The process of property and social stratification among the community members led to the separation of the most prosperous part from their midst. The tribal nobility and the prosperous part of the community, subjugating the mass of ordinary community members, needs to maintain their dominance in state structures.
The embryonic form of statehood was represented by the East Slavic unions of tribes, which united in superunions, however, fragile ones. Eastern historians talk about the existence on the eve of education Old Russian state three large associations of Slavic tribes: Kuyaby, Slavia and Artania. Kuyaba, or Kuyava, then called the area around Kiev. Slavia occupied the territory in the area of Lake Ilmen. Its center was Novgorod. The location of Artania - the third major association of Slavs - has not been precisely established.
1) 941 - ended in failure;
2) 944 - the conclusion of a mutually beneficial agreement.
Killed by the Drevlyans while collecting tribute in 945.
YAROSLAV THE WISE(1019 - 1054)
He established himself on the throne of Kiev after long strife with Svyatopolk the Accursed (he received his nickname after the murder of his brothers Boris and Gleb, later canonized as saints) and Mstislav of Tmutarakansky.
He contributed to the flourishing of the Old Russian state, patronized education and construction. Contributed to the rise of the international prestige of Russia. Established broad dynastic ties with European and Byzantine courts.
Carried out military campaigns:
to the Baltics;
In the Polish-Lithuanian lands;
To Byzantium.
He finally defeated the Pechenegs.
Prince Yaroslav the Wise - the founder of written Russian legislation (" Russian Truth"," Yaroslav's Truth ").
VLADIMIR THE SECOND MONOMACH(1113 - 1125)
Son of Mary, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine the IX Monomakh. Prince of Smolensk (since 1067), Chernigov (since 1078), Pereyaslavl (since 1093), Grand Prince of Kiev (since 1113).
Prince Vladimir Monomakh - the organizer of successful campaigns against the Polovtsians (1103, 1109, 1111)
He advocated the unity of Russia. Congress participant old Russian princes in Lyubech (1097), which discussed the perniciousness of civil strife, the principles of ownership and inheritance of princely lands.
He was called to reign in Kiev during popular uprising 1113, following the death of Svyatopolk II. Reigned until 1125
He put into effect the "Charter of Vladimir Monomakh", where interest on loans was limited by law and it was forbidden to enslave dependent people who work off debt.
He stopped the collapse of the Old Russian state. Wrote " teaching", in which he condemned the strife and called for the unity of the Russian land.
He continued the policy of strengthening dynastic ties with Europe. He was married to the daughter of the English King Harold II - Gita.
Mstislav the Great(1125 - 1132)
Son of Vladimir Monomakh. Prince of Novgorod (1088 - 1093 and 1095 - 1117), Rostov and Smolensk (1093 - 1095), Belgorod and co-ruler of Vladimir Monomakh in Kiev (1117 - 1125). From 1125 to 1132 - sole ruler of Kiev.
He continued the policy of Vladimir Monomakh and managed to maintain a unified Old Russian state. He annexed the Principality of Polotsk to Kiev in 1127.
He organized successful campaigns against the Polovtsy, Lithuania, the Chernigov prince Oleg Svyatoslavovich. After his death, almost all the principalities are out of obedience to Kiev. There comes a specific period - feudal fragmentation.
Rurikovich.
862 -1598
Kiev princes.
Rurik
862 - 879
IX century - the formation of the Old Russian state.
Oleg
879 - 912
882 Unification of Novgorod and Kiev.
907, 911 - trips to Tsargrad (Constantinople); the signing of the treaty between Russia and the Greeks.
Igor
912 - 945
941, 944 - Igor's campaigns against Byzantium. /first - unsuccessful/
945 - Treaty of Russia with the Greeks. / not as profitable as Oleg /
Olga
945 -957 (964)
/regetsha of the young prince Svyatoslav/
945 - uprising in the land of the Drevlyans. Introduction of lessons and churchyards.
Svyatoslav
I957 -972.
964 - 966 - the defeat of the Kama Bulgarians, Khazars, Yasses, Kosogs. Accession of Tmutarakan and Kerch, opened a trade route to the East.
967 - 971 - war with Byzantium.
969 - the appointment of his sons as governors: Yaropolk in Kiev, Oleg in Iskorosten, Vladimir in Novgorod.
