Grand Dukes of Kyiv. Grand Dukes of Ancient Rus' and the Russian Empire
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 one old legend about the emergence Kievan Rus and about 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 political system, thanks to which Kievan Rus became a great and powerful state despite the fact that it was founded quite 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 in the Tale past years"Very little has been written about them. 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 Rus 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 Prophet
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 his neighbors under control, 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 very favorable conditions 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 very different sharp mind, and therefore she ordered to tie a smoldering tow to the paw of the birds, and release them to 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 my 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.
Hello friends!
In this post we will focus on such a difficult topic as the first Kyiv princes. Today we will present 7 original historical portraits from Oleg the Prophet to Vladimir II Monomakh, all of these historical portraits were painted with the maximum score and meet all criteria for assessing work on the Unified State Exam.
You see in front of you a map of Ancient Rus', or rather the tribes that lived on their territory. You see that this is the territory of present-day Ukraine and Belarus. Ancient Rus' extended from the Carpathians in the West, to the Oka and Volga in the East and from the Baltic in the North, to the steppes of the Black Sea region in the South. Of course, Kyiv was the capital of this Old Russian state and it was there that the princes of Kyiv sat. We will begin our study of Ancient Rus' with Prince Oleg. Unfortunately, no information about this prince has been preserved, but only the legend “The Legend of the Prophetic Oleg” has been preserved, which you all know very well. And so in 882, Oleg headed to Kyiv from Novgorod. He was a warrior of Rurik (862-882) and while Rurik’s son, Igor, was small, Oleg was his regent. And in 882, Oleg captured Kyiv, killing Askold and Dir, and from that moment his reign began.
Oleg the Prophet - Historical portrait
Lifetime:9th century – beginningX century
Reign: 882-912
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. He made Kyiv the capital of Ancient Rus', so some historians consider Oleg the founder of the Old Russian state. “Let Kyiv be the mother of Russian cities”
1.2. United the northern and southern centers Eastern Slavs, by conquering the lands of the Ulichs, Tivertsi, Radimichi, Northerners, Drevlyans, and the subjugation of cities such as Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv.
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. He made a successful campaign against Constantinople in 907.
2.2. He concluded peace and trade agreements with Byzantium that were beneficial for the country.
Results of activities:
During the years of his reign, Prince Oleg significantly increased the territory of Rus' and concluded the first trade agreement with Byzantium (Constantinople)
The second ruler after Oleg was Igor Stary and about his reign modern history much is unknown and we only know about the last four years of his reign in Kyiv.
Historical portrait of Igor Stary
Lifetime: end9th century –II quarterX century
Reign: 912-945
Main activities:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. Continued the unification of East Slavic tribes
1.2. Was governor in Kyiv during the reign of Oleg
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. Russian-Byzantine War 941-944
2.2. War with the Pechenegs
2.3. War with the Drevlyans
2.4. Military campaign against Byzantium
Results of activities:
He extended his power to the Slavic tribes between the Dniester and Danube, concluded a military-trade agreement with Byzantium, and conquered the Drevlyans.
After the murder of Igor by the Drevlyans for excessive collection of tribute, his wife, Olga, ascended the throne.
Duchess Olga
Lifetime:II-III quarterX century.
Reign: 945-962
Main activities:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. Strengthening the central government through reprisals against the Drevlyan tribe
1.2. She carried out the first tax reform in Rus': she introduced lessons - a fixed amount of tribute collection and graveyards - places where tribute was collected.
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. She was the first Russian princess and ruler in general to convert to Christianity.
2.2. She was able to prevent the Drevlyan dynasty of princes from reigning in Kyiv.
Results of activities:
Olga strengthened the internal position of the young Russian state, improved relations with Byzantium, increased the authority of Rus', and was able to preserve the Russian throne for her son Svyatoslav.
After Olga's death, the reign of Svyatoslav Igorevich, known for his rich foreign policy, began in Kyiv
Svyatoslav Igorevich
Life time: second half of the 10th century.
Reigned 945 - 972
Main activities:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. He led the further strengthening of the ancient Russian state, like his predecessors.
1.2. Tried to create an empire.
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. Conducted a military campaign against Bulgaria in 967.
