The structure of the Old Russian state is extremely difficult to define from the point of view of modern political science concepts. On the one hand, customary law prevailed at that time, preserving many primitive customs. In particular, continued popular assemblies(vecha), which discussed the most important questions life first tribal unions, and then emerging lands, grouped around cities. Here, unification is evident not on an ethnic basis, but on a territorial basis, which holds individual cities together by the geographical and economic proximity of interests. On the other hand, along with the newcomer Varangian princes, a new right began to spread. It consisted in the right of every prince of Rurikovich to participate in administration, court, military leadership, distribution of taxes, and lawmaking.
Inside princely family relations between the princes were built on the principle of seniority, first tribal, then fictitious, depending on the strength, success, authority of one or another prince, as well as on inter-princely agreements. Thus, at the head of the Rurik princes, and therefore the state, was the Grand Duke of Kyiv, whose power was transferred according to the principle of tribal eldership (“ladder” order of inheritance). It meant the transfer of power not to the eldest son, but from brother to brother, i.e. to the eldest in the family. However, there were other ways of succession to the throne, the prince could be elected at the veche, seize the throne by force or sit on it by agreement with other princes.
Initially, the Kyiv prince exercised control over the country during polyudya - a detour with a squad of subject lands to collect tribute and court. Then, to manage individual principalities, the Kyiv prince began to send his sons, brothers, combatants as governors.
The Grand Duke of Kyiv relied on the squad. She was divided into older and younger. AT senior squad included the most noble warriors (“husbands”), they were advisers to the prince and were called “boyars”. The younger squad was made up of ordinary warriors, who were called "gridi", "swordsmen", "children", "lads". They collected tribute, participated in military campaigns.
Governing body Kyiv princes can be briefly described as follows. Oleg included in his possessions the lands of the Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi. Under him, in 907 and 911, two successful campaigns against Constantinople were made. The Greeks were forced to conclude an agreement on favorable terms for the Russians. According to the agreement, Russian merchants had the right to trade duty-free and live for a month at the expense of the Greeks in Constantinople, but they were obliged to walk around the city without weapons.
After Oleg, the son of Rurik reigned in Kyiv Igor (912-945). He repelled the invasion of the Pechenegs and made two unsuccessful campaigns against Constantinople (941 and 944). In 944, the agreement with Byzantium was confirmed, but on less favorable terms. In 945, he was killed by the Drevlyans for trying to collect tribute from them again. The collection of tribute itself was not yet regulated.
Igor's wife Olga (945-957) severely avenged the death of her husband. The capital of the Drevlyans, Iskorosten, was burned down. However, Olga was forced to streamline the collection of tribute. She set « lessons» - the amount of tribute and « churchyards» - places of collection of tribute. Thus, the beginning of the formation of the tax system was laid. During the reign of Igor and Olga, the lands of the Tivertsy, the streets, and finally the Drevlyans were annexed to Kyiv. But the most important act of Olga was that she was the first of Kyiv rulers accepted Christianity. Moreover, the baptism took place in Constantinople (957).
Son of Olga and Igor Svyatoslav (957-972) became famous for his military activity. During his reign, he annexed the lands of the Vyatichi, defeated Volga Bulgaria, conquered the Mordovian tribes, defeated Khazar Khaganate. Fought with Byzantium for dominance on the Danube. Returning after the defeat in Danube Bulgaria, Svyatoslav's detachment was defeated by the Pechenegs, and Svyatoslav himself was killed.
Unifier of all lands Eastern Slavs as part of Kievan Rus became the son of Svyatoslav - Vladimir (980-1015), called the Red Sun by the people. In 980 he tried to hold the first religious reform. A single pantheon of the most revered pagan gods was created, headed by Perun. These deities were to be worshiped throughout the state. But the reform failed. The population still worshiped traditional deities. However, the reform of 980 prepared the conditions for the adoption of Christianity (see below).
heyday ancient Russian state associated with the name Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054). When Vladimir died in 1015, his son Svyatopolk (1015-1019) was on the throne of Kiev, but Vladimir's influential squad on the throne wanted to see other sons of Vladimir - Boris and Gleb. Svyatopolk ordered them to be killed. The news of the murder of Boris and Gleb stirred up East Slavic society. The Russian Orthodox Church named them their first saints. Svyatopolk received the nickname Cursed. Svyatopolk was opposed by his brother Yaroslav, who reigned at that time in Novgorod. In 1019, Yaroslav established himself on the throne of Kiev. Under Yaroslav Wise Russia reached highest point development. He patronized education, painting, construction. With him appeared the first public Schools. The first set of laws appeared - "Russian Truth" . Under Yaroslav the Wise, the first monasteries appeared, the largest of them was the Kiev-Pechersk. Dynastic marriages sons and daughters of Yaroslav with many European dynasties of rulers raised the international prestige of Russia.
