The exact year of Yaroslav's birth is not known, but according to the generally accepted opinion, he was born in 978, although some historians deny this. Yaroslav's father was Vladimir Svyatoslavich, his mother was Rogneda Rogvolodovna.
Even in his youth (987), in the biography of Yaroslav the Wise, he received the title of Prince of Rostov. It is believed that the city of Yaroslavl was founded at this time. After the death of Vysheslav in 1010, Yaroslav became the Prince of Novgorod.
If we consider the short biography of Yaroslav the Wise, then a period of wars with his brother Svyatopolk soon followed. Several battles took place for Kyiv (with Svyatopolk, Boleslav). After this, in 1019, Yaroslav became the Grand Duke of Kyiv.
The struggle for Kievan Rus began between Yaroslav and Mstislav. In 1034, Vladimir, the son of Yaroslav, became the Prince of Novgorod. Only after the sudden death of Mstislav did Yaroslav return to Kyiv from Novgorod. In 1036 he finally settled in Kyiv. After this, in the biography of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, several successful military campaigns were carried out (against the Pechenegs, Yatvingians). For 37 years Yaroslav remained Grand Duke. He founded several monasteries and cathedrals (for example, Yuryev Monastery, Kiev Pechersky Monastery, St. Sophia Cathedral). Yaroslav the Wise died in February 1054.
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The reign of Yaroslav the Wise in Kievan Rus occurred at the end of the first and beginning of the second millennium (about 978-1054). He is rightfully considered one of the greatest rulers not only of Rus', but also of Europe. During the years of his reign, he brought the Principality of Kiev to a new stage of world development, his state reached a high level of political and military power.
The article describes the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. The main facts of his biography and the results of his reign are briefly mentioned.
Origin of the Grand Duke
Historians continue to argue about the exact date of his birth; many sources indicate the year of birth as 978. His father is the baptist of Rus', Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, and his mother is the Polonsky princess Rogneda Rogvoldovna, whom Prince Vladimir took by force. From this marriage he had three more sons.
According to the chronicles, Yaroslav lived a long life and died at 75 years old. He became the ancestor of many rulers in Europe. For the first time, the reign of Yaroslav the Wise was briefly mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, written by the monk Nestor.
Rostov prince
The beginning of Yaroslav's independent rule is considered to be 988, when his father placed him as a child in the principality of Rostov. In reality, the power belonged to his mentor, who made all decisions, taking into account the very young age of the prince.
There is almost no historical evidence of the Rostov reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In any case, in the chronicles of that time there is no mention of important historical facts related to the Rostov reign. Many historians believe that the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in Rostov was marked by the emergence of a city named Yaroslavl in his honor. The year 1010 is officially considered the year of its founding.
Beginning of reign
In 1010 (1011), after the death of one of the eldest sons of Grand Duke Vladimir Vysheslav and contrary to the expectations of Yaroslav's elder brother Svyatopolk, Vladimir appointed Yaroslav to rule Novgorod. Compared to the Rostov princedom, the Novgorod princedom was considered higher, but the Novgorod prince was also subordinate to the Kyiv prince and was obliged to pay tribute to him.
Rebellion against father
In 1014, Yaroslav refused to pay tribute to Kyiv and rebelled against his father. The reason for such a rebellion is that Vladimir brought his youngest son Boris closer to him and intended to transfer the Kiev throne to him. For the same reason, the eldest of his sons, Svyatopolk, rebelled against Vladimir. For this he was imprisoned and remained in captivity until the death of his father.
To resist his father, Prince Vladimir, Yaroslav hires the Varangians, but the army remains inactive and engages in robbery in Novgorod itself, which causes the righteous anger of the Novgorodians. Prince Vladimir himself cannot engage in single combat with his son, since the Principality of Kyiv is threatened by an attack by the Pechenegs. And the army gathered against Novgorod goes to battle with the steppe nomads. Boris leads the army, since Vladimir by this time is becoming frail and old.
Brother on brother
The confrontation between son and father ends with the death of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich on July 15, 1015. But the battle of two brothers, Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, for the Kiev throne begins. Svyatopolk, popularly nicknamed the Accursed, killed three of his brothers on the way to the throne.
Several times Yaroslav and Svyatopolk the Accursed met in deadly confrontation. In 1018 a decisive battle took place. Svyatopolk and his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, again invaded Kievan Rus. This time they defeated Yaroslav, who returned to Novgorod and wanted to flee to Scandinavia. However, the Novgorodians forced their prince to continue the fight. In the spring of 1019, on the Alt River, Svyatopolk was finally defeated and fled. According to some historical sources, on the way to Poland, Yaroslav’s soldiers overtook him and killed him. But Yaroslav is in no hurry to occupy the Kiev throne, since his nephew Bryachislav and brother Mstislav lay claim to it.
Fight for Kyiv
In 1019, Yaroslav married for the second time. His chosen one is the Swedish princess Ingigerda (in Orthodoxy Irina). It is believed that Yaroslav’s first wife was a Norwegian, her name was Anna, she, along with the prince’s sisters, was captured by the Poles and forever captured in Poland. Many researchers consider the alliance with Ingigerda to be a political move by Yaroslav in order to eliminate unstable relations with the Swedes.
The brothers continued to fight for the Kiev throne with varying degrees of success until 1026, when Mstislav defeated Yaroslav’s troops and moved the capital to Chernigov. He proposed to the prince to sit down in Kyiv and divide the administration of the lands along the Dnieper, leaving the entire right coast for Yaroslav. A peace treaty was concluded. But even being the master of the Kyiv throne, Yaroslav did not leave Novgorod until the death of Mstislav, that is, until 1035, confident that the Novgorodians would support him under any circumstances. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1035 did Yaroslav the Wise become the autocrat of Kievan Rus. The years of his reign became the heyday of Rus'.
