Five centuries before the Baptism of Russia, the city of Doris, located in the southern (mountainous) part of the Crimean peninsula, was the center of Christianity in this vast Black Sea region. Subsequently, the principality of Theodoro, unique in its kind, developed around it, which became the last fragment of the once powerful Byzantine Empire, and the ancient Christian city, changing its name to Mangup, became its capital.
The emergence of a new state in the south-west of Crimea
The new principality was formed as a result of the division of the former Byzantine colony, located in the Crimea, and controlled by a small Greek state called Trebizond. By the beginning of the 13th century, Constantinople had largely lost its military power, which was not slow to take advantage of the Genoese, greedy for other people's goods, who captured the northwestern part of the peninsula. At the same time, on the territory not controlled by Genoa, an independent state was formed, headed by the former governor of Trebizond and called the Principality of Theodoro.
The secret of the Crimea hid his name from us, but it is known that this person belonged toThe Theodorov dynasty, which ruled in the metropolis for two centuries and gave the name to the newly formed principality. The founder of this clan, Theodore Gavras, a Byzantine aristocrat of Armenian origin, rose to the pinnacle of power after, in less than twenty years, he managed to single-handedly gather a militia and liberate Trebizond from the Seljuk Turks who captured it, after which he became its ruler. Power was inherited until, as a result of court intrigues, the dynasty was pushed aside by more successful competitors from the Komnenos family.
The heyday of the former Byzantine colony
As mentioned above, by the beginning of the 13th century in the Crimea, on the territory not controlled by the Genoese, an independent principality of Theodoro was formed, named after the ruling dynasty in it. Having emerged from the subordination of its former metropolis and successfully repulsing the raids of numerous conquerors, it existed for two centuries, which became the era of the heyday of Orthodoxy and statehood on the southwestern coast of the Crimean peninsula.
The territory of the principality stretched between the modern cities of Balaklava and Alushta, and the city of Mangup became its capital, the ancient fortress of which was built back in the 5th century. Until now, its ruins attract thousands of tourists who annually come to the Crimea. It is generally accepted that in the most favorable periods the population of the principality reached one hundred and fifty thousand people, of which almost all were Orthodox. The Principality of Theodoro in the Crimea was ethnically the mainway from the Greeks, Goths, Armenians, Russians and representatives of a number of other Orthodox peoples. Between themselves, they communicated mainly in the Gothic dialect of the German language.
The role of refugees in the life of the mountain principality
The Crimean Principality of Theodoro became a refuge for numerous Orthodox Christians who sought salvation from Muslim conquerors in it. In particular, their significant influx was observed after the capture of Eastern Byzantium by the Seljuk Turks. In the Orthodox monasteries of Mangup, the capital of Theodora, monks moved from the mountain monasteries of Cappadocia, plundered and destroyed by enemies.
An important role in the formation and development of the state was played by Armenians, former residents of the city of Ani, who moved to Feodoro after their homeland was conquered by the Seljuk Turks. Representatives of a country with a high level of culture, these refugees enriched the Principality with their centuries-old experience in the field of trade and crafts.
With their appearance, numerous parishes of the Armenian Orthodox Church were opened both in the Theodorite and in the Genoese part of Crimea. Over time, the Armenians began to make up the bulk of the population of Crimea, and this pattern persisted even after its conquest by the Ottoman Empire.
The rise of the economy and culture of Theodorites
The period from the 13th to the 15th century is not in vain called the golden age of this state. For two hundred years, the Principality of Theodoro managed to raise the art of building to the highest level, thanks to which, in this relatively short period, bright examples were erectedeconomic, temple and fortress architecture. Largely thanks to the skillful craftsmen who created impregnable strongholds, the Theodorites managed to repel countless enemy invasions.
The Crimean Principality of Feodoro was famous for its agriculture, especially viticulture and the production of wine, which is sent from here far beyond the state. Modern researchers who excavated in this part of the Crimea testify that in almost all settlements they discovered wine storages and grape presses. In addition, Theodorites were famous as skilled gardeners and gardeners.
Ties between the Crimean state and Moscow
An interesting fact is that the Principality of Fodoro and its princes had the closest ties with Ancient Russia. It is even known that it is from the mountainous regions of Crimea that several aristocratic families originate, which played a significant role in the history of our state. For example, the boyar family of the Khovrins descended from several representatives of the ruling Gavras dynasty who moved from Mangup to Moscow in the 14th century. In Russia, for several centuries they were entrusted with control over the most important area of state life - finances.
