Rurikovichi- a princely and royal dynasty that ruled in Ancient Russia, and then in the Russian kingdom from 862 to 1598. In addition, Vasily Shuisky, also a descendant of Rurik, was the Russian Tsar in 1606-1610.
Numerous noble families go back to Rurik, such as Shuisky, Odoevsky, Volkonsky, Gorchakov, Baryatinsky, Obolensky, Repnin, Dolgorukov, Shcherbatov, Vyazemsky, Kropotkin, Dashkov, Dmitriev, Mussorgsky, Shakhovsky, Eropkin, Lvov, Prozorovsky, Ukhtomsky, Pozharsky, Gagarins, Romodanovskys, Khilkovs. Representatives of these clans played a prominent role in social, cultural and political life. Russian Empire, and then the Russian abroad.
The first Rurikovichs. Period of the centralized state
The Kyiv chronicler of the beginning of the XII century displays the Rurik dynasty "from beyond the sea." According to chronicle legend, the peoples of the north of Eastern Europe - the Chud, the whole, Slovenes and Krivichi - decided to look for a prince from the Varangians, who were called Rus. Three brothers responded to the call - Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. The first sat down to reign in Novgorod, the center of Slovenia, the second - on Beloozero, the third - in Izborsk. Rurik's warriors Askold and Dir, descending the Dnieper, began to reign in Kyiv, in the land of the meadows, relieving the latter of the need to pay tribute to the nomadic Khazars. Many scientists identify Rurik with the Scandinavian king Rorik of Jutland; F. Kruse was the first to put forward this hypothesis in 1836.
The direct ancestors of the subsequent Ruriks were the son of Rurik Igor (ruled in 912-945) and the son of Igor and Olga (945-960) Svyatoslav (945-972). In 970, Svyatoslav divided the territories subject to him between his sons: Yaropolk was planted in Kyiv, Oleg - in the land of the Drevlyans, and Vladimir - in Novgorod. In 978 or 980, Vladimir removed Yaropolk from power. In Novgorod (Slovenia), he planted his eldest son - Vysheslav (later Yaroslav), in Turov (Dregovichi) - Svyatopolk, in the land of the Drevlyans - Svyatoslav, and in Rostov (the land of Merya, colonized by the Slavs) - Yaroslav (later Boris), in Vladimir -Volynsky (Volynians) - Vsevolod, in Polotsk (Polotsk Krivichi) - Izyaslav, in Smolensk (Smolensk Krivichi) - Stanislav, and in Murom (originally the land of the Murom people) - Gleb. Another son of Vladimir, Mstislav, began to rule the Tmutorokan principality - an enclave of Russia in the Eastern Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov with a center on the Taman Peninsula.
After the death of Vladimir in 1015, his sons launched an internecine struggle for power. Vladimir wanted to see his son Boris as his successor, but power in Kyiv ended up in the hands of Svyatopolk. He organized the murder of his three brothers - Boris and Gleb, who later became the first Russian saints, as well as Svyatoslav. In 1016, Yaroslav, who reigned in Novgorod, opposed Svyatopolk. In the battle of Lubech, he defeated his younger brother, and Svyatopolk fled to Poland to his father-in-law Boleslav the Brave. In 1018, Boleslav and Svyatopolk set out on a campaign against Russia, and was taken to Kyiv. Having returned the throne of Kyiv to his son-in-law, the Polish prince returned. Yaroslav, having hired a Varangian squad, again moved to Kyiv. Svyatopolk fled. In 1019, Svyatopolk came to Kiev with the Pecheneg army, but was defeated by Yaroslav in a battle on the Alta River.
In 1021, the war with Yaroslav was waged by his nephew, the Polotsk prince Bryachislav, and in 1024 by his brother, the Tmutorokan prince Mstislav. Mstislav's forces were victorious near Listven near Chernigov, but the prince did not lay claim to Kyiv - the brothers concluded an agreement according to which the entire left bank of the Dnieper with the center in Chernigov went to Mstislav. Until 1036, there was a dual power in Russia between Yaroslav and Mstislav Vladimirovich, but then the second died without leaving sons, and Yaroslav concentrated all power in his hands. To prevent the recurrence of civil strife, he made a will, according to which Kyiv and Novgorod remained in the hands of one person - the eldest son of Izyaslav. In the south of Russia, power with Izyaslav was to be shared by his brothers Svyatoslav (Chernigov) and Vsevolod (Pereyaslavl). After the death of Yaroslav in 1054, this "triumvirate" shared the supreme power in the state for 14 years, after which Russia again faced strife. The Kyiv table was captured by the Polotsk prince Vseslav Bryachislavich (in 1068-1069), and then Svyatoslav Yaroslavich (in 1073-1076). After 1078, when Vsevolod Yaroslavich became Prince of Kiev, the situation in Russia stabilized. In 1093, after his death, internecine strife broke out with new force: the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Yaroslav competed for power. A particularly fierce struggle took place in the South-West of Russia, in addition to the Russian princes, foreigners, the Hungarians and the Polovtsy, joined in it. At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, the descendants of Yaroslav managed to agree on the distribution of volosts: at the congress of princes in Lyubech (1097), it was decided that the descendants of the three eldest sons of Yaroslav Vladimirovich should own the lands received from their fathers - “fatherlands”.
The period of strengthening the supreme power in Russia came after the reign in Kyiv in 1113 of the son of Vsevolod Yaroslavich and the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomakh - Vladimir Vsevolodovich, who also received the nickname "Monomakh". He reigned in Kyiv until 1125. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Mstislav Vladimirovich, after whose death the process of separation of the principalities became irreversible. Several state formations appeared on the territory of Russia. Of these, only in the Kiev land did not appear its own dynasty or its semblance, and, as a result, until the invasion of Batu, Kyiv was the object of constant struggle between different princes.