To avoid claims to the Kiev throne from his younger brother, who reigned in Pskov, Yaroslav imprisoned Sudislav in prison.
Chronology of military actions
The history of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise contains numerous references to military operations. Here are just a few of them:
- 1029 - campaign to help Mstislav against the Yasses, expelling them from Tmutarakan (now Krasnodar region);
- 1031 - campaign together with Mstislav against the Poles, as a result the cities of Przemysl and Cherven were conquered;
- 1036 - victory over the Pecheneg troops and liberation of Ancient Rus' from their raids;
- 1040 and 1044 - military actions against Lithuania.
Results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Politics and state
The period in power is 37 years. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is considered the period of the rise of the Principality of Kyiv, when many European states sought a military and political union with it. As a talented politician, Yaroslav the Wise preferred diplomacy to any military action. He pragmatically arranged marriage alliances for his ten children and other relatives with European rulers, which served the security purposes of the state. It is known that he paid a symbolic annual tribute to the Varangians - 300 hryvnia of silver, which was very little, but maintained peace on the northern borders.
Yaroslav the Wise did a lot for the state. He spent the years of his reign not only on strengthening military power, but also on organizing life in the state according to the laws. Under him, the Church Charter and the code of laws “Yaroslav’s Truth” were adopted, which is considered the most ancient part of the collection of norms of ancient law “Russian Truth”.
Being an educated man, Yaroslav also takes care of the education of his subjects: he also opens libraries. was opened by him in the St. Sophia Cathedral.
His plans included solving another important problem - the transfer of power. which flared up between receivers, plunged the country into ruin and disaster, weakened it and made it easy prey for external enemies. Often, contenders for the main throne, in their own selfish interests, hired foreign troops, which committed outrages and plundered the population. Yaroslav, as a talented politician, certainly understood the importance of improving the transfer of power, but this problem was never resolved in connection with his death.
Religious implications
The results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise are not limited only to political achievements. He did a lot to strengthen Christianity in the state. In 1051, the Russian Church was finally freed from the influence of Constantinople, having for the first time independently elected at the Episcopal Council. A large number of Byzantine books were translated into Church Slavonic, and considerable funds were allocated from the treasury for their correspondence.
The reign of Yaroslav the Wise was marked by the founding of many monasteries and churches. The monasteries of Kiev-Pechersk and Yuri were revered not only as church centers, but also as social and cultural centers. In 1037, construction began on the famous St. Sophia Cathedral, in which Yaroslav’s ashes were subsequently buried. By his order in 1036-1037. The famous Kyiv Golden Gate was erected, which, according to Yaroslav's plan, was supposed to symbolize the movement of the center of Orthodoxy to Kievan Rus.
YAROSLAV VLADIMIROVICH nicknamed Wise (978−1054) - Prince of Rostov, Grand Duke of Kiev and Novgorod. Founder of Yaroslavl.
Blessed Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Artist S.N. Gusev. Icon painting workshop "Sofia" (Yaroslavl). 2009
The fourth son of Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich from Rogneda, Princess of Polotsk. He reigned in Rostov from the end of the 10th century. or the very beginning of the 11th century. and until 1010, when he accepted the reign of Novgorod after the death of Vysheslav, the eldest son of Vladimir I. During the years of reign in Rostov, at the mouth of the river route from the Volga to Rostov, Yaroslavl was founded as a military princely outpost, in the vicinity of which there were military trading posts of the Scandinavians and Slovenes allied to Yaroslav - Novgorodians.
The legend about the founding of Yaroslavl, which came down in the list of the 18th century ( published below), shows Yaroslav in the role of a prince-priest in the ritual of sacrifice of the sacred tribal bear cult and at the same time as a Christian prince who converted local pagans to the Christian faith. These legends speak in favor of an early date for the emergence of Yaroslavl at the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century, at the time of the Christianization of Rus' during the life of Vladimir I Svyatoslavich, when Yaroslav controlled Rostov and the Upper Volga route to Novgorod. According to the old Yaroslavl legend, he built the first wooden church in Yaroslavl in the name of St. Prophet Elijah on the Volga at the mouth of the Medveditsa ravine.
Relying on hired Scandinavian squads and Novgorodians, from 1016 he established himself on the grand-ducal table in Kyiv, defeating his elder brother Svyatopolk, the murderer of the brother-princes Boris and Gleb. He created the preconditions for their future canonization as passion-bearers, the first holy patrons of the Russian land. As a Novgorod prince, Yaroslav made a campaign in 1024 to the Suzdal land to suppress the anti-Christian and anti-feudal uprising of the priests of the old pagan tribal cult.
In 1026 Yaroslav established himself in Kyiv, “dividing the Russian land along the Dnieper” with his brother Mstislav, and after his death in 1036 “he took over all his power and became the autocrat of the Russian land.” In 1037 he built the Cathedral of St. Sofia in Kyiv, under which he established a metropolitanate, a book-writing school and a library. He patronized the spread of bookish Christian culture in Rus', for which he received the nickname “Wise.” The chronicle article “The Tale of Bygone Years” under 1037 contains praise for the books and Prince Yaroslav the Wise.
He contributed to the installation of the first Rusyn metropolitan Hilarion as metropolitan in Kyiv, whose sermon for the consecration of St. Sophia in Kyiv - “The Sermon on Law and Grace” - became the programmatic manifesto of Russian Young Christianity.
