Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, Vladimir the Great, Vladimir the Clear Sun - the most important character in national history, a fierce warrior and talented politician who made a huge contribution to the unification of Russian lands. Baptist of Rus'.

The exact date and place of birth of the Grand Duke has not been established; he was presumably born in 955 - 960 in the village of Budyatin near Kiev. Vladimir is a descendant of the great Rurik family, the illegitimate son of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich and housekeeper Princess Olga Malushi.

The angry princess, having learned about the adultery of her slave with her son, sent the pregnant Malusha away out of sight, but did not abandon her grandson - “robichich”, the slave’s son. When Vladimir was three years old, she took him to Kyiv and gave him to be raised by her brother, Voivode Dobrynya.

Novgorod

Prince Svyatoslav spent all his time on military campaigns and had little interest in the internal affairs of the lands under his control. Therefore, he distributed the territories belonging to him to his sons. Yaropolk got Kyiv, Oleg got the Drevlyansky region ( modern Belarus), and Vladimir received Novgorod.

In 972, Svyatoslav Igorevich died in a battle with the Pechenegs, and his heirs became the rightful owners of their possessions. But soon an internecine war began between the brothers. The reason was the death of Yaropolk's comrade-in-arms at the hands of Oleg. The angry Yaropolk decided to punish his brother and take away the Drevlyan lands from him. In the very first battle, Oleg’s army was defeated, and he himself died, crushed on the bridge by warriors fleeing in panic. Yaropolk annexed the captured lands to his possessions and turned his gaze to Novgorod.

Sensing danger, Vladimir fled to his friends the Varangians in Scandinavia, and Yaropolk became the sole ruler of all Rus'. But not for long. Vladimir did not sit idle across the sea. He quickly found allies, gathered an army and two years later regained Novgorod. Local residents greeted the prince with delight and joined the ranks of his squad. Feeling his strength, Vladimir decided to continue to conquer Russian lands from his brother.

To begin with, he sent his army to the Drevlyan lands captured by his brother from Oleg. The calculation turned out to be correct; the residents did not really favor Yaropolk’s governors and quickly went over to Vladimir’s side. In order to finally gain a foothold in these possessions, the prince decided to marry the daughter of the influential Polotsk prince Rogvold Rogneda. However, the beauty refused Vladimir, publicly calling him “the son of a slave,” and preferred to see Yaropolk as her husband. The revenge of the angry Vladimir was terrible. His squad captured and destroyed Polotsk to the ground, and Rogvold and his family were brutally killed. And before that, Vladimir, on the advice of Dobrynya’s faithful mentor, raped Rogneda in front of her parents.

Immediately after this, he sent his troops to Kyiv. The frightened Yaropolk was not ready for battle and, having fortified the city, prepared for a long siege. But this was not part of the plans of the determined Vladimir, and he figured out how to lure his brother out of the city by cunning. The prince bribed the governor Yaropolk Blud, who convinced him to flee to Roden. There, Vladimir, under the pretext of negotiations, lured his brother into an ambush and killed him. He took as his wife the pregnant wife of Yaropolk, who soon gave birth to a son, Svyatopolk, and became the sole ruler of Rus'.

Prince of Kyiv

Having added Yaropolk’s warriors to his army, Vladimir entered Kyiv. He already had enough of his own warriors to refuse the help of the Varangians, who were also accustomed to plundering the captured lands. But Vladimir was not going to give Kyiv up for plunder. Therefore, leaving himself the most devoted and talented comrades, he sent the rest to Constantinople, promising them “mountains of gold” and new opportunities for enrichment. And he himself asked the Byzantine emperor to take them into his service and take them to different places, thereby providing him with military assistance.

The reign of Vladimir in Kyiv. Miniature from the Radzivilov Chronicle

Having reformed his army, the prince began to strengthen his own power. He decided to take as a basis pagan religion, which was supposed to justify his usual riotous lifestyle (the prince had five legal wives and about a thousand concubines).

Vladimir built a temple in Kyiv, where huge idols of the main pagan gods were built. Rituals and sacrifices were regularly held there, which, according to the prince, were supposed to strengthen his power. The image of the main god Perun with a human head in a helmet and a mustache, personifying, apparently, Prince Vladimir himself, has survived to this day.

The first ten years of his rule over Russia were marked by numerous victories over external enemies and the unification of Russian lands into single state.

But with the expansion of borders to the west, the issue of changing religion to one of the more widespread and advanced became more and more urgent. Vladimir was a far-sighted politician and understood that paganism was becoming an obstacle to further development Rus'. A large number of adherents of Christianity had long appeared in his lands, among whom was Vladimir’s grandmother, Princess Olga.

Having carefully weighed the pros and cons, talked with influential representatives of various faiths and consulted with wise elders and nobles, Vladimir decided to opt for Christianity, the adoption of which would promise additional benefits for Rus' in relations with Byzantium.