2.2. Defeated the Khazar Khaganate in 965.
2.3. Conducted a military campaign against Byzantium.
Results of activities:
He established diplomatic relations with many peoples of the world, strengthened the position of Rus' on the world stage, removed the threat from the Volga Bulgaria and the Khazar Khaganate, expanded the possessions of the Kyiv prince, wanted to create an empire, but his plans were not destined to come true.
After the death of Svyatoslav, Prince Yaropolk (972-980) ascended the Kiev throne, who during the 8 years of his reign made a very small contribution to the history of Ancient Rus'. After his reign, Vladimir I, popularly nicknamed the Red Sun, ascended the Kiev throne.
Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich (Saint, Red Sun) – Historical portrait
Life time: 3rd quarter of the 10th century - first half of the 11th century (~ 960-1015);
Reign: 980-1015
Main activities:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. The final annexation of the lands of the Vyatichi, Cherven cities, as well as the lands on both sides of the Carpathians.
1.2. Pagan reform. In order to strengthen the grand-ducal power and introduce Rus' to the rest of the world, in 980 Vladimir carried out the Pagan Reform, according to which Perun was placed at the head of the pantheon of Slavic gods. After the failure of the reform, Vladimir I decided to baptize Rus' according to the Byzantine rite.
1.3. Acceptance of Christianity. After the failure of the pagan reform, under Vladimir in 988, Christianity was adopted as the state religion. The baptism of Vladimir and his entourage took place in the city of Korsun. The reason for choosing Christianity as the main religion was the marriage of Vladimir to the Byzantine princess Anna and the prevalence of this faith in Rus'.
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. Protection of the borders of Rus'. Under Vladimir, for the purpose of protection, a Unified Defense System against nomads and an Alert System were created.
2.2. The defeat of the Radimichi militia, the campaign in Volga Bulgaria, the first clash between Rus' and Poland, as well as the conquest of the Principality of Polotsk.
Activity results:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. The unification of all the lands of the Eastern Slavs as part of Kievan Rus.
1.2. The reform streamlined the pagan pantheon. Encouraged Prince Vladimir to turn to a fundamentally new religion.
1.3. Strengthening princely power, raising the country's authority on the world stage, borrowing Byzantine culture: frescoes, architecture, icon painting, the Bible was translated into Slavic language...
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. The Unified Defense System against nomads and the Alert System helped to quickly notify the center of a border crossing, and, accordingly, of an attack, which gave Rus' an advantage.
2.2. Expansion of the borders of Rus' through the active foreign policy of Prince Vladimir the Saint.
After Vladimir, Yaroslav, nicknamed the Wise, turned out to be a very noticeable ruler.
Yaroslav the Wise
Lifetime: endX – middle11th century
Reign: 1019–1054
Main activities:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. Establishing dynastic ties with Europe and Byzantium through dynastic marriages.
1.2. Founder of written Russian legislation - “Russian Truth”
1.3. Built St. Sophia Cathedral and Golden Gate
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. Military campaigns in the Baltic states
2.2. The final defeat of the Pechenegs
2.3. Military campaign against Byzantium and Polish-Lithuanian lands
Results of activities:
During the reign of Yaroslav, Rus' reached its peak. Kyiv became one of the largest cities in Europe, the authority of Rus' increased on the world stage, and the active construction of temples and cathedrals began.
And the last prince, whose characteristics we will give in this post, will be Vladimir II.
Vladimir Monomakh
INTime of life: second half of the 11th century - first quarter of the 12th century.
Reign: 1113-1125
Main activities:
1. Domestic policy:
1.1. Stopped the collapse of the Old Russian state. “Let everyone keep his homeland”
1.2. Nestor compiled “The Tale of Bygone Years”
1.3. Introduced the “Charter of Vladimir Monomakh”
2. Foreign policy:
2.1. Organized successful campaigns of princes against the Polovtsians
2.2. Continued the policy of strengthening dynastic ties with Europe
Results of activities:
He was able to unite the Russian lands for a short time, became the author of “Instructions for Children”, and managed to stop the Polovtsian raids on Rus'.
© Ivan Nekrasov 2014
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In 862, Prince Rurik was invited to reign in northwestern Rus', who became the founder of the new state. What was the activity of the first Kyiv princes - we learn from an article on history for the 10th grade.
Domestic and foreign policy of the first Russian princes
Let's create a table of the First Kyiv Princes.
