The name and portrait of Yaroslav the Wise are well known even to those who completely forgot the history of Russia. He was one of the twelve sons of Vladimir the Baptist. Of course, this person is extremely bright, and above all, Yaroslav actively continued the work of his father.
Yaroslav the Wise. short biography
Little Yaroslav was lame from birth. Overcoming this ailment, he began to practice daily with a sword. Therefore, his right shoulder was much larger than his left. Moreover, the prince was considered one of the best warriors among his contemporaries.
The chronicle, which describes the biography of Yaroslav the Wise, reports that in the summer of one thousand and eleven he went to baptize the Gentiles, and they put a she-bear before the prince, but he was able to defeat her. And when people saw this, they joyfully began to be baptized, since they believed that heavenly truth was always on the side of the winner.
Yaroslav also thought at that time. In this he was convinced by his own, as yet poor experience. After all, the father put him in charge of the principality only after he was convinced that the son has a powerful will, which made it possible to overcome the ailment acquired from birth.
Accession system
During his lifetime, Vladimir shares the land between his sons. Svyatopolk receives the Principality of Turov, Yaroslav - Rostov, the oldest son, Vysheslav, sits in Novgorod. And this system of princes' accession to the throne, which is created by Vladimir, has been in effect for two more generations. It is called a ladder.
All principalities are ranked by their status. For example, Novgorodskoye is considered the most prestigious after Kievskoye, where his father sits. Therefore, in Novgorod, the eldest son will rule. Further Polotsk, Turov, Rostov and so on.
As soon as the eldest of the brothers dies (during the life of his father), all those remaining rise one step up. Therefore, the staircase system of accession to the throne is called. An exception is the case if one of the middle brothers dies, then the principality is inherited by his children and grandchildren.
One death that saved thousands of lives, or the death of the sovereign
An interesting fact, which is described by the biography of Yaroslav the Wise, concerns the death of Vysheslav, after which the redistribution of the principalities begins. And here a very strange thing is observed: Yaroslav is immediately in Novgorod. Why this happened is not clear. Chronicles are silent about this.
After some time in the reign, Yaroslav quarreled with his father, as he refused to pay tribute to Kiev. And Vladimir was going to go to war on his own son, but did not have time. He died unexpectedly during the preparation of this campaign. But Yaroslav had already managed to invite the Vikings to participate in the battle with his father.
Close ties with the Scandinavian countries
Unlike the previous time, a consistent and stable foreign policy of the Old Russian state was formed in the era of Yaroslav. Moreover, Yaroslav the Wise, like Vladimir, is keenly aware of his family ties with the Scandinavian north. When a struggle breaks out in Russia, and the lives of Vladimir and Yaroslav are in danger, they try or even run to Scandinavia. From there, mercenaries are invited.
They also exchange ambassadors at marriage, for example, Yaroslav with the Swedish princess. A trade agreement is being drawn up with Norway. Moreover, Yaroslav intervenes in the internal affairs of the Scandinavian countries. In particular, in Norway, he actually puts on the throne the son of Olav Magnus the Good, bribing everyone to know in his favor.
Bloody slaughter for the throne
While the Vikings have nothing to do, they rob the local population, rape and kill. Naturally, the Novgorodians did not like this, and one night they gathered and killed all the tormentors. In response to this, Yaroslav collects the best inhabitants at home and kills them. And on the same night he receives news from Kiev, that Vladimir died suddenly. It happened on the fifteenth of July, one thousand and fifteen.
This is the first date that the biography of Yaroslav the Wise reports with an accuracy of one day. Power in Kiev captures Svyatopolk. The team of Boris, the next brother, offers him to seize power in his own hands. But he refuses. He says that Svyatopolk belongs to him rightfully as a father and a throne. However, that night mercenaries sent by Svyatopolk come and kill Boris.
At the same time, he sends his people to his second brother, Gleb, and, moreover, he wants to kill even Yaroslav. But he receives news of this from his sister Preslava. And the next morning the regiment was already gathering and heading off to Svyatopolk. He defeats him and expels him from Kiev. And then the biography of Yaroslav the Wise for two years does not report any facts about his life.
Two years later, or the return of Svyatopolk
In one thousand eighteen, Svyatopolk suddenly appeared, and not one, but with Borislav the Brave, the Polish king, who supported him. The capture of Kiev takes place because Yaroslav the Wise flees from it. A brief biography of that period reports that he is not even going to defend the city.
Borislav robs Kiev, captures the sisters of Yaroslav and his stepmother and returns to Poland. And Svyatopolk reigns in the city again. Yaroslav flees to Novgorod, where he again gathers troops for a new battle and wins again. This is what Russia experienced under Yaroslav the Wise.
But the new ruler still had brothers, to whom he always treated very coldly. Then he puts one of them in prison. He sat there until the death of the heir to the throne, and only then did the sons of Yaroslav the Wise release him from prison. And he deals with others in no less cruel way.
The political line of rapprochement with the West
The story of Yaroslav the Wise is not full of facts. But one thing is certain. During his reign, that is, closer to the middle of the eleventh century, Ancient Russia became widely known in Western Europe.
And the point is not only that he pursued an active matrimonial policy. The daughters and sons of Yaroslav the Wise entered into marriages with representatives of the Western European ruling dynasties. This was precisely the political line of Yaroslav the Wise for rapprochement with the West - Hungary, Poland and other states.
For example, Izyaslav was married to the sister of the Polish king Casimir the First, whose name was Gertrude. Vsevolod - on the Greek princess Irina Monomakh. From this marriage, the famous Prince Vladimir Monomakh will appear. And Igor was bound by marriage with the German princess Kunigunda. Father at this time was preparing for war with Byzantium.
But the historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise is not so gloomy as it might seem against the backdrop of all the events preceding his accession to the throne. After he became a full-fledged prince in Kiev, Yaroslav takes up a storm of activity. At one thousand and thirty-six, he begins a grandiose construction.
The new capital of the world
This is an act that testifies not only to the fact that Yaroslav the Wise was a good business executive. Such actions were also important politically. He built the golden gate in Kiev, the temple of St. Sophia of Kiev, at the same time created the oldest code of the annals, and also pronounced the "Word of the law and grace."
That is, Yaroslav the Wise is doing tremendous work to give a completely special status to the state that he headed. Under him, Kiev becomes the "new capital of the world." He also organizes the translation of books into the Slavic language.
And just before his death, Yaroslav assigns a certain principality to each of his sons, so that there would be no further internecine strife. It lays the foundation for an entirely new state structure, which is a much wiser system of government.