The first ancient Russian chronicle is called. The first chronicler of the Russian land

In the Department of Manuscripts of the Russian National Library, along with other valuable manuscripts, a chronicle is kept, which is called Lavrentievskaya, named after the person who copied it in 1377. “Az (I am) a thin, unworthy and many-sinful servant of God Lavrenty mnikh (monk),” we read on the last page.
This book is written in charters", or " veal“- so called in Russia parchment: specially processed calf leather. The chronicle, apparently, was read a lot: its sheets were dilapidated, in many places there were traces of wax drops from candles, in some places beautiful, even lines were erased, at the beginning of the book running across the entire page, further divided into two columns. This book has seen a lot in its six-hundred-year-old century.

The Manuscript Department of the Library of the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg contains Ipatiev Chronicle. It was transferred here in the 18th century from the Ipatiev Monastery, famous in the history of Russian culture, near Kostroma. It was written in the XIV century. It is a large book, bound heavily on two planks of wood covered in darkened leather. Five copper beetles decorate the binding. The whole book is written by hand in four different handwritings, which means that four scribes worked on it. The book is written in two columns in black ink with cinnabar (bright red) capital letters. The second sheet of the book, on which the text begins, is especially beautiful. It is all written in cinnabar, as if blazing. Capital letters, on the other hand, are written in black ink. The scribes have worked hard to create this book. With reverence they set to work. “The Russian chronicler is starting with God. Good Father,” the scribe wrote before the text.

The oldest copy of the Russian chronicle was made on parchment in the 14th century. it synodal list Novgorod First Chronicle. It can be seen in the Historical Museum in Moscow. It belonged to the Moscow Synodal Library, hence its name.

It is interesting to see the illustrated Radzivilovskaya, or Koenigsberg, chronicle. At one time it belonged to the Radzivils and was discovered by Peter the Great in Koenigsberg (now Kaliningrad). Now this chronicle is stored in the Library of the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. It was written in semi-charter at the end of the 15th century, apparently in Smolensk. Semi-charter - the handwriting is faster and simpler than the solemn and slow charter, but also very beautiful.
Radzivilov Chronicle adorns 617 miniatures! 617 drawings in color - the colors are bright, cheerful - illustrate what is described on the pages. Here you can see the troops going on a campaign with banners fluttering, and battles, and sieges of cities. Here the princes are depicted seated on “tables” - the tables that served as the throne, in fact, resemble the current small tables. And in front of the prince are ambassadors with scrolls of speeches in their hands. The fortifications of Russian cities, bridges, towers, walls with "zaborblami", "cuts", that is, dungeons, "vezhs" - tents of nomads - all this can be visualized from the slightly naive drawings of the Radzivilov Chronicle. And what to say about weapons, armor - they are depicted here in abundance. No wonder one researcher called these miniatures "windows to a vanished world." The ratio of drawings and sheet, drawings and text, text and fields is very important. Everything is done with great taste. After all, each handwritten book is a work of art, and not just a monument of writing.

These are the most ancient lists of Russian chronicles. They are called “lists” because they were rewritten from older chronicles that have not come down to us.

How were chronicles written?

The text of any chronicle consists of weather records (compiled by years). Each entry begins: “In the summer of such and such”, and then follows a message about what happened in this “summer”, that is, the year. (The years were considered “from the creation of the world”, and in order to get the date according to modern chronology, you must subtract the figure 5508 or 5507.) The messages were long, detailed stories, and there were also very short ones, like: “In the summer of 6741 (1230) signed (painted ) there was a church of the Holy Mother of God in Suzdal and was paved with various marbles”, “In the summer of 6398 (1390) there was pestilence in Pskov, as if (how) there was no such; where they dug up one, put that and five and ten”, “In the summer of 6726 (1218) there was silence.” They also wrote: “In the summer of 6752 (1244) there was nothing” (that is, there was nothing).

If several events happened in one year, then the chronicler connected them with the words: “in the same summer” or “of the same summer”.
Entries belonging to the same year are called an article.. Articles went in a row, standing out only in red line. Only some of them were given titles by the chronicler. Such are the stories about Alexander Nevsky, Prince Dovmont, the Battle of the Don, and some others.

At first glance, it may seem that the chronicles were kept like this: year after year, more and more new entries were added, as if beads were strung on one thread. However, it is not.

The chronicles that have come down to us are very complex works on Russian history. Chroniclers were publicists and historians. They were concerned not only with contemporary events, but also with the fate of their homeland in the past. They made weather records of what happened during their lives and added to the records of previous chroniclers new reports that they found in other sources. They inserted these additions under the respective years. As a result of all the additions, insertions and use by the chronicler of the annals of his predecessors, it turned out “ vault“.

Let's take an example. The story of the Ipatiev Chronicle about the struggle of Izyaslav Mstislavich with Yuri Dolgoruky for Kyiv in 1151. There are three main participants in this story: Izyaslav, Yuri and Yuri's oyn - Andrey Bogolyubsky. Each of these princes had his own chronicler. The chronicler Izyaslav Mstislavich admired the intelligence and military cunning of his prince. Yuriy's chronicler described in detail how Yuriy, unable to pass down the Dnieper past Kyiv, launched his boats across Dolobskoye Lake. Finally, in the chronicle of Andrei Bogolyubsky, Andrei's valor in battle is described.
After the death of all participants in the events of 1151, their chronicles came to the chronicler of the new Kyiv prince. He combined their news in his vault. It turned out to be a bright and very complete story.

But how did the researchers manage to isolate more ancient vaults from the later chronicles?
This was helped by the method of work of the chroniclers themselves. Our ancient historians treated with great respect the records of their predecessors, as they saw in them a document, a living evidence of the “previously former”. Therefore, they did not alter the text of the chronicles they received, but only selected the news they were interested in.
Thanks to the careful attitude to the work of the predecessors, the news of the 11th-14th centuries have been preserved almost unchanged even in relatively late chronicles. This allows them to stand out.

Very often chroniclers, like real scientists, indicated where they got the news from. “When I came to Ladoga, the people of Ladoga told me…”, “Behold, I heard from a witness,” they wrote. Passing from one written source to another, they noted: “And this is from another chronicler” or: “And this is from another, old,” that is, written off from another, old chronicle. There are many such interesting additions. The Pskovian chronicler, for example, makes a note in vermilion against the place where he talks about the campaign of the Slavs against the Greeks: “This is written about in the miracles of Stefan Surozh”.

Chronicle-writing from its very inception was not a personal affair of individual chroniclers who, in the quiet of their cells, in solitude and silence, recorded the events of their time.
Chroniclers have always been in the thick of things. They sat in the boyar council, attended the veche. They fought “near the stirrup” of their prince, accompanied him on campaigns, were eyewitnesses and participants in the sieges of cities. Our ancient historians carried out embassy assignments, followed the construction of city fortifications and temples. They always lived the social life of their time and most often occupied a high position in society.

Princes and even princesses, princely combatants, boyars, bishops, abbots took part in the chronicle writing. But there were also simple monks among them, and priests of city parish churches.
Chronicle writing was caused by social necessity and met social requirements. It was conducted at the behest of this or that prince, or bishop, or posadnik. It reflected the political interests of equal centers - the principality of cities. They captured the sharp struggle of different social groups. Chronicle has never been impassive. She testified to the merits and virtues, she accused of violating the rights and the rule of law.

Daniil Galitsky turns to the chronicle to testify to the betrayal of the “flattering” boyars, who “called Daniil a prince; but they themselves held the whole land. At the acute moment of the struggle, the “printer” (keeper of the seal) Daniel went to “write the robberies of the wicked boyars”. A few years later, the son of Daniil Mstislav ordered that the betrayal of the inhabitants of Berestye (Brest) be recorded in the annals, “and I entered their sedition in the annals,” writes the chronicler. The whole set of Daniel of Galicia and his immediate successors is a story about sedition and “many rebellions” of the “crafty boyars” and about the valor of the Galician princes.

The situation was different in Novgorod. The boyar party won there. Read the record of the Novgorod First Chronicle about the expulsion of Vsevolod Mstislavich in 1136. You will be convinced that you have a real indictment against the prince. But this is only one article from the set. After the events of 1136, all chronicle writing, which had previously been conducted under the auspices of Vsevolod and his father Mstislav the Great, was revised.
The former name of the chronicle, "Russian Timepiece", was remade into "Sofia Timeline": the chronicle was kept at the Cathedral of St. Sophia - the main public building of Novgorod. Among some additions, an entry was made: “First the Novgorod volost, and then the Kyiv volost”. The antiquity of the Novgorod “volost” (the word “volost” meant both “region” and “power”) the chronicler justified the independence of Novgorod from Kyiv, its right to elect and expel princes at will.

