« For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth through unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

In the Pskov Museum-Reserve, in the exposition of the Pogankin Chambers, two swords of princes are kept: a large sword with the inscription “Honorem meum nemini dabo” (I will not give my honor to anyone) supposedly belonged to Vsevolod - Gabriel (in Central Europe 12 such swords are known),and a small sword, Dovmont-Timofey (only 4 swords of this type are known in Central Europe).

Images of the Dovmont sword, which became a legendary figure during his lifetime , was on the Pskov banner and Pskov coins of the 15th century .

Pastoral interlocutor No. 20 for 1899 wrote ... "the swords of Gabriel and DOVMONT are mixed up, therefore, the sword with the signature- I will not give my honor to anyone-belongs to Dovmont.

Lives of the Saints (written by the nun Taisia ​​in France) M. 2004 P.263

"... according to the natives of the city of Pskov ... a big sword with the inscription - I will not give up my honor to anyone - I was lying on the tomb of Prince DOVMONT ... "

After canonization XIV century, the image of Dovmont with a sword appeared on Pskov coins, seals and on the Pskov flag. On them, the image of the sword surprisingly resembles the one that is now stored in the museum, where he got from the Trinity Cathedral.

« Z. Dolenga-Khodakovsky ascribes the sword hanging over the tomb of Vsevolod-Gabriel, not to this, as Karamzin does, but to Dovmont ... and the inscription on the sword is more fitting for the exploits of Dovmont, and not Vsevolod ... "

Great and appanage princes northern RUSSIA in the Tatar period from 1238-1505 A.V. Ekzemplyarsky. S/P. 1888 P.397

"The sword hanging over the tomb of Vsevolod.-Gabriel, with the inscription" Honorem meum nemini dabo "(I will not give my honor to anyone) is attributed to Karamzin - Vsevolod, but according to Z. Dolenga - Khodakovsky, it belongs to Dovmont" Encyclopedic LEXICON, St. Petersburg, volume 17. 1841. pp. 56, 57

Is it possible to restore historical truth these days?

Created two films about the swords of the Shrines of Pskov:
First film about the swords of Vsevolod-Gabriel and Dovmont-Timofey was created in 2006.

Second film about the sword of Prince Dovmont - "The Tale of the Sword and the Prince" , created in 2010 Movie premiere"The Tale of the Sword and the Prince" on the channel "Russia-1 - St. Petersburg" took place on April 30, 2011 at 10.05.

Low bow and gratitude to the creators of the film. GOOD FELLOWS!

Truly Christ is Risen!

And give me Lord , to all the creators of the film: unspeakable goodness, true love , cleansing the heart, keeping the mouth, the rightness of doing, humble wisdom, peace of thoughts, the silence of your spiritual strength, long-suffering, goodness, meekness, unhypocritical faith, temperance, and fill all the good fruits of the earth, and do not elevate you in half the days of the earth, but complete you with God's perfection ...

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A.A. Trusov

ancient walls revival

Past and present of Lida Castle

The construction of the Lida stone castle - one of the largest on the territory of Belarus (the size of the courtyard is approximately 80x80 meters) dates back to the 30s of the XIV century. Then at the head of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was Prince Gediminas, who went down in history as a talented commander, a fighter against the crusaders. He understood that only stone castles with fortified garrisons could stop the advance of the Crusaders.

In 1977, in the vicinity of Lida, during land reclamation work, a short light sword - a cord - about a meter long was found. It dates back to the 15th century. Currently exhibited in the Lida Museum of Local Lore. There are two hallmarks on its blade: Mr. Passau - "wolf" and a cross on the arc. Most likely, the sword was made in Germany, since in those days weapons made in German cities were marked with signs such as the Passau "wolf". By the way, a similar brand is on the sword of the Pskov prince Dovmont ….. (According to the research of the author E.G.D., Prince Gedimin was the nephew of Pskov Dovmont)

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A.R. Andreev. Prince Dovmont of Pskov. Documentary biography. Historical chronicle XIII century. Moscow 1998 S.56-57

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In 2002, having arrived in Pskov for the second time, the author went to Pskov State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve, see the sword of Prince Dovmont.Only two swords of this period are known in our country. Both of them are named. One, according to legend, belonged to the prince Dovmont Mindovgovich.

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Maxim Korshev (St. Petersburg)

SWORD OF DOVMONT SWORD OF THE PEACEKEEPER

At the beginning of work with the Dovmont sword, we were faced with the task of simply restoring the front plate of the cap, which was lost during the evacuation. Then, in the course of researching the materials necessary for a reliable restoration of the lost element, facts were found out that are of great importance for confirming the authenticity of the age of the sword. Therefore, I want to consider them in more detail.

Judging by the shape of the blade, Dovmont's sword belongs to XV type, according to the classification developed by E. Oakeshott. These blades were used from the middle XIII th century, they were intended for stabbing, although they were equally good at chopping. Their appearance is associated with the transition from chain mail to combined chain mail and plate armor, against which the chopping swords used until that time were not effective. Here is how Oakeshott describes it: “... during almost all XIIIn the 1900s, the protective armor of the knight practically did not change, the typical kit at that time consisted of a long chain mail with a hood (hauberg), chain mail stockings and a round or conical helmet. Only at the end of the century did armor begin to be reinforced with metal plates attached to leather fittings. This process in X IIIth century, it becomes widespread, chain mail armor is covered from above with a leather cuirass with metal plates riveted on it, shoulders, arms and legs are also protected by additional plate armor. Thus, the form of a double-edged blade, designed only for delivering a chopping blow, became ineffective, a blade was needed that could not only cut, but also stab, striking at the joints of the lamellar armor.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to clarify that plate armor spread first of all in the Latin East, in the South and Western Europe, in the North and East, chain mail armor was in wide use until the end XIII-th century ... "

This form of blade was so successful that it was actively used for more than 250 years until the first quarter of XVI th century. Currently in Europe there are several examples of swords with this blade shape and many images in the sculptural decorations of cathedrals and paintings (see tables 6.7, 10 - 12)

There is no doubt that the sword of Dovmont is the oldest type of specimen that has survived to this day. XV , especially considering the fact that his age is confirmed in chronicle sources XIII -th century, the 1st Pskov chronicle describes the battle with the knights under the walls of Pskov, where Dovmont wounds the Meister of the Order with a stab in the face.

In addition, additional details confirming the date of creation of this sword are the details of the decoration of the hilt, which include, for example, a floral ornament on the pommel and facing of the guard. It has been widely used in European decorative arts from the end XI -th century. Examples of similar motifs in images XI-XIII centuries given by me in tables 8 and 9.

The ornament that adorned the front plate of the hat, the image of which has come down to us only thanks to photographic images of the beginning XX century, also indirectly confirms the fact that we have original sword of the prince.

This detail will be discussed in more detail below (see Table 1).

In the picture in the Pskov guide for 1913, all the lost details of the decoration of the sword hilt are perfectly visible. This is a large translucent stone of a round shape in the pommel and the front plate of the so-called hat, which in the English tradition is called " rain-guard ”, because he protected the place of articulation of the clinkas with a guard from moisture and dirt. A photograph of the hilt, taken in 1913, clearly shows the image of crossed palm branches on the front plate of the cap.

Unfortunately, we only had a black and white image, which did not allow us to accurately determine the color of the stone that adorned the pommel, here we were helped by the watercolor of the middle XIX century, which shows that the stone was purple. We will return to a detailed study of which stone and why adorned the pommel of Dovmont's sword a little later. I would like to start with a substantive examination of the cap plate.

1. Symbolism of the sword - Crossed palm branches

The image of crossed palm branches is a symbolic image of the motto of the Palestinian period of the Knights Hospitaller: - obsequium pauperum (service to the poor) and Tuitio fidei(defense of faith), later this emblem has another interpretation - « defense of justice and mercy » - defense of justice and mercy.

It is clear that any statement needs facts to support it. Such facts in our case can be the images of this symbol on similar details of surviving swords, or on objects directly related to the Order of the Hospital of John the Baptist in Jerusalem.

Therefore, I ask you to carefully read the image of the Visconti sword (see table 2). This sword is described in detail by E. Oakeshott in his book “The Sword in the Age of Chivalry”, but we are only interested in that part of the description, which refers to the details of interest to us that correspond to the details of the decoration of the Dovmont sword.

XV type, sword from Monza, owned by Estora Visconti ( EstoreVisconti)

This well-preserved sword was found in the stone sarcophagus of Estor Visconti, Ruler of Milan in 1412-13. The pommel is adorned with silver shields engraved with the Visconti Serpent and the Cross of Milan. The handle of the hilt has a wooden base, which is wrapped with twisted two-core wire, with traces of gilding. Silver cap, decorated with a floral ornamental image (two crossed palm branches in bloom) on the surviving front part. In addition, the image of the branches is framed by shading along empty field, and also has a border in the form of a pigtail. This pigtail means that Estore was a member "Shaggy Brotherhood" ( Zopfgesellschaft ) chivalric community, established Albrecht IIIGrand Duke of Austria ( the archduke Albrecht III or Austria). In addition, the Visconti family rendered great services to the Order of Hospitallers, for which they were granted the honorary right to be "Knights of Piety" ( Chevaliers de devotion), that is, to be knights of the order, without taking monastic vows. The back plate of the hat is lost, but there is a description where Estore's initials are indicated: H. V., (Hestor Viscomes ). This sword is currently kept in the treasury of the Basilica of San Giovanni Batista ( Basilica of San Giovanni Battista), in Monza.