Thus, in the policy of the Kievan princes one can trace common features. They persistently expanded their possessions, subordinating all new Slavic tribes, waged a constant struggle with the nomads - the Khazars, Pechenegs, Polovtsians; sought to provide more favorable conditions to trade with Byzantium. As a result of the activities of the Kyiv princes, the state was strengthened, Russia significantly expanded its possessions and entered the international arena.
After the death of the Novgorod prince Rurik in 879, power passed to his relative Oleg (d. 912), whose activities are connected with the formation of the core of the future state. (The son of Rurik - Igor was at a young age).
Oleg undertook his first campaign from Novgorod to the south. Capturing Smolensk and Lyubech along the way, in 882 he approached Kyiv, and after the murder of Askold and Dir, who reigned there, captured Kyiv. Thus, the two largest state formations of the Novgorod North and the Kyiv South were united under one authority. This date - 882 is considered to be (conditionally) the date of the formation of the Old Russian state. Oleg proclaimed Kyiv the capital, "the mother of Russian cities" (it was at the crossroads of trade routes, was a key point of economic life and a defensive outpost). That is why the ancient Russian state should be called Kievan Rus.
The ancient Russian state went through three stages in its development
Decline and decay
Formation (initial period)
The origin of the word "Rus" is mysterious. According to the chronicle, Rus is the name of the Varangian tribe from which Rurik originated. Some historians accept this message as reliable, while others consider it a late legend and suggest that it was called big union Slavic tribes, formed in the region of the Ros River, south of Kyiv.
the unification of all East Slavic (and part of the Finnish) tribes under the rule of the Kyiv prince: Oleg subjugated the tribes of the Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi, Igor - streets, Dregovichi, Svyatoslav - Vyatichi, expanded the borders of the Old Russian state to the Crimea and the Taman Peninsula.
protection of the borders of Russian land from attacks steppe nomads: Igor, Svyatoslav repelled the raids of the Pechenegs. 965 defeat of the Khazar Khaganate.
the acquisition of overseas markets for Russian trade and the protection of trade routes that led to these markets; Oleg in 907 made a successful campaign against Constantinople, which resulted in two favorable for Russia peace treaties(907 and 911). Igor in 944 concluded a mutually beneficial trade agreement with Byzantium, 971 Svyatoslav fought with Constantinople.
In exchange for this service, the princes and their retinue received the right to collect tribute from the subject population. The ways of collecting tribute were "polyudye" and "cart".
The princes during the "polyudya" resolved conflicts between fellow tribesmen, ruled the court, regulated border disputes, and appointed governors. But this did not mean that the prince could self-rule. Remember how the polyudie in the Drevlyane land ended for Prince Igor (945). The autocracy of the ancient princes was limited by the will of the squad, especially the eldest, as well as veche meetings of free citizens.
2. Old Russian reformers and their transformations. Baptism of Russia
One of the first reformers of the Old Russian state was Princess Olga (945-964) - the wife of the second Kyiv prince Igor (912-945). (Rules during the childhood of Svyatoslav's son)
In 945, Prince Igor with his retinue once collected tribute from the Drevlyane land, decided to return and get more. The Drevlyans, saying that if the wolf got into the habit of walking in the herd, he would transfer it all, killed the princely detachment, cruelly executed Prince Igor himself.
Princess Olga organized a bloody punitive expedition to the land of the Drevlyans and avenged her husband. But this was one part of Olga's reaction to the uprising of the Drevlyans. The other part was the changes in the tribute collection system. Its essence was that in 946 it determined the amount of tribute (“lessons”) and established firm order her collection. At the places of tribute collection, “graveyards” were created, which became administrative centers. Thus, tribute - polyudie turned into a fixed tax. Now the tribute was collected not by a detour, but by a wagon to special places - "graveyards".
N.M. Karamzin noted that if the first princes of Kyiv were mainly conquering warriors, then the first ruler on Russian soil was Princess Olga. In addition to the tribute collection reform, Olga undertook a long trip to Byzantium (955-957) and was the first of the great Kyiv princes to personally accept Christianity under the name of Elena, in 968 she led the defense of Kyiv from the Pechenegs during the military campaigns of Svyatoslav in Danube Bulgaria.
Under Svyatoslav, there was a further expansion of the territories of Kievan Rus, its international position changed. However, the first princes of Kyiv felt more like conquerors than sovereigns of the Russian lands, which were united only mechanically, only by military force. It can be said that the first Kyiv princes created only the body of the ancient Russian state, but only Vladimir Svyatoslavich, with the adoption of Christianity, breathed the soul into the body.
The greatest reformer of Kievan Rus was the grandson of Princess Olga, Prince Vladimir I (980–1015). During the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the territory of the Old Russian state finally took shape, he created a system of defense of the country from the Pechenegs; put an end to the remnants of the old tribal separatism, seating his many sons (there were 12 of them) in the main centers of Russia as governors of the Kyiv prince. It was from the time of Vladimir I that Russia began to be controlled by the entire clan of Rurik princes.
