The first rulers of Rus'. Rulers of Ancient Rus': chronology and achievements

Information about the first rulers of Rus' is drawn mainly from chronicles. But since the earliest of the chronicles that have reached us, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” was compiled in the 1110s, ideas about the individuals who were at the head of the historical movement of Rus' in the 9th - early 10th centuries (that is, two and - especially - three centuries earlier, the creation of this code) is largely vague and often contradictory. Cue. The first ruler of Rus' (southern) was Kiy, who, according to the chronicle, founded Kyiv. As already noted, according to the convincing arguments of M.N. Tikhomirov, this happened at the turn of the 8th-9th centuries, in the 790-800s. The most significant thing is that the fate of Kiy, all his deeds appear as a kind of grain, the seed of the entire initial history, all the main achievements, the fruit of which was the creation of the state of Rus'.

Ryumrik (d. 879) - the chronicle founder of the statehood of Rus', the Varangian, the Novgorod prince and the founder of the princely, which later became the royal, Rurik dynasty.

Askomld (presumably Old Norse. Haskuldr or Htskuldr, other - Russian Askold) - Varangian from Rurik’s squad, Kiev prince in 864-882. (ruled together with Deer).

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Askold and Dir were boyars Prince of Novgorod Rurik, who let them go on a campaign against Constantinople. They settled in Kyiv, seizing power over the Polans, who at that time did not have their own prince and paid tribute to the Khazars (864).

Olemg (Vemshchiy Olemg, other - Russian Olg, d. 912) - Varangian, prince of Novgorod (from 879) and Kiev (from 882). Often considered as the founder of the Old Russian state.

The chronicle gives his nickname Prophetic, that is, one who knows the future, who sees the future. Named so immediately after returning from the 907 campaign against Byzantium.

Oleg II. As has already been said, after Oleg the Prophet, there was obviously a “second” Oleg who ruled, who in oral traditions merged with the first; it is possible that he was the son of the first. The reign of the “second” Oleg is documented by a “Khazar letter” compiled in the mid-10th century, which tells about the events of the late 930s - early 940s. In a letter we're talking about about the then ruler Khazar Khaganate Joseph, the Byzantine Emperor Roman I Lekapin (919-944) and the “Tsar of Rus'” Khlgu (Oleg). I quote the latest translation of a fragment of this letter, belonging to A.P. Novoseltsev.

Prince Igor made two military campaigns against Byzantium. The first, in 941, ended unsuccessfully. It was also preceded by an unsuccessful military campaign against Khazaria, during which Rus', acting at the request of Byzantium, attacked the Khazar city of Samkerts on the Taman Peninsula, but was defeated by the Khazar commander Pesach, and then turned its arms against Byzantium. The second campaign against Byzantium took place in 944. It ended with an agreement that confirmed many provisions previous agreements 907 and 911, but which abolished duty-free trade. In 943 or 944, a campaign was made against Berdaa. In 945, Igor was killed while collecting tribute from the Drevlyans. After Igor's death, due to the minority of his son Svyatoslav, real power was in the hands of Igor's widow, Princess Olga. She became the first ruler of the Old Russian state to officially accept Christianity of the Byzantine rite (according to the most reasoned version, in 957, although other dates are also proposed). However, around 959 Olga invited the German bishop Adalbert and priests of the Latin rite to Rus' (after the failure of their mission they were forced to leave Kyiv).

Around 962, the matured Svyatoslav took power into his own hands. His first action was the subjugation of the Vyatichi (964), who were the last of all the East Slavic tribes to pay tribute to the Khazars. In 965, Svyatoslav made a campaign against the Khazar Kaganate, taking its main cities by storm: Sarkel, Semender and the capital Itil. On the site of the city of Sarkela, he built the Belaya Vezha fortress. Svyatoslav also made two trips to Bulgaria, where he intended to create his own state with its capital in the Danube region. He was killed in a battle with the Pechenegs while returning to Kyiv from an unsuccessful campaign in 972.

After the death of Svyatoslav, civil strife broke out for the right to the throne (972-978 or 980). The eldest son Yaropolk became the great prince of Kyiv, Oleg received the Drevlyan lands, Vladimir - Novgorod. In 977, Yaropolk defeated Oleg’s squad, Oleg died. Vladimir fled “overseas”, but returned 2 years later with a Varangian squad. During the civil strife, Svyatoslav's son Vladimir Svyatoslavich (reigned 980-1015) defended his rights to the throne. Under him, the formation of the state territory of Ancient Rus' was completed, the Cherven cities and Carpathian Rus' were annexed.

Vladimir I Svyatoslavich (Holy, Great, Red Sun, Equal to the Apostles) (956-1015) - Grand Duke of Kiev from 980, under whom the formation of Russian statehood was completed. In 980 he defeated the army of his brother Yaropolk and killed him. By campaigns against the Vyatichi, Radimichi and Bulgarians he strengthened the Old Russian state. Conquered Chervona Rus (Galicia) on both sides of the Carpathians, defeated the Yatvingians. Cherven, Przemysl and other cities were captured from the Poles. Under him, the first crossing line was built along the Stugna, Sula and Desna rivers. There was a flourishing of the economy and culture (“the epic period of Russian history”). The minting of coins in Rus' began - “seryabreniki” and “zlatnikov” of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. The first years of his reign were marred by the cruelty of his character, zealous worship of idols and a penchant for polygamy. After the Korsun history in 988 he began the Christianization of Rus'. The Church canonized him and called him “equal to the apostles.” In the nine largest centers of Rus', he put his sons to reign: in Novgorod (land of the Slovenes) - Vysheslav, later Yaroslav, in Polotsk (Krivichi) - Izyaslav, in Turov (Dregovichi) - Svyatopolk, in the land of the Drevlyans - Svyatoslav, in Vladimir-Volynsky (Volynians) - Vsevolod, Smolensk (Krivichi) - Stanislav, Rostov - the land of the Finnish-speaking Merya tribe) - Yaroslav, later Boris, in Murom (Finnish-speaking Murom tribe) - Gleb, Tmutarakan - Mstislav. After Vladimir's death, a fierce struggle for power unfolds between his heirs. That. under Vladimir I, Russian statehood strengthened:

Vladimir II Vsevolodovich (Monomakh) (1053-1125) - grandson of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh and Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Duke Kyiv at 1113, 3 MY-1125. Supporter of strengthening the unity of Rus'. In conditions when the heirs of Yaroslav the Wise fought for Kyiv, he continued to reign in southern Pereyaslavl and guard the borders of the state. He pursued an active foreign policy. Made 83 military campaigns. By this, Vladimir gained authority among the people of Kiev, which predetermined his invitation by the townspeople to the throne. He repelled the danger from the Polovtsians; one of the hordes, led by Sharukan’s son Otrok, was forced to leave the Don region for the North Caucasus. In 1116-1118, Vladimir organized a large-scale military and political attack on Byzantium. The Byzantine historian Michael Psellus wrote: “This barbarian tribe is constantly seething with anger and hatred towards the Roman power and is looking for a pretext for war with us.” The Kiev prince set as his goal to place his son-in-law Leon on the throne of Constantinople, posing as the son of the Byzantine emperor Roman IV Diogenes, and after his death as a result of the murder of Leon's son Vasily (his grandson) inspired by Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. These attempts failed, but their result was the strengthening of the influence of Rus' on the left bank of the Lower Danube. He defeated the Polovtsians and destroyed their capital - Sharukan (Urukan - Kharkov); forced them to leave for the Southern Urals and Northern Kazakhstan. He convened a princely congress in Vydobychi, where it was decided to invite the Jews to leave the borders of Kievan Rus. The chronicle calls him “a brotherly lover, a lover of the poor and a good sufferer for the Russian land.” “Instruction for Children” by Vladimir Monomakh is a striking example of secular moralistic literature of the 12th century. In the “Teaching” he advises not to break an oath, not to kill either the right or the wrong, and not to command killing.

Nicholas II (1894 - 1917) Due to the stampede that occurred during his coronation, many people died. Thus, the name “Bloody” was attached to the kindest philanthropist Nikolai. In 1898, Nicholas II, caring for world peace, issued a manifesto calling on all countries in the world to completely disarm. After this, a special commission met in The Hague to develop a number of measures that could further prevent bloody clashes between countries and peoples. But the peace-loving emperor had to fight. First in the First World War, then the Bolshevik coup broke out, as a result of which the monarch was overthrown, and then he and his family were shot in Yekaterinburg. The Orthodox Church canonized Nikolai Romanov and his entire family as saints.

Rurik (862-879)

The Novgorod prince, nicknamed Varangian, as he was called to reign over the Novgorodians from across the Varangian Sea. is the founder of the Rurik dynasty. He was married to a woman named Efanda, with whom he had a son named Igor. He also raised Askold’s daughter and stepson. After his two brothers died, he became the sole ruler of the country. He gave all the surrounding villages and suburbs to the management of his confidants, where they had the right to independently conduct justice. Around this time, Askold and Dir, two brothers who were in no way related to Rurik by family ties, occupied the city of Kyiv and began to rule the glades.

Oleg (879 - 912)

Prince of Kyiv, nicknamed the Prophetic. Being a relative of Prince Rurik, he was the guardian of his son Igor. According to legend, he died after being bitten in the leg by a snake. Prince Oleg became famous for his intelligence and military valor. With a huge army at that time, the prince went along the Dnieper. On the way, he conquered Smolensk, then Lyubech, and then took Kyiv, making it the capital. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg showed the little son of Rurik, Igor, to the glades as their prince. He went on a military campaign to Greece and with a brilliant victory secured the Russians preferential rights to free trade in Constantinople.

Igor (912 - 945)

Following the example of Prince Oleg, Igor Rurikovich conquered all the neighboring tribes and forced them to pay tribute, successfully repelled the raids of the Pechenegs and also undertook a campaign in Greece, which, however, was not as successful as the campaign of Prince Oleg. As a result, Igor was killed by neighboring conquered tribes of the Drevlyans for his irrepressible greed in extortions.

Olga (945 - 957)

Olga was the wife of Prince Igor. She, according to the customs of that time, very cruelly took revenge on the Drevlyans for the murder of her husband, and also conquered the main city of the Drevlyans - Korosten. Olga was distinguished by very good leadership abilities, as well as a brilliant, sharp mind. Already at the end of her life, she converted to Christianity in Constantinople, for which she was subsequently canonized and named Equal to the Apostles.

Svyatoslav Igorevich (after 964 - spring 972)

The son of Prince Igor and Princess Olga, who, after the death of her husband, took the reins of power into her own hands while her son grew up, learning the intricacies of the art of war. In 967, he managed to defeat the army of the Bulgarian king, which greatly alarmed the Byzantine emperor John, who, in cahoots with the Pechenegs, persuaded them to attack Kyiv. In 970, together with the Bulgarians and Hungarians, after the death of Princess Olga, Svyatoslav went on a campaign against Byzantium. The forces were not equal, and Svyatoslav was forced to sign a peace treaty with the empire. After his return to Kyiv, he was brutally killed by the Pechenegs, and then Svyatoslav’s skull was decorated with gold and made into a bowl for pies.

Yaropolk Svyatoslavovich (972 - 978 or 980)

After the death of his father, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich, made an attempt to unite Rus' under his rule, defeating his brothers: Oleg Drevlyansky and Vladimir of Novgorod, forcing them to leave the country, and then annexed their lands to the Principality of Kyiv. He managed to conclude new agreement with the Byzantine Empire, and also to attract the horde of the Pecheneg Khan Ildea into his service. Tried to establish diplomatic relations with Rome. Under him, as the Joachim manuscript testifies, Christians were given a lot of freedom in Rus', which caused the displeasure of the pagans. Vladimir of Novgorod immediately took advantage of this displeasure and, having agreed with the Varangians, recaptured Novgorod, then Polotsk, and then besieged Kyiv. Yaropolk was forced to flee to Roden. He tried to make peace with his brother, for which he went to Kyiv, where he was a Varangian. Chronicles characterize this prince as a peace-loving and meek ruler.

Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (978 or 980 - 1015)

Vladimir was the youngest son of Prince Svyatoslav. He was the Prince of Novgorod from 968. Became Prince of Kyiv in 980. He was distinguished by a very warlike disposition, which allowed him to conquer the Radimichi, Vyatichi and Yatvingians. Vladimir also waged wars with the Pechenegs, with Volga Bulgaria, with the Byzantine Empire and Poland. It was during the reign of Prince Vladimir in Rus' that defensive structures were built on the boundaries of the rivers: Desna, Trubezh, Osetra, Sula and others. Vladimir also did not forget about his capital city. It was under him that Kyiv was rebuilt with stone buildings. But Vladimir Svyatoslavovich became famous and remained in history thanks to the fact that in 988 - 989. made Christianity the state religion of Kievan Rus, which immediately strengthened the country’s authority in the international arena. Under him, the state of Kievan Rus entered its period of greatest prosperity. Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich became an epic character, in which he is referred to as “Vladimir the Red Sun.” Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, named Prince Equal to the Apostles.

