The first Kyiv princes and their activities. The activities of the first Russian princes

Rurik (862 - 879) - the first great Russian prince, one of the legendary figures in European history, the founder of the ancient Russian state. According to the chronicles, called from the Varangians by the Slavs, Krivichi, Chud and the whole in 862, Rurik first occupied Ladoga, and then moved to Novgorod. Ruled in Novgorod under an agreement concluded with the local nobility, who approved the right to collect income. Founder of the Rurik dynasty.

1148 years ago, according to the testimony of the chronicler Nestor in The Tale of Bygone Years, the head of the Varangian military detachment Rurik, who arrived along with the brothers Sineus and Truvor, was called to "rule and reign over the Eastern Slavs" on September 8, 862.

The chronicle tradition connects the beginning of Rus' with the calling of the Varangians. So "The Tale of Bygone Years" tells that in 862 three Varangian brothers with their clans came to rule the Slavs, laying the city of Ladoga. But where did they come from and who were these Varangians by origin, who gave rise to Russian statehood? Indeed, in historiography they managed to visit both the Swedes, and the Danes, and the Scandinavians in general; some authors considered the Varangians to be Normans, others, on the contrary, to be Slavs. Again and again, inattention to the problem posed in the historical source itself was the reason for contradictory statements. For the ancient chronicler, the origin of the Varangians was obvious. He placed their lands on the south-Baltic coast up to "the land of Aglian", i.e. to the Angeln area in Holstein.

Today it is the North German state of Mecklenburg, whose population was not German in antiquity. What it was like - this is evidenced by the names of the settlements Varin, Russov, Rerik and many others that have survived to this day. However, despite all the clarity of the chronicle evidence, the question of the origin of the Varangians (and, therefore, the roots of Russian statehood) became debatable for posterity. The confusion was introduced by the version that appeared in political circles at the court of the Swedish king about the origin of Rurik from Sweden, which was subsequently picked up by some German historians. Objectively speaking, this version did not have the slightest historical basis, but it was completely politically conditioned. Even during the years of the Livonian War between Ivan the Terrible and the Swedish king Johan III, a sharp controversy flared up on the issue of titles. The Russian tsar considered the Swedish ruler to come from a "male family", to which he replied that the ancestors of the Russian dynasty itself allegedly came from Sweden. This idea finally took shape as a political concept on the eve of the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century, when the Swedes claimed Novgorod lands, trying to justify their territorial claims with some kind of chronicle "vocation". It was assumed that the Novgorodians were supposed to send an embassy to the Swedish king and invite him to rule, as they had once allegedly called on the "Swedish" prince Rurik. The conclusion about the "Swedish" origin of the Varangians at that time was based only on the fact that they came to Rus' "from across the sea", which means, most likely, from Sweden.

Subsequently, in the first half of the 18th century, German scientists from the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences turned to the Varangian theme, who, according to the same logic, sought to justify German domination in Russia during the time of Biron's regency. They also formulated the so-called. "Norman theory", according to which the Varangians, the founders of the ancient Russian state, were recognized as immigrants from Sweden (that is, "Germans", as all foreigners were then called). Since then, this theory, dressed in a kind of scientific character, has become entrenched in Russian historiography. At the same time, many prominent historians, starting with M.V. Lomonosov, pointed out that the "Norman theory" does not correspond to real facts. For example, the Swedes could not create a state in Rus' in the 9th century, if only because they themselves did not have statehood at that time. In the Russian language and in Russian culture, it was not possible to find Scandinavian borrowings. Finally, a careful reading of the chronicle itself does not allow us to confirm the fabrications of the Normanists. The chronicler distinguished the Varangians from the Swedes and other Scandinavian peoples, writing that "those Varangians were called - Rus, as others are called Swedes, others are Normans, Angles, other Goths." Therefore, when concluding peace treaties with Byzantium, the pagan combatants of princes Oleg and Igor (the very Varangians whom the Normans consider Swedish Vikings) took an oath in the names of Perun and Veles, and not Odin or Thor at all. A.G. Kuzmin noted that this fact alone could refute the entire "Norman theory". It is clear that in this form the "Norman theory" could not be viable in academic science. But she was again and again turned to when it was necessary to strike a blow at the idea of ​​Russian statehood. Today, this destructive theory has acquired a new form, and modern Normanists, supported by grants from numerous foreign foundations, speak not so much of the "Scandinavian origin of the Varangians" as of a kind of division of "spheres of influence" in the ancient Russian state.

