The first prince of Kievan Rus - who is he?

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

The story of Prince Rurik - another version of events

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prophecy of the death of Oleg the Prophet

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

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

Reign of Prince Igor (912 – 945)

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

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

Victory over Constantinople

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

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

Reign of Princess Olga (945 – 957)

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

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

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

Characteristic: the leader of the Varangians came with his retinue to Rus'. He became the very first prince in Rus'.

Years of reign: around 860s – 879

Politics, activities: ruled Novgorod and founded it. Expanded the borders of his possessions (after the death of his brothers he annexed Rostov the Great, Polotsk and Murom)

Military campaigns: unknown. In general, little is known about Rurik at all.

Name: Askold and Dir

Characteristic: Varangians, companions of Rurik. Converted to Christianity.

Years of reign: from 860s to 882 (killed by Oleg, who seized power)

Politics, activities: ruled Kiev, were in conflict with Rurik. They spread Christianity and strengthened Kievan Rus as a state.

Military campaigns: the first Russian campaign in history against Byzantium, a campaign against the Pechenegs.

Name: Oleg

Characteristic: Varangian, king (comrade-in-arms of Rurik). He ruled as the guardian of Rurik's son Igor.

Years of reign: from 879 Novgorod after Rurik, from 882 also Kiev (killed princes Dir and Askold). The exact dates are unknown

Politics, activities: Expanded the territory of the principality, collected tribute from tribes

Military campaigns: to Byzantium (907) - “the shield was nailed to the gates of Constantinople”, to the tribes of the Drevlyans, northerners, Radimichi

Name: Igor (Inger)

Characteristic: son of Rurik

Years of reign: 912 – 945 (dates are very doubtful)

Politics, activities: strengthened power over Kiev, Novgorod and the Slavic tribes. The first Kiev prince, officially recognized by the Byzantine emperor.

Military campaigns: against Byzantium (941-44), against the Pechenegs, conquered the principality of the Drevlyans. Died while trying to collect tribute from the Drevlyans twice

Name: Olga

Characteristic: Igor's widow

Years of reign: 945 - 960

Politics, activities: accepted and spread Christianity in Rus'. She streamlined the collection and amount of taxes, because of which Igor died. For the first time she introduced stone houses in Rus'.

Military campaigns: she brutally took revenge on the Drevlyans on the death of her husband, burning the center of the Drevlyan land - the city of Iskorosten. In the absence of her son Svyatoslav, she led the defense of Kyiv from the Pecheneg raid.

Name: Svyatoslav

Characteristic: son of Igor and Olga. The first prince in Rus' who had not a Varangian, but a Slavic name.

Years of reign: 960-972

Politics, activities: Expansion of the borders of the state. Warrior Prince

Military campaigns: defeated the Khazar Kaganate, the main rival of Rus' in the international arena. Took the capital of the Khazars - Itil. He fought with the Pechenegs, and very successfully - with Bulgaria and Byzantium. After another campaign against Byzantium, which this time ended in failure, he was killed by the Pechenegs on the way back to Kyiv.

Name: Vladimir

Characteristic: third son of Svyatoslav

Years of reign: from 970 - Novgorod, from 978 - Kiev (killed his older brother Yaropolk, who was the prince of Kyiv after the death of his father, Prince Svyatoslav). Died in 1015.

Politics, activities: baptized Rus' in 988, thereby uniting tribes scattered by various pagan cults. Conducted diplomatic relations with neighboring powers.

Military campaigns: to Kyiv - against Yaropolk (however, it was Yaropolk who started the internecine war between the brothers), provided military assistance to the Emperor of Byzantium. Campaigns against the Croats, Bulgarians, Poles, Radimichi, Yatvingians and Vyatichi tribes. Created a powerful system of border defense against the Pechenegs.

Name: Yaroslav the Wise

Characteristic: son of Vladimir

Years of reign: Prince of Rostov from 987, Novgorod - from 1010, Grand Duke of Kiev - from 1016.

Politics, activities: He founded the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Under Yaroslav, Kyiv strengthened and expanded, the first monasteries appeared in Rus' as the only centers for the spread of literacy and book publishing at that time. Founded the city of Yaroslavl (modern Russia)

He strengthened diplomatic ties of Kievan Rus, including through political marriages. For example, Yaroslav married one of his daughters, Anna, to the King of France, another, Anastasia, to the Hungarian King, and the third, Elizabeth, to the King of Norway. Yaroslav himself married a Swedish princess.

