4. Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev (04/17/1894-09/11/1971)
Soviet statesman and party leader. First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR from 1958 to 1964. Hero of the Soviet Union, Three times Hero Socialist Labor. The first laureate of the Shevchenko Prize, reign 09/07/1. (Moscow city).
Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev was born in 1894 in the village of Kalinovka, Kursk province, into the family of miner Sergei Nikanorovich Khrushchev and Ksenia Ivanovna Khrushcheva. In 1908, having moved with his family to the Uspensky mine near Yuzovka, Khrushchev became an apprentice mechanic at a factory, then worked as a mechanic at a mine and, as a miner, was not taken to the front in 1914. In the early 1920s, he worked in the mines and studied at the workers' department of the Donetsk Industrial Institute. Later he was engaged in economic and party work in Donbass and Kyiv. Since January 1931, he was at party work in Moscow, during which time he was the first secretary of the Moscow regional and city party committees - MK and MGK VKP (b). In January 1938, he was appointed first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine. In the same year he became a candidate, and in 1939 - a member of the Politburo.
During World War II, Khrushchev served as a political commissar of the highest rank (a member of the military councils of a number of fronts) and in 1943 received the rank of lieutenant general; led partisan movement behind the front line. First post-war years headed the government in Ukraine. In December 1947, Khrushchev again headed the Communist Party of Ukraine, becoming the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine; He held this post until he moved to Moscow in December 1949, where he became the first secretary of the Moscow Party Committee and secretary of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. Khrushchev initiated the consolidation of collective farms (kolkhozes). After Stalin's death, when the Chairman of the Council of Ministers left the post of Secretary of the Central Committee, Khrushchev became the “master” of the party apparatus, although until September 1953 he did not have the title of First Secretary. Between March and June 1953 he attempted to seize power. In order to eliminate Beria, Khrushchev entered into an alliance with Malenkov. In September 1953, he took the post of First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. In June 1953, a struggle for power began between Malenkov and Khrushchev, in which Khrushchev won. At the beginning of 1954, he announced the start of a grandiose program for the development of virgin lands in order to increase grain production, and in October of the same year he headed the Soviet delegation to Beijing.
Most a bright event Khrushchev's career included the 20th Congress of the CPSU, held in 1956. At a closed meeting, Khrushchev condemned Stalin, accusing him of mass extermination of people and erroneous policies that almost ended in the liquidation of the USSR in the war with Nazi Germany. The result of this report was unrest in the Eastern bloc countries - Poland (October 1956) and Hungary (October and November 1956). In June 1957, the Presidium (formerly Politburo) of the CPSU Central Committee organized a conspiracy to remove Khrushchev from the post of First Secretary of the Party. After his return from Finland, he was invited to a meeting of the Presidium, which, by seven votes to four, demanded his resignation. Khrushchev convened a Plenum of the Central Committee, which overturned the decision of the Presidium and dismissed the “anti-party group” of Molotov, Malenkov and Kaganovich. He strengthened the Presidium with his supporters, and in March 1958 he took the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, taking into his own hands all the main levers of power. In September 1960, Khrushchev visited the United States as head of the Soviet delegation to the UN General Assembly. During the assembly, he managed to hold large-scale negotiations with the heads of government of a number of countries. His report to the Assembly called for general disarmament, the immediate elimination of colonialism and the admission of China to the UN. During the summer of 1961, the Soviet foreign policy became more and more stringent, and in September the USSR interrupted the three-year moratorium on testing nuclear weapons, carrying out a series of explosions. On October 14, 1964, by the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, Khrushchev was relieved of his duties as First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and member of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee. He was replaced by the First Secretary Communist Party, and became Chairman of the Council of Ministers. After 1964, Khrushchev, while retaining his seat on the Central Committee, was essentially in retirement. Khrushchev died in Moscow on September 11, 1971.
Of which there are almost twenty tribes of rulers of Rus', they descend from Rurik. This historical character was born presumably between 806 and 808 in the city of Rerik (Raroga). In 808, when Rurik was 1-2 years old, the domain of his father, Godolub, was seized by the Danish king Gottfried, and the future Russian prince became half an orphan. Together with his mother Umila, he found himself in a foreign land. And his childhood is not mentioned anywhere. It is assumed that he took them to Slavic lands. There is information that in 826 he arrived at the court of the Frankish king, where he received an allotment of land “beyond the Elbe”, in fact the land of his murdered father, but as a vassal of the Frankish ruler. During the same period, Rurik is believed to have been baptized. Later, after being deprived of these plots, Rurik joined the Varangian squad and fought in Europe, not at all as an exemplary Christian.
Prince Gostomysl saw the future dynasty in a dream
Rurikovich, family tree whom Rurik’s grandfather (Umila’s father) saw, as the legend says, in a dream, brought decisive contribution in the development of Rus' and Russian state, since they ruled from 862 to 1598. The prophetic dream of old Gostomysl, the ruler of Novgorod, showed precisely that from “the womb of his daughter a wonderful tree would sprout that would feed the people in his lands.” This was another “plus” in favor of inviting Rurik with his strong squad at the moment when Novgorod lands There were civil strife, and the people suffered from attacks from outside tribes.
The foreign origin of Rurik may be disputed
Thus, it can be argued that the family tree of the Rurik dynasty began not with foreigners, but with a person who by blood belonged to the Novgorod nobility, who long years fought in other countries, had his own squad and the age allowed to lead the people. At the time of Rurik’s invitation to Novgorod in 862, he was about 50 years old - quite a respectable age at that time.