The introduction of Christianity by Vladimir as the official religion of the Old Russian state is one of the most ambitious acts of all Russian history, which determined for centuries the path of further development of the country and society.
The Eastern Slavs before the formation of the state and in the first century of the existence of Kievan Rus were pagans. They believed in goblin, brownies, mermaids. The most significant figure in the pagan beliefs of the Slavs was the cult of the Family, which personified the beginning of life, the continuation of the family. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the root “genus” is the basis of many concepts (people, nature, homeland, spring, native, harvest, give birth, etc.).
In addition, three spheres are reflected in pagan symbols:
heavenly - worship of natural phenomena;
earthly - agricultural cults (harvest, cornucopia)
underground - cult of ancestors
The main purpose of the gods is to patronize a person, creating in the space around him (underground, on earth, above earth) a kind of systematized world, synthesizing separate spheres of being.
Thus, the beliefs of the ancient Slavs were a fairly coherent system of views that summarized the accumulated knowledge of social, spiritual, and moral content.
However, the beliefs of the Slavs were of a primitive, pre-class character. The emergence of classes and the state among the Eastern Slavs required a new ideology and, consequently, new religion. In addition, pagan religious ideas gradually came into conflict with the political tendencies of the development of Russia and its relationship with the largest and most powerful neighbor - the Byzantine Empire, for which pagan Russia remained nothing more than a junior partner, a backward barbarian state.
First, Vladimir tried to improve the old religion, to adapt paganism to new conditions, and for this, to create a single all-Russian religious cult and a single pantheon of gods. This was Vladimir's first reform (983). Its symbol was the placement on a hill in Kyiv near the princely court of a pantheon with wooden idols ("idols"), all - now all-Russian - gods: Perun (who became the main deity, and therefore the idol had a silver head and "must of gold"), Khorsa , Dazhdbog, Stribog, Simargl and Mokosh. All these deities were sacrificed.
But it soon became clear that reformed paganism was no good. Kievan Rus needed a new, monotheistic religion capable of strengthening the state.
Near and distant neighbors the ancient Russian state already professed such mono-religions. For example, Volga Bulgaria and part of the Khazars professed Islam, another part of the Khazar Khaganate - Judaism, countries central Europe- Christianity in the Catholic version, the Byzantine Empire and south slavs- orthodoxy. Therefore, Vladimir began to carry out the second religious reform.
Reasons for adopting Christianity
The need to unite the tribes on a new spiritual basis and strengthen the power of the Kyiv prince
The need to introduce Russia to the pan-European political realities, increase the international prestige of Russia
Introduction to European (Byzantine) spiritual and cultural values
Justifying Social Inequality
In 988, Russia adopted Christianity (in the Byzantine version, Orthodoxy) as state religion. This year is considered the date of the baptism of Russia. Of course, in such a process as the Christianization of a huge country, any date will be rather arbitrary. The fact is that Christianity appeared in the East Slavic lands long before the official baptism. Church tradition attributes the beginning of Christianization to the journey of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called (brother of the Apostle Peter) to Russia as early as the 1st century AD. There is news that the Azov Rus partially converted to Christianity already in the 60s. 9th century There were many Christians among the merchants and combatants of Igor, and Princess Olga was also a Christian.
Why, then, did Vladimir stop precisely on Christianity of the "eastern model" - Orthodoxy?
Greek (Byzantine) Orthodox religion largely suited Vladimir most of all for political reasons:
Russia and Byzantium had long-term economic and trade ties (the path from the "Varangians to the Greeks")
Russia needed a strong and powerful ally to protect its borders from the nomads who inhabited great steppe north of the Black Sea, which Byzantium constantly used to fight its northern neighbor
Byzantium was at the peak of its cultural and spiritual development, and Russia could borrow a lot from Greek culture (writing, architecture, new crafts - more than 60)
Bulgaria adopted Christianity in the 9th century and the Byzantine preachers Cyril and Methodius created Slavic alphabet and translated all church literature into Slavic so that it was possible to spread religion on the living, understandable language, not in bookish - Latin
Christianity quite clearly reflected the monistic principle, corresponding to the formation of a single state power in the person of the Kyiv prince (although paganism also had the supremacy of one god of the Family, however, Christianity expressed this idea more meaningfully).
Orthodoxy largely coincided with spiritual and moral aspirations Russian people reflected in the sermons of kindness, mercy, compassion and sympathy for someone else's grief. The beauty and splendor of the church service!
However, before that important step Vladimir made a trip to the Crimea to Korsun, which belonged to Byzantium, captured it and demanded for his wife the sister of the Byzantine emperors, co-ruler brothers. As a condition for this marriage, the Greek side put forward Vladimir's conversion to Orthodoxy. Since the prince himself had already appreciated the Christian faith before the campaign against Korsun, he agreed. In 988, in Korsun, Vladimir became a Christian and the husband of a princess ("queen") from the mighty Byzantine Empire. Returning after the wedding to Kyiv, Vladimir ordered the wooden idols of the pagan gods to be thrown down from the hill, one to be cut down, and the others to be burned. And only after that the general baptism of the people of Kiev in the Dnieper was announced. So, in 988, the state religion was introduced in Kievan Rus - Christianity in its Orthodox version. Society received a new ideology.
