The activities of the princes of Kievan Rus briefly. Who was the first Varangian prince in Rus'

Who were the princes of Ancient Rus'?

In the ninth century, the powerful state of Kievan Rus was created on the territory of Eastern Europe - a significant political and military force until the Mongol invasion in the thirteenth century. The rulers of Ancient Rus' were princes, and they soon began to call themselves grand princes.
Grand Duke is a title that was borne by monarchs, rulers of the Old Russian state, and then of Kievan Rus.
The prince combined the following functions as head of state:
– judicial (he held court over the population, over his subordinates);
– military (the prince had to vigilantly defend the borders of his state, organize defense, gather troops and, of course, prepare for an attack when necessary; the Russian people especially appreciated the military courage of the princes);
– religious (in the pagan era of Rus', the Grand Duke was the organizer of sacrifices in favor of the pagan gods);
At first, the princely power was elective, but gradually began to gain hereditary status.
The Grand Duke was the main figure in the state; the appanage Russian princes were subordinate to him. The Grand Duke had the right to collect tribute from the princes subordinate to him.

The first prince of Ancient Rus'

Rurik is considered to be the first prince of Ancient Rus', who laid the foundation for the Rurik dynasty. By origin, Rurik was a Varangian, therefore, he could be a Norman or a Swede.
There is no information about the exact origin of the first Russian prince, just as there is little information about his activities. As the chronicles say, he became the sole ruler of Novgorod and Kyiv, then created a united Rus'.
Chronicles say that he had only one son, who was named Igor, who later became the Grand Duke. Rurik had several wives, but Igor himself was born to the Norwegian princess Efanda.

Russian princes of Ancient Rus'

Oleg

Igor

After Oleg’s sudden death, Rurik’s son, Igor, began to rule the country. Igor took as his wife the legendary Princess Olga, whom he brought from Pskov. She was twelve years younger than Igor when they got engaged. Igor was 25 years old and she was only 13.
Like Oleg, Igor pursued an active foreign policy; it was aimed at conquering nearby lands. Already in 914, after two years of his establishment on the throne, Igor subjugated the Drevlyans and imposed tribute on them. In 920, he first attacked the Pecheneg tribes. The next thing mentioned in the chronicles was his campaign against Constantinople in 941-944, which was crowned with success.
After the campaign against Byzantium, in 945, Prince Igor was killed by the Drevlyans while collecting tribute.
After his death, his wife Princess Olga began to rule. Igor left behind his young son Svyatoslav.

Svyatoslav

Until Igor’s son Svyatoslav came of age, Kievan Rus was ruled by his mother, Princess Olga, who was the regent. Svyatoslav began to rule independently only in 964.
Svyatoslav, unlike his mother, remained a pagan and was against conversion to Christianity.
Svyatoslav became famous primarily as a successful commander. Having ascended the throne, the prince immediately set off on a campaign against the Khazar Khaganate in 965. In the same year, he managed to completely conquer it and annex it to the territory of Ancient Rus'. He then defeated the Vyatichi and imposed tribute on them in 966.
The prince also waged an active struggle against the Bulgarian kingdom and Byzantium, where he was successful. After returning from the Byzantine campaign in 972, Prince Svyatoslav was ambushed by the Pechenegs on the rapids of the Dnieper. In this unequal battle he met his death.

Yaropolk

After the murder of Svyatoslav, his son Yaropolk began to rule. It should be said that Yaropolk ruled only in Kyiv, his brothers ruled Novgorod and the Drevlyans. Yaropolk began a war for power and defeated his brother Oleg in 977. The very next year he was killed by his brother Vladimir.
Yaropolk is not remembered as a great commander, but had some success in politics. Thus, under him, negotiations were conducted with Emperor Otto II. Chronicles indicate that ambassadors from the Pope came to his court. Yaropolk was an obvious admirer of the Christian church, but he did not manage to make this religion a state religion.

Ancient Rus': Prince Vladimir

Vladimir was the son of Svyatoslav and seized power in Rus' by killing his brother Yaropolk in 978, becoming the sole prince of Ancient Rus'.
Vladimir became famous primarily for making Rus' a Christian state in 988. However, Vladimir is also known as an excellent commander.
Already in 981-982. Vladimir went on a campaign against the Vyatichi, already subject to tribute, and seized their land, making it Russian. In 983, he opened the way to the Baltic for Rus', conquering the Yatvingian tribe. Later he managed to conquer the Radimichi and, for the first time, the White Croats, and he annexed their lands to Rus'.
In addition to military successes, Vladimir managed to conclude profitable agreements with many European states (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Byzantium and the Papal States).
Under him, coinage began to be minted, which strengthened the Russian economy. These were the first coins issued on the territory of Kievan Rus. The reason for minting the coin was the desire to prove the sovereignty of the young Christian state. There were no economic reasons; Rus' got along just fine with Byzantine coins.
Prince Vladimir the Great died in 1015. After his death, the throne was seized by his son Svyatopolk, but he was soon overthrown by Yaroslav the Wise.

On September 21, 862, the inhabitants of the Novgorod principality called on the Varangian brothers to rule: Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. This date is considered to be the beginning of the state of Rus'. The dynasty of Russian rulers, nicknamed the Rurikovichs, originates from Rurik. This dynasty ruled the state for more than seven and a half centuries. We remembered the most significant representatives of this family.