Was the tree based on Norway?
How did the Rurikovich family tree form further? Full view The image shown in the review illustrates this. After the death of the first ruler of Rus' from this dynasty (the Book of Veles testifies that there were rulers in the Russian lands before him), power passed to his son Igor. However, due to the young age of the new ruler, his guardian, which is allowed, was Oleg (“Prophetic”), who was the brother of Rurik’s wife, Efanda. The latter was a relative of the kings of Norway.
Princess Olga was co-ruler of Rus' under her son Svyatoslav
Rurik's only son, Igor, born in 877 and killed by the Drevlyans in 945, is known for pacifying the tribes subordinate to him, going on a campaign against Italy (together with Greek fleet), tried to take Constantinople with a flotilla of ten thousand ships, was the first military commander of Rus' who encountered in battle and from whom he fled in horror. His wife, Princess Olga, who married Igor from Pskov (or Pleskov, which may indicate the Bulgarian city of Pliskuvot), took cruel revenge Drevlyan tribes, who killed her husband, and became the ruler of Rus' while Igor’s son, Svyatoslav, was growing up. However, after her son came of age, Olga also remained a ruler, since Svyatoslav was mainly engaged in military campaigns and remained in history as great commander and conqueror.
The family tree of the Rurik dynasty, in addition to the main ruling line, had many branches that became famous for unseemly deeds. For example, Svyatoslav's son, Yaropolk, fought against his brother Oleg, who was killed in battle. His own son from Byzantine princess, Svyatopolk the Accursed, was something like the biblical Cain, since he killed the sons of Vladimir (another son of Svyatoslav) - Boris and Gleb, who were his brothers through his adoptive father. Another son of Vladimir, Yaroslav the Wise, dealt with Svyatopolk himself and became the prince of Kyiv.
Bloody feuds and marriages with all of Europe
We can safely say that the family tree of the Rurikovichs is partially “saturated” with bloody events. The diagram shows that the reigning ruler from his presumably second marriage with Ingigerda (daughter of the Swedish king) had many children, including six sons who were rulers of various Russian appanages and married foreign princesses (Greek, Polish). And three daughters who became queens of Hungary, Sweden and France also by marriage. In addition, Yaroslav is credited with having a seventh son from his first wife, who was taken into Polish captivity from Kiev (Anna, son Ilya), as well as a daughter, Agatha, who presumably could have been the wife of the heir to the throne of England, Edward (the Exile).
Perhaps the distance between sisters and interstate marriages somewhat reduced the struggle for power in this generation of Rurikovichs, since most of The reign of Yaroslav's son Izyaslav in Kyiv was accompanied by a peaceful division of his power with the brothers Vsevolod and Svyatoslav (the Yaroslavovich triumvirate). However, this ruler of Rus' also died in battle against his own nephews. And the father of the next famous ruler of the Russian state, Vladimir Monomakh, was Vsevolod, married to his daughter Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh the Ninth.
In the Rurik family there were rulers with fourteen children!
The Rurik family tree with dates shows us that this outstanding dynasty was continued for many years to come by the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh, while the genealogies of the remaining grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise ceased in the next hundred to one hundred and fifty years. Prince Vladimir had, as historians believe, twelve children from two wives, the first of whom was English princess in exile, and the second, presumably Greek. Of this numerous offspring, those who reigned in Kyiv were: Mstislav (until 1125), Yaropolk, Vyacheslav and Yuri Vladimirovich (Dolgoruky). The latter was also distinguished by his fertility and gave birth to fourteen children from two wives, including Vsevolod the Third (Big Nest), so nicknamed, again, for the large number of offspring - eight sons and four daughters.
What outstanding Rurikovichs do we know? Family tree extending further from Vsevolod Big Nest, contains such eminent surnames as Alexander Nevsky (grandson of Vsevolod, son of Yaroslav the Second), Michael the Second Saint (canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church due to the incorruptibility of the relics of the murdered prince), John Kalita, who gave birth to John the Meek, who, in turn, gave birth to Dmitry Donskoy.
Formidable representatives of the dynasty
The Rurikovichs, whose family tree ceased to exist at the end of the 16th century (1598), included in their ranks the great Tsar John the Fourth, the Terrible. This ruler strengthened autocratic power and significantly expanded the territory of Rus' by annexing the Volga region, Pyatigorsk, Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms. He had eight wives, who bore him five sons and three daughters, including his successor on the throne, Theodore (the Blessed). This son of John was, as expected, weak in health and, possibly, in mind. He was more interested in prayers, the ringing of bells, and the tales of jesters than in power. Therefore, during his reign, power belonged to his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov. And subsequently, after the death of Fedor, they completely switched to this statesman.
Was the first of the reigning Romanov family a relative of the last Rurikovich?
The family tree of the Rurikovichs and the Romanovs, however, has some points of contact, despite the fact that the only daughter of Theodore the Blessed died at the age of 9 months, around 1592-1594. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - first new dynasty, was crowned in 1613 Zemsky Sobor, and came from the family of boyar Fyodor Romanov (later Patriarch Filaret) and noblewoman Ksenia Shestova. He was a cousin’s nephew (to the Blessed), so we can say that the Romanov dynasty to some extent continues the Rurik dynasty.
There were Rurikovichs for sure, but was there a Rurik... Most likely he was, but his personality still raises many more questions than answers.
