After the death of Prince Vladimir, internecine wars for power began between his 12 sons. First, the throne was seized by Svyatopolk, treacherously killing his two Boris and Gleb.

Yaroslav, who ruled in Novgorod during the life of his father, emerged victorious from a comfortable fight. Ruled by Yaroslav the Wise from 1019 to 1054.

Under the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, it reached its peak. During the years of his reign, Kievan Rus became one of the strongest states in Europe, quickly catching up and bypassing the advanced states in all respects.

The foreign policy of the king was productive. Russian princes enter into dynastic marriages with the largest European royal courts.

Foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise

In foreign policy, Yaroslav the Wise not only developed trade and cultural ties, but also fought very successfully and repelled the raids of the Pechenegs. It was Yaroslav the Wise who defeated the Pechenegs, and they, in turn, ceased to represent a formidable force and disturb Russia with their raids.

He fought with the Finns, Yatvingians, Lithuanians. He went to the Chud, and established his power on the Chud lands, built the city of Yuryev on the shores of Lake Peipus. During his reign, the last clash between Russia and Byzantium took place, it was in 1043 - 1046. The conflict broke out over the murder of a Russian merchant. It all ended with peace treaties, sealed by the bonds of dynastic marriage.

Domestic policy of Yaroslav the Wise

The domestic policy of Yaroslav the Wise was of high quality and productive. He cared about the Russian people. Kyiv, under Yaroslav, became one of the largest European cities. The Golden Gates and St. Sophia Cathedral were built in the city. Also, during his reign, the Metropolitan of Kyiv was appointed for the first time, a figure of Russian origin - the name of Metropolitan Hilarion.

Yaroslav the Wise in domestic politics paid great attention to enlightenment in Russia and its Christianization. He was one of the compilers of the first set of laws of Russia -. The source for the creation of "Russian Truth" was the norms of customary law, judicial local customs legalized by the state, as well as the judicial practice of local princes.

Yaroslav the Wise died in February 1054. He was buried in Kyiv in St. Sophia Cathedral.

Reign: 1019-1054

From the biography.

Historical portrait of Yaroslav it is quite simple to compile, since there is a lot of information about him in the annals, because he was a bright personality, in which Russia reached its heyday.

He came to power as a result of a struggle for the throne with his brother Mstislav Tmutarakansky, with whom he was forced to share power until 1036 (the year of his brother's death).

A bright personality: strong-willed, strong, decisive, prudent, devoted to the Orthodox faith, brave, sympathetic to the poor. He led a modest life. Often Yaroslav the Wise is called the ideal prince. Even his appearance is depicted on a modern thousand-ruble bill.

The chronicles did not preserve a description of his appearance, but it is noted that he was lame, either from childhood, or as a result of an injury received on campaigns.

He laid the foundation for the legislation of Russia. In the code of laws "Russian Truth" by Yaroslav the Wise included penalties for theft, murder, even various insults, as well as the rules of the court. It is very important that he abolished the death penalty! According to this law, it can be determined that the process of division into estates has begun in the country, signs of social inequality have appeared. This is clearly seen in the system of fines, according to which for the same crime, but in relation to persons of different social status, the punishment was different: for the murder of an ognishanavira, it was 80 hryvnia, and for a serf - 5.

For the first time under him, a Russian man becomes a metropolitan - Hilarion, that is, J. the Wise begins a policy of independence from the Byzantine church. Illarion - was a wonderful speaker, the author of the "Sermon on Law and Grace", in which he wrote about the equality of peoples and glorified his native Russian land.

The historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise simply needs to be added by such activities of the prince as the construction of cities, as well as the strengthening of Kyiv with a stone wall, the construction of the main gate - Golden.

Kyiv becomes one of the most beautiful cities in Russia. Sophia Cathedral is still striking in its beauty: it is decorated with marble, mosaics and frescoes.

The prince paid much attention to the development of education: the first schools were built in which primary education was given.

Many books were translated from Greek into Russian during his reign, and a library was created. Yaroslav collected books, invited translators, read a lot himself, had a huge library. Counted books "rivers, capable of drinking wisdom". Under him, the first library was created in St. Sophia Cathedral.