The adoption of Christianity is the most important frontier of the Europeanization of Russia. The replacement of traditional beliefs with a religion that preferred kinship by blood to kinship by “spirit” (unity of faith) gave Ancient Russia real unity. This is not only faith in God, it is a problem of choosing spiritual and moral priorities. This is a colossal spiritual revolution.
The baptism of Russia was largely of a violent nature. Violence was indeed used quite widely. People who did not want to be baptized went into the forests and engaged in robbery. However, let's look at it from the other side. Changing spiritual and moral priorities is a difficult process in any country. He was not simple in Russia either. Life-loving, optimistic paganism was replaced by a faith that required restrictions, strict adherence to moral principles. The adoption of Christianity meant a change in the whole structure of life - from family to social relations. It was a revolution in all spheres of life.
At the same time, it is important to note that the introduction of Christianity in Russia was fundamentally different from the baptism, for example, of the pagan tribes of the Baltic states by the Crusaders or the natives of America by the Spaniards. In two recent cases the change of faith took place with the help of foreign intervention. The spread of Christianity in Kievan Rus was an internal affair of the state. The country did not experience any external force.
Russia was baptized in about 100 years. This is a short period for such a cardinal change (for comparison, it took Norway 150 years for this, Sweden 250). Christianity created a broad basis for the unification of the ancient Russian state, for the formation of a single people on the basis of common spiritual and moral principles. The border between the Rus and the Slavs, between the various tribes of the Slavs, disappeared. Everyone was gradually united by a common spiritual basis.
With the adoption of Christianity in Russia, a new institution appeared - the church. At first, it formally submitted to the Byzantine church, the metropolitan in Russia was appointed by the patriarch of Constantinople. The Russian metropolia initially consisted of 9 dioceses. Appeared white with (families) and black (with a vow of celibacy) clergy, monasteries. In favor of the church, the population paid a tax - a tithe (1/10 of the tax).
The adoption of Christianity strengthened the state power and territorial unity of Kievan Rus. The authority of the grand duke's power increased, because. the clergy transferred the Byzantine concept of a sovereign appointed from God not only for external protection but also to establish and maintain internal order: to rule by law, to suppress evil, to punish robbers, to sympathize with the offended. The people were called to obey the authorities.
From the very adoption of Christianity, a close relationship was established between secular and ecclesiastical power in the Russian state, which Russia borrowed from Byzantium. In the first half of the XI century. the formalization of church jurisdiction begins: cases of marriage, divorce, family, some inheritance cases, internal church issues are transferred to the jurisdiction of the church. By the end of the XII century. the church began to supervise the service of weights and measures. At certain stages, secular and ecclesiastical authorities cooperated in the development of criminal law, church law, etc.
The high level of material and spiritual culture of Kievan Rus was the basis and prerequisite for the development of the Orthodox Church, which in turn created favorable conditions for the development of Russian culture.
Baptism was of great international importance, which consisted in the fact that Russia was now becoming equal to other Christian countries, ties with which were significantly expanded.
It contributed to the humanization of ancient Russian society, condemned slavery, human sacrifice. Called to "love your neighbor as yourself."
The adoption of Christianity played big role in the development of Russian culture, which was influenced by Byzantine, and through it, ancient culture. The Church contributed to the creation in Russia of magnificent temple architecture and painting, the development of crafts, coinage, cultural enlightenment, the creation of schools, libraries at monasteries, etc.
Christianity was adopted in the eastern, Byzantine version. Later it was called Orthodoxy, i.e. true faith. The adoption of Christianity meant the inclusion of Russia in the European Christian world. Since that time, Russia, and then Russia, considered itself a part of Christendom I always compared myself to him. However, the fact that Christianity was adopted in the eastern version also had somewhat different consequences, although they did not affect immediately, but manifested themselves in a distant historical perspective.
1054 - the collapse of a single Christian church into Orthodox and Roman Catholic. Having adopted the eastern version of Christianity, Russia fenced itself off from the high road of Christian civilization, which led to the West. After the baptism of Russia, Byzantium slowly fell into decay, and Rome went uphill.
With the weakening and fall of Byzantium (1453), Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian state found itself essentially isolated from the rest of the Christian world. Hence - the refusal of Western Europe to come to the aid of Russia in its confrontation with the infidels, for example, with the Tatar-Mongolians, and later with other conquerors.
Activities of the first Russian princes.