The Tale of Bygone Years tells about the calling of Rurik by the Eastern Slavs. According to the Tale, this happened in 862 (although the calendar in Rus' in those years was different, and the year in fact was not 862). Some researchers. and this can be seen in particular from the diagram below, Rurik is called the founder of the dynasty, but its foundation is considered only from his son Igor. Probably, during his lifetime, Rurik did not have time to recognize himself as the founder of a dynasty, because he was busy with other things. But the descendants, after thinking about it, decided to call themselves a dynasty.
Three main hypotheses regarding the origin have been formed.
- First - Norman theory- claims that Rurik with his brothers and retinue were from the Vikings. Among the Scandinavian peoples at that time, as proven by research, the name Rurik really existed (meaning “illustrious and noble man”). True, with a specific candidate, information about which is also available in other historical stories or documents, problems. There is no clear identification with anyone: for example, the noble Danish Viking of the 9th century, Rorik of Jutland, or a certain Eirik Emundarson from Sweden, who raided the Baltic lands, is described.
- Second, Slavic version, where Rurik is shown as a representative of the princely family of the Obodrites from the West Slavic lands. There is information that one of the Slavic tribes living on the territory of historical Prussia was then called Varangians. Rurik is a variant of the Western Slavic “Rerek, Rarog” - not a personal name, but the name of the Obodrit princely family, meaning “falcon”. Supporters of this version believe that the coat of arms of the Rurikovichs was precisely a symbolized image of a falcon.
- The third theory believes that Rurik really did not exist at all - the founder of the Rurik dynasty emerged from the local Slavic population during the struggle for power, and two hundred years later his descendants, in order to ennoble their origins, ordered the author of The Tale of Bygone Years a propaganda story about the Varangian Rurik.
Over the years, the princely dynasty of Rurikovich was fragmented into many branches. A little European dynasties can compare with her in the branching and large number of offspring. But that was the very policy of this ruling group, they did not set out to sit firmly in the capital; on the contrary, they sent their offspring to all corners of the country.
The branching of the Rurikovichs begins in the generation of Prince Vladimir (some call him the Saint, and some the Bloody), and first of all the line of the princes of Polotsk, descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, separates.
Very briefly about some of the Rurikovichs
After the death of Rurik, power passed to Saint Oleg, who became the guardian of Rurik’s young son, Igor. Prophetic Oleg united the scattered Russian principalities into one state. He glorified himself with intelligence and belligerence, with a large army he went down the Dnieper, took Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv and made the latter his capital city. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg showed little Igor to the clearings:
“Here is the son of Rurik - your prince.”
As you know, according to legend, he died from a snake bite.
Further Igor grew up and became the Grand Duke of Kyiv. He contributed to the strengthening of statehood among Eastern Slavs, the extension of the power of the Kyiv prince to the East Slavic tribal associations between the Dniester and the Danube. But in the end he turned out to be a greedy ruler, for which he was killed by the Drevlyans.
Olga, Igor's wife, cruelly took revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband and conquered them main city Korosten. She was distinguished by a rare intelligence and great abilities. In her declining years she accepted Christianity and was later canonized.
One of the most famous princesses in Rus'.
Svyatoslav. Known as one of the most prominent commanders from the Rurik family, for the most part he did not sit still, but was on military campaigns. His son Yaropolk considered responsible for the death of his brother Oleg, who tried to claim the Kiev throne.
But Yaropolk was also killed, and again by his brother, Vladimir.
The same one Vladimir that Rus' baptized. The Kiev Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich was at first a fanatical pagan; he is also credited with such traits as vindictiveness and bloodthirstiness. At least he did not regret his brother and got rid of him in order to take the princely throne in Kyiv.
His son Yaroslav Vladimirovich, to whom history added the nickname “Wise,” was truly a wise and diplomatic ruler Old Russian state. The time of his reign is not only about internecine feudal wars between immediate family, but also attempts to derive Kievan Rus onto the world political arena, attempts to overcome feudal fragmentation, construction of new cities. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the development of Slavic culture, a kind of golden period of the Old Russian state.
Izyaslav - I- the eldest son of Yaroslav, after the death of his father he took the Kiev throne, but after an unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsians, he was driven out by the people of Kiev, and his brother became the Grand Duke Svyatoslav. After the death of the latter, Izyaslav returned to Kyiv again.
Vsevolod - I could have been a useful ruler and a worthy representative of the Rurikovichs, but it didn’t work out. This prince was pious, truthful, loved education very much and knew five languages, but the Polovtsian raids, famine, pestilence and turmoil in the country did not favor his principality. He held onto the throne only thanks to his son Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh.
Svyatopolk - II- the son of Izyaslav I, who inherited the Kiev throne after Vsevolod I, was distinguished by his lack of character and was unable to pacify the civil strife of the princes over the possession of cities. At the congress in Lyubich Pereslavl in 1097, the princes kissed the cross “to each one own his father’s land,” but soon Prince David Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko.
The princes gathered again for a congress in the year 1100, and deprived David of Volhynia; at the suggestion of Vladimir Monomakh, they decided at the Dolob congress, in 1103, to undertake a joint campaign against the Polovtsians, the Russians defeated the Polovtsians on the Sal River (in 1111) and took a lot of cattle: cattle, sheep, horses, etc. The Polovtsian princes alone killed up to 20 people . The fame of this victory spread far among the Greeks, Hungarians and other Slavs.