The political idea of ​​each vault was expressed in its own way. It is expressed very clearly in the vault of 1200 of the abbot of the Vydubytsky monastery Moses. The code was compiled in connection with the celebration on the occasion of the completion of a grand engineering and technical structure for that time - a stone wall to protect the mountain near the Vydubytsky monastery from being washed away by the waters of the Dnieper. You might be interested in reading the details.

The wall was built at the expense of Rurik Rostislavich, the Grand Duke of Kyiv, who had “an insatiable love for the building” (for creation). The prince found an “artist suitable for this kind of work”, “not a simple master”, Peter Milonega. When the wall was “completed”, Rurik came to the monastery with his whole family. After praying "for the acceptance of his labor" he made "a feast not small" and "fed the abbots and every rank of the church." At this celebration, hegumen Moses delivered an inspirational speech. “Wonderful today our eyes see,” he said. “For many who lived before us wanted to see what we see, and did not see, and were not honored to hear.” Somewhat self-deprecatingly, according to the custom of that time, the abbot turned to the prince: “Accept our rude writing, as a gift of words to praise the virtue of your reign.” He spoke further about the prince that his “autocratic power” shines “more (more) than the stars of heaven”, she “is not only known in the Russian ends, but also to those who are in the sea far away, for the glory of Christ-loving deeds has spread throughout the earth” his. “Not standing on the shore, but on the wall of your creation, I sing you a song of victory,” exclaims the abbot. He calls the construction of the wall a “new miracle” and says that the “Kyyans”, that is, the inhabitants of Kyiv, are now standing on the wall and “from everywhere joy enters their souls and it seems to them that (as if) they have reached aera” (that is, that they soar in the air).
The abbot's speech is an example of the high oratory, that is, oratory, art of that time. It ends with the vault of Abbot Moses. The glorification of Rurik Rostislavich is associated with admiration for the skill of Peter Milonega.

Chronicles were of great importance. Therefore, the compilation of each new set was associated with an important event in the public life of that time: with the entry of the prince to the table, the consecration of the cathedral, the establishment of the episcopal chair.

Chronicle was an official document. It was referred to in various kinds of negotiations. For example, Novgorodians, concluding a “row”, that is, an agreement, with the new prince, reminded him of “old times and duties” (about customs), about “Yaroslavl letters” and their rights recorded in the Novgorod annals. The Russian princes, going to the Horde, carried chronicles with them and substantiated their demands on them, and resolved disputes. Prince Yuri of Zvenigorod, son of Dmitry Donskoy, proved his rights to reign in Moscow “by chroniclers and old lists and the spiritual (testament) of his father.” People who could “speak” according to the annals, that is, they knew their content well, were highly valued.

The chroniclers themselves understood that they were compiling a document that was supposed to preserve in the memory of their descendants what they had witnessed. “Yes, and this will not be forgotten in the last generations” (in the next generations), “Yes, we will leave those who exist for us, but it will not be completely forgotten,” they wrote. They confirmed the documentary nature of the news with documentary material. They used diaries of campaigns, reports of "watchmen" (scouts), letters, various kinds of diplomas(contractual, spiritual, that is, wills).

Diplomas always impress with their authenticity. In addition, they reveal the details of life, and sometimes the spiritual world of the people of Ancient Russia.
Such, for example, is the letter of the Volyn prince Vladimir Vasilkovich (nephew of Daniil Galitsky). This is a testament. It was written by a terminally ill man who knew that his end was near. The will concerned the prince's wife and his stepdaughter. There was a custom in Russia: after the death of her husband, the princess was tonsured into a monastery.
The letter begins like this: “Se az (I) Prince Vladimir, son Vasilkov, grandson Romanov, I am writing a letter.” The following lists the cities and villages that he gave the princess “by his stomach” (that is, after life: “belly” meant “life”). At the end, the prince writes: “If she wants to go to the blueberries, let her go, if she doesn’t want to go, but as she pleases. I can’t rise up to watch what someone will repair (do) on my stomach. Vladimir appointed a guardian for his stepdaughter, but ordered him "not to give her in marriage to anyone."

Chroniclers inserted works of various genres into the vaults - teachings, sermons, lives of saints, historical stories. Thanks to the involvement of a variety of material, the chronicle became a huge encyclopedia, including information about the life and culture of Russia at that time. “If you want to know everything, read the chronicler of the old Rostov,” wrote Bishop Simon of Suzdal in a once widely known work from the beginning of the 13th century - in the “Kiev-Pechersk Patericon”.

For us, the Russian chronicle is an inexhaustible source of information on the history of our country, a true treasury of knowledge. Therefore, we are very grateful to the people who have preserved for us information about the past. Everything we can learn about them is extremely precious to us. We are especially touched when the voice of the chronicler reaches us from the pages of the chronicle. After all, our ancient Russian writers, like architects and painters, were very modest and rarely identified themselves. But sometimes, as if forgetting, they talk about themselves in the first person. “I happened to be a sinner right there,” they write. “I have heard many words, hedgehogs (which) and entered in this annals.” Sometimes chroniclers bring in information about their lives: "The same summer they made me a priest." This entry about himself was made by the priest of one of the Novgorod churches German Voyata (Voyata is an abbreviation for the pagan name Voeslav).

From the mentions of the chronicler about himself in the first person, we learn whether he was present at the event described or heard about what happened from the lips of “seers”, it becomes clear to us what position he occupied in the society of that time, what was his education, where he lived and much more . Here he writes how in Novgorod the guards stood at the city gates, “and others on that side”, and we understand that this is written by a resident of the Sofia side, where the “city” was, that is, the citadel, the Kremlin, and the right, the Trading side was “other”, “she is me”.

Sometimes the presence of a chronicler is felt in the description of natural phenomena. He writes, for example, how the freezing Rostov Lake “howled” and “thumped”, and we can imagine that he was somewhere on the shore at that time.
It happens that the chronicler gives himself away in rude vernacular. “But he lied,” writes a Pskovian about one prince.
The chronicler is constantly, without even mentioning himself, yet as if invisibly present on the pages of his narrative and makes us look through his eyes at what was happening. The voice of the chronicler sounds especially clear in lyrical digressions: “Oh, woe, brothers!” or: “Who does not marvel at him who does not weep!” Sometimes our ancient historians conveyed their attitude to events in generalized forms of folk wisdom - in proverbs or sayings. So, the Novgorodian chronicler, speaking of how one of the posadniks was removed from his post, adds: “Whoever digs a hole under another will fall into it himself.”

The chronicler is not only a narrator, he is also a judge. He judges according to the standards of very high morality. He is constantly concerned with questions of good and evil. He now rejoices, now he is indignant, praises some and blames others.
The subsequent "bridler" connects the conflicting points of view of his predecessors. The presentation becomes more complete, versatile, calmer. An epic image of a chronicler grows in our minds - a wise old man who dispassionately looks at the vanity of the world. This image was brilliantly reproduced by A. S. Pushkin in the scene of Pimen and Grigory. This image lived already in the minds of Russian people in antiquity. So, in the Moscow Chronicle under 1409, the chronicler recalls the “initial chronicler of Kyiv”, who “without hesitation shows” all the “temporal riches” of the earth (that is, all earthly vanity) and “without anger” describes “everything good and bad”.

Not only chroniclers worked on chronicles, but also ordinary scribes.
If you look at an ancient Russian miniature depicting a scribe, you will see that he is sitting on a “ chair” with a foot and holds on his knees a scroll or a pack of sheets of parchment or paper folded two to four times, on which he writes. In front of him, on a low table, is an inkwell and a sandbox. In those days, wet ink was sprinkled with sand. Right there on the table is a pen, a ruler, a knife for mending feathers and cleaning up faulty places. On the stand is a book from which he cheats.

The work of a scribe required great effort and attention. Scribes often worked from dawn to dusk. They were hampered by fatigue, illness, hunger and the desire to sleep. To distract themselves a little, they wrote in the margins of their manuscripts, in which they poured out their complaints: “Oh, oh, my head hurts, I can’t write.” Sometimes the scribe asks God to make him laugh, because he is tormented by drowsiness and he is afraid that he will make a mistake. And then there will also come across “a dashing pen, involuntarily write to them.” Under the influence of hunger, the scribe made mistakes: instead of the word “abyss” he wrote “bread”, instead of “font” he wrote “jelly”.

