IN church calendar there are many memorable dates dedicated to Slavic saints, ascetics and martyrs, but one of the most significant dates is the Day of St. Prince Vladimir. Vladimir was not only baptized, but also confirmed Christianity as the new religion of Kievan Rus.
Holy blessed prince Vladimir
Vladimir - the son of Prince Svyatoslav and grandson Grand Duchess Olga. Before his death, Svyatoslav divided his lands between his sons - Oleg, Yaropolk and Vladimir. When his father died, feuds began between the three brothers, after which Vladimir became the prince of all Russia. In 987, Vladimir, capturing Chersonesus, which belonged Byzantine Empire, and demanded the hand of Anna, the sister of Basil and Constantine - two Byzantine emperors. The emperors set a condition for Vladimir - the acceptance of the faith of Christ. When Anna arrived in Chersonesos, Vladimir suddenly went blind. In the hope of being healed, the prince was baptized and immediately received his sight. Delighted, he said: "Finally I saw the true God!" Struck by this miracle, the prince's warriors were also baptized. A couple got married in Chersonesos. For his beloved wife, Vladimir presented Chersonesos to Byzantium, having built there the temple of the Lord's Baptist. Returning to the capital, Vladimir baptized all his sons.
Baptism of Rus by Holy Prince Vladimir
Soon the prince began to eradicate paganism in Russia and destroy pagan idols. Baptized boyars and priests walked the streets and houses, telling about the Gospel and denouncing idolatry. Having adopted Christianity, Prince Vladimir began to erect Christian churches where idols had previously stood. happened in 988. This is key event directly connected with Prince Vladimir, whom the church calls the Equal-to-the-Apostles saint, historians - Vladimir the Great, and the people - Vladimir "Red Sun".
The relics of St. Vladimir
The relics of St. Vladimir, as well as the relics of the blessed princess Olga, were originally located in the Kiev Tithe Church, but in 1240 it was destroyed by the Tatars. So the remains of St. Vladimir were buried under the ruins for many centuries. Only in 1635 Peter Mogila discovered a shrine with the relics of St. Vladimir. A brush was removed from the coffin right hand and head. Subsequently, the brush was transported to St. Sophia Cathedral, and the head was
(c. 890 -11.07.969), the son of the great Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich(942-972). Vladimir's mother was the housekeeper of Princess Olga Malusha (circa 940/944 -?) - the daughter of Malk Lyubechanin (? –946), whom many historians identify with the Drevlyan prince Mal.
The year of birth of Vladimir Svyatoslavich is considered to be the 960th. According to the Nikon and Ustyug chronicles, the future Baptist of Rus was born in the village of Budutin (Budyatino).
Information about further destiny Malusha, Vladimir's mother, is not available. In Kiev, Vladimir was under the supervision of his paternal grandmother, Princess Olga. Probably, his maternal uncle Dobrynya was engaged in his upbringing, since in Russia it was customary to entrust the upbringing of the heir to senior warriors.
It is worth noting that the grandmother of Vladimir, Princess Olga, was a Christian - back in 955 she accepted holy baptism in Constantinople. Olga tried to introduce Svyatoslav to the faith, but he did not even think to listen to her.
In 970, shortly before his death, the Grand Duke Svyatoslav divided Russia between his three sons: Kiev was given to the reign of Yaropolk (? - 06/11/98), Ovruch, the center of the Drevlyansk land, - to Oleg (955–977) , and Novgorod - to Vladimir.
In 977, a fraternal war began between Yaropolk and his brothers Oleg and Vladimir. Prince Oleg died in the course of this enmity. With this news, Vladimir fled to the Earl of Norway Hakon the Mighty (about 937–995). Yaropolk began to rule over the entire Russian Land.
While in Scandinavia, Vladimir and Dobrynya gathered an army and in 980 returned to Novgorod, expelling the mayor Yaropolk from there. Vladimir managed to seize Polotsk, which had gone over to the side of Kiev, having killed the family of the ruler of the city, Prince Rogvolod (c. 920 - 978), and his daughter, Princess Rogneda (c. 960 - c. 1000), taking him as a wife. It is known that earlier Vladimir had wooed Rogneda, but she refused to become his wife, calling him "robichich": the Polotsk princess considered it unacceptable to marry the son of the housekeeper Malusha.
Then Vladimir with a large Varangian army besieged Kiev, Yaropolk was killed, and Yaropolk's wife, a former Greek nun, Vladimir took as a concubine.
Vladimir reigned in Kiev in 980. The chronicle reports that during this period Vladimir was distinguished by a cruel pagan disposition and depravity. Soon after accession to the Kiev throne, he placed statues of pagan gods on a hill near his palace. However, at the same time, Vladimir was a wise ruler. For example, he made several successful military campaigns to the west and east, subdued the tribes of the Radimichs and Vyatichs, annexed the “Cherven cities” (Volyn, Kholm, Belz, Brody, Przemysl, Volodava, Cherven and others) to Russia.