Interestingly, the technique for working out the image of the branches is similar to what we see in the photo of Dovmont's sword, where the crossed palm branches are also framed by hatching, despite the fact that the age difference between them is more than 100 years!

True, it may turn out that the age difference between the sword blades themselves is much smaller, since the Italians began to use such a form of guard, like that of the Visconti sword, just from the middle XIII-goveka.

The next sword, with a similar image on the cap, is in the collection of the Glasgow Museum, the time of its manufacture can be determined as the period between 1320-1340 (see table 3). The shape of the front plate is very similar to the cap from Dovmont's sword, although this cap is made of iron and is gilded only at the edges. The shape of the guard is similar to the Visconti sword and is defined as typically Italian, but this cap has come down to us intact, so that it gave an opportunity to imagine how the cap usually looked.

Judging by the decoration, this sword is of a lesser noble knight, unlike the swords of Ethore Visconti and Dovmont.

In addition to being applied to the caps of swords, the symbol of crossed palm branches also adorned the coat of arms of the Order, starting from XV century, it is possible that this happened earlier, but the actual materials that could confirm this for us have not been preserved. It was also used in the coats of arms of the lands that belonged to the Order. Until now, this symbol can be found on the coats of arms of Malta, Cyprus and on the coat of arms of the city of Saint-Etienne in France, which was part of one of the order bailages in France (see table 4).

In addition, many modern organizations responsible for the balance in international relations, such as the UN, have chosen palm branches as their symbol. An interesting echo between the goals of these modern peace organizations and the Order can also be found in the Charter of the Order, written by Master Raymond de Puy, and where it says literally the following:

“… II. Let him stand firmly for the Christian faith; Yes, he always adheres to justice; offended yes helps; let the oppressed defend and liberate; pagans, infidels and Mohammedans, let him persecute according to the example of the Maccabees, who persecuted the enemies of the people of God; let it belong to all Christian virtues; let him take care of widows and orphans. But those who break this rule are subject to temporal and eternal punishment ...

…XVIII. Do not oblige yourself with an oath to anyone in the world; let no warship be equipped without the consent and foreknowledge of the Grand Master; when there is a war between two Christian sovereigns, let them not cling to either side, but do everything possible to end the strife and to establish harmony and peace between them ... "

(translated by I. Antoshevsky)

1.2.The Order of Hospitallers and Eastern Europe

On the territory of modern Poland and the Baltic states, except for Teutonic Order there were extensive possessions of the Templars and Hospitallers. The Order of the Hospitallers had land holdings in Poland. Here is an excerpt from the book by I. Antoshevsky "The Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, called Maltese in Russia." (St. Petersburg, 1914): - ... many kings and sovereign lords of Christian states donated money and lands to the Johnites, from which large land formations were formed, called commanderships or commanders, deducting part of their income to the order treasury. The knights who ruled them were called commanders or commanders, and were subordinate to the priors or Grand Priors-Provincials, who controlled all the commanders. Commanderships were bailages or grand commanderies, bailage-priorships and Grand Priories, priories were united into "Languages" (or "Nations"). First land holdings Johnites outside Palestine became the priory of Saint-Gilles in Provence and the commanderies in Champagne and Aquitaine. At the beginning of the XIV century. Johnites had about 30 priories in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. Among the Polish lands was also the commandery with the center in Pilau.

The most interesting thing is that the Polish knights never had much interest in the affairs of the Holy Land, nevertheless, ¾ of all the hospices in the kingdom belonged to the Hospitallers and the Templars!

In addition, the Hospitallers often acted as arbitrators in disputes about the collection of church tithes, according to the privileges granted to the order.

Here is an excerpt from the work of Cherenkov I. “The History of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem”:

-The Roman popes constantly gave privileges to the Johnites, excluding them from the subordination of the local secular and spiritual authorities, giving them the right to collect church tithes in their favor. The priests of the Order reported only to the Chapter and the Grand Master.

In 1143, Pope Innocent II issued a special bull, according to which the Order of St. John was not subject to either spiritual or secular authorities- only directly to the pope himself.

The hierarchy of the Order of the Johnites - knights, priests and brothers-hospitallers - was approved by Pope Alexander IV later, in 1259. Further privileges were granted to the Order by Pope Adrian IV, Alexander III, Innocent IV, and Pope Clement IV awarded the head of the Order the title: "Grand Master of the Holy Hospital of Jerusalem and Rector of the Host of Christ."

Thus, it can be assumed that the sword of Dovmont is directly related to the events associated with the Catholic baptism of the first Lithuanian king Mindovg, in the process of which not only the knights of the Teutonic Order, as previously thought, but also the hospitalists were involved.

Moreover, towards the middle XIII century, the conflict for primacy in Livonia between the Order of the Teutons and the Bishop of Riga ended in the collapse of the hopes of the Knights of the Order of Mary of the Teutonic Order, since the Bishop of Riga, who was the prince of the Empire from 1207, from the end of 1242, officially turned into an Archbishop. The final point in the dispute was put by Pope Innocent IV . In his bull of July 27, 1243, it is explicitly stated: - that the bishops of Prussia submit to the jurisdiction of the archbishop of Riga. - The pope was not interested in further confrontation between the two levers of Catholic influence in the Baltics, the Order and the archbishop.

For the final settlement of the dispute, he sends a legate to Livonia in 1252, possibly accompanied by the Knights of the Hospital, who at that moment owned land in Prussia (Pilau Commandery). This delegation also delivers gifts for the newly converted Christian king of Lithuania and a symbolic deed of gift, according to which, the pope returns the lands of Lithuania to Mindovg as a legitimate Christian ruler.

In addition to the crown, the chronicle speaks of gifts, among which only the Gospel presented to Queen Martha is specifically described. The list of gifts to Mindovg has not been preserved, but according to the then-existing tradition of enthronement, among the gifts should have been a sword blessed by the pope. This sword, quite possibly, is our "sword of Dovmont". Moreover, the Christian king had two symbols of power - this is a power that personified power over the lands and a sword - a symbol of the Supreme Fair Court. (See table 10)

Here is an interesting remark on this subject from the work of the famous Polish historian Zdzhislaw Zhigulsky “The weapon of the knights is the weapon of the plebeians”: - Used at the coronation and knighting ceremony, he (the sword) personified the symbol of the High Court, which is in the hands of the king, or pope or bishop. For centuries, the popes blessed the swords that were sent along with the crown to the converted monarchs, the defenders of the faith..

Again, a sword with the emblems of the Hospitallers, as zealots of Christianity and catholic church, carried a very specific meaning - to help its owner become a true servant of the throne of St. Peter and the support of Christianity in the Baltics. From the chronicles it is known how active Mindovgu is in the organization royalty the knights of the order helped, starting from 1251, because they had accumulated vast experience in matters of state structure, as evidenced by positive example their possessions in the Holy Land. At the same time, it should be noted that in none of the Russian or Lithuanian annals that have come down to us is there a clear division of the knight brothers according to their order of affiliation.

2. Symbolism of the sword - Pommel stone

Now it is necessary to dwell in more detail on the pommel of the sword.

The fact is that when preparing materials for the restoration work, we had to use two sources, this is a black-and-white photo from the All Pskov guide for 1909. and Kazarin's watercolor, which shows a deep purple color.

Theoretically, it could be sapphires, since the color scheme of these stones sometimes coincides. Here the history of the use of precious stones in Europe in the Middle Ages came to the rescue, where it was possible to find very interesting information that helped to eliminate all ambiguous questions.
Sapphire

It turns out that sapphire is a stone of power, but not spiritual, but secular . Sapphire was the 4th stone in the foundation of Heavenly Jerusalem, according to the Old Testament. It was the sapphire that adorned the famous ring of Solomon, which was the beginning of the legend, according to which, sapphire gives its owner wisdom in state affairs and helps to distinguish reasonable associates from charlatans and flatterers. They decorate the crowns of rulers throughout Europe, so the crown of the Russian Empress Irina Godunova was decorated in a circle with very large sapphires and densely colored amethysts. Some princes of the church, along with their high ecclesiastical position, were at the same time rulers of vast estates, and it was they who began to wear rings with sapphires, thereby showing their high secular position.

Amethyst

In the Middle Ages, amethyst was highly valued in the East and in Europe, where it was considered preferable for decorating church items and priestly clothes.

Until the 17th century, amethyst was not inferior in value to a diamond. In the Christian faith, amethyst was the stone of the Apostle Matthew. Bishop Andrew of Caesarea wrote that amethyst is similar to the Apostle Matthew, whose speeches were filled with heavenly fire and an ardent desire to serve the Lord.

When consecrated to the rank of cardinal, the pope handed him a ring with amethyst, which is why in Catholic countries the stone was called episcopal, pastoral, and in Russia bishops. Cardinal rings were worn on the fourth finger right hand, over the glove. See Table 8 for an example of such a ring.

Amethyst is certainly present on many church items, as it is believed that amethyst helps to direct "rushing souls" to the true faith.

