A) the relevance of the chosen topic

The reign of Vsevolod III is certainly an important milestone in the history of the Russian land, a bright moment, a flash of light in the gloomy conditions of fragmentation. This theme as a theme of power, of course, has always been very relevant and remains relevant to this day. It is interesting in that the prince stands at the origins of the formation of the monarchical idea. Vsevolod is one of the first rulers who embodied the features of an autocratic ruler. Although Andrei Bogolyubsky is given unequivocal preference in Russian literature, the figure of his brother closes Vsevolod. Some researchers believe that the prince did nothing new, that he only consolidated his brother's successes, and on the contrary, contributed to the strengthening and continuation of fragmentation (referring to the civil strife of his sons after his death). Therefore, we need in this, to try to see the traits of an autocrat in the prince, to understand what Vsevolod actually did.

B) goals and objectives of the study

Based on this problem, the purpose of the work will be to show the formation of the idea of ​​an autocratic ruler, while taking into account that the Vladimir-Suzdal principality is the heir to Kievan Rus.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to highlight those features of Vsevolod as a ruler that were inherent in the Kievan tradition, and highlight innovations. To do this, you need to consider and analyze the domestic and foreign policy of Vsevolod. Here it is necessary to make a reservation that “internal policy” refers to relations with neighboring principalities, since for Vsevolod they remained parts of one state, which he needed to assemble into one whole. In this policy, the most indicative are relations with Kiev (as with the former center of the great reign) and with Novgorod (as with an independent republic). A " foreign policy"- these are relations with the Volga Bulgaria and the Polovtsian steppe, since the sources do not mention other areas of Vsevolod's policy. The last task will be to consider the image of the “ideal prince” in the Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh and compare this image with the image of Vsevolod III the Big Nest in order to trace how the character of the prince changes with increased centralization, what new qualities appear and help this process.

C) characteristics of sources

Four sources were used to work on the topic. The first and most important is the Laurentian Chronicle.

The Laurentian Chronicle, one of the oldest chronicle monuments that have come down to us, is part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Chronicle and therefore much attention is paid to the period described there. The monument got its name after the monk Lavrenty, who rewrote the chronicle in 1377 by order of the Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod prince Dmitry Konstantinovich. The chronicle begins with The Tale of Bygone Years and ends in 1305. The monument was bought in 1792 by Count Musin-Pushkin, a collector of ancient manuscripts. Now the manuscript is stored in the Public Library of St. Petersburg. The first edition was undertaken in 1804 by the Society of Russian History and Antiquities at Moscow University.

The source supplementing the first one is the Ipatiev Chronicle. It breaks down into three main parts. The first part contains The Tale of Bygone Years, third edition. The second part covers the events of 1118-1199. The third part brings its narrative to 1292 and is mainly the Galicia-Volyn chronicle.

There are two main copies of the chronicle: Ipatiev and Khlebnikov. Both of these lists date back to the South Russian annals of the late 13th century. The Ipatiev copy of the beginning of the 15th century was found by N.M. Karamzin. It was first published in 1842.

The third source is the Novgorod I chronicle, the oldest chronicle of the Novgorod feudal republic. It quite clearly covers the events that characterize the relations between Novgorod and Vladimir. The chronicle is known in two editions. The older edition is represented by the parchment Synodal List of the 13th-15th centuries. He brings his presentation to the 1330s and has postscripts reaching the middle of the 14th century. The younger edition of the Novgorod Chronicle is close to the Synodal list, but continues it until the 40s of the 15th century. There are two main lists of the chronicle of the younger version: Academic and Commission. Other lists of the Novgorod I chronicle of the younger edition represent a further complication of the Commission list.

The fourth source is "Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh". This work is a prototype of those house-buildings that we will see in subsequent centuries. In addition, the “Instruction” is the only example of instruction in ancient Russian literature created not by a clergyman, but by a secular person, statesman. The structure of the work: Instruction itself, a message to Oleg Svyatoslavich (Monomakh's nephew), autobiography.

It is believed that the "Instruction" was finally completed by the author in 1117, when he was able to sum up his life. The “Instruction” has come down to us in the only list of the XIV century as part of the Laurentian Chronicle, where it stands under the year 1096, moreover, the text itself turned out to be without some parts (in particular, there is no beginning of the instruction).

D) literature review

The reign of Vsevolod III the Big Nest, as a period in the history of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality and the Russian land, was little studied and practically not studied, especially by modern historians. Soviet authors paid a little more attention to him. But the main works are the works of pre-revolutionary scientists.

Of the pre-revolutionary researchers, the works of Myatleva T.P., Solovyov S.M., Klyuchevsky V.O. are used here. and others. All of them highly appreciate the activities of Vsevolod and his personality.

Klyuchevsky V.O. in the "Course of Russian History" points to the harsh nature of Vsevolod and says that he "forced" to recognize himself as the Grand Duke of the entire Russian land.

Historian Ilovaisky D.I. says that the prince is prudent, capable of a cruel course of action, that is, he possesses precisely those features "on which the state building of Great Russia was built."

Karamzin N.M. says that Prince Vsevolod “reigned happily, prudently from his very youth and strictly observed justice. Not the poor, not the weak trembled him, but the mercenary nobles ... ".

Myatleva T.P. he considers Vsevolod fair, but cruel: "... nevertheless, brought up in Byzantium, he learned cruel revenge there, ruthlessly showing it sometimes on his enemies."

The largest historian of the XIX century S.M. Solovyov in his "History of Relations between the Russian Princes of the Rurik House" calls Vsevolod III not just a Grand Duke, but compares him with the sovereign, calling him "the favorite of the people and the winner", and says: "In a word, he was born to reign ...".

Presnyakov A.E. in his work “The Formation of the Great Russian State” he says that the success of the prince is the result of the natural desire for the northern Russian rulers to subjugate other princes.

Another Soviet historian Tolochko A.P. completely unreasonably believes that Vsevolod did not play leading role in the political history of the country, and says that he was under the influence of Byzantium.