Military campaigns: He killed his brother Svyatopolk in the struggle for the Kiev throne. He helped the Polish king with military actions, conquered the Chud, Yam, and Yatvingian tribes. Trip to Lithuania.

The process of property and social stratification among the community members led to the separation of the most prosperous part from among them. The tribal nobility and the wealthy part of the community, subjugating the mass of ordinary community members, need to maintain their dominance in state structures.

The embryonic form of statehood was represented by East Slavic tribal unions, which united into super-unions, albeit fragile ones. Eastern historians talk about the existence on the eve of the formation Old Russian state three large associations of Slavic tribes: Cuiaba, Slavia and Artania. Kuyaba, or Kuyava, was then the name of the region around Kyiv. Slavia occupied territory in the area of ​​Lake Ilmen. Its center was Novgorod. The location of Artania - the third major association of the Slavs - has not been precisely established.

1) 941 - ended in failure;

2) 944 - conclusion of a mutually beneficial agreement.

Killed by the Drevlyans while collecting tribute in 945.

YAROSLAV THE WISE(1019 - 1054)

He established himself on the Kiev throne after long strife with Svyatopolk the Accursed (he received his nickname after the murder of his brothers Boris and Gleb, who were later canonized as saints) and Mstislav of Tmutarakan.

He contributed to the flourishing of the Old Russian state, patronized education and construction. Contributed to the rise of the international authority of Rus'. Established broad dynastic ties with European and Byzantine courts.

Conducted military campaigns:

To the Baltics;

To the Polish-Lithuanian lands;

To Byzantium.

Finally defeated the Pechenegs.

Prince Yaroslav the Wise is the founder of written Russian legislation (" Russian Truth", "The Truth of Yaroslav").

VLADIMIR THE SECOND MONOMACH(1113 - 1125)

Son of Mary, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Ninth Monomakh. Prince of Smolensk (from 1067), Chernigov (from 1078), Pereyaslavl (from 1093), Grand Prince of Kiev (from 1113).

Prince Vladimir Monomakh - organizer of successful campaigns against the Polovtsians (1103, 1109, 1111)

He advocated the unity of Rus'. Participant of the congress of ancient Russian princes in Lyubech (1097), which discussed the harmfulness of civil strife, the principles of ownership and inheritance of princely lands.

He was called to reign in Kyiv during the popular uprising of 1113, which followed the death of Svyatopolk II. Reigned until 1125

He put into effect the “Charter of Vladimir Monomakh”, where interest on loans was legally limited and it was forbidden to enslave dependent people working off their debt.

Stopped the collapse of the Old Russian state. Wrote " Teaching", in which he condemned the strife and called for the unity of the Russian land.
He continued the policy of strengthening dynastic ties with Europe. He was married to the daughter of the English king Harold the Second - Gita.

Mstislav the Great(1125 - 1132)

Son of Vladimir Monomakh. Prince of Novgorod (1088 - 1093 and 1095 - 1117), Rostov and Smolensk (1093 - 1095), Belgorod and co-ruler of Vladimir Monomakh in Kyiv (1117 - 1125). From 1125 to 1132 - autocratic ruler of Kyiv.

He continued the policy of Vladimir Monomakh and managed to preserve a unified Old Russian state. Annexed the Principality of Polotsk to Kyiv in 1127.
Organized successful campaigns against the Polovtsians, Lithuania, and the Chernigov prince Oleg Svyatoslavovich. After his death, almost all the principalities came out of obedience to Kyiv. A specific period begins - feudal fragmentation.

Princes Rurikovich (short biographies) Tvorogov Oleg Viktorovich

RUSSIAN PRINCES IX-XI centuries.

RUSSIAN PRINCES IX-XI centuries.