It is not surprising that the scribe, having finished writing the last page, conveys his joy with a postscript: “Like a hare, he is happy, he escaped the net, so happy is the scribe, having finished writing the last page.”

A long and very figurative postscript was made by the monk Lavrenty, having completed his work. In this postscript, one can feel the joy of accomplishing a great and important deed: the book writer rejoices in the same way, having reached the end of books. So I’m a thin, unworthy and sinful servant of God, Lavrenty of mine ... And now, gentlemen, fathers and brothers, if (if) where he described or rewrote, or didn’t finish, read (read), correcting God dividing (for God’s sake), and not curse, earlier (because) the books are dilapidated, and the mind is young, it has not reached.

The oldest Russian chronicle that has come down to us is called “The Tale of Bygone Years”. He brings his presentation to the second decade of the XII century, but he reached us only in the lists of the XIV and subsequent centuries. The compilation of The Tale of Bygone Years dates back to the 11th - early 12th centuries, by the time when the Old Russian state with its center in Kyiv was relatively united. That is why the authors of the Tale had such a wide coverage of events. They were interested in questions that were important for all of Russia as a whole. They were keenly aware of the unity of all Russian regions.

At the end of the 11th century, thanks to the economic development of the Russian regions, they were separated into independent principalities. Each principality has its own political and economic interests. They begin to compete with Kyiv. Each capital city strives to imitate the “mother of Russian cities”. Achievements of art, architecture and literature of Kyiv are a model for regional centers. The culture of Kyiv, spreading to all regions of Russia in the 12th century, falls on prepared soil. Before that, each region had its own original traditions, its own artistic skills and tastes, which went back to deep pagan antiquity and were closely connected with folk ideas, affections, and customs.

From the contact of the somewhat aristocratic culture of Kyiv with the folk culture of each region, a diverse ancient Russian art grew up, united both thanks to the Slavic community and thanks to the common model - Kyiv, but everywhere different, original, unlike a neighbor.

In connection with the isolation of the Russian principalities, chronicle writing is also expanding. It develops in such centers where, until the 12th century, only scattered records were kept, for example, in Chernigov, Pereyaslav Russky (Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky), Rostov, Vladimir-on-Klyazma, Ryazan and other cities. Every political center now felt an urgent need to have its own chronicle. The chronicle has become a necessary element of culture. It was impossible to live without your own cathedral, without your own monastery. In the same way, one could not live without one's chronicle.

The isolation of the lands affected the nature of chronicle writing. The chronicle becomes narrower in terms of the scope of events, in terms of the horizons of the chroniclers. It is closed within the framework of its political center. But even during this period of feudal fragmentation, the all-Russian unity was not forgotten. In Kyiv, they were interested in the events that took place in Novgorod. The Novgorodians kept an eye on what was being done in Vladimir and Rostov. Vladimirtsev worried about the fate of Russian Pereyaslavl. And of course, all regions turned to Kyiv.

This explains that in the Ipatiev Chronicle, that is, in the South Russian collection, we read about the events that took place in Novgorod, Vladimir, Ryazan, etc. In the north-eastern vault - in the Laurentian Chronicle, it tells about what happened in Kyiv, Pereyaslavl Russian, Chernigov, Novgorod-Seversky and in other principalities.
More than others, the Novgorod and Galicia-Volyn chronicles closed themselves in the narrow limits of their land, but even there we will find news about the events of all-Russian.

Regional chroniclers, compiling their codes, began them with the "Tale of Bygone Years", which told about the "beginning" of the Russian land, and therefore, about the beginning of each regional center. “The Tale of Bygone Years* supported our historians' consciousness of all-Russian unity.

The most colorful, artistic presentation was in the XII century Kyiv Chronicle included in the Ipatiev list. She led a sequential account of events from 1118 to 1200. This presentation was prefaced by The Tale of Bygone Years.
The Kyiv Chronicle is a princely chronicle. There are many stories in it, in which one or another prince was the main character.
Before us are stories about princely crimes, about breaking oaths, about ruining the possessions of warring princes, about the despair of the inhabitants, about the destruction of huge artistic and cultural values. Reading the Kyiv Chronicle, we seem to hear the sounds of trumpets and tambourines, the crackle of breaking spears, we see clouds of dust hiding both horsemen and footmen. But the general meaning of all these full of movement, intricate stories is deeply humane. The chronicler persistently praises those princes who "do not like bloodshed" and at the same time are filled with valor, the desire to "suffer" for the Russian land, "wish her well with all their hearts." Thus, the annalistic ideal of the prince is created, which corresponded to popular ideals.
On the other hand, in the Kievan Chronicle there is an angry condemnation of violators of the order, perjurers, princes who start unnecessary bloodshed.

Chronicle writing in Veliky Novgorod began in the 11th century, but finally took shape in the 12th century. Initially, as in Kyiv, it was a princely chronicle. The son of Vladimir Monomakh, Mstislav the Great, did especially much for the Novgorod Chronicle. After him, the chronicle was kept at the court of Vsevolod Mstislavich. But the Novgorodians expelled Vsevolod in 1136, and a veche boyar republic was established in Novgorod. Chronicle writing passed to the court of the Novgorod lord, that is, the archbishop. It was conducted at the Hagia Sophia and in some city churches. But from this it did not become a church at all.

The Novgorod chronicle has all its roots in the masses of the people. It is rude, figurative, sprinkled with proverbs and retained even in writing the characteristic “clatter”.

Most of the narrative is in the form of short dialogues, in which there is not a single superfluous word. Here is a short story about the dispute between Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, the son of Vsevolod the Big Nest, with the Novgorodians because the prince wanted to remove the Novgorod mayor Tverdislav, who was objectionable to him. This dispute took place on Veche Square in Novgorod in 1218.
“Prince Svyatoslav sent his thousandth to the veche, speaking (saying):“ I can’t be with Tverdislav and I’m taking away the posadnik from him. The Novgorodians rekosha: “Is it (is) his fault?” He said: "Without guilt." Speech Tverdislav: “To that I am glad, oh (that) there is no my fault; and you, brothers, are in posadnichestvo and in princes ”(that is, the Novgorodians have the right to give and remove posadnichestvo, invite and expel princes). The Novgorodians answered: “Prince, there is no zina of him, you kissed the cross to us without guilt, do not deprive your husband (do not remove him from office); and we bow to you (we bow), and here is our posadnik; but we won’t put it into it ”(and we won’t go for that). And be peace."
This is how the Novgorodians briefly and firmly defended their posadnik. The formula “And we bow to you” did not mean bowing with a request, but, on the contrary, we bow and say: go away. Svyatoslav understood this perfectly.

The Novgorod chronicler describes the veche unrest, the change of princes, the construction of churches. He is interested in all the little things in the life of his native city: the weather, poor crops, fires, the price of bread and turnips. Even about the struggle against the Germans and the Swedes, the chronicler-Novgorodian tells in a businesslike, short way, without superfluous words, without any embellishment.

Novgorod annals can be compared with Novgorod architecture, simple and severe, and with painting - juicy and bright.

In the XII century, annalistic writing appeared in the northeast - in Rostov and Vladimir. This chronicle was included in the code, rewritten by Lawrence. It also opens with The Tale of Bygone Years, which came to the northeast from the south, but not from Kyiv, but from Pereyaslavl Russian - the estate of Yuri Dolgoruky.

The chronicle of Vladimir was conducted at the court of the bishop at the Assumption Cathedral, built by Andrey Bogolyubsky. It left its mark on him. It contains many teachings and religious reflections. The heroes say long prayers, but rarely have lively and short conversations with each other, which are so numerous in the Kievan and especially in the Novgorod Chronicle. The Vladimir chronicle is rather dry and at the same time verbose.

But in the Vladimir annals, the idea of ​​the need to gather the Russian land in one center sounded stronger than anywhere else. For the Vladimir chronicler, this center, of course, was Vladimir. And he persistently pursues the idea of ​​the supremacy of the city of Vladimir not only among other cities of the region - Rostov and Suzdal, but also in the system of Russian principalities as a whole. Vladimir Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest is awarded the title of Grand Duke for the first time in the history of Russia. He becomes the first among other princes.

The chronicler depicts the Prince of Vladimir not so much as a brave warrior, but as a builder, diligent owner, strict and fair judge, and a kind family man. The Vladimir annals are becoming more and more solemn, just as the Vladimir cathedrals are solemn, but it lacks the high artistic skill that Vladimir architects have achieved.

