A period of brutal princely strife opened.

After Yaroslav, the eldest of his living sons became the Grand Duke, Izyaslav Yaroslavich(1054 – 1078). The first troubles were started by the rogue prince Rostislav Vladimirovich, his father was also the son of Yaroslav, and older than Izyaslav, but died during Yaroslav’s life. Rostislav, dissatisfied with his Vladimir-Volyn region, recruited a squad and took possession of Tmutarakan in the Crimea, but here he was poisoned by the Greeks. However, he is survived by his sons Volodar and Vasilko. The nomadic Cumans who appeared at this time in southern steppes, defeated the united forces of the Russian princes. The Kievans wanted to fight the Polovtsy a second time, but Izyaslav opposed this, and then Izyaslav was expelled from Kyiv (1068). With the help of the Polish king, Izyaslav again occupied Kyiv (1069), but soon quarreled with his brothers, was expelled by them and fled to Western Europe. Grand Duke's throne It was occupied by wrong (1073) by his next brother, Svyatoslav of Chernigov. Only after the death of Svyatoslav did Izyaslav return to Kyiv again.

Izyaslav died (1078) in the fight with Oleg Svyatoslavich and Boris Vyacheslavich, who, in alliance with the Polovtsians, rebelled against him and his brother Vsevolod, since their uncles did not want to give their nephews volosts. Izyaslav was succeeded in Kyiv by the weak Vsevolod Yaroslavich(1078-1093), whose reign was very restless, since the younger princes were arguing over inheritances, and the Polovtsians were attacking Russian land. Only with the help of his famous son Vladimir Monomakh could Vsevolod remain on the throne until his death. We know about Vsevolod from the teachings of his son Monomakh that he loved education very much and knew 5 languages; In general, the love of education was hereditary in Yaroslav’s family.

Rus' in the 11th - early 12th centuries

Vsevolod was succeeded in seniority (Igor and Vyacheslav Yaroslavich died in the first years of Izyaslav’s reign) by the weak and indecisive, but power-hungry Svyatopolk II Izyaslavich (1093 - 1113). Under him, Oleg Svyatoslavich and the Polovtsy devastated the Russian land several times, wanting to regain his father's city of Chernigov.

To stop civil strife, the princes gathered for a general council in Lyubech (1097), where they decided that everyone should own what his father owned: Svyatopolk - Kiev, Monomakh - Pereyaslavl, Svyatoslavich (Oleg, David and Yaroslav) - Chernigov-Seversk and Murom - Ryazan lands. The outcast princes David Igorevich and the Rostislavichs Volodar and Vasilko were given Vladimir-Volyn land, divided into 2 parts - Volyn, which went to David, and Chervonnaya Rus, which the Rostislavichs received. “Why are we destroying the Russian land,” said the princes at the congress, “raising a quarrel against ourselves? Let’s better live unanimously and not let the Polovtsians destroy the Russian land,” and at the same time sealed the peace treaty with a kiss of the cross.

The agreement of the princes, however, did not last long. Soon after the congress, David Igorevich, dissatisfied with his lot and afraid of the warlike Rostislavichs, especially Vasilko, brave and enterprising, captured the latter with the consent of Svyatopolk and blinded him. New strife occurred, ending with the second congress of princes - in Vitichev (1100), at which they punished David by taking away Vladimir of Volyn from him. The Polovtsians, taking advantage of the continuous strife of the princes, repeatedly ravaged the Russian land. After the end of the unrest, Vladimir Monomakh convinced the princes to unite and go against the Polovtsians. 2 trips were made. During the second of them, the princes, delving into the Polovtsian lands, defeated the Polovtsians headlong at the Sal River, which flows into the Don (1111). The complete victory over the Polovtsians, the constant enemies of Rus' in the depths of their steppes, made a strong impression in the Russian land, since after Svyatoslav Igorevich, whose campaigns few people remembered, not a single prince went so far to the east. It’s clear what fame he gained main character this campaign - Monomakh. For a long time there was a legend about “how he drank the Don with a golden mantle, how he drove the accursed Hagarians behind the iron gates.”