Rurikovich in the period of fragmentation
All lands gained political independence in different time. Chernihiv land actually received one even before 1132. By decision of the Lyubech Congress, Davyd and Oleg Svyatoslavichs, the sons of the Kiev prince Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, and then their descendants, the Davydovichi and Olgovichi, settled here. In 1127, the Muromo-Ryazan land was separated from the Chernigov Principality, which was inherited by the brother of Oleg and Davyd Yaroslav and later divided into Murom and Ryazan. The principalities of Przemysl and Trebovl were united in 1141 under the rule of Vladimirko Volodarevich, the great-grandson of the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise Vladimir. Vladimirko made Galich his capital - this is how the history of a separate Galician land began. Polotsk land in 1132 again passed into the hands of the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich. Representatives of the senior branch of the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh (from his first wife) ruled in the Smolensk and Volyn lands. His grandson Rostislav Mstislavich became the first independent prince in Smolensk and the ancestor of an independent Smolensk dynasty. In the Volyn land, the local dynasty was founded by Izyaslav Mstislavich, the brother of the previous one, and in the Suzdal (Rostov) land - by the son of Monomakh from his second marriage, Yuri Dolgoruky. All of them - both Rostislav, and Mstislav, and Yuri - at first received their lands only for holding, but after some time secured them for themselves and their closest relatives.
Another territory where the power of Monomashichs was established was Pereyaslavl land. However, a full-fledged dynasty was not formed there - both branches of Monomakh's descendants argued for possession of the land.
Turov-Pinsk land long time passed from hand to hand, and only by the end of the 1150s the princely family, founded by Yuri Yaroslavich, the grandson of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, was established there. In 1136, the Novgorod land also finally separated from Kyiv - after the expulsion of Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich, the period of the Novgorod Republic began here.
In the conditions of the division of the state, the most powerful princes tried to expand their possessions and political influence. The main struggle unfolded for Kyiv, Novgorod, and since 1199, the Galician table. After the death of Vladimir Yaroslavich, the Galician land was captured by the Volyn prince Roman Mstislavich, who united the Galician and Volyn lands into a single state. Finally, only his son Daniel, who ruled the Galicia-Volyn principality from 1238 to 1264, managed to finally restore order in these territories.
Monomashichs - descendants of Yuri Dolgoruky
The Suzdal Prince Yuri Dolgoruky had several sons. In an effort to protect the Suzdal land from internal fragmentation, he allocated land to them not within its borders, but in the South. In 1157, Yuri died, and Andrei Bogolyubsky (1157-1174) succeeded him in Suzdal. In 1162, he sent several brothers and nephews outside the Suzdal region. After his death at the hands of the conspirators, two of the nephews he had expelled - Mstislav and Yaropolk Rostislavich - were invited by Rostov and Suzdal to the throne. Meanwhile, the "younger" cities of the Suzdal land supported the claims to power of Andrei's brothers - Mikhalka and Vsevolod. In 1176, after the death of his brother, Vsevolod began to reign in Vladimir alone, and a year later, he defeated the Rostov squad of Mstislav Rostislavich near Yuryev. Vsevolod Yurievich ruled until 1212, he was nicknamed the Big Nest. He began to title himself "Grand Duke".
After the death of Vsevolod the Big Nest, for several decades, his sons, and then the sons of his son, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, became the Grand Dukes of Vladimir for several decades. In 1252, Alexander Nevsky received a label for the great reign of Vladimir. Under him, the authority of the power of the Grand Duke was strengthened, Novgorod and Smolensk finally entered the field of its influence. After the death of Alexander, under his sons Dmitry Pereyaslavsky (1277-1294) and Andrei Gorodetsky (1294-1304), the political weight of Vladimir, on the contrary, weakened. The "ladder system" of succession to the throne of Vladimir assumed that the great reign would belong to the eldest descendant of Vsevolod the Big Nest, and from the beginning of the 14th century, the Grand Dukes of Vladimir preferred to live in the centers of their appanages, only occasionally visiting Vladimir.
Moscow dynasty
An independent Moscow principality arose under Alexander Nevsky. Daniil of Moscow became the first prince. By the end of his life, he annexed a number of territories to his inheritance, the young principality began to rapidly gain strength. The goal of the eldest son of Daniel, Yuri (1303-1325), was the great reign of Vladimir: in 1318, having defeated the Tver prince Mikhail Yaroslavich, Yuri received a label, but in 1322 Khan Uzbek handed it over to the Tver prince Dmitry. Having gone to the Horde to defend his rights, Yuri was killed by Dmitry Tverskoy. Childless Yuri was succeeded by his younger brother Ivan Danilovich, better known by the nickname Kalita. His goal was the rise of Moscow. In 1327, he took part in the Tatars' punitive campaign against Tver, whose inhabitants killed a large Tatar detachment, and soon received a khan's label for the great reign of Vladimir. Both Kalita and his sons Semyon the Proud (1340-1353) and Ivan the Red (1353-1359) tried in every possible way to maintain peace in relations with the Horde. Ivan the Red was succeeded by his young son Dmitry. Under him, the great reign of Vladimir became the "patrimony" of the Moscow princes. In 1367, the Moscow ruling elite took into custody Prince Mikhail of Tver, who had come to negotiate. He miraculously got out of captivity and complained to his son-in-law, the Lithuanian prince Olgerd. The Lithuanians marched on Moscow three times. In 1375 Dmitry Ivanovich marched on Tver with a large army. The city withstood the siege, but Mikhail of Tver decided not to risk it and recognized himself as a vassal of Dmitry of Moscow. In the mid-1370s, Dmitry began to prepare for a war with the Horde. He was supported by many princes. In 1380, the Russian troops won a decisive victory over the forces of the Horde commander Mamai in the Battle of Kulikovo, but the princes failed to quickly unite in the face of a new danger. In the summer of 1382, the troops of Khan Tokhtamysh captured Moscow, and Dmitry had to resume paying tribute. After Dmitry Donskoy, his son Vasily I (1389-1425) reigned. Under him, Moscow managed to avoid plunder twice: in 1395 Timur, who had already occupied the city of Yelets, unexpectedly refused to march on Moscow, and in 1408 the Muscovites managed to pay off Timur’s protege Edigey, whose troops were already standing under the walls of the city.