According to the new version of Normanism, the power of the Vikings allegedly extended to the northern regions of Rus', and the Khazars to the southern ones (there was supposedly an agreement between them). Russians are not supposed to play any significant role in their own early history. However, the very development of the Russian state completely refutes all the conjectures of Russia's political enemies. Could ancient Rus' have become a mighty Russian empire without the outstanding historical mission of the Russian people? A great history took place together with a great people descended from the Varangian origin. It is unfortunate that today more and more replicas are heard that the ancestors of the Russians were non-Russians. This is wrong. Our ancestors were the Varangians, who were also Russians. The only thing to be clarified is that it is Rus' that is our original family name, and the ancient Russian navigators were called the Varangians. Ambassador Sigismund Herberstein, who visited Moscow at the beginning of the 16th century, wrote that the homeland of the Varangians - Vagria - was located on the south Baltic coast and from them the Baltic was called the Varangian Sea. He expressed the broad opinion that prevailed in the enlightened circles of Europe at that time. With the development of scientific genealogy, works began to appear on the connections of the Russian royal dynasty with the ancient royal families of Mecklenburg. In North German Pomorye, the Varangians and their historical ties with Russia were remembered until the 19th century. To this day, many traces of the presence of the pre-German population remain in the Mecklenburg region. It is obvious that it became "German" only after the Varangians and their descendants were forced out to the east or Germanized by Catholic orders. The French traveler K. Marmier once wrote down a folk legend about Rurik and his brothers in Mecklenburg. In the VIII century, the Varangians were ruled by King Godlav, who had three sons - Rurik, Sivar and Truvor. Once they set off from the southern Baltic to the east and founded an ancient Russian principality with centers in Novgorod and Pskov.

After some time, Rurik became the head of the dynasty, which reigned until 1598. This legend from Northern Germany is completely consonant with the Tale of the calling of the Varangians from the annals. However, a careful analysis of the facts allows, to some extent, to correct the chronicle chronology, according to which Rurik and his brothers began to rule in Rus' from 862. A. Kunik generally considered this date to be erroneous, leaving the inaccuracy on the conscience of the later scribes of the chronicle. It is obvious that the events briefly reported in the Russian chronicles receive historical content from German sources. The Germans themselves refuted the Norman fictions. The Mecklenburg jurist Johann Friedrich von Chemnitz referred to a legend according to which Rurik and his brothers were the sons of Prince Godlav, who died in 808 in a battle with the Danes. Given that the eldest of the sons was Rurik, it can be assumed that he was born no later than 806 (after him, before the death of his father in 808, two younger brothers who were not the same age should have been born). Of course, Rurik could have been born earlier, but we do not yet have reliable information about this. According to German sources, Rurik and his brothers were "summoned" around 840, which seems very plausible. Thus, the Varangian princes could appear in Rus' at a mature and capable age, which looks completely logical. And indeed, according to the latest archaeological finds, it was possible to establish that the Rurik settlement near modern Novgorod, which is the ancient Rurik Novgorod, existed earlier than 862. On the other hand, while making a mistake in chronology, the chronicle points more precisely to the place of "calling". Most likely it was not Novgorod (as according to German data), but Ladoga, which was founded by the Varangians in the middle of the VIII century. And Novgorod (Rurik's settlement) Prince Rurik "cut down" later, uniting the lands of the brothers after their death, as evidenced by the name of the city.

The family tree of Rurik from the ancient Varangian kings was recognized by connoisseurs and researchers of genealogy. Mecklenburg historians wrote that his grandfather was King Wittslav, who was an equal ally of the Frankish king Charlemagne and participated in his campaigns against the Saxons. During one of these campaigns, Witslav was killed in an ambush while crossing a river. Some authors directly called him "the king of the Russians." The North German genealogies also indicate the relationship of Rurik with Gostomysl, who acts in the annalistic legend about the calling of the Varangians. But if the stingy lines of the chronicle tell almost nothing about him, then in the Frankish chronicles he is mentioned as an opponent of Emperor Louis the German. Why did Rurik and his brothers set off from the South Baltic coast to the East? The fact is that the Varangian kings had a "next" system of inheritance, according to which the eldest representative of the ruling family always received power. Later, such a system of inheritance of princely power became traditional in Rus'. At the same time, the sons of the ruler who did not have time to take the royal throne did not receive any rights to the throne and remained outside the main "queue". Godlove was killed before his older brother and never became king during his lifetime. For this reason, Rurik and his brothers were forced to go to the peripheral Ladoga, where the glorious history of the Russian state began from that time. Prince Rurik was a full-fledged ruler of Rus' and a native of the "Russian family", and not at all a foreign ruler, as those who wish to imagine the entire Russian history only under foreign domination.

