Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslav the Wise - Short Biography

Yaroslav the Wise is a man who did a lot for the prosperity of his state, he was born around 978 and died in 1954. He had a difficult childhood, adolescence and youth. And after he passed this life period, civil strife awaited him in the struggle for the Grand Duke of Kyiv throne, which began after the death of his father Yaroslav the Wise Vladimir I in 1015, and ended in 1019 with the victory of Yaroslav.

Under Yaroslav, the state lived in peace and harmony. Many European states wanted a peaceful neighborhood with Russia, and some rulers wanted to win the hands of his daughters. A prosperous country contributed to the development and active construction within the state. In Kyiv, the Golden Gate was erected, the St. Sophia Cathedral was built, and in addition to this, enlightenment, science and education developed. It was thanks to this activity that Yaroslav received the nickname "Wise".

Under Yaroslav the Wise, Kyiv became one of the centers of Orthodoxy, because the metropolitan began to reside in it. Yaroslav was very worried about chronicle writing and tried to support its development. In addition, the development of legislation is associated with the name of Yaroslav the Wise, under him the first set of laws appeared - "Russian Truth". This was a breakthrough for Russia, which for a long time did not have a code of laws, or rather, "Russian Truth" was the first code of laws. The most important point in the first legislative document was that from now on, blood feud was outlawed.

Yaroslav the Wise sought to increase the authority of Russia. To do this, he developed writing, science, culture and at the same time did not disregard religion. Under him, stone architecture began to develop independently, which was influenced by the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. It is difficult to find a ruler of that time who cared so much about the development of his state, as Yaroslav the Wise did.

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Biography of Yaroslav the Wise about the main thing

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise was the great prince of Kiev. The year of his birth is not exactly known today, but according to many sources, Yaroslav was born in 978.

Wise Yaroslav received his nickname for his boundless craving for enlightenment, and also for the fact that it was he who created the first set of laws in Russia, which was later called "Russian Truth". Among other things, he was a wonderful father, grandfather and uncle of a large number of European rulers. For the Russian Orthodox Church, Yaroslav is revered as a faithful. Even the date of memory of this great and powerful ruler was included in the calendar.

As a young man, Yaroslav was already given the title of Prince of Rostov. According to history, it was during this period of time that the glorious city of Yaroslavl was built.

After Vysheslav died, and this happened in 1010, the Wise automatically becomes Prince of Novgorod.

The period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise carries a lot of legends and all kinds of legends. Some historians idealize this period, while others demonize it.

The reign in Novgorod had a higher status than the period of government in Rostov. But, one way or another, he was also subordinate to the prince of Kiev, Vladimir I - his father, to whom he paid 2/3 of the tribute collected from the lands of Novosibirsk every year. The amount was only 2,000 hryvnia, and the remaining 1,000 remained in the treasury for the maintenance of the prince's squad and Yaroslav himself.

Surely it was this fact that prompted Yaroslav to rebel against his father and refuse to pay him a rather large tribute. This event took place in 1014. All of Novgorod supported its ruler, while Vladimir, meanwhile, began preparing for a campaign in order to quickly pacify the rebels. But at that time he was already a very respectable age. Very soon, Vladimir falls ill and dies hastily. He never succeeded in punishing his own son.

Yaroslav's older brother, Svyatopolk the Accursed, takes the place of his father. To ensure all power in his own hands, he kills three brothers: Gleb, Svyatoslav and Boris, whom all the people of Kiev loved so much. The same fate awaited Yaroslav, but he did not give up and defeated Svyatopolk in a bloody battle that took place between them near Lyubech. Only in 1016 did the Wise manage to enter Kyiv, which they later divided along the Dnieper. In 1019, Svyatopolk dies and Yaroslav becomes the sole and full ruler of Kievan Rus.

The greatest merit of the prince is the undeniable victory over the Pechenegs. This event took place in 1036.

So the "Golden Time" of Yaroslav has come. On the site of the victory over the Pechenegs, the St. Sophia Cathedral was being built. After that, the famous Golden Gate appears, above which, as if before our eyes, the Church of the Annunciation has grown.