In 1425, Vasily I died, and a long dynastic turmoil (1425-1453) began in the Moscow principality. Part of the descendants of Dmitry Donskoy and the nobility supported the young Vasily II, part - his uncle, Prince Yuri Zvenigorodsky. A weak ruler and commander, in the summer of 1445 Vasily II was captured by the Tatars and was released in exchange for a huge ransom. The son of Yuri Zvenigorodsky Dmitry Shemyaka, who ruled in Uglich, took advantage of the indignation over the size of the ransom: he captured Moscow, took Vasily II prisoner and ordered him to be blinded. In February 1447, Vasily regained the Moscow throne and gradually took revenge on all opponents. Dmitry Shemyaka, who fled to Novgorod, was poisoned in 1453 by people sent from Moscow.
In 1462, Vasily the Dark died, and his son Ivan (1462-1505) came to the throne. During the 43 years of his reign, Ivan III managed to create a single Russian state for the first time after hundreds of years of fragmentation. Already in the 1470s, Ivan Vasilievich ordered that in diplomatic correspondence he be called the "sovereign of all Russia." In 1480 with standing on the Ugra "more than two centuries ended Horde yoke. Ivan III set out to gather all Russian lands under his scepter: one after another, Perm (1472), Yaroslavl (1473), Rostov (1474), Novgorod (1478), Tver (1485), Vyatka (1489), Pskov (1510), Ryazan (1521). Was liquidated most of destinies. The heir of Ivan III was ultimately his son, who was born in a marriage with Sophia Paleolog, Vasily III. Thanks to his mother, he won a long dynastic struggle with the grandson of Ivan III from the eldest son, born of his first wife. Vasily III ruled until 1533, after which his successor Ivan IV the Terrible took the throne. Until 1538, the country was actually ruled by a regent, his mother Elena Glinskaya. Ivan Vasilievich's heir was his eldest son Ivan, but in 1581 he died from a blow with a staff that his father inflicted on him. As a result, the father was succeeded by the second son, Fedor. He was incapable of state power, and in fact the country was ruled by his wife's brother, the boyar Boris Godunov. After the death of the childless Fyodor in 1598, the Zemsky Sobor elected Boris Godunov as tsar. The Rurik dynasty on the Russian throne was cut short. In 1606-1610, however, Vasily Shuisky, from the family of descendants of the Suzdal princes, also Rurikovich, reigned in Russia.
Tver branch
The Tver principality began to gain strength in the second half of the 13th century, standing out as an independent inheritance of the younger brother of Alexander Nevsky, Yaroslav Yaroslavich. After him, Svyatoslav Yaroslavich (until 1282) and Mikhail Yaroslavich (1282-1318) reigned in Tver in turn. The latter received a label for the great reign of Vladimir, and Tver became the main center of North-Eastern Russia. Serious political mistakes led to the loss of leadership in favor of Moscow by the princes of Tver: both Mikhail of Tverskoy and his sons Dmitry Mikhailovich the Terrible Ochi (1322-1326) and Alexander Mikhailovich (1326-1327, 1337-1339) were executed by order of the Horde khans. The fate of the two elder brothers forced Konstantin Mikhailovich (1328-1346) to be extremely careful in his political steps. After his death, another son of Mikhail of Tver, Vasily Mikhailovich (1349-1368), reigned in Tver. As a result of long strife, he eventually lost the throne, and Tver came under the authority of the appanage prince Mikhail Aleksandrovich Mikulinsky. In 1375, he made peace with Dmitry of Moscow, after which Moscow and Tver did not conflict for a long time. In particular, the prince of Tver maintained neutrality during the war between Dmitry of Moscow and Mamai in 1380. After Mikhail Alexandrovich, Ivan Mikhailovich (1399-1425) ruled in Tver, he continued his father's policy. The heyday of the Tver principality came under the successor and grandson of Ivan Mikhailovich Boris Alexandrovich (1425-1461), but the continuation of the policy of "armed neutrality" did not help the Tver princes to prevent the conquest of Tver by Moscow.
Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan branches
A prominent position in North-Eastern Russia was occupied by the Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod principality. The short-term rise of Suzdal fell on the years of the reign of Alexander Vasilyevich (1328-1331), who received a label for a great reign from Khan Uzbek. In 1341, Khan Dzhanibek handed over Nizhny Novgorod and Gorodets from the possession of Moscow back to the Suzdal princes. In 1350, Prince Konstantin Vasilyevich of Suzdal (1331-1355) transferred the capital of the principality from Suzdal to Nizhny Novgorod. The Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod princes failed to achieve the flourishing of their state: the uncertain foreign policy of Dmitry Konstantinovich (1365-1383) and the strife that began after his death undermined the resources and authority of the principality and gradually turned it into the possession of the Moscow princes.
