The first major work on ancient Russian history is the book of the famous Russian scientist Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov. In his work, which the scientist composed from 1751 to 1758, Lomonosov singled out two parts: Russia before Rurik and Russian princes, who were on the throne from 862 to 1054. This work of Lomonosov has been translated into German and French.
Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov
MV Lomonosov was born on November 19, 1711 in the village of the Arkhangelsk province in the family of a peasant fisherman. A thirst for knowledge forced him to leave his village at the age of 19 along with a caravan of merchants who was heading to Moscow. The developed ability to study by nature allowed Lomonosov to graduate from the Slavic Greek-Latin Academy in Moscow, and then continue his studies at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, as well as in German educational institutions.
As a result, MV Lomonosov became a famous scientist, philosopher, physicist, chemist, mathematician, geographer, writer and polyglot. He became the founder of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1755 he founded the first Russian university, which now bears his name. In 1751, the scientist received a task from Empress Catherine the Second to write ancient Russian history. In addition to history, he is the author of Rhetoric (1748) and the first Russian Grammar (1755).
Prerequisites for writing Ancient Russian History
Until the middle of the 18th century, the Russian Empire did not have a single work in its history. There was a "Chronicle of Bygone Years" by Nestor, the Kiev Synopsis of the mid-17th century, which presented short essays on the history of Russia in the first millennium AD, as well as some other essays. In the first half of the XVIII century, several scientists immediately began to compile a unified history of the Russian state from ancient times.
First of all, notes by Bayer and Miller should be noted. Both scientists are Germans by origin. Ignorance of the Russian language led to their limited views on the history of Russia, since their works are based only on foreign sources. As a result, the historical notes of these scholars led to strong criticism, due to the fact that they could not properly glorify the Russian people and its rich history.
In the 1730s, Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev , Privy Councilor of the Empress and Astrakhan Governor, began to write Russian history from ancient times. However, his work was completed and printed only in 1769-1784.
The lack of a unified history of Russia and criticism of foreign manuscripts on this subject forced Catherine II to entrust the writing of this work to the Russian scientist, who became Lomonosov.
The historical work of Lomonosov
In 1751, the scientist began to carry out the work assigned by the empress. For several years he studied the sources of Ancient Russia, attracted materials from Greek and Byzantine authors, worked on the works of Bayer and Miller, talked with Tatishchev and got acquainted with his history and the sources that Tatishchev used to write it. That is, Lomonosov, as the author of Ancient Russian History, approached its writing in a comprehensive manner, taking into account various points of view. Knowledge of about 10 foreign languages greatly helped the scientist in his work.
As a result, 7 years after the start of work, in 1758, the first volume was completed, and in 1759 it began to be published. However, the manuscript was recalled from the press by the author himself to finalize the comments and research and was returned to the press only after 4 years. However, in printing the manuscript, many of these findings were lost.
The scientist planned to continue his work further, since the first volume described the history of the ancient Russian state until 1054, but the death of Lomonosov on April 15, 1765 violated these plans.
General description of the "History" of Lomonosov
The style with which Lomonosov describes historical events is artistic, not scientific, since in the middle of the 17th century it was precisely the works written in eloquent language that were valued in Russia. In civilized Europe, in turn, at this time, other requirements began to be made for the style of exposition of historical facts: it is not the beauty of speech that is welcomed, but the accuracy of the facts and their confirmation by relevant documentary sources.
The volume of "Ancient Russian History" by Mikhail Lomonosov consists of two parts, which are set out on 140 pages of printed text:
- Russia before the accession to the throne of Rurik ("About Russia Before Rurik").
- Russia in the first two centuries from the beginning of the establishment of the Rurikovich dynasty ("From the beginning of the reign of Rurikov to the death of Yaroslav the First").
The first part is devoted to the identity of the Russians and the Slavic people and their development independent of other European peoples. The second part describes in detail the 8 first Russian princes who are descended from the Varangians. A separate chapter of the second part is devoted to the issue of the baptism of Russia under Prince Vladimir.
The origin of the Russian people
Lomonosov “Ancient Russian History” begins with a narrative about the origin of the Russian people. The author says that it follows from the merger of the Slavs and miracles. Moreover, the role of the Slavs in its formation is decisive, since the Russian language is not much different from Old Slavic. As for the miracle, many cities during the time of Lomonosov retained miraculous names.
The author himself praises the Slavic people, describes him strong in military and economic terms already in the VI century AD, cites the variety of Slavic tribes, which included Novgorod Slavs, Drevlyans, Polyana, Polotsk, Krivichi and others. These tribes often fought with the Danes in the north and with the Greeks in the south.
The large prosperous cities of the Slavs were Ladoga, Novgorod, Kiev, Smolensk, which conducted trade in two main directions:
- Through the Dnieper to the Black Sea.
- Through the Neva to the Varyazhskoe Sea.
Description of the Slavs
According to historical sources, the book of ancient Russian history describes the Slavs as follows: they were tall people whose hair was not black and not white, but fair-haired. They went on foot on military campaigns, used a shield and spear in battles, did not wear armor and armor. The way of life of the ancient Slavs was very simple, they lived in huts, worshiped the idols of the gods, mainly the god of thunder. They also worshiped other natural objects: trees, rivers. They made sacrifices to the gods to appease them before military campaigns.