The 9th and 10th centuries are the most difficult period to study in the history of Ancient Rus'. Chroniclers, working 100-150 years after the events they described, relied mainly on oral traditions and legends; the annual grid, which distinguishes the Russian chronicle from the Byzantine chronicles and gives it its name (chronicle - a description of events by year, “year”), as established by researchers, was “superimposed” on the narration of the most ancient events of the 10th-11th centuries. only when created at the beginning of the 12th century. chronicle collection, called “The Tale of Bygone Years.” Therefore, the dating of many ancient events, as well as the calculation of the years of life and reign of the first Rurikovichs, can be accepted with a certain degree of convention.

Rurik(d. 879). According to the chronicle legend, Rurik and his brothers Sineus and Truvor were called to Rus' by representatives of the tribes: the Novgorod Slavs, the Polotsk Krivichs, the Vepsians and the Chuds (the ancestors of the Estonians) and began to reign in Novgorod or Ladoga. The question of who Rurik and his fellow tribesmen were, where they came from to Rus', whether Rurik was called to reign or invited as the leader of a military squad remains controversial to this day.

Source: PVL.

Lit.: Lovmyansky X. Rus' and the Normans. Translation from Polish. M., 1985; Avdusin D. A. Modern anti-Normanism // VI. 1988. No. 7. pp. 23-34.

Oleg(d. 912). According to PVL, after Rurik’s death, Rurik’s relative, Oleg, became regent for the young Igor. However, in another chronicle (Initial Code) Oleg is referred to only as the governor of Rurik. Considering that at the beginning of his independent reign, Igor was at least 33 years old, Oleg’s regency seems to be an absolute historical myth: both Oleg and the actual founder of the Rurik dynasty, Igor, were probably independent princes.

In 882, Oleg and his retinue went south along the waterway “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” He captured Smolensk, and then Kiev, killing the local princes Askold and Dir. They were apparently Varangians; as the chronicle reports, having received permission from Rurik to go to Constantinople, Askold and Dir remained to reign in Kyiv. But there is indirect evidence against the fact that Askold and Dir were co-rulers. After Oleg reigned in Kyiv, which he declared “matter as a Russian city,” the entire territory of Rus', stretched out in a relatively narrow strip along the river routes leading from Ladoga to the Black Sea, came under his rule. Oleg expanded his possessions to the east, subjugating the northerners and Radimichi - tribes living in the Desna and Sozh basin. Oleg made two successful campaigns against the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople (in 907 and 911). According to the legend reflected in the PVL, he died from a snake bite and was buried in Kyiv.

Source: PVL.

Lit.: Sakharov. We are from the Russian family*. pp. 84-159.

Igor(d. 945). As stated above, it is unlikely that Igor was the son of Rurik. It is characteristic that the chronicler knows nothing about the details of Igor’s reign for a quarter of a century, mentioning only his campaigns against Constantinople in 941 and 944. The second campaign led to the conclusion of an agreement with Byzantium that was beneficial for Rus'. In 945, Igor was killed by the Drevlyans (a tribe living in the Pripyat basin) when he tried to collect tribute from them a second time.

Source: PVL.

Lit.: Sakharov. We are from the Russian family. pp. 179-225.

Olga(d. 969). Igor's wife. According to some legends, she is the daughter of a boatman from Pskov. It is difficult to separate reality from poetic fiction in PVL’s story about how Olga took revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband. Twice (in 946 and 955) Olga visited Constantinople, where she was received with honor by Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. During the second trip, Olga was baptized and received the Christian name Elena.

Source: PVL.

Lit.: Litavrin G. G. On the question of the circumstances, place and time of the baptism of Princess Olga // The most ancient states on the territory of the USSR. 1985. M., 1986. S. 49-57; Sakharov. We are from the Russian family. pp. 226-250.

Svyatoslav Igorevich(d. 972). A brave warrior, according to the chronicler, who openly challenged his enemies: “I’m coming to you!”, Svyatoslav made a number of successful campaigns. He freed the Vyatichi tribe, who lived in the Oka basin, from paying tribute to the Khazars, defeated the Volga Bulgarians and the powerful Khazar Khaganate, making a victorious campaign in 965 on the Lower Volga, the Northern Caucasus and the Azov region.