Kuchkin.V.A. dwells only on the territorial successes of the prince's policy: "... under Vsevolod the Big Nest, the territory of the region expanded significantly, its administrative structure became more complicated." Krivosheev Yu.V. speaks of Vsevolod's coming to power and believes that he came to power with the help of the townspeople, who immediately found in the prince "an ally, not an opponent of their actions."

However, over time, the characteristics of the prince become more specific.

Sverdlov M.B. speaks of the political primacy and power of the prince. And the researcher Perkhavko V.B. calls Prince Vsevolod a sovereign "close to the ideal", that is, in literature, the idea that the reign of Vsevolod is the time of the heyday of the entire Russian land is more and more affirmed, this is a period of temporary centralization of power, a temporary increase in the role of the Grand Duke to the scale of the sovereign .

Chapter I. Internal policy of Vsevolod III

1. Relations with the Kyiv principality

Vsevolod III the Big Nest took the throne of Vladimir as a result of civil strife that lasted more than a year. The time of Vsevolod is the time when the real power was not in the Kyiv prince, but in the hands of the prince of Vladimir-Suzdal. This is the heyday of the Vladimir principality. After all, it was Prince Vsevolod who first introduced the term “great” into his title and justified it. Assessing the internal policy of the prince, his relations with neighboring principalities, with neighboring peoples, one can agree with this title. Vsevolod III forced to recognize himself as the Grand Duke of the Russian land.

Vsevolod spent his childhood first in Byzantium, where he was exiled with his mother by his brother Andrei Bogolyubsky, who sought to get rid of possible rivals and contenders for the throne, and then in South Rus', in particular, in Chernigov. This helped him a lot in the future. Having become a prince, he saw and understood the differences between Northern and Southern Russia and, using his knowledge, managed to distribute his forces and achieve the desired results. It turned out that all his interference in the affairs of Kyiv took place without grandiose expenses.

Vsevolod's "southern politics" is relations with Kiev and the Russian land (that is, the land around Kyiv). This is one of the most important aspects of the principality's policy at the end of the 12th - beginning of the 14th century. These relations began with a clash between Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Kyiv and Vsevolod Yurievich: “Prince Vsevolodich Svyatoslav came from Novgorodtsy, and from Polovtsy filthy, and from Chernigovtsy, against Vsevolod Yurgevich; Vsevolod, go against him and sleep on the Vlen, on the river, and stand between you for two weeks. Considering the policy of Vsevolod in relation to Kyiv, we must first talk about the internal political situation of the principality. What was it? It consisted in the relationship between the prince and the boyars, since the boyars always played an important role in the principality and represented a rather powerful force. Vsevolod III did not enter into an open struggle with the boyars, on the contrary, he even used his advice: “As soon as the Suzdal land calmed down under the firm, intelligent rule of Vsevolod III, the northern boyars became his zealous assistant.” However, sometimes in the source we find the phrase “his boyars”, which may indicate that the prince actually subjugated the Vladimir boyars, managed to curb him, establishing sole power in his principality. And here popular assembly- veche - was not always satisfied with the actions of the prince. However, the prince almost always yielded to him. “After a few days, all the people and the boyars got up again, and having come to the prince’s court, a lot of people with weapons, saying: why keep them? We want to blind and. Prince Vsevolod was a sad former, who could not hold back a multitude of people for the sake of their cry "; “He, having listened to his boyars, told him to say: your brother went to Volodimer, but he betrayed you, and open the gates.” An important indicator of the correlation of forces between the Kievan and Vladimir principalities is the case of the appointment of a bishop. Vsevolod himself chooses a candidate and does not take into account the opinion of the Metropolitan of Kyiv. The most important thing is that Kyiv yields to Vsevolod: “Prince Vsevolod sent an ambassador to Kiev, to Svyatoslav, to Vsevolodich and to Metropolitan Nikifor, asking the bishop to appoint Luke ...; the metropolitan did not want to put him in, for heaven's sake he put Nikola Grechn on the bridle ... Metropolitan Nikifor commanded Nikola Grechnu to unsubscribe to the land of Rostov, and put this Luke bishop of Rostov and Volodimer and Suzhdal and all the land of Rostov.

From the annals it is known that there were no such cases before. From time immemorial Metropolitan of Kyiv he himself appointed bishops to all dioceses (with the exception of Novgorod; however, Novgorod has always been an exception), as a lord, whose metropolis was in the center of the great reign, which is important. It is interesting that if the first time the metropolitan hesitated, then the second time he appointed the bishop whom Vsevolod wanted without objection: “The blessed Christ-loving Grand Duke Vsevolod sent ... to Kiev Svyatoslav to Vsevolodich and to Metropolitan Nikifor his spiritual father John for the bishopric. This is reminiscent of independent Novgorod, in which a bishop was chosen without the participation of Kyiv, and only then a request was sent to Kyiv for his consecration. From this we can conclude that the power of the Vladimir-Suzdal prince did not weaken and did not even stand still, but, on the contrary, strengthened and strengthened.

In the Kyiv civil strife under Rurik Rostislavich, Vsevolod outwardly supported the Rostislavichs, however, as soon as the war began, he immediately accepted the peace proposals of the Olgovichi. This is because he needed the enmity and impotence of the princes of Southern Rus'. He did not pay attention to his obligations. the great prince, seeing their subjugation to himself, did not remember their malice, kissed the cross to them ... ". And he needed the cities of Rurik only in order to weaken his rivals in this way. Vsevolod put things in order in the Russian land not always in worthy ways. Sometimes, to keep power, he had to be cunning. It is known how cleverly he quarreled, "played off" Rurik Rostislavich with Roman Volynsky. Nevertheless, despite the ways to achieve the goal, he succeeded in his plans: Rurik did not even dare to enter into his rights without the will of Vsevolod III, thereby recognizing his seniority: to Kiev, and plant Rurik Rostislavich in Kiev." Although some researchers, in particular, Tolochko A.P. in his work “Prince in Ancient Rus': power, property, ideology" says that Vsevolod's power was small, the title "great" was honorary and no more. As we can see, after our little research, this statement is not stable and is not substantiated in any way.