Svyatopolk Vladimirovich (1015 - 1019)

During his lifetime, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich divided his lands between his sons: Svyatopolk, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Mstislav, Svyatoslav, Boris and Gleb. After Prince Vladimir died, Svyatopolk Vladimirovich occupied Kyiv and decided to get rid of his rival brothers. He gave the order to kill Gleb, Boris and Svyatoslav. However, this did not help him establish himself on the throne. Soon he himself was expelled from Kyiv by Prince Yaroslav of Novgorod. Then Svyatopolk turned for help to his father-in-law, King Boleslav of Poland. With the support of the Polish king, Svyatopolk again captured Kiev, but soon circumstances developed such that he was again forced to flee the capital. On the way, Prince Svyatopolk committed suicide. This prince was popularly nicknamed the Damned because he took the lives of his brothers.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise (1019 - 1054)

Yaroslav Vladimirovich, after the death of Mstislav of Tmutarakansky and after the expulsion of the Holy Regiment, became the sole ruler of the Russian land. Yaroslav was distinguished by a sharp mind, for which, in fact, he received his nickname - the Wise. He tried to take care of the needs of his people, built the cities of Yaroslavl and Yuryev. He also built churches (St. Sophia in Kyiv and Novgorod), understanding the importance of spreading and establishing the new faith. It was he who published the first set of laws in Rus' called “Russian Truth”. He divided the plots of the Russian land between his sons: Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, Vsevolod, Igor and Vyacheslav, bequeathing them to live in peace among themselves.

Izyaslav Yaroslavich the First (1054 - 1078)

Izyaslav was the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise. After the death of his father, the throne of Kievan Rus passed to him. But after his campaign against the Polovtsians, which ended in failure, the Kievans themselves drove him away. Then his brother Svyatoslav became the Grand Duke. Only after the death of Svyatoslav did Izyaslav return to the capital city of Kyiv. Vsevolod the First (1078 - 1093) It is likely that Prince Vsevolod could well have been a useful ruler, thanks to his peaceful disposition, piety and truthfulness. Being myself educated person Knowing five languages, he actively contributed to education in his principality. But, alas. Constant, incessant raids of the Polovtsians, pestilence, and famine did not favor the rule of this prince. He remained on the throne thanks to the efforts of his son Vladimir, who would later be called Monomakh.

Svyatopolk the Second (1093 - 1113)

Svyatopolk was the son of Izyaslav the First. It was he who inherited the Kyiv throne after Vsevolod the First. This prince was distinguished by a rare lack of spine, which is why he was unable to calm the internecine friction between the princes for power in the cities. In 1097, a congress of princes took place in the city of Lyubich, at which each ruler, kissing the cross, pledged to own only his father’s land. But this fragile peace treaty was not allowed to come to fruition. Prince Davyd Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko. Then the princes, at a new congress (1100), deprived Prince David of the right to own Volyn. Then, in 1103, the princes unanimously accepted Vladimir Monomakh’s proposal for a joint campaign against the Polovtsians, which was done. The campaign ended in Russian victory in 1111.

Vladimir Monomakh (1113 - 1125)

Despite the right of seniority of the Svyatoslavichs, when Prince Svyatopolk the Second died, Vladimir Monomakh, who wanted the unification of the Russian land, was elected Prince of Kyiv. Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh was brave, tireless and stood out from the rest with his remarkable mental abilities. He managed to humble the princes with meekness, and he fought successfully with the Polovtsians. Vladimir Monoma is a vivid example of the prince’s service not to his personal ambitions, but to his people, which he bequeathed to his children.

Mstislav the First (1125 - 1132)

The son of Vladimir Monomakh, Mstislav the First, was very similar to his legendary father, demonstrating the same remarkable qualities of a ruler. All the disobedient princes showed him respect, fearing to anger the Grand Duke and share the fate of the Polovtsian princes, whom Mstislav expelled to Greece for disobedience, and in their place he sent his son to reign.

Yaropolk (1132 - 1139)

Yaropolk was the son of Vladimir Monomakh and, accordingly, the brother of Mstislav the First. During his reign, he came up with the idea of ​​​​transferring the throne not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew, which caused turmoil in the country. It was because of these strife that the Monomakhovichs lost the throne of Kiev, which was occupied by the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich, that is, the Olegovichs.

Vsevolod the Second (1139 - 1146)

Having become the Grand Duke, Vsevolod the Second wanted to secure the throne of Kiev for his family. For this reason, he handed over the throne to Igor Olegovich, his brother. But Igor was not accepted by the people as a prince. He was forced to take monastic vows, but even the monastic robe did not protect him from the wrath of the people. Igor was killed.

Izyaslav the Second (1146 - 1154)

Izyaslav the Second fell in love with the people of Kiev to a greater extent because with his intelligence, disposition, friendliness and courage he very much reminded them of Vladimir Monomakh, the grandfather of Izyaslav the Second. After Izyaslav ascended the Kiev throne, the concept of seniority, accepted for centuries, was violated in Rus', that is, for example, while his uncle was alive, his nephew could not be the Grand Duke. A stubborn struggle began between Izyaslav II and Rostov Prince Yuri Vladimirovich. Izyaslav was driven out of Kyiv twice during his life, but this prince still managed to retain the throne until his death.

Yuri Dolgoruky (1154 - 1157)

It was the death of Izyaslav the Second that paved the way to the throne of Kyiv Yuri, whom the people later nicknamed Dolgoruky. Yuri became the Grand Duke, but he did not reign for long, only three years later, after which he died.

Mstislav the Second (1157 - 1169)

After the death of Yuri Dolgoruky, as usual, internecine strife began between the princes for the Kiev throne, as a result of which Mstislav the Second Izyaslavovich became the Grand Duke. Mstislav was expelled from the Kyiv throne by Prince Andrei Yuryevich, nicknamed Bogolyubsky. Before the expulsion of Prince Mstislav, Bogolyubsky literally ruined Kyiv.

Andrey Bogolyubsky (1169 - 1174)

The first thing Andrei Bogolyubsky did when he became the Grand Duke was to move the capital from Kyiv to Vladimir. He ruled Russia autocratically, without squads or councils, persecuted everyone who was dissatisfied with this state of affairs, but in the end he was killed by them as a result of a conspiracy.

Vsevolod the Third (1176 - 1212)

The death of Andrei Bogolyubsky caused strife between ancient cities (Suzdal, Rostov) and new ones (Pereslavl, Vladimir). As a result of these confrontations, Andrei Bogolyubsky’s brother Vsevolod the Third, nicknamed the Big Nest, became king in Vladimir. Despite the fact that this prince did not rule and did not live in Kyiv, nevertheless, he was called the Grand Duke and was the first to force an oath of allegiance not only to himself, but also to his children.

Constantine the First (1212 - 1219)

The title of Grand Duke Vsevolod the Third, contrary to expectations, was transferred not to his eldest son Constantine, but to Yuri, as a result of which strife arose. The father’s decision to approve Yuri as Grand Duke was also supported by Vsevolod the Big Nest’s third son, Yaroslav. And Konstantin was supported in his claims to the throne by Mstislav Udaloy. Together they won the Battle of Lipetsk (1216) and Constantine nevertheless became the Grand Duke. Only after his death did the throne pass to Yuri.

Yuri II (1219 - 1238)

Yuri successfully fought with the Volga Bulgarians and Mordovians. On the Volga, on the very border of Russian possessions, Prince Yuri built Nizhny Novgorod. It was during his reign that the Mongol-Tatars appeared in Rus', who in 1224, at the Battle of Kalka, defeated first the Polovtsians, and then the troops of the Russian princes who came to support the Polovtsians. After this battle, the Mongols left, but thirteen years later they returned under the leadership of Batu Khan. Hordes of Mongols devastated the Suzdal and Ryazan principalities, and also defeated the army of Grand Duke Yuri II in the Battle of the City. Yuri died in this battle. Two years after his death, hordes of Mongols plundered the south of Rus' and Kyiv, after which all Russian princes were forced to admit that from now on they and their lands were under the rule of Tatar yoke. The Mongols on the Volga made the city of Sarai the capital of the horde.

Yaroslav II (1238 - 1252)

The Khan of the Golden Horde appointed Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich of Novgorod as Grand Duke. During his reign, this prince was engaged in restoring Rus', devastated by the Mongol army.

Alexander Nevsky (1252 - 1263)

Being at first the Prince of Novgorod, Alexander Yaroslavovich defeated the Swedes on the Neva River in 1240, for which, in fact, he was named Nevsky. Then, two years later, he defeated the Germans in the famous Battle on the Ice. Among other things, Alexander fought very successfully against Chud and Lithuania. From the Horde he received a label for the Great Reign and became a great intercessor for the entire Russian people, as he traveled to the Golden Horde four times with rich gifts and bows. was subsequently canonized.

Yaroslav the Third (1264 - 1272)

After Alexander Nevsky died, his two brothers began to fight for the title of Grand Duke: Vasily and Yaroslav, but the Khan of the Golden Horde decided to give the label to reign to Yaroslav. However, Yaroslav failed to get along with the Novgorodians; he treacherously called even the Tatars against his own people. The Metropolitan reconciled Prince Yaroslav III with the people, after which the prince again swore an oath on the cross to rule honestly and fairly.

Vasily the First (1272 - 1276)

Vasily the First was the prince of Kostroma, but laid claim to the throne of Novgorod, where the son of Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry, reigned. And soon Vasily the First achieved his goal, thereby strengthening his principality, previously weakened by division into appanages.

Dmitry the First (1276 - 1294)

The entire reign of Dmitry the First took place in a continuous struggle for the rights of the grand duke with his brother Andrei Alexandrovich. Andrei Alexandrovich was supported by Tatar regiments, from which Dmitry managed to escape three times. After his third escape, Dmitry nevertheless decided to ask Andrei for peace and, thus, received the right to reign in Pereslavl.

Andrew the Second (1294 - 1304)

Andrew the Second pursued a policy of expanding his principality through the armed seizure of other principalities. In particular, he laid claim to the principality in Pereslavl, which led to civil strife with Tver and Moscow, which, even after the death of Andrei II, was not stopped.

Saint Michael (1304 - 1319)

The Tver prince Mikhail Yaroslavovich, having paid a large tribute to the khan, received from the Horde a label for grand reign, bypassing the Moscow prince Yuri Danilovich. But then, while Mikhail was waging war with Novgorod, Yuri, conspiring with the Horde ambassador Kavgady, slandered Mikhail in front of the khan. As a result, the khan summoned Mikhail to the Horde, where he was brutally killed.

Yuri the Third (1320 - 1326)

Yuri the Third married the khan's daughter Konchaka, who in Orthodoxy took the name Agafya. It was for her premature death that Yuri insidiously accused Mikhail Yaroslavovich Tverskoy, for which he suffered an unjust and cruel death at the hands of the Horde Khan. So Yuri received a label to reign, but the son of the murdered Mikhail, Dmitry, also laid claim to the throne. As a result, Dmitry killed Yuri at the first meeting, avenging his father's death.

Dmitry the Second (1326)

For the murder of Yuri the Third, he was sentenced to death by the Horde Khan for arbitrariness.

Alexander Tverskoy (1326 - 1338)

The brother of Dmitry II - Alexander - received from the khan a label for the Grand Duke's throne. Prince Alexander of Tverskoy was distinguished by justice and kindness, but he literally ruined himself by allowing the Tver people to kill Shchelkan, the Khan’s ambassador, hated by everyone. Khan sent a 50,000-strong army against Alexander. The prince was forced to flee first to Pskov and then to Lithuania. Only 10 years later, Alexander received the khan’s forgiveness and was able to return, but at the same time, he did not get along with the Prince of Moscow - Ivan Kalita - after which Kalita slandered Alexander Tverskoy in front of the khan. Khan urgently summoned A. Tverskoy to his Horde, where he executed him.

John the First Kalita (1320 - 1341)

John Danilovich, nicknamed “Kalita” (Kalita - wallet) for his stinginess, was very careful and cunning. With the support of the Tatars, he devastated the Tver Principality. It was he who took upon himself the responsibility of accepting tribute for the Tatars from all over Rus', which also contributed to his personal enrichment. With this money, John bought entire cities from appanage princes. Through the efforts of Kalita, the metropolis was also transferred from Vladimir to Moscow in 1326. He founded the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. Since the time of John Kalita, Moscow has become the permanent residence of the Metropolitan of All Rus' and becomes the Russian center.

Simeon the Proud (1341 - 1353)

The Khan gave Simeon Ioannovich not only the label for the Grand Duchy, but also ordered all the other princes to obey only him, so Simeon began to call himself the Prince of All Rus'. The prince died without leaving an heir from a pestilence.

John the Second (1353 - 1359)

Brother of Simeon the Proud. He had a meek and peace-loving disposition, he obeyed the advice of Metropolitan Alexei in all matters, and Metropolitan Alexei, in turn, enjoyed great respect in the Horde. During the reign of this prince, relations between the Tatars and Moscow improved significantly.

Dmitry the Third Donskoy (1363 - 1389)

After the death of John the Second, his son Dmitry was still small, so the khan gave the label for the grand reign to the Suzdal prince Dmitry Konstantinovich (1359 - 1363). However, the Moscow boyars benefited from the policy of strengthening the Moscow prince, and they managed to achieve grand reign for Dmitry Ioannovich. The Suzdal prince was forced to submit, and together with the rest of the princes northeastern Rus' swore allegiance to Dmitry Ioannovich. The relationship between Rus' and the Tatars also changed. Due to civil strife within the horde itself, Dmitry and the rest of the princes took the opportunity not to pay the already familiar quitrent. Then Khan Mamai entered into an alliance with the Lithuanian prince Jagiell and moved with a large army to Rus'. Dmitry and other princes met Mamai’s army on the Kulikovo field (next to the Don River) and at the cost of huge losses on September 8, 1380, Rus' defeated the army of Mamai and Jagiell. For this victory they nicknamed Dmitry Ioannovich Donskoy. Until the end of his life, he cared about strengthening Moscow.