After the death of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Monomakh (1113 - 1125) became Grand Duke. Under this strong and intelligent ruler, strife in Rus' temporarily ceased. You can read about him in the articles on our website Vladimir Monomakh - a short biography, Vladimir Monomakh - a historical portrait.

Monomakh and his entire family gained such favor with the people that after the death of Vladimir, his eldest son Mstislav occupied Kyiv, although he was not the eldest in the house of Rurik. Mstislav ruled the Russian land (1125 - 1132) like his father and kept the appanage princes in obedience. At this time, the House of Monomakh belonged to Kyiv, Novgorod, Smolensk, Pereyaslavl, Turov, Volyn, Rostov and Suzdal. In addition, Mstislav also took possession of the Principality of Polotsk and gave it to his son Izyaslav, and sent the Polotsk princes as exiles to Greece. Thus, the house of Monomakh in its possessions was stronger than all other Rurikovichs. During Mstislav's time, it was strong and fraternal unanimity of all its members.

Mstislav was succeeded in Kyiv by his brother Yaropolk (1132 - 1139), under whom discord occurred between the Monomakhovichs - the nephews wanted to be older than their uncle and inherit the reign of Kiev. The Olgovichi, sons of Oleg Svyatoslavich, took advantage of these discords and began to fight with the Monomakhovichi for seniority. The Polotsk princes also took advantage of these strife and again occupied the Principality of Polotsk.

After the death of Yaropolk, the eldest of the Olgovichi, Vsevolod, became the Grand Duke, expelling Vyacheslav Vladimirovich from Kyiv (1139 - 1146). His brother Igor wanted to succeed Vsevolod, but the people of Kiev, who did not like the Olgovichs and were tied to the house of Monomakh, called Izyaslav II Mstislavich (1146 - 1154) to themselves, and killed Igor. Izyaslav occupied Kyiv in addition to his eldest uncles Vyacheslav and Yuri, but he thought little about which side was right: “it’s not the place that comes to the head,” he said, “but the head to the place.”

His uncle Yuri Dolgoruky armed himself against Izyaslav for violating seniority; There was a stubborn struggle for Kyiv, in which other Russian princes, as well as Hungarians and Polovtsians, took part. Twice expelled from Kyiv by Yuri, but not wanting to give in to him, Izyaslav gave Kyiv to his elder but incapable uncle Vyacheslav Vladimirovich (1151 - 1154), and under his name he ruled Kiev until his death. After Izyaslav II, Yuri Dolgoruky finally occupied Kyiv and ruled it until his death (1157).

One of the most powerful in its time was Kievan Rus. A huge medieval power arose in the 9th century as a result of the unification of East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes. During its heyday, Kievan Rus (in the 9th-12th centuries) occupied an impressive territory and had strong army. By the middle of the 12th century, the once powerful state due to feudal fragmentation split into separate ones. Thus, Kievan Rus became easy prey for the Golden Horde, which put an end to the medieval power. About the main events that took place in Kievan Rus in the 9th-12th centuries will be described in the article.

Russian Kaganate

According to many historians, in the first half of the 9th century, on the territory of the future Old Russian state, there existed public education Rusov. Little information has been preserved about the exact location of the Russian Kaganate. According to historian Smirnov, the state formation was located in the region between the upper Volga and Oka.

The ruler of the Russian Kaganate bore the title of Kagan. In the Middle Ages this title had a very great value. The Kagan ruled not only over nomadic peoples, but also commanded over other rulers different nations. Thus, the head of the Russian Kaganate acted as the emperor of the steppes.

By the middle of the 9th century, as a result of specific foreign policy circumstances, the transformation of the Russian Kaganate into the Russian Great Reign took place, which was weakly dependent on Khazaria. During the reign of Askold and Dir, it was possible to completely get rid of oppression.

Rurik's reign

In the second half of the 9th century, the East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes, due to cruel enmity, called the Varangians overseas to reign in their lands. The first Russian prince was Rurik, who began to rule in Novgorod in 862. The new state of Rurik lasted until 882, when Kievan Rus was formed.