Any actions of the prince have always been for the sake of achieving just goals. He wanted the unity of Rus' and did not want violence as such at all. Karamzin N.M. says that "he was born to reign ... although he could not be called the autocratic Sovereign of Russia." After conducting this small study, we see that thanks to the activities of Vsevolod, in fact (unofficially) the Grand Duke's throne was transferred to Vladimir.

2. Relations with Novgorod

Relations between Vsevolod III and Novgorod were even more complicated and unusual. Novgorod feudal republic - this is how many researchers call this political formation. Throughout almost the entire history of the existence of this principality, there was no such prince who, at least to some extent, would have succeeded in subordinating it. This public education all the time was self-sufficient and independent. The supreme body of power in Novgorod at that time was the veche, and not the prince, as in North-Eastern Rus'. The veche had the right to invite the prince he liked, and could also expel him if he did not suit him for some reason. That is, the prince had practically no power there. He ruled only under the guidance of a posadnik.

And so, Prince Vsevolod did what no one before him could do, even Andrei Bogolyubsky, who dreamed about it. To some extent, he subdued Novgorod for several years: “Novgorodtsy who kissed the cross to Vsevolod Yurgevich ...”.

However, of course, this submission was not complete. Novgorodians are trying to resist Vsevolod, violate the kissing of the cross. Old traditions continue to exist, no matter how obedient Novgorod land was not. Already after the Novgorodians kissed the cross, the chronicle tells us about the calling of a new prince: “In the same summer Yaroslav Volodimerich of Novgorod was driven out, and Davydovich Mstislav girded himself to reign Novgorod: so be their custom.” This happened because the freedom-loving citizens of Novgorod, accustomed to independence, felt it a burden to feel the mighty, imperious hand of Vsevolod III or someone else over them. However, Vsevolod did not claim complete dominion over Novgorod. He tried to maintain stability and relative calm in the Russian land. As a wise prince, Vsevolod understood that for this he needed to reckon with the opinions and desires of the Novgorod boyars, who were "used to participate in social processes." However, calm submission was also not easy. It was mercenary on the part of the Novgorod nobility. Most likely, a close relationship with the Grand Duke was simply beneficial for the Novgorodians in terms of domestic and foreign trade.

And yet, Vsevolod led the Novgorodians to the fact that they themselves began to ask him for princes: “The same autumn, the Novgorodians came, molded men, Miroshchina Gad, to the Grand Duke Vsevolod with a bow with the prayer of all Novgorod, recursively: you are Mr. Prince Great Vsevolod Gyurgevitch, we ask your son to reign Novgorod, for your fatherland and grandfather Novgorod. “Idosha a man with a mayor and with Mikhalk to Vsevolod; and accept it with great honor and give them son Svyatoslav ... ".

Thus, we see the obedience of the Novgorodians to Vsevolod. No wonder they call him the "Grand Duke". Although Novgorod was finally subordinated only in the 15th century (the time of the rise of the Moscow principality). And yet the power of Vsevolod III over Novgorod is an exceptional phenomenon. He was able to subdue the insubordinate. This speaks of the real power of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality at that time, of the wisdom, strong and imperious character of Vsevolod the Big Nest. The prince justifies his name, which is on Old Russian means "to own everything".

So, Vsevolod behaves authoritatively towards the boyars; chooses the bishop himself; strengthening personal power, in every possible way supports the enmity of the princes in southern Rus'; as in the old days, in Kievan Rus, Vsevolod puts his prince in Novgorod. That is, we see that in relations with other lands, Vsevolod asserted his power and political primacy, and he uses the means taken from the era of fragmentation (arranging enmity between the princes).

Chapter II. Vsevolod's foreign policy

1. Relations with Volga Bulgaria

The foreign policy of the Vladimir-Suzdal prince is relations with the Polovtsians and Volga Bulgaria. In general, foreign policy did not differ in particular dynamism in these centuries. For example, the sources do not touch on relations with Byzantium. Perhaps because it was calm in this direction and no important actions were taking place on either side.

In general, the eastern (in relation to the Volga Bulgaria) policy is not conquest. It is connected with the tasks of Vladimir trade.

The first campaign of 1184 is grandiose in size. The Bulgarians were defeated in two battles, as, indeed, in the subsequent campaign of 1185: “And the God of Rus' will help, and I won, beating them half a third thousand, and the rest went to the boats, not leading the former, even the boats before them, defeated the Bulgarian regiment ... » . Participation in this campaign testifies to the great importance for the Vladimir-Suzdal land of the “Volga route down from Yaroslavl to Gorodets Radilov”. That is, although these relations were important, they were purely commercial in nature. And the conquests were only for this purpose. We see nothing new in this policy of Vsevolod.

We can say that these conquests brought considerable success, as the territory of the principality was actively expanding to the east.

However, the composition of the army is important for us in this campaign, since it shows us the sphere of influence of the Vladimir prince. What is he? It was a joint campaign of several Russian princes under the command of Vsevolod III, including the Murom-Ryazan and Smolensk princes: : with Roman, and with Igor, and with Vsevolod, and with Volodimer, and with Muromsky Volodimer; and came to the land of Bolgar. That is, again we see the desire to subjugate other princes. After all, most likely - these are not voluntary actions; most likely, the princes serve Vsevolod under compulsion, send their regiments on his orders. And if he subjugated the Ryazan princes, it means that he had complete control over their territories, respectively, he took upon himself the defense of the Muromo-Ryazan limits.

In addition, here we can talk about the ability of Vsevolod to unite with other princes against a common enemy, while pursuing common interests in terms of trade, which remotely resembles the fight against the Polovtsy of Vladimir Monomakh.

2. Vsevolod and Polovtsy

Campaigns against the Polovtsy Vsevolod III the Big Nest had a completely different meaning for him and for the Russian land, in contrast to the campaigns against Volga Bulgaria.