Personal life

Vladimir more than once provided military assistance to the rulers of Constantinople, so he decided to ask their sister as a wife. The emperors agreed with the condition that the Russian prince accept Christianity. However, the princess categorically opposed the brothers' decision and refused to marry a barbarian and a bastard. Angry, Vladimir sent his warriors to Taurida and besieged the city of Korsun (now Chersonesos in Sevastopol). After this, he again asked for the princess's hand, this time threatening that if he refused, the same fate would befall Constantinople. The emperors had no choice but to persuade Anna and send her to the groom, accompanied by priests.

The luxurious wedding flotilla soon arrived in Korsun, where Vladimir’s baptism took place. According to legend, the prince, who by that time was almost blind, regained his sight during the baptismal ceremony, and, imbued with God’s grace, immediately baptized his boyars and warriors. There, in Korsun, the marriage of Anna and Vladimir took place, who received the name Vasily at baptism in honor of one of the bride’s brothers. As a token of gratitude to the emperors of Constantinople, the prince returned rich wedding gifts to them and generously gave them Korsun.

Returning to Kyiv, Vladimir immediately baptized his sons, and after a while the inhabitants of the city, gathering them on the banks of the Dnieper. Having become a zealous Christian, the prince ordered the destruction of the temple of pagan idols and the construction of the Church of St. Basil on this site. At the same time, with the participation of Byzantine craftsmen, a temple was erected Holy Mother of God, named Tithe in honor of a tenth of state revenues, which Vladimir ordered to be given to the church.

The prince sent priests and educators to all his lands, who were called upon to spread the new faith in Rus'. Vladimir renounced his previous wives and concubines and recognized Anna as the only wife given to him by the Lord. With her help, he began educational activities, organizing special educational establishments for Russian priests, and issued a new church charter, which was called the Pilot's Book. He generously distributed land for the construction of churches and monasteries and acquired a monastery on Mount Athos for Russian monks.

Under Vladimir, the first Russian gold and silver coins were minted, thanks to which the lifetime images of the prince have reached us. As a true Christian, he cared for the poor and suffering, opened hospitals and schools, and distributed aid to the poor and hungry.

But in the rest of the Russian lands the process of Christianization did not go as smoothly as in Kyiv. Some areas refused to follow the new faith, which caused popular riots and uprisings that had to be suppressed by force. Otherwise, the prince adopted a rather peaceful policy, stopping his campaigns of conquest and turning all his attention to strengthening the borders of the state. During this period, many fortified cities were built, in which his sons ruled.

Only the endless raids of the Pechenegs forced Vladimir to periodically take up arms.

Enmity between sons

The last years of the Grand Duke were overshadowed by a conflict between his sons, which resulted in a new internecine war. Vladimir had twelve sons, each of whom owned his own lands. The younger Boris and Gleb were his father's favorites, so when Vladimir decided to bequeath the throne to Boris towards the end of his life, this caused the indignation of the eldest sons Svyatopolk and Yaroslav.

Svyatopolk, the son of the widow of Yaropolk, adopted by Vladimir, from childhood hated the prince who killed his father. Having married the daughter of a Polish prince and enlisted the support of the Poles, he decided to lay claim to the throne against the will of Vladimir. The plot was discovered, and Svyatopolk was imprisoned in a fortress.

After some time, the Novgorod prince Yaroslav rebelled, refusing to pay tribute to Kyiv. Vladimir personally led the army and went to battle with his son, but on the way he fell ill and died unexpectedly. Svyatopolk took advantage of the moment and decided to claim the vacated throne.

However, the people of Kiev rebelled and began to demand that Boris be placed on the throne. Then Svyatopolk decided to get rid of his competitors and insidiously sent hired killers to Boris and Gleb. The next victim of the bloody Svyatopolk was his brother Svyatoslav, ruler of the Drevlyan lands. Yaroslav had to deal with his presumptuous brother. He chose a time when Svyatopolk had no support Polish troops, and moved his squad towards Kyiv. Svyatopolk did not enjoy the love and support of the townspeople, so he was forced to flee. During the battle on the Alt River, the prince was killed.

Memory

For the greatest merits of Prince Vladimir in the creation of the Russian state, he was canonized. Every year on July 15, Rus' celebrates his memory day, which is a major religious holiday. Monuments to the Baptist of Rus' were erected in Kyiv, Belgorod, Sevastopol and many other cities, and a majestic temple was built in his honor on the territory of Chersonesos.

Monument to Vladimir Svyatoslavich in Moscow

On November 4, 2016, the world's largest monument to Prince Vladimir was inaugurated in Moscow, dedicated to the millennium of his death.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich the Great Saint
Reign: 980-1015
Years of life: 947-1015

Grand Duke of Kyiv, political and religious figure, who went down in the history of Orthodoxy as an “equal to the apostles” prince; gave Christianity status in Rus' state religion. Also known as the “Baptist of Rus'”.