In the last years of his reign, Svyatoslav actively intervened in the war of Byzantium with the Danube Bulgarians who rebelled against its rule and won a victory over them. The Byzantine Emperor John Tzimiskes, alarmed that Svyatoslav was seeking to gain a foothold in the Danube cities, attacked the Russian squads, besieged them in Dorostol and forced them to accept battle. The Greeks were defeated, and Svyatoslav moved towards Constantinople. The emperor had to pay off with generous gifts. Having made peace, the prince decided to return to Kyiv for new soldiers. But at the Dnieper rapids Svyatoslav was waylaid and killed by the Pechenegs. The Pecheneg prince ordered a cup to be made from his skull.

Source: PVL.

Lit.: Gadlo A.V. Eastern campaign of Svyatoslav (On the question of the beginning of the Tmutarakan principality) // Problems of the history of feudal Russia. L., 1971. S. 59-67; Sakharov A. N. Balkan campaigns of Svyatoslav and the diplomacy of Ancient Rus' // VI. 1982. No. 2. P. 81-107; Sakharov. We are from the Russian family. pp. 261-340.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich(d. 1015). The son of Svyatoslav from the housekeeper Olga - Malusha. As a youth, Vladimir was sent to reign in Novgorod, accompanied by his uncle, the governor of Dobrynya. In 976 (date tentative) Vladimir wooed the daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogneda. But she refuses him, derogatingly referring to the prince as a “robichich” (i.e., the son of a slave). Vladimir kills Rogneda's father and makes her his concubine. In 980, having cunningly dealt with his brother Yaropolk (who had previously killed Svyatoslav’s third son, Oleg), Vladimir became the sole ruler of Rus'. He made several successful campaigns against the Poles, the Vyatichi and Radimichi, the Volga Bulgarians, expanded the borders of Rus' in the southwest, built a number of fortified cities around Kyiv and on the borders with the hostile Pecheneg steppe. Having provided military assistance to the Byzantine Emperor Vasily II, Vladimir received his sister Anna as his wife. In 988, Vladimir was baptized, and then (in 988 or 990) proclaimed Christianity the state religion of Rus'. The process of complete Christianization of the country lasted almost two centuries, but the new faith quickly strengthened in the largest cities. For the functioning of the church, liturgical books and competent clergy were required. Therefore, the adoption of Christianity contributed to the emergence and intensive development of literature (writing was known earlier). Stone architecture is becoming widespread. The international authority of Rus' has increased immeasurably. Vladimir becomes one of the most popular figures in Russian history. Many legends are associated with his name (some of them were reflected in PVL), he becomes a permanent character in epics. The church canonized Vladimir as a saint.

Source: PVL.

Lit.: Rapov. Princely possessions. pp. 32-35; Rybakov. World of history. pp. 131-147.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise(c. 978-1054). Son of Vladimir from Rogneda. After the death of Vladimir, power in Kyiv was seized by Yaropolk's son, Svyatopolk. He killed his half-brothers - Boris, Gleb and Svyatoslav, seeking autocratic rule. Yaroslav, who reigned in Novgorod, opposed Svyatopolk and expelled him from Kyiv. But Svyatopolk, relying on the support of his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, inflicted defeat on Yaroslav in 1018 in the battle on the banks of the Bug. Yaroslav, having gathered a new squad, defeated Svyatopolk in a bloody battle on Alta in 1019. He fled and, according to legend, died somewhere in unknown places between the Czech Republic and Poland. Yaroslav became the prince of Kyiv and remained on the Kiev table until the end of his life. After the death of his brother Mstislav (in 1036), Yaroslav became the sole ruler in Rus', only his brother Izyaslav ruled in Polotsk. The time of Yaroslav is a time of internal stabilization, which contributed to the growth of the international authority of Rus', as evidenced by the fact that Yaroslav’s daughters became queens: Anna - French, Elizabeth - Norwegian, and then Danish, Anastasia - Hungarian. The chronicle states that it was during the reign of Yaroslav that translation and book-writing activities began to develop intensively. The first Russian monasteries appeared, including the famous Kiev-Pechersk, which played a large role in the development of Russian books and chronicles. In 1054, Yaroslav installed the first Russian metropolitan, Hilarion (before that, the metropolitans were Greeks), who created the church-political treatise “The Sermon on Law and Grace.”

Before his death, Yaroslav divided his state between his sons, thereby marking the beginning of feudal fragmentation. Yaroslav was married to Ingigerda, daughter of the Swedish king Olaf.