When Rurik died, his son Igor was still small, and Igor's uncle, Oleg (Prophetic Oleg, that is, knowing the future, died in 912), became the prince, who moved the capital to the city of Kiev. It is Prophetic Oleg who is credited with the formation of the Old Russian state - Kievan Rus, with its center in Kyiv. Oleg's nickname - "prophetic" - referred exclusively to his penchant for sorcery. In other words, Prince Oleg, as the supreme ruler and leader of the squad, also simultaneously performed the functions of a priest, sorcerer, magician, sorcerer. According to legend, Prophetic Oleg died from a snake bite; this fact formed the basis of a number of songs, legends and traditions. Oleg became famous for his victory over Byzantium, as a sign of which he nailed his shield on the main gates (gates) of Constantinople. So the Russians called the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople. Byzantium was then the most powerful state in the world.

In 2009, the celebration of the 1150th anniversary of Veliky Novgorod took place. I would like to believe that this most important date in our history will become the starting point for a new study of the ancient Russian past. New facts and discoveries constantly enrich historical science and our knowledge. There is more and more evidence that Russian history began not with a myth invented by medieval politicians and scribes, but with the real Grand Duke Rurik, who was born into the royal dynasty in the Russian Baltic region one thousand two hundred years ago. God grant that the names of our ancestors and grandparents are not forgotten.

Characteristic: the leader of the Varangians, came with a squad to Rus'. He became the very first prince in Rus'.

Years of government: circa 860s - 879

Politics, activities: ruled Novgorod and founded it. Expanded the boundaries of his possessions (after the death of the brothers, he annexed Rostov the Great, Polotsk and Murom)

Military campaigns: unknown. In general, little is known about Rurik at all.

Name: Askold and Dir

Characteristic: Vikings, associates of Rurik. They accepted Christianity.

Years of government: from 860s to 882 (killed by Oleg, who seized power)

Politics, activities: ruled Kiev, were in conflict with Rurik. They spread Christianity, strengthened Kievan Rus as a state.

Military campaigns: the first ever campaign of the Rus against Byzantium, a campaign against the Pechenegs.

Name: Oleg

Characteristic: Varangian, king (companion of Rurik). He ruled as the guardian of Rurik's son Igor.

Years of government: from 879 Novgorod after Rurik, from 882 - also Kiev (he killed the princes of Dir and Askold). Dates are not exactly known

Politics, activities: Expanded the territory of the principality, collected tribute from the tribes

Military campaigns: to Byzantium (907) - “nailed the shield to the gates of Tsaregrad”, to the tribes of the Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi

Name: Igor (Inger)

Characteristic: son of Rurik

Years of government: 912 - 945 (dates are very doubtful)

Politics, activities: strengthened power over Kiev, Novgorod and the Slavic tribes. The first Kiev prince, officially recognized by the Byzantine emperor.

Military campaigns: to Byzantium (941-44), to the Pechenegs, conquered the principality of the Drevlyans. He died trying to collect tribute from the Drevlyans twice

Name: Olga

Characteristic: Igor's widow

Years of government: 945 - 960

Politics, activities: adopted and spread Christianity in Rus'. Streamlined the collection and size of taxes, because of which Igor died. For the first time she started stone houses in Rus'.

Military campaigns: cruelly avenged the Drevlyans on the death of her husband, burned the center of the Drevlyan land - the city of Iskorosten. In the absence of her son Svyatoslav, she led the defense of Kyiv from the Pechenegs.

Name: Svyatoslav

Characteristic: son of Igor and Olga. The first prince in Rus', who had not a Varangian, but a Slavic name.

Years of government: 960-972

Politics, activities: Expanding the borders of the state. Warrior Prince

Military campaigns: defeated the Khazar Khaganate - the main rival of Rus' in the international arena. He took the capital of the Khazars - Itil. He fought with the Pechenegs, and very successfully - with Bulgaria and Byzantium. After another campaign against Byzantium, which this time ended in failure, he was killed by the Pechenegs on his way back to Kyiv.

Name: Vladimir

Characteristic: third son of Svyatoslav

Years of government: from 970 - Novgorod, from 978 - Kiev (he killed his older brother Yaropolk, the former prince of Kyiv after the death of his father, Prince Svyatoslav). Died in 1015.