Starting in order, we should mention not Rurik as the first Russian prince, but his boyars Askold and Dir as the first princes of Kyiv. Having not received cities in Northern Rus' to govern, they went south to Constantinople, but, moving along the Dnieper, they landed at a small town that had a convenient geographical and strategic position.
In 879, Rurik died and Oleg became his successor until his son Igor came of age. In 882, Oleg launched a campaign of conquest against Kyiv. Fearing major battle with a large army of co-rulers. Oleg lured them out of the city by cunning, and then killed them.
Rice. 1. Borders of Rus' in the 9th century.
The names Askold and Dir are familiar to every resident of Kyiv. These are the first martyrs of the Russian land. In 2013, Ukrainian Orthodox Church The Kyiv Patriarchate canonized them as saints.
Having also captured Smolensk and Lyubech, Oleg established control over the trade route “From the Varangians to the Greeks”, moved the capital of Rus' from Novgorod to Kyiv, creating Kievan Rus - a single principality of the Eastern Slavs. He built cities, determined the amount of taxes from the subordinate southern tribes, and successfully fought with the Khazars.
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Rice. 2. Map of the route from the Varangians to the Greeks.
In 907, Oleg made a campaign against Constantinople, according to which he was able to conclude a trade agreement beneficial for Rus' with the Romans.
Igor's reign
After Oleg's death, Igor took over the reins. He made two campaigns against Byzantium - in 941 and 944, but neither was crowned with great success. The Russian fleet was completely burned by Greek fire. In 913 and 943, he made two trips to the Caspian lands.
In 945, while collecting tribute from subordinate tribes, Igor succumbed to pressure from his squad and decided to collect tribute in larger size. Returning to the lands of the Drevlyans for the second time, but with a small detachment, Igor was killed in the capital of the Drevlyan land, the city of Iskorosten.
Olga and Svyatoslav
Regent under two year old son Igor Svyatoslav was his mother, Olga. The princess avenged the murder of Igor by plundering the Drevlyan land and burning Iskorosten.
Olga was responsible for the first economic reform in Rus'. She established lessons and graveyards - the size of the tribute and the places where they were collected. In 955, she converted to Christianity, becoming the first Russian princess of the Orthodox faith.
Svyatoslav, having matured, spent all his time on campaigns, dreaming of military glory. In 965, he destroyed the Khazar Khaganate, and two years later, at the request of the Byzantines, he invaded Bulgaria. He did not fulfill the terms of the agreement with the Romans, capturing 80 Bulgarian cities and beginning to reign in the occupied lands. This gave rise to the Byzantine-Russian war of 970-971, as a result of which Svyatoslav was forced to leave Bulgaria, but was killed by the Pechenegs on the way home.
Vladimir Red Sun
An internecine war broke out between the three sons of Svyatoslav, in which Vladimir emerged victorious. Under him, extensive urban planning began in Rus', but his most important achievement lay elsewhere. In 988, Vladimir baptized Rus', moving from paganism to Orthodox Christianity, declaring that Rus' was now the younger sister of the great Byzantium.
Rice. 3. Baptism of Rus'.
Using the prepared soil for the development of the young state, Vladimir's son, Yaroslav the Wise, will make Rus' a leading state in Europe, which will experience its heyday during his reign.
What have we learned?
The first Kyiv princes were mainly concerned with the expansion and strengthening of the young Russian state. Their task was to secure the borders of Kievan Rus from external aggression and make allies primarily in the person of Byzantium. The adoption of Christianity and the destruction of the Khazars partially resolved these issues.
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Since ancient times, the Slavs, our direct ancestors, lived in the vastness of the East European Plain. It is still unknown exactly when they arrived there. Be that as it may, they soon settled widely throughout the great waterway those years. Slavic cities and villages arose from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Despite the fact that they were of the same clan-tribe, relations between them were never particularly peaceful.
In constant civil strife, the tribal princes quickly became exalted, who soon became Great and began to rule all of Kievan Rus. These were the first rulers of Rus', whose names have come to us through the endless series of centuries that have passed since then.
Rurik (862-879)
There is still fierce debate among scientists about the reality of this historical figure. Either there was such a person, or he is a collective character, whose prototype was all the first rulers of Rus'. Either he was a Varangian or a Slav. By the way, we practically do not know who the rulers of Rus' were before Rurik, so in this matter everything is based solely on assumptions.