High-ranking pastors and princes of the church love to decorate their mitres, kamilavkas, klobuks, panagias, pectoral crosses, salaries of icons, Gospels, church bowls for communion with purple gems. Famous relics, in the design of which amethyst was used: the cross-archimandrite of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Innokenty Gizel; the icon of the Assumption of the Mother of God from the iconostasis of the main altar of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra; the icon of the Mother of God with Three Hands from Nizhny Tagil; malachite cross with amethyst inserts; amethyst rosary of the English Queen Charlotte. Large, perfectly matched amethysts shine on the icon of the Mother of God Seeking the Lost (XVIII century) in the Church of the Resurrection in Moscow. In the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin, amethysts frame the massive binding of the Morozov Gospel in a chain; they glow with a pale purple pleasant color on the icon "Almighty" of 1648, "Our Lady of Smolensk" of about the same period.

One of the largest amethysts in the world adorns the English crown.

Thus, amethyst is equally revered by its sacred connection with the ideas of Christianity, both in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions.

To the above, we can add a few more interesting facts from the history of the use of amethyst. Here is what the hero of A. Frans' novel "The Amethyst Ring" says about the cardinal ring: - The bishop wears his ring. As a symbol of his spiritual marriage with the church, and therefore the ring must, in a certain sense, express by its very appearance the idea of ​​​​purity and a strict life -… In Christian symbolism, it denotes modesty and humility. The earliest extant cardinal amethyst rings date from 10th century. FROM XII-th century, the right to wear amethyst rings was granted by Pope Innocent II, as a privilege to individual abbots of the "Zealous of the Faith" from among the order brethren and those who were engaged in conversion to Christianity in the "barbarian lands".

AT Holy Scripture we also find repeated references to Amethyst, in particular, amethyst is the twelfth stone in the foundation of the Wall of Heavenly Jerusalem (Rev., XXI ,20) and is one of the 12 stones in the Breastplate (pectoral) of the high priest Aaron (Exodus, XXXIX, 12).

Even more interesting information leads scientist and alchemist XVI th century Conrad of Megenberg. In his research on the beneficial properties of amethyst, he writes the following: ... in a German manuscript about affairs in the Holy Land of the 12th century, it is said that some noble knights from the number of God's army adorned their swords with dark-colored amethysts in order to avoid wounds in battle, devilish machinations and not get sick from bad winds (leprosy, plague, cholera) …

I think that these examples are enough to accept, as possible, the proposed version of the stones that adorned the pommel of the sword of St. Dovmont.

3. Blade of the sword

In the final part of the report, I want to carefully consider the blade of the sword.

The fact is that the blade itself was thoroughly described by Professor A. N. Kirpichnikov in many of his works on the study of weapons that were widespread in the territory medieval Russia. The conclusions set out in the studies are undeniable, since they coincide with the results of similar studies conducted by European experts in medieval weapons in their countries. Therefore, it is sufficient to confine themselves to listing them in the Annexes (see Table 5). Let me take a closer look at what has so far been left without due attention, or mentioned in passing. This is how the blades of the masters from Passau turned into swords.

The period of the Crusades brought Europe not only a lot of new knowledge, fashion for clothes, the works of great thinkers and scientists, it also brought the globalization of weapons production.

Some rudiments of this process were noticed earlier, take at least the famous Frankish swords with the brandINGELRI spread throughout Europe from X th century. But the appearance of frequent references to gunsmith corporations only begins at the end XI th century. The new trading situation required fresh solutions and they were found. Obviously, war has always been not only profitable, but also very expensive. Therefore, when starting hostilities, the rulers of Europe wanted to prepare as thoroughly as possible, any knight wanted to be sure of the quality of his weapons. In turn, the blacksmith-gunsmith also wanted to get the maximum profit for his work. As a result of these processes, such a phenomenon as " brand name ". This is no longer the private brand that single blacksmiths of former times used to mark their products. A brand is a brand of quality that was put on a weapon after it was thoroughly checked by a select group of recognized masters, this group of specialists was in the workshop system at the same time the quality control department, the directorate, and the legal department. At the same time, the right to own a brand was also preserved, but certified by a corporate one, it grew significantly in price.

The oldest mention of the brand "wolf" is contained in an excerpt from an old chronicle XIV -govek, cited by Leber in his work “The Imperial Storehouse in Vienna”, where it is reported that the city blacksmiths received the sign of the wolf from Albrecht II the Lame (1298-1358). This fact is referred to by the foremen of the Passau armory in a complaint about the pirate use of the "running wolf" by blacksmiths from Solingen, dated 1464. But there is no doubt that the craftsmen who worked in the armory workshops of the local bishop began to affix this stigma much earlier, since the “wolf” was the heraldic symbol of the bishops of the land of Passau from the end XII th century, the wolf appears on the coat of arms of the city much later. This is how the city seal of the beginning was preserved. XIV -th century, which depicts St. Stephen at whose feet a shield with a wolf.

There is no doubt that the masters from Passau were well versed in protective armor and combat techniques. Because without this it is impossible to create a blade that, once in a skillful hand, is guaranteed to reach the goal.

Here it is appropriate to recall again the territory where this form of the blade has become most widespread - this is Western and Southern, which includes the Holy Land, parts of Europe. It was in these territories that, as a result of wars with the Moors and Saracens, plate armor spread everywhere. This fact is quite seriously covered in the works of E. Oakeshott, who erroneously wrote that there were practically no examples of such a blade left in the East and North of Europe, not knowing about the existence of the Dovmont sword.

Now let's move on to the hilt of the sword. First of all, the shape of the guard draws attention to itself.

4. Guard of the sword

Its ends are smoothly bent towards the blade, resembling a crescent moon. This form is typical for the products of Italian masters. XIII - XV centuries. Many guard images, similar to the guard of the Dovmont sword can be found in painting and sculpture (see table 6).

It can be said that this form of the guard at that time shared the "palm" with the form of the guard of the Visconti sword. In addition, the decoration of the guard by wrapping it in a thin gilded silver sheet is also typical of Italian masters. An indirect confirmation of this version can be the second mark on the blade Dovmont sword and, possibly, in the form of a Unicorn, since a similar mark is found on silver dishes from the collection of the Vienna Museum, made by Italian craftsmen.

True, it must be said that some masters from Passau also used the Unicorn as their own hallmark. A sword with a similar brand is described by Oakeshott in the book "The Sword in the Age of Chivalry", it is in the collection National Museum in Copenhagen, only there the blade type is not XV, but XVI a and it was made between 1320 - 1340. In addition, the floral ornament that decorates the edging of the guard and the pommel is typical of the style of the Italian jewelry workshops of Pisa and Genoa. It was Italian jewelers who often worked for the Hospitaller Order because it was profitable. According to the bull of Pope Innocent II of 1143, any merchants or artisans who carried out orders for the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of John were exempt from paying any local taxes! Most likely, the weapons shop from Passau had the same relief, being under the patronage of the bishop. This is another reason why it was not only prestigious, but also profitable to forge the “wolf” brand.

In general, one can even roughly trace the path that passed the sword of Dovmont, in the course of its creation:

-at the beginning, the Order ordered a blade, paying for it through one of the Italian banks

- the branch of the bank in Passau paid the workshop a fee for the manufacture of the blade and ensured its delivery to the Italian workshop, which was engaged in the manufacture of hilts and scabbards

-finished sword from the hilt workshop, delivered to the customer in any of the Priories of the Order.

How widespread this practice was at that time can be judged by interesting facts from the history of the Order, given in the book by I. Antoshevsky "The Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, called the Order of Malta in Russia." SPb., 1914

Similar information is provided by modern researchers of the history of the Order Andreev A., Zakharov V., Nastenko I. in their book “History of the Order of Malta. XI - XX centuries. - Moscow - "Russian Panorama", 1999

“…There is little information about the production of iron-requiring equipment in the Holy Land, and practically all the weapons and armor used by the Hospitallers were imported from Europe. In the Latin East, the production of military ammunition was minimally developed, so the Hospitallers imported equipment and equipment from Western Europe, where manufacturers who collaborated with the Hospitallers were exempt from paying taxes imposed on the export of weapons ...

To everything that has been said above, one can also add from the same “History Order of Malta» the following:

At the same time, siege mechanisms were made on the spot, and Joannite castles often had ballista stone throwers in their arsenal. Where and how materials were purchased and service personnel hired remains unclear, but it is well known that all large expeditions of the Hospitallers were able to provide good siege equipment.

Despite the general high cost, the price fluctuated greatly between different items. At the end of the 12th - the middle of the 13th in Genoa, for example, a chain mail hauberg was approximately five times more expensive than a separate hood, and a cuirass and armor - light mail armor would cost half the cost of a hauberg. For comparison, there are data from Venice showing that a helmet cost 30 denarii, a sword - from 45 to 50 denarii, a knife or dagger - 20 denarii, and even a crossbow bolt - 1 denarii. In 1262, it cost 2,000 Tours silver denier to fully equip a Knight Hospitaller ( deniers de Tours ); in 1303 it cost 1500 deniers to assemble a sergeant ...

True, giving examples of prices for weapons, it must be taken into account that 45 - 50 denarii is the price of an ordinary knight's sword, since the blade from Passau itself cost at least 40 denarii . The cost of the Dovmont sword could well be 100 - 180 denarii (1000 - 1800 deniers de Tours ).