The pagan reform - an attempt to create one common pantheon of gods, conducted by Prince Vladimir, was defeated, since each tribe had its own gods. Probably, this defeat, as well as the example of Christians living next to him, more and more often forced the young prince to think about the need for changes in the life of the Russian state.
Baptism of Rus by Prince Vladimir
The chronicle calls the baptism of Russia the result of a conscious "choice of faith" by Prince Vladimir: preachers of Judaism, Islam, Western "Latin" Christianity were invited to his court, until Vladimir, as reported in the chronicle, after communicating with the "Greek philosopher" settled on Christianity of the Byzantine rite.
An important impetus to the Baptism of Rus was Vladimir's demand to marry him Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII, in exchange for support in the fight against the invader Varda Foka (? - 13.04.989). The Byzantine rulers agreed, but in turn demanded that the Kiev prince be baptized. Not receiving a bride, an angry Vladimir attacked the Byzantine city of Korsun (Chersonesos) in the Crimea, and only after that the marriage took place.
The Armenian historian Stefan Taronsky, a contemporary of Prince Vladimir, also reports on the size of Russian military power and baptism:
Then all the people of Ruzov (Russ), who were there (in Armenia, about 1000), rose to battle; there were 6,000 of them - on foot, armed with spears and shields - whom Tsar Vasily asked from Tsar Ruzov at the time when he gave his sister in marriage to the latter. At the same time, the Ruses believed in Christ.
The date of the Baptism of Rus is considered to be 988. In baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily. It is known that shortly before his baptism, Vladimir was struck with blindness, and immediately after he was baptized, his sight returned. It is known that in Kiev the baptism of the people took place relatively peacefully, in contrast to Novgorod, where the baptism was led by Dobrynya and it was accompanied by uprisings of the pagans, punitive methods by the baptists. In the Rostov and Suzdal lands, where the local Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes were not completely subordinated politically, Christians remained a minority, apparently, even after Prince Vladimir (until the 13th century, paganism prevailed among the Vyatichi).
During the baptism of Russia, it was established and church hierarchy... Russia became the Kiev Metropolis of the Constantinople Patriarchate, and a diocese was established in Novgorod. After the baptism of Russia, Prince Vladimir was in two consecutive Christian marriages: with the already mentioned Byzantine princess Anna and, after her death in 1011, from 1018 with his second wife, who is referred to as "Yaroslav's stepmother." Prince Vladimir had 13 sons and 10 daughters. The most famous among them were Svyatopolk, Yaroslav the Wise,.
Prince Vladimir is a wise ruler
After Epiphany, Russia continued an active foreign policy: the struggle with Poland, with the White Croats, the war with the Pechenegs, which lasted until the 990s. Subsequently, based on the memories of the Pechenezh war, legends were composed (the legend about Belgorod jelly, about Nikita Kozhemyak and others). To defend against the Pechenegs, several fortresses were built along the southern line Kievan Rus, as well as a palisade on an earthen embankment.
Vladimir is credited with the authorship of the "Church charter", which determined the competence of church courts. In addition, Prince Vladimir began minting his own coins according to Byzantine samples - gold ("gold coins") and silver ("silver coins"). On most coins Kiev prince depicted sitting on the throne, and next to the inscription: "Vladimir on the table, and behold his gold (or: silver)"; there are also options with a bib.
The reign of Prince Vladimir was marked by the beginning of book education in Russia, which was a consequence of the baptism of Russia. Children began to be taken from families and sent to study. This is how the "Tale of Bygone Years" reports:
He sent to collect from the best people children and send them to book education. The mothers of these children wept for them; for they were not yet established in the faith, and wept for them as for the dead.
The teachers were not only the Byzantines, but more often even the Bulgarians who had previously studied on Athos. Soon, remarkable rhetoricians and literary experts grew up in Russia, such as, for example, one of the first writers in Russia, the author of the famous "Word of Law and Grace" Metropolitan Hilarion (990-1055)
Under the Kiev prince, active stone construction began in Russia, although the first such buildings known to us date back to the reign of Vladimir's son, Yaroslav the Wise. Cities such as Vladimir on the Klyazma (990), Belgorod (991), Pereyaslavl (992) were laid.
IN last years In life, Prince Vladimir probably decided to violate the principle of succession to the throne and transfer power to his beloved son Boris. Prince Vladimir of Kiev reposed on July 15, 1015 in Berestovo.
Church veneration Prince Vladimir
There are no exact data on the beginning of the church veneration of Prince Vladimir. Perhaps Vladimir was originally commemorated together with his sons by the holy princes Boris and Gleb.
The veneration of Prince Vladimir as saints to this day causes controversy among historians. It is known that Byzantium refused to recognize him as a saint. Maybe because his pagan behavior, described in detail in the annals, has not yet been forgotten. But for Russia, Vladimir's merits to the Fatherland were obvious: Vladimir is the baptist of Russia, a wise ruler, a commander, a generous and merciful person.