In the Ryazan principality, separated in the middle of the XII century, the descendants of Yaroslav Svyatoslavich, the youngest son of Svyatoslav Yaroslavich of Chernigov, one of the three Yaroslavichs, ruled. In the second half, Prince Oleg Ivanovich Ryazansky ruled here. He tried to pursue a flexible policy, maintaining neutrality in the confrontation between the Tatars and Moscow. In 1402, Oleg Ryazansky died, the dynastic ties between Ryazan and Moscow began to intensify. Prince Vasily Ivanovich (1456-1483) married the daughter of Ivan III of Moscow, Anna. In 1521, Vasily III included the lands of the Ryazan Principality into his possessions.
Polotsk, Chernihiv, Galician dynasties
The princes of Polotsk did not descend from Yaroslav the Wise, like all other Russian princes, but from another son of St. Vladimir, Izyaslav, so the Polotsk principality always kept apart. Izyaslavichi were the eldest branch of the Rurikovich. From the beginning of the 14th century rulers of Lithuanian origin reigned in Polotsk.
In the Chernigov-Bryansk and Smolensk principalities, Moscow competed with Lithuania. Around 1339, Smolensk recognized the suzerainty of Lithuania over itself. With the Bryansk princes, vassals of Smolensk, in the winter of 1341-1342, Moscow established family relations: the daughter of Prince Dmitry of Bryansk was married off to the son of Ivan Kalita. By the beginning of the 15th century, both Smolensk and Bryansk were finally captured by the Lithuanians.
At the beginning of the XIV century, the grandson of Daniil Galitsky Yuri Lvovich (1301-1308), having subjugated the entire territory of Galicia-Volyn Russia, following the example of his grandfather, took the title of "King of Russia". The Galicia-Volyn principality gained a serious military potential and a certain foreign policy independence. After the death of Yuri, the principality was divided between his sons Lev (Galych) and Andrei (Vladimir Volynsky). Both princes died in 1323 under unclear circumstances and left no heirs. With the departure of the Yurievichs, the line of the Rurikovichs in Galicia-Volyn Rus, which ruled for more than a hundred years, was cut short.
The Rurikovichs were for sure, but was there Rurik ... Most likely he was, but his personality still raises many more questions than answers.
The Tale of Bygone Years tells about the calling of Rurik by the Eastern Slavs. It was according to the "Tale" in 862 (although the chronology in Russia in those years was different, and the year actually was not 862). Some researchers. and this can be seen in particular from the diagram below, Rurik is called the ancestor of the dynasty, but its foundation is considered only from his son Igor. Probably, during his lifetime, Rurik did not have time to realize himself as the founder of the dynasty, because he was busy with other things. But the descendants, on reflection, decided to call themselves a dynasty.
Three main hypotheses have been formed regarding the origin of .
- The first - the Norman theory - claims that Rurik with his brothers and squad were from the Vikings. At the time, as proven by research, the name Rurik really existed among the Scandinavian peoples (meaning "illustrious and noble husband"). True, there are problems with a specific candidate, information about which is also available in other historical stories or documents. There is no unequivocal identification with anyone: for example, the noble Danish Viking of the 9th century, Rorik of Jutland, or a certain Eirik Emundarson from Sweden, who raided the Baltic lands, is described.
- The second, Slavic version, where Rurik is shown as a representative of the princely family of obodrites from the West Slavic lands. There is evidence that one of the Slavic tribes living on the territory of historical Prussia was then called the Varangians. Rurik, on the other hand, is a variant of the West Slavic "Rerek, Rarog" - the name is not personal, but the name of the Obodrite princely family, denoting "falcon". Supporters of this version believe that the coat of arms of the Rurikovich was just a symbolized image of a falcon.
- The third theory believes that Rurik did not really exist at all - the founder of the Rurik dynasty emerged during the struggle for power from the local Slavic population, and two hundred years later, his descendants, in order to ennoble their origin, ordered the author of The Tale of Bygone Years a propaganda story about the Varangian Rurik.
The princely dynasty of Rurikovich over the years was split into many branches. Few European dynasties can compare with her in branching and numerous offspring. But such was the very policy of this ruling group, they did not set the task of firmly sitting in the capital, on the contrary, they sent their offspring to all corners of the country.
The branching of the Rurikoviches begins in the generation of Prince Vladimir (who calls him as Saint, and who - Bloody), and first of all the line of princes of Polotsk, descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, is separated.
Very briefly about some of the Ruriks
After the death of Rurik, power passed to Saint Oleg, who became the guardian of the young son of Rurik - Igor. Prophetic Oleg united the Russian disparate principalities into one state. He glorified himself with intelligence and militancy, with a large army he went down the Dnieper, took Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv and made the latter his capital city. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg showed little Igor to the glades:
"Here is the son of Rurik - your prince."
As you know, according to legend, he died from a snake bite.
Further Igor grew up and became the Grand Duke of Kiev. He contributed to the strengthening of statehood among the Eastern Slavs, the expansion of the power of the Kiev prince to the Eastern Slavic tribal associations between the Dniester and the Danube. But in the end he turned out to be a greedy ruler, for which he was killed by the Drevlyans.
Olga, Igor's wife, cruelly avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband and conquered their main city of Korosten. She was distinguished by a rare mind and great abilities. In her declining years, she adopted Christianity and was later canonized as a saint.
One of the most famous princesses in Russia.
Svyatoslav. Known as one of the most prominent commanders from the Rurik dynasty, for the most part, he did not sit still, but was on military campaigns. his son Yaropolk blamed for the death of his brother Oleg, who tried to claim the throne of Kyiv.