Too little information has been preserved regarding the production of weapons in the states of the crusaders in the East, it is mentioned that shields were made in Jerusalem, and crossbows - in Acre. The lack of weapons encouraged many to use the weapons of the Muslims, for example, the Templars even armed their sergeants with them.

The constant shortage of military equipment is also reflected in the growing concern of the Order that weapons only get from Europe to the Holy Land, but not back. Brethren returning to Europe were supplied with only the bare minimum, while the chief leaders who came from Europe usually carried with them what was described as "armor payment" ( passage of armor ). It was expected from ordinary brothers that they were traveling with a full military kit, and in 1293 Master Jean de Villiers issued an order according to which a brother returning from the West should also bring three more cattle - horses and pack animals ...

Summary

In the final part, I will allow myself to summarize all the facts that I have listed in this work.

1. Comparative analysis of the blade sword of Dovmont and surviving analogues confirms that it has come down to us in the form in which it belonged to its last owner, except for the wear of the left side due to frequent use and traces of corrosion of the metal that arose due to natural conditions.

2. The device of the hilt is also “native” (I mean those details of the hilt that have survived to this day)

3. The combination of elements on the hilt of the sword, according to the surviving photographs and drawings, gives us the right to assume that we have a unique example of a sword that had the symbolism of swords "Knights in Justice" (cavalieri di giustizia) who occupied all leading positions in the Order. Either this sword was made by order of the pope by the Order for a candidate for "Knights of Piety" ; this term was used by the Hospitallers for high-ranking secular sovereigns who were honorary members of the Order, but did not take monastic vows due to their high secular position, a prime example The "knight of piety" was King Richard the Lionheart of England.

4. The combination of the shape of the blade, the shape of the guard, the pattern on the silver device of the cap (the cap itself was lost during the evacuation period), the techniques for making the hilt and scabbard decorations, give the right to assume that this sword was made in the period from 1230 to 1255.

5. Judging by the technique in which the “running wolf” stamp is applied, we have in front of us a perfectly preserved sample of early blades from Passau, related to XV type, according to Oakshett's classification.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

I. A. Nastenko, Yu. V. Yashnev History of the Order of Malta., in 2 volumes, M .: "Russian Panorama", 2005

Antoshevsky I. Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem, called Maltese in Russia. SPb., 1914

Lavvis E., Rambo A. The era of the Crusades. Rusich. Smolensk. 2001

Cherenkov I. History of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Voronezh, 1803

Shepelev L. Titles, uniforms, orders in the Russian Empire. - L .: Nauka, 1991

Kirpichnikov A. N., Medvedev A. F. Section “Armament”, “Archaeology of the USSR Ancient Russia City, castle, village. M., Nauka, 1985

Kirpichnikov A. N. Military affairs in Russia in XII - XV centuries., L., 1976

N. F. Okulich-Kazarin. Companion to ancient Pskov. Pskov, 1913

Oakeshott E. The sword in the age of chivalry (Ewart Oakeshott The sword in the Age of Chivalry, Lutterworth Press, Guilford 1964)

Oakeshott E. Archeology of weapons (Oakshott R.E. The Archeology of Weapons: Arms and Armor from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry, Lutterworth Press, Guilford 1960)

Boeheim, Wendelin. Handbuch der Waffenkunde - das Waffenwesen in seinerhistorischen Entwicklung von Beginn des Mittelalters bis zum Ende des achtenJahrhunderts. Leipzih, 1890

Tobler, Christian. Secrets of German medieval Swords manship – SigmundRingeck's Commentaries on Johannes Liechtenauer's Verse. Union City (California), 2001

Royal Academy of Art The Age of Chivalry: Art in Plantagenet England 1200 – 1400, London 1987

Wallace Collection European Arms and Armour, London 1962

Dufty, A. R. European Swords and Daggers in the Towwer of London, HMSO, London 1974

Filitz, H. Vienna Kunsthistorishes Museum: Katalog der Weltlichen undder Geistlichen Schatzkammer, Vienna1968

Zdzislaw Zygulski Jr. KnightlyArms - Plebian Arms, Cracow, Poland

Maxim Korshev (St. Petersburg) made a report in the Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve in 2009.

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On January 22, 2007, a film about the swords of Vsevolod-Gabriel and Dovmont-Timofei was filmed in the Pskov Museum-Reserve. In the Pskov State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve, one of the series of documentary films under the general title "Stories about Russian weapons" was filmed, which are carried out by order and with financial support Roskultury. All films included in the series and telling about the glorious, dramatic and tragic pages of the history of our Fatherland, about the weapons of Russia and Russia, have been given the status of a national film. Filming of the film about the best models of edged weapons is carried out by the Lotus Vision film studio. According to the director of the Pskov Museum-Reserve Natalya Dubrovskaya, the shooting took place in the exposition of the Pogankin Chambers, an architectural monument of the 17th century. The main object of filming was the swords of the princes Vsevolod-Gabriel and Dovmont-Timofey, which are stored in the Pskov Museum-Reserve. One of the participants in the filming process was a doctor of historical sciences, Head of the Department of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Anatoly Kirpichnikov- one of the best Russian experts in edged weapons. He accompanied the shooting with a story about the history of these swords. As Natalya Dubrovskaya noted, Anatoly Kirpichnikov made a clarification in the dating of the sword of Vsevolod-Gabriel, which earlier belonged to the 15th century. After additional research, Professor Kirpichnikov attributed the dating of the sword to the first third of the 14th century. "Stories about Russian edged weapons" will be ready in August this year, the premiere will take place on the channel "Culture". Note that the two-handed sword that belonged to Vsevolod-Gabriel, kept in the Pskov Museum-Reserve, is an example of Western work. On its silver crosshairs, the motto is read: “Honorem meum nemini dabo” (I will not give up my honor to anyone). From the annals it is known that Tsar Ivan the Terrible in 1570 was "surprised" by the sword prince . The second sword is the military weapon of Prince Dovmont - a sword of the 13th century made by the craftsmen of the German city of Passau. After the death of Dovmont, the people of Pskov handed over the sword to the princes invited to the throne of Pskov. The Pskov shrine was kept in the Trinity Cathedral at the cancer of the holy noble prince Dovmont. At the beginning of the 20th century, the sword was transferred to the Pskov Museum. *** ** **

13.11.2010 10:00

Sword of Timothy of Pskov. Fantasy investigation

The history of the main Pskov shrine - the sword of St. Timothy of Pskov, has never been used as the basis of a large-scale television project before. It is associated with the 13th century and the reign of Olshansky Prince Dovmont, a native of Lithuania. The exact dating of the weapon causes fierce debate, the possible ways of getting the sword to the north-west of Russia overshadow any scenarios in the medieval fantasy genre.

Six months ago, the best gunsmiths of St. Petersburg and Zlatoust created an exact replica of the Dovmont sword. The craftsmen tried to follow medieval technologies and repeated the blade in the smallest detail. At the suggestion of the famous archaeologist Professor Anatoly Kirpichnikov, the researchers drew attention to the elements of the decoration of the sword, lost after the revolution. The symbolism on the hilt and guard made it possible to put forward new versions of the origin unique monument weapon art.

A replica of the Dovmont sword went on a voyage across Europe to repeat the possible path of the original of the 13th century. A stop in Jerusalem for weapons of this type has for the most part a sacred meaning.

The defender of the Pskov land, Prince Dovmont, successfully repelled the raids of the Livonian knights, and a blade of Western European, possibly trophy origin, helped him in this. Already in the XIII century, the sword of the prince connected two civilizations Christendom. A reminder of a single beginning was the consecration of the blade on the stone of anointing in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. A short ceremony at the most important shrine of the Christian world does not require the intermediary efforts of priests.

"And everything that happens on this path testifies that everything is not accidental, and Dovmont helps us a lot: at any stage, everything turns out simply in the most amazing way ", - Igor Korovin, director of the International Cultural Center of St. Petersburg, is sure.

Prince Timothy-Dovmont of Pskov, canonized Russian Orthodox Church, ruled in Pskov from 1266 to 1299. He led about 10 successful campaigns against the enemies of the merchant capital, repeatedly defended the city from the invasion of the Livonian knights, participated in the famous Rakovor battle, was married to the granddaughter of Alexander Nevsky. The brightest figure of the Russian Middle Ages, Prince Timofey-Dovmont of Pskov, is firmly forgotten, what Ivan Vasilev, a connoisseur of Pskov antiquity, lamented back in the 19th century.

“With this project, we would like to correct this historical injustice a little bit. That is, to interest young people, to interest people who knew and heard about it, that is, to give an additional impetus and impetus and the opportunity to once again plunge into the past,” explains the project participant Lev Baranov.In the spring of 2011, a replica of the sword of Prince Dovmont should return to Pskov. For more than 6 centuries, the original blade was in the Trinity Cathedral, next to the tomb of Pskov patrons. After the upheavals of 1917, the shrine moved to local museum. The return of the sword, which made the path of the original to the house of the Holy Trinity, will be the logical conclusion of the project.

"The Word of the Omeche and the Prince"

This is the name of the new special project of the TV channel "Russia-1 - St. Petersburg" - a film by Alexei Oliferuk, dedicated to the mystery of a unique monument of weapons art - the sword of St. Timothy of Pskov.