Vasily the First (1389 - 1425)

Vasily ascended the princely throne, already having experience of rule, since even during his father’s life he shared the reign with him. Expanded the Moscow Principality. Refused to pay tribute to the Tatars. In 1395, Khan Timur threatened Rus' with invasion, but it was not he who attacked Moscow, but Edigei, the Tatar Murza (1408). But he lifted the siege from Moscow, receiving a ransom of 3,000 rubles. Under Vasily the First, the Ugra River was designated as the border with the Lithuanian principality.

Vasily the Second (Dark) (1425 - 1462)

Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky decided to take advantage of the minority of Prince Vasily and declared his rights to the grand ducal throne, but the khan decided the dispute in favor of the young Vasily II, which was greatly facilitated by the Moscow boyar Vasily Vsevolozhsky, hoping in the future to marry his daughter to Vasily, but these expectations were not destined to come true . Then he left Moscow and assisted Yuri Dmitrievich, and he soon took possession of the throne, on which he died in 1434. His son Vasily Kosoy began to lay claim to the throne, but all the princes of Rus' rebelled against this. Vasily the Second captured Vasily Kosoy and blinded him. Then Vasily Kosoy’s brother Dmitry Shemyaka captured Vasily the Second and also blinded him, after which he took the throne of Moscow. But soon he was forced to give the throne to Vasily the Second. Under Vasily the Second, all metropolitans in Rus' began to be recruited from Russians, and not from Greeks, as before. The reason for this was the acceptance of the Florentine Union in 1439 by Metropolitan Isidore, who was from the Greeks. For this, Vasily the Second gave the order to take Metropolitan Isidore into custody and appointed Ryazan Bishop John in his place.

John the Third (1462 -1505)

Under him, the core of the state apparatus and, as a consequence, the state of Rus' began to form. He annexed Yaroslavl, Perm, Vyatka, Tver, and Novgorod to the Moscow principality. In 1480 he overthrew Tatar-Mongol yoke(Standing on the Ugra). In 1497, the Code of Laws was compiled. John the Third launched a large construction project in Moscow and strengthened the international position of Rus'. It was under him that the title “Prince of All Rus'” originated.

Vasily the Third (1505 - 1533)

“The last collector of Russian lands” Vasily the Third was the son of John the Third and Sophia Paleologus. He was distinguished by a very unapproachable and proud disposition. Having annexed Pskov, he destroyed the appanage system. He fought with Lithuania twice on the advice of Mikhail Glinsky, a Lithuanian nobleman whom he kept in his service. In 1514, he finally took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. He fought with Crimea and Kazan. In the end, he managed to punish Kazan. He recalled all trade from the city, ordering from now on to trade at the Makaryevskaya fair, which was then moved to Nizhny Novgorod. Vasily the Third, wishing to marry Elena Glinskaya, divorced his wife Solomonia, which further turned the boyars against themselves. From his marriage to Elena, Vasily the Third had a son, John.

Elena Glinskaya (1533 - 1538)

She was appointed to rule by Vasily the Third himself until their son John came of age. Elena Glinskaya, as soon as she ascended the throne, dealt very harshly with all the rebellious and dissatisfied boyars, after which she made peace with Lithuania. Then she decided to repel the Crimean Tatars, who boldly attacked Russian lands, however, these plans were not allowed to come true, since Elena died suddenly.

John the Fourth (Grozny) (1538 - 1584)

John the Fourth, Prince of All Rus', became the first Russian Tsar in 1547. Since the late forties, he ruled the country with the participation of the Elected Rada. During his reign, the convening of all Zemsky Sobors began. In 1550, a new Code of Law was drawn up, and reforms of the court and administration were carried out (Zemskaya and Gubnaya reforms). conquered the Kazan Khanate in 1552, and the Astrakhan Khanate in 1556. In 1565, the oprichnina was introduced to strengthen the autocracy. Under John the Fourth, trade relations with England were established in 1553, and the first printing house in Moscow was opened. From 1558 to 1583 the Livonian War continued for access to Baltic Sea. In 1581, the annexation of Siberia began. All domestic politics The country under Tsar John was accompanied by disgraces and executions, for which the people called him the Terrible. The enslavement of peasants increased significantly.

Fyodor Ioannovich (1584 - 1598)

He was the second son of John the Fourth. He was very sickly and weak, and lacked mental acuity. That is why very quickly the actual control of the state passed into the hands of the boyar Boris Godunov, the tsar’s brother-in-law. Boris Godunov, surrounding himself with exclusively devoted people, became a sovereign ruler. He built cities, strengthened relations with the countries of Western Europe, and built the Arkhangelsk harbor on the White Sea. By order and instigation of Godunov, an all-Russian independent patriarchate was approved, and the peasants were finally attached to the land. It was he who in 1591 ordered the murder of Tsarevich Dmitry, who was the brother of the childless Tsar Feodor and was his direct heir. 6 years after this murder, Tsar Fedor himself died.

Boris Godunov (1598 - 1605)

The sister of Boris Godunov and the wife of the late Tsar Fyodor abdicated the throne. Patriarch Job recommended that Godunov’s supporters convene a Zemsky Sobor, at which Boris was elected tsar. Godunov, having become king, was afraid of conspiracies on the part of the boyars and, in general, was distinguished by excessive suspicion, which naturally caused disgrace and exile. At the same time, boyar Fyodor Nikitich Romanov was forced to take monastic vows, and he became the monk Filaret, and his young son Mikhail was sent into exile to Beloozero. But it was not only the boyars who were angry with Boris Godunov. A three-year crop failure and the ensuing pestilence that struck the Muscovite kingdom forced the people to see this as the fault of Tsar B. Godunov. The king tried as best he could to ease the lot of the starving people. He increased the earnings of people working on government buildings (for example, during the construction of the bell tower of Ivan the Great), generously distributed alms, but people still grumbled and willingly believed rumors that the legitimate Tsar Dmitry had not been killed at all and would soon take the throne. In the midst of preparations for the fight against False Dmitry, Boris Godunov suddenly died, and at the same time managed to bequeath the throne to his son Fedor.

False Dmitry (1605 - 1606)

The fugitive monk Grigory Otrepiev, who was supported by the Poles, declared himself Tsar Dmitry, who miraculously managed to escape from the murderers in Uglich. He entered Russia with several thousand people. An army came out to meet him, but it also went over to the side of False Dmitry, recognizing him as the rightful king, after which Fyodor Godunov was killed. False Dmitry was a very good-natured man, but with a sharp mind; he diligently dealt with all state affairs, but caused the displeasure of the clergy and boyars because, in their opinion, he did not sufficiently respect the old Russian customs, and completely neglected many. Together with Vasily Shuisky, the boyars entered into a conspiracy against False Dmitry, spread a rumor that he was an impostor, and then, without hesitation, they killed the fake tsar.

Vasily Shuisky (1606 - 1610)

The boyars and townspeople elected the old and inexperienced Shuisky as king, while limiting his power. In Russia, rumors about the salvation of False Dmitry again arose, in connection with which new unrest began in the state, intensified by the rebellion of a serf named Ivan Bolotnikov and the appearance of False Dmitry II in Tushino (“Tushino thief”). Poland went to war against Moscow and defeated Russian troops. After this, Tsar Vasily was forcibly tonsured a monk, and it came to Russia Time of Troubles an interregnum lasting three years.

Mikhail Fedorovich (1613 - 1645)

The letters of the Trinity Lavra, sent throughout Russia and calling for the defense of the Orthodox faith and the fatherland, did their job: Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, with the participation of the Zemstvo head of Nizhny Novgorod Kozma Minin (Sukhorokiy), gathered a large militia and moved towards Moscow in order to clear the capital of rebels and Poles, which was done after painful efforts. On February 21, 1613, the Great Zemstvo Duma met, at which Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was elected Tsar, who, after much denial, nevertheless ascended the throne, where the first thing he did was to pacify both external and internal enemies.

He concluded the so-called pillar agreement with the Kingdom of Sweden, and in 1618 he signed the Treaty of Deulin with Poland, according to which Filaret, who was the Tsar’s parent, was returned to Russia after a long captivity. Upon his return, he was immediately elevated to the rank of patriarch. Patriarch Filaret was an adviser to his son and a reliable co-ruler. Thanks to them, by the end of the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich, Russia began to enter into friendly relations with various Western states, having practically recovered from the horror of the troubled times.

Alexey Mikhailovich (Quiet) (1645 - 1676)

Tsar Alexei is considered one of the best people of ancient Russia. He had a meek, humble disposition and was very pious. He absolutely could not stand quarrels, and if they happened, he suffered greatly and tried in every possible way to reconcile with his enemy. In the first years of his reign, his closest adviser was his uncle, boyar Morozov. In the fifties, Patriarch Nikon became his adviser, who decided to unite Rus' with everything else Orthodox world and commanded everyone from now on to be baptized in the Greek manner - with three fingers, which created a split among the Orthodox in Rus'. (The most famous schismatics are the Old Believers, who do not want to deviate from the true faith and be baptized with a “cookie”, as the Patriarch - Boyarina Morozova and Archpriest Avvakum ordered).

During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, every now and then different cities riots broke out, which were suppressed, and the decision of Little Russia to voluntarily join the Moscow state provoked two wars with Poland. But the state survived thanks to the unity and concentration of power. After the death of his first wife, Maria Miloslavskaya, in whose marriage the tsar had two sons (Fedor and John) and many daughters, he married a second time to the girl Natalya Naryshkina, who bore him a son, Peter.

Fedor Alekseevich (1676 - 1682)

During the reign of this tsar, the issue of Little Russia was finally resolved: its western part went to Turkey, and the East and Zaporozhye to Moscow. Patriarch Nikon was returned from exile. They also abolished localism - the ancient boyar custom of taking into account the service of their ancestors when occupying government and military positions. Tsar Fedor died without leaving an heir.

Ivan Alekseevich (1682 - 1689)

Ivan Alekseevich, together with his brother Pyotr Alekseevich, was elected tsar thanks to the Streltsy revolt. But Tsarevich Alexei, suffering from dementia, did not take any part in state affairs. He died in 1689 during the reign of Princess Sophia.

Sophia (1682 - 1689)

Sophia remained in history as the ruler of an extraordinary mind and possessed all necessary qualities a real queen. She managed to calm the unrest of the schismatics, curb the archers, conclude an “eternal peace” with Poland, very beneficial for Russia, as well as the Nerchinsk Treaty with distant China. The princess undertook campaigns against the Crimean Tatars, but fell victim to her own lust for power. Tsarevich Peter, however, having guessed her plans, imprisoned his half-sister in the Novodevichy Convent, where Sophia died in 1704.

Peter the Great (1682 - 1725)

The greatest king, and since 1721 the first Russian Emperor, statesman, cultural and military figure. He carried out revolutionary reforms in the country: collegiums, the Senate, bodies of political investigation and state control were created. He made divisions in Russia into provinces, and also subordinated the church to the state. Built a new capital - St. Petersburg. Peter's main dream was to eliminate Russia's backwardness in development compared to European countries. Taking advantage of Western experience, he tirelessly created manufactories, factories, and shipyards.

To facilitate trade and for access to the Baltic Sea, he won the Northern War against Sweden, which lasted 21 years, thereby “cutting through” a “window to Europe.” Built a huge fleet for Russia. Thanks to his efforts, the Academy of Sciences was opened in Russia and the civil alphabet was adopted. All reforms were carried out using the most brutal methods and caused multiple uprisings in the country (Streletskoye in 1698, Astrakhan from 1705 to 1706, Bulavinsky from 1707 to 1709), which, however, were also mercilessly suppressed.

Catherine the First (1725 - 1727)

Peter the Great died without leaving a will. So, the throne passed to his wife Catherine. Catherine became famous for equipping Bering to trip around the world, and also established the Supreme Privy Council at the instigation of the friend and ally of her late husband Peter the Great, Prince Menshikov. Thus, Menshikov concentrated in his hands virtually all state power. He persuaded Catherine to appoint as heir to the throne the son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich, to whom his father, Peter the Great, had sentenced Peter Alekseevich to death for his aversion to reforms, and also to agree to his marriage with Menshikov’s daughter Maria. Before Peter Alekseevich came of age, Prince Menshikov was appointed ruler of Russia.

Peter the Second (1727 - 1730)

Peter the Second did not rule for long. Having barely gotten rid of the imperious Menshikov, he immediately fell under the influence of the Dolgorukys, who, by distracting the emperors with entertainment from state affairs in every possible way, actually ruled the country. They wished to marry the emperor to Princess E. A. Dolgoruky, but Peter Alekseevich suddenly died of smallpox and the wedding did not take place.

Anna Ioannovna (1730 - 1740)

The Supreme Privy Council decided to somewhat limit the autocracy, so they chose Anna Ioannovna, the Dowager Duchess of Courland, daughter of Ivan Alekseevich, as empress. But she was crowned Russian throne autocratic empress and, first of all, having assumed her rights, she destroyed the Supreme Privy Council. She replaced it with the Cabinet and instead of the Russian nobles, she distributed positions to the Germans Ostern and Minich, as well as the Courlander Biron. The cruel and unjust rule was subsequently called “Bironism.”