The history of Rurik's reign is full of contradictions and inaccuracies. Some historians are of the opinion that he and his squad are of Scandinavian origin. Their opponents are supporters of the West Slavic version of the development of Rus'. In any case, the name of the term “Rus” in the 10th and 11th centuries was used in relation to the Scandinavians. After the Scandinavian Varangian came to power, the title “Kagan” gave way to “Grand Duke”.

The chronicles preserve scant information about the reign of Rurik. Therefore, praising his desire to expand and strengthen state borders, as well as strengthen cities, is quite problematic. Rurik is also remembered for the fact that he was able to successfully suppress the rebellion in Novgorod, thereby strengthening his authority. In any case, the reign of the founder of the dynasty of future princes of Kievan Rus made it possible to centralize power in the Old Russian state.

Reign of Oleg

After Rurik, power in Kievan Rus was to pass into the hands of his son Igor. However, due to the early age of the legal heir, Oleg became the ruler of the Old Russian state in 879. The new one turned out to be very militant and enterprising. Already from the first years of his stay in power, he sought to take control waterway to Greece. To realize this grandiose goal, Oleg in 882, thanks to his cunning plan, dealt with the princes Askold and Dir, capturing Kyiv. Thus, the strategic task of conquering the Slavic tribes who lived along the Dnieper was solved. Immediately after entering the captured city, Oleg declared that Kyiv was destined to become the mother of Russian cities.

The first ruler of Kievan Rus really liked the advantageous location settlement. The gentle banks of the Dnieper River were impregnable to invaders. In addition, Oleg carried out large-scale work to strengthen the defense structures of Kyiv. In 883-885, a number of military campaigns took place with positive results, as a result of which the territory of Kievan Rus was significantly expanded.

Domestic and foreign policy of Kievan Rus during the reign of Oleg the Prophet

A distinctive feature of the internal policy of the reign of Oleg the Prophet was the strengthening of the state treasury through the collection of tribute. In many ways, the budget of Kievan Rus was filled thanks to extortions from conquered tribes.

The period of Oleg's reign was marked by successful foreign policy. In 907, a successful campaign against Byzantium took place. The trick of the Kyiv prince played a key role in the victory over the Greeks. The threat of destruction loomed over impregnable Constantinople after the ships of Kievan Rus were put on wheels and continued to move by land. Thus, the frightened rulers of Byzantium were forced to offer Oleg a huge tribute and provide generous benefits to the Russian merchants. After 5 years, a peace treaty was signed between Kievan Rus and the Greeks. After a successful campaign against Byzantium, legends began to form about Oleg. The Kyiv prince was credited with supernatural powers and a penchant for magic. Also, a grandiose victory in the domestic arena allowed Oleg to receive the nickname Prophetic. The Kyiv prince died in 912.

Prince Igor

After Oleg's death in 912, its legal heir, Igor, the son of Rurik, became the full-fledged ruler of Kievan Rus. The new prince was naturally distinguished by modesty and respect for his elders. That is why Igor was in no hurry to throw Oleg off the throne.

The reign of Prince Igor was remembered for numerous military campaigns. After ascending the throne, he had to suppress the rebellion of the Drevlyans, who wanted to stop obeying Kyiv. The successful victory over the enemy made it possible to take additional tribute from the rebels for the needs of the state.

The confrontation with the Pechenegs was carried out with varying success. In 941, Igor continued the foreign policy of his predecessors, declaring war on Byzantium. The cause of the war was the desire of the Greeks to free themselves from their obligations after the death of Oleg. The first military campaign ended in defeat, since Byzantium had carefully prepared. In 944, a new peace treaty was signed between the two states because the Greeks decided to avoid battle.

Igor died in November 945 while collecting tribute from the Drevlyans. The prince’s mistake was that he sent his squad to Kyiv, and he himself, with a small army, decided to profit additionally from his subjects. The indignant Drevlyans brutally dealt with Igor.

The reign of Vladimir the Great

In 980, Vladimir, the son of Svyatoslav, became the new ruler. Before taking the throne, he had to emerge victorious from a fraternal feud. However, after escaping “overseas”, Vladimir managed to gather a Varangian squad and avenge the death of his brother Yaropolk. The reign of the new prince of Kievan Rus turned out to be outstanding. Vladimir was also revered by his people.