Politics, activities: baptized Rus' in 988, thereby uniting the tribes scattered by various pagan cults. Conducted diplomatic relations with neighboring powers.

Military campaigns: to Kyiv - against Yaropolk (however, it was Yaropolk who started the internecine war between the brothers), provided military assistance to the emperor of Byzantium. Campaigns against Croats, Bulgarians, Poles, tribes of Radimichi, Yatvingians and Vyatichi. Created a powerful system of border defense against the Pechenegs.

Name: Yaroslav the Wise

Characteristic: son of Vladimir

Years of government: Prince of Rostov from 987, Novgorod - from 1010, Grand Duke of Kiev - from 1016.

Politics, activities: Laid the Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Under Yaroslav, Kyiv strengthened and grew, the first monasteries in Rus' appeared as the only centers for the dissemination of literacy and book publishing at that time. Founded the city of Yaroslavl (modern Russia)

He strengthened the diplomatic ties of Kievan Rus, including political marriages. For example, Yaroslav married one of his daughters, Anna, to the king of France, another, Anastasia, to the Hungarian king, and the third, Elizabeth, to the king of Norway. Yaroslav himself married a Swedish princess.

Military campaigns: He killed his brother Svyatopolk in the struggle for the throne of Kiev. He helped the Polish king with military actions, conquered the Chud, Yam, Yatving tribes. Trip to Lithuania.

"Kievan Rus" is a concept that is subject to numerous speculations today. Historians argue not only whether there was a state with that name, but also who inhabited it.

Where did Kievan Rus come from?

If today in Russia the phrase "Kievan Rus" is gradually leaving scientific use, being replaced by the concept of "Old Russian state", then Ukrainian historians use it everywhere, and in the context of "Kievan Rus - Ukraine", emphasizing the historical continuity of the two states.

However, until the beginning of the 19th century, the term "Kyiv Rus" did not exist, the ancient inhabitants of the Kyiv lands did not even suspect that they lived in a state with such a name. The first to use the phrase "Kievan Rus" was the historian Mikhail Maksimovich in his work "Where does the Russian land come from", which was completed in the year of Pushkin's death.

It is important to note that Maksimovich used this expression not in the sense of the state, but in a number of other names of Rus' - Chervonnaya, White, Suzdal, that is, in the sense of geographical location. Historians Sergei Solovyov and Nikolai Kostomarov used it in the same sense.

Some authors of the beginning of the 20th century, including Sergei Platonov and Alexander Presnyakov, began to use the term "Kievan Rus" already in the sovereign-political sense, as the name of the state of the Eastern Slavs with a single political center in Kiev.

However, Kievan Rus became a full-fledged state in the Stalin era. There is a curious story about how Academician Boris Grekov, while working on the books "Kyiv Rus" and "Culture of Kievan Rus", asked his colleague: "You are a party member, advise, you should know what concept He (Stalin) will like."

Using the term “Kievan Rus”, Grekov considered it necessary to explain its meaning: “In my work, I deal with Kievan Rus not in the narrow territorial sense of this term (Ukraine), but precisely in that broad sense of the “Rurik Empire”, corresponding to the Western European empire Charlemagne - which includes a vast territory, on which several independent state units were subsequently formed.

State before Rurik

The official domestic historiography says that statehood in Rus' arose in 862 after the Rurik dynasty came to power. However, for example, political scientist Sergei Chernyakhovsky argues that the beginning of Russian statehood should be pushed back at least 200 years into history.

He draws attention to the fact that in the Byzantine sources, when describing the life of the Rus, obvious signs of their state structure were reflected: the presence of writing, the hierarchy of the nobility, the administrative division of lands, petty princes are also mentioned, over whom the "kings" stood.

And yet, despite the fact that Kievan Rus united vast territories inhabited by East Slavic, Finno-Ugric and Baltic tribes under its rule, many historians are inclined to believe that in the pre-Christian period it cannot be called a full-fledged state, since there were no class structures there. and there was no centralized authority. On the other hand, it was not a monarchy, not a despotism, not a republic, most of all, according to historians, it looked like some kind of corporate governance.

It is known that the ancient Russians lived in tribal settlements, were engaged in crafts, hunting, fishing, trade, agriculture, and cattle breeding. The Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan in 928 described that the Russians built large houses in which 30-50 people lived.

“Archaeological monuments of the Eastern Slavs recreate a society without any clear traces of property stratification. In the most diverse regions of the forest-steppe belt, it is not possible to indicate those that, in terms of their architectural appearance and the content of the household and household equipment found in them, would be distinguished by wealth, ”stressed the historian Ivan Lyapushkin.

