Russian armored train units. Russian warriors, a tribe of winners! 1925–1926. These are years of bloody battles. In one of the battles, Colonel Kostrov, commander of an armored train division, general of the Chinese army, dies (1925), he is raised on bayonets. 1925, November 2. Near Kuchen station

In the second half of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century. Dozens of kings established themselves on the East European Plain. Historical documents and legends have preserved the names of only a few of them: Rurik, Askold and Dir, Oleg and Igor. What connected these Norman leaders with each other? Due to the lack of reliable data, it is difficult to judge this. The Russian chroniclers who wrote down their names were already working at a time when Russia was already ruled by one dynasty. The scribes believed that this was the case from the very moment of the emergence of Rus'. In accordance with this, they saw in Rurik the founder of the princely dynasty, and presented all other leaders as his relatives or boyars. Chroniclers of the 11th century. constructed a fantastic genealogy by connecting randomly preserved names. Under their pen, Igor turned into the son of Rurik, Oleg - into a relative of Rurik and the governor of Igor. Askold and Dir were supposedly boyars of Rurik. As a result, the semi-mythical Varangian Rurik became the central figure of ancient Russian history.

The Novgorod chronicler tried to prove that the Novgorodians invited princes to their throne at the time of the formation of Rus', just as in the 11th-12th centuries. He described the beginning of Russian history as follows. The Ilmen Slovenes and their neighbors - the Finnish tribes Chudi and Meri - paid tribute to the Varangians, and then, not wanting to tolerate violence, expelled them. They could not control “themselves”: “they rose up from city to city and there was no truth in them.” Then the Slovenes went “overseas” and said: “Our land is great and abundant, but there is no decoration in it, so come to us to reign and rule over us.” As a result, “three brothers were thrown out from their families,” the eldest Rurik sat in Novgorod, the middle one, Sineus, in Beloozero, and the youngest, Truvor, in Izborsk. Around the same time, Rurik the Danish lived with Rurik of Novgorod, and the lands of the Franks were attacked by him. Some historians identify these kings.

The Kiev druzhina epic stood out for its colorfulness and wealth of information. But the figure of Rurik was not reflected in it. As for the Novgorod legends about Rurik, they were distinguished by extreme poverty. Novgorodians could not remember a single campaign of their first “prince.” They knew nothing about the circumstances of his death, the location of the grave, etc. The story about Rurik’s brothers bears the stamp of fiction.

The first historical act of the Norman Russians was a bloody and devastating raid on Constantinople in 860. The Byzantines described it as eyewitnesses. Having become acquainted with their chronicles two centuries later, the chroniclers attributed the campaign to the Novgorod prince and his “boyars” in full accordance with their view of Rurik as the first Russian prince. The boyars Askold and Dir “asked for leave” from Rurik to go on a campaign against Byzantium. Along the way, they captured Kyiv and arbitrarily called themselves princes. But Oleg killed them in 882 and began to reign in Kyiv with Rurik’s young son Igor.

According to the chronicle, “Oleg is prophetic.” These words are perceived as an indication that Oleg was a prince-priest. However, the chronicle text allows for a simpler interpretation. The name Helg in Scandinavian mythology had the meaning of “sacred”. Thus, the nickname “prophetic” was a simple translation of the name Oleg. The chronicler drew information about Oleg from the druzhina epic, which was based on sagas composed by the Norman Russians.

Oleg was a hero of Kyiv epics. The chronicle history of his war with the Greeks is permeated with folklore motifs. The prince allegedly moved to Byzantium a quarter of a century after the “reign” in Kyiv. When the Rus approached Constantinople in 907, the Greeks closed the fortress gates and blocked the bay with chains. “Prophetic” Oleg outwitted the Greeks. He ordered to put 2000 of his rooks on wheels. With a fair wind, the ships moved towards the city from the side of the field. The Greeks got scared and offered tribute. The prince won and hung his shield on the gates of Constantinople. Kyiv epics, retold by the chronicler, described Oleg’s campaign as a grandiose military enterprise. But this attack of the Rus was not noticed by the Greeks and was not reflected in any Byzantine chronicle.