Another obstacle to the church veneration of Prince Vladimir was the lack of miracles associated with his name. Exact time the canonization of the Kiev prince is unknown. Vladimir died in 1015, and the earliest surviving written information about his official veneration dates back to the XIV century. Liturgical books are celebrated as Vladimir Memorial Day on July 15 (old style).
The relics of Prince Vladimir were not given the gift of miracles, so there were disputes in the Church about his holiness. However, the services of Prince Vladimir to the Russian state were significant and great for all Russian people, and therefore the popular veneration of Prince Vladimir arose already in the 11th century. After the death of Vladimir, a whole epic cycle developed around his image. The people's memory has preserved the idea of Vladimir as a hospitable, merciful prince, "Red Sun". Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich is still revered as a man who lived for the benefit and glory of the Fatherland.
Troparion and kontakion to the holy prince Vladimir
Troparion, ch. 4.
Like a merchant, I am looking for good beads, glorious Vladimir, at the height of the table, gray, the mother of the city of God-saved Kiev. And testing the sending to the Tsar's city, take away Orthodox faith... And you will find the priceless bead of Christ, having chosen the one like the second Paul, and shaken off the blindness in the holy font, both spiritual and physical. We celebrate the same dormition, your people are, pray that the Russian power be saved by the chief, and many rulers.
Kontakion, Ch. eight.
Becoming like the great apostle Paul, in the sovereign gray hair of the all-glorious Vladimir, I left all like infantile wisdom, and like idolism diligence. And as the husband is perfect adorned, Divine Baptism purple. And to the Savior Christ in the joy of coming. Pray to save the power of the Russian leader, and many rulers.
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Holy Prince Vladimir. Icons
Reliable images of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich of the pre-Mongol period are unknown, which contrasts with big amount surviving images of the passion-bearer princes Boris and Gleb, with whose images already in the early stages of development the iconography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich was almost always associated. In the end. XIV - 1st floor. 15th century images of Vladimir Svyatoslavich were widespread. By this time, the main variants of the iconography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich and the most stable signs were formed, recorded by the later iconographic originals: gray hair, a type of hairstyle and a curly forked beard, which is different both from lifetime images on coins and from miniatures of the Radziwill Chronicle:
The image and brad are like John the Theologian, and the hairs on the head are kudrevates, like Minins (Bolshakov. Original icon-painting, p. 116; see also: Icon-painting original of the Novgorod edition of the late 16th century, Moscow, 1873, p. 120).
In a number of works of the XVI and especially the XVII centuries. Vladimir Svyatoslavich is depicted with a wider, only slightly forked beard. The constant attributes of Vladimir Svyatoslavich are a sword in his left hand and a cross in his right. In some early monuments, Vladimir Svyatoslavich is presented in a cape-basket, traditional for the most ancient princely images, in the air of 1389 he is shown in a fur coat draped over his shoulders.
Joint images of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Boris and Gleb in the 15th – 16th centuries. served as a model for the formation of the iconography of the ancient Russian princes: Theodore, Davyd and Konstantin Yaroslavsky, Konstantin, Mikhail and Theodore of Murom. In most of these compositions, the prince-father stands in the center, young sons are on the sides; variants of this scheme are known on the icons of the 16th century. Icons depicting Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Boris and Gleb became widespread in the 16th – 17th centuries, often in combination with the life cycle of Boris and Gleb in the fields. Works of this type could be intended both for churches consecrated in the name of Saints Boris and Gleb, and for a few churches and side-chapels in the name of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.
Saints Vladimir, Boris and Gleb with the Life of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir. Vologda, middle - 3rd quarter of the 16th century From the church of Prince. Vladimir in Vologda (?). Later she was in the Upper Dolskaya Church of the Mother of God. Vologda, Vologda Museum
Temples in honor of the holy prince Vladimir
In the name of Saint Prince Vladimir there is a church in Moscow in Starye Sadekh. It was built in 1514-16. presumably by the architect Aleviz Fryazin (New) on the site of the old temple of the same name. The side-chapel of Kirik and Iulita was added in 1677. In the 1670s. the main temple was rebuilt, basically the entire top was changed. The second northern chapel in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb was added in 1689. The temple was closed in 1933, later beheaded. Services were resumed in 1991.
In the name of Saint Prince Vladimir, the church of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, which was built in 1554, was consecrated.
Also in honor of Saint Vladimir, a side-altar (between 1113 and 1125) was consecrated of the Transfiguration Church on Berestovo in Kiev and a side-altar (1635) of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in the village of Isaida, Ryazan region.
Monuments to the Baptist of Rus
There are monuments to Prince Vladimir in Vladimir, Veliky Novgorod (the Millennium of Russia monument, where Vladimir is depicted to the left of Rurik), Belgorod.
The princely statue is also located in St. Petersburg, in the Kazan Cathedral. There are also sculptures of Prince Vladimir in Kiev, Sevastopol, Korosten.
