The Lubech Congress was an important event in the history of Russia. It took place in 1097. The reason for the convocation of the Lubech Congress was important events that brought devastation and bloodshed throughout the territory of old Russia.
Reasons for the Congress
Anticipating the approaching retreat to another world, the Kiev prince Yaroslav divided his great possession into small principalities. According to the decree of the noble parent, each of the male heirs was allocated an inheritance of some part of the state, called Kievan Rus. The Lubech Congress of Princes was to prevent the division of lands between the heirs.
The oldest son, named Izyaslav, naturally got the capital - Kiev. The rest, in decreasing age, was inherited by the following estates: Svyatoslav sat on Chernigov land, Vsevolod on Pereyaslavl, Vyacheslav on Smolensk, and Igor on Vladimir-Volynskaya. As the course of subsequent events showed, with this short-sighted decision, Yaroslav the Wise provoked feudal fragmentation.
The beginning of feuds
As often happens, the growing grandchildren also began to claim their share of grandfather's inheritance. The troubled times affected the civilian population, bringing him a lot of grief and suffering.
The tidbit was the capital of Kievan Rus, so the struggle focused on the princely throne. Residents of Kiev did not like the new ruler, who could not compare with his father. Even after the second attempt, Izyaslav was unable to regain the throne - his siblings prevented him. The exiled prince had to seek refuge in neighboring Poland, where he waited for the death of Svyatoslav in order to return to Kiev again.
After Izyaslav, Vsevolod sat on the Kiev throne, which initially went to Pereyaslavl. Through his efforts, the eldest son, the future Vladimir Monomakh, established himself in Chernigov. Further struggle for the throne ensued between the heirs of Svyatoslav and Vsevolod. The Lyubech Congress was needed already at this time, since relatives could not exist peacefully.
In 1093, after the death of Vsevolod, the principality of Kiev was to be headed by his son, intelligent and restrained Vladimir Monomakh. In order to prevent unnecessary bloodshed, Monomakh nevertheless ceded a place of honor to his cousin Svyatopolk, the son of Izyaslav. The sons of Prince Svyatoslav demanded that they be granted great rights, they intended to take away power from Monomakh, who reigned in Chernigov.
The situation became tense when, with the light hand of Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, the Polovtsy were involved in the internecine conflict. Vladimir Monomakh, who ceded Chernigov to his relatives, after returning to Pereyaslavl, organized resistance to the Polovtsian nomads.
Attempts to stop the criminal actions of some princes
Vladimir Monomakh and Svyatopolk Izyaslavich in 1096 decided to put an end to the arbitrariness of the Polovtsy by joint efforts. They called for joining the union of Oleg Svyatoslavovich. However, he refused the offer and did not deign to participate in the All-Russian princely congress, where an agreement on order in the state was to be concluded. Kiev and Pereyaslavl, along with the princes of Volyn, decided to teach a lesson to the criminal who hid in Starodub. Oleg, cornered, as they say, accepted the brothers ’peaceful offer. The decision of the Lubech Congress in the future was to help each prince behave peacefully and with dignity.
For all the sins of Oleg was punished by deprivation of the Chernigov principality and a call to the general congress. Aggressive plans were not destined to come true. Seeing that almost all relatives were opposed to him, he not only did not capture Novgorod, but left the captured Moore, Suzdal and Rostov. This time Oleg already vowed that he would visit the Lubech Congress of Princes.
Lubech Congress
The city of Lubech was chosen as the venue for the famous congress, where near the Dnieper River there was the family castle of Vladimir Monomakh. Among the guests at the Lyubech Congress there were the most notable princes of Russia, including the descendants of Yaroslav the Wise - grandchildren, great-grandchildren. The Lubech Congress was organized, and important decisions remained.
The following points can be distinguished as points:
- The key decision of the congress, held in 1097, was that all the princes of the Rurikovich clan agreed among themselves to recognize the rights to the patrimony, or, as the annals say: "Keep your own fatherland every day."
- If someone violates the contract and is flattered on the land of his brother or someone else from his relatives, he will be considered a criminal. He must be stopped by the combined militia of the remaining princes.
- They agreed on joint defense against nomads who made frequent raids on Russia.
- One of the main principles of large feudal land tenure was laid: inheritance by the prince-son of his father’s land. The Lubech Congress must put an end to the bloodshed and the struggle for power.
The kissing of the cross by the participants in the meeting was to indicate a determination to strictly implement the decisions made.
Congress on Dolobsky lake. Results of both congresses
However, peace between relatives was short-lived. The start of a new wave was the blinding of Vasilk Rostislavovich, which was committed by Svyatopolk and David Igorevich.
Therefore, five years later, the princes had to gather again, but already on Dolob Lake. The result of the congress was that the combined army, led by Vladimir Monomakh, defeated the Polovtsians relatively easily, but, unfortunately, Kievan Rus could not end the strife and become a monolithic state. The significance of the Lubech Congress could be important, only the princes could not restrain the peace.