In the 16th century, two branches separated from this surname, whose representatives are also noted in Russian history - these are the Tretyakovs and the Golovins. But the most famous among us is the Mangup princess Sofya Paleolog, who became the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III. Thus, there is every reason to talk about the role played by the Principality of Theodoroand his princes in the history of Russia.
Other international relations of the State of Theodoro
Besides Ancient Russia, there were also a number of states with which the Principality of Theodoro had political and economic ties. The history of the late Middle Ages testifies to his close dynastic ties with most of the ruling houses of Eastern Europe. For example, Princess Maria Mangupskaya, the sister of the ruler of Theodore, became the wife of the sovereign of Moldavia, Stephen the Great, and her sister married the heir to the Throne of Trebizond.
Life surrounded by enemies
Looking back into history, one involuntarily asks the question: how could a small mountainous principality resist such formidable conquerors as the Tatar khans Edigei and Nogai for a long time? Despite the fact that the enemy had a multiple numerical superiority, he not only failed to achieve his goal, but, having suffered significant losses, was thrown out of the state. Only later did some parts of the country come under his control.
The Orthodox Principality of Theodoro in Crimea, which was also one of the last fragments of Byzantium, aroused hatred among both the Genoese Catholics and the Crimean khans. In this regard, its population lived in constant readiness to repel aggression, but this could not continue for a long time. The small state, surrounded on all sides by enemies, was doomed.
Invasion of the peninsula by Turkish conquerors
An enemy was found against which the Principality of Theodoro turned out to bepowerless. It was Ottoman Turkey, which by that time had completely captured Byzantium and fixed its eyes on its former colonies. Invading the territory of the Crimea, the Turks easily seized the lands belonging to the Genoese, and made the local khans their vassals. The queue was behind the Theodorites.
In 1475, Mangup, the capital of the Principality of Theodoro, was besieged by selected Turkish units, reinforced, moreover, by the troops of their vassals, the Crimean khans. At the head of this army of many thousands was Gedik Ahmed Pasha, who by that time had managed to become famous for his victories on the banks of the Bosphorus. Caught in a dense ring of enemies, the capital of a mountainous state repelled their onslaught for five months.
Tragic denouement
In addition to its inhabitants, three hundred soldiers took part in the defense of the city, sent there by the Moldavian ruler Stephen the Great, who was married to the Mangup princess Maria and, thus, had family ties in Theodore. This detachment of Moldavians went down in history as "three hundred Spartans of the Crimea." He, with the support of local residents, managed to defeat the elite Ottoman corps - the Janissary regiment. But due to the numerical superiority of the enemy, the outcome of the case was a foregone conclusion.
After a long defense, Mangup still ended up in the hands of enemies. Unable to succeed in open battle, the Turks resorted to a tried and tested tactic - blocking all food delivery routes, they starved the city and its fortress. Of the fifteen thousand inhabitants of the capital, half were immediately destroyed, and the rest were driven into slavery.
DescendantsTheodorites
Already after Mangup fell and Ottoman rule was established, for several centuries Orthodox communities were preserved on the lands where the Principality of Theodoro was previously located. The tragedy that broke out here deprived them of many previously erected temples and monasteries, but did not force them to abandon the religion of their fathers. The descendants of those who previously inhabited this state that has sunk into oblivion have managed to preserve the wonderful traditions of horticulture and viticulture.
They still grew bread and were engaged in handicrafts. When, in the XVIII century, Catherine II issued a decree on the resettlement of the entire Christian population to the territory of Russia, thereby inflicting an irreparable blow to the economy of Crimea. The settlers in their new homeland gave rise to two independent national formations - the Azov Greeks and the Don Armenians.
Forgotten past
The Principality of Theodoro, whose history is limited to only two centuries, has managed to outlive its once mighty metropolises of Trebizond and even Constantinople. Having become the last bastion of Orthodoxy in the Crimea, the principality resisted the onslaught of superior enemy forces for many months and fell only after exhausting all possibilities to continue resistance.
It is disappointing that the feat of this fearless people was practically not preserved in the memory of descendants. Few people even know the name of the capital of the Crimean principality Theodoro. The modern inhabitants of this area are extremely poorly aware of the heroic events that took place in it five years ago.half a century ago. Only tourists visiting the ruins of the ancient fortress listen to the guides' stories about them and read brief information in the colorful booklets they offer.