XIII century Prince Timothy, Lithuanian ruler by origin. Dovmont, was called to reign in Pskov. For 33 years, an experienced warrior, who led the Russian squad, defended the merchant capital. He won all seven battles noted in the annals, after the death of the prince in 1299, as the annals say, a sword possessing inexplicable mystical power was placed on his tombstone in the Holy Trinity Cathedral “for approval by the city of Pskov”. The shape of Dovmont's sword was unusual for its time, and the symbolism on the blade pointed to the Western European roots of this weapon. The creators of the film tried to unravel his secret.

– Alexey, who suggested the idea of ​​such a project to you?

- The idea belongs to Anatoly Nikolaevich Kirpichnikov, our famous archaeologist, Doctor of Historical Sciences, who worked for a long time in Staraya Ladoga, Novgorod and Pskov. The film was based on possible versions of the origin of the Dovmont sword, shooting was carried out during the year in Pskov, St. Petersburg, Lithuania, Belarus and partly in Cyprus. Working through the material in the city also took quite a lot of time: we were looking for textures both in the closed funds of the Hermitage and in the department of manuscripts of the National Library of Russia.

Did your research lead to any discoveries?

- Experts have long been fiercely arguing around the dating of these weapons. If the sword really belonged to Dovmont, and was not made later, then this is the only one in Russia and one of the few surviving swords of the 13th century in the world that have been preserved in such excellent condition. It has analogues in Italy, Poland and Scotland, but in total no more than a dozen. Famous Russian and foreign historians, specialists in edged weapons and researchers of the Middle Ages, who put forward rather bold scientific versions of the origin of the sword, participate in the film.

What difficulties did you encounter during filming?

- One of the lines of the film was connected with the so-called cue ( an exact copy) sword, which was made during the year, and then "aged" by the best St. Petersburg gunsmiths. This sword traveled with us around Europe and invariably caused a lot of questions from customs. For example, we were kept for two hours at the Jerusalem airport... We managed to consecrate the sword twice - in the Church of St. Lazarus in Cyprus and in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. These procedures, in terms of their emotional and mystical component, were very interesting and significant for the film.

- And where is the famous original itself now?

- Before the revolution, this main Pskov shrine for almost seven centuries was next to the relics of St. Dovmont in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and now it is stored in the Pskov Museum-Reserve of the Pogankin Chambers.

Under this working title, a new television film is being filmed by the RTR film crew, which is scheduled for release in March 2011. Part of the historical plots was filmed on January 22, 2011 in the historical estate "Svargas". According to RTR specialists, the texture of the estate very accurately corresponds to the historical realities of the director's vision within the framework of the general concept of the film.

Representatives were also involved in the filming historical reconstruction from the interclub association "Swordbearer". Spectacular staged battles, illustrations of distant events, exciting scenes of the duel between Dovmont and Mindovig, all this, of course, will give the film realism and a three-dimensional understanding of historical upheavals. Therefore, the film will be released soon, and for those who have only a vague understanding of what in question a small excerpt from an article by Yuri Strekalovsky, which was published on the pages of the Information and Analytical Journal "Pragmatika" 1/2006 - January-February.

“... The second princely sword-relic, stored in the Pskov Museum, belonged to Prince Dovmont, who took the name Timothy at baptism. Unlike Vsevolod-Gabriel, he reigned in Pskov for a long time, from 1266 to 1299, and deservedly remained in the memory of Pskov as the most famous and beloved ruler. independent principality Pskov. One of the rulers of pagan Lithuania at that time, he arrived here after an unsuccessful participation in internecine war. According to many testimonies, it was the young Dovmont who killed the famous Mindovg, the founder of the Lithuanian state, the first prince who united the warlike pagan tribes, and his two sons. Until now, the name of Dovmont (Daumantas) in Lithuania is associated primarily with this act of his. Forced to leave his lands, he took refuge in Pskov, where he was received with honor and respect - especially since a large and well-armed squad arrived with him. Soon he was baptized and, by decision of the veche, was invited to reign. All thirty-three years of his reign, he faithfully served Pskov as a warrior and builder. Under him, the stone Pskov fortress increased, on the territory of which several churches were erected, including the church of the heavenly patron of Prince St. Timothy of Gazsky, on the day of whose memory the victory over the German knights was won in 1268, and St. Theodore Stratilates, in commemoration of the defeat of the Germans in the battle that took place on July 8, 1272. In this battle, he wounded the Master of the Livonian Order in the face with his sword. According to the chronicler, this prince “we cannot bear to offend being” and, combining military talent and personal courage with the ability to inspire the hearts of soldiers, worked miracles on the battlefield, keeping the opponents of Pskov in fear. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the fighting proverb of all Pskov princes was the words attributed to Dovmont: “Brothers, men of Pskov! You sip for the Holy Trinity, and for the holy churches, and for your fatherland!” The last battle of the prince, who did not know defeat, took place in 1299, when he again defeated the knights at the walls of Pskov. In the same year, the already elderly Dovmont died and was buried in the Trinity Cathedral, where the prince's sword was put up "above his coffin for the praise and approval of the city of Pskov." Dovmont-Timofey was the most revered prince of Pskov, the story of his exploits reveals all Pskov chronicles, his sword was the main shrine and symbol of medieval Pskov. Princes were girded with it when they were erected on the Pskov table, after the canonization, the image of Dovmont with a sword appeared on Pskov coins and seals of the 15th century. On them, the image of the sword surprisingly resembles the one that is now stored in the museum, where it came from the sacristy of the Trinity Cathedral.

This is a weapon with an elongated triangular blade with a longitudinal protruding (instead of a fuller) rib in the middle. In the upper part of the blade, near the crosshair, on both sides there is a brand made by dotted inlay with yellow metal - the so-called "Passau top", which was placed on weapons made in the Austrian city of Passauna Danube. The hilt of the sword is overlaid with wood and entwined with double silver and gilded wire. The crosshair is also silver, gilded and bent inwards. Made of gilded silver and disc-shaped pommel, in the center of which there are nests for large precious stones, surrounded by an engraved ornament. The scabbard of the sword is wooden, covered with green velvet, the silver tip of the scabbard, covering a third of the length, is decorated with engraved leaves and a border resembling a Gothic crucifer.

Such weapons, which were used both for cutting and for stabbing, are typical of the 14th and 15th centuries, but examples dating back to the second half of the 13th century, the time of the life of Dovmont, are extremely rare. An exact analogy to our sword is known in one knightly image of 1299. Mentions of the brand on the weapon in the form of a wolf, with which the sword is decorated, begin around 1260. Of course, it is impossible to fully vouch for the belonging of the sword that has come down to Dovmont, but the combination of dating, decorations, combat and honorary significance, as well as the similarity with the sword in the early images of the prince, allows us to fairly confidently assume that the authentic sword of the patron saint of Pskov has come down to us - a weapon with which he won his famous victories, with which "wound in the face" of the order master, and maybe this sword is the same one that killed the great Mindovg .... "

Petersburgers returned to the inhabitants of Pskov an important relic of the 13th century - the sword of Prince Dovmont. One of the oldest cities in Russia received such a gift on his birthday. The weapons will be stored in the Trinity Cathedral, next to the tomb of the prince himself.
Dovmont, ruled in the merchant capital for a record term for that time - 33 years - and became a real hero of Pskov history, like his legendary sword. The weapon was consecrated according to all the rules of medieval rites. Especially for this, he was taken to Jerusalem to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. And then they consecrated it again in Pskov itself - precisely on the Day of the City. Over time, the name of Dovmont and his exploits were forgotten. Now historical justice is being restored. Our correspondent Alexey Oliferuk watched the return of the relic to Pskov, see the story in the next issues.

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On coins minted in the 60s of the XV century. depicts an elongated triangular sword with a crosshair similar to the crosshair of the Dovmont sword. The types of pommel of the sword depicted on these coins still vary, although already lenticular pommel predominates, similar to the pommel of Dovmont's sword.

On the seal of Pskov in 6977, the image of the sword has a three-part pommel, in the third quarter of the 15th century. no longer used.

At this time, the memorial sword of Dovmont already definitely exists: according to the chronicle, in 1460 the prince was girded with this sword when he was erected on the Pskov table. Therefore, it can be assumed that in the 60s of the XV century. in the ritual of bringing the prince to the table, a sword of a different type was used than the sword of Dovmont, or the canon in the image of the sword did not yet exist at that time.

On Pskov coins of the late 15th-early 16th centuries. the image of the sword, with rare exceptions, is similar to the sword kept in the Pskov Museum-Reserve.

Sword made by a Western European master (Passau). On the edge of the blade "Passausky top" (wolf). The only one of the medieval swords kept in the museums of Russia has a "biography" according to the annals. With this sword, Prince Timofey Dovmont wounded the master of Riga in the battle of 1271. For several centuries, as a state relic, it was kept in the Trinity Cathedral of the Pskov Kremlin.
State of preservation: scratches, abrasions. Inv. number: 1956/78

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2. The pastoral interlocutor No. 20 for 1899 wrote ... "the swords of Gabriel and DOVMONT are mixed up, therefore, the sword with the signature - I DO NOT GIVE MY HONOR TO ANYONE - belongs to Dovmont."

3. Lives of the Saints (written by the nun Taisia ​​in France). M. 2004 P.263 "...according to the natives of Pskov...a great sword lay on the tomb of Prince DOVMONT..."