The blessed prince Yaroslav the Wise began to be revered in Rus' immediately after his death, although formally he was not one of the saints of the Russian Orthodox Church. On March 9, 2004, in connection with the 950th anniversary of his death, he was included in the calendar of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, and the following year, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II, February 20 (March 5) was included in the calendar as a day of remembrance Blessed Prince Yaroslav the Wise. The determination of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church on February 3, 2016 established church-wide veneration of the blessed prince Yaroslav the Wise.
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The legend about the construction of the city of Yaroslavl
(Based on the book: A. Lebedev. Temples of the Vlasevsky parish in Yaroslavl. - Yaroslavl, 1877.)
In those years, when the Grand Duke of Kiev Volodimir enlightened the Russian land with the light of the Christian faith, then this Christ-loving prince gave the city to every son as a possession, and the great city of Rostov with the region was given to his son Boris, and then to his brother Yaroslav. In this region, not many ways from the city of Rostov, there was a certain place 60 miles away at the border of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers, and on it the glorious city of Yaroslavl was later created. And this place was very empty: tall trees were growing, and grassy pastures were just found. Man was of one monastery. And behold, there was a settlement, the recommended Bear Corner, in which there were human inhabitants, pagans filthy of the faith, an evil being. And this place was a great, terrible place, because these people lived exactly according to their own will, as they committed a lot of robberies and bloodshed to the faithful. I cleave to the work of meaning whenever I go out to hunt an animal or catch fish, holding these people and many livestock, and satiating myself with these.
The idol, to whom these worshiped, became Volos, that is, the bestial god. And this Volos, the demon living in him, as if creating many fears, standing in the middle of the lair, called Volosova, henceforth the cattle, according to custom, he drove out into the pasture. To this many-witted idol a stone was quickly created and a sorcerer was given, and this unquenchable fire was held by the Hair and a smoke was sacrificed to it. This is when the first cattle came to the pasture, the sorcerer killed him a bull and a heifer, but in ordinary times they burned sacrificially from wild animals, and on some very sick days from people. This sorcerer, like a mentor of the devil, philosophizing with the power of the primordial enemy, from the origin of the sacrificial incense, understood all the secret and verb words of the person who happened to be like the words of this Hair. And this sorcerer was revered as great by the pagans. But we cruelly tortured you, when the fire was at Volos of the Presence: you decided to kill the sorcerer on the same day and hour, and chose another by lot, and this sorcerer was killed and, igniting the fire, burned his corpse in this, as if the sacrifice was enough to rejoice this formidable God. Thus the primordial enemy of the human race darkened the hearts of these people, and thus these people lived for many years.
But one summer, the noble prince Yaroslav happened to sail in boats with a strong and great army along the Volga River, near its right bank, where stood that village called Bear's Corner. The prince saw that some people were cruelly causing death in a court proceeding with goods along the Volga; The merchants on these ships firmly defended themselves, but it was impossible to overcome the power of the accursed, like these robbers and their ships were set on fire. Seeing all that was happening, the noble Prince Yaroslav commanded his squad to intimidate and disperse the vacillation of these lawless ones, so that they would be saved by disobedience. And the Prince’s squad bravely approached the enemies, as these curses began to tremble from fear and, in great horror, soon rushed in boats along the Volga River. The Prince’s squad and Prince Yaroslav himself chased after the infidels and destroyed them with weapons of war. And, oh the greatness of God’s mercy, and how indescribable and unsearchable are his destinies, and who confesses his mercy to Christians! Through the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God and the holy saints, his princely army defeated the enemies in the place where a certain stream of water went to Kotorosl, behind which that settlement stood. And the Blessed Prince teach their people how not to do harm to anyone, and especially, if their faith is abominable, pray for them to be baptized. And these people swore an oath at Volos to the prince to live in harmony and to give him tributes, but they did not want to be baptized. And so the Blessed Prince departed for his throne city of Rostov.
It was not in the same time that Prince Yaroslav decided to come to Bear Corner again. And this came with the bishop, with the elders, deacons and churchmen, craftsmen and soldiers; but when you enter this village, release this people from the cage of a certain fierce beast and dogs, so that they will melt the Prince and those with him, but the Lord save the Blessed Prince; With this ax you defeated the beast, and the dogs, like lambs, did not touch anyone from them. And at the sight of godlessness and evil, all this people were horrified and fell on their faces to the Prince and were as if dead. The noble Prince, with a powerful voice, exclaim to this people: who are you, aren’t these the people who swore an oath before your Hair to faithfully serve me, your Prince? What kind of god is he, since you yourself transgressed and trampled on the oath taken under him? But you know that I did not come for the amusement of the beast or for a feast of valuable drink to drink, but to create victory. And hearing these verbs, unfaithful people are unable to answer a single word.
For this reason, the Blessed Prince dangerously looked at the whole place empty, and on the morning from his tent he carried out the icon of the Mother of God with Her eternal Child, our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the bishop, and with the presbyters, and with all the spiritual ranks, and with the craftsmen and with the soldiers came to the bank of the Volga, and there on the island, it was established by the Volga and Kotorosl rivers and the water flow, placed in the prepared place an icon of the Mother of God and commanded the bishop to create a prayer service before it and bless the water and sprinkle the earth with it; The Blessed Prince himself erected a wooden cross on this earth and laid the foundation for the holy temple of the prophet Elijah of God. And dedicate this temple in the name of this holy saint, as if you conquered a predatory and fierce beast on his day. Therefore, the Christ-loving Prince commanded the people to cut down trees and cleanse the place where they planned to create a city. And so the workers began to build the Church of St. the prophet Elijah and the city to build. This city, the Blessed Prince Yaroslav, called his name Yaroslavl, populated it with Christians, and installed presbyters, deacons and clergy in the church.