Under the year 1237, in the Ipatiev Chronicle, the words “Battle of Batyevo” burn with cinnabar. In other chronicles, it is also highlighted: “Batu's army”. After the Tatar invasion, chronicle writing ceased in a number of cities. However, having died out in one city, it was picked up in another. It becomes shorter, poorer in form and message, but does not stop.

The main theme of the Russian chronicles of the 13th century is the horrors of the Tatar invasion and the subsequent yoke. Against the backdrop of rather stingy records, the story about Alexander Nevsky, written by a South Russian chronicler in the tradition of the Kyiv chronicle, stands out.

The Vladimir grand-ducal chronicle goes to Rostov, it suffered less from the defeat. Here the chronicle was kept at the court of Bishop Kirill and Princess Maria.

Princess Maria was the daughter of Prince Mikhail of Chernigov, who was killed in the Horde, and the widow of Vasilok of Rostov, who died in the battle with the Tatars on the City River. This was an outstanding woman. She enjoyed great honor and respect in Rostov. When Prince Alexander Nevsky came to Rostov, he bowed to "the Holy Mother of God and Bishop Kirill and the Grand Duchess" (that is, Princess Mary). She "honored Prince Alexander with love." Maria was present during the last minutes of the life of Alexander Nevsky's brother, Dmitry Yaroslavich, when, according to the custom of that time, he was tonsured into blacks and schema. Her death is described in the annals in the same way as the death of only prominent princes was usually described: “The same summer (1271) there was a sign in the sun, as if (as if) everything would perish before dinner and the packs (again) would be filled. (You understand, we are talking about a solar eclipse.) The same winter, the blessed, Christ-loving Princess Vasilkova passed away on the 9th day of December, as if (when) the liturgy is sung throughout the city. And betray the soul quietly and easily, serenely. Hearing all the people of the city of Rostov her repose and flocking all the people to the monastery of the Holy Savior, Bishop Ignatius and abbots, and priests, and clergy, singing over her the usual hymns and burying her (her) at the holy Savior, in her monastery, with many tears."

Princess Maria continued the work of her father and husband. On her instructions, the life of Mikhail Chernigovsky was compiled in Rostov. She built a church in Rostov “in his name” and established a church holiday for him.
The chronicle of Princess Maria is imbued with the idea of ​​the need to stand firmly for the faith and independence of the motherland. It tells about the martyrdom of Russian princes, steadfast in the fight against the enemy. Vasilyok of Rostovsky, Mikhail Chernigov, Ryazan Prince Roman were bred like this. After describing his cruel execution, there is an appeal to the Russian princes: “O beloved Russian princes, do not be seduced by the empty and deceptive glory of this world ..., love truth and long-suffering and purity.” The novel is set as an example to the Russian princes: by martyrdom, he acquired the kingdom of heaven for himself, together with “his kinsman Mikhail of Chernigov”.

In the Ryazan annals of the time of the Tatar invasion, events are viewed from a different angle. In it, the princes are accused of being responsible for the misfortunes of the Tatar devastation. The accusation primarily concerns Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich of Vladimir, who did not listen to the pleas of the Ryazan princes, did not go to their aid. Referring to biblical prophecies, the Ryazan chronicler writes that even “before these”, that is, before the Tatars, “the Lord took away our strength, and put bewilderment and thunderstorm and fear and trembling into us for our sins.” The chronicler expresses the idea that Yuri “prepared the way” for the Tatars with princely strife, the Battle of Lipetsk, and now the Russian people are suffering God’s punishment for these sins.

At the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th century, chronicle writing developed in the cities, which, having advanced at that time, began to challenge each other for a great reign.
They continue the idea of ​​the Vladimir chronicler about the supremacy of their principality in the Russian land. Such cities were Nizhny Novgorod, Tver and Moscow. Their vaults differ in breadth. They combine chronicle material from different areas and strive to become all-Russian.

Nizhny Novgorod became a capital city in the first quarter of the 14th century under Grand Duke Konstantin Vasilievich, who “honestly and menacingly harrowed (defended) his homeland from princes stronger than himself,” that is, from the princes of Moscow. Under his son, the Grand Duke of Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod Dmitry Konstantinovich, the second archdiocese in Russia was established in Nizhny Novgorod. Prior to this, only Vladyka of Novgorod had the rank of archbishop. In ecclesiastical terms, the archbishop was directly subordinate to the Greek, that is, the Byzantine patriarch, while the bishops were subordinate to the Metropolitan of All Russia, who at that time was already living in Moscow. You yourself understand how important it was from a political point of view for the Nizhny Novgorod prince that the church pastor of his land did not depend on Moscow. In connection with the establishment of the archdiocese, a chronicle was compiled, which is called Lavrentievskaya. Lavrenty, a monk of the Annunciation Monastery in Nizhny Novgorod, compiled it for Archbishop Dionysius.
The chronicle of Lavrenty paid great attention to the founder of Nizhny Novgorod, Yuri Vsevolodovich, the prince of Vladimir, who died in the battle with the Tatars on the City River. The Laurentian Chronicle is Nizhny Novgorod's invaluable contribution to Russian culture. Thanks to Lavrenty, we have not only the most ancient copy of The Tale of Bygone Years, but also the only copy of Vladimir Monomakh's Teachings to Children.

In Tver, the chronicle was kept from the 13th to the 15th century and is most fully preserved in the Tver collection, the Rogozhsky chronicler and in the Simeonovskaya chronicle. Scientists associate the beginning of the chronicle with the name of the Bishop of Tver Simeon, under whom the “great cathedral church” of the Savior was built in 1285. In 1305, Grand Duke Mikhail Yaroslavich of Tver laid the foundation for the Grand Duke's chronicle writing in Tver.
The Tver Chronicle contains many records of the construction of churches, fires and internecine strife. But the Tver chronicle entered the history of Russian literature thanks to the vivid stories about the murder of the Tver princes Mikhail Yaroslavich and Alexander Mikhailovich.
We also owe to the Tver chronicle a colorful story about the uprising in Tver against the Tatars.

Initial annals of Moscow is conducted at the Assumption Cathedral, built in 1326 by Metropolitan Peter, the first metropolitan who began to live in Moscow. (Before that, the metropolitans lived in Kyiv, since 1301 - in Vladimir). The records of the Moscow chroniclers were brief and rather dry. They concerned the construction and murals of churches - in Moscow at that time a lot of construction was underway. They reported on fires, illnesses, and finally, on the family affairs of the Grand Dukes of Moscow. However, gradually - this began after the Battle of Kulikovo - the annals of Moscow are emerging from the narrow confines of their principality.
By his position as the head of the Russian Church, the metropolitan was interested in the affairs of all Russian regions. At his court, regional chronicles were collected in copies or in originals, chronicles were brought from monasteries and cathedrals. Based on all the material collected in In 1409, the first all-Russian code was created in Moscow. It includes news from the annals of Veliky Novgorod, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver, Suzdal and other cities. He illuminated the history of the entire Russian people even before the unification of all Russian lands around Moscow. The code served as the ideological preparation for this association.

The Monk Nestor came to the famous Kievo-Pechersk monastery, being a youth of seventeen. The holy monastery lived according to the strict Studian rule, which the Monk Theodosius introduced in it, borrowing it from Byzantine books. According to this charter, before taking monastic vows, the candidate had to go through a long preparatory stage. Newcomers first had to wear lay clothes until they had learned well the rules of monastic life. After that, the candidates were allowed to put on the monastic attire and proceed to the tests, that is, to show themselves in work on various obediences. The one who successfully passed these tests was tonsured, but the test did not end there - the last stage of admission to the monastery was tonsure into the great schema, which not everyone was honored with.

The Monk Nestor went all the way from a simple novice to a schemamonk in just four years, and also received the rank of deacon. A significant role in this was played, in addition to obedience and virtue, by his education and outstanding literary talent.

The Kiev Caves Monastery was a unique phenomenon in the spiritual life of Kievan Rus. The number of brethren reached one hundred people, which was rare even for Byzantium itself. The severity of the communal charter, found in the archives of Constantinople, had no analogues. The monastery also prospered in material terms, although its governors did not care about collecting earthly riches. The powerful of this world listened to the voice of the monastery, it had a real political and, most importantly, spiritual influence on society.

The young Russian Church at that time was actively mastering the richest material of Byzantine church literature. She was faced with the task of creating original Russian texts in which the national image of Russian holiness would be revealed.