He paid great attention to education, including his children. Posted by "Will» children. In it, he called on his sons to love each other, not to be at enmity, since strife is the death of everyone, he called for peace and harmony.

Under him, the international prestige of Russia significantly increased, including thanks to dynastic marriages. His wife is a Swedish princess, and his daughters were married to the kings of Hungary, France, and Norway.

He led an active foreign policy. This is the protection of Russia from the raids of the Pechenegs, who were given a crushing blow, campaigns in the Baltic States, Poland, Lithuania, Byzantium

He lived a long life - 76 years, serving Russia. Under Yaroslav the Wise Russia, the territory from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea belonged. It was a huge and strong country.

He was buried in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.

Historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise: activities

1. Domestic policy of Yaroslav the Wise

• Strengthening of princely power
• The final approval of Christianity: churches and monasteries were built - including the Kiev Caves, St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv and Novgorod; the church left the subordination of Constantinople, the first Russian metropolitan, Hilarion, was appointed.
• Creation of a system of legislation: the code of laws "Russian Truth" - blood feud was limited in it (allowed only for close relatives), a vira was introduced - a system of fines.
• The fight against separatism, that is, separation: he introduced a new procedure for the transfer of power - to the eldest in the family, that is, the ladder system.
• The development of writing and education: elementary schools were created at monasteries, a library, under Yaroslav many books were translated and copied from Greek.
• He paid great attention to the upbringing of children. Wrote the famous "Testament" to children.

2. Foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise

• The fight against the nomadic Pechenegs, under him their raids stopped in 1036. Sophia Cathedral and the Golden Gate in Kyiv were founded in honor of this victory.
• Strengthening ties with Western states. Dynastic marriages of children. He is married to the daughter of the King of Sweden, Ingegerda (baptized Irina).
• Expanding the borders of Russia. 1030 - a campaign against Novgorod, the subjugation of the Estonians. Founded the city of Yuryev.

The results of the activities of Yaroslav the Wise:

• Contributed to the flourishing of Russia.
• Strengthened the princely power.
• He finally approved Christianity, began the process of separating the church from the power of the Byzantine patriarch.
• Laid the foundation of the written legislation of the state
• Contributed to the development of education and enlightenment
• Significantly strengthened the international authority of Russia.

Yaroslav the Wise with a book in his hands is depicted on the Millennium of Russia monument in Novgorod, opened in 1862. Author - sculptor Mikeshin M.O.

This fact is a reflection of the respect of descendants for this ruler of Kievan Rus.

This material can be used to prepare

Yaroslav the Wise is a ruler who played a huge role in the history of Kievan Rus. The son of Vladimir managed to simultaneously establish external relations and relations within the state. During the time when Yaroslav the Wise ruled, if we consider the relations of the Russian state with other countries, the prince managed to achieve recognition of Kievan Rus by them. Vladimir's son also played an important role in the development of domestic politics. In a word, the recognition of the country, its development and prosperity deserves that we get acquainted with the foreign and domestic policy of Yaroslav the Wise and briefly consider the principles that the prince adhered to during his reign.

Domestic policy brief overview

If we consider domestic policy during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise in our brief review, then it is worth noting that it was aimed at strengthening economic ties and developing culture between individual principalities in the state. He tried by his actions to provide real power to the state.

His main decisions, with regards to the policy of Russia, include the compilation of a written set of laws. This is the first ruler who began to streamline legal norms, writing them down and publishing them in the form of laws called Russian Truth, or as it was also called the Charter of Yaroslav. With the help of laws, relations within the state between the principalities were regulated. Simply put, Russian truth has become a kind of code that is familiar to us in our time. It regulated administrative, criminal and civil norms. Of course, the document was not perfect, but all the same, thanks to it, issues of law and order among society were resolved, the legislative framework protected from violence and lawlessness, which dominated at that time. The adopted laws, which everyone had to adhere to, allowed the state machine to gain momentum. The prince managed to streamline the laws and begin the fight against nihilism.