Prince Vladimir the Great - biography

Son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatoslav I Igorevich, who, during the division of his principality, put Vladimir to reign in Novgorod at the request of the Novgorodians in 969. According to legend, Vladimir’s mother is the housekeeper of Princess Olga Malusha.

During the internecine war between the two older brothers Yaropolk and Oleg, which ended with the death of Oleg, Vladimir was afraid of his older brother’s lust for power and fled “overseas” to the Varangians. He returned in 980, at the head of the Varangian squad with the goal of returning what was lost. He completed his task: having taken Kyiv, lured him out of it with the help of the traitor Yaropolk for negotiations and killed him.

Kyiv Prince Vladimir the Great

Strengthening his power with the help of the Varangians, he subjugated the Vyatichi, Radimichi and Yatvingians (tribes living in the west of present-day Belarus) to Kyiv. To more successfully resist the nomads (Pechenegs, etc.), he built fortresses and earthworks on the southern borders: along the rivers Desna, Irpen, Osetra, Sula, Trubezh. The chronicles emphasize the belligerence and cruelty of Vladimir the pagan, who was not averse to human sacrifice.

In 995, Vladimir and his army were forced to flee from the Pechenegs near Vasilyev; in 997, when Vladimir went to Novgorod to gather an army, the Pechenegs attacked Belgorod (the city was saved by a miracle). Fought with Volga Bulgaria. His wars with Byzantium and Poland (campaign of 992) are also known.

It was Vladimir who established the first schools in Rus' for teaching literacy, but this was done under the influence of Christianity and in order to be able to prepare his own Russian priests.

Vladimir the Great - years of reign

Most of all, Vladimir became famous for baptizing Rus', that is,
on his orders many people accepted Christian faith. He was a pagan by birth and upbringing. When he defeated his brother Yaropolk and began to reign in Kyiv, he first ordered the construction of a temple for the most important pagan gods, including the god Perun, in the city.

Gradually, it turned out that the interests of the state required everyone to accept one faith, a faith that could unite disparate tribes into one people in order to together resist enemies and earn the respect of allies. But the peoples living around Rus' prayed to different gods: Muslims - Allah, Jews - Jehovah, Christians - the Christian God. And although they all recognized only one true god, their rituals and laws were different.

Therefore, choosing one of the faiths turned out to be very difficult. According to legend, in 986 he received ambassadors from Volga Bulgaria, Rome, from the Khazars and Greeks, who invited him to accept, respectively, the Muslim, “Latin” (Western Christian), Jewish or “Greek” (Eastern Christian) faith.

Having listened to everyone, including the Greek “philosopher,” the next year he sent his own envoys to test different religions and was captivated by the famous story of those who visited Byzantium, fascinated by the “heavenly” beauty of the local worship (along the way, the boyars and elders reminded the prince of the Christian choice of the “grandmother” his Olga, the wisest of all people").

Christian Rus' under Vladimir the Great

Then he made the final decision, which, according to another, more political-pragmatic version, was due to the “Korsun issue”, i.e. campaign against Byzantium (conquering or allied, associated with the suppression of the local uprising of the commander Phocas), as a result of which Vladimir adopted Christianity, marrying the Byzantine princess Anna, the sister of Emperor Vasily II.

In 988, Vladimir took Kherson (Korsun). The baptism of the prince took place in 987/989 precisely in Kherson, while he took the new name of Vasily, in honor of the emperor as his absentee successor. (In church tradition, the year of baptism is accepted as 988.) Returning to Rus', the prince brought with him Greek priests, liturgical books and utensils.

Baptisms in Kyiv became widespread, pagan idols were destroyed, and the first Christian churches were erected (the wooden church of St. Basil and the stone church of Tithes, in honor of the Mother of God; the latter was consecrated in 996). Finally, in these same years, a special Kiev Metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and a number of other bishoprics (Belgorod, Novgorod, Polotsk, etc.) were established.

According to the chronicles, upon accepting the new faith, Vladimir’s character changed: filled with the love of Philokalia, he became famous for his charity and now refused to execute even criminals, preferring to charge them a fine (viru). This did not prevent him, a skilled warrior-strategist, from successfully defending against the Pechenegs (settling the southern borders for this purpose) and confronting Poland in Galicia.

At large quantities Vladimir had many wives and concubines and children. History mentions the following sons: Vysheslav, Izyaslav, Yaroslav, Vsevolod, Svyatoslav, Stanislav, Pozvizd, Boris, Gleb, Mstislav, Sudislav and Svyatopolk.