But Yaropolk was also killed, and again by his brother, Vladimir.
the same Vladimir that Russia baptized. The Kyiv Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich was at first a fanatical pagan, he is also credited with such traits as vindictiveness and bloodthirstiness. At least he did not spare his brother and got rid of him in order to take the princely throne in Kyiv.
His son Yaroslav Vladimirovich, to whom history added the nickname “Wise”, was a really wise and diplomatic ruler of the Old Russian state. The time of his reign is not only internecine feudal wars between close relatives, but also attempts to bring Kievan Rus to the world political arena, attempts to overcome feudal fragmentation, and the construction of new cities. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the development of Slavic culture, a kind of golden period of the Old Russian state.
Izyaslav - I- the eldest son of Yaroslav, after the death of his father, took the throne of Kyiv, but after an unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsy, he was driven out by the people of Kiev, and his brother became the Grand Duke Svyatoslav. After the death of the latter, Izyaslav returned to Kyiv again.
Vsevolod - I could be a useful ruler and a worthy representative of the Ruriks, but it did not work out. This prince was pious, truthful, very fond of education and knew five languages, but the raids of the Polovtsians, famine, pestilence and troubles in the country did not favor his principality. He stayed on the throne only thanks to his son Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh.
Svyatopolk - II- the son of Izyaslav-I, who inherited the throne of Kyiv after Vsevolod-I, was characterized by spinelessness and was not able to pacify the civil strife of the princes for the possession of cities. At the congress in Lyubich, Pereslavl in 1097, the princes kissed the cross "to each own his father's land", but soon Prince David Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko.
The princes gathered again for a congress in Vyatichenia in 1100, and deprived David of Volhynia; at the suggestion of Vladimir Monomakh, they decided at the Dolobsky congress, in 1103, to undertake joint trip on the Polovtsians, the Russians defeated the Polovtsians on the Sala River (in 1111) and took many crowds: Cattle, sheep, horses, etc. Some Polovtsian princes killed up to 20 people. The fame of this victory spread far among the Greeks, Hungarians and other Slavs.
Vladimir Monomakh. A well-known representative of the Rurik dynasty. Despite the seniority of the Svyatopolk II, after the death of Svyatopolk II, Vladimir Monomakh was elected to the throne of Kiev, who, according to the chronicle, "wished well the brethren and the whole Russian land." He stood out for his great abilities, rare intelligence, courage and tirelessness. He was happy in campaigns against the Polovtsians. He humbled the princes with his severity. Remarkably left by him is the “teaching to children”, in which he gives a purely Christian moral teaching and a high example of the service of the prince to his homeland.
Mstislav - I. Resembling his father Monomakh, the son of Monomakh, Mstislav I, lived in harmony with his brothers in mind and character, inspiring respect and fear in recalcitrant princes. So, he expelled the Polovtsian princes who disobeyed him to Greece, and instead of them in the city of Polotsk he planted his son to rule.
Yaropolk, brother of Mstislav, Yaropolk, the son of Monomakh, decided to transfer the inheritance not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew. Thanks to the strife that arose from here, the “Monomakhovichi” lost the Kyiv throne, which passed to the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich - the “Olegovichi”.
Vsevolod - II. Having achieved the great reign, Vsevolod wanted to secure the throne of Kyiv in his own way and handed it over to his brother Igor Olegovich. But not recognized by the people of Kiev and tonsured a monk, Igor was soon killed.
Izyaslav - II. The people of Kiev recognized Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who, with his intelligence, brilliant talents, courage and friendliness, vividly resembled his famous grandfather Monomakh. With the accession to the grand-ducal throne of Izyaslav-II, the rooted in ancient Russia the concept of seniority: In one way, a nephew during the life of an uncle could not be a grand duke.
Yury Dolgoruky". Prince of Suzdal since 1125, Grand Duke Kyiv in 1149-1151, 1155-1157, founder of Moscow. Yuri was the sixth son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh. After the death of his father, he inherited the Rostov-Suzdal Principality and immediately began to strengthen the borders of his inheritance, building fortresses on them. So, for example, during his reign, the fortress of Xiantin, as modern Tver was called before, arose. By his order, the cities were founded: Dubna, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Zvenigorod, Gorodets. The first annalistic mention of Moscow dated 1147 is also associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky.
The life of this prince is unusual and interesting. The younger son of Vladimir Monomakh could not claim more than a specific principality. As an inheritance, he received the Rostov Principality, which became prosperous under Yuri. Many settlements arose here. The indefatigable son of Monomakh received his nickname "Long-armed" for his ambitions, for constantly interfering in other people's affairs and for the constant desire to seize foreign lands.
Owning the Rostov-Suzdal land, Yuri always sought to expand the territory of his principality and often raided neighboring lands owned by his relatives. Most of all, he dreamed of taking possession of Kiev. In 1125, Yuri moved the capital of the principality from Rostov to Suzdal, from where he made campaigns to the south, reinforcing his squad with mercenary Polovtsian detachments. He annexed the cities of Murom, Ryazan, part of the lands along the banks of the Volga to the Rostov principality.
The Suzdal prince occupied Kyiv three times, but he never managed to stay there for a long time. The struggle for a great reign with his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich was long. Three times Yuri entered Kyiv as the Grand Duke, but only the third time he remained so until the end of his days. The people of Kiev did not like Prince Yuri. This was due to the fact that Yuri had resorted to the help of the Polovtsy more than once and was almost always a troublemaker during periods of struggle for the throne. Yuri Dolgoruky was a "newcomer" for the people of Kiev, from the North. According to the chronicler, after the death of Yuri in 1157, the people of Kiev plundered his rich mansions and killed the Suzdal detachment that came with him.