The reign of Oleg. The formation of a single East Slavic state of Rus is associated with the name of the Novgorod prince Oleg (ruled from 882 to 912), a relative of Rurik. In 882 ᴦ. He made a trip to the lands of the Krivichi and captured Smolensk, then took Lyubech and Kyiv, which he made the capital of his state. Later he annexed the lands of the Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Croats and Tivertsy. The conquered tribes imposed tribute. Successfully fought with the Khazars. In 907 ᴦ. He laid siege to the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, and imposed an indemnity on the empire. In 911 ᴦ. Oleg concluded a profitable trade agreement with Byzantium. Τᴀᴋᴎᴍ ᴏϬᴩᴀᴈᴏᴍ, under Oleg, the territory of the early Russian state begins to form by the forcible annexation of Slavic unions to Kyiv.
reign of Igor. After the death of Oleg, Igor became the Grand Duke of Kyiv, who ruled from 912 to 945 ᴦ. Prince Igor is considered the actual ancestor of the Rurik dynasty. Igor subjugated the East Slavic tribal tribes between the Dniester and the Danube. In 941 he made an unsuccessful campaign against Constantinople. Campaign 944 ᴦ. It was successful, Byzantium offered Igor a ransom, an agreement was concluded between the Greeks and Russians.
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Igor first encountered the Pechenegs. He was killed by the Drevlyans for trying to collect tribute from them again.
Duchess Olga. After the murder of Igor, his widow, Princess Olga, brutally suppressed the uprising of the Drevlyans. Then she undertook a detour of some lands, setting a fixed amount of duties for the Drevlyans and Novgorodians, organizing special administrative centers to collect tribute - camps and churchyards. So it was installed new form receiving tribute - the so-called ʼʼcartʼʼ. Olga significantly expanded land holdings Kyiv Grand Duke's House. She visited Constantinople, where she converted to Christianity. Olga ruled during the early childhood of her son Svyatoslav Igorevich and later, during his campaigns. At 98 ᴦ. She had to lead the defense of Kyiv from the attack of the Pechenegs. Olga's campaign against the Novgorodians and Drevlyans meant the beginning of the liquidation of the autonomy of the unions of Slavic tribes that were part of the Russian early feudal state. This led to the merging of the military brigade nobility of the tribal unions with the military brigade nobility of the Kyiv prince. This is how the formation of the association of the Old Russian service army, headed by the Grand Duke of Kyiv, took place. Gradually, he becomes the supreme owner of all the lands of the Russian state.
Svyatoslav Igorevich. In 964 ᴦ. Svyatoslav Igorevich, who has reached the age of majority, enters the board of Rus. He spent almost his entire life on campaigns, first of all he was a warrior prince who sought to bring Russia closer to the largest powers of the then world. Under him, a hundred-year period of distant campaigns ended. princely squad that enriched her. Svyatoslav dramatically changes the policy of the state and begins a systematic strengthening of the borders of Russia. In 964-966 ᴦ. Svyatoslav freed the Vyatichi from the power of the Khazars and subordinated them to Kyiv. In the 60s ᴦ. 10th c. He defeated the Khazar Khaganate and took the capital of the Khaganate, the city of Itil, fought with the Volga-Kama Bulgarians. In 967 ᴦ. Using the offer of Byzantium, which sought to weaken its neighbors, Russia and Bulgaria, by pushing them against each other, Svyatoslav invaded Bulgaria and settled at the mouth of the Danube, in Pereyaslavets. About 971 ᴦ. In alliance with the Bulgarians and Hungarians, he began to fight with Byzantium, but not successfully and was forced to make peace with the Byzantine emperor. He died in battle with the Pechenegs. The reign of Svyatoslav was a time of wide entry of the ancient Russian state into the international arena, a period of significant expansion of its territories.
Vladimir 1 Svyatoslavich. The son of Svyatoslav Igorevich Vladimir with the help of his uncle Dobynia in 969 ᴦ. Became a prince in Novgorod. After the death of his father in 977 ᴦ. He participated in the strife and defeated his elder brother Yaropolk. By campaigns against the Vyatichi, Lithuanians, Radimichi, Bulgarians, Vladimir strengthened the possession of Kievan Rus. He built the first notch line in the history of Russia. To strengthen the princely power, Vladimir made an attempt to turn folk pagan beliefs into a state religion, for this he established the cult of the main Slavic retinue god Perun in Kyiv and Novgorod. The attempt was unsuccessful. Then Vladimir turned to a different religious system - Christianity, the penetration of which into Russia began even under Olga. In 988 ᴦ. Vladimir declared Christianity the only all-Russian religion. The reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich is a period of rise Kyiv state: Gain feudal power, successful aggressive campaigns, development of culture, agriculture and crafts.