Monuments to the Baptist of Russia are installed in Toronto (Canada), London (Great Britain), Brisbane (Australia).
In 2015, the Moscow authorities decided to erect a monument to Prince Vladimir on the Sparrow Hills. However, this statement caused a stormy public discussion. Both supporters and opponents of this intention have appeared. Opponents of the erection of the monument to the Baptist of Rus cited as reasons an “inconvenient” place for sculpture, which spoils the view of the Sparrow Hills. Some of the representatives of the public expressed that, due to too much weight, the monument would slide into the Moskva River. Also, purely philistine protests were expressed: the sculpture will interfere with photographing the main building of Moscow State University, and the monument will also disrupt the lighting of the nearest territory. However, as the deputy executive director of the Russian Military Historical Society (RVIO) Vladislav Kononov said: "If we set out to collect signatures for the installation of the monument, I think the bill would go to hundreds of thousands and millions." As a result, on November 4, 2016, on a holiday, in the center of Moscow, on Borovitskaya Square, the opening ceremony of the monument to St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir.
Many people in their school years were not very fond of history. Therefore, they are happy to make up for lost time in a more mature age. After all, it is then that the understanding comes that our country has great story that every inhabitant should be proud of. And since you can't be proud of what you don't know, many just sit down to textbooks to enrich their intellectual baggage. In this article, we will help you learn a little better the story about Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko. Why was it called that, and also Interesting Facts from the life of the prince read below.
Childhood
The exact date of birth of Vladimir is unknown. It is officially believed that his year of birth is 960, but this may not be the case. He could have been born in 945, just in 960 the future is first mentioned in the annals. His father was Svyatoslav, and his mother was Olga's housekeeper. Out of sight of the unnecessary child, the grandmother sent to the village of Budutino. It was there that Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko was brought up. Why it was called that, we will find out further.
It is not known how long the boy lived with his mother, but, according to the chronicle, he returned to Kiev in 969. The fate of his parent is no longer known. According to some reports, she happily lived life in the village, other sources say that the generous son, after accession to the throne, took his mother to his palace. One way or another, you can believe in any version, because there is simply no reliable information.
Youth
The move of Vladimir to his grandmother is mentioned in the annals in connection with the siege of Kiev. The defense of the city was successful, but the future ruler was not destined to remain in the southern capital of the principality. At the end of the year, Svyatoslav receives a notification from Novgorod that the ruler has died and they urgently need a new one. The choice of the prince fell on Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko. Why he was called that, we will find out, but for now we will tell you about the first independent steps of the young man.
Moving to Novgorod was the first important event in the boy's life. Since he was too young to become a full-fledged ruler, the governor Dobrynya was given to help him. He was supposed to oversee the education of the young prince, and also help make important government decisions. In Novgorod, Vladimir makes friends, mostly Scandinavian neighbors. And also the young ruler will build a chapel of Perun. Thanks to this act, which was most likely prompted by Dobrynya, Vladimir was able to quickly win the favor of the residents of Novgorod.
Family and Children
Why was the Red Sun called? Briefly about this we can say this: Vladimir became the first saint in Russia and laid the foundation for the emergence of Christianity on Russian soil. And what kind of personal life did the prince have? Vladimir was distinguished by his great love of love. The pagan faith encouraged this: “the more wives, concubines and children the ruler has, the stronger the state will be,” the legend said. But whoever put forward this theory was seriously mistaken. The world can only be in monogamy. By the end of his life, Vladimir came to this idea. But he could no longer change his actions. He officially had 5 wives. The first - Olofi - he found in Scandinavia, the second - Rogneda - he took by force from Polotsk, the third - Adele - was from the Czech Republic, Manfred - from Bulgaria. Julia, the wife of his brother Vladimir, was taken as a concubine already pregnant.
Anna was the first wife of a Russian prince after baptism, and his second wife was the granddaughter of Otto I, the German ruler. In addition to official connections, Vladimir had many mistresses. The ruler had more than 20 recognized children, 11 of them were boys, which means they were heirs to the throne.
Baptism of Russia
988 is officially considered the year of the adoption of Christianity in Russia. But, as with all distant events, it cannot be said for sure that this is reliable information. In 988, the wedding of Anna and Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko took place. Why was it called that? Precisely for the reason that the ruler introduced the official monotheistic religion. How did the baptism go? Of course, it was impossible to baptize the entire state. People who believed in pagan gods all their lives could not change their beliefs overnight. Paganism lived in Russia for at least 50 years after its baptism. But nevertheless, the adoption of Christianity was a big step towards the unification of the country and the establishment of a new institution of power in it. Some historians believe that the Christian religion could have been imposed on Vladimir by his grandmother, Princess Olga. But this theory is unlikely, since the prince's communication with this woman was too limited. Most likely, Vladimir the Great Red Sun took such a serious step due to foreign policy factors.