The campaign “in boats on wheels” led to the conclusion of a peace favorable to the Rus in 911. Oleg’s success can be explained by the fact that the Greeks remembered the pogrom committed by the Rus in 860, and hastened to pay off the barbarians when they reappeared at the walls of Constantinople in 907 Payment for peace on the frontiers was not burdensome for the rich imperial treasury. But to the barbarians, the “gold and pavoloks” (pieces of precious fabrics) received from the Greeks seemed like enormous wealth.

The Kiev chronicler recorded the legend that Oleg was a prince “among the Varangians” and in Kyiv he was surrounded by Varangians: “Oleg is the prince in Kiev and the Varangian men are with him.” In the West, the Varangians from Kievan Rus were called Rus, or Normans. Bishop Liutprand of Cremona, who visited Constantinople in 968, listed all the main neighbors of Byzantium, including the Rus, “whom we (residents of Western Europe - R.S.) otherwise call Normans.” Data from chronicles and annals are confirmed in the text of Oleg and Igor’s agreements with the Greeks. Oleg's treaty of 911 begins with the words: “we are from the Russian clan of Karla, Inegelf, Farlof, Veremud... like the message from Oleg...” All the Rus who participated in the conclusion of the treaty of 911 were undoubtedly Normans. The text of the agreement does not indicate the participation of merchants in negotiations with the Greeks. The Norman army, or rather its leaders, concluded an agreement with Byzantium.

The largest campaigns of the Rus against Constantinople in the 10th century. took place during a period when the Normans created for themselves extensive strongholds at a close distance from the borders of the empire. These points began to turn into the possessions of the most successful leaders, who there themselves turned into the owners of the conquered territories.

Oleg’s treaty with Byzantium in 911 included a list of persons sent to the emperor “from Oleg, the Grand Duke of Russia, and from everyone who is under the hands of his bright and great princes and his great boyars.” By the time of Oleg’s invasion, the Byzantines had very vague ideas about the internal order of the Rus and the titles of their leaders. But they still noticed that “Grand Duke” Oleg had other “bright and great princes” subordinate to him. The title of the kings reflected a fact aptly noted by the Greeks: the equality of military leaders - the Norman Vikings, who gathered “at the hand” of Oleg to march against the Greeks.

From the Tale of Bygone Years it follows that both the semi-legendary Askold and Dir, and King Oleg collected tribute only from the Slavic tribes on the territory of the Khazar Kaganate, without encountering resistance from the Khazars. Oleg declared to the Khazar tributaries - the northerners: “I am disgusting to them (the Khazars - R.S.) ...” But that was all. There is evidence that in Kyiv before the beginning of the 10th century. there was a Khazar garrison. Thus, the power of the kagan over the surrounding tribes was not nominal. If the Russians had to wage a long war with the Khazars, memories of it would certainly be reflected in folklore and on the pages of the chronicle. The complete absence of this kind of recollection leads to the conclusion that Khazaria sought to avoid a collision with the militant Normans and let their flotillas pass through its possessions to the Black Sea when this met the diplomatic goals of the Khaganate. It is known that the Khazars pursued the same policy towards the Normans in the Volga region. With the consent of the Kagan, the kings descended along the Volga into the Caspian Sea and ravaged the rich cities of Transcaucasia. Without conducting major military operations against the Khazars, their “allies” the Rus nevertheless robbed the Khazar tributaries through whose lands they passed, since they had no other way to provide themselves with food.

The short-lived Norman Khaganates that appeared in Eastern Europe in the early period were the least likely to resemble durable state formations. After successful campaigns, the leaders of the Normans, having received rich booty, most often left their camps and went home to Scandinavia. No one in Kyiv knew for sure where Oleg died. According to an early version, the prince, after a campaign against the Greeks, returned through Novgorod to his homeland (“across the sea”), where he died from a snake bite. The Novgorod chronicler recorded a local Ladoga legend that Oleg, after the campaign, passed through Novgorod to Ladoga and “there is his grave in Ladoza.” Kyiv chronicler of the 12th century. could not agree with these versions. In the eyes of the Kyiv patriot, the first Russian prince could not die anywhere except Kyiv, where “there is his grave to this day, as Olgov’s grave says.” By the 12th century. more than one king Oleg could have been buried in Kyiv soil, so the chronicler’s words about “Olga’s grave” were not fiction. But it is impossible to say whose remains rested in this grave.

