The reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise in Kievan Rus was at the end of the first and the beginning of the second millennium (about 978-1054). He is rightfully considered one of the greatest rulers of not only Russia but also of Europe. Yaroslav the Wise, for the years of his reign, brought the principality of Kiev to a new round of world development, his state reached a high level of political and military might.

The article describes the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Briefly mentioned are the main facts of his biography and the results of the government.

The origin of the Grand Duke

On the exact date of his birth, historian scholars continue to argue, many sources indicate the year of birth of the 978th. His father is the baptizer of Rus Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, and the mother is Polonskaya princess Rogneda Rogvoldovna, whom Prince Vladimir took by force. From this marriage he had three more sons.

According to the chronicles, Yaroslav lived a long life and died at 75 years old. He became the ancestor of many rulers in Europe. For the first time the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is briefly mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years", written by the monk Nestor.

The prince of Rostov

The beginning of the independent rule of Yaroslav is 988, when his father planted him as a child to the principality in Rostov. The power really belonged to his mentor, who took all decisions, given the very young age of the prince.

There is almost no historical confirmation of the Rostov rule of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In any case, in the annals of that time there are no references to important historical facts connected with the Rostov prince. Many historians believe that the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in Rostov was marked by the appearance of a city named in his honor Yaroslavl. 1010 is officially considered the year of its foundation.

The beginning of government

In 1010 (1011), after the death of one of the eldest sons of the Grand Duke Vladimir Vysheslav and contrary to the expectations of the elder brother of Yaroslav Svyatopolk, it was Yaroslav who decided to rule Novgorod. In comparison with the Rostov prince Novgorod was considered higher, but the Novgorod prince was subordinated to Kiev and was obliged to pay tribute.

Riot against father

In 1014, Yaroslav refused to pay tribute to Kiev and rebels against his father. The reason for this rebellion is the approach of Vladimir to his younger son Boris and the intention to give him the Kiev throne. For the same reason, the eldest of sons, Svyatopolk, rebelled against Vladimir. For this he was imprisoned and remained in captivity until the time of his father's death.

To resist his father, Prince Vladimir, Yaroslav hires Varangians, but the army is in inactivity and trades in robbery in Novgorod itself, which causes the righteous wrath of the Novgorodians. Prince Vladimir himself can not enter into single combat with his son, as the Kiev principality is threatened by the attack of the Pechenegs. And the army, collected against Novgorod, goes to battle with the steppe nomads. Boris is the head of the army, since Vladimir by this time is weak and old.

Brother to brother

The opposition of his son and father ends with the death of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich July 15, 1015. But the battle begins between the two brothers, Svyatopolk and Yaroslav, for the throne of Kiev. Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Cursed by the people, on the way to the throne killed three of his brothers.

Several times Yaroslav and Svyatopolk the Damned met in a deadly confrontation. In 1018 the decisive battle took place. Svyatopolk and his father-in-law, Polish King Boleslaw Brave, again invaded Kievan Rus. This time they defeated Yaroslav, who returned to Novgorod and wanted to flee to Scandinavia. However, the Novgorodians forced their prince to continue the struggle. In the spring of 1019 on the river Alt Svyatopolk was finally defeated and fled. According to some historical sources on the way to Poland it was overtaken by Yaroslav's soldiers and killed. But Yaroslav is not in a hurry to occupy the Kiev throne, as the rights to it are made by nephew Bryachislav and brother Mstislav.

The struggle for Kiev

In 1019, Yaroslav married for the second time. His chosen one is the Swedish princess Ingigerd (in Orthodoxy Irina). It is believed that the first wife of Yaroslav was a Norwegian, her name was Anna, she, along with the prince's sisters, was captured by the Poles and imprisoned for ever in Poland. Many researchers consider the union with Ingigerdah to be Yaroslav's political step with the aim of eliminating unstable relations with the Swedes.

The struggle for the throne of the Kiev brothers continues to lead with varying success until 1026, until Mstislav defeated the troops of Yaroslav and transferred the capital to Chernigov. Prince he proposed to sit in Kiev and divide the administration of land along the Dnieper, leaving behind Yaroslav all the right coast. A peace treaty was concluded. But even being the master of the throne of Kiev, Yaroslav did not leave Novgorod until the death of Mstislav, that is, until 1035, confident that the Novgorodians would support him in any circumstances. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1035 becomes the autocrat of Kievan Rus Yaroslav the Wise. The years of his reign have become a period of the heyday of Rus.

To avoid claims to the throne of Kiev on the part of his younger brother, who reigned in Pskov, Jaroslav Sudislav imprisoned in prison.

Chronology of military operations

The history of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise contains numerous references to military operations. Here are just a few of them:

• 1029 - a campaign to help Mstislav against the yasov, expelling them from Tmutarakan (now Krasnodar Territory);
• 1031 - a campaign with Mstislav to Poles, as a result, the cities of Przemysl and Cherven were conquered;
• 1036 - victory over the troops of the Pechenegs and liberation from their raids of Ancient Rus;
• 1040 and 1044 years - military actions against Lithuania.

Results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Politics and the state

The period of the Grand Duke's tenure is 37 years. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is considered the period of the rise of the Kiev principality, when many European states sought a military and political alliance with it. As a talented politician, Yaroslav the Wise preferred diplomacy to any military action. He pragmatically arranged marriages of his ten children and other relatives with European rulers, which served the purposes of state security. It is known that he paid a symbolic annual tribute to the Varangians - 300 hryvnia of silver, which was very small, but kept peace on the northern borders.

Much for the power made Yaroslav the Wise. He spent years of government not only to strengthen military power, but also to organize life in the state according to the laws. He adopted the Church Charter and the code of laws "Pravda Yaroslav", which is considered the oldest part of the collection of norms of ancient law "Russian Truth".

Being an educated person, Yaroslav takes care of the education of his subjects: he opens the first schools and libraries. The first library in Russia was opened by him in the St. Sophia Cathedral.

His plans included the solution of another important problem - the transfer of power. The internecine wars that flared up between the receivers, plunged the country into ruin and disasters, weakened it and made it easy prey for external enemies. Often, candidates for the main throne in their own mercenary interests hired foreign troops, which rioted and plundered the population. Yaroslav, as a talented politician, certainly understood the importance of improving the transfer of power, but this problem in connection with death was never solved.

Religious Consequences

The results of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise are not limited only to political achievements. He did much to strengthen Christianity in the state. In 1051, the Russian Church was finally freed from the influence of Constantinople, for the first time independently elected at the Episcopal Cathedral Metropolitan Hilarion. Church Slavonic translates a large number of Byzantine books, a considerable amount of money is allocated from their treasury for their correspondence.

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is marked by the foundation of many monasteries and churches. The monasteries of Kiev-Pechersky, Saint Iryna, St. George were considered not only ecclesiastical, but also social and cultural centers. In 1037 the construction of the famous St. Sophia Cathedral began, in which the ashes of Yaroslav were later buried. According to his order in 1036-1037. Erected the famous Kiev Golden Gate, which, according to Yaroslav's plan, should symbolize the movement of the center of Orthodoxy into Kievan Rus.