Vladimir Monomakh. A widely known representative of the Rurik dynasty. Despite the seniority of the Svyatoslavichs, after the death of Svyatopolk II, Vladimir Monomakh was elected to the Kiev throne, who, according to the chronicle, “wanted good for the brethren and the whole Russian land.” He stood out for his great abilities, rare intelligence, courage and tirelessness. He was happy in his campaigns against the Polovtsians. He humbled the princes with his severity. The “teaching to children” he left is remarkable, in which he gives purely Christian moral teaching and high example the prince's service to his homeland.
Mstislav - I. Resembling his father Monomakh, Monomakh's son, Mstislav I, lived in harmony with his brothers in mind and character, inspiring respect and fear in the rebellious princes. So, he expelled the Polovtsian princes who disobeyed him to Greece, and instead of them, he installed his son to rule in the city of Polotsk.
Yaropolk, Mstislav's brother, Yaropolk, son of Monomakh, decided to transfer the inheritance not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew. Thanks to the discord that arose from here, the Monomakhovichs lost the Kiev throne, which passed to the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich - the Olegovichs.
Vsevolod - II. Having achieved a great reign, Vsevolod wanted to consolidate the Kiev throne in his family and handed it over to his brother Igor Olegovich. But not recognized by the people of Kiev and tonsured a monk, Igor was soon killed.
Izyaslav - II. The people of Kiev recognized Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who vividly resembled his famous grandfather Monomakh with his intelligence, brilliant talents, courage and friendliness. With the accession of Izyaslav II to the grand-ducal throne, the rooted in ancient Rus' concept of seniority: In one family, a nephew could not be a Grand Duke during his uncle’s lifetime.
Yury Dolgoruky". Prince of Suzdal from 1125, Grand Duke of Kiev in 1149-1151, 1155-1157, founder of Moscow. Yuri was the sixth son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh. After the death of his father, he inherited the Rostov-Suzdal principality and immediately began to strengthen the borders of his inheritance, erecting fortresses on them. So, for example, under him the fortress of Ksyantin arose, as modern Tver was previously called. By his order, the following cities were founded: Dubna, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Zvenigorod, Gorodets. The first chronicle mention of Moscow in 1147 is also associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky.
The life of this prince is unusual and interesting. Younger son Vladimir Monomakh could not claim more than an appanage principality. He received the Rostov principality as his inheritance, which became prosperous under Yuri. Many settlements arose here. The tireless son of Monomakh received his nickname “Dolgoruky” for his ambitions, for constantly interfering in other people’s affairs and for constant desire to seize foreign lands.
Owning the Rostov-Suzdal land, Yuri always sought to expand the territory of his principality and often raided neighboring lands owned by his relatives. Most of all, he dreamed of capturing Kyiv. In 1125, Yuri moved the capital of the principality from Rostov to Suzdal, from where he made campaigns to the south, strengthening his squad with mercenary Polovtsian troops. He annexed the cities of Murom, Ryazan, and part of the lands along the banks of the Volga to the Rostov Principality.
Prince of Suzdal He occupied Kyiv three times, but he never managed to stay there for long. The struggle for the great reign with his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich was long. Yuri entered Kiev three times as Grand Duke, but only the third time did he remain so until the end of his days. The people of Kiev did not like Prince Yuri. This was explained by the fact that Yuri more than once resorted to the help of the Polovtsians and was almost always a troublemaker during periods of struggle for the throne. Yuri Dolgoruky was a “newcomer” for the people of Kiev, from the North. According to the chronicler, after the death of Yuri in 1157, the people of Kiev plundered his rich mansions and killed the Suzdal detachment that came with him.
Andrey Bogolyubsky. Having accepted the title of grand duke, Andrei Yuryevich transferred the throne to Vladimir on the Klyazma, and from then on Kyiv began to lose its primacy position. The stern and strict Andrei wanted to be autocratic, that is, to rule Russia without a council or squads. Andrei Bogolyubsky mercilessly pursued the disgruntled boyars, they plotted against Andrei's life and killed him.
Alexander Nevskiy". Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251). Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky consistently pursued a policy aimed at strengthening the northwestern borders of Rus' and reconciliation with the Tatars.
While still the Prince of Novgorod (1236-1251), he showed himself to be an experienced commander and wise ruler. Thanks to the victories won in the “Battle of the Neva” (1240), in the “Battle of the Ice” (1242), as well as numerous forays against the Lithuanians, Alexander for a long time discouraged the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians from taking possession of the northern Russian lands.
Alexander pursued the opposite policy towards the Mongol-Tatars. It was a policy of peace and cooperation, the purpose of which was to prevent a new invasion of Rus'. The prince often traveled to the Horde with rich gifts. He managed to achieve the release of Russian soldiers from the obligation to fight on the side of the Mongol-Tatars.
Yuri - III. Having married the sister of Khan Konchak, in Orthodoxy Agafya, Yuri acquired great strength and help from the Tatars who were related to him. But soon, thanks to the claims of Prince Dmitry, the son of Mikhail, who was tortured by Khan, he had to report to the horde. Here, at the first meeting with Dmitry, Yuri was killed by him, in revenge for the death of his father and for a violation of morality (marriage to a Tatar).
Dmitry - II. Dmitry Mikhailovich, nicknamed “menacing eyes”, for murder Yuri -III, was executed by the khan for arbitrariness.