In 995, Vladimir divided Rus' into fiefs and put them under control sons. Historians believe that this was the biggest mistake of all, which subsequently led to the fragmentation of Rus' into separate principalities and civil strife.

Vladimir decided to go on a campaign against Novgorod in order to punish the rebellious son of Yaroslav, the local prince, but he died in his suburban village of Berestovo (near Kyiv) on July 15, 1015 and was buried in the tithe church in Kyiv.

Favorite hero of folk epics, “Vladimir the Red Sun” O" was canonized as saint Grand Duke Vladimir. Church memory is celebrated on the day of his death, July 15 (28).

In 2017, the historical film Viking, a grandiose film, was released on Russian screens. It was dedicated to the Grand Duke.

(c. 890 -11.07. 969), son of the great Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich(942–972). Vladimir's mother was the housekeeper of Princess Olga Malusha (c.940/944 - ?) - the daughter of Malk Lyubechanin (? - 946), whom many historians identify with the Drevlyansky prince Mal.

The year of birth of Vladimir Svyatoslavich is considered to be 960. As the Nikon and Ustyug Chronicles report, the future baptist of Rus' was born in the village of Budutin (Budyatyn).

Information about future fate Malusha, Vladimir's mother, is not available. In Kyiv, Vladimir was under the supervision of his paternal grandmother, Princess Olga. Probably, his maternal uncle Dobrynya was involved in his upbringing, since in Rus' it was customary to entrust the upbringing of the heir to senior warriors.

It is worth noting that Vladimir’s grandmother, Princess Olga, was a Christian - back in 955 she received holy baptism in Constantinople. Olga tried to introduce Svyatoslav to the faith, but he did not even think of listening to her.

In 970, shortly before his death, Grand Duke Svyatoslav divided Rus' between his three sons: Kiev was given to Yaropolk (? - 06/11/978), Ovruch, the center of the Drevlyansky land, to Oleg (955–977) , and Novgorod - to Vladimir.

In 977, a fraternal war began between Yaropolk and his brothers Oleg and Vladimir. Prince Oleg died during this feud. At this news, Vladimir fled to Jarl of Norway Hakon the Mighty (c. 937–995). Yaropolk began to rule the entire Russian Land.

While in Scandinavia, Vladimir and Dobrynya gathered an army and in 980 returned to Novgorod, expelling the mayor Yaropolk from there. Vladimir managed to capture Polotsk, which had sided with Kiev, killing the family of the city's ruler, Prince Rogvolod (c. 920 - 978), and taking his daughter, Princess Rogneda (c. 960 - c. 1000), as his wife. It is known that Vladimir previously wooed Rogneda, but she refused to become his wife, calling him “robichich”: the Polotsk princess considered it unacceptable to marry the son of the housekeeper Malusha.

Then Vladimir with a large Varangian army besieged Kyiv, Yaropolk was killed, and Vladimir took Yaropolk’s wife, a former Greek nun, as a concubine.

Vladimir reigned in Kyiv in 980. The chronicle reports that during this period Vladimir was distinguished by his cruel pagan character and depravity. Soon after ascending the Kiev throne, he erected statues of pagan gods on a hill near his palace. However, at the same time, Vladimir was a wise ruler. Let's say, he made several successful military campaigns to the west and east, subjugated the Radimichi and Vyatichi tribes, annexed the “Cherven cities” (Volyn, Kholm, Belz, Brody, Przemysl, Volodava, Cherven and others) to Rus'.

The pagan reform - an attempt to create one pantheon of gods common to all, carried out by Prince Vladimir, was defeated, since each tribe had its own gods. Probably this defeat, as well as the example of the Christians living next to him, increasingly forced the young prince to think about the need for changes in the life of the Russian state.

Baptism of Rus' by Prince Vladimir

The chronicle calls the Baptism of Rus' the result of a conscious “choice of faiths” by Prince Vladimir: preachers of Judaism, Islam, and Western “Latin” Christianity were invited to his court, until Vladimir, as reported in the chronicle, after communicating with the “Greek philosopher”, settled on Christianity of the Byzantine rite.

An important impetus for the Baptism of Rus' was Vladimir’s demand to give him Anna, the sister of the Byzantine emperors Vasily II and Constantine VIII, as his wife, in exchange for support in the fight against the invader Varda Phocas (? - 04/13/989). The Byzantine rulers agreed, but in turn demanded that the Kyiv prince be baptized. Not receiving a bride, the angry Vladimir attacked the Byzantine city of Korsun (Chersonese) in Crimea and only after that the marriage took place.

About Russian size military power and baptism, the Armenian historian Stefan Taronsky, a contemporary of Prince Vladimir, also reports:

Then the entire people of Ruzov (Russians), who were there (in Armenia, around the year 1000) rose up to fight; there were 6,000 of them - foot soldiers, armed with spears and shields - whom Tsar Vasily asked from Tsar Ruzov at the time when he gave his sister in marriage to the latter. At the same time, the Ruz believed in Christ.