The most important merit of the son of Svyatoslav is the famous Baptism of Rus', which took place in 988. In addition to numerous successes in the domestic arena, the prince became famous for his military campaigns. In 996, several fortress cities were built to protect the lands from enemies, one of which was Belgorod.

Baptism of Rus' (988)

Until 988, paganism flourished on the territory of the Old Russian state. However, Vladimir the Great decided to choose Christianity as the state religion, although representatives from the Pope, Islam and Judaism came to him.

The Baptism of Rus' in 988 still took place. Vladimir the Great, his close boyars and warriors, as well as ordinary people accepted Christianity. Those who resisted leaving paganism were threatened with all kinds of oppression. Thus, the Russian Church began in 988.

Reign of Yaroslav the Wise

One of the most famous princes of Kievan Rus was Yaroslav, who was not accidentally nicknamed the Wise. After the death of Vladimir the Great, turmoil struck Old Russian state. Blinded by the thirst for power, Svyatopolk sat on the throne, killing 3 of his brothers. Subsequently, Yaroslav gathered a huge army of Slavs and Varangians, after which in 1016 he went to Kyiv. In 1019 he managed to defeat Svyatopolk and ascend to the throne of Kievan Rus.

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise turned out to be one of the most successful in the history of the Old Russian state. In 1036, he managed to finally unite the numerous lands of Kievan Rus, after the death of his brother Mstislav. Yaroslav's wife was the daughter of the Swedish king. Several cities and a stone wall were erected around Kyiv by order of the prince. The main city gates of the capital of the Old Russian state were called Golden.

Yaroslav the Wise died in 1054, when he was 76 years old. The reign of the Kyiv prince, 35 years long, is a golden time in the history of the Old Russian state.

Domestic and foreign policy of Kievan Rus during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise

The priority of Yaroslav's foreign policy was to increase the authority of Kievan Rus in the international arena. The prince managed to achieve a number of important military victories over the Poles and Lithuanians. In 1036 the Pechenegs were completely defeated. At the site of the fateful battle, the Church of St. Sophia appeared. During the reign of Yaroslav in last time There was a military conflict with Byzantium. The result of the confrontation was the signing of a peace treaty. Vsevolod, son of Yaroslav, married the Greek princess Anna.

In the domestic arena, the literacy of the population of Kievan Rus increased significantly. In many cities of the state, schools appeared in which boys were trained in church work. Various Greek books were translated into Old Church Slavonic. During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, the first collection of laws was published. “Russian Truth” became the main asset of numerous reforms of the Kyiv prince.

The beginning of the collapse of Kievan Rus

What are the reasons for the collapse of Kievan Rus? Like many early medieval powers, its collapse turned out to be completely natural. An objective and progressive process took place associated with the increase in boyar land ownership. In the principalities of Kievan Rus, nobility appeared, in whose interests it was more profitable to rely on a local prince than to support a single ruler in Kyiv. According to many historians, at first territorial fragmentation was not the reason for the collapse of Kievan Rus.

In 1097, on the initiative of Vladimir Monomakh, in order to stop strife, the process of creating regional dynasties was launched. By the middle of the 12th century, the Old Russian state was divided into 13 principalities, which differed in area, military power and cohesion.

Decline of Kyiv

In the 12th century, there was a significant decline in Kyiv, which turned from a metropolis into an ordinary principality. Largely due to the Crusades, international trade communications were transformed. Therefore, economic factors significantly undermined the power of the city. In 1169, Kyiv was first stormed and plundered as a result of princely strife.

The final blow to Kievan Rus came Mongol invasion. The scattered principality did not represent a formidable force for numerous nomads. In 1240 Kyiv suffered a crushing defeat.

Population of Kievan Rus

There is no information left about the exact number of inhabitants of the Old Russian state. According to the historian, the total population of Kievan Rus in the 9th - 12th centuries was approximately 7.5 million people. About 1 million people lived in cities.