Bibliography

1. Skrynnikov R.G. Russian history. IX-XVII centuries (www.lants.tellur.ru)

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 in 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.

History of Ancient Rus'. She's so interesting. After all, in those distant times everything was just beginning. The state of Rus' was created, the first princes began to rule, a system of law and taxes was formed, the first international treaties were signed. Therefore, many questions always arise about this period - the period of Ancient Rus'.

Who was the first prince in Rus'? According to the “Norman” theory - Rurik, who became the founder of the first dynasty of rulers of Rus' - the Rurikids, and according to the “anti-Norman” theory - Oleg. Therefore, they are considered the first princes. But not everything is so simple in the history of Ancient Rus'. Rurik had a son - Igor. However, after the death of his father, he was still too young to rule Russia. His time will yet come. In the meantime, Oleg, one of Rurik’s warriors, becomes prince.

Who was the first prince of Moscow? He became Daniil Alexandrovich, the son of Alexander Nevsky. He laid the foundation for the Moscow dynasty. And this happened much later than the founding of Moscow by Yu. Dolgoruky in 1147. Only during the reign of Nevsky did the Moscow principality become a separate inheritance.

Thus, although the word “first” presupposes one person, it so happens that everyone - Rurik, Oleg, Igor and Daniil - can rightfully be called the first.

What were they like, these princes, how did their reign go down in the history of great Russia?

Rurik (862-879)

In 862, the Ilmen tribes invited the Varangian princes to rule - there were many strife between the Russians, they could not restore order on their land.

It was Rurik and his brothers. Rurik, as a strong, powerful personality, began to rule in Ladoga - the center of the Ilmen tribes, and then in Novgorod. And the subsequent princes, and then the kings, began to be called Rurikovich. We know little about his reign; scant information is given about him in Nestor’s “Tale of Bygone Years.” But it is Rurik who is depicted as the central figure on the monument “Millennium of Rus'” by M. Mikeshin in Novgorod. This is to give the memory of the grateful descendants of the first prince of Rus'.

Oleg (979-912)

Who was the first Russian prince in Rus'? The answer to this question is that Oleg. He freed the tribes from tribute to the Khazars, and built so many cities that foreign travelers began to call Rus' “Gardarika,” a country of cities. He named Kyiv the capital of Rus', signed the first trade agreement with Byzantium, Rus' under Oleg became a strong state. It was Oleg who first used a psychological attack against the enemy. During the capture of Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, Oleg ordered the boats to be put on wheels. You can imagine how frightened the Greeks were when they saw the boats racing across the sand! Yes, Oleg was smart, brave, courageous - truly Prophetic.

Igor (912-945)

Igor's reign was less colorful than that of his predecessor Oleg. And he came to power already in adulthood, it is no coincidence that the people called him Igor the Old. And he was too greedy; during polyudye, that is, collecting tribute, Igor often increased the size of this tribute too much, and sometimes even went to the tribe a second time to collect it. Igor paid for this - the Drevlyan tribe killed Igor and his warriors during the secondary collection of taxes. Trade agreements with Byzantium were also not very beneficial to Rus'.

Daniil Alexandrovich - first Moscow prince (1261-1303)

Daniil Alexandrovich was a cautious, cunning and thrifty prince. His smart and thoughtful policy led to the fact that the Moscow principality almost doubled in size, became stronger and more powerful. He managed to loudly declare the special position of the principality, claiming dominance. The prince was canonized by the church, and one of the first monasteries in Moscow, which he once founded - in Danilov, is now the residence of the Patriarch of All Rus'.

All the supreme rulers of Rus' contributed a lot to its development. Thanks to the power of the ancient Russian princes, the country was built, expanded territorially, and provided with protection to fight the enemy. Many buildings were built that today have become an international historical and cultural landmark. Rus' has been replaced by a dozen rulers. Kievan Rus finally disintegrated after the death of Prince Mstislav.
The collapse occurred in 1132. Separate, independent states were formed. All territories have lost their value.