The date of the Baptism of Rus' is considered to be 988. At baptism, Vladimir took the name Vasily. It is known that shortly before his baptism, Vladimir was struck by blindness, and immediately after he was baptized, his sight returned. It is known that in Kyiv the baptism of the people took place relatively peacefully, in contrast to Novgorod, where Dobrynya led the baptism and it was accompanied by pagan uprisings and punitive methods on the part of the baptists. In the Rostov and Suzdal lands, where the local Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes were not completely subordinated politically, Christians remained a minority, apparently, even after Prince Vladimir (until the 13th century, paganism dominated the Vyatichi).

During the baptism of Rus', the church hierarchy. Rus' became the Kyiv metropolis of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and a diocese was created in Novgorod. After the baptism of Rus', Prince Vladimir was in two successive Christian marriages: with the already mentioned Byzantine princess Anna and, after her death in 1011, from 1018 with his second wife, who is referred to as “Yaroslav’s stepmother.” Prince Vladimir had 13 sons and 10 daughters. The most famous among them were Svyatopolk, Yaroslav the Wise,.

Prince Vladimir - a wise ruler

After Epiphany, Rus' continued its active foreign policy: the struggle with Poland, with the White Croats, and the war with the Pechenegs, which lasted until the 990s. Subsequently, based on the memories of the Pecheneg War, legends were formed (the legend of Belgorod jelly, of Nikita Kozhemyak and others). For defense against the Pechenegs, several fortresses were built along the southern border Kievan Rus, as well as a palisade on an earthen embankment.

Vladimir is credited with the authorship of the “Church Charter,” which determined the competence of church courts. In addition, Prince Vladimir began minting his own coins according to Byzantine models - gold (“zlatnikov”) and silver (“srebrenikov”). On most coins Kyiv prince is depicted sitting on a throne, and next to it is the inscription: “Vladimr is on the table, and behold his gold (or: silver)”; There are also options with a chest design.

The reign of Prince Vladimir was marked by the beginning of book education in Rus', which was a consequence of the baptism of Rus'. Children began to be taken from their families and sent to study. Here is how The Tale of Bygone Years reports about it:

He sent to collect the best people children and send them to book education. The mothers of these children wept for them; for they were not yet established in the faith and wept over them as if they were dead.

The teachers were not only Byzantines, but more often even Bulgarians who had previously studied on Mount Athos. Soon, remarkable rhetoricians and literary connoisseurs arose in Rus', such as, for example, one of the first writers in Rus', the author of the famous “Sermon on Law and Grace,” Metropolitan Hilarion (990–1055)

Under the Kiev prince, active stone construction began in Rus', although the first buildings of this kind known to us date back to the reign of Vladimir’s son, Yaroslav the Wise. Cities such as Vladimir on Klyazma (990), Belgorod (991), and Pereyaslavl (992) were founded.

IN last years In his lifetime, Prince Vladimir probably decided to violate the principle of succession to the throne and transfer power to his beloved son Boris. Prince Vladimir of Kiev reposed on July 15, 1015 in Berestov.

Church veneration Prince Vladimir

There is no exact data about the beginning of church veneration of Prince Vladimir. It is possible that Vladimir was initially commemorated together with his sons, the holy princes Boris and Gleb.

The veneration of Prince Vladimir as a saint to this day causes controversy among historians. It is known that Byzantium refused to recognize him as a saint. Perhaps because his pagan behavior, described in detail in the chronicles, had not yet been forgotten. But for Rus', Vladimir’s services to the Fatherland were obvious: Vladimir is the baptist of Rus', wise ruler, commander, generous and merciful person.

Another obstacle to the church veneration of Prince Vladimir was the lack of miracles associated with his name. The exact time of the canonization of the Kyiv prince is unknown. Vladimir died in 1015, and the earliest surviving written information about his official veneration dates back to XIV century. Liturgical books are celebrated as the day of memory of Vladimir on July 15 (old style).

The relics of Prince Vladimir were not given the gift of miracles, so there were disputes in the Church about his holiness. However, the services of Prince Vladimir to the Russian state were significant and great for all Russian people, and therefore popular veneration of Prince Vladimir arose already in the 11th century. After the death of Vladimir, a whole epic cycle developed around his image. People's memory has preserved the idea of ​​Vladimir as a hospitable, merciful prince, the “Red Sun”. Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich is still revered as a man who lived for the benefit and glory of the Fatherland.

Troparion and Kontakion to Saint Prince Vladimir

Troparion, ch. 4.