But when the city of Yaroslavl was built, the inhabitants of Bear's Corner did not join the city, living as individuals and bowing to Volos. In one day there was a great drought in this region, as if from the fierce heat and grass and every grain of the countryside were burned, and at that time there was a great sorrow among the people, even among the cattle, leading to death from famine. In the calico sadness of unfaithfulness, these people prayed tearfully for their Hair, that the rain would bring down to the earth. At this time, on some occasion, one of the presbyters of the church of the prophet Elijah passed by the Volosovaya kermet, and this, seeing much weeping and sighing, he spoke to the people: O fool of heart! Why are you tearing up and crying pitifully to your God? Or are you blind, because Volos has succeeded strongly, so will your prayers and the sacrificial stench awaken him? All this is vain and false, like Volos himself, to whom you bow, as if he were a soulless idol. So labor for yourself in vain. But do you want to see the power and glory of the true God, to whom we bow and serve? This God created heaven and earth, so why can’t he create and give? Let us go to the city, that we may see His power and glory.
And I wanted to disgrace the presbyter because I spoke a lie and let the hail fall. And when she came, the pious presbyter commanded an individual from the church of St. St. Elijah, and yourself unite the entire sacred spiritual rite and shut yourself up in the temple with it. Wrapping yourself there in sacred robes, praying a lot and tearfully in the Trinity to the glorious God, the Most Pure Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy, glorious prophet of God Elijah, that these unfaithful people might turn to the true faith of Christ and be enlightened by the light of baptism. And, having created a prayer, the presbyter commanded that the church beatings be struck and taken out of the church. icons and place these on analogies at the place where the infidelity stands. Arrange all this, pious presbyter with the cross held in his hand, shout out; If through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos and the holy prophet Elijah, behold their mark, the Lord will accept the prayer of us, His sinful servants, as on this day rain will pour out on the earth, then will you believe in the true God and will Kiyjo be baptized by you in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit? And these people said: let us believe and be baptized!
And so the presbyter, with other elders and deacons and the church clergy and with all the Christians, performed prayer services before the icon and, bending the knees with weeping and great sighing, as he raised his hands to heaven, pray to the Lord and Creator of all things, that he will command the rain to pour out on the earth . And that hour the cloud was fraught and threatening, and great rain poured down; Having seen the elders and all the Christians who were together, they glorified God and the Most Pure Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and St. the prophet of God Elijah. Unfaithful people, seeing this miracle, cry out: great is the Christian God! And coming out of the city, you did a lot of dirty tricks on the Hair, like spitting on it and tearing it into pieces and crushing the stone and setting it on fire. Follow these people with joy and go to the river on the Volga and there the presbyters, standing on the river’s edge and shouting in prayer, baptize all ages and genders, male and female, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Thus, by the grace of God, true faith arose here and the godless dwelling became a Christian abode.
But after a certain time, when these people accepted the Christian faith, the devil, a hater of all good, did not even see this faith in people, gave them many insurances in the place where the Hair once stood: there was sniffling and harp and the singing was heard many times and some kind of dancing was visible formerly; The beasts, when they walked in this place, became unusually thin and sick. And these people, grieving greatly, told the presbyter about this, and said that this whole attack was the wrath of Volos, as if he had turned into an evil spirit, so that he would crush people and their cattle, as he had crushed him and become pregnant. The presbyter understood the charm of the devil, as if this primordial enemy only wants to destroy the people of Christ with this evil darkness and fear and illness of bestiality. And the presbyter taught the people a little, and then made a council, so that these people ask the Prince and the bishop in the place where the church is standing, to build that temple in the name of St. Blaise, Bishop of Sebaste, as this great saint of God is powerful with his petition to God to destroy the slander of the devil and preserve the bestiality of Christian people.
And so these people prayed to the Prince to command the construction of a temple, and the Prince prayed to the bishop to give his blessing to build a church to the village in the name of the Hieromartyr Blasius. And, oh great miracle! When you have consecrated the temple, create the devil of death and destroy the beasts in the pasture, and for this visible miracle people praise God, who is so beneficent, and thank his saint, Saint Blaise the Wonderworker.
Thus the city of Yaroslavl was built and this church of the great saint of God Blasius, Bishop of Sebaste, was created.
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Yaroslav I Vladimirovich the Wise
(Article from the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron)
Yaroslav - son of St. Vladimir and Rogneda, one of the most famous ancient Russian princes. During his lifetime, having made the first division of lands between his sons, Vladimir planted Yaroslav in Rostov, and then, after the death of his eldest son Vysheslav, he transferred him to Novgorod, in addition to the eldest - Svyatopolk of Turov, who, according to Dietmar, was then under the wrath of his father and even in custody.
As the Prince of Novgorod, Yaroslav wanted to break all dependence on Kyiv and become a completely independent sovereign of the vast Novgorod region. He refused (1014) to pay his father an annual tribute of 2000 hryvnia, as all Novgorod mayors did; his desire coincided with the desire of the Novgorodians, who were always burdened by dependence on southern Rus' and the tribute imposed on them. Yaroslav was also dissatisfied with the fact that his father showed preference to his younger brother, Boris. Angry with Yaroslav, Vladimir prepared to personally go against him and ordered the roads to be corrected and bridges to be built, but he soon fell ill and died. The grand ducal table was taken over by the eldest in the family, Svyatopolk, who, fearing Boris, beloved by the Tevlans, and wanting to become the sole ruler of all Rus', killed three brothers (Boris, Gleb and Svyatoslav); the same danger threatened Yaroslav.