1. Rurik Varangsky. Although the Novgorod prince Rurik Varangian did not become the sole ruler of the united state, he forever went down in history as the founder of the dynasty of the first Russian autocrats. During his reign, Finnish lands, as well as the territories of some scattered Slavic tribes, began to be annexed to Rus'. This led to the cultural unification of the Eastern Slavs, which contributed to the formation of a new political formation - the state. According to researcher S. Solovyov, it was from Rurik that the important activities of the Russian princes began - the construction of cities, the concentration of the population. Rurik’s first steps in the formation of the ancient Russian state were already completed by Prince Oleg the Prophet.

2. Vladimir Svyatoslavich Red Sun. The contribution of this Grand Duke to the development of Kievan Rus is difficult to overestimate. It was he who went down in history as the baptist of Rus'. Preachers of many religions wanted to persuade the prince to their faith, but he sent his ambassadors to different lands, and upon their return, he listened to everyone and gave preference to Christianity. Vladimir liked the rituals of this faith. Having conquered the Christian city, Vladimir Kherson took the imperial princess Anna as his wife and received holy baptism. By order of the prince, the idols of the pagan gods were chopped up and burned. Ordinary people accepted the new faith by being baptized in the waters of the Dnieper. So, on August 1, 988, the Russian people, following the ruler, adopted Christianity. Only the residents of Novgorod opposed the new faith. Then the Novgorodians were baptized with the help of a squad. However, at the same time, the first special theological schools were created in Rus', where unenlightened boyars studied divine books translated from Greek by Cyril and Methodius.

3. Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise. Grand Duke Yaroslav received the nickname “Wise” from the people for his wise reign. He is considered the creator of the first set of laws and civil statutes, “Russian Truth.” Before this, in ancient Rus' there were no laws written down in a single collection. This is one of the most important steps in building statehood. Ancient lists of these laws have survived to this day, giving an idea of ​​the life of our ancestors. According to the chronicler, Yaroslav was “lame-footed, but he had a kind mind and was brave in the army.” These words are also proven by the fact that under Yaroslav the Wise, Russian troops put an end to the raids of the nomadic Pecheneg tribe. Peace was also concluded with the Byzantine Empire.

Grand Duke Yaroslav received the nickname “Wise” from the people for his wise reign

4. Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh. His reign was the period of the last strengthening of the Old Russian state. Monomakh knew well that for the peace of the state it was necessary to make sure that external enemies were discouraged from attacking Rus'. During his life, he made 83 military campaigns, concluded 19 peace treaties with the Polovtsians, captured more than a hundred Polovtsian princes and released them all, executed more than 200 princes. The military successes of Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh and his children glorified his name throughout the world. The Greek Empire trembled in the name of Monomakh. Emperor Alexy Komnenos, after the conquest of Thrace by Vladimir's son Mstislav, even sent great gifts to Kiev - symbols of power: the carnelian cup of Augustus Caesar, the Cross of the Life-Giving Tree, the crown, gold chain and bars of Vladimir's grandfather Constantine Monomakh. The gifts were brought by the Metropolitan of Ephesus. He also proclaimed Monomakh the Russian ruler. Since then, Monomakh's hat, chain, scepter and barmas were indispensable attributes on the wedding day of Russian rulers and were passed from sovereign to sovereign.

5. Vsevolod III Yurievich Big Nest. He is the tenth son of Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky, who founded the city of Moscow, and the younger brother of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Under him, the Great Northern Principality of Vladimir reached its greatest power and finally began to dominate the southern Principality of Kyiv. The reasons for the success of Vsevolod's policy were reliance on new cities: Vladimir, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Dmitrov, Gorodets, Kostroma, Tver, where the boyars before him were relatively weak, as well as reliance on the nobility. Under him, Kiev Russia ceased to exist, and Vladimir-Suzdal Rus' finally took shape. Vsevolod had a large offspring - 12 children (including 8 sons), so he received the nickname "Big Nest". The unknown author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” noted: his army “can splash the Volga with oars, and scoop up the Don with helmets.”

6. Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky. According to the “canonical” version, Alexander Nevsky played an exceptional role in Russian history. During his reign, Rus' was attacked from two sides: the Catholic West and the Tatars from the East. Nevsky showed remarkable talent as a commander and diplomat, concluding an alliance with the most powerful enemy - the Tatars. Having repelled the attack of the Germans, he defended Orthodoxy from Catholic expansion. For the faith of the Grand Duke, for love of the fatherland, for preserving the integrity of Rus', the Orthodox Church canonized Alexander.

7. Ivan Danilovich Kalita. This Grand Duke became famous for the fact that under him the rise of Muscovite Rus' began. Moscow under Ivan Kalita became the real capital of the Russian state. On the instructions of Metropolitan Peter, Ivan Kalita in 1326 laid the foundation for the first stone Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Moscow. Since then, the Russian metropolitanate moved from Vladimir to Moscow, which elevated this city above others in the Vladimir principality. Ivan Kalita became the first prince who received the label for a great reign in the Golden Horde. Thus, he increasingly strengthened the role of the capital of the state beyond Moscow. Later, for silver, he bought from the Horde labels for reign in other Russian cities, annexing them to the Moscow principality.

8. Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy. The Great Moscow Prince Dmitry Ivanovich was nicknamed Donskoy after his first serious victory over the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380. After a number of significant military victories over the Golden Horde, she did not dare to fight the Russians in the open field. By this time, the Moscow Principality had become one of the main centers of unification of Russian lands. The white stone Moscow Kremlin was built in the city.

9. Ivan III Vasilievich. During the reign of this Grand Duke and Sovereign, many events took place that determined the fate of the Russian state. Firstly, there was a unification of a significant part of the scattered Russian lands around Moscow. This city finally becomes the center of the all-Russian state. Secondly, the final liberation of the country from the power of the Horde khans was achieved. After standing on the Ugra River, Rus' finally threw off the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Thirdly, under the reign of Ivan III, the territory of Rus' increased fivefold and began to amount to about two million square kilometers. The Code of Laws, a set of state laws, was also adopted, and a number of reforms were carried out that laid the foundations for the local land tenure system. The sovereign established the first post office in Rus', city councils appeared in cities, drunkenness was prohibited, and the armament of troops was significantly increased.

10. Ivan IV Vasilievich. It was this ruler who was nicknamed the Terrible. He headed the Russian state for the longest time of all rulers: 50 years and 105 days. The contribution of this tsar to the history of Rus' is difficult to overestimate. Under him, boyar strife ceased, and the territory of the state grew by almost 100 percent - from 2.8 million square kilometers to 5.4 million. The Russian state became larger than the rest of Europe. He defeated the slave-trading khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan and annexed these territories to Rus'. Also under him, Western Siberia, the Don Army Region, Bashkiria, and the lands of the Nogai Horde were annexed. Ivan the Terrible entered into diplomatic and military relations with the Don and Terek-Grebensky Cossacks. Ivan IV Vasilievich created a regular Streltsy army, the first Russian military flotilla in the Baltic. I would especially like to note the creation of the code of law of 1550. The collection of laws of the period of the class monarchy in Russia is the first legal act in Russian history proclaimed as the only source of law. It contained 100 articles. Under Ivan the Terrible, the first printing house (Pechatny Dvor) appeared in Russia. Under him, the election of local administration was introduced, a network of primary schools was created, a postal service and the first fire brigade in Europe were created.

The formation of the nationality, later called the Rus, Rusichs, Russians, Russians, which became one of the strongest nations in the world, if not the strongest, began with the unification of the Slavs settled across the East European Plain. Where they came to these lands from and when is not known for certain. History has not preserved any chronicle evidence on the Rus of the early centuries of the new era. Only from the second half of the 9th century - the time when the first prince appeared in Rus' - can the process of nation formation be traced in more detail.

"Come reign and rule over us..."

Along the great waterway, which connected the entire East European Plain with each other through numerous rivers and lakes, lived the tribes of the ancient Ilmen Slovenes, Polyans, Drevlyans, Krivichi, Polotsk, Dregovichi, Northerners, Radimichi, Vyatichi, who received one common name for all - the Slavs. Two large cities built by our ancient ancestors - the Dnieper and Novgorod - already existed in those lands before the establishment of statehood, but did not have rulers. The name mention of tribal governors appeared when the first princes in Rus' were entered into the chronicle. The table with their names contains only a few lines, but these are the main lines in our story.

The procedure for calling the Varangians to govern the Slavs is known to us from school. The ancestors of the tribes, tired of constant skirmishes and warfare among themselves, elected envoys to the princes of the Rus tribe, who lived beyond the Baltic Sea, and ordered them to tell that “... Our whole land is great and abundant, but there is no outfit in it (i.e. .no peace and order). Come reign and rule over us." The brothers Rurik, Sineus and Truvor responded to the call. They came not alone, but with their retinue, and settled in Novgorod, Izborsk and Beloozero. This was in 862. And the people they began to rule began to be called Rus - after the name of the tribe of Varangian princes.

Refuting the initial conclusions of historians

There is another, less popular hypothesis regarding the arrival of the Baltic princes in our lands. As the official version says, there were three brothers, but it is likely that the old tomes were read (translated) incorrectly, and only one ruler arrived in the Slavic lands - Rurik. The first prince of ancient Rus' came with his faithful warriors (squad) - “tru-vor” in Old Scandinavian, and his household (family, house) - “sine-hus”. Hence the assumption that there were three brothers. For some unknown reason, historians conclude that two years after moving to the Slovenes, both Ruriks die (in other words, the words “tru-thief” and “sine-hus” are no longer mentioned in the chronicles). Several other reasons for their disappearance can be cited. For example, that by that time the army that the first prince had assembled in Rus' began to be called not “tru-thief”, but “druzhina”, and the relatives who came with him were not “sine-khus”, but “clan”.

In addition, modern researchers of antiquity are increasingly inclined to the version that our Rurik is none other than the famous Danish king Rorik of Friesland, famous in history, who became famous for his very successful raids on less weak neighbors. Perhaps that is why he was called to rule because he was strong, courageous and invincible.