Russian archaeologist Valentin Sedov notes that the emergence of economic inequality on the basis of existing archaeological data cannot yet be established. “It seems that there are no distinct traces of the property differentiation of the Slavic society in the grave monuments of the 6th-8th centuries,” the scientist concludes.

Historians conclude that the accumulation of wealth and their transmission by inheritance in ancient Russian society was not an end in itself, it apparently was neither a moral value nor a vital necessity. Moreover, hoarding was clearly not welcomed and even condemned.

For example, in one of the treaties between the Russians and the Byzantine emperor there is a fragment of the oath of the Kiev prince Svyatoslav, telling about what will happen in case of violation of obligations: “let us be golden, like this gold” (meaning the golden plate-stand of the Byzantine scribe) . This once again shows the despicable attitude of the Rus to the golden calf.

A more correct definition of the political structure of pre-dynastic Kievan Rus is a veche society, where the prince was completely dependent on the people's assembly. Veche could approve the transfer of power of the prince by inheritance, or could re-elect him. The historian Igor Froyanov noted that “an ancient Russian prince is not an emperor or even a monarch, because a veche, or a people’s assembly, to which he was accountable, stood above him.”

The first Kyiv princes

The Tale of Bygone Years tells how Kiy, who lived on the Dnieper "mountains", together with the brothers Shchek, Khoriv and sister Lybid, built a city on the right bank of the Dnieper, later named Kiev in honor of the founder. Kiy, according to the annals, he was the first prince of Kyiv. However, modern authors are more inclined to believe that the story of the founding of the city is an etymological myth designed to explain the names of Kievan areas.

Thus, the hypothesis of the American-Ukrainian orientalist Omelyan Pritsak, who believed that the emergence of Kyiv is associated with the Khazars, and Kiy as a person is identical to the hypothetical Khazar vizier Kuya, became widely known.

At the end of the 9th century, no less legendary princes, Askold and Dir, appeared on the historical stage of Kyiv. It is believed that they were members of the Varangian squad of Rurik, who later became the rulers of the capital city, converted to Christianity and laid the foundations of ancient Russian statehood. But even here there are many questions.

In the Ustyug annals it is said that Askold and Dir were "neither the tribe of the prince, nor the boyars, and Rurik will not give them either a city or a village." Historians believe that their desire to go to Kyiv was stimulated by the desire to obtain land and a princely title. According to the historian Yuri Begunov, Askold and Dir, having betrayed Rurik, turned into Khazar vassals.

The chronicler Nestor writes that the troops of Askold and Dir in 866 made a campaign against Byzantium and plundered the environs of Constantinople. However, Academician Aleksey Shakhmatov argued that in the older chronicles telling about the campaign against Constantinople there is no mention of Askold and Dir, nothing is said about them either in Byzantine or Arabic sources. “Their names were inserted later,” the scientist believed.

Some researchers suggest that Askold and Dir ruled in Kyiv at different times. Others put forward the version that Askold and Dir are one and the same person. According to this assumption, in the Old Norse spelling of the name "Haskuldr", the last two letters "d" and "r" could be separated into a separate word, and eventually become an independent person.

If you look at the Byzantine sources, you can see that during the siege of Constantinople, the chronicler speaks of only one commander, though without naming him.
Historian Boris Rybakov explained: “The personality of Prince Dir is not clear to us. It is felt that his name is artificially attached to Askold, because when describing their joint actions, the grammatical form gives us a single, not a double number, as it should be when describing the joint actions of two persons.

Kievan Rus and Khazaria

The Khazar Khaganate is considered a powerful state, under whose control the most important trade routes from Europe to Asia turned out to be. + During its heyday (at the beginning of the 8th century), the territory of the Khazar Khaganate extended from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea, including the lower Dnieper region.

The Khazars made regular raids on the Slavic lands, plundering them. According to the testimony of the medieval traveler Ibrahim ibn Yakub, they mined not only wax, furs and horses, but mainly prisoners of war for sale into slavery, as well as young men, girls and children. In other words, the lands of Southern Rus' actually fell into the Khazar bondage.

Maybe the state of the Khazars was looking in the wrong place? Publicist Alexander Polyukh is trying to sort out this issue. In his research, he focuses on genetics, in particular, on the position according to which the blood type corresponds to the way of life of the people and determines the ethnos.