The lion's share of the inhabitants of Kievan Rus in the 9th-12th centuries were free peasants. Over time, more and more people became stinkers. Although they had freedom, they were obliged to obey the prince. The free population of Kievan Rus, due to debts, captivity and other reasons, could become servants who were powerless slaves.

§ 11 – 12. ANCIENT RUSSIAN STATE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 11th – BEGINNING OF THE 12TH CENTURY

Polovtsian danger. In 1055, detachments of nomadic Kipchaks appeared off the banks of the Dnieper, near Pereyaslavl. In Rus' they were called Polovtsians. These tribes came from the Ural-Altai steppes. From this time until beginning of XIII centuries, the Polovtsians constantly raided Russian lands. The fight against them became one of the main tasks of the Kyiv princes.

The basis of Polovtsian society was the large patriarchal family. Its head was considered the owner of all property. The richest heads of families - beys or beks - were subordinate to the head of the tribe (horde) - the soltan, or khan. Tribal alliances also emerged.

Nomads worshiped stone statues depicting deceased rich warriors and women. These statues were placed on high mounds, at crossroads. The statues were considered patrons of the clan or big family. The nomads made sacrifices to them. The Polovtsians believed in evil spirits, in the afterlife as a continuation of earthly life. Often the Polovtsian khans were also the high priests of the tribe.

Yaroslavichy. Yaroslav the Wise bequeathed to his children to live in love and harmony, when the younger brothers are obedient to the elders. The prince divided the Russian land among his sons. Izyaslav received Novgorod, Kyiv, Svyatoslav - Chernigov land, Ryazan and Murom, Vsevolod - Pereyaslavl and Rostov-Suzdal land, Igor - Vladimir-Volynsky, Vyacheslav - Smolensk. In the 11th century, Kyiv, Chernigov and Pereyaslavl were considered the main cities of Ancient Rus'.

For about ten years the brothers lived in harmony and did not violate their father's commandments. The troubles were started by the Polotsk prince Vseslav, the great-grandson of Vladimir I. In 1067, he tried to capture Pskov and later Novgorod. The Yaroslavichs united and defeated Vseslav with joint forces. After a short reconciliation of the princes, Izyaslav lured Vseslav to Kyiv and imprisoned him.

Polovtsian warrior

The prince and his retinue set out on a campaign against the Polovtsians. Artist A. Mayboroda

As the chroniclers believed, treachery was punished. In 1068, on the banks of the Alta River, the squads of Izyaslav and his brothers were defeated by the Polovtsians. The Kievans gathered a veche and demanded weapons and horses from the prince to fight the nomads. Izyaslav refused them. Then the people of Kiev freed Vseslav from prison and declared them their sovereign. Izyaslav regained Kyiv with the help of Polish troops. Vseslav fled to his native Polotsk.

The princely strife continued for decades. At this time, the Polovtsy carried out raids, devastating Russian lands. Thousands of people died in battles, cities and villages were deserted. The population of Rus' saw this as a manifestation of God's wrath. In 1071, wise men appeared in Kyiv, frightening the people with prophecies that the Dnieper would turn its waters back and flood cities and villages.

Lyubech Congress. In 1093, the last of the Yaroslavichs, Prince Vsevolod, died. Svyatopolk Izyaslavich became the Grand Duke. And the struggle for the Kyiv throne began again - now among the grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise.

In 1093, the Polovtsians invaded the Kyiv lands and defeated Russian squads near Trepol. Svyatopolk fled from the battlefield. The prince's authority was completely undermined. Another grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, the Tmutarakan prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, entered into an alliance with the Polovtsians and brought them to Rus'. Sweeping away everything in their path, the Polovtsians reached Chernigov, where Vladimir Monomakh ruled. However, the city survived. Near three years The strife continued.

Congress of Princes. Artist S. Ivanov

In 1097, the princes gathered in Lyubech for a congress. They decided to together defend the Russian land from the Polovtsians. The princes agreed that “let everyone own their fatherland,” that is, the eldest in the princely family should inherit. Kyiv remained with Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Chernigov - with the Svyatoslavichs, Pereyaslavl - with Vladimir Monomakh. Thus, at the Lyubech Congress, the princes consolidated the division into destinies- each representative of the princely family was allocated his own share in the principality. However, the strife did not stop. Now the princes were arguing about which lands in the principality should be included in the “fatherland” of each of them. The throne of Kyiv was cherished dream ambitious princes.