Yaroslav the Wise. In 1019 ᴦ. Yaroslav Vladimirovich established himself as the Prince of Kyiv. after the death of Mstislav in 105 ᴦ. Yaroslav became the sovereign prince of Kievan Rus. Under Yaroslav the Wise, Russia became one of the strongest states in Europe. In 1036 ᴦ. Russian troops suffered a major defeat for the Pechenegs, after which their raids on Russia ceased. Great value had the adoption of a single judicial code for all Russia - ʼʼ Russian Pravdaʼʼ. Under Yaroslav the Wise, major reforms took place in church organization. In 1051 ᴦ. The Metropolitan of Kyiv was first elected in Kyiv by a council of Russian bishops. They became Metropolitan Hilarion. Under Yaroslav, a church tithe was fixed - a tenth of the tribute and dues received by the prince was given to the needs of the church. Under Yaroslav the Wise, for the first time, bookishness went beyond the boundaries of monasteries. Professional book scribes appear in the cities.
Vladimir Monomakh. Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh, Prince of Kyiv in 1113-1125 ᴦ., was the son of Prince Vsevold Yaroslavich, the grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. In 1078 ᴦ. Vladimir's father became a prince of Kyiv, and he himself received Chernigov. From 1039 ᴦ. Vladimir waged war with the Polovtsy and their ally Oleg Svyatoslavich, to whom Chernigov was forced to cede, and settled in Pereyaslav principality, subjected to constant raids of the Polovtsians. He was the inspirer and direct leader of military campaigns against the Polovtsy in 1103, 1107 and 1111 ᴦ. The Polovtsy suffered a series of defeats and left the Russian lands for a long time. After his death in 1113 ᴦ. Prince of Kyiv Svyatopolk Izyaslavich broke out in Kyiv popular uprising. Milestones Kyiv society called for the reign of Vladimir Monomakh. Having become the prince of Kyiv, he suppressed the uprising, and softened the position of the lower classes of society by legislative means. This is how the charter of Vladimir Monomakh arose, which, without encroaching on the foundations of feudal relations, sought to alleviate the situation of debtors and purchases. The reign of Vladimir Monomakh was a time of strengthening of Kievan Rus. He managed to unite under his authority up to three-quarters of the territories of the ancient Russian state and stop the princely civil strife.
Activities of the first Russian princes. - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Activities of the first Russian princes." 2017, 2018.
The formation of states takes place in different ways. It may happen that a certain society develops naturally: under the influence of peaceful activity, economic settlements, certain boundaries of the territory occupied by the tribe are gradually marked; certain public relations and then in society stands out ruling class, usually dominant due to the nobility of origin or its economic predominance. General history shows us the Celtic society developed in this way, in which a number of quite definite relations of an economic nature were created, and by virtue of these relations at the head of society, as its leaders, became persons with large quantity land and working livestock. This was the aristocracy, the ruling class, which gradually acquired complete predominance. Such was the growth of society, accomplished by virtue of blood and economic ties. But it happens otherwise. Notable Society has already taken shape, has formed or is being formed in it political power when the enemy suddenly appears, seizes political predominance and power through open violence, and at the same time recycles all previous social relations. So it was in the Western Roman Empire, when the Germans invaded it, took first place in the old society and seized their lands. The economic order that existed here before has been rearranged to the advantage of the ruling class.
Which of these orders took place in Kyiv? We see that the tribal life of the Slavs naturally changed in the volost, and in this already established organism public life the power of the Varangian princes arose. It is extremely important to determine whether the influence of these princes with their retinues was reflected in public relations Slavs or not? Judging by historical data, we can rather say no. The influence of the Varangians was extremely negligible; they did not violate general order former social life. What role did the Varangian princes play, what was their activity and what was their power? This power was so indefinite and peculiar that it is extremely difficult to fit it into ready-made formulas. Generally speaking, the theory of state law distinguishes three main types of political power. The first one grows on the basis of blood ties: an aristocratic (dominant) family gradually develops, and its clan ruler is recognized as the ruler and, together with the political power of the entire tribe. Such power is given the name of patriarchal power; it is among the nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples. The second type is the so-called patrimonial, or patrimonial, power: famous person considers the entire territory of the tribe to be his property, and because of this, he recognizes the people living in the territory as subject to himself. This type of authority is observed in our specific period 13th, 14th, 15th centuries and in a very pure form. The third type of power is no longer based on blood tribal principles and not on a territorial basis, but on a more complex basis. Modern political power arises on the basis of national identity when a tribe, conscious of its tribal and religious unity, is also conscious of its historical past, turns into a nation with national self-consciousness. And such a moment was in the history of Russia for the first time in the 16th century. As for the power of the Varangian princes, it, in essence, does not fit any of the specified types: firstly, the Varangian princes could not dominate us by virtue of the blood principle, secondly, they did not consider the land to be their property and, thirdly, the very concept of Russian land was first formed before the eyes of history in the mouth of, first of all, Prince Svyatoslav, who said to his soldiers: "We will not disgrace the Russian land!" The Kievan princes are essentially the defenders of the country, who, for a certain fee, protect society from the enemy. Reading the meager evidence of the annals, we see that main activity princes was sent to:
- 1) unite the Russian tribes and create in Russia single state;
- 2) arrange as profitable as possible commercial relations with neighbors and secure trade traffic to foreign markets and
- 3) to defend Russia from external enemies.