He notes that according to genetic data, Russians and Belarusians, like most Europeans, have more than 90% of blood type I (O), and ethnic Ukrainians are 40% carriers of group III (B). This is a sign of peoples who led a nomadic lifestyle (here he also includes the Khazars), whose blood group III (B) approaches 100% of the population.

These conclusions are largely supported by the archaeological finds of Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valentin Yanin, who confirmed that Kiev at the time of its capture by the Novgorodians (IX century) was not a Slavic city, this is also evidenced by "birch bark letters".
According to Polyukh, the conquest of Kyiv by the Novgorodians and the revenge on the Khazars, carried out by Prophetic Oleg, suspiciously coincide in time. Perhaps it was the same event? Here he makes a loud conclusion: "Kyiv is a possible capital of the Khazar Khaganate, and ethnic Ukrainians are the direct descendants of the Khazars."

Despite all the paradoxical conclusions, perhaps they are not so divorced from reality. Indeed, in a number of sources of the 9th century, the ruler of the Rus was called not a prince, but a kagan (khakan). The earliest message about this refers to the year 839, when, according to the ancient Russian chronicles, Rurik's warriors had not yet arrived in Kyiv.

Key dates and events.

862 - the calling of Rurik,

862-879 - the years of Rurik's reign,

879-912 - years of Oleg's reign

907, 911 - Oleg's campaigns against Byzantium,

912-945 - years of Igor's reign,

941, 944 - Igor's campaigns against Byzantium,

94 - the murder of Igor by the Drevlyans,

945-972 - the years of the reign of Svyatoslav,

945-964 - years of Olga's regency,

965 - the conquest of the Khazar Khaganate,

968 - victory over the Volga Bulgaria,

972 - 980 - the years of the reign of Yaropolk,

980-1015 - the years of the reign of Vladimir,

988 - adoption of Christianity,

1015 - 1019 - the years of the reign of Svyatopolk I the Accursed,

1019-1054 - years board Yaroslav the Wise

1054 - division of a single Christian church into an Orthodox Catholic,

1054 - ... - 1078 - the years of the reign of Izyaslav I,

1078-1093 - years of the reign of Vsevolod I,

1093-1113 - the years of the reign of Svyatopolk II,

1097 - congress in Lyubech,

1113 - 1125 - the years of the reign of Vladimir Monomakh

Formation of the ancient Russian state. There are several theories of the emergence of the state among the Eastern Slavs.

1. Slavic (anti-Norman). The role of the Varangians in the formation of the ancient Russian state and their calling to reign is denied (M.V. Lomonosov).

2. Norman. The Old Russian state was created by the Normans (Varangians) with the voluntary consent of the Slavs (G. Bayer, A. Schletser, G. Miller).

3. Centrist (modern). The Old Russian state arose as a result of the internal social development of the Slavs, but also with the participation of the Varangians (most modern historians).

Old Russian princes and their activities.

Rurik. Ancestor of the Rurik dynasty. It is believed that in 862 d. several Slavic tribes invited the Scandinavian king (ruler) Rurik and his legendary brothers (Sineus and Truvor) to reign in their territory. In accordance with "The Tale of Bygone Years» Rurik died in 879 and became his successor Oleg.

Oleg. Oleg during his reign conquered Kyiv (882 city), Smolensk and a number of other cities. He strengthened the foreign policy position of Rus'. IN 907 He made a successful military campaign against Constantinople (Byzantium), which resulted in two peace treaties beneficial for Rus' (907 and 911).

Igor. He organized military campaigns against Byzantium (941 - ended in failure, 944 - the conclusion of a mutually beneficial agreement). Expanded the boundaries of the ancient Russian state. Thus, the tribes of Radimichi, Vyatichi, Ulich, Krivichi, etc. were under the control of Igor. Relations between the prince and the tribes subordinate to him were based on a system of paying tribute (polyudye). Polyudye is an annual detour by the princes, together with the boyars and the retinue, of the territories subject to them in order to collect taxes from the local population. IN 945 The Drevlyans rebelled against the too high amount of the required tribute. As a result of unrest, Igor was killed.

Olga. After the death of Igor, his wife Olga, in order to stabilize the situation, introduced a normalized amount of tribute instead of polyudya ( lessons) and established tribute collection sites ( churchyards). IN 957 d. The first of the Russian princes to accept Christianity under the name Elena.

Svyatoslav. (son of Igor and Olga) The initiator and leader of many military campaigns (the defeat of the Khazar Khaganate, Volga Bulgaria, the war with Byzantium, clashes with the Pechenegs).