Like a merchant, I am looking for good beads, glorious Vladimir, sitting at the height of the table, mother of the city of God-saved Kyiv. And testing sending to the Royal City, take away Orthodox faith. And you will find the priceless pearl of Christ, who chose you as the second Paul, and shook off blindness in the holy font, both spiritual and physical. In the same way, we celebrate your dormition, your people, pray for the salvation of your Russian ruler, and the multitude of those who rule.

Kontakion, ch. 8.

Having become like the great Paul in the apostles, in the sovereign gray hairs of the all-glorious Vladimir, you left all the wisdom of a child, and care for idols. And like a perfect husband, he was adorned with purple at Divine Baptism. And stand before the Savior Christ in joy. Pray for the salvation of the Russian ruler, and the multitude of those who rule.

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Holy Prince Vladimir. Icons

Reliable images of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich of the pre-Mongol period are unknown, which contrasts with the large number of surviving images of the passion-bearing princes Boris and Gleb, with whose images already in the early stages of development the iconography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich was almost always associated. In the end XIV - 1st half. In the 15th century, images of Vladimir Svyatoslavich became widespread. By this time, the main variants of the iconography of Vladimir Svyatoslavich and the most stable features recorded in later iconographic originals had been formed: gray hair, the type of hairstyle and curly forked beard, different from both the lifetime images on coins and from the miniatures of the Radziwill Chronicle:

The image and braid are like John the Theologian, and the hair on the head is curly, like Minin (Bolshakov. Iconographic original. P. 116; see also: Iconographic original of the Novgorod edition of the late 16th century. M., 1873. P. 120).

In a number of works of the 16th and especially the 17th centuries. Vladimir Svyatoslavich is depicted with a wider, only slightly forked beard. The permanent attributes of Vladimir Svyatoslavich are a sword in his left hand and a cross in his right. In some early monuments, Vladimir Svyatoslavich is presented in a basket-cloak, traditional for the most ancient princely images; in the air of 1389 he is shown in a fur coat draped over his shoulders.

Joint images of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Boris and Gleb in the 15th–16th centuries. served as a model for the formation of the iconography of ancient Russian princes: Theodore, Davyd and Konstantin of Yaroslavl, Konstantin, Mikhail and Theodore of Murom. In most of these compositions, the prince-father stands in the center, with young sons on the sides; variants of this scheme are known on icons of the 16th century. Icons depicting Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Boris and Gleb became widespread in the 16th–17th centuries, often in combination with the hagiographic cycle of Boris and Gleb in the fields. Works of this type could be intended both for churches consecrated in the name of Saints Boris and Gleb, and for a few churches and chapels in the name of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

Saints Vladimir, Boris and Gleb with the life of Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir. Vologda, mid-3rd quarter of the 16th century. From the church of the book. Vladimir in Vologda (?). Later it was located in the Verkhnedolskaya Church of the Virgin Mary. Vologda, Vologda Museum

Temples in honor of Saint Prince Vladimir

In the name of Saint Prince Vladimir there is a church in Moscow in Starye Sadekh. It was built in 1514-16. presumably by the architect Aleviz Fryazin (Novy) on the site of the old temple of the same name. The chapel of Kirik and Iulita was added in 1677. In the 1670s. the main temple was rebuilt, basically the entire top was changed. The second northern chapel in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb was added in 1689. The temple was closed in 1933 and later beheaded. Services were resumed in 1991.

The church of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, which was built in 1554, was consecrated in the name of Saint Prince Vladimir.

Also in honor of St. Vladimir, the chapel (between 1113 and 1125) of the Transfiguration Church on Berestov in Kyiv and the chapel (1635) of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in the village of Isaida, Ryazan region, were consecrated.

Monuments to the Baptist of Rus'

There are monuments to Prince Vladimir in Vladimir, Veliky Novgorod (the “Millennium of Russia” monument, where Vladimir is depicted to the left of Rurik), and Belgorod.

The princely statue is also located in St. Petersburg, in the Kazan Cathedral. There are also sculptures of Prince Vladimir in Kyiv, Sevastopol, Korosten.

Monuments to the Baptist of Rus' were erected in Toronto (Canada), London (Great Britain), Brisbane (Australia).

In 2015, the Moscow authorities decided to erect a monument to Prince Vladimir on the Sparrow Hills. However, this statement caused heated public debate. There were both supporters and opponents of this intention. Opponents of the installation of a monument to the Baptist of Rus' cited as reasons an “inconvenient” place for the sculpture, which spoils the view of the Sparrow Hills. Some members of the public said that due to too much weight, the monument would slide into the Moscow River. Purely philistine protests were also expressed: the sculpture would interfere with photographing the main building of Moscow State University, and the monument would also disturb the lighting of the surrounding area. However, as Vladislav Kononov, deputy executive director of the Russian Military Historical Society (RVIO), said: “If we set out to collect signatures for the installation of the monument, I believe the count would be hundreds of thousands and millions.” As a result, on November 4, 2016, on the holiday, in the center of Moscow, on Borovitskaya Square, the opening ceremony of the monument to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir took place.

