The history of our country is fraught with many interesting and important events, the names of prominent figures and the names of those cities and regions where they created and lived. So, in the history of Ancient Russia, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was of great importance, with which many prominent names and events were associated.
Unfortunately, much less is said about its history, location and inhabitants. Today we will discuss both the geographical position of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality and its other characteristics.
Basic information
Previously, it was called the Rostov-Suzdal land, and was located in the interfluve of the Oka and Volga. The terrain has always been distinguished by wonderfully fertile soils. It is not surprising that by the beginning of the XII century a large and well-established system of boyar land tenure had developed here. Since there were many forests in those parts, all areas of fertile land were located between them. They received the name opolyi (the term came from the word "field"). For a long time, the city of Yuryev-Polsky was located on the territory of the principality (it was just located in the zone of the landslide). What were the natural conditions of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality?
If you compare these places with the Dnieper, the climate here was quite severe. The yields were relatively large (for those times), but the fishing, hunting and flight-keeping, which were developed in those parts, gave a good “extra income”. The unique geographical position of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality and its rather harsh conditions led to the fact that the Slavs came here late, faced with the indigenous Finno-Ugric population.
Removing from the centers of civilization of those times also led to the fact that the Vladimir-Suzdal lands were the longest resistance to the forced planting of Christianity from Kiev.
Geographical position
People were attracted by a unique geographical position: the land was protected from attack from all sides by full-flowing rivers, vast swamps and impenetrable forests. We should not forget that the geographical location of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was good because its southern borders were covered by other Slavic principalities, which protected the population of these lands from invasions of nomads.
The prosperity of the principality was also based on a huge number of runaway people who left for the local forests from all the same raids and exorbitant requisitions of princely proteges.
The main characteristics of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality
Compare feature | Short description |
The main industry | First, hunting and fishing, subsequently - agriculture |
Attraction for the newcomer population | Very high, because in these lands people could hide from the arbitrariness and oppression of the authorities |
The advantage of geographical location | Extremely profitable, since the principality was located at the intersection of the most important trade routes of that time |
Urban Development Rate | Cities developed at an extremely high speed, as they contributed to the rapid influx of population |
The nature of princely power | Unlimited, he made all important decisions individually |
That is what distinguished the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. The table describes its main aspects well.
About profitable trade
Volga trade route ran through the lands of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality , which connected these lands with the East. Trade here was extremely profitable. It is not surprising that in these lands a strong and rich boyars appeared quite quickly, which was not delighted with Kiev, and therefore constantly started secession and strove for independence. Thus, the geographical location of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality itself contributed to the creation of a rich, solid "state in the state."
It also helped them in striving for this that the princes turned their attention to the local lands rather late, since the places on the throne in the remote lands were intended exclusively for the younger sons, whom it was desirable to remove from Kiev. Only when Monomakh came to power did the strength and greatness of the state begin to grow rapidly. That is why the Vladimir-Suzdal principality became the hereditary estate of the Monomakhovichi, whose map quickly grew into new lands.
Strong ties were established between the local parish lands and the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh; here, earlier than in other lands, they used to perceive the sons and grandsons of Monomakh as their princes. The influx of heritage, which caused intense economic activity, the growth and emergence of new cities predetermined the economic and political elevation of the region. In the power dispute, the Rostov-Suzdal princes had significant resources.
Opole
Agriculture in those days required remarkable persistence. But in the conditions of the Vladimir-Suzdal lands, even it did not give any guarantees. With one tithe in the XII century, under the most optimal set of circumstances, it was possible to collect no more than 800 kg. However, at that time it was just wonderful, but because the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, the characteristic of which is given in the article, quickly grew rich.
But the economy of local peasants was particularly dependent on cattle breeding. They raised almost all cattle breeds: cows and horses, goats and sheep. So, at archaeological excavations in those parts of the world they find a lot of iron scythes that were used to harvest hay. Of great importance was the breeding of horses, which were massively used in military affairs.
"The fruits of the earth"
Around the 12th century, gardening also arose. His main tool in those years was a scapula with a metal shackle ("stigma"). Especially a lot of them were found in Suzdal. In the Christmas Cathedral of the city there is an image of Adam. The caption explained that "Adam was digging the earth with a stigma." Thus, the whole history of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality is inextricably linked with the continuous improvement of the skills of its inhabitants.
Around the same centuries, gardening began to develop rapidly. Surprisingly, then it was the inheritance of only the townspeople. This is again confirmed by numerous archaeological excavations, during which a large number of remains of old apple orchards were found. Traditions also say that since the XII century in the principality began to lay a large number of cherry orchards. Contemporaries wrote that the cities of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality are the "pearl of Russia."
Despite the abundant trade, agriculture and horticulture began to develop, the population continued to intensively engage in flight hunting, hunting and fishing. During the excavation, a huge number of nets, hooks, floats and the remains of the caught fish are found. What else was hidden in the Vladimir-Suzdal principality? Its characteristic will be completely incomplete if we do not talk about the crafts that its inhabitants were engaged in.
Handicrafts
Without artisans, it is impossible to imagine the life of a single principality in those years. Interestingly, in those centuries, the specialization of the masters differed exclusively in the finished product, and not in the material. So, a saddle-giver should have perfectly known not only the methods of processing leather, but also the various methods of coinage, with which he decorated his product, making it as attractive as possible to potential buyers. Since artisans settled solely on the “related” principle, whole artisan settlements quickly appeared in the cities.
