The reign of Yaroslav the Wise in Kievan Rus fell at the end of the first and the beginning of the second millennium (around 978-1054). He is rightfully considered one of the greatest rulers not only of Russia, but also of Europe. Yaroslav the Wise during the years of his reign brought the Principality of Kiev to a new round of world development, his state reached a high level of political and military power.
The article describes the rule of Yaroslav the Wise. Briefly mentioned are the main facts of his biography and the results of his reign.
Origin of the Grand Duke
Historians continue to argue about the exact date of his birth, many sources indicate the year of birth of the 978th. His father is the baptist of Rus Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, and his mother is Polonskaya Princess Rogneda Rogvoldovna, whom Prince Vladimir took by force. From this marriage, he had three more sons.
According to the annals, Yaroslav lived a long life and died at 75. He became the ancestor of many rulers in Europe. For the first time, the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is briefly mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years, written by the monk Nestor.
Rostov Prince
The beginning of independent rule of Yaroslav is considered to be 988, when his father put him as a child in the Principality in Rostov. In reality, power belonged to his mentor, who made all decisions, given the very young age of the prince.
There is almost no historical evidence of the Rostov rule of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In any case, in the annals of that time there is no mention of important historical facts related to the Rostov reign. Many historians believe that the rule of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in Rostov was marked by the emergence of a city named in his honor Yaroslavl. The year 1010 is officially considered the year of its foundation.
The beginning of the reign
In 1010 (1011), after the death of one of the eldest sons of Grand Duke Vladimir Vysheslav and contrary to the expectations of his elder brother Yaroslav Svyatopolk, Vladimir specifically appointed Yaroslav to rule Novgorod. Compared to the Rostov princedom, the Novgorod prince was considered higher, but the Novgorod prince was subordinate to Kiev and was obliged to pay him tribute.
Riot against father
In 1014, Yaroslav refuses to pay tribute to Kiev and rebels against his father. The reason for this revolt is Vladimir’s approaching his youngest son Boris and his intention to transfer the throne of Kiev to him. For the same reason, the eldest of the sons, Svyatopolk, rebelled against Vladimir. For this, he was imprisoned and remained in captivity until the death of his father.
To confront his father, Prince Vladimir, Yaroslav hires the Varangians, but the army is inactive and trades robberies in Novgorod itself, which causes the righteous anger of the Novgorodians. Prince Vladimir himself cannot engage in combat with his son, since the principality of Kiev is threatened by the attack of the Pechenegs. And the army gathered against Novgorod goes to battle with the steppe nomads. Boris leads the army, since Vladimir by this time is becoming weak and old.
Brother to brother
The confrontation between son and father ceases with the death of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich July 15, 1015. But the battle begins between two brothers, Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, for the throne of Kiev. Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Accursed people, killed three of his brothers on the way to the throne.
Several times, Yaroslav and Svyatopolk the Accursed met in deadly confrontation. In 1018, a decisive battle took place. Svyatopolk and his father-in-law, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, again invaded Kievan Rus. This time they defeated Yaroslav, who returned to Novgorod and wanted to flee to Scandinavia. However, the Novgorodians forced their prince to continue the struggle. In the spring of 1019, on the Alt River, Svyatopolk was finally defeated and fled. According to some historical sources, on the way to Poland, the soldiers of Yaroslav overtook him and killed him. But Yaroslav is in no hurry to occupy the throne of Kiev, since his nephew Bryachislav and brother Mstislav claim the rights to him.
The fight for Kiev
In 1019, Yaroslav marries a second time. His chosen one is the Swedish Princess Ingigerda (in Orthodoxy, Irina). It is believed that the first wife of Yaroslav was a Norwegian, her name was Anna, she, along with the prince's sisters, was captured by the Poles and captured forever in Poland. Many researchers consider the alliance with Ingigerda to be Yaroslav’s political move to eliminate unstable relations with the Swedes.
The brothers continue to fight for the Kiev throne with varying success until 1026, until Mstislav defeated the troops of Yaroslav and transferred the capital to Chernigov. He proposed to the prince to sit in Kiev and divide the land administration along the Dnieper, leaving Yaroslav all the right coast. A peace treaty was concluded. But even as the master of the Kiev throne, Yaroslav did not leave Novgorod until the death of Mstislav, that is, until 1035, confident that the Novgorodians would support him under any circumstances. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1035 did Yaroslav the Wise become an autocrat of Kievan Rus. The years of his reign became the heyday of Russia.
To avoid claims to the throne of Kiev from the younger brother, who reigned in Pskov, Yaroslav Sudislava imprisoned.
Timeline of military operations
The history of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise contains numerous references to hostilities. Here are just a few of them:
- 1029 - a campaign to help Mstislav against the Yasses, expelling them from Tmutarakan (now the Krasnodar Territory);
- 1031 - a campaign with Mstislav against the Poles, as a result the cities of Przemysl and Cherven were conquered;
- 1036 - victory over the Pecheneg troops and liberation from their raids of Ancient Russia;
- 1040 and 1044 - military operations against Lithuania.
The results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Politics and the State
The period in power of the Grand Duke totals 37 years. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is considered the period of the rise of the Principality of Kiev, when many European states sought a military and political alliance with him. As a talented politician, Yaroslav the Wise preferred diplomacy to any military action. He pragmatically arranged marriage unions of his ten children and other relatives with European rulers, which served the state’s security goals. It is known that he paid a symbolic annual tribute to the Varangians - 300 hryvnias of silver, which was very small, but kept peace on the northern borders.
Yaroslav the Wise did a great deal for the state. He spent years of rule not only to strengthen military power, but also to arrange life in the state according to the laws. Under him, the Church Charter and the Code of Laws “The Truth of Yaroslav”, which is considered the most ancient part of the collection of the rules of ancient law “Russian Truth”, were adopted.
Being an educated person, Yaroslav takes care of the education of subjects: he opens the first schools and libraries. The first library in Russia was opened by him in St. Sophia Cathedral.
His plans included the solution of another important problem - the transfer of power. The internecine wars that erupted between the receivers plunged the country into ruin and calamity, weakened it and made it easy prey for external enemies. Often, applicants for the main throne in their own selfish interests hired a foreign army, which atrocities and robbed the population. Yaroslav as a talented politician, of course, understood the importance of improving the transfer of power, but this problem was not solved in connection with death.
Religious consequences
The results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise are not limited to political achievements. He did a lot to strengthen Christianity in the state. In 1051, the Russian church was finally freed from the influence of Constantinople, for the first time independently electing Metropolitan Hilarion at the Episcopal Council . A large number of Byzantine books are translated into Church Slavonic, considerable funds are allocated from their treasury.
The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is marked by the foundation of many monasteries and churches. The monasteries of Kiev Pechersk, St. Irina, St. Yuri were revered not only church, but also social and cultural centers. In 1037, the construction of the famous St. Sophia Cathedral began, in which the ashes of Yaroslav were subsequently buried. By his order in 1036-1037. the famous Kiev Golden Gate was erected, which, according to the plan of Yaroslav, was to symbolize the movement of the center of Orthodoxy to Kievan Rus.