Princes of Rus' in chronological order

The first princes in Rus' (the table is presented below) appeared thanks to the Rurik dynasty.

Prince Rurik

Rurik ruled the Novgorodians near the Varangian Sea. Therefore, it had two names: Novgorod, Varangian. After the death of his brothers, Rurik remained the only ruler in Rus'. He was married to Efanda. His assistants. They looked after the household and held courts.
Rurik's reign in Rus' took place from 862 to 879. Afterwards, two brothers Dir and Askold killed him and took the city of Kyiv into power.

Prince Oleg (Prophetic)

Dir and Askold did not rule for long. Oleg, Efanda’s brother, decided to take matters into his own hands. Oleg was famous throughout Rus' for his intelligence, strength, courage, and authority.He captured the cities of Smolensk, Lyubech and Constantinople into his possessions. Made the city of Kyiv the capital of the Kyiv state. Killed Askold and Dir.Igor became Oleg's adopted son and his direct heir to the throne.In his state lived the Varangians, Slovaks, Krivichi, Drevlyans, Northerners, Polyans, Tivertsy, and Ulichs.

In 909 Oleg met a sage-magician who told him:
“You will soon die from a snake bite because you will abandon your horse.” It so happened that the prince abandoned the horse, exchanging it for a new, younger one.
In 912, Oleg learned that his horse had died. He decided to go to the place where the remains of the horse lay.

Oleg asked:
- Will this horse cause me to die? And then, a poisonous snake crawled out of the horse’s skull. The snake bit him, after which Oleg died. The prince's funeral lasted several days with all honors, because he was considered the strongest ruler.

Prince Igor

Immediately after Oleg’s death, the throne was taken by his stepson (Rurik’s own son) Igor. The dates of the prince's reign in Rus' vary from 912 to 945. His main task was to maintain the unity of the state. Igor defended his state from the attacks of the Pechenegs, who periodically made attempts to take over Russia. All tribes that were members of the state regularly paid tribute.
In 913, Igor married a young Pskov girl, Olga. He met her by chance in the city of Pskov. During his reign, Igor suffered quite a few attacks and battles. Fighting with the Khazars, he lost all his best army. After which, he had to re-create the armed defense of the state.

Princess Saint Olga

After the death of her husband Igor, his wife Olga took the throne. Despite the fact that she was a woman, she was able to rule all of Kievan Rus. In this difficult task, she was helped by her intelligence, intelligence and courage. All the qualities of a ruler came together in one woman and helped her cope well with the rule of the state. She took revenge on the greedy Drevlyans for the death of her husband. Their city of Korosten soon became part of her possessions. Olga is the first of the Russian rulers to convert to Christianity.

Svyatoslav Igorevich

Olga waited a long time for her son to grow up. And having reached adulthood, Svyatoslav fully became the ruler of Rus'. The years of the prince's reign in Rus' from 964 to 972. Svyatoslav already at the age of three became the direct heir to the throne. But since he physically could not rule Kievan Rus, he was replaced by his mother, Saint Olga. Throughout his childhood and adolescence, the child learned about military affairs. I learned to be brave and belligerent. In 967, his army defeated the Bulgarians. After the death of his mother, in 970, Svyatoslav launched an invasion of Byzantium. But the forces were not equal. He was forced to sign a peace treaty with Byzantium. Svyatoslav had three sons: Yaropolk, Oleg, Vladimir. After Svyatoslav returned back to Kyiv, in March 972, the young prince was killed by the Pechenegs. From his skull, the Pechenegs forged a gilded pie bowl.

After the death of his father, the throne was taken by one of the sons, the prince of Ancient Rus' (table below) Yaropolk.

Yaropolk Svyatoslavovich

Despite the fact that Yaropolk, Oleg, Vladimir were siblings, they were never friends. Moreover, they constantly fought with each other.
All three wanted to rule Russia. But Yaropolk won the fight. Sent his siblings outside the country. During his reign, he managed to conclude a peaceful, eternal treaty with Byzantium. Yaropolk wanted to make friends with Rome. Many were not happy with the new ruler. There was a lot of permissiveness. The pagans, together with Vladimir (Yaropolk’s brother), successfully seized power into their own hands. Yaropolk had no choice but to simply flee the country. He began to live in the city of Roden. But some time later, in 980, he was killed by the Varangians. Yaropolk decided to make an attempt to capture Kyiv for himself, but it all ended in failure. During his short reign, Yaropolk failed to make global changes in Kievan Rus, because he was famous for his peacefulness.