The first hagiographic (hagiography is a theological discipline that studies the lives of saints, the theological and historical-ecclesiastical aspects of holiness. - Ed.) work of the Monk Nestor - "Reading about the life and destruction of the blessed passion-bearers Boris and Gleb" - is dedicated to the memory of the first Russian saints. The chronicler, apparently, responded to the expected all-Russian church celebration - the consecration of a stone church over the relics of Saints Boris and Gleb.

The work of St. Nestor was not the first among the works devoted to this topic. However, he did not begin to present the history of the brothers according to a ready-made chronicle tradition, but created a text that was deeply original in form and content. The author of "Reading about the life of ..." creatively reworked the best examples of Byzantine hagiographic literature and was able to express ideas that are very important for the Russian church and state self-consciousness. As the researcher of ancient Russian church culture Georgy Fedotov writes, “the memory of Saints Boris and Gleb was the voice of conscience in inter-princely appanage accounts, not regulated by law, but only vaguely limited by the idea of ​​tribal seniority.”

The Monk Nestor did not have much information about the death of the brothers, but as a subtle artist he was able to recreate a psychologically reliable image of true Christians, meekly accepting death. The truly Christian death of the sons of the baptizer of the Russian people, Prince Vladimir, is inscribed by the chronicler in the panorama of the global historical process, which he understands as the arena of the universal struggle between good and evil.

Father of Russian monasticism

The second hagiographic work of St. Nestor is dedicated to the life of one of the founders of the Kiev Caves Monastery - St. Theodosius. He wrote this work in the 1080s, just a few years after the death of the ascetic, in the hope of a speedy canonization of the saint. This hope, however, was not destined to come true. Saint Theodosius was canonized only in 1108.

The inner appearance of the Monk Theodosius of the Caves is of particular importance to us. As Georgy Fedotov writes, “in the person of the Monk Theodosius, Ancient Russia found its ideal of a saint, to whom it remained faithful for many centuries. Saint Theodosius is the father of Russian monasticism. All Russian monks are his children, bearing his family traits. And Nestor the Chronicler was the man who preserved for us his unique appearance and created on Russian soil an ideal type of biography of the saint. As the same Fedotov writes, “Nestor’s work forms the basis of all Russian hagiography, inspiring feat, indicating the normal, Russian path of labor and, on the other hand, filling in the gaps of biographical tradition with common necessary features.<…>All this makes Nestor's life of exceptional importance for the Russian type of ascetic holiness. The chronicler was not a witness to the life and deeds of the Monk Theodosius. Nevertheless, his life story is based on eyewitness accounts, which he was able to combine into a coherent, vivid and memorable story.

Of course, in order to create a full-fledged literary life, it is necessary to rely on a developed literary tradition, which has not yet existed in Russia. Therefore, the Monk Nestor borrows a lot from Greek sources, sometimes making long verbatim extracts. However, they practically do not affect the biographical basis of his story.

The memory of the unity of the people

The main feat of the life of the Monk Nestor was the compilation of the Tale of Bygone Years by 1112-1113. This work is a quarter of a century away from the first two literary works of the Monk Nestor known to us and belongs to another literary genre - chronicles. Unfortunately, the set of "The Tale ..." has not come down to us in its entirety. It was subjected to processing by the monk of the Vydubitsky monastery Sylvester.

The Tale of Bygone Years is based on the chronicle work of Abbot John, who made the first attempt at a systematic presentation of Russian history from ancient times. He brought his story up to 1093. Earlier chronicles are a fragmentary presentation of disparate events. It is interesting that these records contain a legend about Kyi and his brothers, a short report about the reign of the Varangian Oleg in Novgorod, about the destruction of Askold and Dir, and a legend about the death of Prophetic Oleg. Actually Kyiv history begins with the reign of "old Igor", the origin of which is silent.

Abbot John, dissatisfied with the inaccuracy and fabulousness of the chronicle, restores the years, based on the Greek and Novgorod chronicles. It is he who first introduces "old Igor" as the son of Rurik. Askold and Dir here for the first time appear as the boyars of Rurik, and Oleg as his governor.

It was the set of Abbot John that became the basis of the work of the Monk Nestor. He subjected the initial part of the chronicle to the greatest processing. The original edition of the chronicle was supplemented with legends, monastic records, Byzantine chronicles of John Malala and George Amartol. Saint Nestor attached great importance to oral testimonies - the stories of the elder boyar Jan Vyshatich, merchants, warriors, and travelers.

In his main work, Nestor the Chronicler acts both as a historian, as a writer, and as a religious thinker, giving a theological understanding of Russian history, which is an integral part of the history of the salvation of the human race.

For St. Nestor, the history of Russia is the history of the perception of Christian preaching. Therefore, he records in his chronicle the first mention of the Slavs in church sources - the year 866, tells in detail about the activities of the saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, about the baptism of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga in Constantinople. It is this ascetic who introduces into the chronicle the story of the first Orthodox church in Kyiv, of the preaching feat of the Varangian martyrs Theodore the Varangian and his son John.

Despite the huge amount of heterogeneous information, the chronicle of St. Nestor has become a true masterpiece of ancient Russian and world literature.

In the years of fragmentation, when almost nothing reminded of the former unity of Kievan Rus, The Tale of Bygone Years remained the monument that awakened in all corners of crumbling Rus the memory of its former unity.

The Monk Nestor died about the year 1114, having bequeathed to the chronicler monks of the Caves the continuation of his great work.

Newspaper "Orthodox Faith" No. 21 (545)

Chronicles were the most remarkable phenomenon of ancient Russian literature. The first weather records date back to the 9th century, they were extracted from later sources of the 16th century. They are very brief: notes in one or two lines.

As a phenomenon on a national scale, chronicle writing appeared in the 11th century. People of different ages became chroniclers, and not only monks. A very significant contribution to the restoration of the history of the annals was made by such researchers as A.A. Shakhmatov (1864-1920) and A.N. Nasonov (1898 - 1965). The first major historical work was the Code, completed in 997. Its compilers described the events of the 9th-10th centuries, ancient legends. It even includes epic court poetry that praised Olga, Svyatoslav and especially Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, in whose reign this Code was created.

Nestor, a monk of the Kiev Caves Monastery, who by 1113 completed his work The Tale of Bygone Years and compiled an extensive historical introduction to it, must be attributed to figures of a European scale. Nestor knew Russian, Bulgarian and Greek literature very well, being a very educated person. He used in his work the earlier Codes of 997, 1073 and 1093, and the events of the turn of the XI-XII centuries. covered as an eyewitness. This chronicle gave the most complete picture of early Russian history and was copied over 500 years. It must be borne in mind that the ancient Russian annals covered not only the history of Russia, but also the history of other peoples.

Secular people were also engaged in writing chronicles. For example, Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh. It was in the composition of the chronicle that such beautiful works of his as “Instruction to Children” (c. 1099; subsequently supplemented, preserved in the list of 1377) have come down to us. In particular, in the "Instruction" Vladimir Monomakh holds the idea of ​​the need to repulse external enemies. In total, there were 83 "paths" - campaigns in which he participated.

In the XII century. chronicles become very detailed, and since they are written by contemporaries, the class and political sympathies of the chroniclers are very clearly expressed in them. The social order of their patrons is traced. Among the largest chroniclers who wrote after Nestor, one can single out the Kyivian Peter Borislavich. The most mysterious author in the XII-XIII centuries. was Daniil the Sharpener. It is believed that he owns two works - "Word" and "Prayer". Daniil Zatochnik was an excellent connoisseur of Russian life, knew church literature well, wrote in a bright and colorful literary language. He said the following about himself: “My tongue was like the reed of a scribe, and my lips were friendly, like the speed of a river. For this reason, I tried to write about the fetters of my heart and broke them with bitterness, as in ancient times they smashed babies against a stone.

Separately, it is necessary to highlight the genre of "walking", describing the travel of our compatriots abroad. Firstly, these are the stories of pilgrims who carried out their “walks” to Palestine and Pargrad (Constantinople), but gradually descriptions of Western European states also began to appear. One of the first was a description of the journey of Daniil, the abbot of one of the Chernigov monasteries, who visited Palestine in 1104-1107, spending 16 months there and participating in the Crusader wars. The most outstanding work of this genre is "Journey Beyond Three Seas" by the Tver merchant Athanasius Nikitin, compiled in the form of a diary. It describes many southern peoples, but mostly Indians. "Walking" A. Nikitin lasting six years took place in the 70s. 15th century

The "hagiographic" literature is very interesting, since in it, in addition to describing the life of canonized persons, a true picture of life in monasteries was given. For example, cases of bribery for obtaining this or that church rank or place, etc., were described. Here we can single out the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon, which is a collection of stories about the monks of this monastery.