Russia's intervention in Poland's internal affairs in 1733 cost the country dearly: the lands conquered by Peter the Great had to be returned to Persia. Before her death, the empress appointed the son of her niece Anna Leopoldovna as her heir, and appointed Biron as regent for the baby. However, Biron was soon overthrown, and Anna Leopoldovna became the empress, whose reign cannot be called long and glorious. The guards staged a coup and proclaimed Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great.

Elizaveta Petrovna (1741 - 1761)

Elizabeth destroyed the Cabinet established by Anna Ioannovna and returned the Senate. Issued a decree abolishing the death penalty in 1744. She established the first loan banks in Russia in 1954, which became a great boon for merchants and nobles. At Lomonosov's request, she opened the first university in Moscow and in 1756 opened the first theater. During her reign, Russia fought two wars: with Sweden and the so-called “seven years”, in which Prussia, Austria and France took part. Thanks to the peace concluded with Sweden, part of Finland was ceded to Russia. The “Seven Years” War was brought to an end by the death of Empress Elizabeth.

Peter the Third (1761 - 1762)

He was absolutely unsuited to governing the state, but he was of a complacent disposition. But this young emperor managed to turn absolutely all layers of Russian society against himself, since, to the detriment of Russian interests, he showed a craving for everything German. Peter the Third, not only made a lot of concessions in relation to the Prussian Emperor Frederick the Second, but also reformed the army according to the same Prussian model, dear to his heart. He issued decrees on the destruction of the secret chancellery and the free nobility, which, however, were not distinguished by certainty. As a result of the coup, because of his attitude towards the empress, he quickly signed an abdication of the throne and soon died.

Catherine the Second (1762 - 1796)

Her reign was one of the greatest after the reign of Peter the Great. Empress Catherine ruled harshly, suppressed Pugachev's peasant uprising, won two Turkish wars, the result of which was the recognition of the independence of Crimea by Turkey, as well as the withdrawal of the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov to Russia. Russia acquired the Black Sea Fleet, and active construction of cities began in Novorossiya. Catherine the Second established the colleges of education and medicine. Opened cadet corps, and for training girls - the Smolny Institute. Catherine the Second, herself possessing literary abilities, patronized literature.

Paul the First (1796 - 1801)

He did not support the changes that his mother, Empress Catherine, started in the state system. Among the achievements of his reign, one should note a very significant improvement in the life of serfs (only a three-day corvee was introduced), the opening of a university in Dorpat, as well as the emergence of new women's institutions.

Alexander the First (Blessed) (1801 - 1825)

The grandson of Catherine the Second, upon ascending the throne, vowed to rule the country “according to the law and heart” of his crowned grandmother, who, in fact, was involved in his upbringing. At the very beginning, he took a number of different liberation measures aimed at different sections of society, which aroused the undoubted respect and love of people. But external political problems distracted Alexander from internal reforms. Russia, in alliance with Austria, was forced to fight against Napoleon; Russian troops were defeated at Austerlitz.

Napoleon forced Russia to abandon trade with England. As a result, in 1812, Napoleon nevertheless, violating the treaty with Russia, went to war against the country. And in the same year, 1812 Russian troops defeated Napoleon's army. Alexander the First established the State Council in 1800, ministries and the cabinet of ministers. He opened universities in St. Petersburg, Kazan and Kharkov, as well as many institutes and gymnasiums, and the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Made the life of the peasants much easier.

Nicholas the First (1825 - 1855)

He continued the policy of improving peasant life. Founded the Institute of St. Vladimir in Kyiv. Published a 45-volume complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire. Under Nicholas the First in 1839, the Uniates were reunited with Orthodoxy. This reunification was a consequence of the suppression of the uprising in Poland and the complete destruction of the Polish constitution. There was a war with the Turks, who oppressed Greece, and as a result of Russia's victory, Greece gained independence. After the rupture of relations with Turkey, which was sided with England, Sardinia and France, Russia had to join a new struggle.

The emperor died suddenly during the defense of Sevastopol. During the reign of Nicholas the First, the Nikolaevskaya and Tsarskoye Selo railways were built, great Russian writers and poets lived and worked: Lermontov, Pushkin, Krylov, Griboedov, Belinsky, Zhukovsky, Gogol, Karamzin.

Alexander II (Liberator) (1855 - 1881)

Alexander II had to end the Turkish war. The Paris Peace Treaty was concluded on very unfavorable terms for Russia. In 1858, according to an agreement with China, Russia acquired the Amur region, and later Usuriysk. In 1864, the Caucasus finally became part of Russia. The most important state transformation of Alexander II was the decision to free the peasants. He died at the hands of an assassin in 1881.

Since 862 Rurik, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, established himself in Novgorod. According to tradition, the beginning of Russian statehood dates back to this time. (In 1862, the monument “Millennium of Russia” was erected in the Novgorod Kremlin, sculptor M. O. Mikeshin.) Some historians believe that Rurik was real historical figure, identifying him with Rurik of Friesland, who, at the head of his squad, repeatedly made campaigns against Western Europe. Rurik settled in Novgorod, one of his brothers - Sineus - on White Lake (now Belozersk, Vologda region), the other - Truvor - in Izborsk (near Pskov). Historians consider the names of the “brothers” to be a distortion of ancient Swedish words: “sineus” - “with their clans”, “truvor” - faithful squad. This usually serves as one of the arguments against the reliability of the Varangian legend. Two years later, according to chronicles, the brothers died, and Rurik handed over the management of the most important cities to his husbands. Two of them, Askold and Dir, who made an unsuccessful campaign against Byzantium, occupied Kyiv and freed the Kyivans from Khazar tribute.

After death in 879 Rurik, who did not leave behind an heir (according to another version, he was Igor, which gave the basis for later in historical literature to call the dynasty of the Kyiv princes “Rurikovichs”, and Kievan Rus - the “power of the Rurikovichs”), power in Novgorod was seized by the leader of one of the Varangian detachments Oleg (879-912).

Unification of Kyiv and Novgorod

Treaty between Rus' and the Greeks. In 882 Oleg undertook a campaign against Kyiv, where at that time Askold and Dir reigned (some historians consider these princes to be the last representatives of the Kiya family). Posing themselves as merchants, Oleg's warriors, using deception, killed Askold and Dir and captured the city. Kyiv became the center of the united state.

Rus''s trading partner was the powerful Byzantine Empire. The Kyiv princes repeatedly made campaigns against their southern neighbor. So, back in 860, Askold and Dir this time undertook a successful campaign against Byzantium. The agreement between Rus' and Byzantium, concluded by Oleg, became even more famous.

In 907 and 911 Oleg and his army successfully fought twice under the walls of Constantinople (Constantinople). As a result of these campaigns, treaties were concluded with the Greeks, drawn up, as the chronicler wrote, “in two harathys,” that is, in two copies - in Russian and Greek. This confirms that Russian writing appeared long before the adoption of Christianity. Before the advent of “Russian Pravda,” legislation was also taking shape (in the agreement with the Greeks, the “Russian Law” was mentioned, according to which the inhabitants of Kievan Rus were judged).

According to the agreements, Russian merchants had the right to live for a month at the expense of the Greeks in Constantinople, but were obliged to walk around the city with weapons. At the same time, merchants had to have written documents with them and warn the Byzantine emperor about their arrival in advance. Oleg's agreement with the Greeks provided the possibility of exporting the tribute collected in Rus' and selling it in the markets of Byzantium.

Under Oleg, the Drevlyans, northerners, and Radimichi were included in his state and began to pay tribute to Kyiv. However, the process of incorporating various tribal unions into Kievan Rus was not a one-time event.

Prince Igor. Revolt of the Drevlyans

After the death of Oleg, Igor began to reign in Kyiv (912-945). During his reign in 944, an agreement with Byzantium was confirmed on less favorable terms. Under Igor, the first popular disturbance described in the chronicles occurred - the uprising of the Drevlyans in 945. The collection of tribute in the Drevlyan lands was carried out by the Varangian Sveneld with his detachment, whose enrichment caused a murmur in Igor’s squad. Igor’s warriors said: “Sveneld’s youths are decked out with weapons and ports, and we are naked. Come with us, prince, for tribute, and you will get it for yourself and for us.”

Having collected tribute and sent carts to Kyiv, Igor returned with a small detachment, “wanting more estates.” The Drevlyans gathered at the veche (the presence of their own principalities in individual Slavic lands, as well as veche gatherings, indicates that the formation of statehood continued in Kievan Rus). The veche decided: “If a wolf gets into the habit of getting close to the sheep, he will drag everything away if you don’t kill him.” Igor's squad was killed, and the prince was executed.

Lessons and churchyards

After Igor's death, his wife Olga (945-957) brutally took revenge on the Drevlyans for the murder of her husband. The first embassy of the Drevlyans, offering Olga in return for Igor as the husband of their prince Mal, was buried alive in the ground, the second was burned. At the funeral feast (funeral), on Olga’s orders, the tipsy Drevlyans were killed. As the chronicle reports, Olga suggested that the Drevlyans give three doves and three sparrows from each yard as tribute. Lighted tow with sulfur was tied to the pigeons' feet; when they flew to their old nests, a fire broke out in the Drevlyan capital. As a result, the capital of the Drevlyans, Iskorosten (now the city of Korosten), burned down. According to the chronicles, about 5 thousand people died in the fire.

Having cruelly taken revenge on the Drevlyans, Olga was forced to streamline the collection of tribute. She established “lessons” - the amount of tribute and “cemeteries” - places for collecting tribute. Along with the camps (places where there was shelter, the necessary food supplies were stored, and the princely squad stayed while collecting tribute), graveyards appeared - apparently, the fortified courtyards of the princely rulers, where the tribute was brought. These graveyards then became strongholds of princely power.

During the reign of Igor and Olga, the lands of the Tiverts, Ulichs and finally the Drevlyans were annexed to Kyiv.

Campaigns of Svyatoslav

Some historians consider Svyatoslav (957-972), the son of Olga and Igor, a talented commander and statesman, others argue that he was an adventurer prince who saw the goal of his life in war.

Svyatoslav was faced with the task of protecting Rus' from raids by nomads and clearing trade routes to other countries. Svyatoslav coped with this task successfully, which confirms the validity of the first point of view.

Svyatoslav, in the course of his numerous campaigns, began annexing the lands of the Vyatichi, defeated Volga Bulgaria, conquered the Mordovian tribes, defeated the Khazar Khaganate, successfully fought in the North Caucasus and the Azov coast, captured Tmutarakan on the Taman Peninsula, and repelled the onslaught of the Pechenegs. He tried to bring the borders of Rus' closer to Byzantium and became involved in the Bulgarian-Byzantine conflict, and then waged a stubborn struggle with the Emperor of Constantinople for the Balkan Peninsula. During the period of successful military operations, Svyatoslav even thought about moving the capital of his state to the Danube, to the city of Pereyaslavets, where, as he believed, the benefits from different countries": silk, gold, Byzantine utensils, silver and horses from Hungary and the Czech Republic, wax, honey, furs and captive slaves from Rus'. However, the fight with Byzantium ended unsuccessfully; Svyatoslav was surrounded by a hundred thousand Greek army. With great difficulty he managed to leave for Rus'. A non-aggression treaty was concluded with Byzantium, but the Danube lands had to be returned.

On the way to Kyiv, Svyatoslav in 972 was ambushed by the Pechenegs at the Dnieper rapids and was killed. The Pechenezh Khan ordered a cup bound in gold to be made from Svyatoslav’s skull and drank from it at feasts, believing that the glory of the murdered man would pass to him. (In the 30s of the 20th century, during the construction of the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station, steel swords were discovered at the bottom of the Dnieper, which are believed to have belonged to Svyatoslav and his warriors.)

The first prince of Kievan Rus - who is he?

The ancient tribes, who were located along the great waterway that connected the entire East European Plain, were united into one ethnic group called the Slavs. Tribes such as the Polyans, Drevlyans, Krivichi, Ilmen Slovenes, Northerners, Polochans, Vyatichi, Radimichi and Dregovichi were considered Slavs. Our ancestors built two greatest cities - the Dnieper and Novgorod - which at the time of the establishment of the state already existed, but did not have any ruler. The ancestors of the tribes constantly quarreled and fought with each other, without any opportunity to find a “common language” and come to a common decision. It was decided to call upon the Baltic princes, brothers named Rurik, Sineus and Truvor, to reign over their lands and people. These were the first names of the princes who were included in the chronicle. In 862, the prince brothers settled in three large cities - Beloozero, Novgorod and Izborsk. The people from the Slavs turned into Russians, since the name of the tribe of the Varangian princes (and the brothers were Varangians) was called Rus.

The story of Prince Rurik - another version of events

Few people know, but there is another old legend about the emergence of Kievan Rus and the appearance of its first princes. Some historians suggest that the chronicle was incorrectly translated in some places, and if you look at a different translation, it turns out that only Prince Rurik sailed to the Slavs. “Sine-hus” in Old Norse means “clan”, “house”, and “tru-thief” means “squad”. The chronicle says that the brothers Sineus and Truvor allegedly died due to unclear circumstances, since mention of them in the chronicles disappears. Perhaps it’s just that now “tru-vor” was indicated as a “squad”, and “sine-hus” was already mentioned as a “clan”. This is how the non-existent brothers died in the chronicle and a squad with the family of Rurik appeared.