Yaropolk
972 - 980
977 - the death of Prince Oleg in the struggle with his brother Yaropolk for leadership in Russia, the flight of Prince Vladimir to the Varangians.
978 - Yaropolk's victory over the Pechenegs.
980 - the defeat of Yaropolk in the battle with Prince Vladimir. The murder of Yaropolk.
VladimirISaint
980 - 1015
980 - pagan reform / a single pantheon of gods /.
988-989 - the adoption of Christianity in Russia.
992, 995 - battles with the Pechenegs.
Svyatopolk the Cursed
1015 - 1019
1015 - the beginning of strife between the sons of Vladimir. The murder of the juvenile princes Boris and Gleb on the orders of Svyatopolk.
1016 - the battle of the princes of the skatopolk and Yaroslav near Lyubich. The flight of Svyatopolk to Poland.
1018 - return of Svyatopolk to Kiev. Flight of Yaroslav to Novgorod.
1018 - 1019 Yaroslav's war with Svyatopolk.
Yaroslav the Wise
1019 -1054
Beginning XI century - compilation of "Russian Truth" (Pravda Yaroslav), consisting of 17 articles, (according to academician B. A. Rybakov, this was an instruction on fines for scandals and fights).
1024 - the battle of Yaroslav with his brother Mstislav Listven for control over all the territories of Russia.
1025 - division of the Russian state along the Dnieper. Mstislav eastern, and Yaroslav the western part of the state.
1035 - the death of Mstislav Vladimirovich. The transfer of his inheritance to Yaroslav.
1036 - formation of the Kiev Metropolis
1037 - the beginning of the construction of the church of St. Sophia in Kiev.
1043 - the unsuccessful campaign of Vladimir Yaroslavich against Byzantium.
1045 - the beginning of the construction of the church of St. Sophia in Novgorod.
IzyaslavIYaroslavich
1054 - 1073, 1076 - 1078
1068 - the defeat of the Yaroslavichi on the river. Alte from the Polovtsy.
1068 - 1072 - popular uprisings in Kiev, Novgorod, Rostov-Suzdal and Chernigov lands. Addition of "Russian Pravda" "Pravda Yaroslavichi".
Svyatoslav
II 1073 -1076gg.
Vsevolod
1078 - 1093
1079 - speech of the Tmutarakan prince Roman Svyatoslavich against Vsevolod Yaroslavich.
SvyatopolkIIIzyaslavich
1093 - 1113
1093 - the ruin of Southern Russia by the Polovtsians.
1097 - Congress of Russian princes in Lyubich.
1103 - the defeat of the Polovtsy Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh.
1113 - the death of Svyatopolk II, the uprising of the townspeople, smerds and purchases in Kiev.
Vladimir Monomakh
1113 - 1125
1113 - addition of "Russkaya Pravda" by the "Charter" of Prince Vladimir Monomakh on "purchases" /debtors/ and "cuts" /interest/.
1113 -1117 - writing "The Tale of Bygone Years".
1116 - the campaign of Vladimir Monomakh with the sons of the Polovtsians.
Mstislav the Great
1125 - 1132
1127 - 1130s - the struggle of Mstislav with the Polotsk specific princes. Link them to Byzantium.
1131 - 1132 - successful campaigns in Lithuania.
strife in Russia.
Moscow princes.
Daniil Alexandrovich 1276 - 1303
Yuri Danilovich 1303-1325
Ivan Kalita 1325 - 1340
Semyon the Proud 1340 - 1355553
IvanIIRed 1353 -1359
Dmitry Donskoy1359 –1389
BasilI1389 - 1425
BasilIIDark 1425 - 1462
IvanIII1462 - 1505
BasilIII1505 - 1533
IvanIVGrozny 1533 - 1584
Fedor Ivanovich 1584 - 1598
The end of the Rurik dynasty.
Time of Troubles.
1598 - 1613
Boris Godunov 1598 - 1605
False DmitryI1605 - 1606
Vasily Shuisky 1606 - 1610
"Seven Boyars" 1610 - 1613
Romanov dynasty.
1613 -1917
THE FIRST PRINCES OF KIEVAN RUS
The ancient Russian state was formed in Eastern Europe in the last decades of the 9th century as a result of the unification under the rule of the princes of the Rurik dynasty of the two main centers Eastern Slavs- Kiev and Novgorod, as well as lands located along the waterway "from the Varangians to the Greeks." Already in the 830s, Kiev was an independent city and claimed the title of the main city of the Eastern Slavs.