However, the domestic policy of the prince is not only the solution of a legal issue. The ruler of the country paid great attention to the spiritual side of life. He did everything possible to get rid of the guardianship of Byzantium. So, under Yaroslav, not a Greek, but a Russian, Metropolitan Hilarion was appointed to the Kyiv Metropolis. During the reign of the new prince, temples were being built, including the foundation of the main temple of Russia, the thirteen-headed Cathedral of St. Sophia. The prince takes care of education by opening schools. In addition, Yaroslav attracted book writers and translators, which made it possible to increase the number of books in the state, which became available to everyone. Children begin to learn to read and write.

Foreign Policy Overview

Yaroslav played an important role in the formation of foreign relations, paying great attention to foreign policy. If we turn to the events that took place in foreign policy, then Yaroslav the Wise cannot be called a conqueror, meanwhile, this did not prevent him from establishing peace with Byzantium, strengthening the southern and western borders. He tried to resolve all issues, like his father, through diplomacy. In addition, under Yaroslav, dynastic marriages are observed, with the help of which the authority of Kievan Rus is strengthened. The leaders of the European states were not against intermarrying with the prince. So, he himself marries the daughter of the Norwegian king, his sister marries the Polish prince, One of the sons takes the sister of the Polish prince as his wife, and the Greek princess was intended for the other son as his wife. Two more sons marry German princesses. Yaroslav also had daughters. He marries one of them to the Norwegian king, the other to the Hungarian, and the third daughter he gives in marriage to the French king. This allows you to establish good relations with other states and makes it possible to strengthen the international authority of Russia.

• - In 1030-1031. the united army of Mstislav and Yaroslav defeated the Polish king, after which the disputed Cherven cities (Belez, Cherven, Przemysl) again went to Russia.
• - In 1030, Yaroslav made a successful trip to the lands of the Baltic "chud" and built the city of Yuryev (now Tartu) to the West of Lake Peipus, Yuri - the name given to Yaroslav at baptism - Attention! The question is in the tests.
• - In 1036, the army of Yaroslav inflicted a crushing defeat on the Pechenegs near Kyiv, from which they could not recover. To replace the Pechenegs in the XI century. Polovtsy will come. The forces of Novgorodians (left flank), Varangians (center of the battle) and Kyiv militia (right flank) were involved in the battle.
• - In 1038 he pacified the Yotvingians.
• - In 1040 he went on a campaign to Lithuania and Mazovia.
• - In 1043 he fought with Byzantium (the last war of Russia with this country). But unsuccessful: Yaroslav sent his eldest son (Vladimir) on a campaign, a storm broke out, the ships turned over, and the Byzantines who came ashore were captured (sometimes blinded). Only in 1046, under a peace treaty, were the Russian prisoners returned. At the conclusion of the peace treaty, Konstantin Monomakh gave his daughter, Mstislav, to his son Yaroslav, from whom Vladimir Monomakh would later be born.
• - In 1047 he conquered Mazovia for his ally - Casimir I.
• - He developed external relations through dynastic marriages: his sister Maria was married to the Polish king Kazimir (according to D.S. Likhachev, but the old man does not mention her), and the king’s sister married Yaroslav’s son, Izyaslav. Yaroslav's daughter was married to the French king Henry I. Another daughter, Elizabeth, was the wife of the Viking Harold the Bold, later king of Norway. Anastasia married the Hungarian King Andrew I.
• - Establishment of schools for teaching literacy (he himself also had the nickname "bookman" - Katsva, Yurganov). A mass translation was carried out from Greek books (primarily church books).
• - He was the founder of "Russian Truth" (see the next topic).
• - Died February 20, 1054

After the death of an older brother Vysheslav(according to some sources, 1011) was planted by his father to reign in Novgorod. Moreover, his residence most likely became Knyazhin Dvor (later called Yaroslav Dvorishche), before that, the Novgorod princes from the time Rurik usually lived in Settlement near Novgorod.