Andrey Bogolyubsky. Having taken the grand ducal title, Andrey Yuryevich transferred the throne to Vladimir on the Klyazma, and since then Kyiv began to lose its leading position. The stern and strict Andrei wanted to be autocratic, that is, to rule Russia without a vecha and squads. Andrei Bogolyubsky mercilessly pursued the disgruntled boyars, they plotted on Andrei's life and killed him.
Alexander Nevskiy". Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251). Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky consistently pursued a policy aimed at strengthening the northwestern borders of Russia and reconciliation with the Tatars.
While still the prince of Novgorod (1236-1251), he showed himself to be an experienced commander and a wise ruler. Thanks to the victories won in the “Battle of the Neva” (1240), in the “Battle on the Ice” (1242), as well as numerous sorties against the Lithuanians, Alexander for a long time discouraged the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians from wanting to take over the northern Russian lands.
Alexander conducted an opposite policy towards the Mongols-Tatars. It was a policy of peace and cooperation, the purpose of which was to prevent a new invasion of Russia. The prince often traveled to the Horde with rich gifts. He managed to achieve the release of Russian soldiers from the obligation to fight on the side of the Mongol-Tatars.
Yuri - III. Having married the sister of Khan Konchak, in Orthodoxy Agafya, Yuri gained great strength and help in the person of the Tatars who were related to him. But soon, thanks to the claims of Prince Dmitry, the son of Mikhail, who was tortured by Khan, he had to appear for a report to the horde. Here, at the first meeting with Dmitry, Yuri was killed by him, in revenge for the death of his father and for the violation of morality (marrying a Tatar).
Dmitry - II. Dmitry Mikhailovich, nicknamed "terrible eyes", for the murder of Yuri III, was executed by the Khan for arbitrariness.
Alexander Tverskoy. Brother of Dmitry executed in the Horde -II Alexander Mikhailovich was approved by the Khan on the throne of the Grand Duke. He was distinguished by his kindness and was loved by the people, but he ruined himself by allowing the Tverichians to kill the hated Khan's ambassador Shchelkan. Khan sent 50,000 Tatar troops against Alexander. Alexander fled from the Khan's wrath to Pskov, and from there to Lithuania. Ten years later, Alexander of Tver returned and was forgiven by the khan. Not getting along, however, with the Prince of Moscow, John Kalita, Alexander
he was slandered by him before the khan, the khan summoned him to the horde and executed him.
John I Kalita. John -I Danilovich, the cautious and cunning prince, nicknamed Kalita (purse for money) for his thrift, devastated the Tver principality with the help of the Tatars, taking advantage of the violence of the indignant Tverichians against the Tatars. He took upon himself the collection of tribute from all over Russia for the Tatars, and having greatly enriched himself thanks to this, he bought cities from the specific princes. In 1326, thanks to the efforts of Kalita, the metropolis from Vladimir was transferred to Moscow, and here, according to Metropolitan Peter, the Assumption Cathedral was laid. Since then, Moscow, as the seat of the Metropolitan of All Russia, has acquired the significance of the Russian center.
John -II Ioannovich, a meek and peace-loving prince, followed the advice of Metropolitan Alexei in everything, who was of great importance in the Horde. During this time, relations between Moscow and the Tatars have improved significantly.
Vasily - I. Sharing with the father of the reign, Vasily I ascended the throne as an experienced prince and, following the example of his predecessors, actively expands the boundaries of the Moscow principality: he acquired Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In 1395, Russia was threatened by the danger of an invasion by Timur, the formidable Tatar khan. Between
Vasily did not pay tribute to the Tatars, but collected it in the grand ducal treasury. In 1408, the Tatar Murza Edigey attacked Moscow, but having received a ransom of 3,000 rubles, he lifted the siege from it. In the same year, after long disputes between Vasily I and Lithuanian prince Vitovt, both cautious and cunning, the Ugra River was appointed the extreme border of Lithuanian possessions from Russia.
Vasily - II Dark. Vasily II's infancy was taken advantage of by Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky, who declared his claims to seniority. But at the trial in the horde, the khan leaned in favor of Vasily, thanks to the efforts of the smart Moscow boyar Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The boyar hoped to marry his daughter to Vasily, but was deceived in his hopes: Offended, he left Moscow to Yuri Dmitrievich and assisted him in mastering the grand throne, on which Yuri died in 1434, when Yuri's son Vasily oblique decided to inherit his father's power, then all the princes rebelled against him.
Vasily II captured him and blinded him: Then Dmitry Shemyaka, brother of Vasily Kosoy, by cunning captured Vasily II, blinded him and took the Moscow throne. Soon, however, Shemyaka had to give the throne to Vasily II. During the reign of Vasily II, the Greek metropolitan Isidore accepted the Florentine union (1439), for which Vasily II put Isidore in custody, and Ryazan Bishop John was appointed metropolitan. Thus, from now on, Russian metropolitans are supplied by a council of Russian bishops. Behind last years grand duchy, the internal structure of the grand duchy was the subject of the main concerns of Vasily II.
John III. Adopted by his father as a co-ruler, John III Vasilievich ascended the throne as the full owner of Russia. At first, he severely punished the Novgorodians who started to become Lithuanian subjects, and in 1478, “for a new offense,” he finally subdued them. Novgorodians lost at this veche and
self-government, and the Novgorod posadnitsa Maria and the veche bell were sent to the camp of John.
In 1485, after the final conquest of other appanages more or less dependent on the Moscow principality, John finally annexed the Tver principality to Moscow. By this time, the Tatars were divided into three independent hordes: Golden, Kazan and Crimean. They were at enmity with each other and were no longer afraid of the Russians. IN official history it is believed that it was John III in 1480, having entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, tore the khan's basma, ordered the khan's ambassadors to be taken to execution, and then, without bloodshed, overthrew the Tatar yoke.