By the way, some scientists claim that Prince Rurik was none other than the Danish king Rurik of Friesland himself, who carried out a huge number of successful raids on his warlike neighbors. It was for this reason that the Slavic tribes called on him to rule their people, because Rorik was brave, strong, fearless and smart.

The reign of Prince Rurik in Rus' (862 – 879)

The first prince of Kievan Rus, Rurik, was not just an intelligent ruler for 17 years, but the founder of the princely dynasty (which became the royal dynasty years later) and the founder of the political system, thanks to which Kievan Rus became a great and powerful state despite the fact that it was not founded at all recently. Since the newly formed state had not yet been fully formed, Rurik devoted most of his reign to the seizure of lands by uniting all the Slavic tribes: the Northerners, the Drevlyans, the Smolensk Krivichi, the Chud and Ves tribe, the Psovsky Krivichi, the Merya tribe and the Radimichi. One of his greatest achievements, thanks to which Rurik strengthened his authority in Rus', was the suppression of the uprising of Vadim the Brave, which took place in Novgorod.

In addition to Prince Rurik, there were two more brothers, relatives of the prince, who ruled in Kyiv. The brothers' names were Askold and Dir, but if you believe the legends, Kyiv existed long before their reign and was founded by three brothers Kiy Shchek and Khoriv, ​​as well as their sister Lybid. At that time, Kyiv did not yet have a dominant significance in Rus', and Novgorod was the residence of the prince.

Princes of Kyiv – Askold and Dir (864 – 882)

The first Kyiv princes entered history only partially, since very little was written about them in the Tale of Past Years. It is known that they were warriors of Prince Rurik, but then they left him down the Dnieper to Constantinople, but, having captured Kiev along the way, they decided to stay here to reign. Details of their reign are not known, but there are records of their deaths. Prince Rurik left the reign to his young son Igor, and until he grew up, Oleg was the prince. Having received power into their own hands, Oleg and Igor went to Kyiv and in a conspiracy killed the Kyiv princes, justifying themselves by the fact that they did not belong to the princely family and did not have the right to reign. They ruled from 866 to 882. Such were the first Kyiv princes - Askold and Dir.

Prince of Ancient Rus' – reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet (879 – 912)

After the death of Rurik, power passed to his warrior Oleg, who was soon nicknamed the Prophetic. Oleg the Prophet ruled Russia until Rurik's son, Igor, came of age and could become a prince. It was during the reign of Prince Oleg that Rus' gained such power that such great states as Byzantium and even Constantinople could envy it. The regent of Prince Igor multiplied all the achievements that Prince Rurik achieved and enriched Rus' even more. Gathering a huge army under his command, he went down the Dnieper River and conquered Smolensk, Lyubech and Kyiv.

After the murder of Askold and Dir, the Drevlyans who inhabited Kyiv recognized Igor as their legitimate ruler, and Kyiv became the capital of Kievan Rus. Oleg recognized himself as a Russian, and not a foreign ruler, thus becoming the first truly Russian prince. Prophetic Oleg's campaign against Byzantium ended in his victory, thanks to which the Russians received favorable benefits for trade with Constantinople.

During his campaign against Constantinople, Oleg showed unprecedented “Russian ingenuity” by ordering the warriors to nail wheels to the ships, due to which they were able to “ride” across the plain with the help of the wind right to the gate. The formidable and powerful ruler of Byzantium, named Leo VI, surrendered, and Oleg, as a sign of his impeccable victory, nailed his shield to the very gates of Constantinople. This was a very inspiring symbol of victory for the entire squad, after which his army followed their leader with even greater devotion.

Prophecy of the death of Oleg the Prophetic

Oleg the Prophet died in 912, having ruled the country for 30 years. There is much talk about his death interesting legends, and even ballads were written. Before his campaign with his squad against the Khazars, Oleg met a magician on the road who prophesied the prince’s death from his own horse. The Magi were held in high esteem in Rus', and their words were considered the true truth. Prince Oleg the Prophet was no exception, and after such a prophecy he ordered a new horse to be brought to him. But he loved his old “comrade in arms”, who had gone through more than one battle with him, and could not easily forget about him.

Many years later, Oleg learns that his horse has long gone into oblivion, and the prince decides to go to his bones to make sure that the prophecy did not come true. Stepping on the bones, Prince Oleg says goodbye to his “lonely friend,” and almost convinced that death has passed him, he does not notice how a poisonous snake and bites him. This is how Oleg the Prophet met his death.

Reign of Prince Igor (912 – 945)

After the death of Prince Oleg, Igor Rurikovich took over the rule of Russia, although in fact he was considered the ruler since 879. Remembering the enormous achievements of the first princes, Prince Igor did not want to lag behind them, and therefore also often went on campaigns. During his reign, Rus' was subjected to many attacks by the Pechenegs, so the prince decided to conquer neighboring tribes and force them to pay tribute. He dealt with this problem quite well, but he was never able to fulfill his old dream and complete the conquest of Constantinople, since everything inside the state gradually plunged into chaos. The powerful princely hand weakened in comparison with Oleg and Rurik, and many obstinate tribes noticed this. For example, the Drevlyans refused to pay tribute to the prince, after which a riot arose, which had to be pacified with blood and sword. It would seem that everything had already been decided, but the Drevlyans spent a long time building a plan for revenge on Prince Igor, and a few years later it overtook him. We'll talk about this a little later.

Prince Igor was unable to keep control over his neighbors, with whom he signed a peace agreement. Having agreed with the Khazars that on the way to the Caspian Sea they would allow his army to go to the sea, and in return he would give up half of the booty received, the prince and his squad were practically destroyed on the way home. The Khazars realized that they outnumbered the army of the Russian prince, and staged a brutal massacre, after which only Igor and several dozen of his warriors managed to escape.

Victory over Constantinople

This was not his last shameful defeat. He felt another thing in the battle with Constantinople, which also destroyed almost the entire princely squad in battle. Prince Igor was so angry that in order to wash away the shame of his name, he gathered his entire squad, the Khazars and even the Pechenegs, under his command. In this formation they moved to Constantinople. The Byzantine emperor learned from the Bulgarians about the approaching disaster, and upon the arrival of the prince he began to ask for mercy, offering a very profitable terms for cooperation.

Prince Igor did not enjoy his brilliant victory for long. The revenge of the Drevlyans overtook him. A year after the campaign against Constantinople, as part of a small detachment of tribute collectors, Igor went to the Drevlyans to collect tribute. But they again refused to pay and destroyed all the tax collectors, and with them the prince himself. Thus ended the reign of Prince Igor Rurikovich.

Reign of Princess Olga (945 – 957)

Princess Olga was the wife of Prince Igor, and for the betrayal and murder of the prince she cruelly took revenge on the Drevlyans. The Drevlyans were almost completely destroyed, without any damage to the Russians. Olga's ruthless strategy exceeded all expectations. Having gone on a campaign to Iskorosten (Korosten), the princess and her friend spent almost a year under siege near the city. Then the great ruler ordered a tribute to be collected from each household: three doves or sparrows. The Drevlyans were very happy with such a low tribute, and therefore almost immediately hastened to carry out the order, wanting to appease the princess. But the woman was distinguished by a very sharp mind, and therefore she ordered that smoldering tow be tied to the legs of the birds, and they were released into freedom. The birds, carrying fire with them, returned to their nests, and since houses had previously been built from straw and wood, the city quickly began to burn and was completely burned to the ground.

After her great victory, the princess went to Constantinople and received holy baptism there. Being pagans, the Rus could not accept such an outburst from their princess. But the fact remains a fact, and Princess Olga is considered the first who brought Christianity to Rus' and remained faithful to her faith until the end of her days. At baptism, the princess took the name Elena, and for such courage she was elevated to the rank of saints.

Such were the princes of ancient Rus'. Strong, brave, merciless and smart. They managed to unite eternally warring tribes into one people, form a powerful and rich state and glorify their names for centuries.

Kyiv princes

ASKOLD And DIR (9th century) - legendary Kyiv princes.

The Tale of Bygone Years reports that in 862 two Varangians - boyars of the Novgorod prince Rurik - Askold and Dir, together with their relatives and warriors, asked the prince to leave for Constantinople (either on a campaign or to serve as mercenaries). Sailing in boats along the Dnieper, they saw a small town on a mountain. It was Kyiv. The Varangians liked the town so much that they abandoned further travel, stayed in Kyiv, invited other Varangians to join them and began to own the land of the Polyan tribe. Many Novgorodians dissatisfied with Rurik’s rule also moved to Kyiv.

In later chronicles it is reported that Askold and Dir, after reigning in Kyiv, successfully fought with the Drevlyans, Ulichs, Krivichi, as well as with the Khazars, to whom the glades paid tribute, the Bulgarians and the Pechenegs. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 866 Askold and Dir made a campaign against Constantinople. The Rus, who sailed on 200 ships, ravaged the environs of the capital of Byzantium. However, a storm arose and smashed the Russian ships against the coastal rocks. Only a few managed to escape and return home. Chronicles associate the storm with the intervention of higher powers, since the calm sea was agitated after the Byzantines immersed the robe of the Virgin Mary from the church in Blachernae into its waters; Shocked by this miracle, the Russians immediately accepted baptism. Modern researchers believe that this story was completely borrowed from Byzantine sources, and Russian chroniclers added the names of Askold and Dir to it later. Messages from chronicles of the 16th–17th centuries. also based on Byzantine sources. In 882, the Novgorod prince Oleg, appearing in Kyiv, killed Askold and Dir and captured the city.

Chronicle information about Askold and Dir has long been the subject of controversy between historians. They differ in determining the origin of the names of the princes. Some scientists consider the names Askold and Dir to be Scandinavian, others believe that these are the names of local princes associated with the dynasty of the legendary Kiy. According to some researchers, Askold and Dir were not even contemporaries.

OLEG VESCHY (? - 912 or 922) - Prince of Kiev from 882.

Most chronicles consider him a relative of Prince Rurik. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 879, Rurik, dying, handed Novgorod over to Oleg and asked him to take care of his young son Igor. In 882 Oleg captured Smolensk and Lyubech. Then he went further south, approached Kyiv, killed Askold and Dir, who reigned there, and became the prince of Kyiv. In 883 he conquered the Drevlyans, in 884 - the Northerners, in 885 - the Radimichi, and fought with the Streets and Tivertsy. The Tale of Bygone Years contains mention of the wars that Oleg waged with the Khazars and Bulgarians.

In 907, at the head of an army from all the tribes under his control, the prince made a campaign against Byzantium. A fleet of 2,000 ships approached Tsaryrad (Constantinople). Oleg's army landed on the shore and devastated the surroundings of the Byzantine capital. Then, according to the chronicle legend, Oleg ordered his soldiers to put the ships on wheels. Having waited for a fair wind and raised the sails, the ships of the Kyiv prince moved overland to Constantinople. Oleg took a huge tribute from Byzantium (12 hryvnia for each of his warriors, of whom, according to the chronicle, there were about 80,000 people) and concluded a peace treaty with it that was beneficial for Rus'. Leaving Constantinople, Oleg hung his shield on the city gates as a sign of victory. In 911 he concluded another treaty with Byzantium. According to the chronicler, Oleg died from a snake bite. Some chronicles report that he died in Kyiv, others claim that the Kiev prince ended his days in the north, in the city of Ladoga, or even overseas.

IGOR OLD (? – 945) – Prince of Kiev from 912

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Igor was the son of the Novgorod prince Rurik. Many modern scientists believe that this is a later legend. The chronicle reports that in 879, when Rurik died, Igor was a child whose father asked his relative Oleg to take care of him. Together with Oleg, Igor moved to Kyiv and until Oleg’s death (around 912) he served as an assistant to his older relative. In 903, Oleg married Igor to Olga, and in 907, during the campaign against Constantinople (Constantinople), he left him in Kyiv. In 912, Igor became the prince of Kyiv. In 914 he suppressed the uprising of the Drevlyans. In 915 he made peace with the Pechenegs, and in 920 he fought with them. In 940, after long resistance, the streets submitted to Kyiv. In 941, Igor launched a campaign against Constantinople, which ended in the defeat of his fleet in a battle with the Byzantines. Despite the failure, most of the Rus, retreating to the coast of Asia Minor, continued to fight for another four months. Igor himself, leaving his army, returned to Kyiv. In 944, the Rus entered into an agreement with Byzantium. In 945, Igor tried, contrary to the agreement, to collect tribute from the Drevlyans twice. The Drevlyans took him prisoner and executed him, tying the prince to the tops of two trees bent to the ground, and then, releasing the trees, they tore his body in two. The prince was buried near the Drevlyan capital Iskorosten.

OLGA(in baptism - Elena)(? – 07/11/969) – Kiev princess, wife of Prince Igor, Orthodox saint.

Only vague legends have been preserved in the chronicles about Olga’s origins. Some chroniclers believed that she was from Pskov, others took her from Izborsk. Later sources report that her parents were commoners, and in her youth she herself worked as a carrier across the river, where Prince Igor, who was hunting in those places, met her. Other legends, on the contrary, claim that Olga came from a noble family, and her grandfather was the legendary Prince Gostomysl. There is also a message that before her marriage she bore the name Beautiful, and was named Olga in honor of the Kyiv prince Oleg, who raised her husband and arranged their marriage.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 903 Olga was married to Prince Igor.