Description of the Varangians
Russian history from ancient times describes the Varangians not only as Swedes, but also the Angles, Norwegians, Danes, Varangians-Russians and other tribes. That is, the "History" of Lomonosov suggests that the Varangians were a combination of northern tribes who were engaged in sea and land robbery. It is the latter fact that unites all the Varangians.
The Varangians are described as glorious wars that participated in campaigns by river and land routes south to the Mediterranean Sea and the African continent. At the same time, the leaders in such campaigns were often representatives of Slavic tribes.
Varangians-Russians and the Novgorod Principality
In 862, the Novgorod Slavs called to reign Rurik, who came from a sort of Varangians-Russians. This genus belonged to the Slavic tribes. In "Ancient Russian History" Lomonosov writes that the Varangians-Russians are tribes from which the Prussians flow. The author believes, citing some evidence that the name of the Prussian tribes, as well as their customs, came from the Varangians-Russians.
Until the middle of the 9th century, Slavic tribes lived absent-mindedly, they had few cities, and they considered themselves free people, although it must be said that Novgorod Slavs and Kiev glades paid tribute to the Varangians. The vocation of Rurik and his brothers to reign in Novgorod was due to the existence of constant strife and bloody disputes between the noble courts of Novgorod, for the termination of which a single prince was needed. Lomonosov notes that Rurik did not come from the northern Varangians of Sweden and Denmark, since the large distance and difference in language and customs did not allow this, but from the Varangians-Russians and, most likely, had Roman roots.
The first Russian princes
In his work, Lomonosov writes that Rurik came to reign with the North Slavs with his two brothers: Sineus and Truvor, the first donkey in White Lake, and the second in Izborsk. Rurik himself reigned in Ladoga, and then moved to Novgorod.
From the beginning of his reign, Rurik seeks to reunite the Slavic tribes of Russia, Chud and others into one principality. In this regard, he planted his governors in many Russian cities, including Polotsk, Rostov and Murom.
As for Kiev, Rurik Askold and Deer, two noblemen of a noble Varangian family, were sent to reign in it. Having established itself on the throne of Kiev, Askold and Deer made the first campaign against Constantinople, but the campaign ended unsuccessfully due to adverse weather conditions, as the author describes in the second part of his book.
The reign of Oleg, Igor and his wife Olga
After Rurik’s death, “Ancient Russian History” by Lomonosov tells us that in Novgorod his infant son Igor and his relative Oleg began to reign. These princes continued the work of Rurik about the reunification of all Slavic tribes into one princedom. After the assassination of Askold and Dir in Kiev, Oleg began to reign. The new prince immediately begins an extensive campaign of conquests against the Krivichy, the Lyubchim, the Radimichi, the Polyans, the Drevlyans and some other peoples, taxing each of them with tribute.
Oleg became famous for being able to establish a peace agreement with the Greek kings, which he achieved after he gathered a huge army and approached the walls of Constantinople.
Igor continued the conquest of Oleg, strengthened the world with the Greeks, as well as with the Pechenegs, who first came to Slavic lands. Igor died in a battle with the Drevlyans, to whom he went to collect tribute with a small army.
After the death of her husband, Olga, Igor, the Drevlyans decided to use the weakness of Kiev and put their princes on his throne. However, they failed to do this because of Olga's cunning. Which, vowing to avenge the death of Igor, was able to burn the main city of the Drevlyans, tying the lit fuses to the pigeons of the Drevlyans, and impose a heavy tribute on the people themselves.
The reign of Svyatoslav and the internecine wars of his sons
Olga’s son, Svyatoslav, is famous for his military campaigns, as narrated by “Ancient Russian History”. He even slept in the saddle and was a skilled and brave warrior. He became famous for his war with the Greeks in the vicinity of Pereyaslavts, where Svyatoslav transferred the capital of his principality. Svyatoslav died from the fact that, returning from one of his military campaigns, he was ambushed by the Pechenegs.
Svyatoslav left behind three sons: Yaropolk in Kiev, Oleg in the Drevlyansky land and Vladimir in Novgorod. After the death of Svyatoslav, civil wars of the brothers begin, the winner of which was the younger brother - Vladimir.
The reign of Vladimir
In the X century, the Russian state remained pagan. In various Slavic tribes they worshiped certain gods who were identified with the forces of nature. In the history of the ancient Russian state, Lomonosov notes the similarity of the Slavic Gods with the pantheon of Greek and Roman Gods.
Idolatry led to constant strife between various Slavic tribes, so Vladimir decided to introduce a common faith throughout the Russian state. After the prince listened to the customs of various religious teachings, he chose the Christian Orthodox faith, which his grandmother Olga had already converted to.
German criticism of Lomonosov’s work
The "Ancient Russian History" of Lomonosov at the reign of Yaroslav the First is interrupted. The work was first translated into German, and then into French. German scientists of that time, led by Schletser, subjected this work to harsh criticism; they called Lomonosov a pest of Russian history, since he brought many facts from himself, without referring to reliable sources. In addition, the artistic style of the book was no longer used at that time in Germany to narrate historical facts. In German circles, Lomonosov himself was described as a backward person who describes events as they did in Germany 200 years ago.
In France, the book did not cause such a stir as in Germany, and at present no reviews of French scientists about this work have been found.