In some houses, special working furnaces for smelting were even found, which were installed next to those in which food was cooked. Some artisans worked exclusively on order. Another, much more numerous category of craftsmen made mass products for selling them on city markets and selling them directly to visiting merchants who were very fond of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Let's talk briefly about other activities that were common among the local population.
From the same XII century, all the same crafts that were popular throughout the rest of Kievan Rus were intensively developed here. However, from the annals of that period it follows that woodworking quickly became the main occupation of the local population. During all the excavations, they find a lot of tools for working with wood. No less ancient craft in those parts was pottery.
Pottery development in the Principality
Evidence of the active development of pottery is the construction of the Assumption Cathedral in the late XII century. On the banks of the small river Kamenka, they found the remains of three huge kilns for firing, each of which could load five thousand pieces of brick at a time. It is assumed that in the same period, local craftsmen mastered the production of bulk tiles as well. Their sizes reached 19x19 cm, which at that time was a real technological breakthrough. To make the tiles more beautiful, artisans used a huge list of all kinds of enamels and glazes.
Thanks to such a wide and rich assortment of goods, the development of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality took leaps and bounds, as money flowed into its treasury in a wide flow.
The art of stone processing
Stone carving began to develop from the end of the 12th century, and the craftsmen very quickly reached outstanding heights in their field. In the cities of the principality, many stone artisans appeared. It is no coincidence that many Suzdal boyars scornfully called the Vladimir people "serfs and masons." At the end of the 40s, a separate masons artel appeared in Suzdal. It was her masters who took an active part in the construction of churches in the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yuryev-Polsky, Suzdal. In addition, they also built a suburban residence in Kideksha.
Blacksmithing
Blacksmithing in these parts was also very widespread and was very developed. If we again return to the topic of excavations, then in their course a huge amount of a blacksmith's tool is discovered. Under the town of Vyazniki, many samples of swamp ore were found in private houses, which allows us to conclude that this craft was widely distributed among the people who inhabited the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. In short, they were excellent artisans.
The crown of the local blacksmithing craftsmanship was the magnificent crosses of the Assumption and Dmitrievsky Cathedrals, decorated with the figure of a dove vane, with the finest skill made of copper. But the Nativity and Assumption Cathedrals of Vladimir with their magnificent copper floors easily cross out all this.
Gunsmithing
But especially in those days, the category of gunsmiths stood out from the local blacksmiths. It was they who made Yaroslav Vsevolodovich’s chrome and Andrei Bogolyubsky’s battle ax , which should be considered specimens of not only blacksmithing, but also jewelry. Local chain mail was especially famous.
In addition, archaeologists were impressed once found by the fortress bow, from which even seven arrows were preserved. The length of each of them was about 170 centimeters, and the weight was immediately 2.5 kilograms. Most likely, it was their ancient chroniclers who called them “shereshirs”. Masters who were engaged in the manufacture of panels were especially appreciated.
As archaeologists found out, Suzdal and Vladimir blacksmiths were able to produce at least one and a half hundred specimens of steel products, owning more than 16 different specialties.
Weaving and weaving
Here weaving was widespread, as well as a variety of types of spinning. During excavations, not only many tools of these crafts were found, but also the remains of fabrics. It turned out that Russian craftswomen in these parts knew up to fifty sewing techniques, including the most sophisticated ones. The materials were very different: leather, fur, silk and cotton. On fabrics, in many cases, magnificent embroidery with silver thread has been preserved.
Since cattle breeding has long been developed in the principality, there were also enough tanners in the local regions. Suzdal masters became famous far beyond the borders of their homeland for the exceptional quality of yuft and morocco boots. In support of this, Professor N. N. Voronin, well-known in his circles, found many "dead ends" during excavations in some courtyards. So in those days they called pieces of cow ribs used in the mechanical processing of leathers.
Bone processing
Known to local residents and the skill of bone carvers. In almost every trench during excavation there are numerous bone buttons, ridges and other household items. Around the same period, jewelry craftsmanship was also relatively widespread. Both in Vladimir and in Suzdal, numerous foundry forms of braziers were found. Jewelers, as it turned out later, used more than 60 types of forms for various purposes in their work. Special respect in society was enjoyed by those craftsmen who worked with gold products.
We found bracelets as well as all kinds of necklaces, pendants and buttons, which were expertly decorated with enamels with a very complex production cycle. Vladimir masters managed to draw the thinnest thread for a kilometer from just one gram of silver!
Economic development
What else were the features of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality? As we have already said, the rapid development of the economy was closely linked with the most important trade routes that ran through its territory. Archaeologists have found several warehouses of eastern coins (dirhems), which unequivocally confirmed the closest trade ties between Vladimir and Suzdal with distant countries. But domestic trade flourished: this was especially noticeable in relations with Novgorod, with which local merchants conducted grain trade.
No less intense was trade with Byzantium, as well as many European countries. River delivery routes were especially quoted. However, local princes always strictly kept order on land trade routes, as the discord in relations with merchants could very negatively affect the well-being of the land.
Here are the features of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.