The exact date of birth of Vsevolod Mstislavich is unknown. Historians say that he was born around 1095. Prince Vsevolod was the eldest son of Mstislav the Great and the grandson of Vladimir Monomakh. His maternal grandfather Inge was the Swedish king.
Beginning of government in Novgorod
If the old order of succession was still preserved in Russia, then Vsevolod could become the ruler of Kyiv. However, in the XII century, the East Slavic state finally passed into the stage of feudal fragmentation, when there was no single power, but there were several centers of influence. One of them was Novgorod the Great. It was the second largest city in Russia, its unofficial northern capital.
It was there in 1117 that young Vsevolod was sent. However, the citizens of Novgorod were distinguished by the most freedom-loving and restless character. Here, as before, the importance of the veche was still strong - the people's assembly in the central square of the city, where the most important decisions were made. The princely power here competed with the power of the posadniks. It was an elective position. Most often, local merchants or boyars became posadniks.
In the first year of the reignVsevolod, Novgorodians began to make independent decisions without asking the young governor about it. Such behavior enraged Vladimir Monomakh, who ruled in Kyiv and was conditionally considered the eldest and most important prince. He called the Novgorod boyars to the southern capital, half of whom he left as hostages. The rest returned to their city and convinced their fellow citizens to accept the posadnik appointed by Monomakh.
Chud trips
In 1131, Vsevolod united with his younger brothers from other principalities (Izyaslav, Rostislav and Yaropolk) and went on a campaign against the B altic Chud. These were the ancestors of modern Estonians. The first campaign was successful. Russian troops burned many villages, took captives and booty. However, the second campaign ended in defeat and the death of a large number of Novgorod soldiers.
Prince of Pereyaslavl
When Vsevolod's father Mstislav died in 1132, Kyiv passed to his uncle, Yaropolk Vladimirovich. Even during the life of his older brother, he promised that he would give his nephew his former possession - Pereyaslavl. Vsevolod briefly left Novgorod to get the southern city.
However, he never managed to start ruling there. His other uncle, Yuri Dolgoruky, drove his nephew out of Pereyaslavl. He was afraid that Vsevolod would become Yaropolk's heir in Kyiv. According to the new order, power in the "mother of Russian cities" was transferred by seniority.
The exiled Prince Vsevolod returned to Novgorod. However, the townspeople did not want to accept him, accusing him of betrayal. The prince left themto rule in Pereyaslavl, which means he broke his promise to die with them.
Novgorod prince again
However, soon the Novgorodians changed their minds. They returned the prince to the city. However, now his power was limited by the posadniks. They went from servants and assistants of the prince to his co-rulers.
Meanwhile, the western borders of the Novgorod land continued to be disturbed by the raids of the wild monster. Prince Vsevolod decided to put an end to this. On February 9, 1033, he captured the city of Yuryev. This fortress was founded by Yaroslav the Wise. He called her by his Christian name given to him at baptism. In 1061, local tribes regained control of this place, while the Russian rulers continued internecine wars.
The news of Yuryev's return was accepted by Novgorodians with great joy. However, there was still no peace inside the city. The people, continuing to worry, fought including local officials. One of them was even thrown from the bridge to Volkhov. This place was for Novgorod akin to a rock in Sparta, where they got rid of frail babies.
War with Yuri Dolgoruky
Therefore, Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich urgently needed something that could distract the restless people. Soon such a reason was found. Wars between warring princes continued in Southern Russia. Vsevolod's younger brother Izyaslav ruled in Turov, from where he was expelled by his uncles.
The fugitive found refuge in Novgorod. The brothers decided to oppose Yuri Dolgoruky, with whom they had old scores. ExceptIn addition, the Novgorod people were dissatisfied with the Suzdal prince. The bread they bought in the land of Yuri Dolgoruky was now subject to an additional duty, which caused its price to skyrocket.
The inhabitants themselves demanded a campaign from their prince. The army left the city on December 31, 1134. The journey to the land of the enemy took about a month. The brothers agreed that if successful, Izyaslav would become the Prince of Suzdal.