Slavic origin is very likely, since he could have been nicknamed Rurik for his nickname Falcon, which was translated from the Old Slavic language into Norman dialects as “Rurik”. Be that as it may, he is considered the founder of the entire Old Russian state. Rurik united (as far as possible) many Slavic tribes under his hand.
However, almost all the rulers of Rus' were involved in this matter with varying degrees of success. It is thanks to their efforts that our country today has such a significant position on the world map.
Oleg (879-912)
Rurik had a son, Igor, but by the time of his father’s death he was too young, and therefore his uncle, Oleg, became the Grand Duke. He glorified his name with his militancy and the success that accompanied him on the military path. Particularly remarkable was his campaign against Constantinople, which opened up incredible prospects for the Slavs from the emerging opportunities for trade with distant eastern countries. His contemporaries respected him so much that they nicknamed him “the prophetic Oleg.”
Of course, the first rulers of Rus' were such legendary figures that we will most likely never know about their real exploits, but Oleg was probably truly an outstanding personality.
Igor (912-945)
Igor, the son of Rurik, following the example of Oleg, also went on campaigns several times, annexed a lot of lands, but he was not such a successful warrior, and his campaign against Greece turned out to be disastrous. He was cruel, often “rip off” the defeated tribes to the last, for which he later paid. Igor was warned that the Drevlyans had not forgiven him; they advised him to take a large squad to Polyudye. He did not listen and was killed. In general, the TV series “Rulers of Rus'” once talked about this.
Olga (945-957)
However, the Drevlyans soon regretted their action. Igor’s wife, Olga, first dealt with their two conciliatory embassies, and then burned the main city of the Drevlyans, Korosten. Contemporaries testify that she was distinguished by a rare intelligence and strong-willed rigidity. During her reign, she did not lose a single inch of land that was conquered by her husband and his ancestors. It is known that in her declining years she converted to Christianity.
Svyatoslav (957-972)
Svyatoslav took after his ancestor, Oleg. He was also distinguished by his courage, determination, and directness. He was an excellent warrior, tamed and conquered many Slavic tribes, and often beat the Pechenegs, for which they hated him. Like other rulers of Rus', he preferred (if possible) to reach an “amicable” agreement. If the tribes agreed to recognize the supremacy of Kyiv and paid off with tribute, then even their rulers remained the same.
He annexed the hitherto invincible Vyatichi (who preferred to fight in their impenetrable forests), defeated the Khazars, and then took Tmutarakan. Despite the small number of his squad, he successfully fought with the Bulgarians on the Danube. Conquered Andrianople and threatened to take Constantinople. The Greeks preferred to pay off with a rich tribute. On the way back, he died along with his squad on the rapids of the Dnieper, being killed by the same Pechenegs. It is assumed that it was his squad that found the swords and remains of equipment during the construction of the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station.
General characteristics of the 1st century
Since the first rulers of Rus' reigned on the Grand Duke's throne, the era of constant unrest and civil strife gradually began to end. Relative order arose: the princely squad defended the borders from the arrogant and ferocious nomadic tribes, and they, in turn, pledged to help with warriors and paid tribute to polyudye. The main concern of those princes was the Khazars: at that time they were paid tribute (not regularly, during the next raid) by many Slavic tribes, which greatly undermined the authority of the central government.
Another problem was the lack of unity of faith. The Slavs who conquered Constantinople were looked upon with contempt, since at that time monotheism (Judaism, Christianity) was already being actively established, and the pagans were considered almost animals. But the tribes actively resisted all attempts to interfere with their faith. "Rulers of Rus'" talks about this - the film quite truthfully conveys the reality of that era.
This contributed to the increase in the number of minor troubles within the young state. But Olga, who converted to Christianity and began to promote and condone the construction of Christian churches in Kyiv, paved the way for the baptism of the country. The second century began, in which the rulers of Ancient Rus' accomplished many more great things.
Vladimir St. Equal to the Apostles (980-1015)
As is known, there was never brotherly love between Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir, who were the heirs of Svyatoslav. It didn’t even help that during his lifetime the father allocated his own land for each of them. It ended with Vladimir destroying his brothers and beginning to rule alone.
The ruler in Ancient Rus', recaptured Red Rus' from the regiments, fought a lot and bravely against the Pechenegs and Bulgarians. He became famous as a generous ruler who did not spare gold to give gifts to people loyal to him. First, he demolished almost all the Christian temples and churches that were built under his mother, and the small Christian community suffered constant persecution from him.