1. Having first taken possession of everything great by water"from the Varangians to the Greeks", from Ladoga to Kyiv, the Kievan princes then tried to conquer those Slavic tribes who lived aside from this path (Drevlyans, Vyatichi). In the subordinate regions, they either personally arranged order, or sent their sons and combatants there to govern as their deputies (“posadniks”), or, finally, left the local princes there “under their hand.” The main task management was then the collection of "tribute". Konstantin Porphyrogenitus gives curious details about how the prince himself or his posadniks traveled around the volosts, doing justice and reprisals and collecting tribute in money or in kind. Such a detour was called "polyud" and was made along the winter path. By the spring, the tribute collected by the prince was brought to the river piers, loaded onto ships and rafted to Kyiv in the spring. At the same time, they "carried a cart", that is, they delivered tribute to Kyiv from those places where the princes themselves did not have time to visit with warriors. In the hands of the Kyiv princes concentrated in this way large stocks various goods that the princes traded, sending them from themselves to Greece or to the Khazars, or (like Svyatoslav) to the Danube.
2. In the spring in Kyiv, large trade caravans were formed from boats, which in Slavic were called "boats", and in Greek "monoxyls", that is, one-trees. This name was given to the boats because their bottom (keel) consisted of one tree; similar boats lifted several hundred pounds of cargo and up to 40-50 crew members. The boats of the princely squad and merchants ("guests") joined the princely boats; the whole caravan was guarded by the prince's guards and armed squads of guests. Having settled down, the caravans set off down the Dnieper. This is how contemporaries tell about the caravan that went to Constantinople: having finally assembled 50 versts below Kyiv, in Vitichev, the caravan moved from there "to the Greek route." Floating along the Dnieper, he reached the "thresholds", that is, rocky granite ridges, crossing the course of the Dnieper in several places near the present city of Yekaterinoslav. In the rapids it was impossible to swim between the stones with a full load; sometimes there was no move at all for the rooks. Then Russia landed on the shore, unloaded the ships, brought out the chained slaves, which they carried for sale, dragged goods around the threshold along the coast, sometimes even dragged the boats themselves on dry land. While some went around the threshold, others guarded them and guarded the shore, fearing an attack by the Pechenegs on the caravan. Having crossed the rapids, Russia entered the Black Sea and, holding on to the Bulgarian shores, reached Constantinople.
Drag by drag. The era of the first Kyiv princes. Artist N. Roerich, 1915
The Greeks did not let the huge Russian caravan into the walls of their capital. Russia was located in the suburb of St. Mom and lived there for six months, until she finished her trading business. The Greeks copied the Russian ambassadors and merchants who arrived and, according to the list, delivered food supplies from the treasury to them. From the suburbs to Tsargrad itself, the Greeks allowed no more than 50 Russians at once, without weapons and with an escort: they did not allow anyone to stay in Greece for the winter. Thus, the Greeks allowed Russia to arrange a kind of fair near Constantinople with their patronage, but under supervision and with precautions. The rules that established the procedure for Russian trade in Greece and determined all the relations that arose between Russia and the Greeks during the bargain were usually entered into contracts and constituted their main content; that is why these contracts are called trade contracts. In order to arrange an annual caravan for all of Russia to Greece and similar caravans to other places (to the Khazar Itil, to the Danube regions), the Kyiv princes had to spend a lot of work and effort. It was their concern to timely transport their goods received in the form of tribute to Kyiv, and any merchant's goods, then to supply the caravans with strong guards and escort them to their destination; finally, through peaceful relations or weapons to prepare profitable terms trade in foreign countries. The campaigns of the Kievan princes against Greece, Svyatoslav's campaigns against the Don and the Volga were closely connected with the commercial affairs of Kyiv. Thus, the trade of the country directed itself foreign policy the first Kyiv princes.
3. In addition, the first Kyiv princes were concerned about the defense of the state from external enemies. The steppe people attacked not only the borders of Russia, but also its very capital - Kyiv. This city lay too close to the steppe space and was open from the side of the steppe. Therefore, the princes of Kyiv are gradually surrounding it with fortresses, "chopping down cities" on the borders of the steppe and fortifying the very border with ramparts and other structures. So that the steppes, Pechenegs, do not interfere with the trade movement through the steppe, the princes attack them in the steppes or enter into friendship with them and even into an alliance, dragging them along with them to the Greeks. But such friendship was still an exception: usually Russia was in sharp enmity with the Pechenegs.
From what was said about the trade of Russia, one can conclude what exactly was the significance of Kyiv and why Prince Oleg gave him the name "mother of Russian cities." Kyiv was the most southern city on the Dnieper and neighbored the steppe. Therefore, in Kyiv, naturally, all those merchants who brought goods from Russia to the south and east gathered. Here they arranged the main warehouse for exported goods; here was the main market for those goods that were brought to Russia by their own and other merchants from the Khazars and Greeks. In a word, Kyiv was shopping mall all the then Russia; other commercial Russian cities depended on him for their trade turnover. It is clear why the strongest Russian princes preferred Kyiv to any other city and why exactly Kyiv became the capital of the state formed by these princes.