Rus' under Rurik

The founder of the political system in Rus', the founder of the princely dynasty, which later became the royal dynasty, ruled the people entrusted to him for 17 years. He united the Ilmen Slovenes, the Psov and Smolensk Krivichi, the whole and the Chud, the Northerners and the Drevlyans, the Meryas and the Radimichi into one state. In the annexed lands he appointed his proteges as governors. By the end, Ancient Rus' occupied quite a vast territory.

In addition to the founder of the new princely family, history also included two of his relatives - Askold and Dir, who, at the call of the prince, established their power over Kiev, which at that time did not yet have a dominant significance in the newly formed state. The first prince in Rus' chose Novgorod as his residence, where he died in 879, leaving the principality to his young son Igor. Rurik's heir could not rule himself. For many years, undivided power passed to Oleg, an associate and distant relative of the deceased prince.

The first truly Russian

Thanks to Oleg, popularly nicknamed the Prophetic, Ancient Rus' gained power, which could be envied by both Constantinople and Byzantium - the strongest states at that time. What the first Russian prince did in Rus' in his time, the regent under the young Igor multiplied and enriched. Gathering a large army, Oleg went down the Dnieper and conquered Lyubech, Smolensk, and Kyiv. The latter was taken by elimination and the Drevlyans who inhabited these lands recognized Igor as their true ruler, and Oleg as a worthy regent until he grew up. From now on, Kyiv is appointed the capital of Rus'.

The legacy of Prophetic Oleg

Many tribes were annexed to Rus' during the years of his reign by Oleg, who by that time declared himself the first truly Russian, and not a foreign prince. His campaign against Byzantium ended in absolute victory and benefits for free trade in Constantinople won for the Russians. The squad brought back rich booty from this campaign. The first princes in Rus', to which Oleg rightfully belongs, truly cared about the glory of the state.

Many legends and amazing stories circulated among the people after the army returned from the campaign against Constantinople. To reach the city gates, Oleg ordered the ships to be installed on wheels, and when a fair wind filled their sails, the ships “went” across the plain to Constantinople, terrifying the townspeople. The formidable Byzantine emperor Leo VI surrendered to the mercy of the winner, and Oleg, as a sign of stunning Victory nailed his shield on the gates of Constantinople.

In the chronicles of 911, Oleg is already referred to as the first Grand Duke of All Rus'. In 912 he dies, as legend says, from a snake bite. His more than 30-year reign did not end heroically.

Among the strong

With the death of Oleg, he took over the management of the vast possessions of the principality, although in fact he had been the ruler of the lands since 879. Naturally, he wanted to be worthy of the deeds of his great predecessors. He also fought (during his reign Rus' suffered the first attacks of the Pechenegs), conquered several neighboring tribes, forcing them to pay tribute. Igor did everything that the first prince in Rus' did, but he did not immediately succeed in realizing his main dream - to conquer Constantinople. And not everything went smoothly in our own domains.

After the strong Rurik and Oleg, Igor’s reign turned out to be much weaker, and the obstinate Drevlyans felt this, refusing to pay tribute. The first princes of Kyiv knew how to keep the rebellious tribe under control. Igor also pacified this rebellion for a time, but the revenge of the Drevlyans overtook the prince a few years later.

The treachery of the Khazars, the betrayal of the Drevlyans

The relations of the crown prince with the Khazars were also unsuccessful. Trying to reach the Caspian Sea, Igor made an agreement with them that they would let the squad go to the sea, and he, returning, would give them half of the rich booty. The prince kept his promises, but this was not enough for the Khazars. Seeing that the advantage in strength was on their side, in a fierce battle they destroyed almost the entire Russian army.

Igor experienced a shameful defeat and after his first campaign against Constantinople in 941, the Byzantines destroyed almost his entire squad. Three years later, wanting to wash away the shame, the prince, having united all the Russians, Khazars and even the Pechenegs into one army, again moved to Constantinople. Having learned from the Bulgarians that a formidable force was coming against him, the emperor offered Igor peace on very favorable terms, and the prince accepted it. But a year after such a stunning victory, Igor was killed. Refusing to pay repeated tribute, the Koresten Drevlyans destroyed the few comforts of tax collectors, among whom was the prince himself.

Princess, first in everything

Igor’s wife, Olga from Pskov, whom the Prophetic Oleg chose as his wife in 903, took cruel revenge on the traitors. The Drevlyans were destroyed without any losses for the Rus, thanks to Olga’s cunning but also merciless strategy - needless to say, the first princes in Rus' knew how to fight. After the death of Igor, Svyatoslav, the son of the princely couple, took the hereditary title of ruler of the state, but due to the latter’s youth, his mother ruled Russia for the next twelve years.

Olga was distinguished by her rare intelligence, courage and ability to wisely govern the state. After the capture of Korosten, the main city of the Drevlyans, the princess went to Constantinople and received holy baptism there. The Orthodox Church was in Kyiv even under Igor, but the Russian people worshiped Perun and Veles, and did not soon turn from paganism to Christianity. But the fact that Olga, who took the name Elena at baptism, paved the way for a new faith in Rus' and did not betray it until the end of her days (the princess died in 969), elevated her to the rank of saints.