Sword made by a Western European master (Passau). On the blade of the blade "Passausky top" (wolf) is the authentic sword of Prince Dovmont Mindovgovich.

The second sword attributed to Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich. This is a rich weapon, trimmed with gilded silver, ornamented, equipped with the motto ("I will not give up my honor to anyone")..

The second sword of the XV century could not belong to Vsevolod Mstislavich.

Author E.G. Domontovich suggests: The princes in XIIIcentury there were several swords and?? perhaps both swords kept in State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve of Pskov belonged to Prince Dovmont? .And the sword attributed to Vsevolod was replaced with a similar sword of a later time ??

It must be remembered: In 1610 there was a big fire in Pskov, the entire Trinity Cathedral burned down, the Lord saved only the tomb of Dovmont , and then everything burned down- reports the Pskov Chronicle.

The Pskov shrine - the sword of Dovmont was kept in the Trinity Cathedral at the cancer of the holy noble prince Dovmontin the southern part of the Trinity, closer to the altar . In the XVIII century the tomb with the relics of Prince DOVMONT was removed from the Pskov Trinity Cathedral and taken to a common tomb under the temple. Probably during this period there was a replacement and replacement of swords. Where was Dovmont's sword moved?

Trinity Cathedral in Pskov XVIII century left one cancer with the relics of Prince Vsevolod - Gabriel, expelled by Novgorod, for the defeat in the campaign against Suzdal. The people of Pskov sheltered him, and he was the prince of Pskov for about half a year. His relics rested in the Pskov Trinity Cathedral on the north side.

Tomb of St. Prince Dovmont, stood in the southern part of the Trinity, closer to the altar. In the Orthodox tradition, the most revered saints lie in the southern part of the temples..

In the modern Pskov Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the tomb of Prince Dovmont is missing.

A copy of Dovmont's sword was placed on the only tomb in the northern part of the Pskov Trinity.

In October 2011, the author E.G.D. visited Pskov for the eleventh time, in the Trinity Church she read the Akathist to Dovmont, at the only tomb, there was no tablet on it, anyone suitable was sure that this was the tomb of Vsevolod, because his icon is placed on it, there is no icon of St. Dovmont in the Holy Trinity.

Internet resources are used.

Collected materials Evgenia Georgievna DOMONTovich

From the book of A.I. Obukhov "Mysteries and secrets of the history of Russia", Luga, 2009

Sword of Dovmont

In the history of Russia-Russia, this prince-commander left no less trace than the holy noble Alexander Nevsky. The fact that his exploits and their significance are equated with the deeds of the famous victor in the battles on the Neva and Lake Peipsi confirms that the hero of the story can be considered a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church. We can say that he was a younger contemporary of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich, who picked up the victorious sword that fell in 1263 from the cold hands of the thunderstorm of the Swedes and Livonian knights. The name of this prince, who defended the northwestern borders of Russia for many years, was Dovmont of Pskov.

Prince Dovmont (in holy baptism Timothy) ruled the stronghold of Russia-Pskov for thirty-three years, protecting it from constant incursions of enemies. For thirty-three years, Dovmont's sword terrified all greedy and arrogant Western neighbors.

But let us return to the year 1263, the year of the death of Alexander Nevsky. Then events began that brought Prince Dovmont from neighboring Lithuania to Pskov. In those days, Lithuania was ruled by its first king, Mindovg (Mindaugas), who was married by a second marriage to the daughter of the Nalsha prince Gerdyanis. The same prince from the Nalsha land Dovmont (Daumantas) was married to her sister. Thus, according to one of the historical versions, Mindovg and Dovmont were brothers-in-law. The legend tells that after the sudden death of the second wife (maybe not accidental), the aged king "laid eyes" on her sister and she reciprocated. All this led, ultimately, to strife in Lithuania, the murder of the first and last king Lithuanian and the flight of Dovmont together with 300 noble families from the Nalsha land and beyond Lithuania.

Dovmont did not think about where to send his horses. His aunt, according to chronicle sources, was the holy noble princess Eupraxia of Pskov, in the world Euphrosyne, daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogvold Borisovich. Consequently, the mother of Dovmont was also a Russian princess, married off as a Lithuanian prince. All this allows us to conclude that Dovmont knew Russian well and was familiar with Orthodoxy. That is why the prince, along with such a large number of fellow tribesmen, was cordially received by the people of Pskov, who, moreover, knew about his military exploits in their land.

Upon arrival in Pskov, Dovmont was baptized in the Trinity Church with the renaming of Timothy. A year later, in 1266, the inhabitants of Pskov elected him their prince. Soon Dovmont married the daughter of Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich Maria, the granddaughter of Alexander Nevsky.

One must think that not everyone in Pskov, at first, fell in love with the prince

from a neighboring hostile land. A kind of test of devotion to the new fatherland was the campaign of Dovmont-Timofey to the possessions of Prince Gerdyanis, which previously belonged to the princes of Polotsk. Gerdyanis himself, according to the legend, being the father of Dovmont's first wife, persuaded her to cheat on her husband, and then took an active part in the expulsion of his son-in-law. So there was something to get even with Dovmont.

The results of Dovmont's campaign against his enemies and the enemies of Pskov impressed everyone. The prince led only 290 soldiers, while Gerdyanis sent a detachment of eight hundred people against him. The ruler of the Nalsha land himself prudently decided not to participate in the battle. As for Dovmont, he took a step that could be called simply recklessness. Two hundred soldiers with trophies and full were sent to Pskov, and the prince himself, drawing a sword on which the words: “I will not give my honor to anyone!”, Addressed with these words to his detachment, which consisted of only ninety soldiers: “Brothers Pskov men! Who is old is my father, and who is young is my brother. I heard about your courage in all countries ... Let us stand up for the Holy Trinity and in the name of the Fatherland!

The chronicle testifies that a handful of brave men under the leadership of Dovmont overturned a detachment of Lithuanians, destroying six hundred soldiers, and putting the rest to flight. After that, no one in Pskov could even utter a word against the prince-hero, fearing to be "knocked down on the spot."

In the next 1268, Prince Dovmont became one of the main actors in historical battle at Rakovor, where the Russian army defeated the Danish knights and the Livonian Order. "Let me say knowledgeable of history reader, what kind of Livonian Order are we talking about? After all, the knights of this order were defeated by Alexander Nevsky on the ice of Lake Peipsi back in 1242. Yes, that's how it was. But Livonian Order although after that it "calmed down" for a dozen years, he did not stop rebuilding his feudal state on the occupied Baltic lands, as well as his attacks against neighboring Slavic lands. By the middle of the 13th century, Danish knights also rushed here, who captured Kolyvan (now Tallinn) and Rakovor (Rakvere). Rakovor, which the German knights called Wesenberg, was the main stronghold of the Livonian Order's aggression against the Novgorod and Pskov lands. That is why the council of princes in Novgorod in the winter of 1268 decided to destroy this "hornet's nest".

January 23, 1268 thirty thousandth Russian army, which included Novgorod and Pskov rati, moved to Rakovor. Before attacking the enemy, the Pskov prince, putting his sword in front of the altar in the Trinity Cathedral, turned to the Lord: “Lord God, look at your meek and humble servants and humble the lofty thoughts of the proud.” After that, Abbot Isidor girded Dovmont with a sword and blessed him for the battle.

The news that the formidable Russian army was going on a campaign quickly reached the Livonian Order. And then the German knights decided to resort to treachery, declaring through the mouths of their ambassadors that the Livonian Order did not support the Danes. Here is how the chronicle reports this: “The Germans sent their ambassadors, flatteringly saying: “Peace be with you, overcome the Kolyvans and Rakovors, but we don’t pester them, we kiss the cross for that.” The near future showed that this was a deceitful move, intended to dull the Russians' vigilance and sow in them hope for easy success. The head of the Livonian Order himself, the eleventh Master Otto von Rodenstein, hastily led the combined troops of the Derpt Bishop, Danes from Wesenberg and armored German knights to the Kegole River, towards the Russian armies.

On February 18, 1268, the great and at the same time little-known battle of Rakovor began. According to the chronicler: "Neither our fathers nor our grandfathers have seen such a cruel slaughter." The blow of the armored "great pig" hit the center of the Russian army, which consisted of the Novgorod regiments. The blow was so strong that, according to the chronicler, people fell in whole rows. Although the center suffered huge losses, the Novgorodians nevertheless survived. The outcome of the battle was decided by a flank attack by Dovmont. After four hours of fierce logging with the enemy, the Pskovites put to flight the knights and their servants, who hurried to hide behind the walls of Rakovor. The pursuit of those who fled, according to the same chronicle, was difficult because of the mountains of bodies lying on the battlefield. The defeat of the Danes and German knights was complete, but not a few Russian soldiers were killed. After standing for three days on the fallen enemies and deciding whether to go further with an attack on Rakovor, the princes nevertheless "... retired to their land and brought their brethren beaten." And only Dovmont of Pskov continued his victorious campaign in Livonia. Here is how it is said in the chronicle: “Having passed the impenetrable lands, he went to viruyans, and conquered their land to the sea ... And our land became famous in all countries, and all the thunderstorms of the courage of Grand Duke Dmitry Alexandrovich and his son-in-law Dovmont, and their husbands were afraid - Novgorodians and Pskovians.