Nickname
Why was Prince Vladimir called the Red Sun? Of course, such a nickname was not given to the saint by the people. After all, the figure of the prince did not arouse approval among his contemporaries. Many subjects did not support the conversion to Christianity. Yes, and a dissolute lifestyle says little about the holiness of a person. Still, it is worth believing that people are changing. And they can be changed by one fateful event or, as in the case of Vladimir, a person. After all, there is a version according to which the prince received baptism precisely thanks to one of his wives, namely St. Anne. It is difficult to describe what a huge contribution Vladimir made to the development of Rus. Because our homeland has never seen as much light and peace as our country received a century later.
Changes in the country
What did Vladimir significantly change in the way of life of the state? Well, of course, this is the baptism of Russia and the expulsion of paganism. The unification of our country in the hands of one ruler is also a great achievement. Of course, then the prince committed big mistake, having divided his possessions between his sons, but we must give him his due, he did not really want to do this. Vladimir intended to transfer the reins of government into the hands of his beloved son Boris, but one can imagine how other children reacted to such an idea.
last years of life
The reign of Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko lasted 46 years. At the end of his life, the prince ruled in Kiev and was very afraid for his life. And this is not surprising. After all, he wanted to write a will, according to which only one of his sons became the heir. Of course, the children did not like this alignment, and in 1014 Svyatopolk went to war with his father. By that time, he had managed to marry the daughter of a Polish prince, so that a military detachment was assembled from him in a fairly quick time. In addition, many of Vladimir's subjects supported Svyatopolk. After all, he was not the prince's own son, but an adopted one. His real father was Yaroslav, whom Vladimir, sitting on the Kiev throne, killed in cold blood. But the military campaign was not crowned with success. The army was defeated, and Svyatopolk was imprisoned.
In 1015, the second son, Yaroslav, opposed his father. But he did not go to war, he just wanted independence and stopped paying tribute. Vladimir did not like this alignment, and he sent an army to settle this issue. But the Kiev prince did not manage to live to see the outcome of this war, on July 15 he dies. They buried Vladimir in Kiev in the Tithe Church next to his Christian wife Anna.
Mark on history
Prince Vladimir lived a very eventful life, and, of course, epics and legends could not ignore such a colorful figure. The Kiev ruler appears in the "Lay of Igor's Campaign", it was to him that Feofan Prokopovich dedicated his works. It is not surprising that the image of Vladimir was reflected in epics, for example, he appears as the main character legends about three heroes. Even today, filmmakers are shooting their films about the Baptist of Russia. One of the latest was released in 2016 and is called "Viking".
But, of course, every schoolchild knows Vladimir Red Sun precisely because the prince baptized Russia. Our state was very backward in relation to even its neighbors, not to mention European countries. That is why Christianity not only helped the people become more united, but also became an impetus for the development of literacy.
Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko, whose years of reign are 969-1015, was able to significantly influence the course of history. Here are the most interesting facts about the prince:
- Vladimir was canonized as a saint only in 1888. This event was timed to coincide with the 900th anniversary of Christianity in Russia.
- In 978, Vladimir killed his brother Yaropolk and thus seized the Kiev throne.
- The prince introduced They were called goldsmiths and silver coins. Despite the fact that Byzantine gold was in use, the minting of their own money allowed to raise the state economy.
- Thanks to the adoption of Christianity, literacy began to spread in Russia. Precisely because it was necessary to read at least the Bible, enlightenment first of all affected the church and the monks.
- Vladimir had 11 officially recognized sons.
In many ways, it predetermined the fate of the country and had a fundamental influence on its culture. This article is devoted to the biography of the prince, his sins, mistakes, as well as political, diplomatic and military achievements.
Family
The father of Prince Vladimir was the famous commander and at that time the ruler of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich. The latter was the only son of Igor Rurikovich and Princess Olga, who was the first among Russian rulers to adopt Christianity.
Vladimir's mother - Malusha - was the housekeeper and the almsgiver of Princess Olga. She yielded to the claims of Svyatoslav, who was married to the Ugric princess Predslava and had two sons from her - Yaropolk and Oleg.
Olga, angry at Malusha, who conceived a son in sin, sent her to the village of Budyatino. When the boy was 3-4 years old, he, already without his mother, was returned to Kiev. There he was under the supervision of Olga's grandmother, since the pagan laws adopted him as a princely heir. In addition, Vladimir was taken care of by his maternal uncle Dobrynya, who was a Kiev governor.
Discord between brothers
When the sons grew up, Svyatoslav, who was previously more interested in military campaigns than affairs in the lands subject to him, distributed them to his sons. As a result, Yaropolk received Kiev, Oleg got the land of the Drevlyans, and Vladimir Svyatoslavich was sent as governor to Novgorod.
After the death of his father in 972 in a battle with the Pechenegs, his heirs became full-fledged rulers in their principalities. However, peaceful life soon came to an end.