Source: PVL; The Legend of Boris and Gleb // PLDR: XI - early XII centuries. pp. 278-303.

Lit.: Rapov. Princely possessions. pp. 36-37.

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From the book World of History: Russian lands in the XIII-XV centuries author Shakhmagonov Fedor Fedorovich

Horde and Russian princes The victory on Lake Peipsi raised the authority of Alexander Nevsky very high, at the same time it strengthened the political influence of his father, the owner of the Vladimir table, Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Batu immediately reacted to the elevation of the house

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From the book How Grandma Ladoga and Father Veliky Novgorod forced the Khazar maiden Kyiv to be the mother of Russian cities author Averkov Stanislav Ivanovich

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Chapter 2. Russian arsonists and their Russian victims

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Eastern Slavs in the 6th-10th centuries

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State formation

The question of the emergence of a state among the Eastern Slavs is traditionally associated with two problems. 1. What particular event served as the beginning of the formation of the state in Rus' and 2. The origin of the term “Rus”. In the “Tale of Bygone Years” and the chronicle collections dependent on it under 862. A message was posted about the calling of the Ilmen Varangian princes to the land of the Slavs: Rurik and his brothers. There is a second version of the origin of the state. German scientists came to Russia, began studying Russian chronicles and concluded that statehood was brought to the Eastern Slavs by the Normans (scientists Bayer, Miller, Schleitzer). Lomonosov is opposed to them. He agreed that everything was finalized, of course, by the Varangians, but the Slavs still had the prerequisites for the formation of a state.

By the 9th century, Rus' was a conglomerate of alliances of large tribes. Each tribe had a main city, some had princes as military leaders. By the 9th century, a neighboring community had developed, local law existed, and 2 bright centers of statehood: Kyiv and Priilmenye. Due to its convenient geographical location and protection by forests, Kyiv is developing at a very fast pace. Priilmenye also developed rapidly due to trade and various crafts. A whole conglomerate of tribes lived in the Ilmen region, including those of non-Slavic origin, which makes it possible that there was inter-tribal strife, which could have been a reason to call in a prince-“arbiter” from the outside. The chronicle talks about the calling of the Varangians in a semi-legendary way, but perhaps it was necessary to protect the Slavs from other Varangian squads active in Rus'.

The first Russian princes

The first Russian prince was Rurik. In 862, Rurik sat down to rule in Ladoga. Then he founded Novgorod. After the death of Rurik in 879, power was seized by Oleg, who ruled on behalf of Rurik’s young son, Igor. In 882, Oleg launched a campaign against Kyiv. He deceives the Kyiv princes (Askold and Dir) from the city and captures Kyiv. Under the rule of Oleg, a state of the Eastern Slavs was formed, led by the Varangians. The main city is Kyiv. Management was carried out through the collection of tribute. It was still a proto-state. But there were still some government functions. Oleg recaptured 2 Slavic tribes, the Northerners and the Radimichi, from the Khazars. Ensured the safety of trade routes to the East and the Balkans. Oleg also waged active and successful wars with Byzantium, the purpose of which was robbery and providing benefits for merchants. After Oleg's death, power passed to Rurik's son Igor (912-945), who continued Oleg's policies. He waged wars with Byzantium, but at the same time an alliance was concluded with it against Khazaria. Under Igor, we learned how tribute was collected from subject lands: polyudye was carried out from autumn to spring. Honey, wax, furs, and flax were collected from the house (family). There was no fixed tribute, and Igor’s abuse of power led to his murder by the Drevlyans.

Next reigned Igor's wife, Princess Olga (945-962). She brutally took revenge on the Drevlyans for the murder of her husband. Olga established a fixed amount of tribute and graveyards - places for its collection. In 957, Olga entered into a military alliance with Byzantium against the Khazars and supposedly received personal baptism in Byzantium. The son of Igor and Olga, Svyatoslav (962-972) was an ardent pagan. He pursued a powerful foreign policy. He subjugated the principality of the Vyatichi, defeated the Volga Bulgaria and the Khazar Khaganate. Svyatoslav, leaving for war, sent his sons to the most important lands of Rus'. Svyatoslav also undertook a series of campaigns against Byzantium. After one of which, on the orders of Byzantium, he was killed by the Pechenegs.