kiev, the formation of a single state of Rus in 882.	He made successful campaigns against the Byzantine Empire in 907 and 911. He concluded an agreement with its ruler Leo IV on the right to duty-free trade.
Igor (r. 912-945)	He subjugated the tribes of the streets. He was killed during the uprising of the Drevlyans while trying to re-collect the annual tribute from them.	Repelled a major invasion of the Pechenegs. In 941 he made an unsuccessful campaign against Byzantium, and in 944 he concluded an agreement with the Byzantine emperor Roman I Lakkapin.
Olga (ruled 945-957)	She took revenge on the Drevlyans for the murder they had committed of her husband, Prince Igor, by conducting a punitive campaign against them. Installed "graveyards" - the central villages of individual subordinate territories in which there were those responsible for collecting tribute - lesson- officials.	In 957 she adopted Christianity in Constantinople.
Svyatoslav (r. 957-972)	In 964-96 he subjugated the Vyatichi tribes.	He made two successful campaigns: in 965 to the Khazar Khaganate, and in 967 to Bulgaria. During a campaign against Byzantium in 971, he lost the battle of Dorostol, was captured, but then released following the results of a peace treaty. He died in a fight with the Pechenegs.
Vladimir the Red Sun (reigning 980-1015)	He made two successful campaigns against the Vyatichi tribes in 981 and 982, as well as a victorious campaign against the Radimichi in 984. From the very beginning of his reign, he took measures to reform paganism. In 988 he spent Baptism of Russia.	In 981, he subjugated himself, having won the Cherven cities in the South-West of Russia from the Polish crown. He built defensive structures in the south of the country to fight the Pechenegs, and in 922 defeated them on the Sula River. In 994-97 he undertook campaigns against Volga Bulgaria.
Yaroslav the Wise (ruled 1019-1054).	In 1016 he published the very first written code of laws, called "Russian Truth". At the end of his reign, he published the "Charter", which established fines in favor of the church for violating church canons. Established a system of succession to the throne according to the specific ladder type.	He completed the defeat of the Pechenegs and made peace with the Byzantine Empire.
Izyaslav Yaroslavich (r. 1054-1078)	Under him, as a result of the struggle of the sons of Yaroslav for the princely throne, the beginning of the fragmentation of Russia was laid. In 1068 there was an uprising in Kiev against Izyaslav himself.	The first penetration of the Polovtsy into the southern Russian steppes.
Vsevolod Yaroslavich (ruled in 1078-1093)	The years of his reign are characterized by a constant struggle with the grandson of Yaroslav - Oleg Svyatoslavich for power in Kiev and Chernigov.
Svyatopolk Izyaslavich (reigned 1093-1113)	Under him, in 1097, the legal registration of the feudal fragmentation of Russia took place at the congress of princes in the city of Lyubech.	The raids of the Polovtsy become permanent.
Vladimir Monomakh (r. 1113-1125)	In the very first year of his reign, he suppressed a powerful uprising in Kiev, and during his reign he subjugated almost all Russian princes. Wrote Teachings to Children. Under him, a new set of laws was prepared, called the “Various Truth”.	Completely defeated the Polovtsy.
Mstislav the Great (ruled 1125-1132)	The last Russian prince, under whom Russia, as a state, was relatively unified.

The end of the reign of Mstislav the Great in 1132 is officially considered the date of the beginning of the complete fragmentation of Russia into specific principalities.

On September 21, 862, the inhabitants of the Novgorod principality called for the Varangian brothers Rurik, Sineus and Truvor to rule. It is this date that is considered to be the beginning of the state of Rus. From Rurik originates a dynasty of Russian rulers, nicknamed Rurikovich. This dynasty ruled the state for more than seven and a half centuries. We remembered the most significant representatives of this family.

1. Rurik Varangian. Although the Novgorod prince Rurik Varyazhsky did not become the sole ruler of the united state, he went down in history forever as the founder of the dynasty of the first Russian autocrats. During his reign, Finnish lands began to join Russia, as well as the territories of some scattered Slavic tribes. From here followed the cultural unification of the Eastern Slavs, which contributed to the formation of a new political formation - the state. According to the researcher S. Solovyov, it was from Rurik that the important activity of the Russian princes began - the construction of cities, the concentration of population. The first steps of Rurik in the formation of the ancient Russian state were already completed by Prince Oleg the Prophet.

2. Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Red Sun. The contribution of this Grand Duke to the development of Kievan Rus can hardly be overestimated. It was he who went down in history as the baptizer of Russia. Preachers of many religions wanted to persuade the prince to their faith, but he sent his ambassadors to different lands, and upon their return he listened to everyone and gave preference to Christianity. Vladimir liked the rites of this faith. Having conquered the Christian city, Kherson Vladimir married the imperial princess Anna and received holy baptism. The idols of the pagan gods were cut down and burned by order of the prince. Ordinary people accepted the new faith by being baptized in the waters of the Dnieper. So, on August 1, 988, the Russian people, following the ruler, adopted Christianity. Only the inhabitants of Novgorod opposed the new faith. Then the Novgorodians were baptized with the help of a squad. However, at the same time, the first special theological schools were created in Russia, where unenlightened boyar otraks studied divine books translated from Greek by Cyril and Methodius.

3. Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise. The nickname "Wise" Grand Duke Yaroslav received from the people for his wise rule. He is considered the creator of the first set of laws and civil charters "Russian Truth". Prior to this, in ancient Russia there were no laws written in a single collection. This is one of the most important steps in building statehood. To this day, ancient lists of these laws have survived, which give an idea of ​​the life of our ancestors. According to the chronicler, Yaroslav was "half-footed, but he had a kind mind and was brave in battle." These words are also proved by the fact that under Yaroslav the Wise, Russian troops put an end to the raids of the nomadic tribe of the Pechenegs. Peace was also concluded with the Byzantine Empire.

The nickname "Wise" Grand Duke Yaroslav received from the people for his wise rule

4. Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh. His reign was the period of the last strengthening of the Old Russian state. Monomakh knew well that for the tranquility of the state, it was necessary to make sure that external enemies would not attack Russia. During his life, he made 83 military campaigns, concluded 19 peace treaties with the Polovtsians, captured more than a hundred Polovtsian princes and released them all, executed more than 200 princes. The military successes of Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh and his children glorified his name throughout the world. The Greek Empire trembled on behalf of Monomakh. After the conquest of Thrace by Vladimir's son Mstislav, Emperor Alexy Komnenos even sent great gifts to Kiev - symbols of power: the carnelian cup of Augustus Caesar, the Cross of the Life-Giving Tree, a crown, a golden chain and barm of Vladimir's grandfather Konstantin Monomakh. The gifts were brought by the Metropolitan of Ephesus. He also proclaimed Monomakh the Russian ruler. Since then, Monomakh's cap, chain, scepter and barm have been indispensable attributes on the wedding day of Russian rulers and have been passed from sovereign to sovereign.

5. Vsevolod III Yurievich Big Nest. This is the tenth son of Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky, who formed the city of Moscow, and the younger brother of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Under him, the Great Northern Principality of Vladimir reached its highest power and finally began to prevail over the southern Principality of Kiev. The reasons for the success of Vsevolod's policy are reliance on new cities: Vladimir, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Dmitrov, Gorodets, Kostroma, Tver, where the boyars before him were relatively weak, as well as reliance on the nobility. Under him, Kievan Rus ceased to exist, and Vladimir-Suzdal Rus finally took shape. Vsevolod had a large offspring - 12 children (including 8 sons), so he received the nickname "Big Nest". The unknown author of The Tale of Igor's Campaign noted: his army "can splash the Volga with oars, and scoop the Don with helmets."

6. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky. According to the "canonical" version, Alexander Nevsky played an exceptional role in Russian history. During his reign, Russia was attacked from two sides: the Catholic West and the Tatars from the East. Nevsky showed an outstanding talent as a commander and diplomat, having entered into an alliance with the most powerful enemy - the Tatars. Having repelled the German attack, he defended Orthodoxy from Catholic expansion. For the faith of the Grand Duke, for the love of the fatherland, for the preservation of the integrity of Russia, the Orthodox Church canonized Alexander as a saint.

7. Ivan Danilovich Kalita. This Grand Duke became famous for the fact that under him the rise of Muscovite Russia began. Moscow under Ivan Kalita became the real capital of the Russian state. On the instructions of Metropolitan Peter, Ivan Kalita in 1326 laid the first stone church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Moscow. Since then, the Russian metropolia moved from Vladimir to Moscow, which elevated this city above others in the Vladimir principality. Ivan Kalita became the first prince who received a label for a great reign in the Golden Horde. Thus, he increasingly strengthened the role of the capital of the state for Moscow. Later, for silver, he redeemed from the Horde labels for reigning in other Russian cities, adding them to the Moscow principality.

8. Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy. The Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich was nicknamed Donskoy after the first serious victory over the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. After a number of significant military victories over the Golden Horde, she did not dare to fight the Russians in the open field. By this time, the Moscow principality had become one of the main centers for the unification of Russian lands. The white-stone Moscow Kremlin was built in the city.

9. Ivan III Vasilyevich. During the reign of this Grand Duke and Sovereign Sovereign, there were many events that determined the fate of the Russian state. Firstly, a significant part of the scattered Russian lands around Moscow was united. This city finally becomes the center of the all-Russian state. Secondly, the final liberation of the country from the rule of the Horde khans was achieved. After standing on the Ugra River, Russia finally threw off the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Thirdly, under the reign of Ivan III, the territory of Russia increased five times and began to amount to about two million square kilometers. The Code of Laws was also adopted - a set of laws of the state, and a number of reforms were carried out that laid the foundations for the local system of land tenure. The sovereign established the first post office in Russia, city governments appeared in the cities, drunkenness was prohibited, and the armament of the troops was significantly increased.

10. Ivan IV Vasilyevich. It was this ruler who was nicknamed the Terrible. He headed the Russian state longer than all the rulers: 50 years and 105 days. The contribution of this king to the history of Russia is difficult to overestimate. Under him, boyar strife ceased, and the territory of the state grew by almost 100 percent - from 2.8 million square kilometers to 5.4 million. The Russian state has become larger than the rest of Europe. He defeated the slave-trading khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan, annexed these territories to Russia. Also, under him, Western Siberia, the Region of the Don Host, Bashkiria, and the lands of the Nogai Horde were annexed. Ivan the Terrible entered into diplomatic and military relations with the Don and Tersko-Grebensky Cossacks. John IV Vasilyevich created a regular streltsy army, the first Russian military flotilla in the Baltic. I would especially like to note the creation of the judiciary of 1550. The collection of laws of the period of the estate monarchy in Russia is the first legal act in Russian history proclaimed the only source of law. It contained 100 articles. Under Ivan the Terrible, the first printing house appeared in Russia (Printing Yard). Under him, the election of the local administration was introduced, a network of primary schools was created, a postal service and the first fire brigade in Europe were created.