The reign of Yaroslav the Wise in Kievan Rus fell at the end of the first and beginning of the second millennium (circa 978-1054). He is rightfully considered one of the greatest rulers not only of Russia, but also of Europe. Yaroslav the Wise over the years of his reign brought the Kiev Principality to a new round of world development, his state reached a high level of political and military power.
The article describes the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. The main facts of his biography and the results of his reign are briefly mentioned.
Origin of the Grand Duke
Scholars-historians continue to argue about the exact date of his birth, many sources indicate the year of birth of the 978th. His father is the baptist of Russia Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, and his mother is the Polonskaya princess Rogneda Rogvoldovna, whom Prince Vladimir took by force. From this marriage he had three more sons.
According to the annals, Yaroslav lived a long life and died at the age of 75. He became the ancestor of many rulers in Europe. For the first time, the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is briefly mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, written by the monk Nestor.
Rostov Prince
The beginning of selfThe reign of Yaroslav is considered to be 988, when his father planted him as a child in the principality in Rostov. In reality, the power belonged to his mentor, who made all the decisions, given the very young age of the prince.
Historical evidence of the Rostov rule of Prince Yaroslav the Wise almost does not exist. In any case, in the annals of that time there is no mention of important historical facts related to the Rostov reign. Many historians believe that the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in Rostov was marked by the emergence of a city named Yaroslavl in his honor. 1010 is officially considered the year of its foundation.
Start of reign
In 1010 (1011), after the death of one of the eldest sons of Grand Duke Vladimir Vysheslav and contrary to the expectations of his elder brother Yaroslav Svyatopolk, Vladimir appointed Yaroslav to rule Novgorod. Compared to the Rostov princedom, the Novgorod prince was considered higher, but the Novgorod prince was also subordinate to the Kyiv prince and was obliged to pay tribute to him.
Rebellion against father
In 1014, Yaroslav refuses to pay tribute to Kyiv and rebels against his father. The reason for such a rebellion is the approach of Vladimir to his younger son Boris and the intention to transfer the throne of Kyiv to him. For the same reason, the eldest of his sons, Svyatopolk, rebelled against Vladimir. For this, he was imprisoned and remained in captivity until the death of his father.
To confront his father, Prince Vladimir, Yaroslav hires the Varangians, but the army is inactiveand trades in robberies in Novgorod itself, which causes the righteous anger of the Novgorodians. Prince Vladimir himself cannot enter into single combat with his son, since the Kyiv principality is threatened by an attack by the Pechenegs. And the army, gathered against Novgorod, goes to battle with the steppe nomads. Boris leads the army, since Vladimir by this time is becoming weak and old.
Brother to brother
The confrontation between son and father ends with the death of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich on July 15, 1015. But the battle of two brothers, Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, for the throne of Kyiv begins. Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Cursed by the people, killed three of his brothers on the way to the throne.
Several times Yaroslav and Svyatopolk the Accursed met in a deadly confrontation. In 1018 the decisive battle took place. Svyatopolk and his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, again invaded Kievan Rus. This time they defeated Yaroslav, who returned to Novgorod and wanted to flee to Scandinavia. However, the Novgorodians forced their prince to continue the fight. In the spring of 1019, on the Alt River, Svyatopolk was finally defeated and fled. According to some historical sources, Yaroslav's soldiers overtook him on the way to Poland and killed him. But Yaroslav is in no hurry to occupy the throne of Kyiv, as his nephew Bryachislav and brother Mstislav lay claim to him.
Fight for Kyiv
In 1019, Yaroslav marries a second time. His chosen one is the Swedish princess Ingigerda (in Orthodoxy, Irina). It is believed that the first wife of Yaroslav was a Norwegian, calledher Anna, she, along with the prince's sisters, was captured by the Poles and forever captivated in Poland. The union with Ingigerda is considered by many researchers to be Yaroslav's political step in order to eliminate unstable relations with the Swedes.
The brothers continue to fight for the throne of Kyiv with varying success until 1026, until Mstislav defeated the troops of Yaroslav and moved the capital to Chernigov. He offered the prince to sit down in Kyiv and divide the management of the lands along the Dnieper, leaving the entire right coast behind Yaroslav. A peace treaty was signed. But even as the owner of the throne of Kyiv, Yaroslav did not leave Novgorod until the death of Mstislav, that is, until 1035, confident that the Novgorodians would support him under any circumstances. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1035 did Yaroslav the Wise become the autocrat of Kievan Rus. The years of his reign became the heyday of Russia.
To avoid claims to the throne of Kyiv from the younger brother, who reigned in Pskov, Yaroslav Sudislav imprisoned.
Chronology of hostilities
The history of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise contains numerous references to military operations. Here are just a few:
- 1029 - a campaign to help Mstislav against the Yases, expelling them from Tmutarakan (now the Krasnodar Territory);
- 1031 - a campaign with Mstislav against the Poles, as a result, the cities of Przemysl and Cherven were conquered;
- 1036 year - victory over the troops of the Pechenegs and the liberation of Ancient Russia from their raids;
- 1040 and 1044 - military operations against Lithuania.
Results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Politics and government
The Grand Duke has been in power for 37 years. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is considered the period of the rise of the Kyiv principality, when many European states sought a military and political alliance with him. As a talented political figure, Yaroslav the Wise preferred diplomacy to any military action. He pragmatically arranged marriage alliances of his ten children and other relatives with European rulers, which served the purposes of state security. It is known that he paid a symbolic annual tribute to the Varangians - 300 hryvnias of silver, which was very little, but kept peace on the northern borders.
Yaroslav the Wise did a lot for the country. He spent the years of his reign not only on strengthening military power, but also on arranging life in the state according to the laws. Under him, the Church Charter and the code of laws "Yaroslav's Truth" were adopted, which is considered the most ancient part of the collection of norms of ancient law "Russian Truth".
Being an educated person, Yaroslav also cares about the education of his subjects: he opens the first schools and libraries. The first library in Russia was opened by him in St. Sophia Cathedral.
His plans included solving another important problem - the transfer of power. The internecine wars that flared up between successors plunged the country into ruin and disaster, weakened it and made it easy prey for external enemies. Oftenpretenders to the main throne, in their own selfish interests, hired a foreign army, which outraged and robbed the population. Yaroslav, as a talented politician, certainly understood the importance of improving the transfer of power, but this problem was not solved due to death.
Religious Consequences
The results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise are not limited to political achievements. He did a lot to strengthen Christianity in the state. In 1051, the Russian Church finally freed itself from the influence of Constantinople, for the first time independently electing Metropolitan Hilarion at the Episcopal Council. A large number of Byzantine books are translated into Church Slavonic, and considerable funds are allocated from the treasury for their correspondence.
The reign of Yaroslav the Wise was marked by the founding of many monasteries and churches. The monasteries of Kiev-Pechersk, St. Irina, St. Yuri were revered not only as church, but also as social and cultural centers. In 1037, the construction of the famous St. Sophia Cathedral began, in which the ashes of Yaroslav were subsequently buried. By his order in 1036-1037. the famous Kyiv Golden Gates were erected, which, according to Yaroslav's plan, were supposed to symbolize the transfer of the center of Orthodoxy to Kievan Rus.