Rurik, as the chronicle tells, when dying, transferred power to his brother-in-law Oleg (879-912). Prince Oleg remained in Novgorod for three years. Then, recruiting an army and moving in 882 from Ilmen to the Dnieper, he conquered Smolensk, Lyubech and, having settled in Kiev to live, made it the capital of his principality, saying that Kiev would be "the mother of Russian cities." Oleg managed to unite in his hands all the main cities along the great waterway "from the Varangians to the Greeks." This was his first target. From Kiev, he continued his unifying activities: he went to the Drevlyans, then to the northerners and subjugated them, then subjugated the Radimichi. Thus, all the main tribes of the Russian Slavs, except for the outlying ones, and all the most important Russian cities gathered under his hand. Kiev became the center of a large state (Kievan Rus) and freed the Russian tribes from Khazar dependence. Throwing off the Khazar yoke, Oleg tried to strengthen his country with fortresses from the eastern nomads (both Khazars and Pechenegs) and built cities along the border of the steppe.
After Oleg's death, his son Igor (912–945) came to power, apparently having no talent for either a warrior or a ruler. Igor died in the country of the Drevlyans, from whom he wanted to collect a double tribute. His death, marriage Drevlyansky prince Mala, who wanted to take Igor's widow Olga for himself, and Olga's revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband are the subject of poetic tradition, described in detail in the annals.
Olga remained after Igor with her young son Svyatoslav and took over the reign of the Kiev principality (945–957). According to the ancient Slavic custom, widows enjoyed civil independence and full rights, and in general, the position of a woman among the Slavs was better than among other European peoples.
Her main business was the adoption of the Christian faith and a pious journey in 957 to Constantinople. According to the story of the chronicle, Olga was baptized "by the tsar with the patriarch" in Constantinople, although it is more likely that she was baptized at home in Russia, before her trip to Greece. With the triumph of Christianity in Russia, the memory of Princess Olga, in the holy baptism of Elena, began to be revered, and the Russian Orthodox Church Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga was canonized as a saint.
Olga's son Svyatoslav (957-972) already bore a Slavic name, but his temper was still a typical Varangian warrior, combatant. As soon as he had time to mature, he formed himself a large and brave squad, and with it began to seek glory and prey for himself. He got out of his mother's influence early and "was angry with his mother" when she urged him to be baptized.
How can I change my faith alone? The squad will start laughing at me,” he said.
With the retinue, he got along well, led a harsh camp life with her.
After the death of Svyatoslav in one of the military campaigns between his sons (Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir), an internecine war took place, in which Yaropolk and Oleg died, and Vladimir remained the sovereign ruler of Kievan Rus.
Vladimir waged many wars with various neighbors for border volosts, he also fought with the Kama Bulgarians. He was also drawn into the war with the Greeks, as a result of which he adopted Christianity according to the Greek rite. This major event the first period of power of the Varangian Rurik dynasty in Russia ended.
This is how it was formed and strengthened Kiev principality that united politically most tribes of Russian Slavs.
Another even more powerful unification factor for Russia was Christianity. The baptism of the prince was immediately followed by the adoption of Christianity in 988 by all of Russia and the solemn abolition of the pagan cult.
Returning from the Korsun campaign to Kiev with the Greek clergy, Vladimir began to convert the people of Kiev and all of Russia to the new faith. He baptized people in Kiev on the banks of the Dnieper and its tributary Pochaina. The idols of the old gods were thrown to the ground and thrown into the river. Churches were built in their place. So it was in other cities where Christianity was established by princely governors.
Even during his lifetime, Vladimir distributed the administration of individual lands to his numerous sons.
Kievan Rus became the cradle of the Russian land, and historians call the son of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir, Grand Duke of Kiev Yuri Dolgoruky, who was also the prince of Rostov, Suzdal and Pereyaslav, the first ruler of Russia.
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Who is the first prince of Kievan Rus?