But the political situation was such that the country had to be brought to monotheism. In addition, contemporaries talk about the strong feeling that flared up in the prince for the Byzantine princess Anna. No one would give her for a pagan. So the rulers of Ancient Rus' came to the conclusion about the need to be baptized.
Therefore, already in 988, the baptism of the prince and all his associates took place, and then the new religion began to spread among the people. Vasily and Konstantin married Anna to Prince Vladimir. Contemporaries spoke of Vladimir as a strict, tough (sometimes even cruel) person, but they loved him for his straightforwardness, honesty and justice. The church still extols the name of the prince for the reason that he began to massively build temples and churches in the country. This was the first ruler of Rus' to be baptized.
Svyatopolk (1015-1019)
Like his father, Vladimir during his lifetime distributed lands to his many sons: Svyatopolk, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Mstislav, Svyatoslav, Boris and Gleb. After his father died, Svyatopolk decided to rule on his own, for which he issued an order to eliminate his own brothers, but was expelled from Kyiv by Yaroslav of Novgorod.
With the help of the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, he was able to take possession of Kiev for the second time, but the people received him coolly. He was soon forced to flee the city, and then died on the way. His death is a dark story. It is assumed that he took his own life. In folk legends he is nicknamed "the cursed one."
Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054)
Yaroslav quickly became an independent ruler of Kievan Rus. He was distinguished by his great intelligence and did a lot for the development of the state. He built many monasteries and promoted the spread of writing. He is also the author of "Russian Truth", the first official collection of laws and regulations in our country. Like his ancestors, he immediately distributed plots of land to his sons, but at the same time strictly ordered them to “live in peace and not cause intrigues to each other.”
Izyaslav (1054-1078)
Izyaslav was the eldest son of Yaroslav. Initially he ruled Kiev, distinguished himself as a good ruler, but he did not know how to get along with the people very well. The latter played a role. When he went against the Polovtsians and failed in that campaign, the Kievans simply kicked him out, calling his brother, Svyatoslav, to reign. After he died, Izyaslav returned to the capital city again.
In principle, he was a very good ruler, but he had some rather difficult times. Like all the first rulers of Kievan Rus, he was forced to solve a lot of difficult issues.
General characteristics of the 2nd century
In those centuries, several practically independent (the most powerful) stood out from the structure of Rus': Chernigov, Rostov-Suzdal (later Vladimir-Suzdal), Galicia-Volyn. Novgorod stood apart. Ruled by the Veche following the example of the Greek city-states, he generally did not look at the princes very well.
Despite this fragmentation, formally Rus' was still considered an independent state. Yaroslav was able to expand its borders to the very river Ros. Under Vladimir, the country adopted Christianity, and the influence of Byzantium on its internal affairs increased.
Thus, at the head of the newly created church stood the metropolitan, who was directly subordinate to Constantinople. The new faith brought with it not only religion, but also new writing and new laws. The princes at that time acted together with the church, built many new churches, and contributed to the education of their people. It was at this time that the famous Nestor lived, who is the author of numerous written monuments of that time.
Unfortunately, everything was not so smooth. The eternal problem was both the constant raids of nomads and internal strife, which constantly tore the country apart and deprived it of strength. As Nestor, the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” put it, “the Russian land is groaning from them.” The enlightenment ideas of the Church are beginning to appear, but so far the people are not accepting the new religion well.
Thus began the third century.
Vsevolod I (1078-1093)
Vsevolod the First could well remain in history as an exemplary ruler. He was truthful, honest, promoted education and the development of writing, and he himself knew five languages. But he was not distinguished by developed military and political talent. The constant raids of the Polovtsians, pestilence, drought and famine did not contribute to his authority. Only his son Vladimir, later nicknamed Monomakh, kept his father on the throne (a unique case, by the way).
Svyatopolk II (1093-1113)
He was the son of Izyaslav, had a good character, but was unusually weak-willed in some matters, which is why the appanage princes did not consider him a Grand Duke. However, he ruled very well: having heeded the advice of the same Vladimir Monomakh, at the Dolob Congress in 1103 he persuaded his opponents to undertake a joint campaign against the “cursed” Polovtsians, after which in 1111 they were completely defeated.
The military booty was enormous. Almost two dozen Polotsk residents were killed in that battle. This victory resounded loudly throughout all Slavic lands, both in the East and in the West.