After the murder of Igor by the Drevlyans (945), Olga rejected the matchmaking of the Drevlyan prince Mal and brutally dealt with the rebellious tribe. According to the chronicle legend, the princess ordered the first Drevlyan ambassadors to her to be buried alive in the ground, and the participants of the second embassy to be burned in a bathhouse. Having invited the Drevlyans to a funeral feast for Igor, she ordered her warriors to kill the guests she hated. Having besieged the main city of the Drevlyans, Iskorosten, in 946, Olga demanded that the city residents give her three doves and three sparrows from each household, promising to leave if her demand was fulfilled. The delighted Drevlyans collected the birds and gave them to the Kyiv princess. Olga ordered her warriors to tie pieces of smoldering tinder to the birds’ legs and release them into the wild. Pigeons and sparrows flew to their nests in Iskorosten, after which a fire started in the city.

Having become the ruler of Kyiv, Olga pursued a course towards even greater subordination of the Slavic tribes to the power of Kyiv. In 947, she established fixed tribute amounts for the Drevlyans and Novgorodians, organizing tribute collection points - graveyards. In 955, Olga converted to Christianity and subsequently contributed to the spread of this religion in Rus'. All over Rus' they were erected Christian churches and chapels, crosses were erected. In foreign policy Olga sought rapprochement with Byzantium. In 957, she visited Constantinople, where she met with the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. However, relations between Rus' and Byzantium under Olga did not always remain allied. In 959, Olga asked the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I (the enemy of Byzantium) to send missionaries to Rus' to preach Christianity. However, by 962, when Roman preachers led by Bishop Adalbert arrived in Rus', relations between Rus' and Byzantium normalized. Having met a cold, even hostile reception, Adalbert was forced to return with nothing. Despite Olga's persuasion, her son Svyatoslav never accepted Christianity.

In con. 10th century Olga's relics were transferred to the Tithe Church. Canonized as a saint. Memorial Day: July 11 (24).

SVYATOSLAV IGOREVICH (? – 972) – Prince of Kiev from 964

Son of Prince Igor the Old and Princess Olga. For the first time, the name of Svyatoslav is mentioned in the chronicle in 945. After the death of his father in the Drevlyan land, he, despite the fact that he was still very small, participated with Olga in a campaign against the Drevlyans.

Svyatoslav grew up as a true warrior. He spent his life on campaigns, spending the night not in a tent, but on a horse blanket with a saddle under his head.

In 964, Svyatoslav’s squad left Kyiv and, ascending the Desna River, entered the lands of the Vyatichi, who at that time were tributaries of the Khazars. The Kiev prince ordered the Vyatichi to pay tribute not to the Khazars, but to Kyiv, and moved his army further - against the Volga Bulgarians, Burtases, Khazars, and then the North Caucasian tribes of the Yases and Kasogs. This unprecedented campaign lasted for about four years. The prince captured and destroyed the capital of the Khazar Khaganate, the city of Itil, and took the well-fortified fortresses of Sarkel on the Don and Semender in the North Caucasus.

In 968, Svyatoslav, at the insistent requests of Byzantium, based on the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 944 and supported by a solid gold offering, set off on a new military expedition - against Danube Bulgaria. His 10,000-strong army defeated the 30,000-strong Bulgarian army and captured the city of Maly Preslav. Svyatoslav named this city Pereyaslavets and declared it the capital of his state. He did not want to return to Kyiv.

In the absence of the prince, the Pechenegs attacked Kyiv. But the arrival of a small army of governor Pretich, mistaken by the Pechenegs for the vanguard of Svyatoslav, forced them to lift the siege and move away from Kyiv.

Svyatoslav and part of his squad had to return to Kyiv. Having defeated the Pecheneg army, he announced to his mother: “I don’t like sitting in Kyiv. I want to live in Pereyaslavets-on-Danube. There is the middle of my land. All good things flow there: from the Greeks - gold, fabrics, wines, various vegetables; from the Czechs and Hungarians - silver and horses, from Rus' - furs, wax and honey.” Soon Princess Olga died. Svyatoslav divided the Russian land between his sons: he placed Yaropolk as prince in Kyiv, sent Oleg to the Drevlyansky land, and Vladimir to Novgorod. He himself hurried to his possessions on the Danube.

Here he defeated the army of the Bulgarian Tsar Boris, captured him and took possession of the entire country from the Danube to the Balkan Mountains. In the spring of 970, Svyatoslav crossed the Balkans, took Philippol (Plovdiv) by storm and reached Arkadiopol. Having defeated the Byzantine army, Svyatoslav, however, did not go further. He took “many gifts” from the Greeks and returned back to Pereyaslavets. In the spring of 971, a new Byzantine army, reinforced by a fleet, attacked Svyatoslav’s squads, besieged in the city of Dorostol on the Danube. The siege lasted more than two months. On July 22, 971, Russian troops suffered a heavy defeat under the city walls. Svyatoslav was forced to begin peace negotiations with Emperor John Tzimiskes.

Their meeting took place on the banks of the Danube and was described in detail by the Byzantine chronicler. Tzimiskes, surrounded by his entourage, was waiting for Svyatoslav. The prince arrived on a boat, sitting in which he rowed along with ordinary soldiers. The Greeks were able to distinguish him only by his shirt, which was cleaner than that of other warriors, and by an earring with two pearls and a ruby, stuck in his ear.

Having made peace with the Byzantines, Svyatoslav went to Kyiv. But on the way, at the Dnieper rapids, the Pechenegs, informed by the Greeks, were waiting for his thinned army. In an unequal battle, Svyatoslav’s squad and he himself died. From the skull of Svyatoslav, the Pecheneg prince Kurya, according to the old steppe custom, ordered a bowl to be made for feasts.

YAROPOLK SVYATOSLAVICH (? – 980) – Prince of Kiev from 970

Son of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. The name of Yaropolk was first mentioned in the chronicle in 968: together with his grandmother, Princess Olga and his brothers, he was in Kyiv besieged by the Pechenegs. In 970, before setting off on his last campaign against Bulgaria, Svyatoslav placed Yaropolk on the Kiev table as his governor. After the death of his father, Yaropolk became a full-fledged prince of Kyiv. In 977, he defeated his brother, Prince Oleg of the Drevlyans, in an internecine struggle. Pursued by Yaropolk, he fell into the ditch from the bridge leading to the city gates of Ovruch and died. Another brother, Prince of Novgorod Vladimir Svyatoslavich, fearing that the same fate awaited him, fled to the Varangians overseas. In 980, Vladimir Svyatoslavich, who returned from overseas with the Varangian squad, sat in Novgorod, expelling the mayors of Yaropolk from there. According to legend, he wooed the Polotsk princess Rogneda, but she refused Vladimir, saying that she wanted to marry Yaropolk. In response to this, Vladimir captured Polotsk and besieged Kyiv. He managed to expel his brother from the capital by deception. Yaropolk fled to the city of Rodnya. Trying to make peace with his brother, he went to negotiations, where, on the orders of Vladimir, he was killed.

VLADIMIR I SVYATOSLAVICH(in baptism - Vasily)(? – July 15, 1015) – Prince of Kiev since 980, Orthodox saint, Equal-to-the-Apostles.

The son of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav Igorevich and the slave Malusha, housekeeper of Princess Olga. In 969, Svyatoslav, at the request of the Novgorodians, gave Vladimir Novgorod. After the death of Svyatoslav, strife began between his sons. Vladimir, fearing his older brother Yaropolk, who reigned in Kyiv, fled overseas to the Varangians. In 980 he returned to Novgorod with Varangian mercenaries and soon entered into the fight with Yaropolk. Vladimir's first success was the capture of Polotsk, which was ruled by Yaropolk's ally, Prince Rogvold. Rogvold was killed, and Vladimir took his daughter Rogneda as his wife. In the same 980, Vladimir dealt with Yaropolk and captured Kiev. The Varangians from Vladimir’s squad demanded tribute from the townspeople. Not wanting to give the money, the prince played for time with promises and, finally, sent some of the Varangians to the cities as governors, and sent others to Byzantium.

The first years of Vladimir's reign in Kyiv were marked by the persecution of Christians who supported Yaropolk. Vladimir created a pantheon of pagan gods in Kyiv, in which he placed the idols of Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, Stribog, Simargl, Mocotti.

Vladimir was also very active in foreign policy. In 981, Vladimir conquered Przemysl, Cherven and other cities from Poland. In 981 and 982 went against the Vyatichi and imposed tribute on them; in 983, on the Lithuanian tribe of the Yatvingians. In 984 he fought with the Radimichi, in 985 - with the Volga Bulgarians and Khazars.

By 986, Vladimir Svyatoslavich began negotiations with Byzantium regarding his marriage to the sister of the Byzantine emperors Vasily II and Constantine VIII, Princess Anna. In exchange for Anna's hand, the Kiev prince offered the emperors military assistance, which they really needed; in the end, they accepted the Russian side's offer. To this same time, the Tale of Bygone Years refers to the arrival of missionary ambassadors to Vladimir from the Volga-Kama Bulgars (Muslims), Khazars (Jews), “Germans” (envoys of the Pope) and Greeks (Eastern Christians). Each of the envoys sought to attract the prince by preaching his faith. OK. 987/988 Vladimir was baptized. Meanwhile, the Byzantine emperors refused to marry Anna to Vladimir. In response to this, Vladimir in 988–989. captured the city of Chersonesos (Korsun), which belonged to Byzantium, thereby forcing the emperors to fulfill their promise.

Returning to Kyiv, Vladimir began to actively spread Christianity. Greek priests were invited to Rus'. After baptism, Vladimir tried to be an example of a Christian ruler. The prince cared about education and built churches, including the Tithe Church in Kyiv (991–996). For its maintenance, Vladimir introduced deductions from the princely income (a tenth - “tithe”).

After baptism, the foreign policy activity of the Kyiv prince increased. Close diplomatic ties were established with many European countries.

At the same time, Vladimir fought with the Khazars, and in 990–992, with the Polish prince Mieczyslaw. In 992 he made a campaign against the Croats. To repel the Pechenezh raids, Vladimir Svyatoslavich in the horse. 980s founded several border fortified lines with a system of fortresses on the river. Desna, Sturgeon, Trubezh, Sula, Stugna, and resettled the Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi, Chud and Vyatichi to the southern border.

In 992, Vladimir Svyatoslavich repelled a Pecheneg raid near the city of Pereyaslavl, and in 995 he was defeated by them near the city of Vasilyev, and he himself barely escaped. OK. 1007/1008 The Kyiv prince managed to make peace with the Pechenegs, but in 1013 their raids on Rus' resumed.

The cities of Vladimir-Zalessky, Vladimir-Volynsky, Belgorod and Vasilev were founded by Vladimir. Wanting to emphasize his power, Vladimir began pouring gold and silver coins. The prince's generosity and hospitality, the wealth of feasts and celebrations he organized were included in the epics, in which he is called Vladimir the Red Sun.

Vladimir Yaroslavich died in the midst of preparations for a campaign against Novgorod, who refused to pay tribute to Kyiv.

Already in the 11th century. Vladimir Svyatoslavich was revered as a saint, but he was officially canonized in Rus' in the 13th century. Memorial Day: July 15 (28).

SVYATOPOLK THE CURSED(in baptism - Peter)(ca. 980 - 1019) - Prince of Kiev from 1015

Son of the Kyiv prince Yaropolk Svyatoslavich, nephew of the Kyiv prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 980, having captured Kyiv and killed his brother Yaropolk, Vladimir Svyatoslavich took his brother’s pregnant wife, a Greek woman, whom Svyatoslav had brought back from a military campaign. Vladimir adopted the child born to her. In con. 10th century Svyatopolk received control of the city of Turov from his adoptive father and married the daughter of the Polish king Boleslav the Brave. In the beginning. In the 11th century, according to information preserved in the Chronicle of Merseburg Bishop Thietmar, Svyatopolk was accused of treason and imprisoned along with his wife and her confessor Bishop Reinburn, who came with her from Poland.

In 1015, after the death of Vladimir, Svyatopolk became the prince of Kyiv and enjoyed the support of the people of Kiev. Fearing his many half-brothers, he ordered the murder of three of them - Prince Boris of Rostov, Prince of Murom Gleb and Prince of Drevlyan Svyatoslav. Having decided to subordinate all the lands dependent on Kyiv to his power, Svyatopolk lost in the fight with his half-brother, the Novgorod prince Yaroslav the Wise, who occupied Kyiv in 1016. Having received help in Poland, Svyatopolk again captured Kiev in 1018. However, his father-in-law Boleslav the Brave decided to subjugate Rus' to his power. Supporters of Svyatopolk began killing Poles in the city, and Boleslav, having robbed Kyiv, was forced to leave it. The Cherven cities went to Poland. Yaroslav the Wise, at the head of an army of Varangians and Novgorodians, expelled Svyatopolk from Kyiv. Svyatopolk found help from the Pechenegs and in 1019, at the head of a huge army, appeared in Rus'. In the battle on the Alta River, Yaroslav the Wise inflicted a crushing defeat on the army. Svyatopolk fled to the “Pechenegs” and, far from his homeland, “ended his life miserably.”