The ancient tribes, which were located along the entire great waterway that connected the entire East European Plain, were united into one ethnic group, which was called the Slavs. The Slavs were considered such tribes as the glades, the Drevlyans, the Krivichi, the Ilmen Slovenes, the northerners, the Polochans, the Vyatichi, the Radimichi and the Dregovichi. Our ancestors built two of the greatest cities - Dnieper and Novgorod - which already existed at the time of the establishment of the state, but did not have any ruler. The ancestors of the tribes constantly quarreled and fought with each other, having no way to find " mutual language and come to a unanimous decision. It was decided to call to rule their lands and people by the Baltic princes, brothers named Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. These were the first names of the princes who entered the annals. In 862, the prince brothers settled in three large cities - in Beloozero, in Novgorod and in Izborsk. The people of the Slavs turned into Russ, since the name of the tribe of the Varangian princes (and the brothers were Varangians) was called Rus.
The story of Prince Rurik - another version of events
Few people know, but there is another old legend about the emergence of Kievan Rus and the appearance of its first princes. Some historians suggest that the chronicle was incorrectly translated in some places, and if you look at a different translation, it turns out that only Prince Rurik sailed to the Slavs. "Sine-hus" in Old Norse means "clan", "house", and "tru-thief" - "squad". The annals say that the brothers Sineus and Truvor allegedly died due to unclear circumstances, since the mention of them in the annals disappears. Perhaps it’s just that now “tru-thief” was listed as “squad”, and “sine-hus” was already mentioned as “genus”. This is how non-existent brothers died in the annals and a squad appeared with the Rurik clan.
By the way, some scholars argue that Prince Rurik was none other than the Danish king Rorik Friesland himself, who committed great amount successful raids on their warlike neighbors. Exactly because of this reason Slavic tribes and called him to rule their people, because Rorik was brave, strong, fearless and smart.
The reign of Prince Rurik in Russia (862 - 879)
The first prince of Kievan Rus, Rurik, was not just an intelligent ruler for 17 years, but the ancestor of the princely dynasty (which became royal years later) and the founder political system, thanks to which Kievan Rus became a great and powerful state, despite the fact that it was founded quite recently. Since the newly formed state had not yet been fully formed, Rurik devoted most of his reign to seizing lands by uniting all Slavic tribes: the northerners, the Drevlyans, the Smolensk Krivichi, the Chud tribe and the whole, the Psovski Krivichi, the Merya tribe and the Radimichi. One of his most great achievements, thanks to which Rurik strengthened his authority in Russia - the suppression of the uprising of Vadim the Brave, which took place in Novgorod.
In addition to Prince Rurik, there were two more brothers, relatives of the prince, who ruled in Kiev. The brothers' names were Askold and Dir, but according to the legends, Kiev existed long before their reign and was founded by three brothers Kyi Shchek and Khoriv, as well as their sister Lybid. Then Kiev did not yet have a dominant significance in Russia, and Novgorod was the residence of the prince.
Princes of Kiev - Askold and Dir (864 - 882)
The first Kiev princes entered history only partially, since very little was written about them in the Tale of Past Years. It is known that they were the warriors of Prince Rurik, but then they left him down the Dnieper to Tsargrad, but, having mastered Kiev along the way, they decided to stay here to reign. Details of their reign are not known, but there are records of their deaths. Prince Rurik after himself left the reign to his young son Igor, and until he grows up, Oleg was the prince. Having taken power into their own hands, Oleg and Igor went to Kiev and in a conspiracy killed the Kiev princes, justifying themselves by the fact that they did not belong to the princely family and did not have the right to reign. They ruled from 866 to 882. Such were the first Kiev princes - Askold and Dir.
Prince of ancient Russia - the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet (879 - 912)
After the death of Rurik, power passed to his combatant Oleg, who was soon nicknamed the Prophet. Oleg the Prophet ruled Russia until the son of Rurik, Igor, becomes of age and can become a prince. It was during the reign of Prince Oleg that Russia gained such power that such great states as Byzantium and even Constantinople could envy him. The regent of Prince Igor multiplied all the achievements that Prince Rurik had achieved, and enriched Russia even more. Gathering a huge army under his command, he went down the Dnieper River and conquered Smolensk, Lyubech and Kiev.
After the assassination of Askold and Dir, the Drevlyans who inhabited Kiev recognized Igor as their legitimate ruler, and Kiev became the capital of Kievan Rus. Oleg recognized himself as a Russian, and not a foreign ruler, thus becoming the first truly Russian prince. The campaign of the Prophetic Oleg against Byzantium ended in his victory, thanks to which the Russians received favorable benefits for trade with Constantinople.