AT 1014 Yaroslav resolutely refused to pay his father, the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Svyatoslavich, annual lesson two thousand hryvnia. Historians suggest that these actions of Yaroslav were connected with the intention of Vladimir to transfer the throne to his youngest son. Boris. Vladimir Svyatoslavich died the following year, preparing for a war with Yaroslav. And Yaroslav began the fight for the throne of Kyiv with his brother Svyatopolkom, who was released from prison and declared their prince by the rebellious Kievans. In this struggle, which lasted four years, Yaroslav relied on the Novgorodians and hired Varangian squad under the leadership of King Eimund.

AT 1016 Yaroslav defeated the army of Svyatopolk near Lyubech and in late autumn occupied Kyiv. He generously rewarded the Novgorod squad, giving each soldier ten hryvnias.

However, Yaroslav often does not pay extra to the hired squad, remembering the salary only in the face of impending danger.

The victory at Lyubech did not end the fight against Svyatopolk. He approached Kyiv twice more: once with Pechenegs, the second - with the army of the Polish king Boleslav I.

AT 1018 polish king Boleslav the Brave invited by his son-in-law Svyatopolk the Accursed, defeated the troops of Yaroslav on the banks buga, captured Kyiv together with his sisters, his first wife Anna and Yaroslav's stepmother, he publicly raped his sister Predslava, who refused to marry him, and instead of transferring the city ("table") to his daughter's husband Svyatopolk, he himself made an attempt to establish himself in it. But the people of Kiev, outraged by the fury of his squad, began to kill the Poles, and Boleslav had to hastily leave Kyiv, depriving Svyatopolk of military assistance. And Yaroslav, after the defeat, returned to Novgorod ready to run across the sea. But the Novgorodians, led by posadnik Konstantin Dobrynich, chopping up his ships, they told the prince that they want to fight for him with Boleslav and Svyatopolk. They raised money, signed a new contract with Varangians king Eimund and armed themselves. spring 1019 this army, led by Yaroslav, is carrying out a new campaign against Svyatopolk. In the battle for river Alta Svyatopolk was defeated, his banner was captured, he himself was wounded, but fled.

Since the enmity could continue indefinitely, while both princes were alive, King Eymund asked Yaroslav: "Will you order him to be killed or not?" To which Yaroslav agreed: This year Yaroslav received the title Grand Duke Kyiv after killing my brother Svyatopolk and brothers Boris and Gleb, but prefers to be 1036 in Novgorod.

AT 1019 Yaroslav (according to some chronicles, with the living first wife Anna, captured Boleslav the Brave in Kyiv) marries the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Schötkonung -- Ingegerde, for which the king of Norway formerly wooed Olaf Haraldson, who devoted her to visa and subsequently married her younger sister Astrid. Ingigerda in Russia is baptized with a consonant name - Irina. And judging by the "Sagas of Olaf the Holy" Snorri Sturluson as a "dowry" Princess Ingegerd received city ​​of Aldeygaborg (Ladoga) with adjacent lands, which have since received the name Ingermanland(lands of Ingegerda).

AT 1020 nephew of Yaroslav Bryachislav attacked Novgorod, and on the way back, was overtaken by Yaroslav on the river Sudome, defeated here by his troops and fled, leaving captives and loot. Yaroslav pursued him and forced him into 1021 agree to peace terms, appointing him two cities as inheritance consecrated and Vitebsk. However, according to "Eimund's Saga", after the victory over Svyatopolk, Yaroslav put forward territorial claims to Bryachislav, but Bryachislav rejected them and went out with an army to the border of his destiny. To wage war, Yaroslav sent Ingegerda to the troops, who was captured and brought to Bryachislav's headquarters. Ingegerda was forced to act as a peacemaker. According to the peace treaty, Bryachislav increased his possessions and began to rule in Kyiv. Yaroslav remained in Novgorod and was named Grand Duke. Soon Bryachislav died, and Yaroslav returned to Kyiv.