YAROSLAV VLADIMIROVICH THE WISE(baptized George)(ca. 978 - 02.20.1054) - son of Vladimir Svyatoslavich and Rogneda; Prince of Kyiv from 1019

After baptism, Vladimir sent his sons to the largest ancient Russian cities. Yaroslav was sent to Rostov. After the death of the eldest Vladimirovich, Vysheslav, who was sitting in Novgorod, the reigns were redistributed. Now Yaroslav received Novgorod. However, in 1014 he refused to pay tribute to Kyiv, which angered his father. He began to prepare for war with his rebellious son, but the sudden death of the Kyiv prince prevented this clash. After the death of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, a fierce struggle unfolded between his sons. The Tale of Bygone Years tells that power in Kyiv was first seized by Svyatopolk the Accursed. He killed Boris and sent assassins to Yaroslav and Gleb. Sister Predslava informed Yaroslav about this. Without wasting time, he warned Gleb about the impending danger, and he himself began to prepare for war with Svyatopolk. Meanwhile, Svyatopolk’s killers dealt with Gleb, as well as Svyatoslav Vladimirovich, who was trying to find salvation in Hungary.

In the fall of 1015, Yaroslav set out on a campaign against Kyiv. The detachments of the Kyiv and Novgorod princes converged near Lyubech. The regiments of the Kyiv prince were defeated and scattered, and he himself fled to Poland to his father-in-law and ally King Boleslav the Brave. Boleslav's army, consisting of Poles, the Russian squad of Svyatopolk, as well as mercenary detachments of Germans, Hungarians and Pechenegs, in the battle on the river. Bug was defeated by Yaroslav's army. Kyiv was captured by Svyatopolk and Boleslav, and Yaroslav fled to Novgorod. There, having gathered a large army, he again moved towards Kyiv. In the battle on the river. Alta (according to legend, in the very place where Boris was killed) Svyatopolk suffered a crushing defeat.

Yaroslav finally occupied Kyiv in 1019. However, this reign was not calm. In 1021, he had to fight with his nephew, the Polotsk prince Bryachislav, who captured and plundered Novgorod. In 1024, the brother of the Kyiv prince Mstislav Vladimirovich the Brave (Tmutarakansky), having won the battle of Listven, forced Yaroslav to conclude an agreement with him on the division of all Russian land along the Dnieper. Mstislav took the eastern half and sat down to rule his inheritance in Chernigov, and Yaroslav took the western half, with Kiev. Only in 1036, after the death of the Chernigov prince who was left without heirs, Rus' was again united under the rule of Yaroslav.

Yaroslav made a lot of efforts to turn his capital into a kind of “new Constantinople”. The Golden Gate was erected here, the road from which led to a new temple - the Cathedral of St. Sofia. Monasteries of Sts. were founded. George and Irina.

Yaroslav managed to stop the Pecheneg raids on Rus'. Yaroslav's squads went on campaigns against the Finns, Yatvingians, and Mazovians. His son Vladimir in 1043 made the last campaign in the history of Ancient Rus' against Byzantium (which, however, ended in failure). In 1051, Yaroslav (apparently without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople) first installed a Russian metropolitan in Kyiv, Hilarion.

During the reign of Yaroslav, intensive urban construction was carried out: Yaroslavl-on-Volga, Yuryev (now Tartu) in the Baltic States were built. Under him, new monasteries were opened. The majestic Cathedral of St. Sofia was erected in Novgorod. The prince also cared about the development of “book teaching” in Rus'. Gathering scribes at his court, he entrusted them with the translation of Greek books into the Slavic language. Under Yaroslav, ancient Russian chronicles were born and the first set of laws was compiled - Russian Truth.

Yaroslav was married to the Swedish princess Irina-Ingigerda, daughter of King Olaf Skotkonung. One of Yaroslav's sisters, Maria Dobronega, was married to the Polish king Casimir I Piast, another (Premislava) to the Hungarian Duke Laszlo Sara, and the third to the Norman margrave Bernhard. The eldest daughter Elizabeth became the wife of the Norwegian king Harald III the Bold. Hungarian King Andrew I was married to Anastasia Yaroslavna. Youngest daughter Anna married the French king Henry I. Izyaslav Yaroslavich was married to the daughter of the Polish king Mieszko II, Svyatoslav Yaroslavich was married to the daughter of the German count Leopold von Stade, and Vsevolod was married to the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh.

Yaroslav was buried in Sofia of Kyiv.

IZYASLAV YAROSLAVICH(in baptism - Dmitry)(1024 - 10/03/1078) - Prince of Kiev from 1054.

The second son of the Kyiv prince Yaroslav the Wise and Irina (Ingigerd) - the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf. He reigned in Turov. In 1039 he married the sister of the Polish king Casimir I, Gertrude, who took the name Helen in Orthodoxy. After the death of his father in 1054, he became the prince of Kyiv. In the first years of his reign he acted in close alliance with younger brothers- Chernigov prince Svyatoslav and Pereyaslavl prince Vsevolod. In 1058 he made a campaign against the Golyad tribe. In 1060, together with his brothers and the Polotsk prince Vseslav Bryachislavich, he defeated the Torks. In 1064, he repelled the Polovtsian invasion near the city of Snovsk.

In the winter of 1067, taking revenge on Vseslav Bryachislavich for the robbery of Novgorod, in alliance with his brothers he ruined the city of Minsk. On March 3, 1067, in the battle on the Nemiga River, the Yaroslavichs defeated Vseslav himself, and in July of the same year, during peace negotiations near Smolensk, breaking the oath given to the Polotsk prince, captured him and imprisoned him in Kyiv. In September 1068, the Yaroslavichs were defeated by the Polovtsians on the Alta River. Izyaslav Yaroslavich fled to Kyiv, where he refused the demands of the townspeople to distribute weapons to them and lead a new militia to fight the Polovtsians. On September 15, an uprising began in Kyiv, Izyaslav was expelled from Kyiv and fled to Poland. The Polotsk prince Vseslav Bryachislavich, released from prison, was put in his place. In May 1069, with the support of his relative, the Polish king Boleslav II, Izyaslav Yaroslavich returned to Kyiv. Before entering the city, he promised his brothers and the people of Kiev not to take revenge on the inhabitants of the Kyiv land for his exile; he sent his son Mstislav ahead of him, who executed 70 people and blinded many. The oppression by Izyaslav Yaroslavin continued after his return to the Kiev throne. Dissatisfied Kiev residents began to beat the Poles who came with Izyaslav. In the same year, Izyaslav expelled Vseslav from Polotsk and installed his son Mstislav as prince there. In 1072, he, together with the brothers Svyatoslav and Vsevolod, participated in the solemn transfer of the relics of Sts. Boris and Gleb in new church in Vyshgorod. During the reign of Izyaslav, the “Truth of the Yaroslavichs” was also compiled.

In March 1073, Izyaslav Yaroslavich was again expelled from Kyiv, this time by the brothers Svyatoslav and Vsevolod, who accused him of conspiring with Vseslav of Polotsk, and again fled to Poland, where he unsuccessfully sought support from King Boleslav II, who preferred an alliance with the new Kyiv Prince Svyatoslav Yaroslavich. In the beginning. In 1075, Izyaslav Yaroslavich, expelled from Poland, turned to the German king Henry IV for help. The king limited himself to sending an embassy to Rus' to Svyatoslav Yaroslavich with a demand to return the Kiev table to Izyaslav. Having received expensive gifts from Svyatoslav, Henry IV refused further interference in Kyiv affairs. Without waiting for the return of the German embassy from Kyiv, Izyaslav Yaroslavich in the spring of 1075 sent his son Yaropolk Izyaslavich to Rome to Pope Gregory VII, offering him to accept Rus' under the protection of the papal throne, that is, to convert it to Catholicism. The Pope turned to the Polish king Boleslav II with an urgent request to help Izyaslav. Boleslav hesitated, and only in July 1077 after the death of Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, with the support Polish forces Izyaslav Yaroslavich returned to the Kyiv table. A year later, he died in battle on Nezhatina Niva, fighting on the side of his brother Vsevolod Yaroslavich against his nephews, princes Oleg Svyatoslavich and Boris Vyacheslavich, who captured Chernigov.

SVYATOSLAV YAROSLAVICH(in baptism - Nikolai)(1027 - 12/27/1076) - Prince of Kiev from 1073.

The son of the Kyiv prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise and Princess Irina (Ingigerd), daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Skotkonung. During his father's life, Svyatoslav owned Vladimir-Volynsky. In 1054, he received the Chernigov, Murom and Tmutarakan lands and sent his son Gleb to reign in Tmutarakan. In 1060, Svyatoslav, together with his brothers and the Polotsk prince Vseslav Bryachislavich, went to the torks. In 1064, Svyatoslav’s nephew, the rogue prince Rostislav Vladimirovich, expelled Gleb from Tmutarakan. Only after his death in 1065 did Gleb Svyatoslavich occupy this outlying Russian land. In 1066, in retaliation for the destruction of Novgorod, Svyatoslav and his brothers Vsevolod and Izyaslav made a campaign into the possessions of the Polotsk prince Vseslav Bryachislavich and ravaged Minsk. Chroniclers note that Svyatoslav Yaroslavich committed atrocities in Minsk more than others. Then the brothers defeated the squad of the Prince of Polotsk, and, having invited him to negotiations on the advice of Svyatoslav, they captured him. In 1068, the brothers were defeated by the Cumans on the Alta River. Svyatoslav Yaroslavich fled to Chernigov, gathered a new militia and defeated the Polovtsy, who were four times superior to him. The victory of the Chernigov prince became known in all Russian lands.

In 1072, Svyatoslav participated in the transfer of the relics of Boris and Gleb to a new church in Vyshgorod. The compilation of “The Truth of the Yaroslavichs” is associated with his name. In 1073, Svyatoslav called his brother Vsevolod for help, relying on the support of the people of Kiev, expelled his elder brother Izyaslav from Kyiv and took the princely throne. Izyaslav Yaroslavich tried to win over the Polish king Boleslav II and the German king Henry IV, but Svyatoslav Yaroslavich managed to convert all of Izyaslav’s patrons into his allies. For his second marriage, Svyatoslav was married to Oda, the daughter of the Margrave of the Hungarian mark Lutpold, a distant relative of the German king Henry IV. The embassy sent by Henry IV to Svyatoslav, in order to convince him to return the Kiev throne to his elder brother, was headed by Oda's brother Burchard, rector of the Cathedral of St. Simeon in Trier. In 1075, Burchard returned to Germany, bringing gold, silver and precious fabrics to the king as a gift from the Kyiv prince, and dissuaded him from interfering in Russian affairs. Svyatoslav assisted the Polish king in the war with the Czechs, sending his son Oleg and nephew Vladimir Monomakh to the Czech Republic in 1076.

VSEVOLOD YAROSLAVICH(in baptism - Andrey)(1030 – 04/13/1093) – Prince of Kiev in 1078–1093.

The fourth son of the Kyiv prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise. After the death of his father, he received the cities of Pereyaslav-Yuzhny, Rostov, Suzdal, Beloozero and lands in the Upper Volga region. In 1055, Vsevolod Yaroslavich fought with the Torks, repelled the attack of the Polovtsians, and negotiated peace with them. In 1060, together with the brothers Izyaslav of Kyiv, Svyatoslav of Chernigov and the Polotsk prince Vseslav Bryachislavich, he inflicted a significant defeat on the Torks, who no longer tried to threaten Rus'. But the very next year Vsevolod was defeated by the Polovtsians. In 1067, he took part in the campaign of the Yaroslavichs against the Prince of Polotsk Vseslav Bryachislavich, who captured Novgorod; The allies ravaged Minsk and defeated Vseslav in the battle of Nemiga, and then took him prisoner by deception. In September 1068, Vsevolod and his brothers were defeated by the Polovtsians in a battle on the river. Alta. Together with Izyaslav Yaroslavich, he fled to Kyiv, where he witnessed the uprising of the townspeople against Izyaslav and the approval of Vseslav Bryachislavich, freed from prison by the rebels, on the Kiev table. In 1069, Vsevolod and Svyatoslav acted as mediators in negotiations between the people of Kiev and Izyaslav.

Vsevolod was one of the compilers of the Yaroslavich Truth. In 1072 he participated in the transfer of the relics of the holy princes Boris and Gleb to the stone church built in Vyshgorod. The brothers' union was fragile. Already in March 1073, Vsevolod helped Svyatoslav expel Izyaslav from Kyiv. Together with Svyatoslav, Vsevolod helped the Polish king Boleslav in his fight against the Czechs. In January 1077, after the death of Svyatoslav, Vsevolod occupied Kyiv, but already in July of this year he ceded the capital city to Izyaslav Yaroslavin, who relied on the support of the Poles, and took Chernigov for himself. In 1078 he was expelled from Chernigov by Svyatoslav's son Oleg and nephew Boris Vyacheslavich. Vsevolod turned to Izyaslav for help. In the battle on Nezhatina Niva, Oleg and Boris were defeated, and Vsevolod not only returned Chernigov, but also acquired Kyiv, since Izyaslav fell in the same battle. Having become the prince of Kyiv, Vsevolod gave Chernigov to his son Vladimir Monomakh. His reign was not calm. The children and grandchildren of his deceased brothers Vladimir, Svyatoslav and Igor Yaroslavich were deprived of their possessions and constantly fought with him, demanding the return of hereditary inheritance. In 1079, Vsevolod Yaroslavich repelled the invasion of the Polovtsy, led by Oleg and Roman Svyatoslavich. The cunning Kiev prince bribed the nomads, and they betrayed their brothers, and Roman was killed. In the same year, Vsevolod managed to annex Tmutarakan, the refuge of the exiled princes, to his possessions, but already in 1081 the young princes Davyd Igorevich and Volodar Rostislavich again occupied this remote region. During these years, his eldest son Vladimir Monomakh became an assistant to the aging Vsevolod. Vsevolod Yaroslavich was a very educated man, he knew five languages. In his old age, he preferred to consult with young warriors, neglecting the advice of more experienced boyars. Vsevolod’s favorites, having received important positions, began to commit abuses, about which the sick prince knew nothing, but which caused discontent with him among the people of Kiev.