Vladimir Monomakh. Vladimir was born in Kyiv in 1053. His father was the beloved son of Yaroslav the Wise, Prince Vsevolod, and his mother was Princess Maria, daughter Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh. This is how the legend arose about the royal regalia, allegedly received by Vladimir from the Byzantine emperor. In fact, the crown, which later became known as the “Monomakh cap” and has survived to this day, was made only in the 14th century and became a symbol of the power of the Russian tsars. She was crowned king. After Russia was declared an empire under Peter I, the Monomakh cap was replaced with the imperial crown.

As a child, Vladimir lived in Pereyaslavl, bordering the steppe, and saw the consequences of the Polovtsian raids: plundered and burned cities and villages, the bodies of Russian soldiers hacked to pieces by nomads and ordinary people, crowds of slaves whom the Polovtsians drove to foreign lands.

In 1078, Vsevolod Yaroslavich became the Grand Duke and sent his son Vladimir to reign in Chernigov.

After the Lyubech Congress, Vladimir Monomakh was at odds with Svyatopolk for a long time. Not only Russian princes were drawn into the princely strife, but also nomads, Poland, Hungary, who sought to profit at the expense of Russian lands.

Vladimir Monomakh led the fight against the Polovtsians. He managed to unite the forces of the Russian princes and make successful campaigns in 1103 and 1111. The victory over the Polovtsians brought Vladimir Monomakh the glory of a commander and defender of Rus'.

Vladimir Monomakh. Artist I. Bilibin

The battle of the Russians with the Polovtsians. Chronicle miniature

In 1113, the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk II died. An uprising broke out in Kyiv. The townspeople destroyed the yards of those who profited from usury minions of Svyatopolk, including the palace of the thousand Putyata Vyshatich. The frightened Kyiv boyars sent messengers to Monomakh: “Prince, come to Kyiv. If you don’t come, then know that great misfortunes will happen.” Vladimir arrived in Kyiv and restored order in the city. Interest rates on loans were reduced, and the situation of ordinary citizens improved.

Monomakh, elected to the Kyiv throne, reigned in the capital city from 1113 to 1125. He subjugated all the ancient Russian lands to Kyiv and brutally suppressed princely feuds.

In his declining years, Vladimir Monomakh recalled that he led 83 campaigns for peace in Russian lands. Luck accompanied him everywhere. Energetic and intelligent, Vladimir devoted all his strength to serving the Fatherland.

Old Russian cities. Old Russian cities consisted, as a rule, of two parts. The first is a fortified castle ( child, or Kremlin), where the princely court, city and church authorities were located. The second is a roundabout city ( posad) - the territory where the craft and trade (townsman) population lived. In some cities, a settlement adjoining the detinets was not protected by defensive fortifications; in others, a fortress wall encircled the entire city. In a number of cities, the outer city was divided into "ends". There were five of them in Novgorod. “Ends” existed in Kyiv, Rostov and Smolensk. The posad was also divided into streets and separate villages. Blacksmiths settled at the city gates, leather workers settled along the banks of rivers and streams, and potters lived near ravines with clay banks.

The center of the city’s social life was the “bargaining” (or “marketplace”) - the city market, where on certain days townspeople, residents of surrounding villages, merchants from other cities and foreign guests traded. Here the townspeople gathered for a meeting.

What the prince's castle was like is known from archaeological excavations carried out in Lyubech. Here scientists discovered the remains of buildings from the time of Vladimir Monomakh. The castle was surrounded by strong walls made of oak logs. The upper platform of the fortress was small in size, and therefore all the buildings stood on it very closely.

The castle was surrounded by a moat, over which a drawbridge was thrown. A bridge tower rose nearby.