Battle of the Waiting Mountain
January 26, 1135, the opponents met. Novgorodians stopped at Zhdana Gora. Suzdal had to knock out the enemy from a occupied height. In order to do this, it was decided to single out a detachment that went around behind enemy lines.
Finally, the Novgorodians rushed down, trying to defeat the enemy. At first, the Suzdal people found themselves in a very difficult situation, even the princely banner was captured. However, at the most decisive moment, a detachment sent to the rear came to the rescue. Novgorodians found themselves between two fires. Many people were killed, including the city mayor and the thousand.
Prince Vsevolod Novgorodsky fled the battlefield. In honor of the dead, he ordered the construction of the Church of the Assumption. On the eve of the campaign, the Kyiv Metropolitan Mikhail arrived in the city, who urged the Novgorodians not to start bloodshed. He was detained. After the defeat, the Novgorodians released the servant of the Church with honors. In the Suzdal Principality, a monastery was erected in its place in memory of the battle at Zhdana Mountain. Fearing Western neighbors, Yuri Dolgoruky throughfounded Moscow for several years.
Expulsion from Novgorod
However, Prince Vsevolod, whose brief biography already knew ups and downs, could not recover from defeat. Citizens were unhappy with his flight from the battlefield. In 1136 they announced to Vsevolod that they were depriving him of power. Reasons were also given: dislike for the people, leaving for Pereyaslavl a few years ago, flight during the battle at Zhdana Gora, an inconsistent policy in which he supported either the Kievan or Chernigov princes.
Vsevolod and his family were sent to prison, where he spent 7 weeks, waiting for his fate. At this time, the Novgorodians decided to call on the princes by decision of the veche. This was the end of the classical monarchy in this city. Novgorod became the first republic in Russia - later a similar system will appear in Pskov.
The first to be called was Svyatoslav Olgovich, the son of the Chernigov prince. Only after he arrived in the city, Vsevolod, by decision of the veche, was released and banished forever.
Prince of Vyshgorod and Pskov
He arrived in Kyiv to his uncle Yaropolk. He gave him a small Vyshgorod to manage. However, the reign of Prince Vsevolod in Novgorod did not pass without a trace. There he had many supporters, including the local posadnik. At first they almost killed the new prince Svyatoslav Olgovich, but in the end they themselves went to Vyshgorod to their ruler.
Pskovites were among them. It was they who called Vsevolod to rule in their city, which was in a semi-dependent position from Novgorod. princehe loved the Russian north, in the south he was uncomfortable among the endless strife of local destinies. He happily went to Pskov, on the way enlisting the support of the Polotsk prince Vasilko. He was exiled in 1129 by Vsevolod's father to Constantinople. Therefore, Vasilko even had a serious reason to take revenge on the guest. However, he generously forgot his grudge against Mstislav and even accompanied Vsevolod and his army to Pskov.
He was gladly received in the city, which from that moment became an independent principality. However, in Novgorod, this news infuriated the people. Residents of the city plundered the houses of the remaining well-wishers of Vsevolod. In addition, they raised money to buy the necessary weapons needed in the campaign against Pskov. Svyatoslav called for help from his brother, Prince Gleb of Kursk. The nomadic Polovtsy, who were allies of the Chernigov rulers, went to the north. They had never robbed the northern borders of Russia and now they were waiting for this campaign with joy.
However, the people of Pskov did not lose heart. They armed themselves and blocked all roads to the city. To do this, felled trees and built fortifications. Finally, Svyatoslav reached Dubrovna and turned back, not daring to shed blood.
The conflict persisted, but the biography of Prince Vsevolod ended there. He died of he alth problems in 1138. His place was taken by the younger brother Svyatopolk. Thus, Vsevolod managed to stay the Pskov prince for exactly a year. He had a son, Vladimir, and a daughter, Verkhuslava, who married the Polish ruler Boleslav IV the Curly.
Canonization
It is known that VsevolodMstislavovich, Prince of Novgorod, actively invested in the construction of Orthodox churches. In 1127, he founded the Church of John the Baptist in honor of the birth of his son Ivan, who soon died in infancy. Also known is his other temple - the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Both buildings have survived to this day. For this, the prince was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the 16th century.