AT 1023 Yaroslav's brother Tmutarakan prince Mstislav- attacked with his allies Khazars and kasogami and captured Chernihiv and all the Left Bank of the Dnieper, and in 1024 Mstislav won Yaroslav's troops under the leadership of the Varangian Yakuna (Gakona) near Listven (near Chernigov). Mstislav moved his capital to Chernigov and, having sent ambassadors to Yaroslav who had fled to Novgorod, offers to divide the lands along the Dnieper with him and stop the wars:

AT 1025 son of Bolesław the Brave Mieszko II became king of Poland, and his two brothers, Bezprim and Otto, were expelled from the country and took refuge with Yaroslav. yaroslav the wise politics Kievan Rus

AT 1026 Yaroslav, having gathered a large army, returned to Kyiv, and made peace near Gorodets with his brother Mstislav, agreeing with his peace proposals. The brothers share the lands along the Dnieper. The left bank was kept by Mstislav, and the right bank by Yaroslav.

AT 1028 norwegian king Olaf Haraldson, subsequently canonized in Norway as Olaf the Saint, was forced to flee to Novgorod to Yaroslav the Wise. He fled there with his five-year-old son Magnus leaving his mother Astrid in Sweden. In Novgorod, Magnus's mother's half-sister, Yaroslav's wife and Olaf's ex-fiancee -- Ingegerd insisted that Magnus stay with Yaroslav after the return of Olaf the Holy to Norway in 1030, where he died in the same year during the battle for the Norwegian throne.

AT 1029, helping his brother Mstislav, made a trip to jars, expelling them from Tmutarakan. In the next 1030, Yaroslav won chud and founded the city of Yuryev (now Tartu, Estonia). In the same year he took Belz in Galicia. At this time, an uprising rose against King Mieszko II in the Polish land, the people killed bishops, priests and boyars. AT 1031 Yaroslav and Mstislav, having supported the claims of Bezprim to the Polish throne, gathered a large army and went to the Poles, conquered the cities Przemysl and Cherven, conquered the Polish lands, and, having captured many Poles, divided them. Yaroslav resettled his prisoners along the river Ros, and Mstislav on the right bank of the Dnieper. Shortly before that, in the same year 1031 Harald III the Severe, King of Norway, half-brother Olaf Saint, fled to Yaroslav the Wise and served in his squad. As is commonly believed, he participated in Yaroslav's campaign against the Poles and was a co-leader of the troops. Subsequently, Harald became Yaroslav's son-in-law, marrying Elizabeth.

AT 1034 Yaroslav appoints his son Prince of Novgorod Vladimir. AT 1036 Mstislav suddenly dies while hunting, and Yaroslav, apparently fearing any claims to the Kiev principality, imprisons his brother - Pskov prince Sudislava- in the dungeon (chopped). Only after these events, Yaroslav decides to move with the court to Kyiv. Before the death of Mstislav, the residence of Yaroslav was Novgorod, and in Kyiv the administration was carried out by him. boyars.

The period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the period of the greatest flowering of Kievan Rus. We can say that Yaroslav paid great attention to the organization of the internal life of the country. Under him, a code of laws was drawn up called "The Truth of Yaroslav", which is the most ancient part of the "Russian Truth". The publication of this document contributed to the organization of the internal life of the country. During the reign of Yaroslav, Christianity finally established itself in the Kievan state. In 1039 The Metropolis of Kyiv was founded, which was subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople. In 1051 Yaroslav, wishing to be freed from the "guardianship" of Byzantium in church affairs, contrary to the canon, at the gathering of Russian bishops, elected the Kyiv church leader Hilarion as metropolitan. Under Yaroslav, the first monasteries were founded in Kievan Rus - St. Irene, St. Yuri, Kiev-Pechersky Monastery, which became large church and socio-cultural centers. Yaroslav also took care of the development of education in the state. By his order, a school and a library were created at St. Sophia Cathedral. Before his death, he tried to fix another problem that worried him, and to improve the apparatus for transferring power in order to avoid bloody civil strife in the future. But he died before he could solve this problem. In general, we can say that the domestic policy of Yaroslav the Wise was successful and aimed at the development of the state

"Russian Truth".