Meanwhile, Yaroslav quarreled with the Novgorodians: the reason for the quarrel was the clear preference that Yaroslav and his wife, the Swedish princess Ingigerda (daughter of the Swedish king Olav Skötkokung), showed to the hired Varangian squad. The Varangians, using their influence, aroused the population against themselves with cruelty and violence; it came to bloody retribution on the part of the Novgorodians, and Yaroslav in such cases usually took the side of the mercenaries and once executed many citizens, luring them to himself by cunning. Considering the fight with Svyatopolk inevitable, Yaroslav sought reconciliation with the Novgorodians; the latter easily agreed to go with him against their brother; to refuse Yaroslav help and force his prince to flee would mean resuming dependent relations with Kyiv and accepting a mayor from there; in addition, Yaroslav could return from overseas with the Varangians and take revenge on Novgorod. Having gathered 40 thousand Novgorodians and several thousand Varangian mercenaries, whom he had hired earlier for the war with his father, Yaroslav moved against Svyatopolk, who called upon the Pechenegs to help him, defeated him in a vicious battle near the city of Lyubech, entered Kiev and occupied the grand-ducal throne (1016). ), after which he generously rewarded the Novgorodians and sent them home.
The fleeing Svyatopolk returned with the regiments of his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, who was glad to have the opportunity to cause unrest in Rus' and weaken it; Along with the Poles, squads of Germans, Hungarians and Pechenegs also came. The Polish king himself walked at the head of the troops. Yaroslav was defeated on the banks of the Bug and fled to Novgorod; Boleslav gave Kyiv to Svyatopolk (1017), but he himself soon left Kyiv, having learned about Yaroslav’s new preparations and having lost many Poles, killed by the Kyivians for violence. Yaroslav, having again received help from the Novgorodians, with a new large army completely defeated Svyatopolk and his Pecheneg allies on the river. Alte (1019), on the spot where Boris was killed. Svyatopolk fled to Poland and died on the way; Yaroslav became the Grand Duke of Kyiv that same year.
Only now, after the death of Svyatopolk, Yaroslav firmly established himself in Kyiv and, in the words of the chronicler, “wiped off his sweat with his squad.” In 1021, Yaroslav's nephew, Prince. Bryachislav Izyaslavich of Polotsk, declared claims to part of the Novgorod regions; having been refused, he attacked Novgorod, took it and plundered it. Hearing about Yaroslav's approach, Bryachislav left Novgorod with many captives and hostages. Yaroslav caught up with him in the Pskov region, on the river. Sudome, defeated it and freed the captured Novgorodians. After this victory, Yaroslav made peace with Bryachislav, ceding the Vitebsk volost to him.
Having barely finished this war, Yaroslav had to begin a more difficult struggle with his younger brother Mstislav of Tmutarakan, famous for his victories over the Kasogs. This warlike prince demanded that Yaroslav divide the Russian lands equally and approached Kyiv with his army (1024). Yaroslav at that time was in Novgorod and in the north, in the Suzdal land, where there was famine and a strong rebellion caused by the Magi. In Novgorod, Yaroslav gathered a large army against Mstislav and called in hired Varangians, under the command of the noble knight Yakun the Blind (see). Yaroslav's army met with Mstislav's army near the town of Listven (near Chernigov) and was defeated in a brutal battle. Yaroslav again retired to his faithful Novgorod. Mstislav sent him to tell him that he recognized his seniority and did not seek Kyiv. Yaroslav did not trust his brother and returned only after gathering a strong army in the north; then he made peace with his brother at Gorodets (probably near Kiev), according to which the Russian land was divided into two parts along the Dnieper: the areas on the eastern side of the Dnieper went to Mstislav, and on the western side to Yaroslav (1025).
In 1035, Mstislav died and Yaroslav became the sole ruler of the Russian land (“he was an autocrat,” in the words of the chronicler). In the same year, Yaroslav put his brother, Prince, in “cut” (dungeon). Sudislav of Pskov, slandered, according to the chronicles, before his elder brother. The reason for Yaroslav's anger at his brother is unknown; Probably, the latter expressed claims to the division of escheated volosts, which passed entirely to Yaroslav. In the hands of Yaroslav, all Russian regions were now united, with the exception of the Principality of Polotsk.
In addition to these wars associated with princely civil strife, Yaroslav also had to make many campaigns against external enemies; Almost his entire reign was filled with wars. In 1017, Yaroslav successfully repelled the Pechenegs' attack on Kyiv and then fought with them as allies of Svyatopolk the Accursed. In 1036, chronicles record the siege of Kyiv by the Pechenegs, in the absence of Yaroslav, who had gone to Novgorod. Having received news of this, Yaroslav hastened to the rescue and utterly defeated the Pechenegs under the very walls of Kyiv. After this defeat, Pecheneg attacks on Rus' ceased.
Yaroslav's campaigns to the north against the Finns are known. In 1030, Yaroslav went to Chud and established his power on the shores of Lake Peipsi; he built a city here and named it Yuryev, in honor of his angel (the Christian name of Yaroslav is George or Yuri). In 1042, Yaroslav sent his son Vladimir on a campaign against Yam; the campaign was successful, but Vladimir’s squad returned almost without horses, due to death.
There is news about the Russian campaign under Yaroslav to the Ural ridge, under the leadership of some Uleb (1032).