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The world-famous work of ancient Russian literature was "The Tale of Igor's Campaign", the date of writing of which is attributed to 1185. This poem was imitated by contemporaries, it was quoted by Pskovians already at the beginning of the 14th century, and after the victory at Kulikovo Field (1380) in imitation of the "Word. ..” was written “Zadonshchina”. "The Word..." was created in connection with the campaign of the Seversk prince Igor against the Polovtsian Khan Konchak. Igor, overwhelmed by ambitious plans, did not unite with the Grand Duke Vsevolod the Big Nest and was defeated. The idea of ​​unification on the eve of the Tatar-Mongol invasion runs through the entire work. And again, as in the epics, here we are talking about defense, and not about aggression and expansion.

From the second half of the XIV century. Moscow chronicle is becoming increasingly important. In 1392 and 1408 Moscow chronicles are being created, which are of an all-Russian character. And in the middle of the XV century. the Chronograph appears, representing, in fact, the first experience of writing world history by our ancestors, and in the Chronograph an attempt was made to show the place and role of Ancient Russia in the world historical process.

The history of the chronicle in Russia goes back into the distant past. It is known that writing originated before the 10th century. The texts were written, as a rule, by representatives of the clergy. It is thanks to ancient writings that we know. But what was the name of the first Russian chronicle? How did it all start? Why is it of great historical importance?

What was the name of the first Russian chronicle?

Everyone should know the answer to this question. The first Russian chronicle was called The Tale of Bygone Years. It was written in 1110-1118 in Kyiv. The linguist Shakhmatov revealed that she had predecessors. However, it is still the first Russian chronicle. It is called confirmed, reliable.

The story describes the chronicle of the events that took place over a certain period of time. It consisted of articles that described each past year.

Author

The monk described events from biblical times to 1117. The name of the first Russian chronicle is the first lines of the chronicle.

History of creation

The chronicle had copies made after Nestor, which were able to survive to this day. They didn't differ much from each other. The original itself has been lost. According to Shakhmatov, the chronicle was rewritten just a few years after its appearance. Big changes were made to it.

In the XIV century, the monk Lavrentiy copied the work of Nestor, and it is this copy that is considered the most ancient that has come down to our time.

There are several versions of where Nestor took the information for his chronicle. Since the chronology dates back to ancient times, and articles with dates appeared only after 852, many historians believe that the monk described the old period thanks to the legends of people and written sources in the monastery.

She corresponded frequently. Even Nestor himself rewrote the chronicle, making some changes.

Interestingly, in those days, scripture was also a code of laws.

Everything was described in The Tale of Bygone Years: from exact events to biblical traditions.

The purpose of the creation was to write a chronicle, capture events, restore the chronology in order to understand where the Russian people take their roots from, how Russia was formed.

Nestor wrote that the Slavs appeared long ago from the son of Noah. In total, Noah had three of them. They divided three territories among themselves. One of them, Japheth, got the northwestern part.

Then there are articles about the princes, the East Slavic tribes that descended from the "Noriks". It is here that Rurik and his brothers are mentioned. About Rurik it is said that he became the ruler of Russia, having founded Novgorod. This explains why there are so many supporters of the Norman theory of the origin of the princes from the Ruriks, although there is no actual evidence.

It tells about Yaroslav the Wise and many other people and their reign, about wars and other significant events that shaped the history of Russia, made it what we know it now.

Meaning

The Tale of Bygone Years is of great importance today. This is one of the main historical sources on which historians are engaged in research. Thanks to her, the chronology of that period has been restored.

Since the chronicle has the openness of the genre, ranging from stories of epics to descriptions of wars and weather, one can understand a lot about the mentality and ordinary life of Russians who lived at that time.

Christianity played a special role in the chronicle. All events are described through the prism of religion. Even getting rid of idols and accepting Christianity is described as a period when people got rid of temptations and ignorance. And the new religion is the light for Russia.

1339 In the summer of 6847, the Great Prince Ivan Danilovich went to the Horde. That same summer, Prince Alexander Mikhailovich of Tverskoy went to the Horde, and sent his son Theodore ahead of the ambassador. toe In the winter, the Totar army Tuvlub went to Smolenesk, with Prince Ivan Korotopolii with him. And the great prince Ivan Danilovich sent many, according to the tsar's word, to Smolensk. And they stood a lot under the city. And, without taking the city, they moved away and the volosts fought.

1340 toe In the spring, Prince Semyon Ivanovich and his brother went to the Horde. toe In the fall, Prince Semyon Ivanovich came out and sat on the Grand Duchy in Volodimer and Moscow.

1341 In the summer of 6849. Tsar Azhbyak died and Tsar Zhenibek sat on the Horde, and beat his brethren.

1342 In the summer of 6850, Metropolitan Theognast went to the Horde to the new king Zhenibek for theforged.

1353 In the summer of 6861. The same summer, Ivan Ivanovich and Prince Konstyatin Suzdaskoi went to the Horde, about the great reign.

1358 In the summer of 6866, Prince Ivan Ivanovich left the Horde for a great reign.

1359 In the summer of 6867. Tsar Zhenibek died, and his son Berdebek sat on the kingdom with his servant Tuvlubiy and killed his brethren. That same year, there was a metropolitan in the Horde with Murat Tsar Alexei and a lot of languor from the filthy Totars; and by the grace of God, the most pure Mother of God came in good health to Russia. toe the same winter, the princes of Rust came to the Horde to Tsar Berdebuk: Prince Andrey Kostyantinovich and all the princes of Rust with him.

1361 In the summer of 6869, the princes of Rusti went to the Horde to King Kidar. And kill King Kidar, his son Temir Khozya, and sweep away the whole Horde. And Prince Andrei Kostyantinovich fled from the Horde. And the princes of the Orda hit him. And God help Prince Andrei. And Tsar Temir Khozya ran across the Volga, and with Mamai the whole Horde. Then the robbery of the princes of Rostov in the Horde and let go of the naked to Russia.

1362 In the summer of 6870, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and Prince Dmitry Kostyantinovich of Suzdal, quarreling about the great princedom of Moscow, sending their boyars to the Horde. And Tsar Murat received a letter to the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich of the great reign. And Prince Dmitry Kostyantinovich was in Pereslavl at that time. The great prince went to war against him. He will flow away to Suzzhdal, to his fiefdom in Suzzhdal.toe Well, in the winter at Epiphany, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich came to Volodimer and sat down on the great reign. The next summer, an ambassador from the Horde came to him. That same summer, Prince Dmitry Kostyantinovich came to Volodimer for the great reign, having bought with him the tsar's ambassador named Ilyak and with him thirty Totarins. The great prince Dmitri Ivanovich gathered a lot of howling and sent Prince Dmitri to Suzhdal, and from there to Nizhny Novgorod. The same summer, the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich and the reign of Prince Dmitry Galitsky and Prince Ivan Starodubsky, and those princes came to Nizhny Novgorod to Prince Dmitry Kostyantinovich.

1363 In the summer of 6871, the Great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich went with his brothers to Suzhdal.

1368 In the summer of 6876. The same summer, the great prince Dimitri Ivanovich went to Tver and otida. And Prince Mikhailo Alexandrovich of Tverskoy fled to Lithuania. toe In the winter, Prince Olgird of Lithuania went to Moscow with an army, and Prince Semyon Kropiva and Prince Ivan Starodubsky and all the voivods fought with force, and stood at the city for three days, did not take the city, burned the settlements and fought the volosts. toe the same winter, Prince Volodimer Andreevich took the city of Rzhev.

1371 In the summer of 6879, Prince Mikhailo Alexandrovich of Tverskoy left the Horde for the great reign of Moscow and wanted to sit in Volodimer. And his spring is not priyash. Prince Mikhailo of Tverskoy went to Kostroma and fought Mologa and Uglich. That same summer, the Lyapuns from Naugorod plundered Yaroslavl and Kostroma. That same summer, the great prince Dimitri Ivanovich sent his voivode, Prince Dimitri of Volyn, and with him howled a lot against Prince Olga of Ryazan. The Ryazanians, in their pride, do not want to take sabers and mines with them, they want to have belts and bribes. And rattling the wallpaper of the regiments on Skornishchev, and be slashing fiercely with them. And God help Prince Dimitry Volynsky, governor of the Grand Duke of Moscow. Oleg flow past Ryazan into the field. Grand Prince, plant Prince Volodimer Pronsky in Ryazan.