General characteristics of "Russian Truth". Among other things, Yaroslav the Wise is also famous for the publication of his Russkaya Pravda. "Russian Truth" is a collection of norms of ancient law, compiled mainly in the 11th - 12th centuries. The question of its origin, as well as the time of compilation of the earliest part of the Russkaya Pravda, is debatable. Some historians date it even to the 7th century. However, most researchers associate the oldest part of Russkaya Pravda with the name of Yaroslav the Wise, and Novgorod is called the place of its publication. The original text of this document has not come down to us. In the course of history, the text of Russkaya Pravda has been repeatedly changed and supplemented. So, for example, it is known that the sons of Yaroslav, (in the second half of the 11th century), supplemented and changed the text of the “Russian Truth”, calling it “The Truth of the Yaroslavichs”. To date, 106 lists of Russkaya Pravda are known, compiled in the 13th - 17th centuries. Mostly Russian Pravda is usually divided into three editions - Brief, Extended, and Abbreviated, reflecting certain stages in the development of social relations in the Kievan state. The main provisions of Russian Truth. Crime and punishment according to Russkaya Pravda. The modern science of criminal law understands the term “crime” as a socially dangerous act provided for by criminal law, committed guilty (i.e. with intent or negligence) by a sane person who has reached the age of criminal responsibility. And what was meant by this term in the distant period of the creation of Russian Pravda? With the introduction of Christianity in Russia, under the influence of new morality, the pagan concepts of crime and punishment are being replaced. In the sphere of criminal law of Ancient Russia, the private nature of the ancient Christian-Byzantine legal norms based on Roman private law is manifested. Such a replacement is most clearly expressed in the princely statutes and in Russkaya Pravda, where any crime was defined not as a violation of the law or the prince's will, but as an "offense", i.e. causing material, physical or moral harm to any person or group of persons. For this insult, the perpetrator had to pay a certain compensation. Thus, the criminal offense did not differ in the law from the civil law. Types of crimes and their corresponding punishments according to Russkaya Pravda: 1. Blood feud. The replacement of pagan concepts of crime and punishment with new concepts is especially clearly expressed in the legislation that determines the punishment for murder and in the gradual transformation of the institution of blood feud. So, for example, under an agreement with the Greeks of 911, everyone could kill a murderer at the crime scene with impunity. The treaty of 945 gives the right to life of the murderer to the relatives of the murdered, regardless of the degree of kinship. Russkaya Pravda, in turn, limits the circle of avengers to two degrees of the closest relatives of the murdered person (father, son, brothers, nephews). And, finally, Pravda Yaroslavichi completely excludes blood feud from its composition, forbidding anyone to kill the murderer, allowing the relatives of the murdered to use a certain monetary compensation from the murderer. Thus, the right of the state to the person and property of the criminal is expanding. There is much debate in the literature about the legal basis for blood feuds. Was it a pre-trial or post-trial massacre? Russian Truth does not give a direct answer to this question. Historically, blood feud has developed as a duty of the victim's clan to deal with the criminal. But the process of feudalization of the Old Russian state, the increase in the role of the prince and the princely court made significant changes in the application of the custom of blood feud. For some time, the princely court coexisted with the communal one, but gradually, due to the strengthening of feudal relations, the princely court occupied a leading position, pushing the communal court into the background. Thus, the intervention of the prince in the custom of blood feud becomes possible, the killer has the opportunity to redeem himself through the mediation of the prince (although, without a doubt, he could have negotiated with the relatives of the murdered before). At this time, a special category of people separated from their community (merchants, outcasts), as well as numerous princely combatants and servants (gridni, yabetniks, swordsmen, firemen, etc.), who needed special princely protection, were singled out. , having broken with the community for various reasons, they lost their protector in its person. Now the prince was to become their new protector, so they were interested in strengthening the princely power. In turn, restraining the lynching of the community, the prince introduced his own measure of punishment - vira, i.e. a fine of 40 hryvnia, paid for the murder to the prince's treasury. Russkaya Pravda also knows the institute of wild or wholesale vira (in the amount of 80 