For a minor reason, Oleg killed Yaropolk's comrade-in-arms. He flew into a rage and at the instigation of the Varangian governor Sveneld - the father of the stabbed warrior - decided to take the Drevlyan lands from his brother. A battle took place in which Oleg was crushed to death by his own retreating warriors. Having become the ruler of not only Kiev, but also the Drevlyan lands, Yaropolk decided to remove Vladimir from the road, especially since he always considered him the son of a slave and put him below himself.
Flight and return
Realizing the danger threatening him, Vladimir Svyatoslavich went "overseas" to the Varangians in Scandinavia. So Yaropolk began to rule Russia alone.
Meanwhile, Vladimir was preparing to return to his domain. In 978, he, together with the army, in which the majority were Varangian soldiers, was able to recapture Novgorod and set off to conquer the lands of the Drevlyans. The local population, grieving about the murdered Oleg, greeted the new prince with delight.
Matchmaking
Heading to Kiev, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich wooed the Polotsk princess Rogneda. The girl declared that she did not want to be the wife of a slave's son, and made fun of him in front of all the people. Then the offended Vladimir laid siege to Polotsk. Having destroyed the city, the prince raped the failed bride in front of his parents, and then ordered them to be killed. He made Rogneda his wife against her will.
Seizure of power
For the final victory over his brother, Vladimir Svyatoslavich went to bribe. He managed to win over to his side the voivode Blud Iveschei, who persuaded Prince Yaropolk to leave Kiev and fortify himself in the Roden fortress. Soon the army of Vladimir arrived there and the siege began. The defenders of the fortress had a hard time. Yaropolk was forced to agree to negotiations. However, his brother prepared a trap for him and killed him from an ambush. In Rodin, Vladimir took a fancy to his brother's pregnant wife, a former Greek nun. Soon after that, the woman gave birth to a son, Svyatopolk, whom the prince raised as his own.
Ascent to the Kiev throne
Yaropolk's guards came under the command of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich. Thus, he had a fairly large army. Vladimir understood that it was time for him to part with the Varangian mercenaries, since he did not want to plunder Kiev. Before going there, the prince sent the rest to Constantinople, to serve the Byzantine emperor, promising "mountains of gold". The deal was successful for both parties, as in Constantinople they needed soldiers to protect themselves from external and internal enemies.
Strengthening power
In order to give legitimacy to his rule, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich decided to enlist the support of the priests. Paganism was to his liking, as it justified polygamy and did not condemn the presence of a huge number of concubines.
To appease the idols, the prince built a temple in his capital. Rites and sacrifices were regularly held there. Vladimir Svyatoslavich ordered the main idol of Perun to give the features of himself.
The people were impressed by the prince's worship of traditional gods, so they treated the new ruler well. In addition, the first 10 years of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich were marked by numerous victories over warlike neighbors, especially in the west, which helped to strengthen the borders and allowed the population not to fear raids.
In search of a new unifying ideology
The pantheon of gods among the various tribes inhabiting the domain of Vladimir was quite diverse, so paganism prevented the formation of a powerful unitary state. As a forward-thinking politician, the prince understood that the country needed a more advanced religion. Then his attention was attracted by Christianity, especially since its adherents became more and more every day, including among the nobles. Suffice it to say that this religion was professed by the native grandmother of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. During his childhood, spent at the court of Princess Olga, he probably had the opportunity to observe how the Kiev Christians carried out their rituals. In addition, the prince most likely could have some idea of the salvation of the soul and resurrection after the Day of Judgment.
It was also important for Vladimir political aspect the choice of Christianity as the state religion, promising the strengthening of allied relations with Byzantium.
Historical evidence of how and when the baptism of Vladimir Svyatoslavich took place
Oddly enough, there are no reliable records of contemporaries dedicated to this important event, was not found. In this regard, the testimony of the Armenian chronicler Stepanos (Stephen) of Taron is especially valuable. He lived at the same time as the prince and was engaged in the creation of the "Universal History" precisely at the time when Vladimir was choosing a new religion for his state.
In his work, Stepanos described the events that took place from 885 to 1004. Recalling the events that took place in the year 1000, he writes about the 6000 foot army of the Ruzes, which was in Armenia. According to him, these were soldiers who arrived at the request of Emperor Basil. According to Stepanos, this happened when the latter gave his sister in marriage to Vladimir. We also read there that this event coincided with how the Ruzes believed in Christ.
As for other sources, they confirm Stepanos's testimony, but provide more detailed information.
In particular, many chroniclers indicate that Vladimir decided to marry the sister of the Byzantine emperors, Anna. They agreed, demanding military assistance in the fight against the rebel Varda Foka. The princess herself opposed the decision of the brothers, but later agreed to become the wife of a Russian prince if he accepted Christianity. The most reliable information about this event is reported by the Syrian historian of the 11th century Yahya of Antioch.
Capture of Korsun and baptism
The version that Vladimir captured Korsun and threatened to do the same with Constantinople, if Anna was not given to him, cannot be considered well-founded. It has been proven that at that time Russian soldiers had already helped Vasily II in the fight against internal enemies. Most likely, military support was provided to the Byzantines in exchange for consent to the marriage between Vladimir and Anna.
