The geographical position of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Description of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality

The history of our country contains many interesting and important events, the names of prominent figures and names of those cities and regions where they created and lived. So, in the history of Ancient Rus, the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality was of great importance, with which many outstanding names and events were associated.

Unfortunately, much less is said about its history, location and residents. Today we will discuss both the geographical location of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, and its other characteristics.

Basic information

Previously, it was called Rostov-Suzdal land, but located in the interfluve of the Oka and Volga. The terrain has always been remarkable for marvelously fertile soils. It is not surprising that by the beginning of the 12th century a large and well-established system of boyar land tenure had taken shape. Since there were many forests in those parts, all the plots of fertile land were located between them. They were called the opolium (the term originated from the word "field"). For a long time on the territory of the principality was the city of Yuryev-Polsky (it was located in the zone of opolya). What were the natural conditions of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality?

If we compare these places with the Dnieper, the climate here was quite severe. The crops were comparatively large (for those times), but fishing, hunting and beekeeping, which were developed in those parts, gave a good "earnings". The peculiar geographical location of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality and its rather harsh conditions led to the fact that the Slavs came here late, confronted with the indigenous Finno-Ugric population.

Removal from the centers of civilization of those times also led to the fact that the Vladimir-Suzdal lands resisted the most forcible spreading of Christianity from Kiev longer than anyone else.

Geographical position

People here were attracted by a unique geographical position: the land was protected from attack from all sides by deep rivers, huge swamps and impenetrable forests. It should not be forgotten that the geographical position 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 went to local forests from all the same raids and exorbitant charges of princes' henchmen.

The main characteristics of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality

This is how the Vladimir-Suzdal principality differed. The table describes its main aspects well.

About profitable trade

Through the lands of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, the Volga trade route ran , 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 quickly enough, which was not delighted with Kiev, and therefore constantly started a branch and aspired to independence. Thus, the very geographical location of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality contributed to the creation of a rich and lasting "state in the state".

In their quest for this, the princes turned their attention to the local regions quite late, since the seats on the throne in the remote lands were intended solely for younger sons, whom it was desirable to remove from Kiev. Only when Monomakh came to power, the strength and greatness of the state began to grow rapidly. That is why the hereditary patrimony of the Monomakhs was precisely the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, the map of which quickly overgrew the new lands.

Between the local land volosts and descendants of Vladimir Monomakh established strong ties, here earlier than in other lands, used to perceive the sons and grandsons of Monomakh as their princes. The inflow of heritage, which caused intensive economic activity, growth and the emergence of new cities, predetermined the economic and political rise of the region. In the dispute over power, the Rostov-Suzdal princes had considerable resources.

Opole

Agriculture in those days required remarkable perseverance. But in the conditions of the Vladimir-Suzdal lands, no guarantees were ever given. From one tenth in the XII century, under the best circumstances, it was possible to collect not more than 800 kg. However, for those times it was just fine, but because the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, the characteristic of which is given in the article, quickly became richer.

But the economy of local peasants was in a special dependence on cattle breeding. They bred almost all breeds of cattle: cows and horses, goats and sheep. So, archaeological excavations in those parts find a lot of iron braids, which were used for harvesting hay. Of great importance was the breeding of horses, which were massively used in the military business.

"Fruits of the Earth"

Approximately in the XII century there was also gardening. The main tool in those years were blades with metal fittings ("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 to the drawing explained that "Adam was digging the earth with his stigma." Thus, the whole history of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality is inextricably linked with the constant improvement of the skill of its inhabitants.

Approximately in the same centuries, gardening is beginning to develop intensively. Surprisingly, but then it was the lot of only the citizens. This is again confirmed by numerous archaeological excavations, during which a large number of remains of old apple orchards were found. Tradition also says that since the 12th century a large number of cherry orchards began to be laid on the territory of the principality. Contemporaries wrote that the cities of the Vladimir-Suzdal princedom are "the pearl of Rus."

Despite abundant trade, agriculture and horticulture began to develop, the population continued to intensively engage in beekeeping, hunting and fishing. During the excavations, a huge number of nets, hooks, floats and remains of caught fish are found. What else did the Vladimir-Suzdal principality conceal in itself? His characterization will be completely incomplete, if we do not talk about the crafts that dealt with its inhabitants.

Crafts

Without artisans it is impossible to imagine the life of a single principality in those years. It is interesting that in those times the specialization of craftsmen differed only in the finished product, and not in the material. So, the saddler had to perfectly know not only the ways of processing the skin, but also various methods of embossing, with which he decorated his product, making it as possible more attractive to potential buyers. Since the craftsmen settled exclusively on a "related" principle, whole town craftsmen quickly appeared in the cities.