Alexander Tverskoy. Brother Dmitry executed in the horde -II Alexander Mikhailovich was confirmed by the khan on the grand-ducal throne. He was distinguished by his kindness and was loved by the people, but he ruined himself by allowing the Tver people to kill the hated Khan's ambassador Shchelkan. The Khan sent 50,000 Tatar troops against Alexander. Alexander fled from the khan's wrath to Pskov, and from there to Lithuania. Ten years later, Alexander of Tver returned and was forgiven by the khan. Not getting along, however, with the Prince of Moscow Ivan Kalita, Alexander
he was slandered by him in front of the khan, the khan summoned him to the horde and executed him.
John I Kalita. John I Danilovich, a cautious and cunning prince, nicknamed Kalita (money purse) for his frugality, devastated the Tver principality with the help of the Tatars, taking advantage of the opportunity of violence of the indignant Tver residents against the Tatars. He took upon himself the collection of tribute from all over Rus' for the Tatars and, greatly enriched by this, bought cities from appanage princes. In 1326, the metropolitanate from Vladimir, thanks to the efforts of Kalita, was transferred to Moscow, and here, according to Metropolitan Peter, the Assumption Cathedral was founded. Since then, Moscow, as the seat of the Metropolitan of All Rus', has acquired the significance of a Russian center.
John -II Ioannovich, a meek and peace-loving prince, followed in everything the advice of Metropolitan Alexei, who enjoyed great value in the Horde. During this time, Moscow's relations with the Tatars improved significantly.
Vasily - I. Sharing the reign with his father, Vasily I ascended the throne as an experienced prince and, following the example of his predecessors, actively expanded the boundaries of the Moscow principality: Acquired Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In 1395, Rus' was in danger of an invasion by Timur, the formidable Tatar khan. Between
Thus, Vasily did not pay tribute to the Tatars, but collected it into the grand ducal treasury. In 1408, the Tatar Murza Edigei attacked Moscow, but after receiving a ransom of 3,000 rubles, he lifted the siege from it. In the same year, after long disputes between Vasily I and the Lithuanian prince Vytautas, both cautious and cunning, the Ugra River was designated as the extreme border of Lithuanian possessions on the Russian side.
Vasily - II Dark. Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky took advantage of Vasily II's youth, declaring his claims to seniority. But at the trial in the horde, the khan leaned in favor of Vasily, thanks to the efforts of the smart Moscow boyar Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The boyar hoped to marry his daughter to Vasily, but was disappointed in his hopes: Offended, he left Moscow to Yuri Dmitrievich and assisted him in taking possession of the grand-ducal throne, on which Yuri died in 1434, when Yuri’s son Vasily the Oblique decided to inherit his father’s power, then all the princes rebelled against him.
Vasily -II took him prisoner and blinded him: Then Dmitry Shemyaka, brother of Vasily Kosoy, captured Vasily II by cunning, blinded him and took the Moscow throne. Soon, however, Shemyaka had to give the throne to Vasily II. During the reign of Vasily II, the Greek metropolitan Isidore accepted the Florentine Union (1439), for this Vasily II put Isidore in custody, and the Ryazan Bishop John was installed as metropolitan. Thus, from now on, Russian metropolitans are appointed by a council of Russian bishops. Behind last years Grand Duchy, the internal structure of the Grand Duchy was the subject of the main concerns of Vasily II.
John - III. Accepted by his father as a co-ruler, John III Vasilyevich ascended the grand-ducal throne as the full owner of Rus'. He first severely punished the Novgorodians who had decided to become Lithuanian subjects, and in 1478, “for a new offense,” he finally subjugated them. Novgorodians lost their veche and
self-government, and the Novgorod mayor Maria and the veche bell were sent to John’s camp.
In 1485, after the final conquest of other appanages more or less dependent on the Moscow principality, John finally annexed the Tver principality to Moscow. By this time, the Tatars were divided into three independent hordes: Golden, Kazan and Crimean. They were at enmity with each other and were no longer afraid of the Russians. IN official history it is believed that it was John III in 1480, who entered into an alliance with Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, tore up the khan's basma, ordered the khan's envoys to be taken to execution, and then, without bloodshed, overthrew the Tatar yoke.
Vasily - III. The son of John III from his marriage to Sophia, Palaeologus Vasily III, was distinguished by his pride and inaccessibility, punishing the descendants of appanage princes and boyars under his control who dared to contradict him. He is “the last collector of the Russian land.”
Having annexed the last appanages (Pskov, the northern principality), he completely destroyed specific system. He fought twice with Lithuania, following the teachings of the Lithuanian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky, who entered his service, and finally, in 1514, he took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. The war with Kazan and Crimea was difficult for Vasily, but ended in the punishment of Kazan: Trade was diverted from there to the Makaryev fair, which was later moved to Nizhny. Vasily divorced his wife Solomonia and married Princess Elena Glinskaya, which further aroused the boyars who were dissatisfied with him against him. From this marriage Vasily had a son, John.
Elena Glinskaya. Appointed ruler of the state by Vasily III, the mother of three-year-old John Elena Glinskaya immediately took drastic measures against the boyars who were dissatisfied with her. She made peace with Lithuania and decided to fight the Crimean Tatars, who boldly attacked Russian possessions, but in the midst of preparations for desperate struggle died suddenly.
John - IV the Terrible. Left at the age of 8 in the hands of the boyars, the intelligent and talented Ivan Vasilyevich grew up amid the struggle of parties over the rule of the state, among violence, secret murders and incessant exile. Having himself often suffered oppression from the boyars, he learned to hate them, and the cruelty, riotousness and violence that surrounded him
rudeness contributed to the hardening of his heart.