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Interesting facts and dates from life

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise
Years of life: 980-1054
Years of reign: 1019-1054

The son of the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich (from the Rurik dynasty) and the Polotsk princess Rogneda Rogvolodovna.

Upon reaching adulthood, the father planted Yaroslav the prince of Rostov (987-1010), and after the death of the eldest son of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, Yaroslav became the prince of Novgorod (1010-1034). Yaroslav's residence was the Prince's Court, later called Yaroslav's Court.

Prince Yaroslav the Wise

In 1014 Yaroslav refused to pay tribute to Kiev, which caused the anger of his father. Vladimir ordered to prepare for a campaign against Novgorod, but did not have time carry out your plan. July 15, 1015 Vladimir Svyatoslavovich died suddenly. Yaroslav began the struggle for the throne of Kyiv with his brother Svyatopolk. The rebellious people of Kiev freed Svyatopolk from prison and declared him their prince, but Yaroslav, having enlisted the support of the Novgorodians, continues the struggle, which lasts 4 years. In December 1015, near Lyubech, Yaroslav defeated Svyatopolk and captured Kyiv.

Yaroslav is the son of Princess Rogneda of Polotsk and Vladimir Svyatoslavich. Already in 987, the Rostov lands were given to him as reigning. But after the death of the eldest son of the Grand Duke Vysheslav, the reign of Yaroslav began in Novgorod. The death of the great Kiev prince Vladimir provoked a violent struggle for power between his children. The throne of Kyiv was seized by Svyatopolk, who received the nickname Cursed among the people. He killed his brothers Boris and Gleb, who reigned respectively in the Rostov and Smolensk lands, and Svyatoslav, planted by his father in the lands of the Drevlyans. Only Yaroslav, who after that became the Grand Duke, was able to defeat Svyatopolk. But he failed to cope with the prince of Tmutarakan Mstislav. All the lands of Russia again came under the rule of Kyiv only after the death of Mstislav in 1036. The characterization of Yaroslav the Wise and the entire period of his reign is ambiguous, but all historians agree that the prince fully justified his nickname.

The prince was married to Ingigerd, the daughter of the king of the Swedes. The annals mention two names of Yaroslav's wife - Irina and Anna. Historians conclude that she received the name Irina at baptism, and Anna - after leaving the monastery.

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054), the state of Kievan Rus reached its peak. It has become one of the strongest in Europe. The activity of Yaroslav the Wise was aimed at strengthening not only the capital city, but also all its vast possessions. Under him, several new cities were founded.

Thanks to the prudent foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise, the authority of the state in the international arena has grown significantly. The prince was also lucky in military affairs. Successful were the campaigns he made against Poland, the Principality of Lithuania, in the lands that belonged to the Finnish peoples. One of the most important for Russia was the victory over the nomads - in 1036.

The last time Kievan Rus under Yaroslav the Wise clashed with Byzantium. The conflict ended with the signing of a peace treaty, backed by a dynastic marriage. The son of Prince Vsevolod married the Byzantine princess Anna. Yaroslav used dynastic marriages as a means of strengthening peace. Other sons of Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise: Svyatoslav, Vyacheslav and Igor - married German princesses. Eldest daughter Elizabeth was the wife of Harald, a Norwegian prince. Anna, his second daughter, married the king of France, Henry 1st, and Anastasia married the Hungarian king Andrew 1st.

The reforms of Yaroslav the Wise covered almost all spheres of society. The Grand Duke attached great importance to education, and the internal policy of Yaroslav the Wise was aimed at increasing education and literacy. The prince built a school where the boys were taught "church work". Under Yaroslav, a metropolitan of Russian origin appeared for the first time in Russia. To strengthen the position of the church in the possessions of Yaroslav, the payment of tithes, previously established by Vladimir, was resumed. The violent activity of the prince markedly changed Kievan Rus. Stone monasteries and temples were built, architecture and painting developed rapidly. Of great importance is the publication of the first code of laws, called. Under Yaroslav the Wise, this document regulated the amount of tribute (vira) and punishments for various violations. A little later, a set of church laws appeared - the Pilot Book (Nomocanon).