Warrior from infancy

N.M. Karamzin, the compiler of the “Russian State,” called Svyatoslav the Russian Alexander the Great. The first princes in Rus' were distinguished by amazing courage and bravery. The table, which dryly lists the dates of their reign, conceals many glorious victories and deeds for the benefit of the Fatherland, which stand behind each name in it.

Having inherited the title of Grand Duke at the age of three (after the death of Igor), Svyatoslav became the de facto ruler of Rus' only in 962. Two years later, he freed the Vyatichi from subordination to the Khazars and annexed the Vyatichi to Rus', and in the next two years - a number of Slavic tribes living along the Oka, in the Volga region, the Caucasus and the Balkans. The Khazars were defeated, their capital Itil was abandoned. From the North Caucasus, Svyatoslav brought the Yases (Ossetians) and Kasogs (Circassians) to his lands and settled them in the newly formed cities of Belaya Vezha and Tmutarakan. Like the first prince of all Rus', Svyatoslav understood the importance of constantly expanding his possessions.

Worthy of the great glory of our ancestors

In 968, having conquered Bulgaria (the cities of Pereyaslavets and Dorostol), Svyatoslav, not without reason, began to consider these lands his own and firmly settled in Pereyaslavets - he did not like the peaceful life of Kiev, and his mother managed well in the capital. But a year later she was gone, and the Bulgarians, having united with the Byzantine emperor, declared war on the prince. Going to it, Svyatoslav left the great Russian cities for his sons to manage: Yaropolk - Kyiv, Oleg - Korosten, Vladimir - Novgorod.

That war was difficult and controversial - both sides celebrated victories with varying degrees of success. The confrontation ended with a peace treaty, according to which Svyatoslav left Bulgaria (it was annexed by the Byzantine emperor John Tzimisces to his possessions), and Byzantium paid the established tribute to the Russian prince for these lands.

Returning from this campaign, controversial in its importance, Svyatoslav stopped for a while in Beloberezhye, on the Dnieper. There, in the spring of 972, his weakened army was attacked by the Pechenegs. The Grand Duke was killed in battle. Historians explain his fame as a born warrior by the fact that Svyatoslav was incredibly hardy on campaigns, could sleep on damp ground with a saddle under his head, since he was unpretentious in everyday life, not like a prince, and was also not picky about food. His message “I’m coming to you,” with which he warned future enemies before the attack, went down in history as Oleg’s shield on the gates of Constantinople.

Reign of Oleg (reign: 882 -912). The formation of a single East Slavic state of Rus' is associated with the name of the Novgorod prince Oleg, a relative of the semi-legendary Rurik. In 882, he made a campaign into the lands of the Krivichi and captured Smolensk, then took Lyubech and Kyiv, which he made the capital of his state. Later he annexed the lands of the Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Croats and Tivertsi. He imposed tribute on the conquered tribes. Successfully fought with the Khazars. In 907, he besieged the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, and imposed an indemnity on the empire. In 911, Oleg concluded a profitable trade agreement with Byzantium. Thus, under Oleg, the territory of the early Russian state begins to form through the forcible annexation of tribal Slavic unions to Kyiv.

Reign of Igor (912-945). After the death of Oleg (according to legend, he died from a snake bite), Igor became the Grand Duke of Kyiv, ruling until 945. Prince Igor is considered the actual founder of the Rurik dynasty. Igor continued the activities of his predecessor. Oleg, subjugated the East Slavic tribal associations between the Dniester and the Danube. In 941 he made an unsuccessful campaign against Constantinople. The campaign of 944 was marked by success, Byzantium offered Igor a ransom, and an agreement was concluded between the Greeks and Russians. Igor was the first of the Russians to conclude an agreement between the Greeks and Russians. Igor was the first of the Russian princes to clash with the Pechenegs. He was killed by the Drevlyans while trying to collect tribute from them a second time.

Reign of Olga (945 – 964). After Igor's murder, his widow, Princess Olga, brutally suppressed the Drevlyan uprising. Then she undertook a tour of some lands, establishing a fixed amount of duties for the Drevlyans and Novgorodians, organizing special administrative centers for collecting tribute - camps and graveyards . Thus, a new form of receiving tribute was established - the so-called "cart" . By a certain date, tribute was delivered to camps or graveyards, and the peasant agricultural holding was defined as the unit of taxation (tribute from Rala) or a house with a hearth (tribute from smoke).

Olga significantly expanded the land holdings of the Kyiv Grand Duke's House. She visited Constantinople, where she converted to Christianity. Olga ruled during the childhood of her son Svyatoslav Igorevich and later, during his campaigns.

Princess Olga's campaign against the Drevlyans and Novgorodians meant the beginning of the elimination of the autonomy of the unions of Slavic tribes that were part of the Russian early feudal state. This led to the merger of the military nobility of the tribal unions with the military nobility of the Kyiv prince. This is how the formation of the unification of the ancient Russian service army, headed by the Grand Duke of Kyiv, took place. Gradually he becomes the supreme owner of all lands of the Russian state.