For several centuries, the Polovtsians have been harassing the borders of Rus' with their raids. Many princes of Kyiv, including Vladimir Monomakh, defended their lands from these dangerous neighbors.

Despite the fact that the Polovtsy served Vsevolod (for example, they participated in the campaign against the Bulgarians in 1184), they periodically disturbed the southern borders of his possessions. In particular, in order to defend the Muromo-Ryazan lands, Prince Vsevolod organized a campaign against the Polovtsians in 1199: “... go the noble and Christ-loving prince, the great Vsevolod Gyurgevitch, the grandson of Volodimer Monomakh, to Polovtsi, with his son Kostyantin; The Polovtsi, who heard his campaign, ran and with the veils to the sea ... ". "As a Grand Duke, taking to heart the grievances of the entire Russian land ... he wanted to protect the borders of the Ryazan region from the Polovtsian raids." The campaign was again carried out by the combined forces of the princes of Vladimir, Suzdal and Ryazan.

In addition, this campaign was carried out in order to ensure peace, reconciliation with the Chernigov prince. Thus, Vsevolod's desire to resolve disputes by peace is revealed, that is, his preference for military, but indirect actions. Wanting to unite the entire Russian land under his command, he understands that there is no need for unnecessary bloodshed here and tries to look for an alternative to military, internecine actions.

Assessing the foreign policy of Vsevolod, one can understand what an outstanding military leader and just a ruler he was. He managed to collect huge military resources and direct them in the right direction. As a result: “Only on behalf of his trembling country everything, and throughout the whole earth the rumor about him passed ... and God subdued him under the feet of his enemies.”

So, Vsevolod's foreign policy is a policy no less purposeful than domestic, always active, energetic. By its nature, it met the interests of the Vladimirites, since it was mainly of economic importance. Sometimes it became cruel, but it is precisely such a policy that characterizes Vsevolod as the Grand Duke, “great” in every sense of the word.

We see that Vsevolod unites with other princes in campaigns, that is, he sets himself, in a sense, all-Russian tasks. He differs from the usual specific prince in that he has interests that are not limited to his own court and his own well-being. He, like a real politician, looks around him and into the distance.

Chapter III. Vsevolod III and "Instruction" by Vladimir Monomakh

1. The image of the “ideal prince” in Vladimir Monomakh’s Teachings

“Have the fear of God in your heart, and doing alms is not scarce, that is, the beginning of every good.”

In his work, Vladimir Monomakh covers a wide range of problems, life situations, provides answers to questions of political, moral and social life of his time.

So, what should be the ideal prince according to Vladimir Monomakh?

Through all the "Instruction" there is a call to take care of the Russian land. Considerable space is occupied by the thought of sympathy and help for the weak and oppressed. He says: “... do not forget the poor, but feed the one who is powerful in strength, and give to the orphan, and justify the widow yourself, and do not let the strong destroy a person.” He reinforces this appeal with his own example: "... I also didn’t let the strong offend the poor widow and the wretched widow ...".

Monomakh urges his readers to be brave and at the same time unpretentious warriors: “Go to war, do not be lazy. Do not look at the governors; neither drink, nor eat, nor sleep; and dress up the watch yourself, and the night, dressed up around the howl from everywhere, also climb, and get up early ... ". He speaks of the need for constant labor and again refers to his experience: “Even if it was for my child to do, then I myself did things in war and fishing, night and day, in heat and winter, not giving myself rest ... ". In addition, the ideal prince must show military prowess and be resolute in battle. At the same time, do not rely only on yourself, but show respect for the squad, consult with it.

Each prince should be God-fearing, philanthropic, should honor the elders, take care of the younger ones: “honor the old like a father, and the young like a brother.” A very important quality of a prince is justice: “Do not kill either right or crooked, nor command to kill him; if he is guilty of death, and do not destroy the soul of any peasant.

The prince should not be a perjurer - from this both the well-being of the principality and the state of the prince himself, because the kiss of the cross is the only way to keep the world of the feudal "brethren" in balance.

The work is dominated by the idea that a person (prince) should never deviate from the right path and in all cases should rely on God: "... praise God, who gave us his mercy, and this is punishment from my bad madness ..."

Vladimir Monomakh considers laziness to be the main vice, the cause of all evils: “Laziness is the mother of everything: if you know how, then forget, but if you don’t know how, don’t teach it ...”

Monomakh ends his teaching with a call not to be afraid of death either in battle or in hunting, valiantly doing his job. That is, courage, courage, dedication, etc. - these are the features that an ideal prince, a true trustee of his fatherland, should possess.

2. Comparison of Prince Vsevolod with the image of the "ideal prince"

In the previous paragraph, we examined ideas about the ideal prince of the times of Kievan Rus. Vsevolod is a representative of a new era, but the ideal of the prince remained the same, because the country is still Christian, the same moral laws and norms still apply. Therefore, it is necessary to compare, constantly referring to the Kyiv past. The ideal princes in it are Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir Monomakh himself, and others. So, what is characteristic of these princes and what is characteristic of Prince Vsevolod III?

Let's start in order. Vsevolod's domestic policy: the brightest moment in it is the conquest of Novgorod. Novgorod has always, starting with Rurik, been in the zone of influence of the Kievan princes. Therefore, the subjugation of Novgorod corresponded to the image of the ideal prince of Kievan Rus.

If we talk about foreign policy, it is important to note here that the struggle against the nomadic Polovtsy was traditional for the Kyiv princes, this is one of their main merits. Therefore, here, too, the personality of Vsevolod in the eyes of the chroniclers intersects with the princes of Kyiv, perhaps with Vladimir Monomakh, as with a man who did a lot for Rus' in this field. After all, most likely the northeastern chronicler wrote a description of Vsevolod the Big Nest, having before his eyes the chronicle description of Monomakh and partly copying it verbatim: Vsevolod judged “evil executions, but kindly merciful ones: the prince bo does not carry a sword in revenge as a villain, but in praise of good creating ... ”Vladimir Monomakh says almost the same thing.