But as often happens, the unfinished "hornet's nest" hastily began to recuperate. In the spring of 1269, Master Otto von Rodenstein, who had been preparing a retaliatory strike for a whole year, at the head of an eighteen thousandth army invaded the Pskov land, burned Izborsk and laid siege to Pskov on April 23.

I must say that by that time the people of Pskov had so much faith in the strength and talent of Dovmont as a commander that they could follow him anywhere without any fear of death. The ten-day battle with the Livonians ended with the victory of the Russian army. Otto von Rodenstein himself was seriously wounded in the battle, and his knights fled in a panic across the Velikaya River. Unable to restrain the onslaught of the Dovmont squad, the Order proposed to conclude a peace that stretched right up to 1299, for as much as thirty years.

This time turned out to be the most creative for the beloved prince of Pskov. Devmont over the years has turned Pskov into an impregnable fortress. Near the Kremlin, a stone defensive wall was erected, which was called Dovmontova, and the place surrounded by the wall became known as the Dovmontov city. In gratitude to the Lord, in whose name the prince won victories, not knowing a single defeat, next to the Kremlin, Dovmont - Timothy erected temples, which, over time, occupied the entire space of the Dovmont city.

Mine last feat Saint Dovmont committed in 1299, when the Livonian Order again attacked Pskov. All these years, the German knights, not resigned to defeat, continued to prepare a "punishment strike." Thinking that Dovmont was already old and weak, on April 4, 1299, the Livonians besieged the city, burned the suburban Snetogorsky and Mirozhsky monasteries. But what about Dovmont? And at sixty, he did not lose, as the historian Lev Gumilyov said, his passionarity. Having opened the city gates at night, the prince with his retinue attacked the knights, repeating what Alexander Nevsky did on Lake Peipus. Here is how the chronicle reports this: “The Germans stumble on the city of Pskov, if you want to capture it. But the God-loving Timothy could not bear to wait for the husband of his big army and leave with a small squad. With the help of the holy Trinity and St. Peter and Paul on the birch, hit them; and byst slashing evil, as if it had never happened near Pskov, and wounding the commander himself on the head and izmove the Livonians. talking modern language, the enemy was driven onto the thin spring ice of the river, which broke under the heavily armed knights.

It was the last military feat Pskov prince. Dovmont-Timofey died on May 20 of the same year and was buried with great honors and nationwide weeping in the Trinity Cathedral. Soon after the death of the prince, his veneration began as a patron saint, protecting the Russian land from enemies and disasters. More than once, even after his death, he defended Pskov. So, in 1480, when a huge foreign army besieged the city, Dovmont appeared in a dream to one citizen and said: “Take the robe (cover) of my coffin, surround it three times around the city with crosses and do not be afraid of anything.” The chronicle testifies that the frightened enemies immediately retreated from the city. The people of Pskov firmly believed and still believe that their city is protected by the holy noble prince Dovmont - Timothy. That is why next to the relics of the prince in the Trinity Cathedral his battle sword was hung. Dovmont's blade with the words engraved on it: "I will not give up my honor to anyone!" was handed over to the Pskov princes in the Church of the Holy Trinity, when they were enthroned.

Years passed... Russia matured and grew stronger. And now, centuries later, the movement of Russian explorers to the East began, "meeting the sun." Winter huts, prisons and large fortresses were founded. The extreme outpost and stronghold of Orthodoxy in these places was the Albazinsky fortress, the garrison of which, consisting of only 826 Cossacks, in 1685-1689. withstood the siege of ten thousand Manchu troops (?!). The author of these lines has never found a logical explanation for these events. How could this be? At the same time, the explanation for the steadfastness and courage of the Cossacks, who for four years repulsed the attacks of a tenfold superior enemy in numbers, lies not only in amazing physical strength who, in truth, should have been running out of four years of defense, but above all, in faith in the power of spiritual intercession. The chronicle tells that in 1679, on Petrov Post, a detachment of Cossacks led by Gavrila Frolov, a native of Pskov, went on reconnaissance from Albazin to the valley of the Zeya River. On the mountain road in front of the detachment, a rider suddenly appeared, clad in armor and armed with a sword, who at the same time said: “I am Dovmont of Pskov. Soon there will be an invasion of foreigners. And they will come again, there will be attacks and great battles, and in those battles I will help the Russian people. And the enemies will not take the city.

And through the centuries in Russia, the memory of the holy noble prince Dovmont - Timothy is honored. Already in our time, a chapel was erected in his honor on the territory of the Pechersk garrison (Pskov region). Centuries pass, new generations come, but invariably at the borders of the Fatherland stands an invisible warrior - a defender, whose sword will never become dull.

A.I. Obukhov,
Corresponding Member of the Petrovsky Academy of Sciences and Arts (St. Petersburg)

In honor of the 500th anniversary of the annexation of Pskov to Moscow, representatives of the International Cultural Center LLC will present Pskov with a copy of the Dovmont sword. The ceremony will take place on July 27 this (2015) year.

It took a year to work on a copy of the Dovmont Sword, all the missing elements were restored. "It turned out very nice," - said the source of the agency.

And today, May 14, at 19:00 in the first in Russia Museum of Bladed Weapons (St. Petersburg), a presentation of the recreated Dovmont Sword will take place. In about a month, it is planned to be consecrated at the Trinity Cathedral, and then taken for consecration to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. After that, the sword will be brought to Pskov.

Source: http://informpskov.ru

Prince Dovmont ruled in Pskov from 1266 to 1299. During this time, he beat Lithuanians and Germans more than once. For protection, he fortified the city with a new stone wall, which was called Dovmontova.
Russian Orthodox Church canonized and revered as the defender of the Russian land.

Sword of Dovmont

Sword of Dovmont kept in Pskov and is considered a talisman of the city.
The sword became a shrine of the city and all the princes who entered the service of Pskov were blessed with this sword.
Before today the sword was preserved good condition. The sword dates back to the 13th century and today it is the only ancient Russian sword whose "biography" is confirmed by chronicles.

If you look closely at the steel blade of the sword, you can see on it some kind of image resembling the figure of a running beast. It was embossed in steel, then the recessed points were filled with copper. The result was a copper inlay on a steel blade, but over the years it has been pretty worn out. Still, you can make out that the beast is clearly predatory and evil. His mouth is open, his tongue or sting sticks out of it. This is the famous "Passau top".

Back in the 13th century, the master gunsmiths of the city of Passau, which still stands on the Danube River, on the border of modern Austria and Federal Republic Germany, became famous for the production of steel blades for swords. The workshop of the Passau gunsmiths marked their products with the figure of a "top" - a fantastic beast, similar to a wolf, which was in the coat of arms of the city of Passau. The blades from Passau were so good that, apparently, there were quite a few who wanted to pass off their products as Passau ones, providing them with the image of a “top”. In any case, already in 1340, the “good Passau gunsmiths” were forced to ask the Austrian Duke Albrecht to approve this sign exclusively for Passau and forbid its use in any other place of the Austrian possessions. The “top” depicted on the sword from Pskov is an early one, which was used in Passau in the second half of the 13th century. Perhaps the blade of this sword was indeed made by some master in Passau. And the hilt of the sword, according to Yakov Ivanovich Smirnov, is older than the blade. And the blade itself was originally ten centimeters longer. It was shortened from the side of the handle.

The popularity of Prince Dovmont was so great that the city began to mint money with the image of the prince in a crown and with a sword. Here it must be taken into account that they minted not just some kind of sword, but the Sword of Dovmont.

The beginning of the minting of Pskov money has a rather narrow time period: September 1425 - February 1510, i.e. in Pskov, their own money was minted for only 85 years. If you look into the annals, you can see the following entry: "... the same summer, the Pskovites set aside trading in fines and started pouring money in pure silver and started trading money from roofing felt." Penez means Lithuanian or Prague pennies. Before starting their own minting, foreign coins were widely used in Pskov.

For a long time, these coins constantly depict the same scene: on the obverse side, the image of the patron of the city, Prince Dovmont, the patron saint of Pskov, was minted, wearing a crown and with a sword.

The coins of the neighboring German Dorpat, which depicted local bishops, and specifically the artugs of Bishop Didrich III (1413-1443), served as a model. The latter depicted a shaven face in a bishop's mitre, from under which curls of hair are knocked out on both sides of the face. Due to the incompetence of the Pskov carver, these curls turned into two curved lines, with dots at the ends. But in order not to embarrass their own Pskovites with the image of a foreigner, the sword of St. Dovmont, which was usually awarded to the Pskov princes, was put into his right hand. On the other side
The head depicts various letters of the Slavic and even Latin alphabet, the meaning of which has not been established. On the reverse side there is an inscription: "Pskov Denga".

Vadim Viktorovich KARGALOV

SWORD OF DOVMONT

Historical tale

The book includes historical stories - dedicated to heroic

pages of national history, starting from the exploits of Prince Svyatoslav

and his faithful warriors until the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo.

Chapter 1. LITHUANIAN Fugitive

Chapter 2. REVENGE

Chapter 3. BATTLE OF RAKOVORS

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

________________________________________________________________

LITHUANIAN Fugitive

Pskov land is covered with impenetrable forests. Only at the swampy marshes and barren sand drifts along the rivers mighty pines receded - revealing to travelers ...

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Random excerpt from the book:

Se Pskov! - said the bearded warrior, pointing to the dome of the cathedral shining in the distance. We'll be back soon, prince.