Vasily III. The son of John -III from his marriage with Sophia Paleologus Vasily -III was distinguished by pride and impregnability, punished the descendants of appanage princes and boyars subject to him, who dared to rebuke him. He is "the last collector of the Russian land."
Having annexed the last appanages (Pskov, the northern principality), he completely destroyed the appanage system. He fought twice with Lithuania, on the teaching of the Lithuanian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky, who entered his service, and, finally, in 1514, he took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. The war with Kazan and the Crimea was difficult for Vasily, but ended in the punishment of Kazan: Trade was diverted from there to the Makaryev fair, which was later transferred to Nizhny. Vasily divorced his wife Solomonia and married Princess Elena Glinskaya, the more he aroused the boyars dissatisfied with him. From this marriage, Vasily had a son, John.
Elena Glinskaya. Appointed Basil -III the ruler of the state, the mother of the three-year-old John, Elena Glinskaya, immediately took drastic measures against the boyars who were dissatisfied with her. She made peace with Lithuania and decided to fight the Crimean Tatars, who boldly attacked Russian possessions, but in the midst of preparing for a desperate struggle, she died suddenly.
John IV the Terrible. Left at the age of 8 in the hands of the boyars, the intelligent and talented Ivan Vasilievich grew up among the struggle of parties over the rule of the state, among violence, secret murders and incessant exile. He himself often endured harassment from the boyars, he learned to hate them, and the cruelty, violence and violence that surrounded him
rudeness contributed to the hardening of his heart.
In 1552, Kazan, which dominated the entire Volga region, was conquered by John, and in 1556 the kingdom of Astrakhan was annexed to the Moscow state. The desire to establish himself on the shores of the Baltic Sea forced John to start the Livonian War, which brought him into conflict with Poland and Sweden. The war began quite successfully, but ended in the most unfavorable truce for John with Poland and Sweden: John not only did not establish himself on the shores of the Baltic, but also lost the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The sad era of "search", disgrace and executions began. John left Moscow, went with his entourage to Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda and here he surrounded himself with guardsmen, whom John opposed to the rest of the land, the Zemstvo.
The history of the foundation of Russia in the 9th century AD is shrouded in a dense veil of secrets, which sometimes contradict the statements of the official history of the Russian state. The name of Prince Rurik is associated with many hypotheses and studies that are trying to restore the chain of true events of that distant time.
Perhaps these hypotheses would have been fewer if not for one main circumstance: the foundation of the ruling dynasty is associated with the name of Rurik, whose representatives occupied the Russian thrones until 1610, until the Time of Troubles, before the change of the Rurik dynasty to the Romanov dynasty.
So, Rurik.
Official data:
- the year of birth is unknown, from the Varangian princely family, the family coat of arms is a falcon falling down.
- Called by the Slavs to suppress civil strife with the Finno-Ugric tribes in 862 AD.
- becomes the prince of Novgorod and the ancestor of the princely, royal dynasty of Rurik.
- died in 879 AD.
The arrival of Rurik with the tribal squad, in historiography, is usually called the "Vocation of the Varangians." Brothers Sineus and Truvor came with Rurik. After the death of the brothers in 864, Rurik becomes the sole ruler of the Novgorod principality.
Versions of the origin of Rurik:
- The Norman version claims that Rurik comes from the Scandinavian Vikings. Some researchers associate Rurik with Rorik of Jutland from Denmark, and others with Eirik from Sweden.
- The West Slavic version claims that Rurik is from the Wagrs or Prussians. This theory was followed by M.V. Lomonosov.
After the death of Rurik in 879, he was succeeded by his son Igor. Igor was raised by Prophetic Oleg, whose involvement in the Rurik family is doubtful. Most likely, Prophetic Oleg was one of Rurik's squad, or at least he was in a distant relationship.
The influence of the Rurik dynasty began to spread to all Slavic lands south of Novgorod.
The direct line of succession after Rurik continued. After Igor followed Svyatoslav Igorevich, Vladimir Svyatoslavich (Great), Yaroslav (Wise). After the death of Yaroslav the Wise (1054), the process of branching of the genealogical line of Rurikovich began.
The division was caused by the Ladder Order and the growing feudal fragmentation of Russia. Separate descendants of the senior princes became sovereign princes of the separated principalities. The sons of Yaroslav the Wise led the so-called "Triumvirate":
- Izyaslav ruled Kiev, Novgorod and the lands to the west of the Dnieper.
- Svyatoslav ruled Chernigov and Murom.
- Vsevolod reigned in Rostov, Suzdal and Pereyaslavl.
Of these three branches, the branch of Vsevolod and his son Vladimir Monomakh turned out to be the strongest. This branch was able to expand its possessions at the expense of Smolensk, Galich and Volhynia. In 1132, the son of Vladimir Monomakh, Mstislav the Great, died. At that time Kievan Rus broke up completely. The formation and strengthening of local dynasties began, which, however, were also Rurikovich.
We will concentrate on the Rurik dynasty from the main branch - Monomakhovichi.
Such well-known princes belonged to this branch: Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrei Bogolyubsky, Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the First Kalita, Simeon Ivanovich Proud, Ivan the Second Red, Dmitry Donskoy; hereditary princes: Vasily the First Dmitrievich, Vasily the Second Dark, Ivan the Third Vasilyevich, Vasily the Third Ivanovich; Moscow tsars: Ivan the Fourth the Terrible, Fedor the First Ioannovich.