On the western borders, Yaroslav waged wars with Lithuania and the Yatvingians, apparently to stop their raids, and with Poland. In 1022, Yaroslav went to besiege Brest, whether successfully or not is unknown; in 1030 he took Belz (in north-eastern Galicia); the next year, with his brother Mstislav, he took the Cherven cities and brought many Polish captives, whom he resettled along the river. Rosi in towns to protect lands from steppe nomads. Several times Yaroslav went to Poland to help King Casimir to pacify the rebellious Mazovia; the last campaign was in 1047.
The reign of Yaroslav was marked by the last hostile clash between Rus' and the Greeks. One of the Russian merchants was killed in a quarrel with the Greeks. Not receiving satisfaction for the insult, Yaroslav sent a large fleet to Byzantium (1043), under the command of his eldest son, Vladimir of Novgorod, and the governor Vyshata. The storm scattered the Russian ships; Vladimir destroyed the Greek fleet sent to pursue him, but Vyshata was surrounded and captured near the city of Varna. Peace was concluded in 1046; prisoners on both sides were returned, and friendly relations were sealed by the marriage of Yaroslav's beloved son, Vsevolod, with a Greek princess.
As can be seen from the chronicles, Yaroslav did not leave behind such an enviable memory as his father. According to the chronicle, “he was lame, but he had a kind mind and was brave in the army”; At the same time, it was added that he himself read the books - a remark testifying to his amazing learning for that time.
The reign of Yaroslav is important as the era of the highest prosperity of Kievan Rus, after which it quickly began to decline. The significance of Yaroslav in Russian history is based mainly not on successful wars and external dynastic ties with the West, but on his works on the internal structure of the Russian land. He contributed greatly to the spread of Christianity in Rus', the development of the education and training of Russian clergy necessary for this purpose. Yaroslav founded the Church of St. in Kyiv, at the site of his victory over the Pechenegs. Sofia, magnificently decorating it with frescoes and mosaics; built the monastery of St. George and the monastery of St. Irina (in honor of his wife’s angel). Kyiv Church of St. Sofia was built in imitation of Tsaregrad. Yaroslav spared no expense on the church splendor, inviting Greek craftsmen for this. In general, he decorated Kyiv with many buildings, surrounded it with new stone walls, installing the famous Golden Gate in them (in imitation of the same ones in Constantinople), and above them - a church in honor of the Annunciation.
Yaroslav made a lot of efforts for the internal improvement of the Orthodox Church and the successful development of the Christian faith. When, at the end of his reign, it was necessary to install a new metropolitan, Yaroslav ordered the council of Russian bishops to install priest S. as metropolitan. Berestov Hilarion, originally from the Russians, wanting to eliminate the dependence of the Russian spiritual hierarchy on Byzantium. In order to instill in the people the principles of the Christian faith, Yaroslav ordered handwritten books to be translated from Greek into Slavic and bought a lot of them himself. Yaroslav placed all these manuscripts in the library of the St. Sophia Cathedral he built for public use. To spread literacy, Yaroslav ordered the clergy to teach children, and in Novgorod, according to later chronicles, he set up a school for 300 boys. Under Yaroslav, church singers came to Rus' from Byzantium and taught the Russians octal (demonic) singing.
Yaroslav remained the most famous to posterity as a legislator: the oldest Russian monument of law is attributed to him - the “Charter” or “Yaroslavl Court” or “Russkaya Pravda”. Most scientists (Kalachev, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Sergeevich, Klyuchevsky) for very compelling reasons believe that Pravda is a collection of laws and customs in force at that time, compiled by private individuals. As can be seen from the monument itself, Pravda was compiled not under Yaroslav alone, but also after him, during the 12th century.
In addition to Pravda, under Yaroslav, a church charter or the Pilot’s Book appeared - a translation of the Byzantine Nomocanon. With his legislative activities, concerns for the spread of Christianity, church splendor and enlightenment, Yaroslav rose so high in the eyes of the ancient Russian people that he received the nickname of the Wise.
Concerns about the internal improvement of the land, its peace and security also played a significant role in Yaroslav’s activities: he was the prince of the land. Like his father, he populated the steppe spaces, built cities (Yuryev - Dorpat, Yaroslavl), continued the policy of his predecessors to protect borders and trade routes from nomads and to protect the interests of Russian trade in Byzantium. Yaroslav fenced off the southern border of Rus' with the steppe with forts and in 1032 began to build cities here, settling captive Poles in them.
The time of Yaroslav was an era of active relations with Western states. Yaroslav was related to the Normans: he himself was married to the Swedish princess Ingigerda (in Orthodoxy Irina), and the Norwegian prince Harald the Bold received the hand of his daughter Elizabeth. Some of Yaroslav's sons were also married to foreign princesses (Vsevolod, Svyatoslav). Princes and noble Normans found shelter and protection with Yaroslav (Olav the Holy, Magnus the Good, Harald the Bold); Varangian traders enjoy his special patronage. Yaroslav's sister Maria was married to Casimir of Poland, his second daughter Anna was married to Henry I of France, and the third, Anastasia, was married to Andrew I of Hungary. There is news from foreign chroniclers about family ties with the English kings and about the stay of two English princes who sought refuge at the court of Yaroslav.
Yaroslav's capital, Kyiv, seemed to Western foreigners to be a rival to Constantinople; its liveliness, caused by fairly intense trading activity for that time, amazed foreign writers of the 11th century.
Yaroslav died in Vyshgorod (near Kiev), 76 years old (1054), dividing the Russian land between his sons. He left a will in which he warned his sons against civil strife and urged them to live in close love.
