In the history of Kievan Rus there are rulers who are remembered from different angles. Someone is more diplomatically literate, someone is the best commander of his time. Monomakh, perhaps, combines these two best qualities. Vladimir Monomakh, whose historical portrait can be briefly considered in this article, forever remained in the history of Kievan Rus as a great ruler.
Childhood and the beginning of the reign of Vladimir Monomakh
From childhood, Monomakh was attached to the affairs of his father Vsevolod Yaroslavich. He led part of the army, carried out campaigns with him and fought along with other military men. Vladimir Monomakh briefly, accurately and deftly coped with the tasks assigned to him by his father.
In 1076 he participated in a campaign against the Czechs. This trip was successful. The activity of him personally and his father was so successful that in 1078 his father became the prince of Kyiv. Vladimir Monomakh is seated at this time in Chernigov. He had to repeatedly repulse the Polovtsian raids and guard the borders of his patrimony. When Vladimir Monomakh is mentioned in history books, his historical portrait is complemented byprecisely the ability to resist external aggression.
After the death of his father, he could take the throne of Kyiv, but voluntarily gave it to his brother Svyatopolk. He said that if he sits on the throne of Kyiv, he will have to fight with his brother. Vladimir Monomakh did not want this.
Monomakh - Grand Duke of Kyiv
In 1113, an event occurred that changed the political component of the internal structure of Kievan Rus. The Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatopolk, brother of Monomakh, died. When Vladimir Monomakh is mentioned in school textbooks, his historical portrait during this period is described colorfully. The authors often say that it was precisely such a prince that Kyiv needed in this difficult time. And Monomakh goes to Kyiv.
In Kyiv, at this moment, a popular uprising begins, the boyar nobility does not know what to do next. They turned their eyes towards Vladimir Monomakh, who at that moment ruled in Chernigov. They invited him to reign and he agreed.
First of all, Vladimir Monomakh crushed the uprising and established peace in Kyiv.
He created the "Charter of Vladimir Monomakh", in which he mitigated punishments for various misdeeds of the population. The "Charter" was partly included in the "Russkaya Pravda" by Yaroslav the Wise.
The reign of Monomakh is the strengthening of the power of Kievan Rus. Vladimir, like his distant predecessor Svyatoslav Igorevich, put his sons to rule on specific lands, whom he completely trusted. This allowed him to control more than 75% of the lands of Kievan Rus.
In 1117, during the reign of Vladimir Monomakh, the second edition of The Tale of Bygone Years was created. It is she who has survived to this day.
War against False Diogen 2
In the XII century, during the reign of Monomakh, there was a clash with Byzantium.
In 1114, an impostor appeared in Byzantium, who pretended to be the murdered son of the Byzantine emperor. His name was False Diogenes 2. Initially, Vladimir Monomakh pretended in every possible way that he “recognizes” and believes that he is the real son of Roman 4. He even married his daughter Maria to him, with the goal of peace between Byzantium and Kievan Rus.
However, in 1116 Vladimir Monomakh goes on a campaign against Byzantium. The reason is to return the throne to the rightful prince. Vladimir Monomakh did not act independently, but with the Polovtsy, who were interested in the we alth of Byzantium, fabulous at that time.
Vladimir Monomakh easily managed to capture the cities that were controlled by Byzantium. He did not stop there and went deep into the country. False Diogenes 2 was killed, and a truce was signed between Byzantium and Kievan Rus in 1123. The result is the dynastic marriage of the granddaughter of Vladimir Monomakh with the new Byzantine emperor. He became emperor precisely because Vladimir Monomakh and the Polovtsians were able to defeat and kill False Diogenes 2.
Teaching Children
We remember Vladimir Monomakh not only as a legislator, diplomat and military man, but also as a writer.
He has 4 works in his literary heritage: “Instructions of Vladimir Monomakh”, “Ways andlovakh”, “Letter to brother Oleg”, “Charter of Vladimir Vsevolodovich”.
The most striking and memorable work of Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh is "Teaching children".
The name says it all. The Grand Duke of Kyiv understood that his time was coming to an end. He cannot rule forever, even if he wanted to. He decides that he needs to leave his heirs the "last word", in which he will talk about the principles of government and the benefits of living in a world without war.
He asked his children not to go against each other, not to make wars and live in understanding. These were the true and wise words of a man who saw war and peace. Peace and understanding in the family and state seemed to him much more preferable than war.
However, his "Instruction" was not put into practice. After the death of Vladimir, his sons began a fierce war for the throne of Kyiv. But Vladimir Monomakh, whose historical portrait has become completely different at this moment, is going to eternal rest.
Results of the Board
Vladimir Monomakh in the history of Kievan Rus is a significant figure who was repeatedly set as an example to other successor princes.
He managed to combine the ability to fight, stop in time and appreciate peace in the state. Despite his militancy and external campaigns, Vladimir Monomakh most of all wanted the borders of Kievan Rus to remain intact.
When Vladimir Monomakh is mentioned in the history books, the historical portrait and his name are rememberedsolely as a glorification of wisdom in Russia.