Vladimir I Saint. 980 g. - the pagan reform of Prince Vladimir. Creation of a pantheon of pagan Slavic gods led by Perun (an unsuccessful attempt to adapt paganism to the goal of uniting Rus'), 988 g. - the adoption of Christianity. Further expansion and strengthening of the state. Successful military campaigns against the Poles, Pechenegs.

Yaroslav the Wise. He contributed to the rise of the international prestige of Rus' (established broad dynastic ties with Europe and Byzantium). Military campaigns in the Baltic states, in the Polish-Lithuanian lands, in Byzantium, finally defeated the Pechenegs. Founder written Russian legislation (“Russkaya Pravda” → “Pravda Yaroslav”).

Vladimir II Monomakh.(grandson of Yaroslav the Wise) Organizer of successful campaigns against the Polovtsians (1103, 1109, 1111). Member of the congress of ancient Russian princes in Lyubech (1097), which discussed the harm of civil strife, the principles of ownership and inheritance of princely lands. He stopped the collapse of the Old Russian state. He continued the policy of strengthening dynastic ties with Europe (he was married to the daughter of the English king Harold II).

The social structure of Kievan Rus. The highest categories of the population of Rus' included princes, priests (since the 10th century), boyars (descendants of tribal nobility, governors). The basis of the power of the prince was vigilantes. These were the people closest to the prince. Of these, the prince appointed senior officials. A special category, designated in the law books of that time, were "People" And "mortals". It is believed that the "people" were completely free, and the "smerds" had to pay a certain tribute to the prince. Further up the social ladder "serfs", who were completely powerless. Intermediate position occupied "purchases" And "rankers", who were in a dependent position until they paid their debt to creditors. The lowest category of the population were "outcasts", who became insolvent debtors, people who for some reason left the community, which was the main form of social organization.

Similar information.

The period of formation of the Old Russian state begins with the reign of the Norman prince Rurik. His descendants sought to annex new territories to their principalities, to establish trade and allied relations with Byzantium and other countries.

Domestic and foreign policy of the ancient Kyiv princes

Management system of ancient Russian lands

The territory of Kievan Rus has undergone repeated changes over the more than 3-century history of the existence of the state. According to Nestor, the Eastern Slavs numbered 10-15 tribes (Polyans, Drevlyans, Ilmen Slovenes, etc.), settled over a large area. However, it is unlikely that the land of the Vyatichi, with whom the princes of Kyiv regularly fought until the end of the 11th century, can be attributed to Kievan Rus. And in the XII-XIII centuries, feudal fragmentation led to the fact that part of the Russian principalities were captured by Lithuanians and Poles (Polotsk, Minsk, etc.).

During the 3 centuries, not only the territory changed, but also the regional administration, as they would say now. Initially, the tribes ruled themselves. In the 9th century, Oleg, regent under the prince of Novgorod, conquered Kyiv, thus establishing a centralized power. Subsequently, he and his followers on the Kiev princely throne imposed tribute on several neighboring tribes. The management of the territories in the 9th-10th centuries consisted in the collection of tribute and was carried out in the form of polyudya - the prince and his retinue traveled around the cities and villages and collected tribute. In addition, the prince led the defense of the land from common external enemies, and could also organize a military campaign (most often in the direction of Byzantium).

Since there was enough land in Kievan Rus, and it would be difficult for one prince to lead such a vast territory, the grand dukes practiced distributing appanages to their combatants. First with a return as payment for military affairs, and then in hereditary possession. In addition, the grand dukes had many children. As a result, in the XI-XII centuries, the Kiev dynasty ousted the tribal princes from their ancestral principalities.

At the same time, the land in the principalities began to belong to the prince himself, the boyars, and monasteries. The exception was the Pskov-Novgorod land, in which at that time there was still a feudal republic.
To manage their allotments, the princes and boyars - large landowners divided the territory into hundreds, fifths, rows, counties. However, there was no unambiguous definition of these territorial units.

Often there were no unambiguously defined boundaries of these units. City management was carried out by posadniks and thousandths, at a lower level they were centurions, tenths, governors, elders, depending on the traditions of a particular land. At the same time, if candidates for higher positions were more often appointed, then for lower positions they were elected. Even to collect tribute, the peasants chose "good people."

The people's assembly among the Eastern Slavs was called veche.

1. Olesya

   Very detailed and historically correct table. This period of ancient Russian history is usually best remembered by both schoolchildren and students. The thing is that the reign of the ancient Russian princes is certainly associated with various myths, chronicle fables and unusual stories. My favorite stage in the development of the ancient Russian state remains the period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. If there were more such rulers in Russia, the country would not have to regularly experience dynastic crises and popular riots.