That is all that can be said undoubtedly about the nature of the activity and power of the first Russian princes. Historical meaning their activities are easy to see. Being the first common authority among many disparate before the worlds, the Varangian princes with their squads were the first representatives of tribal unity. Moving from place to place on Russian soil, uniting tribes and cities in common military and trade enterprises, the princes created the basis for national unification and national self-consciousness. By rallying the state outwardly, they also created the possibility of internal cohesion.
The time of princes Oleg in the history of the Russian state bears the stamp of semi-legendary. The reason here is seen not so much in his deeds, but in the extreme scarcity of written sources about him. Only two chronicles have survived to this day, telling in sparing lines about Oleg’s activities, ~ “The Tale of Bygone Years” Novgorod Chronicle of the younger edition, since the beginning of the chronicle of the older edition did not survive. There are other documents originating from Byzantium, Muslim countries, Khazaria. But even in the latest sources, information is small and fragmentary. In 879 on Novgorod Rus a momentous event in history took place. In Novgorod, the Varangian prince Rurik, who ruled here, was dying. According to The Tale of Bygone Years, he handed over the reign to his relative Oleg for the infancy of his son Igor. According to some chronicles, Oleg was Rurik's nephew, and the heir-son was only two years old. M. Karamzin will say about this in his "History of the Russian State", in the first of its twelve volumes: "This guardian Igorev soon became famous for his great courage, victories, prudence, love of his subjects." Such a flattering review of the first ruler of Ancient Russia was inspired by the chronicle “commendable” words “The Tale of Bygone Years.” For three years, according to the annals, nothing was heard in Kyiv about the new Novgorod ruler. As shown further developments, Prince Oleg most likely spent this time actively preparing a military campaign with the aim of capturing the city of Kyiv and taking control of the entire land part trade route"From the Varangians to the Greeks". A large military-political enterprise was being prepared for that time. Most modern historians only state the actions of Igor Rurikovich, but do not give them an explanation. “After Oleg, Igor began to reign. And again, as from the time of Oleg, we have his treatise with Byzantium and various foreign news about recent years his reign - about an unsuccessful campaign against Tsaregrad and a Happy expedition to the Caspian lands. Obviously, this became a custom: the first goals of the reign took place in strengthening the position of the new prince and state system pacification of recalcitrant princes and governors, recalcitrant volosts and tribes, and then, having pacified them and having significant military forces at their disposal, the Kyiv princes set off on a campaign to distant rich countries, looking for prey and glory in them. Igor ruled far from being as successful as his predecessor. Actually, the rule begins to operate from him, which then became mandatory for all Kyiv princes: he ascended the throne ~ assert your power over the rebellious tribes. The Drevlyans were the first to rise up against Igor, and then they were convicted. He and his squad had to spend several years in grueling campaigns in order to force the rebels to pay tribute to Kyiv again. And only after solving all these internal problems Igor was able to continue Oleg's business - long-distance semi-trade-semi-pirate expeditions. In the 40s. complicated relations with Byzantium. The peace treaty concluded by Oleg with Byzantium was no longer valid by 941, and Igor organized new military expeditions against the powerful southern neighbor. In 941, Igor tried to repeat Oleg's campaign and sent his boats to Constantinople. They were met by the Byzantine fleet, which was armed with "Greek fire" - a combustible mixture that burned the Russian boats. Having failed, Igor was forced to abandon the campaign against the capital. The military operations in Asia Minor ended in failure. The surviving ships had to return with nothing.
The rise of Kievan Rus. The reign of Vladimir I, Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir II Monomakh, Russia and Byzantium.
Vladimir I Svyatoslavich - Prince of Novgorod in 970 - 988, Kyiv Grand Duke at which the baptism of Russia took place.
Became prince of novgorod in 970, captured Kyiv throne 978. In 988 he chose Christianity as the state religion of Kievan Rus. In baptism he received the Christian name Vasily. Also known as Saint Vladimir, Vladimir the Baptist (in church history) and Vladimir the Red Sun (in epics). Glorified in the face of saints as equal to the apostles; Memorial Day in Russian Orthodoxy - July 15th Julian calendar. Yaroslav Vladimirovich - Rostov prince(987-1010), Prince of Novgorod in (1010-1034), Grand Duke of Kyiv (1016-1018. 1019-1054). Yaroslav Vladimirovich - son of the baptist of Russia, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich (from the Rurik family) and Polotsk princess Rogneda Rogvolodovna, father, grandfather and uncle of many rulers of Europe. At baptism he was named George. The “Russian Truth” compiled under Yaroslav, which became the first well-known code of laws in Russia, went down in history. -1125), statesman, military leader, writer, thinker. Son of Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich. Nicknamed Monomakh after the kind of mother who was supposedly a daughter or niece Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomakh.