Reign of Svyatoslav (964 - 972). In 964, Svyatoslav Igorevich, who had reached adulthood, took over the rule of Russia. Under him, until 969, the Kyiv state was largely ruled by his mother, Princess Olga, since Svyatoslav Igorevich spent almost his entire life on campaigns. Svyatoslav, first of all, was a warrior prince who sought to bring Rus' closer to the largest powers of the then world. Under him, the hundred-year period of distant campaigns of the princely squad, which enriched it, ended.

Svyatoslav dramatically changes state policy and begins systematically strengthening the borders of Rus'. In 964-966. Svyatoslav liberated the Vyatichi from the power of the Khazars and subjugated them to Kyiv. In the 60s of the 10th century. defeated the Khazar Kaganate and took the capital of the Kaganate, the city of Itil, fought with the Volga-Kama Bulgarians. In 967, using the proposal of Byzantium, which sought to weaken its neighbors, Rus' and Bulgaria, by pitting them against each other, Svyatoslav invaded Bulgaria and settled at the mouth of the Danube, in Peryaslavets. Around 971, in alliance with the Bulgarians and Hungarians, he began to fight with Byzantium, but unsuccessfully. The prince was forced to make peace with the Byzantine emperor. On the way back to Kyiv, Svyatoslav Igorevich died at the Dnieper rapids in a battle with the Pechenegs, who had been warned by the Byzantines about his return. The reign of Svyatoslav Igorevich was a time of widespread entry of the ancient Russian state into the international arena, a period of significant expansion of its territory.

ReignVladimirI. (980 – 1015). The formation of the Old Russian state as a political and cultural center was completed under Vladimir I. The son of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich, Vladimir, with the help of his uncle Dobrynya, became a prince in Novgorod in 969. After the death of his father in 977, he took part in the strife and defeated his older brother Yaropolk. By campaigning against the Vyatichi, Lithuanians, Radimichi, and Bulgarians, Vladimir strengthened the possessions of Kievan Rus. To organize defense against the Pechenegs, Vladimir built several defensive lines with a system of fortresses. This was the first serif line in the history of Rus'. To protect the south of Rus', Vladimir managed to attract tribes from its northern part. The successful fight against the Pechenegs led to the idealization of the personality and reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. In folk legends he received the name Vladimir the Red Sun.

Since ancient times, the Slavs, our direct ancestors, lived in the vastness of the East European Plain. It is still unknown exactly when they arrived there. Be that as it may, they soon spread widely throughout the great waterway of those years. Slavic cities and villages arose from the Baltic to the Black Sea. Despite the fact that they were of the same clan-tribe, relations between them were never particularly peaceful.

In constant civil strife, the tribal princes quickly became exalted, who soon became Great and began to rule all of Kievan Rus. These were the first rulers of Rus', whose names have come to us through the endless series of centuries that have passed since then.

Rurik (862-879)

There is still fierce debate among scientists about the reality of this historical figure. Either there was such a person, or he is a collective character, whose prototype was all the first rulers of Rus'. Either he was a Varangian or a Slav. By the way, we practically do not know who the rulers of Rus' were before Rurik, so in this matter everything is based solely on assumptions.

Slavic origin is very likely, since he could have been nicknamed Rurik for his nickname Falcon, which was translated from the Old Slavic language into Norman dialects as “Rurik”. Be that as it may, he is considered the founder of the entire Old Russian state. Rurik united (as far as possible) many Slavic tribes under his hand.

However, almost all the rulers of Rus' were involved in this matter with varying degrees of success. It is thanks to their efforts that our country today has such a significant position on the world map.

Oleg (879-912)

Rurik had a son, Igor, but by the time of his father’s death he was too young, and therefore his uncle, Oleg, became the Grand Duke. He glorified his name with his militancy and the success that accompanied him on the military path. Particularly remarkable was his campaign against Constantinople, which opened up incredible prospects for the Slavs from the emerging opportunities for trade with distant eastern countries. His contemporaries respected him so much that they nicknamed him “the prophetic Oleg.”

Of course, the first rulers of Rus' were such legendary figures that we will most likely never know about their real exploits, but Oleg was probably truly an outstanding personality.

Igor (912-945)

Igor, the son of Rurik, following the example of Oleg, also went on campaigns several times, annexed a lot of lands, but he was not such a successful warrior, and his campaign against Greece turned out to be disastrous. He was cruel, often “rip off” the defeated tribes to the last, for which he later paid. Igor was warned that the Drevlyans had not forgiven him; they advised him to take a large squad to Polyudye. He did not listen and was killed. In general, the TV series “Rulers of Rus'” once talked about this.

Olga (945-957)

However, the Drevlyans soon regretted their action. Igor’s wife, Olga, first dealt with their two conciliatory embassies, and then burned the main city of the Drevlyans, Korosten. Contemporaries testify that she was distinguished by a rare intelligence and strong-willed rigidity. During her reign, she did not lose a single inch of land that was conquered by her husband and his ancestors. It is known that in her declining years she converted to Christianity.

Svyatoslav (957-972)

Svyatoslav took after his ancestor, Oleg. He was also distinguished by his courage, determination, and directness. He was an excellent warrior, tamed and conquered many Slavic tribes, and often beat the Pechenegs, for which they hated him. Like other rulers of Rus', he preferred (if possible) to reach an “amicable” agreement. If the tribes agreed to recognize the supremacy of Kyiv and paid off with tribute, then even their rulers remained the same.