Another illustrative case is the independent appointment of Bishop Luke by Vsevolod. One can draw a parallel with the fact that it was under the ideal Kiev prince Yaroslav the Wise that the first Russian (not Greek!) Metropolitan Hilarion was installed in 1051.

All these comparisons allow us to call Vsevolod the Big Nest an ideal prince from a political point of view. However, as a ruler, he has those features that the Kyiv princes did not know. Until now, the prince was par excellence the leader of the squad. When meeting with the enemy, he was always ahead of the troops, that is, until now, personal courage and courage were required from the prince, which Vladimir Monomakh says in his Teaching. But Vsevolod has a completely different character. Now he does not climb on rampage. That is, "... Vsevolod is the first who stopped relying on battles only as the judgment of God ..." He, unlike the Kyiv princes, was the first to prefer caution in battles to their inherent decisiveness.

This trait of his is important, but there is another one that significantly distinguishes Vsevolod from the Kievan princes. This is characteristic of him despotism, inherent in him a strongly expressed desire for the centralization of power.

In a word, Vsevolod is not at all a successor to the work of the Kievan princes. He is an example of a new prince, namely a northern Russian prince, active, prudent, capable of steadily pursuing his goal. That is, it has those features, "... on which the building of Great Russia was built ..."

Conclusion

So, having finished the work, we come to the conclusion that Vsevolod III the Big Nest cannot be put on the same level with the Kyiv princes. This is a different era, different ideals. But even in his era, Vsevolod is a unique personality. And you can't underestimate this prince. After all, his goal was not to imitate the princes of Kievan Rus or to return the Kievan tradition. He created a new image of a prince with a strong character, a true autocrat. We saw that he felt himself the sovereign master of the entire Russian land. And he not only felt it, but also proved it with his actions to all the Russian princes, who recognized him as the elder. He subjugated Novgorod, starting to give him princes, he changed his attitude towards the boyars, becoming more powerful. He chose his own bishop. He, not tormented by remorse, sowed enmity between the specific princes to strengthen his own power. He began to be called the “Grand Duke” without leaving the throne of Vladimir, he amazed everyone with his strict and intolerant foreign policy, which at the same time testified to his concern for the entire Russian land, and not just for his own principality. That is, Vsevolod had enormous power.

In addition, since Vsevolod is the successor of the work of his father (Yuri Dolgoruky) and brother, since he followed the path indicated by Andrei Bogolyubsky, he can rightfully be considered the founder of the formation of the monarchical idea, the idea of ​​autocracy in Rus'. He laid the foundation for that reign, as a result of which the new Moscow principality subsequently grew from the strong Vladimir principality and the Muscovite state arose.

The political situation of Rus' was ultimately to form a new image of a ruler, a politician concerned with far-reaching goals, a person who thinks and sees two steps ahead. The transition to a new political phase is characterized by certain transitional periods in which seeds are planted, which later sprout. Vsevolod was the person who managed to feel new era and give some sort of answer to her challenge.

Bibliography

List of sources

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2. Laurentian Chronicle. Ryazan, 2001.

3. Novgorod I chronicle. Ryazan, 2001.

4. "Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh". // Laurentian Chronicle. Ryazan, 2001.

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18. Dictionary of scribes and bookishness of Ancient Rus'. L., 1987.

Descendant of the Byzantine kings

Little is known about the mother of Vsevolod Yuryevich, since in 1161 Andrei Bogolyubsky, who came to power, expelled his stepmother and her children from the principality. It is believed that she could come from the ancient royal Byzantine family of Komnenos, who ruled at that time. It was believed that she could simply be a relative of the Byzantine emperor, but Yuri Dolgoruky would have chosen a wife only equal to himself. Therefore, there is every reason to believe that Princess Olga, as she is usually called, was a Byzantine princess. After the exile, she went to Constantinople to the emperor Manuel. Only at the age of 15 Vsevolod returned to Rus' and reconciled with his brother.

Birth of Prince Vsevolod, son of Yuri Dolgoruky. Front Chronicle

big nest

Vsevolod received his nickname for his fertility. From his first wife, Maria Shvarnovna, he had 12 children - 8 sons and 4 daughters. The children were named Sbyslav, Verkhuslav (she became the wife of her second cousin Rostislav), Konstantin ( Prince of Novgorod), Vseslav, Boris, Gleb, Yuri (Prince of Vladimir), Elena, Yaroslav (Prince of Pereyaslav), Vladimir, Svyatoslav (Prince of Vladimir and Novgorod) and Ivan (Prince of Starodub). After the birth of her youngest son, Mary fell ill and vowed to build a monastery. In 1200, the Assumption Monastery was founded in Vladimir, which began to be called Knyaginin. 18 days before her death, she took the tonsure, and Vsevolod and her children escorted her to the monastery. “Preparing to die, she called on her sons and conjured them to live in love, reminding them of the wise words of the Great Yaroslav that civil strife destroys the Princes and the fatherland, exalted by the labors of their ancestors; advised children to be pious, sober, generally friendly, and especially to respect the elders. After her death, Vsevolod married Lyubava, the daughter of the Vitebsk prince Vasilko, but they had no joint children.

Don slammed to scoop

The reign of Vsevolod was marked by the rise and strength of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. The power of the prince and his troops is mentioned in the "Word of Igor's Campaign": "You can splash the Volga with oars, and scoop out the Don with helmets." In his reign, he relied on new cities such as Vladimir and Pereslavl-Zalessky, which had a weak boyars, and on nobles. He even reigned for five weeks in Kyiv, where his elder brother Mikhail planted him and Yaropolk Rostislavich in 1173. However, soon the Smolensk princes captured the city, and Vsevolod was captured. Mikhail Yurievich had to redeem his brother.