hryvnias) imposed for the murder of princely servants. For example, a fine of 80 hryvnias is mentioned for killing a fireman, a princely tyun or a groom. Undoubtedly, the ancient custom of blood feud did not suit either the prince, who was interested in weakening the communal courts that interfered with the centralization of power, or the Christian church with its new norms of morality and morality, but, being very widespread, it could not be eliminated immediately. Therefore, it can be assumed that the prince gives his sanction for blood feud, fixing this provision in article 1 of Yaroslav's Pravda. Thus, the blood feud in Russian Pravda has a pronounced transitional character from the direct reprisal of the clan to the punishment imposed and executed by the state. But it should be noted that blood feud is applied only in the case of the murder of a free person by a free person. Only after the death of Yaroslav the Wise, "gathering again, his sons Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, Vsevolod and their husbands Kosnyachko, Pereneg, Nikifor canceled the blood feud for the murder, and decided to pay for the money." 2. Beatings and insults. Revenge in Russian Pravda is mentioned not only in articles that talk about murder. So, for example, in the case of beating a person to the point of blood and bruises, the victim is given an alternative: either take revenge or take 3 hryvnia from the offender for the offense. Moreover, in this case, a witness is not even required. “If there is no sign on it, then let the vidok come; if he can't, then that's the end of it." Thus, in this article, for the first time, we encounter the concept of a vidoc, i.e. direct witness - an eyewitness of what is happening. In addition to the vidok, Russian Truth knows another type of witness - a rumor, i.e. a person who can vouch for the innocence of the accused, defend his good name. Unlike previous customs, here attention is paid not to the nature of the damage inflicted, but to the tools used to inflict beatings: a batog, a pole, a palm, a bowl, a horn, the blunt side of a sharp weapon. Such a list indicates that the law does not take into account the degree of danger to the health of the victim of the subject that is used to beat. What matters is not the bodily injury caused, but the insult directly inflicted by the blow. In this case, the victim has the right to immediate revenge. If the offended person did not immediately take revenge on the offender for one reason or another (did not overtake), then the latter is subject to a monetary penalty in the amount of 12 hryvnias. Article 4 (a blow with a sword not taken out of its sheath) and article 8 (pulling out a beard and mustache) also speak of an insult. Both of these articles provide for a punishment for a crime in the amount of 12 hryvnia. Article 9 reads: “If someone, having drawn a sword, does not strike, then he will put down the hryvnia.” The crime described in this article can be characterized as an attempt, or as an unfinished crime (threat, insult). 3. Membership. The next series of articles (Articles 5, 6 and 7) is devoted to self-mutilation. There are three main types of self-mutilation: injury to the hand, foot and finger. The removal of a hand, as well as the deprivation of the opportunity to use it in ancient Russian law, was equated with death, therefore, for this insult, a punishment was imposed that was equivalent to the punishment for murder, i.e. imposed a fine of 40 hryvnia. Blood feud could also be used as punishment for this crime. But unlike other articles, which provided for blood feud as a form of punishment, in case of injury, relatives of the victim could take revenge, because. he himself was unable to. Legal status of various segments of the population. (4.) Murder. Being a legal monument of the feudal state with all its inherent features, Russkaya Pravda in her articles clearly delimits the legal status of various groups of the population. Beginning with Article 19, the class division of society appears more clearly. The law establishes fines for the murder of princely servants, for theft and damage to princely property. Article 19 reads: “If a fireman is killed for an offense, then the murderer must pay 80 hryvnias for him, but people do not need to; and for the access prince - 80 hryvnia. Most likely, the words “murder for insult” means murder in response to the actions of the victim (as A.I. Sobolevsky suggested). It can be assumed that we are talking about the murder of a princely servant in the performance of his duties. The next type of premeditated murder according to Russkaya Pravda was a robbery murder. In ancient Russia, it was considered as the most serious crime. In the case of the murder of a fireman, the duty to search for the criminal was assigned to the verv (community) on whose territory the murder was committed. If the killer was not caught, then the verv was obliged to pay the viru in the amount of 80 hryvnias. A rather interesting norm is set forth in Article 21, dedicated to the murder of a fireman or a princely tyun