The answer to the question why Yaroslav was nicknamed the Wise lies not only in the prince's love for books and the church, but also in his great deeds that made Russia one of the strongest states. True, this nickname appeared relatively recently, in the second half of the 19th century. During his reign, the prince was known as Khromets. He really was chrome, but this flaw was considered a sign of special strength and intelligence. And a brief biography of Prince Yaroslav the Wise confirms that these qualities were fully inherent in him. The prince lived a long life and died in 1054 at the age of 76. After his death, another bloodshed ensued.

Grand Duke of Kyiv (1016-1018, 1019-1054).

Yaroslav Vladimirovich was born around 978. He was the son of the Grand Duke of Kiev and Grand Duchess Rogneda, daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogvold.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich was planted by his father to reign, first in, then in. In 1014, he stopped paying tribute to Kyiv, hoping to separate his possessions from South Russia. began gathering troops in order to force his son to submit to his authority, but died during preparations for the campaign.

After his death, the throne of Kyiv was seized by the Prince of Turov Svyatopolk the Accursed, the half-brother of Yaroslav Vladimirovich. Wanting to eliminate possible rivals, Svyatopolk organized the murder of his brothers, Prince Boris of Rostov and Prince Gleb of Murom, as well as the Drevlyansk prince Svyatoslav.

Enlisting the support of the Novgorodians, Yaroslav Vladimirovich in December 1015 in the battle of Lyubech defeated Svyatopolk and captured Kyiv. In 1018, together with his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav I the Brave, Svyatopolk invaded Russia, managed to defeat Yaroslav in the battle of the Bug and recapture Kyiv. Yaroslav Vladimirovich fled to, from where he intended to go to Scandinavia. But the Novgorodians cut down the princely boats and forced Yaroslav to continue the fight. In the battle of Alta in 1018, Svyatopolk suffered a crushing defeat, and Yaroslav again occupied Kyiv.

After the victory over Svyatopolk, Yaroslav Vladimirovich began a fight with his other brother, the Tmutarakan prince Mstislav, who also claimed the throne of Kyiv. In the battle near Listven (near Chernigov) in 1024, Mstislav won, but he allowed Yaroslav to reign in Kyiv. Nevertheless, Yaroslav did not dare to accept his brother's offer and continued to stay in, sending his posadniks to Kyiv.

According to the peace treaty of 1025, Yaroslav Vladimirovich received Russian land to the west of the Dnieper and with a center in Kyiv, and Mstislav received the eastern part, with Chernigov and Pereyaslavl. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1035 did Yaroslav Vladimirovich become "autocratic" in Russia.

In 1036, the Pechenegs were defeated near Kiev, who stopped their attacks on Russia. In 1038-1042 Yaroslav Vladimirovich waged successful wars with Byzantium, Lithuanian and Finnish tribes.

The period of the sovereign rule of Yaroslav the Wise became a time of political power, cultural and economic flourishing of the ancient Russian state. This was evidenced by the marriages of Yaroslav's daughters with the kings of France, Norway, Denmark, and Hungary. He strengthened the internal position of the state by introducing a code of laws - "Russian Truth". The prince also contributed to strengthening his influence on the church by appointing the Russian monk Hilarion as metropolitan. Under him, the first monasteries were created, the majestic St. Sophia Cathedral was erected in Kyiv. Love for books, translations of Byzantine writings into Slavonic, the development of chronicle writing are a brilliant expression of the flourishing of the entire ancient Russian culture. Under Yaroslav the Wise, the first Russian chronicle was written - the so-called. Ancient vault. The Tale of Bygone Years contains a commendable review of the educational activities of the Grand Duke.

Chronicle data on the death of Yaroslav the Wise are contradictory. It is believed that he died on February 2, 1054, but other dates are also mentioned. Before his death, the Grand Duke bequeathed the throne of Kyiv to the eldest of his sons, the Novgorod prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich, and divided the rest of the possessions into destinies, which marked the beginning of feudal fragmentation. Yaroslav the Wise was buried in the tomb of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.