Mstislav is preparing an army for the battle with Suzdal

After the death of Andrei, Vsevolod entered into a struggle for power in the Vladimir-Suzdal land with his nephews Mstislav and Yaropolk. With the support of Mikhail and the Chernigov prince, he managed to defeat his opponents. In 1176, he defeated Mstislav near the Lipitsa River, and soon defeated Gleb of Ryazan and the Rostislavichs. In addition, Vsevolod had interests in the south of the state, which led to a new internecine war. He achieved recognition as the eldest in the Manomakhovich family and demanded for himself the land of his son-in-law Rurik in the Kiev region. True, after the conclusion of peace with the Olgovichi, Vsevolod lost these lands, but in 1201 he managed to plant Ingvar Yaroslavich, who pleased himself, in Kyiv. Unleashed in 1205 new war due to the fact that the son of Vsevolod wanted to occupy Galich and quarreled with the Olgovichs because of this. During the civil strife, Vsevolod went to the Ryazan principality, planted his son there, and in response to the uprising burned Ryazan. Soon the Olgovichi offered peace to Vsevolod, divided the principalities, and as a sign of the strength of the union, they gave the Chernigov princess to Yuri Vsevolodovich.

Greedy son

Vsevolod always aspired to have his sons rule in the lands and follow the precepts of their parent. Sending his eldest son Konstantin to Novgorod, he said: “My son, Konstantin, God has placed eldership on you in all your brothers, and Novgorod the Great has eldership in the whole of the Russian land.” But when in 1211 the question of succession to the throne arose, the eldest son, blinded by greed, demanded for himself both senior cities - Vladimir and Rostov, and offered Yuri to give Suzdal. Then Vsevolod called for help boyars, priests, merchants, nobles and people from his other lands to help judge. At the council, the prince's decision to deprive Constantine of the right to a great reign in favor of Yuri was confirmed.

Grand Duke Vsevolod appoints the second son Yuri as heir, 1212. Lithography based on drawings by B. A. Chorikov

Yuri became Prince of Vladimir, while Konstantin, despite his seniority, got Rostov. After the death of Vsevolod the Big Nest, a new feud broke out because of this. The sons will not be able to preserve the integrity and power of the Vladimir-Suzdal land, it will fall apart into specific principalities, and the Vladimir princes will never again have influence on southern Russian affairs.

Acquaintance with the name of Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest, Grand Duke of Kyiv from 1176 to 1212, it is better not to start with brief reference from Wikipedia, but from the work . This is a chronicle story that will help not only to plunge into the atmosphere of the military spirit that reigned on the Kayala River, but also to delve into the bitter consequences that arose due to the fragmentation of the Russian principalities.

In contact with

Classmates

The tocsin in the work sounds a call to Prince Vsevolod to come to the rescue, fight for the Russian land and "observe the father's throne." The power of Prince Vsevolod seems to be enormous and victorious, because he can “sprinkle the Volga with oars”, and “scoop out the Don with helmets”.

But "The Word ..." is a work of art. Was the Grand Duke really so strong, responsive and influential in the domestic and foreign policy of Rus' in his time? What is his portrait like historical figure? The annalistic pages of his biography will answer these questions.

Brothers Vsevolod Yurievich and Andrey Bogolyubsky

Vsevolod Yurievich in the baptismal tablets it is mentioned not at all as Vsevolod, but as Dmitry. That is how he was named by the church shortly after his birth on October 22, 1154, which happened during a tour of the Suzdal possessions by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky and his second wife, the Greek princess. The event became so important for the couple that it was decided to rebuild the city on this site in honor of the newborn - Dimitrov.

Vsevolod became the eleventh, the youngest, son of Yuri. At the age of three, he lost his father, and at the age of seven, his princely possession, which was taken over by the son of Yuri Dolgoruky from his first marriage . This was Andrew's first step along the path of unification of scattered Russian allotments. Not wanting to have a handful of principalities on a patch of land, he stubbornly sought to consolidate power in single hands, and as a result, he managed to centralize Suzdal and Vladimir under his command. But he did not want to have competitors in the face of Vsevolod and other paternal heirs.

Vsevolod, his mother and older brothers, along with their retinues and boyars, were expelled from the lands of Suzdal. They were sheltered by the Greek emperor Manuel I, having provided the exiles with Byzantine Constantinople on the Danube River for residence.

Life away from home did not last long. The chronicles of 1169 already speak of the military campaigns of the Russian princes against Kyiv, in which the young Vsevolod also participated. It was a period of instability in his life. For five years of living in the southern lands, he managed to visit the princely throne in Kyiv, take part in the battle with the Polovtsy on the Southern Bug River, see the evil of the internecine squabbles of the princes, and be captured by the Smolensk prince.

The activities of Prince Vsevolod to unite the Russian principalities

Since then, Vsevolod actively supported Andrei Bogolyubsky in matters of the unity of the Russian lands. After the martyrdom of Andrew he, along with another brother - Mikhail - is pursuing a policy of uniting the scattered Russian principalities. Soon Vsevolod occupies the Grand Duke's throne in fulfillment of the will of Yuri Dolgoruky, who bequeathed the powerful Vladimir-Suzdal Principality to his younger sons from his second marriage.

Fight with nephews Mstislav and Yaropolk

But this state of affairs is not liked by his nephews Mstislav and Yaropolk Rostislavovich. Less than a month has passed since the reign of Vsevolod, as he has to enter into battle with them, thirsting for power and the throne.

The decisive battle between the warring parties took place on June 27, 1176 on the fields near the city of Yuryev. On the eve of Vsevolod there was a sign with the face of the Mother of God of Vladimir, who blessed him for exploits for the Russian lands. The army of Mstislav suffered a crushing defeat, the Mother of God of Vladimir was declared a seer, and the victory brought Vsevolod the first glory and new land allotments.

But the internecine battles did not stop there. The defeated Mstislav took refuge in Ryazan, from where he soon attacked Moscow. Next up was Vladimir. At this time, Mstislav and Prince Gleb of Ryazan staged a series of attacks on the city, burning fields and houses, capturing hundreds of people and selling them into slavery to nomads.

Confrontation on the Koloksha River

Vsevolod called on his compatriots to hit Mstislav. In the winter of 1177, the famous confrontation took place on the Koloksha River. It lasted over a month. Thin ice made it impossible to attack, but as soon as a solid crust formed, Vsevolod's army went on the attack and defeated the remnants of the Mstislav rati. Mstislav himself was taken prisoner.