Prince Yaroslav the Wise was one of the most outstanding statesmen of the Middle Ages. The future ruler of the entire Russian land was born around 988. He received an excellent education at home and knew several languages. Despite the slight injury, the prince showed himself to be an excellent warrior, whose courage and bravery were held up as an example. In his mature years he showed himself to be a wise politician and an excellent diplomat. During his reign, Kievan Rus experienced an unprecedented flowering in culture, education, writing and architecture.
Kyiv after the death of Vladimir
The death of Vladimir the Great sparked a fierce power struggle between his sons. In 1015, Svyatopolk took the Kiev throne. The Prince of Novgorod Yaroslav opposed him and defeated him in the battle of Lyubich. Svyatopolk asked for help from his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave. He agreed and, leading a large army, invaded Rus'. In the battle near Volyn in 1018, Yaroslav was defeated and retreated to Novgorod. Power in Kyiv again belonged to Svyatopolk. But the atrocities of the Polish army, robberies and looting outraged the people of Kiev, and they rebelled. Boleslav the Brave returned to Poland, annexing the Cherven cities to his kingdom - a small territory in Volyn with the cities of Shepol, Cherven, Volyn.
Rise to power
Having gathered his own army, Yaroslav went to Kyiv. Svyatopolk, whom historical chronicles will henceforth call the Accursed, turned to the Pechenegs for help. The decisive battle took place in the summer of 1019 on the river. Alte near Pereyaslav. Victory was Yaroslav's. This date is considered the beginning of his reign as the prince of all Rus'. But in 1021, Yaroslav was forced to recognize the independence of Bryacheslav, the ruler of the Principality of Polotsk. And a year later, the Tmutarakan prince Mstislav opposed Yaroslav, who defeated the prince of Kyiv. Negotiations began, which ended in 1026. As a result, it was decided to divide the lands. Mstislav got the left bank of Rus' with Chernigov, Yaroslav - the right bank of the Dnieper with Kiev, Bryacheslav confirmed his rights to reign in Pereyaslavl. Later, Bryacheslav recognizes the supremacy of Kyiv. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1036 did Yaroslav gain full power over Kievan Rus.
Development of Kyiv
Understanding the importance of Kyiv as the spiritual and political center of the entire state, Prince Yaroslav the Wise began large-scale construction and strengthening of his capital. The ruler planned to transform the Russian capital city into a second Constantinople. The city was to be fortified by ramparts 3.5 km long. Piled by hand, they were about 14 m high and 30 m wide at the base. These fortifications were intended to protect Kyiv from attacks by nomads. The decoration of the city was the Golden Gate - the main entrance of the nearby Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. The territory of the new city expanded, its area increased to 70 hectares. New churches appeared - in 1037 the St. Sophia Cathedral was opened - an outstanding monument of world architecture; in 1051 the Kiev Pechersk Monastery was opened. During these same years, the Church of St. George and the Church of St. Irene were built. The Golden Gate and the Church of St. Sophia became symbols of the “sovereignty” of Kyiv, and the architectural and artistic ensemble revealed the idea of the divine origin of the princely dynasty.
Yaroslav's truth
The development of society required giving legitimacy to changes in relations between different segments of the population. Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise decided to streamline the existing legal norms. In 1016, the “truth of Yaroslav” saw the light of day - a charter issued to Novgorod, in which the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise began. The charter was part of the “Russian Truth” - the charter of legal norms and laws of ancient Russian society. “Yaroslav’s Truth” contained 18 articles. The document dealt with punishments for murder and mutilation, for damaging someone else's property, riding someone else's horse, and so on. The issue of blood feud was considered separately. The law reserved the right to take revenge on offenders, but at the same time proposed replacing murders with a fine. Around 1025, the decree “Pokon Virny” was issued, which determined the amount of tribute collected from the population for the maintenance of the squad.
Church activities of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
The domestic policy of Prince Yaroslav the Wise paid great attention to the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. Lengthy negotiations with Byzantium did not produce the desired results - the Eastern Empire did not grant autocephaly, that is, church independence, to Kyiv. Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise was forced to agree to the arrival of a Byzantine bishop to Kyiv. He, however, soon went home. In 1051, by order of Yaroslav, the post of metropolitan was occupied by the Russian Hilarion, about whose life and activities very little information has been preserved. But the Patriarch of Constantinople refused to approve Hilarion, and Prince Yaroslav the Wise after some time agreed to accept the new Byzantine metropolitan.
Development of education and writing
Russian prince Yaroslav the Wise was one of the most educated people in Rus'. He loved and revered books, and brought the so-called scribes - the sages of that time - closer to him. The activities of the scribes were carried out in the St. Sophia Cathedral. By decision of the prince, about 960 books were collected, which became the basis of the first state library. Libraries were also opened in other cities - collections of books are known in Belgorod, Chernigov, Pereslavl.
The activities of Prince Yaroslav the Wise did not ignore the problems of education. Before him, children were educated at home. During Yaroslav's reign, much attention was paid to schools. Educational institutions, private and church-based, were opened, and the first church schools appeared. There were also noticeable advances in literature. For example, in 1039 work on the chronicle Kyiv vault was completed. Hilarion wrote the famous work “A Tale of Law and Grace,” in which he substantiated the idea of equal rights for Rus' among other Christian states.