1372 In the summer of 6880, Prince Olga of Ryazan gathered many and drove Prince Volodimer Pronsky from Ryazan, and he himself sat down in Ryazan. The same summer, Prince Mikhailo Aleksandrovich of Tver brought the princes of Lithuanian vtai with many forces: Prince Kestutya, Prince Andrei Polotsky, Prince Dmitry Vruchsky, Prince Vitoft Kestutyevich and many other princes, and with them the Poles, and the bagasse, and the Zholnyryans, and went to Pereslavl, settlements pozhgosha, and boyar, many people were led in full. And the Lithuanians of Pereslavl were beaten, and the multitude drowned in the river in Trubezh.

1373 In the summer of 6881, Prince Olgird of Lithuania gathered a lot of howls, and with him in the Duma Prince Mikhailo Tverskoi, and went to Moscow. Hearing the same, the great prince Dimitrei Ivanovich, having gathered a lot of howls and went from Moscow against Olgird, having driven off Olgird's guard regiments before, and met at Lubutsk. At the wallpaper there are regiments and between them the enemy is deep, cool Velma, it’s impossible to fight with a regiment, step up. And they stood for a long time, and taking Olgird peace with the Grand Duke, and dispersed.

1375 In the summer of 6883. The same summer, Prince Mikhailo Alexandrovich of Tverskoy sent an envoy to Moscow to the Grand Duke Dimitri Ivanovich, and his own lieutenants sent to Torzhek, and an ambassador's army to Uglich. Hearing this, the great prince Dimitrei Ivanovich gathered a lot and went to Tver, and with him Prince Dimitrei Kostentinovich, his father-in-law, Suzdalsky, Prince Volodimer Andreevich, Prince Boris Konstantinovich Gorodetsky, Prince Semyon Dimitrievich, brother-in-law of the Grand Duke, Prince Andrei Fedorovich of Moscow, Prince Vasilei Konstantinovich of Rostov, Prince Ivan Vasilyevich and his brother Prince Alexander of Smolensky, Prince Vasilei Vasilyevich and his son Prince Roman Yaroslavsky, Prince Fyodor Mikhailovich Belozerskoy, Prince Vasilei Romanovich Kashinskoi, Prince Fyodor Mikhailovich Mozhaiskaya, Prince Andrei Fedorovich Starodubskoy, Prince Ivan Mikhailovich Belozerskaya , Prince Vasilei Mikhailovich Kashinskaya, Prince Roman Semenovich Novoselskoi, Prince Semyon Konstantinovich Obolenskoi and his brother Prince Ivan Turavskoi. And all those princes with their regiments serve the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. And the prince went to Tver in the month of Maya on the 29th day, fighting from all sides. On foot, they took up arms against robbery and took the city of Mikulin, and led the Mikulinites in full. And all the power came to Tver and set fire to the settlements. At the same time, the inhabitants of Naugorod came with great strength to Tver, according to the word of the Grand Duke, and on the Volga they dressed up two bridges, creating for their old resentment tormenting. And Prince Mikhail shut himself up in the city. Prikatisha to the city of tours, and a sign, and igniting the archer. And the tverichi quenched and the tours razsekosha, but they themselves bish enough. Here Prince Semyon of Bryansk was killed. And the great prince stood for a month, bishing every day. And ripened the whole empty land. And Prince Mikhailo, while waiting for the Totar and the Litva, did a lot of harm to himself. And, seeing his inexhaustibility, he sent Vladyka Euphemia and his boyars to beat the brow of the Grand Duke. And the great prince, not even though the bloodshed and ruin of the city, and taking peace with Prince Michael with all his will, as he wanted, and depart fromTver September on the 8th day. That same summer, the boyar of Naugorodsk Prokopeya went 70 planted by the river, was peace in Ustyug, and plundered Kostroma and Lower Novgrad.

1378 In the summer of 6886. From the Horde of Arpash, the saltan went to Novugrad to the Lower in the power of greatness. Hearing that, Prince Dmitry Kostyantinovich Suzzhdalsky, father-in-law of the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, and sent a message to Moscow, calling for help. And the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich went with many forces. And do not lead to Arpasha Saltana. And Prince Dmitry Kostyantinovich sent his children, Prince Ivan and Prince Semyon, with many forces against the Totars in the field. And go across the river for Pyan, “Arpasha,” they said, “is standing on Volchei Voda.” They made a mistake and started drinking mead, and fishing for work, and playing in the wasteland. And the proverb is still nicknamed - "stand drunk behind the Drunken River." And at that time, the prince of Mordovian Alabuga, without a trace, came from the Mamaev hordes to the Russian princes and killed Prince Mikhail, and Prince Semyon and Ivan Danilovichi drowned on the river. Prince Dmitry, having made a mistake, did not besiege the siege, for a small leak to Suzhdal with the princess. That same summer, the Totarians took Pereslavl Ryazan.

1379 In the summer of 6887, Prince Mamai of the Horde sent an army of his prince Bichig against Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. The great prince gathered many howls and went against them. And sretoshasya by the river at the Vozha. Totarov, on the other hand, crossed the river and rushed to the regiments of the Russians. The prince of the Russians hit them in the face, and from the right country Timofei Vasilyevich okolnichei, and from the left country Prince Danilo Pronskoi. And that hour Totar ran away, and the great prince chase them across the river for the Vozha, and the totar stomp in the river countless. And the great prince overtook the carts and the Totar tents in the field, and poimash that a lot of good, they did not see other carts, the darkness was then great. And then they caught a lot of wealth and returned to Moscow.

And so, maybe there was silence for many years, but not very big. The civil war is still going on in Russia. According to custom, the princes wet each other, attracting both Tatars and Lithuanians. Novgorodians, Tver, Vladimir, Ryazan ... All the arcs of a friend are burned, robbed, taken away in full. And the Horde? It's similar there: Tsar Zhenibek, and beat your brethren.Tsar Zhenibek died, and his son Berdebek sat on the kingdom with his servant Tuvlubiy and killed his 12 brethren. And kill King Kidar, his son Temir Khozya, and sweep away the whole Horde. And Tsar Temir Khozya ran across the Volga, and with Mamai the whole Horde. In general, a complete mess, or ZAMYATNYA:

1361 PSRL. T-34. MOSCOW CHRONICLE In the summer of 6869 Prince Dmitry Ivanovich of Moscow went to the Horde to Tsar Khydyr, and left the Horde until the fall. That same summer, Grand Duke Dmitry Kostyantinovich and his brother, the oldest prince Andrei, and Prince Kostyantin of Rostov, and Prince Mikhailo of Yaroslavl came to the Horde, and there were great jams in the Horde with them. King Khydyr was killed by his son Temir-Khozhin and seized the kingdom on the 4th day, and on the 7th day of the kingdom his temnik Mamai was hushed up by his whole kingdom, and there was a great rebellion in the Horde. And Prince Ondrey Kostyantinovich at that time went from the Horde to Russia, and on the way the prince hit him with a ryatizkoy, God help Prince Andrei, come healthy to Russia. And Temir-Khozha ran across the Volga and was killed there quickly. And Prince Mamai will come beyond the Volga to a mountainous country, and the whole Horde with him, and the king with him be named Avdul, and the 3rd king of the East Kildebek, the son of Tsar Chanibek. That one beat many, see that he himself was killed quickly. And other [e] princes shut themselves up in Sarai, the king who calls himself Amurat. And Bulak-[Te]mir, the prince of the Horde and Bulgarian, took all the cities along the Volza and Ulysy, and took away the entire Volga route. And the prince of Ardyn Tagai, having taken away the country of Naruchyad, that one remained. I am stroking great things in them and there is a lot of confusion, and I will not stop between myself, ratyashasya and being killed by God's allowance for them. Then in the Horde they robbed the princes of Rostov.

D and this is not the Horde that was under Batu. Everyone there has converted to Islam. Instead of the election of the king, there was a forceful seizure of power by different parties, attempts to establish hereditary power. Separate parts of the Horde begin to show separatism. In addition to the title tsar, soltan, prince, begins to sound in the annals. That is, the soltans and princes themselves begin to create everything that comes to their mind. The Russian component disappears completely, dissolving in the Kipchak environment, except for those who left for Russia.

T Nevertheless, the Horde Chancellery is still working, and the princes regularly visit there according to custom. Naturally with gifts and for military reinforcements, receiving letters and letters. It is no longer clear what the Horde actually is. Already every soltan -prince and his own horde. So the horde of Mamai also loomed on the horizon. So the patronage of the Horde in relation to Russia is replaced by the usual relations of vassalage. And trying to prove it.