Although according to pagan customs social status was determined by his father, and dynastic rights were not infringed; the nickname “robicic” (son of a slave) haunted him for a long time.

In 970, Vladimir became the Prince of Novgorod, and his uncle, Voivode Dobrynya, was appointed his mentor during his childhood.

After the death of the great Kyiv prince Svyatoslav in 972, Yaropolk began to rule Kiev, and 3 years later an internecine war began between the brothers, during which first brother Oleg, the Drevlyansky prince, died, and then Yaropolk.

Thus, the beginning of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich was marked by fratricide. In 978 he became the prince of Kyiv.

Vladimir had to wage a lot of wars with his neighbors. He fought with the Poles and took several cities from them; twice he went against the Vyatichi (981-982), who tried to free themselves from tribute, and pacified them; in 983 he took possession of the land of the Balto-Lithuanian tribe of the Yatvags, thereby opening the way to the Baltic; in 984 he conquered the Radimichi; in 985 he defeated the Volga Bulgarians; in 992 he subjugated the Croats.

Before the adoption of Christianity, polygamy was common in Rus'. The Kyiv prince Vladimir had 5 legal wives (one of them, Rogneda, was Yaropolk’s bride) and several hundred concubines, among whom was Yaropolk’s pregnant widow. Chroniclers, describing Vladimir, endow him with a variety of vices, especially voluptuousness and gluttony for fornication, unrestrainedness in feasts and amusements.

Vladimir was at first a zealous pagan; he erected a pantheon in Kyiv with six main idols, in front of which human sacrifices were performed. But because Many Christians lived in Kyiv, and there were many of them in the squad. Vladimir began to waver in his faith. Neighboring countries also began to try to make the Kyiv prince their co-religionist.

The legend “On the Test of Faith” says that in 986 ambassadors of different faiths came to Vladimir. Muslim Bulgarians, Khazar Jews, and Germans - representatives of Western Christianity - came. Then a Greek philosopher came to Vladimir and told him about the creation of the world, about heaven and hell, about the mistakes and delusions of other faiths. Seeing the advantages of Eastern Christianity, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich decided to accept this faith.

The implementation of this decision was facilitated by events that took place in Byzantine Empire in the late 80s X century. Not only was Greece weakened by defeat in the war with the Bulgarians (986), but it was also hit by the rebellion of the commander Bardas Phocas, who declared himself emperor in 987. Co-rulers Vasily II and Constantine VIII turned to the Kyiv prince for help. Vladimir agreed to help, but demanded Princess Anna, their sister, as his wife. Byzantine emperors were forced to agree, but subject to the baptism of Prince Vladimir, because their sister cannot marry a pagan. At the end of 987 - beginning of 988, Vladimir was baptized, probably in Kyiv, and took the name Vasily.

Vladimir's army of six thousand defeated the army of Varda Phocas, but the emperors were in no hurry to marry Anna to Vladimir. Then the angry prince marched with an army to Korsun, greek city in Crimea, and subjugated the Byzantines.

The wedding of Vladimir and Anna took place here, as well as the baptism of boyars and warriors. The Russian prince returned to Kyiv, taking with him many shrines, icons, and priests.

Upon returning to Kyiv, Vladimir ordered mass baptism to begin. The baptism of Kiev residents took place in the waters of the Dnieper by Korsun priests. Traditionally, the chronicle year 988 is considered the year of the baptism of Rus'.

Immediately after the baptism, the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir ordered the construction of churches. On the site of a pagan sanctuary in Kyiv, the Church of St. Basil was built; later, the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared, which was called Tithes and became the main temple of Kievan Rus.

The process of Christianization in Rus' took place quite peacefully, with the exception of some regions. In Novgorod, Dobryn, who led the baptism here, had to suppress the uprising by force.

In 992, the Grand Duke fought with Poland for the Cherven lands. After the victory, he himself and the bishops went to baptize people and built a city here, named after him Vladimir.

In more remote places, paganism held strong, and a lot of effort had to be made to convey to the minds of the people the benefits of the faith of Christ. The problem was that there were very few preachers who could explain the holy scriptures. The Korsun priests were Greeks and did not know Slavic language. Then Vladimir ordered to take children from the boyars and best husbands and send them to book learning.

After accepting Christianity, Vladimir's inclination towards war weakened. He no longer undertook large campaigns, only he had to wage a continuous struggle with the Pechenegs, which lasted the entire period of the reign of Vladimir Svyatoslavich. One day he miraculously escaped captivity by hiding under a bridge near the city of Vasilyev. The Pechenegs, not finding the prince, left and did not even destroy the land. This event occurred on the day of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, August 6, 996. In honor of this miracle, Vladimir built the Transfiguration Church in Vasilevo.

