Prince Polotsk Vseslav Bryachislavich ruled in Kiev for a short time, only 7 months. In Polotsk, power belonged to him for a long 57 years. Not only his birth, but his life was full of speculation and shrouded in a veil of secrecy.
The beginning of life: an unusual appearance
Information about the mother of Prince Vseslav was not found. In The Tale of Bygone Years there is a legend about his mysterious birth. It is said that there was an “ulcer” on the baby’s head. The Magi advised the mother the following: "Put this ulcer on him, let him carry him to death." The opinions of historians regarding the word "ulcer" were divided. Some believe that it means a birthmark located on the head of Vseslav, which he subsequently covered with a special bandage. Others are convinced that the future ruler was born in a “shirt”, that is, the remains of the amniotic bladder were present on his body. Prince Vseslav Bryachislavich in adulthood could wear it as a talisman. The fact that nowadays they say that he was born in a shirt about a successful person who escaped misfortune is an echo of those ancient times. In addition to the fact that part of the placenta could serve as a talisman for its owner and avert trouble, this sign could also mean a person’s attitude to witchcraft. Perhaps this is also why Vseslav Bryachislavich was popularly considered a werewolf prince, a sorcerer.
The beginning of reign
In 1044, the prince's father, Bryachislav Izyaslavovich, died. Power passed to Vseslav: he inherited the Principality of Polotsk. But since he considered himself also the heir to Vladimir (Grand Duke), then, in his opinion, the whole principality of Kiev should have belonged to him alone. The first decade of his reign, Vseslav Bryachislavich Polotsky was on friendly terms with the princes of Kiev, Yaroslavich. They fought together against the Turks in 1060. Then his struggle for the independence of the Principality of Polotsk began.
Fight with neighbors
In 1065, the time of raids on neighboring principalities began; the leader was Vseslav Bryachislavich. According to historians, his domestic and foreign policies were notable for their intolerance and militancy. First Kiev was sacked and subject to a siege, then the city of Pskov was devastated. In 1067, according to the chroniclers, a devastating raid on Novgorod was made. As a result, even the church of St. Sophia was sacked.
Izyaslav I Yaroslavich did not forgive such self-will for Vseslav and, together with his brothers, decided to oppose him. It was a frosty winter in 1067. Despite the severe cold, the brothers besieged and then captured Minsk, which at that time belonged to the Principality of Polotsk. As a result, the entire male population was killed, and women and children were taken prisoner. On the Neman River , the battle with the Yaroslavich brothers was unsuccessful for Vseslav.
A few months later, the brothers invited Prince of Polotsk to Orsha for peace talks. Vseslav, having equipped himself with a boat, set off on a journey without fear for his life, as the rulers of Kievan Rus kissed the cross, which in those days provided a guarantee of security. But it turned out to be a cunning trick of the brothers. They grabbed Vseslav Bryachislavich and drove to Kiev, where they then sent him to a log cabin (a dungeon without doors, which was built around the prisoner). Such an insidious act caused a rather great resonance among the people, and many residents of Kiev took the side of Vseslav.
Release from captivity
Vseslav Bryachislavich, whose biography is based mainly on chronicles, was released in 1068. This happened during a popular uprising due to the unsuccessful battle of the Yaroslavich brothers with the Polovtsy on the Alta River. In addition, Izyaslav did not give the people of Kiev weapons to continue the battle with the nomads. Prince Vseslav Bryachislavich was released from prison and proclaimed Prince of Kiev. But his rule did not last long, only 7 months, and did not bring any significant events. Izyaslav Yaroslavich after the uprising fled to Poland.
Return to Polotsk
In 1069, Izyaslav, having gathered the Polish army, returned to Kiev. Vseslav Bryachislavich (a brief biography indicates his secret disappearance near Belgorod) moved forward with his army, but, unsure of his abilities, departed with his sons in Polotsk. But even there Izyaslav Yaroslavich overtook him, having overthrown from the throne and put on the reign of his son Mstislav. But he soon died, and his place was taken by another son of Izyaslav, Svyatopolk. However, already in 1071, Vseslav managed to regain Polotsk. This was not a big deal for him, because the inhabitants of the city were always for "their" prince.
The heirs of Prince Polotsk
Vseslav Bryachislavich Polotsky (a brief biography does not indicate the name of his wife) raised seven sons. But some historians insist that there were six of them, since Boris is the baptismal name of Rogvolod. It is also not known for certain what destinies they ruled, but the Principality of Polotsk, even during the life of Vseslav, was divided between his heirs, later it was divided into seven destinies. Sons - Davyd, Gleb, Boris, Roman, Svyatoslav, Rostislav, Rogvolod. All princely children received Christian education. Boris Vseslavich contributed to the construction of temples and monasteries. Even the most warlike of his sons, Gleb Minsky, who attacked the lands of Kiev many times, took care of the monasteries. Particularly related to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where he was subsequently buried.
Vseslav's daughter, Anna, married the Byzantine emperor Alexei Komnin. Such a dynastic connection led to many cultural and historically important consequences.
Omens
At the beginning of his reign, Vseslav Bryachislavich was in good, peaceful relations with his brothers Yaroslavich (Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, Vsevolod). But due to differences, Vseslav went to war on Kievan Rus. Chronicles describe the mystical moments preceding this event. In 1063, the Volkhov River, flowing near Novgorod, carried its waters for five days in the opposite direction. The sages of that time saw this as a bad omen for their city. It is worth noting that historians do not refute the reverse course of the river and do not consider this a myth, since there is a completely scientific explanation for this fact.
Two years later, an event occurred again, regarded as an omen of misfortune. An unusually bright star with red rays lit up in the sky. For a week, it rose in the evening in the west and shone until dawn. In the annals of her recorded as a "bloody star." Historians have found an explanation for this fact. The star could well be Halley's comet, every 75 years approaching the Earth. The same star in England was taken as a harbinger of the imminent death of King Edward the Confessor and the capture of the country by William the Conqueror.
The third omen is a solar eclipse. This natural phenomenon was also seen as a prediction of imminent misfortune.
In 1065, as the sages predicted, misfortune happened - Vseslav went to war on Kievan Rus.
Board Results
The territory of the Principality of Polotsk, thanks to the confident and wise military policy of Vseslav, has significantly increased. Volosts, which at the end of the XI century were part of the Principality, are Polotsk, Vitebsk, Minsk, Orsha, Mstislavskaya, Lukomlsaya, Drutskaya, Logoisk, Slutskaya and part of Livonia.
During the reign of Vseslav, the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia was built in Polotsk - the oldest architectural monument on the territory of modern Belarus that has survived to our time. Prince Polotsky brought the bells for the cathedral from the captured St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod.
There is an opinion that in his declining years, Vseslav himself took monastic tonsure. The validity of this event is unknown. But among the princes of that time, this phenomenon was quite popular.
Mention of Vseslav Polotsky in folklore
The battle on the Nemiga River, as well as the capture of Novgorod by Vseslav, are described in the “Word on Igor's Regiment”. In this work, Prince of Polotsk is presented as a sorcerer and werewolf. Not all events described in the "Word ..." have confirmations in the annals.
The personality of Prince Polotsky and the uprising in Kiev were reflected in the epic “Volkh Vseslavievich”. The motive of sorcery of Prince Vseslav is repeated. Describes the war with the Polovtsian prince - Shurukan. To carry out a raid on Russia, he took advantage of the uprising in Kiev.
Prince Vseslav ruled for a rather long time - 57 years. He died in 1101 and was buried in Polotsk.