Brief biography of Yaroslav the Wise

Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise (born c. 978 - death February 20, 1054) is one of the most famous ancient Russian princes. Prince of Rostov (987 -1010) then he founded the city of Yaroslavl; prince of Novgorod (1010 -1034); Grand Duke of Kyiv (1016-1018, 1019-1054)

Origin. early years

The son of the baptizer of Russia, the great Russian prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Holy (rurik family) and the Polotsk princess Rogneda (Anastasia) Rogvolodovna. In baptism he received the name George, Yuri. The early years of the life of Yaroslav the Wise are associated with the struggle for the throne of Kyiv. With Yaroslav reaching a mature age, Father Vladimir endowed his son with the Rostov land, and after the death of Vysheslav, Yaroslav becomes the Prince of Novgorod. 1014 - Yaroslav ceases to obey his father and pay the established tribute to Kiev.

The struggle for the throne of Kyiv

1015-1019 - Yaroslav waged a fierce struggle with his cousin Svyatopolk the Accursed for supreme power. For the first time, he was able to occupy Kyiv in 1016, but he finally managed to establish himself in it only in 1019. 1021 - Yaroslav defeated his nephew - Polotsk prince Bryachislav Izyaslavich, who captured Novgorod.

1023-1026 - fought with his brother Mstislav Vladimirovich Brave. Having lost in the Battle of Listven in 1025, Yaroslav had to abandon the Dnieper left bank in favor of Mstislav. 1036 - after Mstislav died, he again subjugated the departed lands.

Foreign policy

Like his father, Yaroslav actively pursued a foreign policy: he successfully fought with Poland and was able to return the Cherven cities lost by Russia in 1018; conducted a victorious campaign against the Chud and built the city-fortress Yuryev (now Tartu) in the Chud land. 1036 - defeated the Pechenegs near Kiev, putting an end to their raids on Russia; he made successful campaigns against the Yasses, Yotvingians, Lithuanians, Mozovshans, and Yams. 1043 - but the campaign against Byzantium, which was organized by him, and commanded by his son Vladimir, was unsuccessful. Yaroslav created a defensive line along the river. Rosy.

Wife. Children

Yaroslav was married to Ingigerda (daughter of the Swedish king Olaf). He married his daughters Anastasia, Elizabeth and Anna (respectively) to the Hungarian, Norwegian and French kings, and his sons Izyaslav and Vsevolod married the Polish and Byzantine princesses.

The results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise

Yaroslav was engaged in the improvement of Russian Truth and the church charter. During his reign, the territory of Kyiv greatly increased. In Kyiv, the grandiose Sophia Cathedral, decorated with amazing frescoes and mosaics, the stone Golden Gates, the monasteries of St. George and St. Irina were erected. Near Kiev, the Pechersky Monastery, which became famous over time, was built.

The chronicler Nestor notes that during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, the Christian faith began to “be fruitful and expand, and the Chernorizians began to multiply and monasteries to appear.” He compared the prince to a sower who "sowed the hearts of believers with bookish words." At the court of Yaroslav, many "book writers" were gathered, who translated books from Greek into Slavonic. An extensive library appeared at the Cathedral of St. Sophia.

1051 - at the princely decree, the Council of Russian Bishops elected the monk Hilarion as Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia, thereby emphasizing the independence of the Kiev Metropolis from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. For all these deeds, Yaroslav was nicknamed the Wise.

Death

Yaroslav the Wise died on February 20, 1054 in Vyshgorod. Vsevolod Yaroslavich, who was with his father, brought his body to Kyiv. He was buried in a marble tomb in Kiev's St. Sophia Cathedral. In the inscription on the wall of this temple, he is referred to as "caesar" (king). Metropolitan Hilarion called Yaroslav "the Russian kagan".

Opening of the sarcophagus of Yaroslav the Wise

The sarcophagus of Yaroslav the Wise was opened three times in the 20th century: in 1936, in 1939 and in 1964. In 2009, the sarcophagus of the prince in St. Sophia Cathedral was again opened, and the remains were sent for examination. 2011, March - the results of a genetic examination were published, the conclusion is as follows: in the tomb there are not male, but only female remains, while consisting of two skeletons that date from completely different times: one skeleton from the times of Kievan Rus, and the second is 1000 years older , that is, the time of the Scythian settlements. The female remains of the Kiev period, according to anthropologists, belong to a woman who, during her lifetime, did a lot of hard physical labor - clearly not of a princely family.