In some houses special working furnaces for smelting have been found, which were installed next to those in which food was prepared. Some artisans worked exclusively on order. Another, much more numerous category of masters, produced mass products for sale in the city markets and direct sale to visiting merchants, who were very fond of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Let's briefly talk about other activities that were common among the local population.

From the same XII century, the same crafts were actively developed here, which were popular on the territory of the rest of Kievan Rus. However, from the annals of that period it follows that woodworking quickly became the main occupation of the local population. During all the excavations find a lot of tools for working with wood. No less ancient craft in those parts was pottery.

The development of pottery in the Principality

Evidence of the active development of pottery is the construction of the Assumption Cathedral in the late 12th century. On the banks of a small river Kamenka found the remains of three huge kilns for roasting, in each of which it was possible to load five thousand pieces of bricks at a time. It is assumed that in the same period local craftsmen mastered the production of liquid tiles. Their dimensions reached 19x19 cm, which at that time was a real technological breakthrough. To make tiles more beautiful, craftsmen used a huge list of all kinds of enamels and glazes.

Owing to such a wide and rich assortment of goods, the development of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was going on by leaps and bounds, as money flowed into its treasury in a broad stream.

The art of stone processing

The stone trade began to develop from the end of the XII century, and the masters quickly reached outstanding heights in their business. In the cities of the principality, many artisans-rockets appeared. It is no accident that many Suzdal boyars contemptuously called the Vladimirs "slaves and masons." In the late 40-ies in Suzdal appears a separate artel of masons. It was her masters who took the most active part in erecting the temples of the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky, St. George's, Suzdal's. In addition, they also built a country residence in Kideksha.

Development of blacksmithing

The blacksmith's craft in these parts also became very widespread and was very developed. If, again, we return to the subject of excavations, then in their course they discover a huge number of blacksmith's tools. Under the town of Vyazniki, many samples of bog ore were found in private houses, which allows one to conclude that this trade is widespread among people who inhabited the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality. In short, they were excellent artisans.

The crowning of the craftsmanship of the local blacksmith's craft was the magnificent crosses of the Assumption and Dmitrievsky cathedrals, adorned with the figure of the dove-weather vane, with the finest skill made of copper. But Christmas and Uspensky cathedrals of Vladimir with their luxurious copper floors easily cross out all this.

Weaponsmithing

But especially in those days, the local smiths distinguished the category of armourers. It was they who made Yaroslav Vsevolodovich's sholom and Andrei Bogolyubsky's battle ax , which should be considered not only forging but also for jewelry. Especially famous were the local armours.

In addition, archaeologists were impressed once with the serf bow they had found, from which even seven arrows survived. The length of each of them was about 170 centimeters, and the weight was 2.5 kilograms at once. Most likely, it was their ancient chroniclers who were called "Shereshirs". Especially appreciated are the masters who were engaged in the manufacture of shields.

As archaeologists found out, Suzdal and Vladimir smiths knew how to make at least one hundred and fifty samples of steel products, owning more than 16 different specialties.

Weaving and work with fabrics

Weaving was widespread everywhere, as well as a variety of types of spinning. During excavations, not only were many tools of these crafts found, but also the remains of fabrics. It turned out that the Russian craftsmen in these parts knew up to fifty sewing techniques, including the most refined ones. Materials were very different: leather, fur, silk and cotton. On fabrics in many cases the magnificent embroidery by a silver thread has remained.

Since the principality has long been developed livestock, and tanners in the local region also suffice. Suzdal craftsmen became famous far beyond their native land with the exceptional quality of yuft and morocco boots. In support of this, Professor NN Voronin, well-known in his circles, found during the excavations in several farmsteads many "dead ends". So in those days called pieces of cow's ribs, used in the mechanical processing of leather.

Treatment of bone

It was known to local residents and the skill of bone carvers. Almost in each trench, excavations have numerous bone buttons, combs and other household items. Approximately in the same period, jewelery is gaining comparatively wide acceptance. As in Vladimir, and in Suzdal, numerous casting molds were found. Jewelers, as it turned out later, in their work used more than 60 types of forms for various purposes. Special respect in the society was enjoyed by those masters who worked with gold products.

They found both bracelets and all kinds of necklaces, pendants and buttons that were artistically decorated with enamels with a very complex production cycle. Vladimir masters of only one gram of silver managed to pull a kilometer of the finest thread!

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 those major trade routes that ran through its territory. Archeologists found several warehouses of eastern coins (dirgems), which unambiguously 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 led grain trade.

No less intensive was trade with Byzantium, as well as many European countries. River routes of delivery were especially quoted. However, local princes have always strictly maintained order and on land trade routes, as the discord in relations with merchants could have a very negative impact on the well-being of lands.

Here are the features of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.