Castle in Lyubech. Reconstruction by B. Rybakov

A road paved with logs ran between the walls and led to the main gate of the fortress. Behind the gate there was a courtyard where the guards were located and from where there was an exit to the walls. Special buildings were used as storage cages (premises for storing food supplies, grain, clothing and other property). On the walls there were large copper cauldrons for “var” - boiling water, which was used to pour on enemies during the assault. The castle had deep underground passages through which it could be left unnoticed.

In the courtyard there was a four-tiered structure, to which all the paths in the castle converged - a tower (vezha). Only through this tower could one enter the princely mansions. Not connected to the fortress walls, it could act as the last stronghold of defense. Supplies of grain and water were stored in the vezha's basements.

The prince's palace was a three-tiered building with many small rooms. On the second tier - the front one - with a wide gallery ("canopy"), summer feasts were held; in the large princely chamber, tables could be placed for about a hundred people. There was a church in the castle.

Cumans – Kipchak nomads.

Destiny (from the Old Slavonic word “deeds” – Part) – the share of a member of a princely family in a principality.

Usury – providing money to a person at a high interest rate.

Detinets – the inner fortified part of the city where the prince or bishop lived.

Posad – trade and craft part of the city. As a rule, it was located outside the fortress wall.

1068 year- defeat of Russian troops in the Battle of the Alta River.

1097 year- Lyubech Congress of Princes.

1113 – 112 5 years- reign of Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh in Kyiv.

Questions and tasks

1. What was the reason for the civil strife between the sons of Yaroslav the Wise?

2. What decisions did the princes make at the Lyubech Congress?

4. Find on the map (p. 89) things you know from the previous paragraphs of the textbook ancient Russian cities and indicate the dates of their foundation.

5. Fill out the table “The Old Russian State in the second half of the 11th – early 12th centuries” in your notebook.

Working with the document

From “Teaching” by Vladimir Monomakh.

“Do not be lazy in your house, but watch over everything: do not rely on the tiun or the youth, lest those who come to you make fun of your house or your dinner. When you go to war, do not be lazy, do not rely on the commander, do not indulge in food, drink, or sleep; and dress up the guards yourself and at night, having dressed up soldiers everywhere, also go to bed and get up early. Do not immediately take off your weapons: through negligence, a person suddenly dies. Beware of lies, drunkenness and debauchery, for in this the soul and body perish. When you travel through your lands, do not allow the youths to do evil either to your own or to others, neither in villages nor in fields, so that they do not begin to curse you. Wherever you go, wherever you stop, give drink, feed the poor; honor the guest, no matter where he comes to you, whether simple, noble, or an ambassador; if you cannot, then with a gift, then with food and drink: as they pass, they will glorify the person either good or evil throughout all lands.

If you forget this, then read it more often - and I will have no shame, and you will feel good. What good you can do, do not forget, and what you cannot do, learn; This is how my father, while at home, mastered five languages; This is something that commands respect from other countries. For laziness is the mother of all evil; what a person knows how to do, he will forget, but what he does not know how to do, he does not learn.”

1.What do you think is most important in the Instruction and why?

2.What qualities statesman highlights Vladimir Monomakh?

LET'S SUM UP CHAPTER 2

In the 9th – 10th centuries, tribal unions Eastern Slavs united in single state– Ancient Rus' with its capital in Kyiv. The new state soon became known far beyond the borders of its land. The state was ruled by the Kiev prince with his retinue, prince-governors, posadniks, thousands, sotskys and other princely servants. The main tasks of the ruler were to establish general laws, protection of the Russian land from external dangers, strengthening of its borders, princely court.

The veche played great importance in the Old Russian state - a meeting without which no one could decide important question in the life of society.

Under Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Rus' adopted Christianity as the official religion, which gave Russian society internal unity and strength and strengthened the power of the Grand Duke. Metropolitans often acted as defenders internal order in the Russian lands, condemning the princely strife.

Most of the population - traders, artisans, merchants, communal peasants - were free. Among the dependent population, serfs (slaves) stood out for their powerless position.

For many years, Rus' was rocked by princely strife. Smart and far-sighted rulers sought to maintain peace in the state, defended common interests, and suppressed discord between princes. This is precisely the policy pursued by Prince Vladimir Monomakh.