Vladimir Monomakh (1113-1125)
Despite the fact that, based on seniority, he should not have taken the Kiev throne, it was Vladimir who was elected there by unanimous decision. Such love is explained by the rare political and military talent of the prince. He was distinguished by his intelligence, political and military courage, and was very courageous in military affairs.
He considered every campaign against the Polovtsians a holiday (the Polovtsians did not share his views). It was under Monomakh that the princes who were overly zealous in matters of independence received a strict cut. He leaves to descendants “Lessons for Children,” where he talks about the importance of honest and selfless service to one’s Motherland.
Mstislav I (1125-1132)
Following the behests of his father, he lived in peace with his brothers and other princes, but became enraged at the mere hint of disobedience and desire for civil strife. Thus, he angrily expels the Polovtsian princes from the country, after which they are forced to flee the discontent of the ruler in Byzantium. In general, many rulers of Kievan Rus tried not to kill their enemies unnecessarily.
Yaropolk (1132-1139)
Known for his skillful political intrigues, which ultimately turned out badly for the Monomakhovichs. At the end of his reign, he decides to transfer the throne not to his brother, but to his nephew. Things almost reach the point of unrest, but the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich, the “Olegovichs,” still ascend to the throne. Not for long, however.
Vsevolod II (1139-1146)
Vsevolod was distinguished by good makings of a ruler; he ruled wisely and firmly. But he wanted to transfer the throne to Igor Olegovich, securing the position of the “Olegovichs”. But the people of Kiev did not recognize Igor, he was forced to take monastic vows, and then was completely killed.
Izyaslav II (1146-1154)
But the residents of Kyiv enthusiastically received Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who, with his brilliant political abilities, military valor and intelligence, vividly reminded them of his grandfather, Monomakh. It was he who introduced the rule that has remained indisputable since then: if an uncle in one princely family is alive, then the nephew cannot receive his throne.
He was in a terrible feud with Yuri Vladimirovich, the prince of the Rostov-Suzdal land. His name will mean nothing to many, but later Yuri will be called Dolgoruky. Izyaslav twice had to flee Kyiv, but until his death he never gave up the throne.
Yuri Dolgoruky (1154-1157)
Yuri finally gains access to the Kyiv throne. Having stayed there for only three years, he achieved a lot: he was able to pacify (or punish) the princes, and contributed to the unification of fragmented lands under strong rule. However, all his work turned out to be meaningless, since after the death of Dolgoruky, the squabble between the princes flared up with renewed vigor.
Mstislav II (1157-1169)
It was the devastation and quarrels that led to Mstislav II Izyaslavovich ascending the throne. He was a good ruler, but did not have a very good disposition, and also condoned princely feuds (“divide and conquer”). Andrei Yuryevich, the son of Dolgoruky, drives him out of Kyiv. Known in history under the nickname Bogolyubsky.
In 1169, Andrei did not limit himself to exile worst enemy his father, simultaneously burning Kyiv to the ground. Thus, at the same time, he took revenge on the people of Kiev, who by that time had acquired the habit of expelling princes at any time, calling to their principality anyone who would promise them “bread and circuses.”
Andrey Bogolyubsky (1169-1174)
As soon as Andrei seized power, he immediately moved the capital to his favorite city, Vladimir on the Klyazma. Since then, the dominant position of Kyiv immediately began to weaken. Having become stern and domineering towards the end of his life, Bogolyubsky did not want to put up with the tyranny of many boyars, wanting to establish an autocratic government. Many did not like this, and therefore Andrei was killed as a result of a conspiracy.
So what did the first rulers of Rus' do? The table will give a general answer to this question.
In principle, all the rulers of Rus' from Rurik to Putin did the same thing. The table can hardly convey all the hardships that our people endured. difficult path formation of the state.
According to the preamble to the chronicle, he reigned for 37 years (PSRL, vol. I, stb. 18). According to all chronicles, he entered Kyiv in 6488 (980) (PSRL, vol. I, stb. 77), according to the “Memory and Praise of the Russian Prince Vladimir” - June 11 6486 (978 ) year (Library of literature of Ancient Rus'. T.1. P.326). The dating of 978 was especially actively defended by A. A. Shakhmatov, but there is still no consensus in science. Died on July 15, 6523 (1015) (PSRL, vol. I, stb. 130).