According to legend, the wedding flotilla with the princess arrived in Korsun. However, the prince refused to be baptized. The Lord punished him for breaking of this word, and Vladimir went blind. Anna persuaded him not to resist, and during the ceremony his sight returned to the prince. The grace of God descended on Vladimir, who took the Christian name Vasily. He ordered the boyars and squads to follow his example, and then got married with Princess Anna.
Baptism of Russia
Returning to Kiev, Vladimir Svyatoslavich (date of birth - about 960, date of death - July 15, 1015) first ordered his sons to be baptized. Then the prince gathered the inhabitants of the city on the banks of the Dnieper. On his order, a mass baptism took place, which no one dared to oppose.
To strengthen the new faith, Vladimir ordered to erect a temple Holy Mother of God and give a tenth of all state revenues to the church.
To convert the inhabitants of other cities to Christianity, the prince called priests and educators from Greece. For the training of local clergy, special schools... In addition, a church charter was published, which was called the Helm Book, and on Mount Athos, Vladimir acquired a skete for Russian monks. Mass construction of churches began in all corners of the state.
Domestic and foreign policy
Under Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the first Russian gold and silver coins were minted. To protect the state, he built several fortress cities and appointed his sons as rulers.
In the last decade of his life, he almost did not make aggressive campaigns and periodically took up arms only to repel the endless raids of the Pechenegs.
Sons of Vladimir Svyatoslavich
As already mentioned, the prince was a well-known voluptuary and had big number wives and concubines. Having adopted Christianity, he abandoned them and began to live only with Anna, recognizing her as his only wife before God.
However, the family idyll of Vladimir was overshadowed by the strife of children. The prince had 12 sons, each of whom owned his own lands. Vladimir's favorites were Boris and Gleb, born by the Bulgarian Milolika. Towards the end of his life, the prince decided to bequeath the throne to Boris, provoking the indignation of Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, who hoped to inherit him by right of birthright.
The unexpected death of Vladimir in 1015 led to the fact that the senior heirs decided to usurp the throne. Svyatopolk seized power in Kiev, but realizing that the people were on the side of Boris and Gleb, he ordered them to be killed. His next victim was brother Svyatoslav. Yaroslav was able to stop the crimes of Svyatopolk, who took the throne.
Memory
For the greatest merits, Vladimir Svyatoslavich (reign: 978-1015) in the creation of the Russian state was ranked Orthodox Church to the face of the saints. In addition, he is revered by Catholics, as he lived before the Ecumenical schism.
Every year on July 15, Russia and many other countries celebrate the day of his memory. In Moscow, Kiev, Sevastopol, in Belgorod and others. St. Monuments were erected to Vladimir, and a temple was built in his honor on the territory of Chersonesos.
Now you know the biography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. To modern man it is difficult to understand many of his actions. However, it cannot be denied that it was he who laid the foundations of Russian statehood and united the nation.
Although by pagan customs social status was determined by the father, and dynastic rights were not infringed upon, the nickname "robicich" (the son of a slave) haunted him for a long time.
In 970, Vladimir became the prince of Novgorod, and his uncle, voivode Dobrynya, was appointed his mentor for the duration of his childhood.
After the death of the great Kiev prince Svyatoslav in 972, Yaropolk began to rule Kiev, and after 3 years an internecine war broke out between the brothers, during which first brother Oleg, the Drevlyansky prince, and then Yaropolk dies.
Thus, the beginning of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich was marked by fratricide. In 978 he became a Kiev prince.
Vladimir had to fight a lot of wars with his neighbors. He fought with the Poles and took away from them several cities; twice went to Vyatichi (981-982), who tried to free themselves from tribute, and pacified them; in 983 he took possession of the land of the Balto-Lithuanian tribe of Yatvagi, thereby opening the way to the Baltic; in 984 he conquered the Radimichi; in 985 he defeated the Volga Bulgarians; in 992 he subdued the Croats.
Before the adoption of Christianity, polygamy was widespread in Russia. The Kiev prince Vladimir had 5 legal wives (one of them, Rogneda, was Yaropolk's bride) and several hundred concubines, among whom was Yaropolk's pregnant widow. The chroniclers, describing Vladimir, endow him with a variety of vices, especially voluptuousness and insatiability in fornication, unrestrained feasts and amusements.
Vladimir was at first a zealous pagan, he erected in Kiev a pantheon with six main idols, before which human sacrifices were performed. But since Many Christians lived in Kiev, and there were many of them in the squad, Vladimir began to hesitate in his faith. Neighboring countries also began to try to make the Kiev prince their co-religionist.
The legend "On the Test of Faith" says that in 986 ambassadors of different confessions came to Vladimir. There came Muslim Bulgarians, Khazar Jews, Germans - representatives of Western Christianity. Then a Greek philosopher came to Vladimir and told him about the creation of the world, about heaven and hell, about the mistakes and errors of other faiths. Seeing the advantages of Eastern Christianity, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich decided to accept this faith.
