Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest, a brief biography of which is found in all textbooks on the history of Russia, is best known for the fact that it was under him that the northeast of Russia became the most important and influential political center of the East Slavic world. Therefore, this ruler earned good fame among the grateful descendants.
Childhood and youth
Vsevolod was born in 1154 in the family of the founder of Moscow - Yuri Dolgoruky. He was the youngest son of a prince who passed away a few years after the birth of a child. After Yuri began to rule the elder brother of Vsevolod Andrei Bogolyubsky. He was the son of Yuri from his second wife. In 1162, Andrei expelled Vsevolod (still a child) from his land, his mother, as well as two other brothers - Mstislav and Vasilko.
Rurikovich went to Constantinople, where they found shelter at the court of Emperor Manuel Komnin. At the age of fifteen, Vsevolod the Big Nest, whose brief biography can tell about the many unexpected turns in his fate, returned home, reconciled with his older brother. As a young man, he participated in a campaign in Kiev in 1169. It was a war of the northern princes against the old southern capital. For several decades, Russia has been divided into several independent states, each of which argued for leadership. Rurikovich ruled in every city, which turned a political conflict into a family squabble. When Kiev finally fell in 1169, it even lost its ghostly chances of being called the capital of Russia.
Viceroy in Kiev
A few years later, the young Vsevolod the Big Nest was sent to the Mother of Russian Cities as governor. A brief biography of the prince suggests that he did not last long on the banks of the Dnieper. In 1173, a few weeks after appearing in Kiev, he was defeated by the children of the Smolensk ruler Rostislav, who also claimed the local throne. Vsevolod was captured, but was bought by his elder brother Michael.
The fight for the principality of Vladimir
All this time, Andrei Bogolyubsky ruled in Vladimir. However, in 1174 he was killed by a group of conspirators (his own boyars). His death caused a civil war for power over the north-east of Russia. Andrei had no children. Therefore, on the one hand, brothers Mikhail and Vsevolod declared their rights to the throne, and on the other, nephews and children of the elder brother Rostislav, who died many years ago, Mstislav and Yaropolk. The conflict also erupted between cities. In the principality, which was once owned by Yuri Dolgoruky, several political centers were formed (Vladimir, Suzdal, Rostov). The aristocracy tried to make their city the main one in the northeast of Russia.
First, Vladimir Yuryevich was entrenched in Vladimir. He was supported by Vsevolod the Big Nest, whose brief biography tells of various political alliances with relatives. However, Mikhail died unexpectedly in 1176, and the Rostislavichi still wanted to take possession of Vladimir-on-Klyazma. They ruled in Rostov and Suzdal. In addition, they were supported by the Ryazan Prince Gleb.
Union with Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich
To help Vsevolod, who replaced his older brother in Vladimir, came the Chernigov ruler Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. In the years 1176-1177. one after another they defeated the troops of Mstislav (Lipitskaya battle) and Gleb (battle at Koloksha). All enemy princes were captured. Gleb soon died in captivity. The Rostislavichs were blinded and released. After these events, Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest, whose brief biography was marked by important success, became the sole ruler of northeastern Russia. He made Vladimir-on-Klyazma his capital.
Having become the sole ruler, Vsevolod was engaged in organizing campaigns against the eastern neighbors (Mordovians and Volga Bulgars). He also fought for influence in Kiev and Novgorod, which tried to defend its republican political system. The fight went on with varying success for both sides. During the years of rule, Vsevolod the Big Nest became known for his wisdom and deliberation. His biography (it’s almost impossible to briefly tell about any of the princes of Russia, too much will be missed) is well described in the multi-volume History of the Russian State by Nikolai Karamzin.
Question of succession
In the last years of his life, Vsevolod the Big Nest, whose biography we are considering, was concerned about the issue of succession in his possessions. He had many children (8 sons and 4 daughters). That is why he, in fact, received the historical nickname Big Nest.
Between his two eldest sons - Konstantin and Yuri (also known as George) - a dispute arose over the right to inheritance. In order to reconcile the children, Vsevolod convened a cathedral. Konstantin, who was the governor of his father in Rostov, was supposed to receive Vladimir, and Rostov was to be given to Yuri. However, the eldest son refused to obey this order of his father, because he believed that he had the right to both senior cities in the principality. Vsevolod did not forgive Konstantin for such defiant behavior and deprived him of Vladimir, giving the capital to Yuri. While the father was alive, the brothers somehow humbled themselves and lived quietly. However, with the death of Vsevolod in 1212, a civil war broke out in northeastern Russia.
Board Results
However, it was with this prince that the Vladimir principality flourished. Vsevolod strengthened the central authority, depriving the influence of the Rostov boyars. He was engaged in a lot of decoration and arrangement of Vladimir, in which temples and other buildings important for people's life were regularly built.
Vsevolod became the last sole ruler of northeastern Russia. After the death of the prince, his many sons divided the state. The Mongol invasion a few years later further exacerbated this split. Also, Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest, whose brief biography is full of information about the wars in various parts of Russia, became the last ruler of Vladimir, who still had influence on the southern principalities. After him, throughout the 13th century, they gradually moved into the orbit of Lithuanian interests.