During his campaign against Constantinople, Oleg showed an unprecedented "Russian ingenuity", ordering the warriors to nail the wheels to the ships, due to which they were able to "ride" along the plain with the help of the wind right to the gate. The formidable and powerful ruler of Byzantium, named Leo VI, surrendered, and Oleg, as a sign of his impeccable victory, nailed his shield to the very gates of Constantinople. It was a very inspiring symbol of victory for the entire squad, after which his army followed their leader with even greater devotion.
Prophecy about the death of Oleg the Prophet
Oleg the Prophet died in 912, having ruled the country for 30 years. There is a lot of talk about his death interesting legends and even ballads were written. Before his campaign with his retinue against the Khazars, Oleg met a magician on the road, who prophesies the death of the prince from his own horse. The Magi were held in high esteem in Russia, and their words were considered the true truth. Prince Oleg the Prophetic was no exception, and after such a prophecy he ordered a new horse to be brought to him. But he loved his old "comrade-in-arms", who went through more than one battle with him, and could not forget about him so easily.
Many years later, Oleg learns that his horse has long gone into oblivion, and the prince decides to go to his bones to make sure that the prophecy has not come true. Stepping on the bones, Prince Oleg says goodbye to his "lonely friend", and almost convinced that death has passed him, he does not notice how a poisonous snake and bites him. So Oleg the Prophet met his death.
The reign of Prince Igor (912 - 945)
After the death of Prince Oleg, Igor Rurikovich took over the rule of Russia, although in fact he was considered the ruler since 879. Remembering the great achievements of the first princes, Prince Igor did not want to lag behind them, and therefore he also often went on campaigns. During the years of his reign, Russia was subjected to many attacks by the Pechenegs, so the prince decided to conquer the neighboring tribes and force them to pay tribute. He coped with this problem quite well, but he did not succeed in fulfilling his old dream and completing the conquest of Constantinople, since everything inside the state gradually plunged into chaos. The powerful princely hand was weakened in comparison with Oleg and Rurik, and this was noticed by many obstinate tribes. For example, the Drevlyans refused to pay tribute to the prince, after which a riot arose, which had to be pacified with blood and a sword. It would seem that everything has already been decided, but the Drevlyans have been plotting revenge on Prince Igor for a long time, and a few years later she overtook him. We will talk about this a little later.
It was not possible for Prince Igor to control his neighbors, with whom he signed a peace agreement. Having agreed with the Khazars that on the way to the Caspian they would let his army go to the sea, and in return he would give half of the booty received, the prince, along with his retinue, was practically destroyed on the way home. The Khazars realized that they outnumbered the army of the Russian prince, and staged a brutal massacre, after which only Igor and a few dozen of his warriors managed to escape.
Victory over Constantinople
This was not his last shameful defeat. He felt another thing in the battle with Constantinople, which also destroyed almost the entire princely squad in battle. Prince Igor was so angry that, in order to wash his name from shame, he gathered under his command all his squad, Khazars and even Pechenegs. In this composition, they moved to Tsargrad. The Byzantine emperor learned from the Bulgarians about the approaching disaster, and upon the arrival of the prince began to ask for pardon, offering very favorable conditions for cooperation.
Prince Igor did not enjoy his brilliant victory for long. The revenge of the Drevlyans overtook him. A year after the campaign against Constantinople, as part of a small detachment of tribute collectors, Igor went to the Drevlyans to collect tribute. But they again refused to pay and destroyed all the tax collectors, and with them the prince himself. Thus ended the reign of Prince Igor Rurikovich.
The reign of Princess Olga (945 - 957)
Princess Olga was the wife of Prince Igor, and for the betrayal and murder of the prince, she cruelly avenged the Drevlyans. The Drevlyans were almost completely destroyed, and without any damage to the Russians. Olga's ruthless strategy exceeded all expectations. Having gone on a campaign against Iskorosten (Korosten), the princess and her friends spent almost a year in a siege near the city. Then the great ruler ordered to collect tribute from each court: three doves or sparrows. The Drevlyans were very happy with such a low tribute, and therefore, almost immediately, they hurried to fulfill the order, wanting to appease the princess. But the woman was distinguished by a very sharp mind, and therefore she ordered to tie a smoldering tow to the foot of the birds, and let them go free. The birds, carrying fire with them, returned to their nests, and since earlier houses were built of straw and wood, the city quickly began to burn and completely burned to the ground.