while protecting princely property (“at the cage, or at the horse, or at the herd, or when stealing a cow”). This article obliges to deal with the killer on the spot (“kill the dog in the place”), which speaks of the especially dangerous nature of this crime and once again confirms the fact of enhanced protection of the princely servants. A number of subsequent articles (Articles 22-27) list the fines levied for the murder of the prince's servants, as well as people who are dependent on the prince. After reviewing these articles, one can imagine the social structure of the then society, determine the position of certain groups of the population on the social ladder. The fines listed in these articles help us figure this out. So, the life of a princely tiun and a senior groom is estimated at 80 hryvnias, the life of a village headman, plowed farmer, a breadwinner or her child is 12 hryvnias, and the lives of rank and file, smerds and serfs are valued below all - only 5 hryvnias 2. 3.4. 5. Theft or damage to property. Not only the prince's servants, but also his property enjoyed special protection. Thus, Article 28 establishes the amount of fines for the abduction or extermination of princely cattle. The same article also mentions the horse smerda. Immediately striking is the different amount of the fine for stealing the prince's horse and the smerd. In my opinion, this difference is not caused by the different use of these horses (i.e. the prince's horse is fighting, and the peasant's is a worker), but simply the law puts the prince's property under greater protection compared to the property of the smerd. A number of articles (articles 29, 31, 32, 35 -37, 39, 40) deal with various cases of theft. In the monument of law I am studying, theft is given a significant place, the system of punishments for it has been worked out in sufficient detail, which indicates the wide spread of this antisocial phenomenon even at that distant time. It should be noted that Russkaya Pravda provides for a more severe punishment in the event of a crime being committed by a group of persons, i.e. the concept of complicity is already known (Articles 31 and 40). Regardless of the number of criminals, each of them had to pay an increased fine compared to the fine imposed for theft committed alone. It is interesting that the term “sale” appears in Articles 35 and 36 - a fine established by law, collected in favor of the prince as a state body, i.e. going to the treasury. In addition to the sale, a penalty “for insult” is established in favor of the victim, which can be compared with the compensation for harm caused in modern legislation. Article 38 confirms the rule, apparently established by custom - the right to kill a thief at the scene of a crime. But the law restricts this right, allowing him to be killed only at night and forbidding the killing of a bound thief. This is similar to the current concept of exceeding the limits of necessary defense. This article, as well as Article 33 (providing sanctions for physical violence against a smerd, fireman, tiun or swordsman without princely permission), aims to strengthen princely jurisdiction, limiting lynching. Indirectly confirming the existence of a community court, Article 33 indicates the desire of the princely power to establish a monopoly on the court. Speaking about the various groups of the population mentioned in Russian Pravda, it should be clarified that the serf was not at all a subject of law, i.e., being a personally dependent person, he did not bear personal responsibility for his deeds. His master had to answer for the crime he had committed. The life of a serf was valued less than the lives of other members of society, and the amount of the fine for his withdrawal, i.e. kidnapping (12 hryvnias under Art. 29), significantly exceeded the fine for his murder (5 hryvnias under Art. 26). The historical significance of Russian truth. By the standards of modern researchers, the historical significance of Russkaya Pravda can hardly be overestimated. It acts as one of the most important sources for studying Kievan Rus, its social life and public relations, as well as the norms of law and order and the structure of state power. In addition to its great importance for historians of Kievan Rus, it also acts as a source for the study of ancient norms and human rights in the field of crimes and their corresponding punishments, and therefore is a valuable material for the study of the legal rights of antiquity, that is, it is valuable for lawyers. If we talk about the style of presentation of thought in Russkaya Pravda, then we can imagine its significance for literary critics. Yes, and for its era, "Russian Truth" was a huge breakthrough, because, in fact, it was the first set of laws and social norms in the history of Kievan Rus. From the foregoing, it follows that Yaroslav the Wise proved himself not only as a brilliant diplomat and commander, but also as a legislator and "arranger" of the internal life of the state, because it is not for nothing that history calls him the Wise.