SVYATOPOLK IZYASLAVICH(in baptism – Michael)(08.11.1050 - 16.04.1113) - Prince of Kiev from 1093. Son of the Kyiv Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich and one of his concubines. In 1069–1071 Svyatopolk Izyaslavich was the prince of Polotsk, in 1073–1077. was in exile with his father in 1078–1088. reigned in Novgorod, 1088–1093. - in Turov. In April 1093, after the death in Kyiv of his uncle, the Kyiv prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich, he took the Kiev table. Having decided to start a war with the Polovtsians, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich ordered the capture of the Polovtsian ambassadors who came to him with the intention of making peace. In response, the Polovtsians made a devastating raid on Russian land. In 1095, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, in alliance with the Pereyaslavl prince Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh, attacked the Polovtsian lands, seizing “cattle and horses, camels and servants.”

In 1096, Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh fought with the Chernigov prince Oleg Svyatoslavich. They besieged Oleg first in Chernigov, then in Starodub and forced him to make peace, imposing their terms. In May 1096, the Polovtsians again attacked Rus' and besieged Pereyaslavl. On July 19, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Monomakh defeated the enemy. Many Polovtsian princes fell in the battle, including Svyatopolk’s father-in-law Tugorkan and his son. In the same year, the Polovtsians devastated the outskirts of Kyiv.

In 1097, by decision of the Lyubech Congress of princes - descendants of Yaroslav the Wise - Svyatopolk Izyaslavich received Kyiv, Turov, Slutsk and Pinsk. Immediately after the congress, Svyatopolk and Prince of Vladimir-Volyn Davyd Igorevich captured Prince of Terebovl Vasilko Rostislavich and blinded him. Princes Vladimir Monomakh, Davyd and Oleg Svyatoslavich opposed Svyatopolk. The Kiev prince made peace with them and pledged to start a war against Davyd Igorevich. In 1098, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich besieged Davyd Igorevich in Vladimir-Volynsky. After seven weeks of siege, Davyd left the city and ceded it to Svyatopolk. After this, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich tried to take the Cherven cities from Volodar and Vasilko Rostislavich. In 1099, Svyatopolk invited the Hungarians, and the Rostislavichs entered into an alliance with their former enemy Prince Davyd Igorevich, who received help from the Polovtsians. Svyatopolk and the Hungarians were defeated, and Davyd Igorevich again captured Vladimir-Volynsky.

In August 1100, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Monomakh, Davyd and Oleg Svyatoslavich gathered for a congress in Vetichi and entered into an alliance with each other. A few weeks later, Davyd Igorevich arrived in Vetichi. The princes forced him to hand over Vladimir-Volynsky to Svyatopolk Izyaslavich. Svyatopolk handed over Buzhsk, Dubno and Chartorysk to Davyd Igorevich, and placed his son Yaroslav in Vladimir-Volynsky. Later, Svyatopolk exchanged the cities of Davyd Igorevich for Dorogobuzh, where he died in 1112, after which Svyatopolk took Dorogobuzh from his son. At the congress in Vetichi, the princes made another decision - to take Terebovl from Prince Vasilko Rostislavich and hand it over to Svyatopolk, but Vasilko and Volodar Rostislavich did not recognize the decision of the congress, and the allied princes did not dare to start a war with them. In 1101, his nephew, Prince Yaroslav Yaropolkovich, who laid claim to Vladimir-Volynsky, began a war against Svyatopolk Izyaslavich. Having suppressed the speech, Svyatopolk put his nephew in prison, but soon released him; in 1102 he was again taken into custody and killed in captivity.

Svyatopolk Izyaslavich sought to maintain an alliance with the Pereyaslavl prince Vladimir Monomakh and even married his son Yaroslav to his granddaughter. He married his daughter Sbyslava to the Polish king Boleslav, and his other daughter Predslava to the Hungarian prince. Having reconciled, the princes joined forces in the fight against Polovtsian raids. Back in 1101, on the Zolotich River, the Russian princes made peace with the Polovtsians. In 1103, Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh, at a meeting near Lake Dolobsky, agreed on a joint campaign in the Polovtsian steppes. In the same year, the united Russian army defeated the Polovtsians, capturing huge booty. The campaigns of the Russian princes against the Polovtsians were repeated in 1108, 1110 and 1111.

Svyatopolk's internal policy was less successful. In the memory of the people of Kiev, he remained a money-loving and stingy prince, who embarked on all sorts of adventures for the purpose of profit. The prince turned a blind eye to many of the abuses of Kyiv moneylenders and did not disdain speculation with salt. During his reign, many Kiev residents were ruined and fell into debt bondage. After the death of Svyatopolk, an uprising broke out in Kyiv, during which the townspeople destroyed the moneylenders' yards.

VLADIMIR VSEVOLODOVICH MONOMAKH(in baptism - Vasily)(1053 – 05/19/1125) – Prince of Kiev from 1113.

Son of Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavin. Nicknamed Monomakh after his maternal grandfather, who was the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh.

He reigned in Rostov, Smolensk, Vladimir-Volynsky. In 1076 he took part in the war of the Polish princes against the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. During the princely feud, in 1078, he took part in the battle on Nezhatina Niva, as a result of which his father received Kyiv, and Vladimir Vsevolodovich himself received Chernigov. He fought with the Polotsk princes, Polovtsy, Torques, and Poles. After the death of his father (1093), he was called by the people of Kiev to reign, but, observing the rule of seniority in the clan, he ceded the capital city of Rus' to his cousin Svyatopolk Izyaslavich. A year after the war with the Polovtsians and another cousin, the Tmutarakan prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, who relied on their support, was forced to cede Chernigov to him and settle in the Pereyaslavl principality. Since it was the Pereyaslavl land that was most often subjected to raids by the Polovtsians, Vladimir Vsevolodovich most actively advocated an end to civil strife in Rus' and unification in the fight against the Polovtsians. He took the initiative of the princely congresses of 1097 (in Lyubech), 1100 (in Vitichev), 1111 (on Dolobsky Lake). At the Lyubech congress, the princes tried to agree on assigning to each the possessions of their fathers; Vladimir Vsevolodovich, in addition to the Pereyaslavl principality, received the Rostov-Suzdal land, Smolensk and Beloozero. At the Vitichevsky Congress, Vladimir Monomakh insisted on organizing joint campaigns against the Polovtsians, and at the Dolobsky Congress, on an immediate campaign against the steppe people. In 1103 the united Russian army defeated the Polovtsians in the Suten tract, in 1107, on the river. Sula, in 1111, - on the river. Children and Salnitsa; After these defeats, the Polovtsy went beyond the Don and Volga and temporarily stopped raiding Rus'.

During the uprising in Kiev that began in 1113 after the death of the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Vsevolodovich was invited to the Kiev table. In order to normalize the situation, Vladimir issued a Charter, which somewhat improved the situation of the lower strata of the population (the text of the Charter, which is an outstanding monument of ancient Russian law, is included in the lengthy edition of Russian Pravda).

The reign of Vladimir Vsevolodovich became a period of strengthening the economic and political positions of Rus'. Under the rule of the Kyiv prince, most of the lands of the Old Russian state were united; the majority of princes recognized him as the “oldest prince” in Rus'. Vladimir placed his sons to reign in the most important Russian lands: Mstislav in Novgorod, Svyatopolk, and after his death, Yaropolk in Pereyaslavl, Vyacheslav in Smolensk, Yuri in Suzdal, Andrey in Vladimir-Volynsky. By persuasion and force, he reconciled the warring princes. Family ties connected Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh with many ruling houses of Europe. The prince himself was married three times; one of his wives was Gytha, daughter of the last Anglo-Saxon king, Harald.

Vladimir Monomakh went down in history as a thinker. His “Instruction” for children and “others who read” is not only an example of ancient Russian literature, but also a monument to philosophical, political and pedagogical thought.

Of significant interest is the “Chronicle” he compiled, containing a description of the prince’s military and hunting exploits. In these works, as in all his activities, Vladimir Vsevolodovich advocated the political, religious and military unity of the Russian land while maintaining the right of each prince to independently govern his “fatherland.” During the reign of Vladimir Vsevolodovich, a new edition of “The Tale of Bygone Years” was compiled in the Kiev Vydubitsky Monastery, which included the legend of the baptism of Rus' by the Apostle Andrew and a revised version of the description of the events of the end. 11 – beginning 12th centuries, highlighting the activities of Vladimir himself; “The Tale of Saints Boris and Gleb” was created, their church veneration became widespread (in 1115 the relics of Boris and Gleb were solemnly transferred to a new stone church in Vyshgorod). Little information has been preserved about the prince’s town planning and other peaceful affairs. Chronicles only report the construction of a bridge across the Dnieper in Kyiv during his reign and the foundation in the Rostov-Suzdal land, on the river. Klyazma, the city of Vladimir, which later became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir.

The activities of Vladimir Vsevolodovich have already earned recognition from his contemporaries. The chronicles call him “a wonderful prince,” “glorious for his victories for the Russian land,” “merciful beyond measure,” and reward him with other flattering epithets. A legend arose that Vladimir Vsevolodovich was crowned king by Metropolitan Neophyte, who placed on him the signs of royal power brought from Byzantium: a crown and barmas (later the crown, an indispensable attribute of the crowning of Moscow sovereigns, was called the “Monomakh’s hat”).

MSTISLAV VLADIMIROVICH VELIKY(in baptism – Gabriel)(1076–1132) - Grand Duke of Kiev from 1125, the last ruler of the united Old Russian state.

Son of Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh and the Anglo-Saxon princess Gita. During his father’s life, he ruled the Novgorod land, the principalities of Rostov and Smolensk, and after his death he inherited the grand-ducal throne.

In 1129, when a large Polovtsian army came to Russian land, Mstislav Vladimirovich gathered all the Russian princes under his arm. The Polotsk princes were also called upon to participate in the all-Russian military campaign. But the senior Polotsk prince Davyd Vseslavich with his brothers and nephews refused to help Mstislav Vladimirovich. Having defeated the Polovtsian hordes, “driving them beyond the Don, beyond the Volga and beyond the Yaik,” the Kiev prince ordered the capture of his offenders. No one stood up for the apostates from the common cause. Davyd, Rostislav and Svyatoslav Vseslavich were captured and with their families deported outside of Rus' - to Constantinople (Constantinople).

After the death of Mstislav Vladimirovich, new strife began, in which his brothers, sons and nephews were drawn. Once united and powerful Kiev State was fragmented into dozens of independent principalities.

VSEVOLOD OLEGOVICH(in baptism – Kirill)(? – 01.08.1146) – Prince of Kiev in 1139–1146.

Son of Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich (d. 1115), grandson of the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav Yaroslavin. In 1127, Vsevolod expelled his uncle, Prince Yaroslav Svyatoslavich, from Chernigov. The Kiev prince Mstislav Vladimirovich (the Great) (son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh) was going to stand up for Yaroslav Svyatoslavich, but limited himself to threats against Vsevolod. True, Vsevolod Olgovich admitted his dependence on Mstislav Vladimirovich and even married his daughter, after which Yaroslav Svyatoslavich lost hope of returning Chernigov and finally established himself in Murom. In 1127, Vsevolod Olgovich took part in the campaign of the Russian princes against the Polovtsians. After the death of Mstislav Vladimirovich (1132), the energetic Chernigov prince intervened in the struggle for inheritance between the new Kyiv prince Yaropolk Vladimirovich (brother of Mstislav) and his nephews (sons of Mstislav). In 1139, when the third Monomakhovich, Vyacheslav Vladimirovich, a weak and weak-willed man, became the prince of Kyiv, Vsevolod gathered an army and drove Vyacheslav out of Kyiv. His own reign was not calm. He was in constant quarrels either with the Monomakhovichs, or with his relatives and cousins ​​- the Olgovichs and Davydovichs, who ruled in Chernigov. In 1143, Vsevolod intervened in the strife of the Polish princes, helping his son-in-law, Prince Vladislav, fight his younger brothers. During the reign of Vsevolod Olgovich, the situation of the people of Kiev sharply worsened. The princely tiuns ravaged Kyiv and other cities of the Kyiv land, and he himself constantly carried out unjust justice. The dissatisfaction of the people of Kiev with Vsevolod was one of the reasons for the failure of his attempt to transfer Kyiv to his brother Igor Olgovich and the unrest of the townspeople that broke out after his death. In 1144, Vsevolod Olgovich fought with the Galician prince Vladimir (Vladimirk) Volodarevich, into whose lands he made two successful campaigns. Vsevolod returned sick from his last campaign and soon died.

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