The reign of Fyodor Ioannovich, the third son of Ivan the Terrible, was the last in a long line of offspring of the semi-legendary Varangian prince Rurik. With the death of Fyodor Ioannovich, the bloody Time of Troubles began for Russia, which ended with the capture of Kitai-Gorod in Moscow on November 4, 1612 and the election of a new tsar.
The beginning of the Rurik dynasty is associated with the calling of the Varangians - three brothers: Rurik, Sineus and Truvor to rule in Russia (862). It was from Prince Rurik that the Rurik family originated. They were the first dynasty of princes and tsars who reigned in Russia.
Before their arrival, the power of the people (tribes) acted on the Russian lands, intertribal wars began, and it was decided to call on a prince from outside who would rule them.
Despite the fact that Rurik is considered the founder of the family, historians call the Kiev prince Igor, the son of Rurik, the founder of the Rurik dynasty.
The rulers of the Rurik dynasty ruled the Russian state for more than 700 years.
Rule of the Rurik dynasty
During the reign of the first princes from the Rurik dynasty (Oleg Rurikovich, Igor Rurikovich, Olga - the wife of Prince Igor and his son Svyatoslav), the formation of a single state began:
1) Prince Oleg - in 882 the city of Kyiv became the capital of Kievan Rus;
2) Prince Igor - in 944 Russia concluded the first peace treaty with Byzantium;
3) Princess Olga - in 945 the introduction of dues (a fixed amount of tribute) and in 947 the administrative-territorial division of the Novgorod land;
4) Prince Svyatoslav - in 969 the vicegerency system was introduced, in 963 the subordination of the Tmutarakan principality of Russia.
The reign of Vladimir 1 and Yaroslav the Wise (late 10th - first half of the 11th century) is considered the heyday of the state:
1) St. Vladimir - in 988, the Baptism of Russia (adoption Orthodox faith) - an event that positively influenced the further development of the state;
2) Yaroslav the Wise - Russia freed itself for almost 25 years from the raids of nomadic tribes and became a European power.
During the reign of the Yaroslavichs and Vladimir Monomakh (the second half of the 11th century - the second half of the 12th century), feudal fragmentation began in 1097 at the Lyubech Congress of Princes.
In the second half of the 12th and until the middle of the 13th centuries, Russia was ruled by: Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest. At this time, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was formed.
From the middle of the 13th to the end of the 14th centuries, the Tatar-Mongolian yoke (the beginning of the Golden Horde period) settled in the northwestern and northeastern Russian lands. They captured many cities and in 1240 destroyed Kyiv. The defeat of the Tatar-Mangols was committed in 1380 at the Battle of Kulikovo.
During the reign of Ivan Kalita, Moscow became the center of all Russian lands.
Under Dmitry Donskoy, the first stone Kremlin was built in Moscow.
Under Vasily 2, all small destinies within the Moscow principality were liquidated and the grand ducal power was strengthened.
During the reign of Ivan 3, Vasily 3 and Ivan the Terrible, the formation of the Moscow centralized state and estate-representative monarchy began.
The end of the reign of Ivan the Terrible is associated with the onset of the Time of Troubles, one of the many reasons for which was the suppression of the Rurik dynasty.
The last king of the Rurik dynasty was the son of Ivan the Terrible - Fedor Ivanovich Rurikovich. Because Tsar Fyodor had no children, and his brother Dmitry was killed, and the Rurik family tree was cut off on Fyodor. After the death of Fedor, Boris Godunov became the Tsar of Moscow and All Russia.
Contrary to popular belief, the last Rurikovich on the Russian throne was not the childless and weak-willed son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ioannovich. The last Rurikovich at the head of the country was Vasily Shuisky, who ruled in 1606-1610. The Poles defeated him, and he died in captivity. After that, Russia was ruled by the Romanovs, whose entire connection with the Rurikovich was based on the fact that Fedor Ioannovich was the cousin of Mikhail Romanov, the first tsar of the new dynasty.
Revenge of the Rurikovich
However, the Rurikovich had another brief period of triumph - the prime minister of Russia from March to July 1917 was Prince Georgy Lvov, a representative of one of the branches of the Rurikovich. After the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II, he became Minister of the Interior and Minister-Chairman of the Provisional Government. In the summer, after the failure of the offensive of Russian troops in Galicia and the attempted Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd, Lvov resigned. The Rurikovichs took revenge on the Romanovs, but they were no longer able to take advantage of the fruits of the victory.
Better than England but worse than Japan
The Ruriks ruled for 748 years - from 862 to 1610. This is not such a bad result, but the Bourbons ruled France for only 259 years, and then with breaks for the Revolution and the First Empire. True, the Bourbons are just a junior branch of the ancient Capetian dynasty that has ruled France since 987. But the result of the Rurikovich is clearly better than that of the English monarchs, where dynasties change about once a century. The oldest dynasty in the world is the Japanese imperial house, whose ancestry goes directly to the goddess of the Sun. The founder of the Jimmu dynasty ruled from the 7th century BC. However, the first more or less reliable information about the imperial power concerns only the 5th century AD, which, however, is also not bad.
exile bell
The story of the last healthy descendant of Ivan the Terrible, the young Tsarevich Dmitry, is known: in 1591 he died in Uglich under extremely suspicious circumstances. After 14 years, the Time of Troubles followed, however, the first victims followed immediately - following the results of the investigation of the incident, two hundred residents of Uglich were executed. The most unusual victim was the bell, which announced the death of the prince to the townspeople. He was punished according to all the rules: they flogged him with whips, pulled out his tongue and sent him to Tobolsk. This link was the longest in the history of Russia - the bell spent three hundred years there. Only in 1892, Alexander III agreed to amnesty the bell, and the bell was returned back to Uglich, where anyone can see it now.
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