This judicious and far-sighted prince from the ruling dynasty of the Rurikovich left a major mark in the history of Russia. He managed to turn an ordinary specific principality into a prosperous and prosperous region, which began to enjoy broad autonomous rights. He also showed wisdom in government affairs after he received the throne in Kiev. But historians consider his main merit to be the fact that Prince Rostislav Mstislavich impeded feudal fragmentation, trying to pursue a policy of consolidation and enlargement of Russian lands. What was his life path, and what specific successes did he manage to achieve as a ruler of Russia? Let's consider this question in more detail.
Pedigree line
Rostislav Mstislavich, which it would be inappropriate to talk about briefly, was the third offspring of the Novgorod ruler Mstislav Vladimirovich. Sources are contradictory in the question of when he was born. Many of them featured in the year 1100. Brother Rostislav (Izyaslav) was born several years earlier (1097 or 1098). The mother of the future ruler of Smolensk land is the daughter of the Swedish king Inge.
According to the chronicles, Prince Rostislav Mstislavich received the administration of Smolensk when he was only fifteen years old. He himself was baptized in honor of the Archangel Michael, so in Orthodoxy the prince is known as Mikhail Fedorovich.
It was in 1127 that it was first mentioned in sources. This period of history was primarily remembered for the fact that the military alliance of the Monomashic encroached on the borders of the Principality of Polotsk, and Rostislav Mstislavich himself set out on a campaign in the city of Drutsk.
When did you receive the inheritance?
Historians argue that when the son of Mstislav Vladimirovich began to “manage” affairs in the Principality of Smolensk. Some argue that this happened in 1125, others - in 1127. It is known that Rostislav Mstislavich until 1132 in the Smolensk region acted as the will of his own father. Moreover, the inheritance itself was under the “jurisdiction” of the Principality of Kiev. In 1132, Mstislav Vladimirovich died, and his brother Yaropolk became the ruler of Russia. The new Kiev prince gives Smolensk the status of a vassal principality. At the same time, the Yaropolk is ready to assist the principality in exchange for tribute.
The Prosperity Path
In the period from 30 to 50 years of the XII century, Rostislav Mstislavich made every effort to ensure that the lot entrusted to him turned into a strong and economically prosperous autonomy. And he really manages to realize his plans.
First of all, the son of Mstislav the Great turned the territory entrusted to him into a principality and became known as the Smolensk prince. Moreover, the lands in which he ruled included parts of the Mogilev, Pskov, Tver, Vitebsk, Kaluga and Moscow provinces. In the mid 30-ies of the XII century, the territories lying along the Protva River, namely the Volosts of Puttino, Dobryatino, Bobrovnitsa, Dobrochkov, Bennitsa, departed for Rostislav. Thus, the Principality of Smolensk is located in the center of the destinies of Russia, so external threats for him practically did not matter. At the same time, Rostislav Mstislavich, whose biography was not fully studied by historians, tried to make sure that the prince's squad consolidated with the zemstvo, which played a dominant role in solving social and political issues.
Urban development
Until 1125, in the lot of the son of Mstislav the Great there were only three cities: Kasplya, Verzhavsk, Toropets. Rostislav Mstislavich (Prince Smolensky) ordered the laying of the cities of Rostislavl, Mstislavl, Izyaslavl, Yelnya, Dorogobuzh, and also transformed such settlements as Vasilyev, Luchin, Propoisk, Krichev into cities over time.
Converting a Religious Plan
In addition to urban policy, the prince is engaged in reforms of religious significance. He derives the Principality of Smolensk from Pereyaslavl bishopric and creates an autonomous "spiritual" district.
The prince entrusts him with the leadership of Bishop Manuel, and after a while passes him a document that gives the church enormous privileges. The certificate of Rostislav Mstislavich allowed the Smolensk diocese to receive tithe from all the income of the principality. After Manuel became the head of the diocese, he soon consecrated the Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk, which the son of Mstislav the Great built in 1101.
The prince also erected a number of stone buildings of religious significance, which was a real innovation for the Smolensk region.
Annals
Start Smolensk chronicles also gave Rostislav Mstislavich. Unfortunately, the original form of the chronicle has not been preserved to our days, but sources of late time periods nevertheless became the property of modern historians.
The Smolensk Izvestia, describing the life of the principality in the 30-60s of the 12th century, was taken as the basis for the creation of the Chronicle of the Rostislavovichi (80s of the 12th century) and the Kiev Code (1200). In Izvestia, in particular, mention was made of the establishment in 1136 of the Smolensk bishopric and the beginning of stone construction. That year 1136 is considered to be the beginning of the annals in the Smolensk region.
Community building
Under Rostislav Mstislavich, the process of community formation was also activated. The city elite of Smolensk begins to rejoice more and more for their own political interests and dictate their will to the High Prince. In such circumstances, he simply becomes the spokesman for the political course of the local power elite.
Age of civil strife
Rostislav Mstislavich (Smolensky) lived during the period when civil war was waged in Russia.
As soon as his parent died, the prince joins his siblings (Izyaslav and Vsevolod) to win the political confrontation against Uncle Yuri Dolgoruky and the ruler of the Volyn land Andrei Vladimirovich. At stake is Pereyaslyavl land. And in 1141, the Mstislavichi came into conflict with the Chernigov Olgovichs, who have high chances to sit for the Kiev and Novgorod thrones. The Olgovichi immediately set off to conquer Smolensk. A few months later, Rostislav, along with his brother Izyaslav, put his brother to reign in Novgorod, and then moved to Chernigov. But the main goal of the Mstislavichi is Kiev, for which Yuri Dolgoruky is waging a fierce struggle . Ten years this confrontation lasted. Rostislav and Izyaslav managed to subjugate the Suzdal and Yaroslavl lands. Everywhere they criticize and question the fairness of the policies of Yuri Dolgoruky. But that in 1155 manages to capture the throne in Kiev.