Foreign policy
Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise adhered to the policies of his father in interstate relations. He gave preference not to military action, but to mutually beneficial political alliances. At the end of the 40s. The main direction of activity of Prince Yaroslav the Wise is the rise of Rus' among European states. Friendly relations are established with Hungary, France, Germany, Norway, and relations with England are improved. The most striking example of international recognition of Kievan Rus was the desire of European monarchs to establish dynastic marriage relations with the house of Yaroslav. Thus, Yaroslav's daughter Anna became the French queen, Anastasia took the Hungarian throne, and Elizabeth married the Norwegian king. Three sons of Yaroslav the Wise married representatives of the most noble families in Europe. It is not for nothing that Yaroslav the Wise, the Kiev prince, received the nickname “father-in-law of Europe” from his contemporaries.
Relations with Byzantium were not going very well for Yaroslav. In 1043, a war began with the empire, in which Rus' was defeated. Prince Yaroslav the Wise agreed to sign an agreement, according to which Byzantium was obliged to compensate for the damage caused by the empire to Russian merchants in Constantinople and the Russian monastery in Athos. The prince was also worried about the defense of the southern borders of the state - fortress cities were built and ramparts were built on the cordons with the Pechenegs and Polovtsians.
Russian Prince Yaroslav the Wise pursued a balanced and consistent foreign policy aimed at strengthening the international position of the state and maintaining the authority of his country.
The will written by Yaroslav the Wise
The Kiev prince perfectly understood the inevitability of the struggle between his sons for the main, Kiev throne. In order to somehow prevent this tragedy, Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Duke of Kiev, drew up a will, which outlined the main provisions on the succession to the throne. The document also spoke about the division of the Russian land between the sons into separate possessions - appanages. Yaroslav bequeathed to his sons to respect, love and support each other, otherwise “you will destroy the land of your fathers and grandfathers.” The introduced system of inheritance of power provided that supreme power would belong to a group of princes - relatives, interconnected by vassal-hierarchical relations. According to the will, the Kiev throne should be inherited by Yaroslav's eldest son.
Thanks to the foreign and domestic policies of Yaroslav the Wise, Kievan Rus experienced political and cultural flourishing. The wise reign of the prince strengthened the political positions of the ancient Russian state for many years.
Grand Duke of Kiev (1016-1018, 1019-1054).
Yaroslav Vladimirovich was born around 978. He was the son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv and Grand Duchess Rogneda, daughter of the Polotsk Prince Rogvold.
Yaroslav Vladimirovich was placed by his father to reign first in, then in. In 1014, he stopped paying tribute to Kyiv, hoping to separate his possessions from Southern Rus'. began gathering troops in order to force his son to submit to his authority, but during preparations for the campaign he died.
After his death, the Kiev throne was seized by the Turov prince Svyatopolk the Accursed, half-brother of Yaroslav Vladimirovich. Wanting to eliminate possible rivals, Svyatopolk organized the murder of his brothers, Prince of Rostov Boris and Prince of Murom Gleb, as well as the Drevlyan prince Svyatoslav.
Having secured the support of the Novgorodians, Yaroslav Vladimirovich in December 1015, in the battle of Lyubech, defeated Svyatopolk and captured Kyiv. In 1018, together with his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav I the Brave, Svyatopolk invaded Rus', managed to defeat Yaroslav in the Battle of the Bug and recapture Kyiv. Yaroslav Vladimirovich fled to, from where he intended to go to Scandinavia. But the Novgorodians cut down the prince's boats and forced Yaroslav to continue the fight. In the Battle of Alta in 1018, Svyatopolk suffered a crushing defeat, and Yaroslav reoccupied Kyiv.
After the victory over Svyatopolk, Yaroslav Vladimirovich began a fight with his other brother, the Tmutarakan prince Mstislav, who also laid claim to the Kiev throne. Mstislav won the battle of Listven (near Chernigov) in 1024, but he allowed Yaroslav to reign in Kyiv. Nevertheless, Yaroslav did not dare to accept his brother’s offer and continued to stay in, sending his mayors to Kyiv.
According to the peace treaty of 1025, Yaroslav Vladimirovich received Russian land to the west of the Dnieper and with the center in Kyiv, and Mstislav - the eastern part, with Chernigov and Pereyaslavl. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1035 did Yaroslav Vladimirovich become an “autocrat” in Rus'.
In 1036, the Pechenegs were defeated near Kiev, stopping their attacks on Rus'. In 1038-1042 Yaroslav Vladimirovich waged successful wars with Byzantium, Lithuanian and Finnish tribes.
The period of the autocratic rule of Yaroslav the Wise became a time of political power, cultural and economic prosperity of the ancient Russian state. This was evidenced by the marriages of Yaroslav's daughters with the kings of France, Norway, Denmark, and Hungary. He strengthened the internal position of the state by introducing a set of laws - the “Russian Truth”. The prince also helped strengthen his influence on the church by installing the Russian monk Hilarion as metropolitan. Under him, the first monasteries were created, and the majestic St. Sophia Cathedral was erected in Kyiv. The love of books, translations of Byzantine works into the Slavic language, and the development of chronicle writing are a brilliant expression of the flourishing of the entire ancient Russian culture. Under Yaroslav the Wise, the first Russian chronicle was written - the so-called. The oldest vault. The Tale of Bygone Years contains a commendable review of the educational activities of the Grand Duke.
Chronicle data regarding the death of Yaroslav the Wise are contradictory. It is believed that he died on February 2, 1054, but other dates are also given. Before his death, the Grand Duke bequeathed the Kiev throne to the eldest of his sons, the Novgorod prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich, and divided the remaining possessions into appanages, which marked the beginning of feudal fragmentation. Yaroslav the Wise was buried in the tomb of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.