He annexed the hitherto invincible Vyatichi (who preferred to fight in their impenetrable forests), defeated the Khazars, and then took Tmutarakan. Despite the small number of his squad, he successfully fought with the Bulgarians on the Danube. Conquered Andrianople and threatened to take Constantinople. The Greeks preferred to pay off with a rich tribute. On the way back, he died along with his squad on the rapids of the Dnieper, being killed by the same Pechenegs. It is assumed that it was his squad that found the swords and remains of equipment during the construction of the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station.

General characteristics of the 1st century

Since the first rulers of Rus' reigned on the Grand Duke's throne, the era of constant unrest and civil strife gradually began to end. Relative order arose: the princely squad defended the borders from the arrogant and ferocious nomadic tribes, and they, in turn, pledged to help with warriors and paid tribute to polyudye. The main concern of those princes was the Khazars: at that time they were paid tribute (not regularly, during the next raid) by many Slavic tribes, which greatly undermined the authority of the central government.

Another problem was the lack of unity of faith. The Slavs who conquered Constantinople were looked upon with contempt, since at that time monotheism (Judaism, Christianity) was already being actively established, and the pagans were considered almost animals. But the tribes actively resisted all attempts to interfere with their faith. "Rulers of Rus'" talks about this - the film quite truthfully conveys the reality of that era.

This contributed to the increase in the number of minor troubles within the young state. But Olga, who converted to Christianity and began to promote and condone the construction of Christian churches in Kyiv, paved the way for the baptism of the country. The second century began, in which the rulers of Ancient Rus' accomplished many more great things.

Vladimir St. Equal to the Apostles (980-1015)

As is known, there was never brotherly love between Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir, who were the heirs of Svyatoslav. It didn’t even help that during his lifetime the father allocated his own land for each of them. It ended with Vladimir destroying his brothers and beginning to rule alone.

The ruler in Ancient Rus', recaptured Red Rus' from the regiments, fought a lot and bravely against the Pechenegs and Bulgarians. He became famous as a generous ruler who did not spare gold to give gifts to people loyal to him. First, he demolished almost all the Christian temples and churches that were built under his mother, and the small Christian community suffered constant persecution from him.

But the political situation was such that the country had to be brought to monotheism. In addition, contemporaries talk about the strong feeling that flared up in the prince for the Byzantine princess Anna. No one would give her for a pagan. So the rulers of Ancient Rus' came to the conclusion about the need to be baptized.

Therefore, already in 988, the baptism of the prince and all his associates took place, and then the new religion began to spread among the people. Vasily and Konstantin married Anna to Prince Vladimir. Contemporaries spoke of Vladimir as a strict, tough (sometimes even cruel) person, but they loved him for his straightforwardness, honesty and justice. The church still extols the name of the prince for the reason that he began to massively build temples and churches in the country. This was the first ruler of Rus' to be baptized.

Svyatopolk (1015-1019)

Like his father, Vladimir during his lifetime distributed lands to his many sons: Svyatopolk, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Mstislav, Svyatoslav, Boris and Gleb. After his father died, Svyatopolk decided to rule on his own, for which he issued an order to eliminate his own brothers, but was expelled from Kyiv by Yaroslav of Novgorod.

With the help of the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, he was able to take possession of Kiev for the second time, but the people received him coolly. He was soon forced to flee the city, and then died on the way. His death is a dark story. It is assumed that he took his own life. In folk legends he is nicknamed "the cursed one."

Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054)

Yaroslav quickly became an independent ruler of Kievan Rus. He was distinguished by his great intelligence and did a lot for the development of the state. He built many monasteries and promoted the spread of writing. He is also the author of "Russian Truth", the first official collection of laws and regulations in our country. Like his ancestors, he immediately distributed plots of land to his sons, but at the same time strictly ordered them to “live in peace and not cause intrigues to each other.”

Izyaslav (1054-1078)

Izyaslav was the eldest son of Yaroslav. Initially he ruled Kiev, distinguished himself as a good ruler, but he did not know how to get along with the people very well. The latter played a role. When he went against the Polovtsians and failed in that campaign, the Kievans simply kicked him out, calling his brother, Svyatoslav, to reign. After he died, Izyaslav returned to the capital city again.

In principle, he was a very good ruler, but he had some rather difficult times. Like all the first rulers of Kievan Rus, he was forced to solve a lot of difficult issues.

General characteristics of the 2nd century

In those centuries, several practically independent (the most powerful) stood out from the structure of Rus': Chernigov, Rostov-Suzdal (later Vladimir-Suzdal), Galicia-Volyn. Novgorod stood apart. Ruled by the Veche following the example of the Greek city-states, he generally did not look at the princes very well.

Despite this fragmentation, formally Rus' was still considered an independent state. Yaroslav was able to expand its borders to the very river Ros. Under Vladimir, the country adopted Christianity, and the influence of Byzantium on its internal affairs increased.

Thus, at the head of the newly created church stood the metropolitan, who was directly subordinate to Constantinople. The new faith brought with it not only religion, but also new writing and new laws. The princes at that time acted together with the church, built many new churches, and contributed to the education of their people. It was at this time that the famous Nestor lived, who is the author of numerous written monuments of that time.