The young warrior riding beside him silently nodded his head. On the head of the warrior was a round Lithuanian helmet, from under which long blond hair was knocked out. Blue eyes looked sternly and attentively, lips tightly compressed. It was the face of a man accustomed to command. A silver chain, a sign of high princely dignity, gleamed on a simple cloth caftan of a warrior.

A few steps behind the front horsemen, another dozen and a half Pskov warriors, armed with swords and spears, rode horses.

The Lithuanians did not look like prisoners. The Pskov guards did not surround them, but kept at a distance, near the carts on which they were carrying Lithuanian weapons: armor, helmets, battle axes, spears.

The riders overcame a hilly ridge, went down to the river Usokha. The hooves of the horses, splashing the shallow icy water, sounded loudly on the river pebbles.

From here one could see the whole of Pskov: the stone bulk of Persha, the wooden walls of the Foretown, and in front of them - the courtyards of smerds and artisans, scattered along a green plain cut by streams and ravines.

Se Pskov! - repeated the warrior.

Riders in colored raincoats and high boyar hats rode out of the gates of the Foretown. The front one - a mighty old man with a silver twisted hryvnia of a thousand * on his chest - raised his hand in greeting:

Be healthy, Prince Dovmont! Welcome to the city of Pskov!

* T y s i a ts k i y - the leader of the city militia.

Two boyars, who rode up together with the thousand, dismounted from their horses, carefully took the prince's stallion by the bridle and led him to the footbridge across a deep ditch.

A long narrow street led from the gate tower of the Fore-City to Krom. Along the street crowded square log huts artisans, squat merchant houses with basements for goods. And above all this, having risen under the very clouds, Persha's wall hung like a heavy block. It seemed that the wooden buildings of the Foothills obediently bowed before the stone majesty of Krom, forever recognizing his leadership...

Passers-by looked at the horsemen friendly, but without curiosity. It was hard to surprise commercial Pskov with foreign guests! In addition, as experienced merchant eyes immediately noted, this time the Lithuanians arrived without goods. And if so, then they are without interest to trading people.

At Persha itself, in front of the ravine, which the Pskovians called Grebley, the thousand man turned to the left - to where the round Smerdya tower towered above the river.

Dovmont glanced around imperceptibly.

The Pskov guards started carts with the weapons of his squad at the gates of Krom. But Dovmont did not betray his anxiety by word or gesture. It's too late to worry: now he, the fugitive prince, is in the complete power of the Pskov boyars...

The spacious boyar courtyard, where the Lithuanians were brought to lodge, was located under the very Smerdya tower. Through the loopholes one could see everything that was done here, behind the palisade that separated the yard from the street. Dovmont realized that the cautious owners were keeping an eye on the Lithuanians just in case. Well, their right is the owners...

Dovmont politely thanked the thousandth and the boyars for their hospitality, went up to the upper room allotted to him. It was evident that they were preparing for the arrival of the prince. Carpets hung on the walls of the chamber, benches were covered with red cloth, and expensive crockery shone silver in open chests.

In Lengorkhia, every child has a chance to be born with a magical gift. Pebble creates illusions, Berry reads thoughts, Night Singer changes matter, Ray commands fire. But for them, these are not gifts of fate, but a heavy burden, because most often you have to pay for power, and by no means in money. But when a capricious fate unites the young magicians in friendly ties and adds a fluffy dragon to the company, the most extraordinary events can be expected!

Eva Byalolenskaya
Marked with azure. Trilogy.

BOOK 1. AZURE PAST.

Part one
FORTRESS ON GOAT HILL

People worked from the very morning, when the sun had not yet completely drunk the dew from the grass and animal fur. The long, goat fleece that hung almost to the ground had to be carefully combed with a scraper, and the shreds of wool were collected in bags. Goats were not sheared like sheep. The combs fell into women's hands, and then in their skillful fingers they turned into woolen shawls of indescribable fineness - they could be pulled through a ring, or into raincoats famous throughout the province - warm, but at the same time so light that they were almost not felt on the shoulders.

But before the wool turns into these wonderful things, you have to work hard. Whitehorn looked down at his bag, already half full, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Soared. He rinsed his mouth with water from a clay bottle that hung on a cord at his waist.

Some goats liked to be combed - they stood still, surrendering to the dubious caress of a wire brush. Others were obstinate, and they had to be tied by the horns to the fence, and sometimes even their legs were tangled so that they would not kick the worker. White Horn freed the goat, which had already paid its woolen tribute, and gently slapped it on the combed side. And his younger brother, who worked nearby, got up from the stool to select and bring the next animal to Horn.

Be-e-ely Ro-o-og!! Sme-e-ekalists-s-th. Ro-oh-oh!..

The long-drawn-out call and the clatter of hooves broke the habitual noise of a labor morning in the pasture. White Horn shielded his eyes from the sun with his palm. And the other workers raised their heads curiously. Riding on a fat pony, waving his arms in impatience from afar, the youngest of the three brothers, the seven-year-old Kid, was approaching.

It's not time for dinner yet, - Witty got excited. - Did something happen at home?

The goat was barely able to catch his breath. His round eyes got even bigger with excitement.

Horn! The magicians have arrived! They want to see you now. Mom sent me on horseback to get you, so it would be faster.

The sharp-witted laughed good-naturedly.

Now that's fun! Look, Rog, today you will not earn much, not like us. The big guys want to see you. The azure scarf is waiting for you, my lord! The boy bowed mockingly at his brother.

White Horn frowned and bit his lip. Silently, he cleared the scraper of tufts of wool, carefully tied the bag, and put away the tools.

Yes. Go. Help me get on the pony. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded perfectly calm.

On the way back, the Kid ran alongside the pony, holding on to the edge of the horsecloth that covered the animal's back. And he chatted incessantly, choking with effort, his story was interrupted all the time, he hardly pushed the words out of his throat, like excessively large pieces of food.

The magicians showed up quite unexpectedly. One was called the Weaver of Illusions, the other introduced himself as Strider - no wonder they appeared out of thin air. The strider will disappear in one place and appear in another, and he does not need roads intended for ordinary people. The kid noticed them first. Painfully lordly dressed, wow! .. And azure scarves on them - exactly the same color that no one else can wear! The arrivals did not want to wait for the owner, although the boys' father had only gone to the neighboring farm and would certainly have been at home by evening if someone had been sent for him. But the guests first of all wanted to see him - the White Horn and were very impatient. The hostess hurriedly put everything that she could serve without cooking from the pantry onto the table. When the Kid went out, the magicians had just started on cold veal and pickled vegetables. It would be better if the honored guests ate more slowly ...

White Horn listened out of the corner of his ear to the chatter of his little brother. He had known for years that the day would come when the Circle of Magi would remember him. AT recent times he thought about it more and more often - after he was fourteen years old, he did not leave the feeling that the fragile boat of his life was rapidly approaching the rocky shore. And finally it happened - he will have to leave his home, all those places that he knew and loved from early childhood. The evil deity of fate presented him with a gift that the boy never wished for himself. What was he to do somewhere in the distant world, if here, on Goat Hill, there was always more work than hands for its execution? And the magical abilities of the White Horn are just a trick, a deception of the senses. Is there a more pitiful and useless talent than the weaving of illusion? Weaver of illusions… How much more respect he would have if he could weave carpets! Only the little kid was still amused by the ghostly images that his older brother created. The rest of the inhabitants of the town treated them indifferently, barely hiding their obvious disdain.

Rog grabbed his panting brother with one hand and sat him down in front of him.

The mouse will get tired! .. - weakly objected the kid.

Less than you, - White Horn answered, slightly touching the reins. The pony moved from a trot to a walk. “I'm not going to drive the animal just because the gentlemen from the South are bored. They will wait.

When the boys drove into the yard, Volna, their mother, was waiting for them on the threshold at the kitchen door, already waving her hand from afar, urging her sons on. In a smart dress with brown, orange and white patterns, she looked like a butterfly with folded wings down. She immediately sent Horn to wash. Maid on outstretched arms handed me a clean tunic, and her mother held the comb at the ready, as if it were a weapon.

Mom, yes, all this is useless, - the boy grumbled, while his mother pulled his tangled tresses. I can change...

Yes, yes ... - the woman sighed irritably. - I know. But my son will not go out to the masters in rags smelling of goats.

The wrinkles on her face deepened.

Do your best, - she whispered, and then grumbled loudly: - Merciful fate! Yes, at least put on gloves, otherwise your hands are like soles! Boards can be sanded! They will think that you are our slave!

The goat kid even jumped on the spot from excitement, thus confirming the validity of the name given to him.

May I have a look? Can? May I go with you? he asked annoyingly.

What more! his mother snapped. - Only you were missing there! And who will sweep the yard? And cut grass for hares? The chips from yesterday have not been laid. Already your father will return - he will draw everything on your ass!

The goat grew sad and trudged to the wall to remove the sickle from the peg. Behind him he heard his brother's shuffling footsteps, and then the sound of doors closing. But the mother, instead of driving him to work, took a blade from his hand and cut off thin strands of hair with it - first for herself, then for her son. I threw them on the fire in the hearth - the hairs burned instantly. The woman moved her lips silently. Seized by an inexplicable fear, the boy raised wide-open eyes to his mother.

Mommy... what are we praying for? he asked softly.