With the army of Yaropolk, who held the defense in the Ryazan lands, there was no need to fight. The inhabitants, not wanting to be subjected to devastation and military attacks, surrendered it themselves and brought it to Vladimir.

The people demanded cruel punishment for the rebels, and it happened against the will of Vsevolod Yurievich. The chronicle says that Mstislav and Yaropolk were blinded and released on a free journey, but after some time they were seen sighted and combat-ready in other northern volosts.

The transition of the northern principalities into the subordination of Prince Vsevolod

Further successes of Prince Vsevolod in business domestic policy and the results of his accomplishments to unite the lands are summarized in the table below.

Year	Event	Result
1178	Siege and assault on the city of Torzhok. Hike to Volok Lamsky.	Both cities, almost burned to the ground, submitted to the power of Vsevolod.
1181	The capture of Kolomna, Borisoglebsk and a trip to Ryazan.	Vsevolod showed Svyatoslav of Kyiv who was the master of these lands.
1182	Rebuff to Prince Svyatoslav of Kyiv, who invaded Pereslavl-Zalessky in order to strike at the Vladimir principality.	Kyiv could not become powerful again, just as it could not prevent the growing influence of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.
1182	Opposition on the river Vlena. It lasted several weeks until the spring flood, but it did not get beyond the lone arrows of the archers.	Prince Vsevolod blocked the path of Svyatoslav's army to the lands of his principality. The attempt of the southern princes to take the northern Russian principalities failed miserably.
1201	Prince Igor Svyatoslavovich of Novgorod died.	Lord Veliky Novgorod, after many years of resistance, came under the rule of Vsevolod.
1207	Campaigns to the Chernihiv lands.	Further expansion of the zone of influence of the Prince of Vladimir.

Thanks to the victories won on the internal battlefield, the power of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality increased, and the authority of the Grand Duke Vsevolod strengthened. But not only successes in the internecine struggle influenced the growing glory of Vsevolod the Big Nest. The defense of the southern borders of the principality from external enemies brought him no less sweet fruits.

Military campaigns as part of Vsevolod's foreign policy

The inhabited lands of the Russian principalities have always been a tasty morsel for many foreign conquerors. From the west they were attacked by entire Crusades. Viking tribes tried to conquer it from the north. From the south, the endless raids of the Khazars, Polovtsians and Pechenegs ravaged the fragile Rus'. From the east, the Mongols attacked, united with the Tatars.

Do not bypass enemy raids and the period of the reign of Vsevolod Yurievich. He had to speak out against the Volga Bulgarians, who had settled their khanate at the confluence of the Volga and Kama, and against the Polovtsy, who considered attacks on Rus' an easy and habitual thing. The chronicle has preserved for us the dates, causes and results of those campaigns.

• 1183 year. Campaign against the Volga Bulgarians. Vsevolod undertook it in order to punish the khan's subjects for attacks on the Ryazan lands. And although the root cause of the contention was initially the attacks of the Ryazan residents on the river boats of the Bulgarian merchants, the prince stood up to protect his people and lands, organizing a military campaign and winning an undeniable victory in it. The laurels of the winner Vsevolod went to thanks to the combined efforts of a number of Russian principalities.
• 1198 year. The campaign against the Polovtsy was caused by the "great insult to the Russian land" inflicted by the barbarians. The Suzdal and Ryazan regiments of Vsevolod, in response to the constant attacks of the Polovtsians, reached their warehouses on the banks of the Don, where they showed the heat, completely ruining all the enemy's stocks. The Polovtsy with the remaining belongings were thrown back to the sea coast.
• 1205 year. Another trip to the Volga Bulgarians. Historian V.N. Tatishchev believes that the Bulgarians, who reached their peak by the beginning of the 12th century, greatly annoyed the Russian possessions located in the vicinity of the Volga and its tributaries. Ruining the Murom, Ryazan, Novgorod, Vladimir allotments, they did not know pity for the people. Therefore, this campaign was only a response to the great devastation.

Thus, all foreign policy activities of Vsevolod Yurievich was built on response to the raids of foreigners. Considering the scattered Russian lands as easy money, they became impudent and crossed the line of permissibility. Vsevolod, having united the troops of several principalities under his command, was able not only to repulse the barbarians, but also to prove the correctness of his ideas about a strong Rus' under a strong ruler.

father of a large family

Vsevolod Yurievich entered the annals of Russian history not only as a wise ruler, but also as the father of a large family. He received his nickname "Big Nest" for the birth and upbringing of his 12 children. All of them were born from marriage with the Czech princess Maria. Among them are 8 sons and 4 daughters. During the life of Vsevolod, Boris and Gleb died. Two subsequent marriages, concluded after the death of Mary, did not bring children to the prince.

Shortly before Vsevolod's death bequeathed land to his sons:

• Constantine was destined for the Grand Duchy of Vladimir-Suzdal;
• Yuri - the Rostov kingdom;
• Yaroslav - leadership over Pereslavl, Tver and Volok;
• Svyatoslav - the cities of Yuryev and Gorodets;
• Vladimir - reign in Moscow;
• John - possessions in Starodub.

Konstantin quarreled with his father over the terms of the will, believing that both the Rostov principality and Vladimir should belong to him. And he did not even come to the funeral of his father, who died on April 13, 1212 at the 58th year of his life. They said goodbye and buried the Grand Duke in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. Weeping for him was great. As the chronicler notes, everyone cried: "both the boyars, and the peasants, and the whole land of his parish."

Konstantin, deprived by his father of the right to a great reign in Vladimir, was extremely dissatisfied with the results of the distribution of power . This dissatisfaction led to further internecine disputes between all the brothers, which systematically grew into a war.