In 1552, Ivan conquered Kazan, which dominated the entire Volga region, and in 1556 the kingdom of Astrakhan was annexed to the Moscow state. The desire to establish itself on the shores Baltic Sea made John start Livonian War, which brought him into conflict with Poland and Sweden. The war started quite successfully, but ended with the most unfavorable truce for John with Poland and Sweden: John not only did not establish himself on the shores of the Baltic, but also lost the coastal area Gulf of Finland. The sad era of “searches,” disgrace and executions began. John left Moscow, went with his entourage to the Alexandrovskaya Sloboda and here surrounded himself with guardsmen, whom John contrasted with the rest of the land, the zemshchina.
The Rurikovichs are a dynasty of princes (and from 1547, kings) of Kievan Rus, later of Muscovite Rus, the Moscow Principality, and the Muscovite Kingdom. The founder of the dynasty is a legendary prince named Rurik (this is the answer to the question of why the dynasty was called by the name of the founder). Many copies were broken in disputes about whether this prince was a Varangian (that is, a foreigner) or a native Russian.
The family tree of the Rurik dynasty with years of rule is available in such a well-known Internet resource as Wikipedia.
Most likely, Rurik was a native Russian contender for the throne, and this contender ended up in right time in the right place. Rurik ruled from 862 to 879. It was then that the predecessor of the modern Russian alphabet appeared in Rus' - the Cyrillic alphabet (created by Cyril and Methodius). A long, 736-year history begins with Rurik great dynasty. Its scheme is extensive and extremely interesting.
After the death of Rurik, his relative, Oleg, nicknamed the Prophet, became the ruler of Novgorod, and from 882 of Kievan Rus. The nickname was fully justified: this prince defeated the Khazars - dangerous opponents of Rus', then, together with his army, crossed the Black Sea and “nailed a shield to the gates of Constantinople” (that’s what Istanbul was called in those years).
In the spring of 912, Oleg died from an accident - a viper bite (this snake is especially poisonous in the spring). It happened like this: the prince stepped on the skull of his horse and managed to disturb the snake that was wintering there.
Igor became the new prince of Kievan Rus. Under him, Rus' continued to grow stronger. The Pechenegs were defeated, and power over the Drevlyans was strengthened. The most important event was the clash with Byzantium.
After failure in 941 (the so-called Greek fire was used against the Russian fleet), Igor returned to Kyiv. Having gathered a large army, in 944 (or 943) he decided to attack Byzantium from two sides: from land - cavalry, and the main forces of the army were to attack Constantinople from the sea.
Realizing that this time the battle with the enemy was fraught with defeat, the emperor of Byzantium decided to pay off. In 944, a trade and military agreement was signed between Kievan Rus and the Byzantine Empire.
The dynasty is continued by Igor’s grandson Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (aka the Baptist or Yasno Solnyshko) - a mysterious and contradictory personality. He often fought with his brothers and shed a lot of blood, especially during the spread of Christianity. At the same time, the prince took care of a reliable system defensive structures, hoping to solve the problem of Pecheneg raids.
It was under Vladimir the Great that a terrible disaster began, which ultimately destroyed Kievan Rus - civil strife between the local Rurikovichs. And although they appeared strong princes like Yaroslav the Wise or Vladimir Monomakh (it is symbolic that it was the “Monomakh’s crown” that adorned the heads of the first Romanovs), Rus' strengthened only during their reign. And then civil strife in Rus' flared up with renewed vigor.
Rulers of Moscow and Kievan Rus
After the split christian church towards the Orthodox and Catholic directions, the Suzdal and Novgorod princes realized that Orthodoxy was much better. As a result, original paganism was fused with the Orthodox direction of Christianity. This is how it appeared Russian Orthodoxy, a powerful unifying idea. Thanks to this, a powerful Muscovy, and later the kingdom. From this core Russia later emerged.
In 1147, a settlement called Moscow became the center of new Rus'.
Important! At the base of this city important role played by the Tatars. They became link between Christians and pagans, a kind of intermediary. Thanks to this, the Rurik dynasty firmly occupied the throne.
But Kievan Rus sinned with one-sidedness - Christianity was forcibly introduced there. At the same time, the adult population professing paganism was destroyed. It is not surprising that there was a split between the princes: some defended paganism, while others converted to Christianity.
The throne became too shaky. So the family tree of the Rurik dynasty was divided into successful rulers, the creators of the future Russia, and losers who disappeared from history by the end of the 13th century.
In 1222, the squad of one of the princes robbed a Tatar trade caravan, killing the merchants themselves. The Tatars set out on a campaign and in 1223 they encountered Kyiv princes. Because of civil strife princely squads They fought uncoordinatedly, and the Tatars completely defeated the enemy.
The insidious Vatican immediately took advantage of the convenient opportunity and gained the trust of the princes, including the ruler of the Galicia-Volyn principality Danila Romanovich. We agreed on a joint campaign against the Tatars in 1240. However, the princes were in for a very unpleasant surprise: the allied army came and... demanded a colossal tribute! And all because these were the notorious crusading knights Teutonic Order- bandits in armor.
Kyiv desperately defended itself, but on the fourth day of the siege the crusaders broke into the city and carried out a terrible pogrom. This is how Kievan Rus perished.