Vladimir Svyatoslavovich

Novgorod Prince Vladimir was the youngest son of Prince Svyatoslav. Ruled Kievan Rus from 980 to 1015. He was warlike, courageous, and possessed all the necessary qualities that a ruler of Kievan Rus should have had. Performed all the functions of a prince in ancient Rus'.

During his reign,

• built defenses along the Desna, Trubezh, Osetra, and Sula rivers.
• Many beautiful buildings were built.
• Made Christianity the state religion.

Thanks to his great contribution to the development and prosperity of Kievan Rus, he received the nickname “Vladimir the Red Sun.” He had seven sons: Svyatopolk, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Mstislav, Svyatoslav, Boris, Gleb. He divided his lands equally among all his sons.

Svyatopolk Vladimirovich

Immediately after the death of his father in 1015, he became the ruler of Rus'. Part of Rus' was not enough for him. He wanted to take possession of the entire Kyiv state and decided to get rid of his brothers. First, on his orders, it was necessary to kill Gleb, Boris, and Svyatoslav. But this did not bring him happiness. Without arousing the approval of the people, he was expelled from Kyiv. For help in the war with his brothers, Svyatopolk turned to his father-in-law, who was the king of Poland. He helped his son-in-law, but the rule of Kievan Rus did not last long. In 1019 he had to flee from Kyiv. That same year he committed suicide, as his conscience tormented him because he had killed his brothers.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich (Wise)

He ruled Kievan Rus from 1019 to 1054. He was nicknamed the Wise because he had an amazing mind, wisdom, and courage, inherited from his father. He built two large cities: Yaroslavl, Yuryev. He treated his people with care and understanding. One of the first princes who introduced a set of laws into the state called “Russian Truth”. Following his father, he divided the land equally between his sons: Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, Vsevolod, Igor and Vyacheslav. From birth, he instilled in them peace, wisdom, and love of people.

Izyaslav Yaroslavovich First

Immediately after the death of his father, he ascended the throne. He ruled Kievan Rus from 1054 to 1078. He was the only prince in history who could not cope with his responsibilities. His assistant was his son Vladimir, without whom Izyaslav would simply have destroyed Kievan Rus.

Svyatopolk

The spineless prince took over the rule of Kievan Rus immediately after the death of his father Izyaslav. Ruled from 1078 to 1113.
It was difficult for him to find a common language with the ancient Russian princes (table below). During his reign, there was a campaign against the Polovtsians, in the organization of which Vladimir Monomakh helped him. They won the battle.

Vladimir Monomakh

After the death of Svyatopolk, Vladimir was elected ruler in 1113. Served the state until 1125. Smart, honest, brave, reliable, courageous. It was these qualities of Vladimir Monomakh that helped him rule Kievan Rus and be loved by the people. He is the last of the princes of Kievan Rus (table below) who managed to preserve the state in its original form.

Attention

All wars with the Polovtsians ended in victory.

Mstislav and the Collapse of Kievan Rus

Mstislav is the son of Vladimir Monomakh. He ascended the throne as ruler in 1125. He was similar to his father not only in appearance, but also in character, in the way he ruled Russia. The people treated him with respect. In 1134 he transferred the rule to his brother Yaropolk. Which contributed to the development of turmoil in the history of Russia. The Monomakhovichs lost their throne. But soon there was a complete collapse of Kievan Rus into thirteen separate states.

The Kyiv rulers did a lot for the Russian people. During their reign, everyone diligently fought their enemies. The development of Kievan Rus as a whole was underway. Many constructions were completed, beautiful buildings, churches, schools, bridges, which were destroyed by enemies, and everything was built anew. All the princes of Kievan Rus, the table below, did a lot that made history unforgettable.

Table. Princes of Rus' in chronological order