However, relations between the son of Mstislav the Great and Yuri Dolgoruky are exacerbated to the limit. The Kiev prince bribes the Polovtsian princes and asks them to organize a campaign against the Principality of Smolensk. As a result, he managed to carry out his plan.
But Rostislav has unshakable authority in the southern lands, and Yuri Dolgoruky knows about this, so his nephew and uncle decide to compromise.
Throne in Kiev
After some time, Rostislav Mstislavich on an equal footing with his brother and uncle actually becomes the ruler of Kiev. Prince Smolensky makes Ryazan land his vassality. But then brother Izyaslav died. And in 1157 Izyaslav Davydovich of Chernigov became the head of the principality. Two years later, the people of Kiev officially offered Rostislav to rule their principality on a one-to-one basis. He agrees.
To comply with customs, the prince sends two ambassadors to Kiev: Ivan Ruchechnik of Smolensk and Yakun of Novgorod. They had to find out under what conditions Rostislav was granted the right to rule the principal principality.
Years of rule in Kiev
Having taken the throne, Rostislav Mstislavich made every effort to ensure that Russia became a developed and prosperous state. He tried to stop the internecine wars, adhering to the policy of consolidation of Russian lands. Being at the helm of power in Kiev, the son of Mstislav the Great devotes a lot of time to spiritual development. He comes in contact with the bishops, regularly invites the igumen of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra Polycarpus to dinner, and even orders to prepare a separate cell for himself in the monastery, where he could be alone. That is why Prince Rostislav Mstislavich was called devout. Adhering to a verified and peace-loving policy, the ruler of Russia won the trust and authority of a huge number of rulers of specific lands. Indeed, many could learn from the son of Mstislav the Great how to make their region prosperous. Everyone understood that the one who was worthy was sitting on the Kiev throne. Conflicts and wars tried in every possible way to avoid Rostislav Mstislavich. The foreign policy of the Russian ruler was also peaceful. Even with the eternal enemies of the Polovtsi, he tried not to aggravate relations. But with some specific Polovtsian princes, he sometimes had to engage in skirmishes. The prince also organized military campaigns in Lithuania, and very successfully.
Novgorod
At the final stage of the reign of Rostislav Mstislavich, his offspring began to be replaced by the local elite of power from Novgorod. There comes a time when Svyatoslav (the son of Rostislav Mstislavich) can no longer rule in an independent principality. Then the Kiev prince personally goes to Novgorod to reconcile the townspeople with his son. Passing through Smolensk, he saw how happy his subjects were to his ruler and greeted them.
But when he reached Toropets, Rostislav Mstislavich (Prince of Kiev) became ill and ordered the messenger to go to Novgorod for his son, so that he would come with representatives of the Novgorod nobility to meet him in Velikiye Luki. In the end, he managed to reconcile Svyatoslav with the townspeople, after which he went to his native Smolensk, to visit his sister Rogneda for a bit. Despite his illness, the prince soon hastened to go to Kiev, citing state affairs. But he never managed to get to the “mother of Russian cities”. Rostislav Mstislavovich’s health seriously deteriorated, and in the spring of 1167 his hour struck in the territory of the settlement of Zaruba (Smolensk region). He managed to confess before his death and complained to priest Semyon that earlier he was not allowed to perform the ceremony of tonsure. The body of the prince was delivered to Kiev and buried in the Feodorov Monastery, as he punished. The power in the main princedom was to go to the son of Roman, who reigned in Belgorod. But after Rostislav Mstislavich (Smolensky) died, between his offspring and the Suzdal princes, headed by Andrei Bogolyubsky, a fierce struggle for the throne will unfold.
A family
Details of the family life of the Kiev and Smolensk rulers are almost unknown. It remains a mystery to the question of whom Rostislav Mstislavich (Prince Smolensky) was married to and whether he had other marriages. Mention of his sons appears for the first time in the sources of 40-50 years of the XII century. It is known that in 1149 Rostislav Mstislavich blessed the marriage of his son Roman, who took as his wife the daughter of Svyatoslav Olgovich, who ruled the Seversky lands. In 1154, the prince of Kiev and Smolensk gave his sons David and Roman the Novgorod inheritance. Which of them is older and which is younger is an open question. According to the annals, David was born in 1140.
One of the sons died in 1170, but it is not known who exactly. The younger son of Rostislav Mstislavich, Mstislav the Brave, was born in the mid-40s, and in the mid-60s he married his daughter Gleb Rostislavich, who ruled in Ryazan. Mstislav the Brave inherited the best qualities of his grandfather. The youngest son of Rostislav Mstislavich was baptized under the name Fedor.
It is known that the prince of Kiev and Smolensk had five sons and two daughters. Sources report only one daughter, Elena. In 1163, she became the wife of Prince Krakow Leszek Bely, and after he passed away in 1194, Elena became the full ruler in the Polish city. The daughter of Rostislav Mstislavich died in 1198.
Conclusion
The years of the reign of the prince of Kiev and Smolensk became landmark in the history of Ancient Russia. It was he who made it so that the rulers of the specific principalities ceased to be at enmity with each other. Rostislav Mstislavich is a representative of the ruling dynasty, who put in the first place not personal, but state interests, unlike many of his relatives. He was able to raise the authority of authority even higher in the eyes of the common people.