One of the rulers of Muscovite Rus', Prince of Novgorod Alexander Yaroslavovich, learned about the fall of Kyiv. If before this there was serious mistrust of the Vatican, now it has grown into hostility.
It is quite possible that the Vatican tried to play the same card as with the Kyiv princes and sent ambassadors with a proposal for a joint campaign against the Tatars. If the Vatican did so, then it was in vain - the answer was a categorical refusal.
At the end of 1240, the combined army of crusading knights and Swedes was completely defeated on the Neva. Hence the nickname of the prince -
In 1242, the crusading knights again clashed with the Russian army. Result - complete destruction Crusaders.
So in mid-XIII centuries, the roads of Kievan and Muscovite Rus diverged. Kyiv fell under the occupation of the Vatican for several centuries, while Moscow, on the contrary, grew stronger and continued to defeat its enemies. But the history of the dynasty continued.
Princes Ivan III and Vasily III
By the 1470s, the Moscow Principality was a fairly strong state. His influence gradually expanded. The Vatican sought to solve the problem of Russian Orthodoxy, and therefore constantly fueled the quarrel between high-born princes and boyars, hoping to crush the future Russian state.
However, Ivan III continued the reforms, simultaneously establishing profitable ties with Byzantium.
This is interesting! Grand Duke Ivan III was the first to use the title “tsar,” albeit in correspondence.
Vasily III continued the reforms begun under his father. Along the way, the struggle continued with the eternal enemies - the Shuisky family. The Shuiskys were engaged, in Stalinist terms, in espionage for the Vatican.
Childlessness upset Vasily so much that he divorced his first wife and got her tonsured as a nun. The prince's second wife was Elena Glinskaya, and it turned out to be a marriage of love. For the first three years the marriage was childless, but in the fourth year a miracle happened - the heir to the throne was born!
Board of Elena Glinskaya
After death Vasily III his wife Elena managed to seize power. In a short five years, the Empress of All Rus' achieved a lot.
For example:
- One of the revolts was suppressed. The instigator, Mikhail Glinsky, ended up in prison (in vain he went against his niece).
- The evil influence of the Shuiskys decreased.
- For the first time, a coin was minted, depicting a horseman with a spear, the coin was called a penny.
However, the enemies poisoned the hated ruler - in 1538 the princess dies. And a little later, Prince Obolensky (the possible father of Ivan the Terrible, but the fact of paternity has not been proven) ends up in prison.
Ivan IV the Terrible
The name of this king was cruelly slandered at first by order of the Vatican. Later, freemason-historian N. Karamzin, commissioned by Amsterdam, in the book “History of the Russian State”, will draw a portrait of the great ruler of Rus' Ivan IV only in black paints. At the same time, both the Vatican and Holland called such scoundrels as great Henry VIII and Oliver Cromwell.
If we take a sober look at what these politicians did, we will see a completely different picture. For Ivan IV, murder was a very unpleasant thing.
Therefore, he executed enemies only when other methods of struggle were ineffective. But Henry VIII and Oliver Cromwell considered murder the norm and in every possible way encouraged public executions and other horrors.
The childhood of the future Tsar Ivan IV was alarming. His mother and named father waged an unequal struggle against numerous enemies and traitors. When Ivan was eight years old, his mother died, and his named father ended up in prison, where he soon also died.
Five for long years lasted for Ivan like a complete nightmare. The most terrible figures were the Shuiskys: they robbed the treasury with might and main, walked around the palace as if at home, and could unceremoniously throw their feet on the table.
At thirteen young prince Ivan showed his character for the first time: on his orders, one of the Shuiskys was seized by the hounds, and this happened right at a meeting of the boyar duma. Taking the boyar out into the courtyard, the hounds finished him off.
And in January 1547 it happened an important event, truly historical: Ivan IV Vasilyevich was “crowned to the throne,” that is, declared tsar.
Important! The pedigree of the Romanov dynasty was tied to kinship with the first Russian Tsar. This was a strong trump card.
The reign of Ivan IV the Terrible is an entire era 37 years long. You can learn more about this era by watching analyst Andrei Fursov’s video dedicated to it.
Let's briefly go over major milestones this board.
These are the milestones:
- 1547 - Ivan’s crowning of the kingdom, the Tsar’s marriage, the fire of Moscow set up by the Shuiskys.
- 1560 – death of Ivan’s wife Anastasia, escalation of hostility between the tsar and the boyars.
- 1564 – 1565 – departure of Ivan IV from Moscow, his return and the beginning of the oprichnina.
- 1571 – Tokhtamysh burns Moscow.
- 1572 – Khan Devlet-Girey gathered the entire army Crimean Tatars. They attacked, hoping to finish off the kingdom, but the entire people rose to defend the country, and the Tatar army returned to Crimea.
- 1581 – Tsarevich Ivan, the Tsar’s eldest son, dies of poisoning.
- 1584 – death of Tsar Ivan IV.
There was a lot of controversy about the wives of Ivan IV the Terrible. However, it is reliably known that the king was married four times, and one of the marriages was not counted (the bride died too soon, the reason was poisoning). And three wives were tortured by boyar poisoners, among whom the main suspects were the Shuiskys.
The last wife of Ivan IV, Marya Nagaya, outlived her husband for a long time and became a witness to the Great Troubles in Rus'.
The last of the Rurik dynasty
Although Vasily Shuisky is considered the last of the Rurik dynasty, this has not been proven. In reality, the last of the great dynasty was the third son of Ivan the Terrible, Fedor.