T how they attack Russia:

1378 In the summer of 6886. From the Horde of Arpash, the saltan went to Novugrad to the Lower in the power of greatness.There were opportunities to repulse this attack if the Russian army had not drunk too much.Nothing is said about the fate of Novgorod. Apparently Arpasha Saltan drank with the princes.

D further: And at that time, the prince of Mordovian Alabuga, without a trace, came from the Mamaev hordes to the Russian princes and killed Prince Mikhail, and Prince Semyon and Ivan Danilovichi drowned on the river. Prince Dmitry, having made a mistake, did not besiege the siege, for a small leak to Suzhdal with the princess. That same summer, the Totarians took Pereslavl Ryazan.And here is the prologue of the Mamaev battle.

1379 In the summer of 6887. Prince Mamai of the Horde sent an army of his prince Bichig against Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. And here is the battle on the Vozha, where Dmitry Ivanovich defeated the army of Mamai, commanded by Bichig. And Dmitry Ivanovich defeated the army of Mamai without any doubt that he did not defeat the army of the king of the Horde. That is, the king of the Horde is a sovereign, in respect of which Dmitry Ivanovich is a vassal. And in relation to Mamai, there is no vassalage. It's just an enemy and nothing more. Mamai is not a king. This is a renegade. He fled from the king of the Horde to the Black Sea steppes and to the Crimea. There, this separatist created his horde.

T Thus, the impending battle on the Kulikovo field is not a battle with the Tatars at all -Mughal yoke for the liberation of Russia. No way! This is a battle against a certain army, which has nothing to do with the Horde. This is just an aggressor from the south and the war is not at all liberating. Now let's see what the battle was like.

1380 In the summer of 6888.The filthy prince of the Horde Mamai went to the Russian land against the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, and with him all the dark princes of the Horde and with all the forces of the Totars, and besides, the hired army Besermeni, Armeni, Fryazi, Cherkasy, Brutas, Mordovians, Cheremis and many other powers. And the Lithuanian prince Yagailo, with all the strength of the Lithuanian and greed, went to his adviser Mamai to help the Grand Duke and with him alone Prince Oleg Ryazansky, Mamai to help.

The accursed Mamai became proud in a lot of strength, imagining himself, like a tsar, and saying: “We are going to Russia, and we will consume the Russian land, and we will destroy the faith, we will burn the churches, we will cut the Christians and we will bring them to the full. And there will be no Christian faith, just as under Batu there was Christianity of the Yster. And combine your strength and gain strength ten hundred thousand.

Hearing that word and praise to Mamaev, the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich sent letters to all the cities of his reign, to all the princes and boyars, and governors, and boyar children, and ordered them to quickly take to Moscow. And he himself went to the cathedral church to the Most Pure Mother of God and to the tomb of the great, St. Peter the Metropolitan and pray with weeping to the all-merciful Savior and his most pure mother and St. Peter, asking for help on the bastard Mamai. And bless him Metropolitan Cyprian.

And go to the Monk Sergius hegumen, and he blessed him to go to Mamai and gave him two brothers of blacks to help: Peresvet and Oslyabya. And the great prince went with all his strength to Kolomna, and bless his lord Euphemia Kolomensky to go against the filthy for the Christian faith, and all the princes, and the governor, and bless him with all his howling, and let him go, and see him off. And Vladyka Euphemia ordered prayers to be sung in all churches for the Grand Duke and for all his howling.

The great prince, howl your own one hundred thousand and the princes who serve him, those 2000 . And the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich went with all his strength to the river to the Don.

Hearing this, Prince Andrei Olgirdovich of Polotsk sent a message to his brother, Prince Dmitry Olgirdovich of Bryansky, saying: “Let's go, brother, to the aid of the Grand Duke Dmitry of Moscow. The filthy Mamai goes to the Russian land, he wants to capture Christianity, like Batu. And, having heard, Prince Dmitry Olgirdovich Bryansky was glad to be. And both brothers Olgirdovichi came to the Grand Duke for help, and the forces were with them 40 000 , and reached the Grand Duke at the Don. The great prince Dmitry Ivanovich with his brother with Prince Volodimer Andreevich, and having completely transported the Oka river and came to the river to the Don. Immediately reached Olgirdovichi. And the great prince was and the princes of Lithuania were whole.

The filthy Mamai sent to the Grand Duke to ask for a way out, and while waiting for her Grand Duke Yagail of Lithuania and Prince Olga of Ryazan, the opponent of the Christians. At the same time, the blessing of the blessed great miracle-worker Sergius, hegumen of the Trinity servant, sent to the Grand Duke an old man with the Mother of God bread, saying: “Great Prince, fight with the filthy Mamai, God help you, the Holy Trinity and the Holy Martyrs of the Russian Princes Boris and Gleb . And don't expect strength."

At the same time, a Volyn voivode named Dmitry Bobrok came with the Lithuanian princes, the husband was sensible and full of reason. And the speech to the Grand Duke: "If you want to fight hard, then we will move beyond the Don to the Totar." And praise the great prince his word. And they crossed the Don of September on the 7th day. The Grand Duke ordered Dmitry Bobrokov to put the regiments in order and put them in order, he also put the regiments in order.

And Mamai filthy go to the Don with all his might. On the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin of September on the 8th day at the second hour of the day, the Russian regiments with filthy soldiers set off on the Nepryadve River near the Don. And the battle was great. The blood flows more and more along the haul, but a horse can jump from a human corpse. Great forces attacked the Russian regiments on ninety versts, and a human corpse at 40 versts. And there was a battle from the second hour of the day until the ninth. And the fall of the great prince of strength two hundred fifty thousand and the Totars have no number. The accursed Mamai ran away, and the Grand Duke's strength chased him to the Sword River. And many Totarovs drowned in the river, and Mamai himself chased the leak through the forest. The strength of the Grand Duke will return.

The great prince fought with the Totars and you will not be found alive. And the princes started crying over him. Prince Volodimer Andreevich said: “Brothers, princes and boyars and boyar children! Let's look for the body of our sovereign, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, and whoever finds the body of the Grand Duke, he will be in our big ones. And squandering through the oak forest, many princes and boyars and children of the boyar skatizh of the sovereign. And two sons of the Kostroma boyars jumped a mile away, and the name of one was Sobur, and the other was Grigory Kholpishchev, and the sovereign ran, sitting under a cut-off birch, wounded, bloody, in a single gray-haired asshole. And knowing him, recosta to him: "Rejoice, sovereign Prince Dmitry Ivanovich." He roared at them: “Oh, dear squad! Whose victory? They rekosha: "Yours, the Grand Duke, a hundred on the bones of the Totar are your princes and boyars and governors." Grigorei Kholpishchev ran with the news to Prince Volodimer Andreevichi and to all the princes and boyars and told them: "The great prince is in good health!"

We are happy, saddshe on horseback, hitting the sovereign, sitting on an oak forest, bloody, and Sabur is standing over him. And bowing to him all the princes and boyars and the whole army. And washed him with warm water and clothed him in ports. And a gray-haired horse, and a hundred on the bones of the Totar under a black sign, and a lot of wealth of the Totar poimash: horses and armor, and returning with victory to Moscow.

Then the Lithuanian prince Yagailo did not hasten to help Mamai and ran back, having not heard God's help to Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. And he did not reach 30 miles to Mamai. Then the murdered princes, and the governor, and the boyar, and the children of the boyars: Prince Fyodor Romanovich and his son Prince Ivan Belozersky, Prince Fyodor and brother Ivo Mstislav Turovsky, Prince Dmitry Manastyrev, elders Alexander Peresvet, his brother Oslebya and others many princes and boyars Orthodox and all kinds of people. And the great prince stood over the Russian people and bones for eight days and ordered the boyars to be put in logs, and many people to be buried. And the people of Ryazan, acting dirty tricks, swept the bridges on the rivers to the Grand Duke. Then the great prince wanted to send an army against Olgird of Ryazan. He ran to a distant place with the princess and from the Bolars, leaving his patrimony, and the Ryazan people finished off the brow of the Grand Duke, and the Grand Duke planted his governors in Ryazan.

1381 In the summer of 6889. The cursed Mamai still accumulated many strengths and went to Russia. And out of the eastern country from the Blue Horde, a certain king named Takhtamysh with many powers. And byst him right with Momai. And beat him off the king Tokhtamysh, and Mamai run and run to Kafu. And there you are a certain Fryazin guest, and telling many that you will do a lot of evil to Christianity. And there I killed him. And Tsar Tokhtamysh is sitting on the Horde.