The results of the reign of the great reign of Vsevolod the Big Nest

Prince Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest received the Grand Duchy of Vladimir in 1176 and ruled in it for more than 36 years until the day of his death in 1212.

drawing historical portrait Vsevolod the Big Nest and summing up his activities, biographers highlight the following positions:

Unfortunately, after his death, the sons who entered into inheritance rights could not maintain this status quo. The Vladimir-Suzdal principality with new volosts attached, so carefully created by Vsevolod, broke up into a dozen separate territories, power in each of which was obtained by blood and wars. As a result of civil strife, Rus' lost its cohesion and strength, enabling the Golden Horde in 1237 to easily invade its lands and remain on them for 300 long years.

With the ruling class - a large landed aristocracy and leaders of urban communities. Thanks to their support, he managed to become the strongest ruler of Rus'. The militant neighbors, the Ryazan princes, implicitly obeyed the Vladimir "autocrat". Relying on his hereditary possessions, he could always say the decisive word in disputes about power in Southern Rus'. material from the site

However, all the power of Vsevolod was not enough to stop the wheel of history. In that era, large principalities everywhere fell apart into parts - destinies. The prince-father considered it his duty to allocate to each of his sons a separate area where he could feel like a master. In addition, the aristocracy everywhere wanted to have its own leader, protector and organizer of the region. In 1206, the Rostov nobility persuaded Vsevolod, during his lifetime, to allocate Rostov as an inheritance for his eldest son Constantine. The boyars hoped that, having become the Grand Duke, Konstantin would transfer his throne to Rostov. However, these plans were strongly opposed by the people of Vladimir. At their insistence, Vsevolod bequeathed the great reign not to Konstantin, but to the brother next in seniority - Yuri. Such a decision, of course, caused an internecine war, in which six sons of Vsevolod took part - Konstantin, Yuri, Yaroslav, Vladimir, Ivan And Svyatoslav. And each of them called for help from his friends and allies. As a result, North-Eastern Rus' remained the scene of fierce battles for several years. The worst of them happened in April 1216 on the banks of the Lipitsa River near Yuryev-Polsky. Prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich and his Novgorodian allies defeated the squads of Yuri and Yaroslav.

The bloody strife finally ended only with the death of Constantine in 1218.

Foreign policy of Vsevolod the Big Nest

Following in the footsteps of his father and brother, Vsevolod made several trips to the Volga Bulgaria. He celebrated his victories by building magnificent white-stone churches.

Reigns: 1176-1212

From the biography

• Vsevolod the Big Nest is the youngest son of Yuri Dolgoruky, brother of Andrei Bogolyubsky.
• He got his nickname because he had 12 children, 8 of them were sons.
• He was a smart, far-sighted politician, a talented military leader.
• Vsevolod the Big Nest was distinguished by religiosity, mercy to the poor and the destitute. He judged with a true and unfeigned judgment, which testifies to his justice.
• He continued the policy of his brother and father to strengthen the principality and establish a feudal absolute monarchy.

Historical portrait of Vsevolod the Big Nest

Activities

1. Domestic policy

Activities	results
Strengthening of princely power	He dealt with the boyars - conspirators who opposed his brother and father. During his reign, the feudal monarchy was strengthened. The influence of the nobility increased.
The spread of the power of the Prince of Vladimir throughout the territory of Rus'.	His reign is the rise of Rus'. The power of the prince extended to its entire territory. He was the de facto ruler of the country. He put his sons as governors in large cities. Kiev, Ryazan, Chernigov, Novgorod and many other cities were under the rule of Vsevolod. In his reign, the title appeared Grand Duke Vladimir.
He continued the further construction of cities, their strengthening.	Many new cities were built. All cities are well strengthened, including the capital Vladimir. Under Vsevolod, stone construction was actively carried out, especially religious buildings (for example, the Demetrius Cathedral in Vladimir).

2. Foreign policy

Activities	results
Protection of the southeastern borders of Rus'. Establishment of trade relations with the Volga Bulgaria.	1183 - a successful campaign in the Volga Bulgaria, as a result of which the border of Bulgaria was moved beyond the Volga. Strong trade relations were established with her. 1184-1186 - successfully fought with the Mordovians.
Reflection of the Polovtsian raids.	Successfully fought with the Polovtsy. 1199 - a joint campaign against the Polovtsy was organized, in which the Vladimir, Ryazan and Suzdal princes participated.
Expansion of the territory in the south.	1184, 1186 - successful campaigns against the Bulgarians, as a result of which the territory in the south of the country significantly expanded and profitable trade relations were established, new trade routes were opened.

RESULTS OF ACTIVITIES

• The reign of Vsevolod the Big Nest is the period of the highest prosperity of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.
• The princely Vladimir power was strengthened, extending to all of Rus'.
• Viceroyalty became widespread. The prince put his sons to rule in large cities.
• Active urban planning was carried out, many white-stone buildings appeared.
• The prince had a large and strong army. It was about him that the ancient chronicler wrote in the Tale of Igor's Campaign that it « The Volga can be splashed with oars, and the Don can be scooped out with helmets.
• A successful foreign policy was carried out - campaigns against the Bulgars and Polovtsians were carried out. The border of the Volga Bulgaria was moved beyond the Volga.

Thus, Vsevolod the Big Nest for 37 years of his reign strengthened the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, making it the strongest in Rus'. His authority and "seniority" were recognized by all the princes of Rus'. Under him, the process of centralization of power became irreversible. He was a talented ruler and military leader.

Chronology of the life and work of Vsevolod the Big Nest

1176-1212	Board in the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality of Vsevolod the Big Nest.
1182	The city of Tver was founded - the future rival of Moscow.
1183	A successful trip to the Volga Bulgaria, the border was moved beyond the Volga.
1184, 1186	Successful trips to the Bulgarians.
1184-1186	Successfully fought with the Mordovians.
1185-1189	The Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir was reconstructed.
1208	Kyiv, Chernigov were subordinated. Ryazan.
1188-1211	Subjugated Novgorod.
1183-1197	Dmitrovsky Cathedral was built in Vladimir (sculptural decoration was used for the first time).
1192-1195	The Nativity Cathedral was built in Vladimir.
1194-1195	The magnificent Vladimirskiy detinets-Kremlin was built.