Unfortunately, everything was not so smooth. The eternal problem was both the constant raids of nomads and internal strife, which constantly tore the country apart and deprived it of strength. As Nestor, the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” put it, “the Russian land is groaning from them.” The enlightenment ideas of the Church are beginning to appear, but so far the people are not accepting the new religion well.

Thus began the third century.

Vsevolod I (1078-1093)

Vsevolod the First could well remain in history as an exemplary ruler. He was truthful, honest, promoted education and the development of writing, and he himself knew five languages. But he was not distinguished by developed military and political talent. The constant raids of the Polovtsians, pestilence, drought and famine did not contribute to his authority. Only his son Vladimir, later nicknamed Monomakh, kept his father on the throne (a unique case, by the way).

Svyatopolk II (1093-1113)

He was the son of Izyaslav, had a good character, but was unusually weak-willed in some matters, which is why the appanage princes did not consider him a Grand Duke. However, he ruled very well: having heeded the advice of the same Vladimir Monomakh, at the Dolob Congress in 1103 he persuaded his opponents to undertake a joint campaign against the “cursed” Polovtsians, after which in 1111 they were completely defeated.

The military booty was enormous. Almost two dozen Polotsk residents were killed in that battle. This victory resounded loudly throughout all Slavic lands, both in the East and in the West.

Vladimir Monomakh (1113-1125)

Despite the fact that, based on seniority, he should not have taken the Kiev throne, it was Vladimir who was elected there by unanimous decision. Such love is explained by the rare political and military talent of the prince. He was distinguished by his intelligence, political and military courage, and was very courageous in military affairs.

He considered every campaign against the Polovtsians a holiday (the Polovtsians did not share his views). It was under Monomakh that the princes who were overly zealous in matters of independence received a strict cut. He leaves to descendants “Lessons for Children,” where he talks about the importance of honest and selfless service to one’s Motherland.

Mstislav I (1125-1132)

Following the behests of his father, he lived in peace with his brothers and other princes, but became enraged at the mere hint of disobedience and desire for civil strife. Thus, he angrily expels the Polovtsian princes from the country, after which they are forced to flee the discontent of the ruler in Byzantium. In general, many rulers of Kievan Rus tried not to kill their enemies unnecessarily.

Yaropolk (1132-1139)

Known for his skillful political intrigues, which ultimately turned out badly for the Monomakhovichs. At the end of his reign, he decides to transfer the throne not to his brother, but to his nephew. Things almost reach the point of unrest, but the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich, the “Olegovichs,” still ascend to the throne. Not for long, however.

Vsevolod II (1139-1146)

Vsevolod was distinguished by good makings of a ruler; he ruled wisely and firmly. But he wanted to transfer the throne to Igor Olegovich, securing the position of the “Olegovichs”. But the people of Kiev did not recognize Igor, he was forced to take monastic vows, and then was completely killed.

Izyaslav II (1146-1154)

But the residents of Kyiv enthusiastically received Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who, with his brilliant political abilities, military valor and intelligence, vividly reminded them of his grandfather, Monomakh. It was he who introduced the rule that has remained indisputable since then: if an uncle in one princely family is alive, then the nephew cannot receive his throne.

He was in a terrible feud with Yuri Vladimirovich, the prince of the Rostov-Suzdal land. His name will mean nothing to many, but later Yuri will be called Dolgoruky. Izyaslav twice had to flee Kyiv, but until his death he never gave up the throne.

Yuri Dolgoruky (1154-1157)

Yuri finally gains access to the Kyiv throne. Having stayed there for only three years, he achieved a lot: he was able to pacify (or punish) the princes, and contributed to the unification of fragmented lands under strong rule. However, all his work turned out to be meaningless, since after the death of Dolgoruky, the squabble between the princes flared up with renewed vigor.

Mstislav II (1157-1169)

It was the devastation and quarrels that led to Mstislav II Izyaslavovich ascending the throne. He was a good ruler, but did not have a very good disposition, and also condoned princely feuds (“divide and conquer”). Andrei Yuryevich, the son of Dolgoruky, drives him out of Kyiv. Known in history under the nickname Bogolyubsky.

In 1169, Andrei did not limit himself to expelling his father’s worst enemy, simultaneously burning Kyiv to the ground. Thus, at the same time, he took revenge on the people of Kiev, who by that time had acquired the habit of expelling princes at any time, calling to their principality anyone who would promise them “bread and circuses.”

Andrey Bogolyubsky (1169-1174)

As soon as Andrei seized power, he immediately moved the capital to his favorite city, Vladimir on the Klyazma. Since then, the dominant position of Kyiv immediately began to weaken. Having become stern and domineering towards the end of his life, Bogolyubsky did not want to put up with the tyranny of many boyars, wanting to establish an autocratic government. Many did not like this, and therefore Andrei was killed as a result of a conspiracy.

So what did the first rulers of Rus' do? The table will give a general answer to this question.

In principle, all the rulers of Rus' from Rurik to Putin did the same thing. The table can hardly convey all the hardships that our people endured on the difficult path of state formation.