The implementation of this decision was facilitated by the events that took place in the Byzantine Empire at the end of the 80s. X century. Not only was Greece weakened by the defeat in the war with the Bulgarians (986), but it was also attacked by the rebellion of the commander Barda Phocas, who in 987 declared himself emperor. Co-rulers Vasily II and Constantine VIII turned to the Kiev prince for help. Vladimir agreed to help, but demanded Princess Anna, their sister, as his wife. The Byzantine emperors were forced to agree, but on condition of the baptism of Prince Vladimir, since their sister cannot marry a heathen. In late 987 - early 988, Vladimir was baptized, probably in Kiev, and took the name Vasily.
The six thousandth army of Vladimir defeated the army of Varda Phocas, but the emperors were in no hurry to marry Anna off to Vladimir. Then the angry prince marched with an army to Korsun, a Greek city in the Crimea, and subdued the Byzantines.
The wedding of Vladimir and Anna took place here, as well as the baptism of boyars and vigilantes. The Russian prince returned to Kiev, taking with him many shrines, icons, priests.
Upon his return to Kiev, Vladimir ordered to proceed with the mass baptism. The baptism of the Kievites took place in the waters of the Dnieper by Korsun priests. Traditionally, the annalistic year 988 is considered the year of the baptism of Rus.
Immediately after the baptism, the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir ordered the construction of churches. On the site of the pagan sanctuary in Kiev, the Church of St. Basil was built, later the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos appeared, which received the name Desyatinnaya and became the main temple of Kievan Rus.
The process of Christianization in Russia took place quite peacefully, with the exception of some regions. In Novgorod Dobrynya, who led the baptism here, the uprising had to be suppressed by force.
In 992, the Grand Duke fought with Poland for the Cherven lands. After the victory, he himself went with the bishops to baptize people and built a city here, named after him Vladimir.
In more remote places, paganism held on tightly, and it took a lot of effort to convey to the minds of the people the advantages of the faith of Christ. The problem was that there were very few preachers who could explain the Holy Scriptures. Korsun priests were Greeks and did not know Slavic language... Then Vladimir ordered to take children from the boyars and best husbands and give them to book teaching.
After the adoption of Christianity, Vladimir's inclination to war weakened. He no longer undertook large campaigns, only with the Pechenegs he had to wage an incessant struggle, which lasted the entire period of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. Once he miraculously escaped captivity, hiding under a bridge near the city of Vasilev. The Pechenegs, not finding the prince, left and did not even ravage the land. This event took place on the day of the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, August 6, 996. In honor of this miracle, Vladimir erected the Transfiguration Church in Vasilev.
At the beginning of his reign, Prince Vladimir built several fortified cities, the most important of which was Belgorod. Strengthening the borders of Russia was the main thing domestic policy Prince Vladimir.
Vladimir had 12 sons, he distributed all of them to reign in important cities Rus.
The Kiev prince adopted all laws and decisions, having coordinated with his council, consisting of squads and elders from different cities. Prince Vladimir is credited with issuing the "Church Charter", which defines the competence of church courts.
Vladimir Svyatoslavich was the first to start minting gold and silver coins.
The result foreign policy Prince Vladimir was the conclusion of peace treaties with Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. But peace with Poland was short-lived, in 1013 the Polish prince Boleslav, in alliance with the Pechenegs, attacked Russia. The Russian army coped with the enemies.
The last years of Vladimir Svyatoslavich's life were overshadowed by enmity with his eldest sons. In 1013, the plot of Svyatopolk the Accursed against Vladimir, his adoptive father, was revealed. Svyatopolk with his wife and their accomplice, the Polish bishop, were arrested and taken into custody. In 1014, another son of Vladimir, Yaroslav Novgorodsky, rebelled, refusing to pay tribute to Kiev. Then Prince Vladimir announced a campaign against Novgorod, but he was old and sick and could not carry it out.
Shortly before his death, Vladimir summoned his beloved son Boris to him, gave him a squad and sent him to war with the Pechenegs, who again attacked Russia. But the Grand Duke was not destined to find out the outcome of the war; on July 15, 1015, he died. Vladimir Svyatoslavich was buried in the Tithe Church in Kiev.
Although the Russian people began to honor the memory of Vladimir in the 11th century, the first reliable information about the veneration of Vladimir as a saint equal to the apostle dates back to the 14th century. Perhaps his canonization is associated with the victory of Alexander Nevsky, a descendant of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, in the battle on the Neva. The Russians defeated the Swedish army on the day of memory of Vladimir the Baptist, July 15, 1240.
The people loved their prince very much, sang him in songs and epics and called him Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko, “the affectionate prince Vladimir”. He became the prototype of the Grand Duke in Russian epics, who were served by three valiant heroes - Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich, known for their exploits. Vladimir is an ideal prince, a patron who unites all the best around him.
July 28 (new style) is the day of memory of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the Baptist of Russia.