2. Irina

   Olesya, I completely agree with you about Yaroslav the Wise. By the way, it is interesting that, after all, initially he had no desire to become the head of state: circumstances prompted him to do so. However, the period of his personal reign became for Rus' a time of stability and prosperity. So you say after that that a person does not make history: he does, and how! If it were not for Yaroslav, Rus' would not have received rest from strife and would not have had in the XI century. "Russian Truth". He managed to improve the international situation. Talented statesman! There would be more of these in our time.

3. Lana

   The table shows only individual Russian princes, therefore it cannot be considered complete, if we consider everything in detail, then we can count more than 20 princes who were in family ties and ruled their own destinies.

4. Irina

   The table is useful but incomplete. In my opinion, it would be better to highlight the features of the foreign and domestic policies of the princes. Attention is paid more to changes and innovations, and not to the characteristic features of the period of government.

5. Angelina

   There is very little information about the domestic and foreign policy of the rulers! It would be much more informative to present the main achievements of the princes in the form of a single table - the information is a little scattered - you can get confused. Sense in the first table I do not see at all. For some rulers, there is little information at all. For example, Vladimir the Great carried out a number of important reforms that are not mentioned at all in the tables.

6. Igor

   Vladimir Monomakh managed for a short time of his reign to unite more than half of the lands of Rus', which fell apart after the triumvirate of the Yaroslavichs. Vladimir Monomakh improved the legislative system. For a short time, his son Mstislav managed to maintain the unity of the country.

7. Olga

   Nothing is said about the important reforms of Volodymyr the Great. In addition to the baptism of Rus', he carried out administrative and military reforms - this helped strengthen the borders and strengthen the unity of the state's territories.

8. Anna

   It is worth noting the features of the rulers of the period of formation and the heyday of Rus'. If at the formation stage they were strong warriors, an example of courage, then at the heyday stage they were politicians and diplomats who practically did not even participate in campaigns. This concerns, first of all, Yaroslav the Wise.

9. Vyacheslav

   In the comments, many approve and admire the personality of Yaroslav the Wise and argue that Yaroslav saved Rus' from strife and strife. I completely disagree with such a position of commentators in relation to the personality of Yaroslav the Wise. There is a Scandinavian saga about Edmund. This saga tells that the squad of Scandinavians was hired by Yaroslav for the war with his brother Boris. By order of Yaroslav, the Scandinavians send assassins to his brother Boris and kill him (Prince Boris, who was later recognized as a saint with his brother Gleb). Also, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 1014 Yaroslav raised an uprising against his father Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko (the baptizer of Rus') and hired the Varangians to fight him, wanting to rule in Veliky Novgorod on his own. The Varangians, while in Novgorod, robbed the population and committed violence against the inhabitants, which led to an uprising against Yaroslav. After the death of his brothers Boris, Gleb and Svyatopolk, Yaroslav took the throne of Kiev and fought with his brother Mstislav Tmutorokan, nicknamed the Brave. Until 1036 (the year of Mstislav's death), the Russian state was divided between Yaroslav and Mstislav into two independent political associations. Until the death of Mstislav, Yaroslav preferred to live in Novgorod, and not in the capital Kyiv. Yaroslav also began to pay tribute to the Varangians in the amount of 300 hryvnias. Introduced a rather heavy fine in favor of the bishop for non-compliance with Christian rules. This despite the fact that 90% of the population were pagans or dual faith. He sent his son Vladimir, together with the Varangian Harold, on a predatory campaign against Orthodox Byzantium. The army was defeated and most of the soldiers died in battles from the use of Greek fire. During his reign, nomadic tribes cut off the Tmutarakan principality from Kyiv, and as a result, it fell under the influence of neighboring states. The relatives of the Swedish king Olaf Shetkonung handed over the native Russian lands around Ladoga to hereditary possession. Then these lands became known as Ingria. The code of laws Russian Truth reflects the enslavement of the population, which actively took place during the reign of Yaroslav, as well as the uprisings and resistance to his power. In the course of recent studies of the Russian chronicles in the description of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, there are a large number of changes and insertions in the original text of the chronicle made, most likely at his direction. Yaroslav distorted the annals, killed the brothers, started civil strife with the brothers and declared war on his father, being essentially a separatist, and he is praised in the annals and the church recognized him as faithful. Maybe that's why Yaroslav was nicknamed the Wise?