Fedor Ivanovich ruled only formally, but in reality power was in the hands of the chief adviser Boris Fedorovich Godunov. In the period from 1584 to 1598, tension grew in Rus' due to the confrontation between Godunov and the Shuiskys.
And the year 1591 was marked mysterious event. Tsarevich Dmitry died tragically in Uglich. Was Boris Godunov guilty of this or was it the devilish machinations of the Vatican? So far there is no clear answer to this question - this story is so confusing.
In 1598, the childless Tsar Fedor died without continuing the dynasty.
This is interesting! Upon autopsy of the remains, scientists learned the terrible truth: Fyodor was persecuted for many years, just like the family of Ivan the Terrible in general! A convincing explanation was obtained for the fact why Tsar Fedor was childless.
Boris Godunov took the throne, and the reign of the new tsar was marked by an unprecedented crop failure, famine of 1601–1603, and rampant crime. The intrigues of the Vatican also took their toll, and as a result, in 1604, active phase troubles, Time of Troubles. This time ended only with the accession of a new dynasty - the Romanovs.
Rurikovich dynasty - an integral part of history of Rus'. The genealogy of Russian princes, sovereigns and the first Russian tsars is something that any self-respecting historian of Russia needs to know.
You can see a photo of the family tree of the Rurik dynasty with years of rule below.
Useful video
Rurikovich - descendants of Rurik, who became the first famous chronicle prince ancient Rus'. Over time, the Rurik family split into several branches.
The birth of a dynasty
The Tale of Bygone Years, written by the monk Nestor, tells the story of the calling of Rurik and his brothers to Rus'. The sons of the Novgorod prince Gostomysl died in the wars, and he married one of his daughters to a Varangian-Russian, who gave birth to three sons - Sineus, Rurik and Truvor. They were called by Gostomysl to reign in Rus'. It was with them that the Rurik dynasty began in 862, which reigned in Rus' until 1598.
The first princes
In 879, the summoned prince Rurik died, leaving a young son Igor. While he was growing up, the principality was ruled by Oleg, a relative of the prince through his wife. He conquered everything Principality of Kiev and also built diplomatic relations with Byzantium. After Oleg's death in 912, Igor began to reign until he died in 945, leaving two heirs - Gleb and Svyatoslav. However, the eldest (Svyatoslav) was a three-year-old child, and therefore his mother, Princess Olga, took the reign into her own hands.
Having become a ruler, Svyatoslav was more interested in military campaigns and in one of them he was killed in 972. Svyatoslav left three sons: Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. Yaropolk killed Oleg for the sake of autocracy, while Vladimir first fled to Europe, but later returned, killed Yaropolk and became ruler. It was he who baptized the people of Kiev in 988 and built many cathedrals. He reigned until 1015 and left behind 11 sons. After Vladimir, Yaropolk began to reign, who killed his brothers, and after him Yaroslav the Wise.
Yaroslavichy
Yaroslav the Wise reigned in total from 1015 to 1054 (including breaks). When he died, the unity of the principality was disrupted. His sons divided Kievan Rus into parts: Svyatoslav received Chernigov, Izyaslav - Kyiv and Novgorod, Vsevolod - Pereyaslavl and Rostov-Suzdal land. The latter, and subsequently his son Vladimir Monomakh, significantly expanded the acquired lands. After the death of Vladimir Monomakh, the disintegration of the unity of the principality was finally established, each part of which was ruled by a separate dynasty.
Rus' is specific
Feudal fragmentation is growing due to the laddered right of succession to the throne, according to which power was transferred by seniority to the prince's brothers, while the younger ones were given to them in cities of lesser importance. After the death of the main prince, everyone moved according to seniority from city to city. This order led to internecine wars. The most powerful princes launched a war for Kyiv. The power of Vladimir Monomakh and his descendants turned out to be the most influential. Vladimir Monomakh leaves his possessions to three sons: Mstislav, Yaropolk and Yuri Dolgoruky. The latter is considered the founder of Moscow.
The fight between Moscow and Tver
One of known descendants Yuri Dolgoruky was Alexander Nevsky, under whom an independent Moscow principality arose. In an effort to increase their influence, the descendants of Nevsky begin a fight with Tver. During the reign of the descendant of Alexander Nevsky, the Moscow principality became one of the main centers of the unification of Rus', but Tver Principality remains outside his influence.
Creation of the Russian State
After the death of Dmitry Donskoy, power passes to his son Vasily I, who managed to preserve the greatness of the principality. After his death it begins dynastic struggle for power. However, under the reign of Dmitry's descendant Donskoy Ivan III ends Horde yoke and the Principality of Moscow plays in this decisive role. Under Ivan III, the process of forming a unified Russian state was completed. In 1478, he appropriated the title “Sovereign of All Rus'”.
The Last Rurikovichs
The last representatives of the Rurik dynasty in power were Ivan the Terrible and his son Fyodor Ivanovich. The latter was not a ruler by nature, and therefore, after the death of Ivan the Terrible, the state was essentially ruled by the Boyar Duma. In 1591, Dmitry, another son of Ivan the Terrible, dies. Dmitry was the last contender for the Russian throne, since Fyodor Ivanovich had no children. In 1598, Fyodor Ivanovich also died, with whom the dynasty of the first Russian rulers, who had been in power for 736 years, was interrupted.
The article mentions only the main and most prominent representatives of the dynasty, but in fact there were much more descendants of Rurik. The Rurikovichs made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Russian state.