After his great victory, the princess went to Constantinople and received there holy baptism. Being pagans, the Russians could not accept such an antics of their princess. But the fact remains, and Princess Olga is considered the first who brought Christianity to Russia and remained faithful to her faith until the end of her days. At baptism, the princess took the name Elena, and for such courage she was elevated to the rank of saints.
Such were the princes of ancient Russia. Strong, brave, merciless and smart. They managed to unite the eternally warring tribes into one people, form a powerful and rich state and glorify their names for centuries.
Information about the first rulers of Russia is drawn mainly from chronicles. But since the earliest extant chronicles, "The Tale of Bygone Years", was compiled in the 1110s, ideas about the personalities who were at the head of the historical movement of Russia in the 9th - early 10th centuries (that is, two and, even more so, three centuries before the creation of this code) are largely vague and often contradictory. cue. The first time ruler of Russia (southern) is Kiy, who, according to the chronicle, founded Kiev. As already noted, according to the convincing arguments of M.N. Tikhomirov, this happened at the turn of the 8th-9th centuries, in the 790-800s. The most significant thing is that the fate of Kyi, all his deeds appear as a kind of grain, the seed of the entire initial history, of all the main achievements, the fruit of which was the creation of the state of Rus.
Ryumrik (d. 879) - the chronicle founder of the statehood of Russia, the Varangian, the Novgorod prince and the ancestor of the princely, which later became royal, Rurik dynasty.
Askomld (presumably OE Haskuldr or Hцskuldr, others - Russian Askold) - a Varangian from Rurik's squad, a Kiev prince in 864-882. (co-ruled with Dir).
According to The Tale of Bygone Years, Askold and Dir were boyars of the Novgorod prince Rurik, who let them go on a campaign against Constantinople. They settled in Kiev, seizing power over the glades, who at that time did not have their own prince and paid tribute to the Khazars (864).
Olemg (Vemshchy Olemg, others - Russian Olg, d. 912) - Varangian, prince of Novgorod (from 879) and Kiev (from 882). Often regarded as the founder of the Old Russian state.
The annals give his nickname Prophetic, that is, he who knows the future, foresaw the future. It was named so immediately upon returning from the 907 campaign against Byzantium.
Oleg II. As already mentioned, after Oleg Prophetic rules, obviously, the “second” Oleg, who merged with the first in oral traditions; it is possible that he was the son of the former. The reign of the “second” Oleg is documented by the “Khazar letter” compiled in the middle of the 10th century, which tells about the events of the late 930s and early 940s. In a letter we are talking about the then ruler of the Khazar Khaganate Joseph, the Byzantine emperor Roman I Lekapin (919-944) and the “king of Russia” Khlgu (Oleg). I quote latest translation a fragment of this letter, belonging to A.P. Novoseltsev.
Prince Igor made two military campaigns against Byzantium. The first, in 941, ended unsuccessfully. It was also preceded by an unsuccessful military campaign against Khazaria, during which Russia, acting at the request of Byzantium, attacked the Khazar city of Samkerts on the Taman Peninsula, but was defeated by the Khazar commander Pesach, and then turned its weapons against Byzantium. The second campaign against Byzantium took place in 944. It ended with an agreement that confirmed many of the provisions of the previous agreements of 907 and 911, but abolished duty-free trade. In 943 or 944, a campaign was made against Berdaa. In 945, Igor was killed while collecting tribute from the Drevlyans. After Igor's death, due to the infancy of his son Svyatoslav, real power was in the hands of Igor's widow, Princess Olga. She became the first ruler of the Old Russian state who officially adopted Christianity of the Byzantine rite (according to the most reasoned version, in 957, although other dates are also proposed). However, around 959 Olga invited the German bishop Adalbert and priests of the Latin rite to Russia (after the failure of their mission, they were forced to leave Kiev).
Around 962, the matured Svyatoslav took power into his own hands. His first action was the subjugation of the Vyatichi (964), who were the last of all East Slavic tribes to pay tribute to the Khazars. In 965, Svyatoslav made a campaign against the Khazar Khaganate, taking by storm its main cities: Sarkel, Semender and the capital Itil. On the site of the city of Sarkel, he built the Belaya Vezha fortress. Svyatoslav also carried out two trips to Bulgaria, where he intended to create his own state with its capital in the Danube region. He was killed in battle with the Pechenegs while returning to Kiev from unsuccessful campaign in 972.
After the death of Svyatoslav, civil strife broke out for the right to the throne (972-978 or 980). The eldest son Yaropolk became the great prince of Kiev, Oleg received the Drevlyansk lands, Vladimir - Novgorod. In 977, Yaropolk defeated Oleg's squad, Oleg died. Vladimir fled "over the sea", but returned after 2 years with the Varangian squad. During the civil strife, Svyatoslav's son Vladimir Svyatoslavich (reigned 980-1015) defended his rights to the throne. Under him, the formation of the state territory was completed Ancient Russia, Cherven cities and Carpathian Rus were annexed.
Vladimir I Svyatoslavich (Holy, Great, Red Sun, Equal to the Apostles) (956-1015) - the Grand Duke of Kiev from 980, during which the formation of Russian statehood was completed. In 980 he defeated the army of his brother Yaropolk and killed him himself. By campaigns against the Vyatichi, Radimichi and Bulgarians, he strengthened the Old Russian state. He conquered Chervonaya Rus (Galicia) on both sides of the Carpathians, defeated the Yotvingians. Cherven, Przemysl and other cities were captured from the Poles. Under him, the first notch line was built along the Stugna, Sula and Desna rivers. There was a flourishing of the economy and culture (“epic period of Russian history”). The minting of coins in Russia began - “silver” and “golden” Vladimir Svyatoslavich. The first years of his reign were overshadowed by the cruelty of his character, zealous worship of idols and a penchant for polygamy. After the history of Korsun, in 988 he began the Christianization of Russia. The church canonized as a saint, called "equal to the apostles." In the nine largest centers of Russia, he planted his sons to reign: in Novgorod (Slovenian land) - Vysheslav, later Yaroslav, in Polotsk (Krivichi) - Izyaslav, in Turov (Dregovichi) - Svyatopolk, in the land of the Drevlyans - Svyatoslav, in Vladimir-Volynsky (Volynians) - Vsevolod, Smolensk (Krivichi) - Stanislav, Rostov - the land of the Finnish-speaking tribe Merya) - Yaroslav, later Boris, in Murom (the Finnish-speaking tribe of Murom) - Gleb, Tmutarakan - Mstislav. After the death of Vladimir, a fierce struggle for power unfolds between his heirs. That. under Vladimir I, Russian statehood was strengthened:
Vladimir II Vsevolodovich (Monomakh) (1053-1125) - grandson of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh and Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Duke Kiev in 1113, 3 MY-1125. A supporter of strengthening the unity of Russia. In conditions when the heirs of Yaroslav the Wise fought for Kiev, he continued to reign in southern Pereyaslavl and guard the borders of the state. Conducted an active foreign policy. He made 83 military campaigns. By this, Vladimir gained authority among the people of Kiev, which predetermined his invitation to the throne by the townspeople. Repelled the danger from the Polovtsians; one of the hordes, led by the son of Sharukan Otrok, was forced to leave the Don region for North Caucasus. In 1116-1118 Vladimir organized a large-scale military and political offensive against Byzantium. The Byzantine historian Michael Psellos wrote: “This barbarian tribe is constantly seething with anger and hatred for the Roman state and is looking for a pretext for war with us.” Kiev prince set as his goal to place his son-in-law Leon, who pretended to be the son of the Byzantine emperor Roman IV Diogenes, on the throne of Constantinople, and after his death as a result of the assassination of Leon's son, Basil (his grandson), inspired by Emperor Alexei I Komnenos. These attempts failed, but their result was the strengthening of the influence of Russia on the left bank of the Lower Danube. He defeated the Polovtsians and destroyed their capital - Sharukan (Urukan - Kharkov); forced them to leave for the Southern Urals and Northern Kazakhstan. He convened a princely congress in Vydobychi, where it was decided to invite the Jews to leave the borders of Kievan Rus. The chronicle calls him "a brotherly lover, a beggar-lover and a kind sufferer for the Russian land." "Teaching children" by Vladimir Monomakh - a prime example secular moralistic literature of the twelfth century. In the "Instruction" he advises not to break the oath, not to kill either the right or the guilty, and not to command to kill.