Even at the beginning of his reign, Prince Vladimir built several fortified cities, the most important of which was Belgorod. Strengthening the borders of Rus' was the main thing domestic policy Prince Vladimir.

Vladimir had 12 sons, he assigned all of them to reign in important cities of Rus'.

The Kiev prince made all laws and decisions in coordination with his council, consisting of a squad and elders from different cities. Prince Vladimir is credited with publishing the “Church Charter,” which defines the competence of church courts.

Vladimir Svyatoslavich was the first to begin minting gold and silver coins.

The result foreign policy Prince Vladimir was imprisoned peace treaties with Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. But the peace with Poland was short-lived; in 1013, the Polish prince Boleslav, in alliance with the Pechenegs, attacked Rus'. Russian army dealt with the enemies.

The last years of Vladimir Svyatoslavich’s life were overshadowed by enmity with his eldest sons. In 1013, a conspiracy by Svyatopolk the Accursed against Vladimir, his adoptive father, was discovered. Svyatopolk and his wife and their accomplice, a Polish bishop, were arrested and taken into custody. In 1014, another son of Vladimir, Yaroslav of Novgorod, rebelled, refusing to pay tribute to Kyiv. Then Prince Vladimir announced a campaign against Novgorod, but he was old and sick and could not carry it out.

Shortly before his death, Vladimir called his beloved son Boris to him, handed over his squad and sent him to war with the Pechenegs, who again attacked Rus'. But the Grand Duke was not destined to find out the outcome of the war; on July 15, 1015, he died. Vladimir Svyatoslavich was buried in Tithe Church in Kyiv.

Although the Russian people began to honor the memory of Vladimir in the 11th century, the first reliable information about the veneration of Vladimir as a holy equal-to-the-apostle dates back to the 14th century. Perhaps his canonization is connected with the victory of Alexander Nevsky, a descendant of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, in the Battle of the Neva. The Russians defeated the Swedish army precisely on the day of memory of Vladimir the Baptist, July 15, 1240.

The people loved their prince very much, sang him in songs and epics and called him Vladimir the Red Sun, “affectionate prince Vladimir.” He became the prototype of the Grand Duke in Russian epics, who was served by three valiant heroes - Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich, known for their exploits. Vladimir is an ideal prince, a patron who unites all the best around himself.

July 28 (new style) is the day of remembrance of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the baptist of Rus'.

), son of Svyatoslav Olgovich of Chernigov.

Biography

It was first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle in 1160, when it was taken from its father by the Grand Duke of Kyiv Rostislav Mstislavich. Presumably in 1164 he became Prince of Kursk. Participant in the campaigns against the Polovtsians in 1169 under the leadership of Mstislav Izyaslavich. In 1175 he went with his older brother Oleg Svyatoslavich to Starodub. Oleg allocated Vsevolod an inheritance from his own possessions. In 1180, after the Lyubech Congress of Princes, he went with Svyatoslav Vsevolodich to the Grand Duke of Vladimir Vsevolod the Big Nest, and on the river. Vlena pushed the Ryazan princes away from Svyatoslav's convoys, and after returning from the Suzdal land he was left in Chernigov. In 1183, together with another brother, Igor Svyatoslavich, he defeated the Polovtsians on the river. Khiria (Khorol). The Ipatiev Chronicle under 1185 calls Vsevolod the Trubchevsky prince in possession of the city of Trubchevsk (Trubetsk), located in the middle reaches of the river. Gum; according to “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” however, Vsevolod passes as the Prince of Kursk: “Saddle, brother, your greyhounds,” he addresses his brother Igor, “and mine are ready, saddle them at Kursk in front. And my ty kuryani are svedemi kometi...” Perhaps at that time he also owned Kursk.

In 1187, Vsevolod returned from captivity along with his nephew, Vladimir Igorevich. In 1191 he again went with Igor against the Polovtsians, but returned without a battle. In 1194, by decision of the princely congress in Rogova, convened by the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatoslav, he prepared to go to Ryazan to resolve the dispute about the volosts, but stayed at home, like everyone else Chernigov princes- members of the congress, since Vsevolod Big Nest spoke out sharply against his decisions. In 1196 he died unexpectedly in Chernigov. He was married to the daughter of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Gleb Yuryevich Olga, but did not leave any offspring from her (according to other sources, he had three sons Andrei, Igor and Mikhail). The chroniclers called Vsevolod “the most distant of all the Olgovichs, majestic in appearance, kind in soul.” One of the heroes of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”.

Family and Children

Wife:

• Olga, daughter of Gleb Yurievich Pereyaslavsky.

Literature

• Razdorsky A.I. Princes, governors and governors of the Kursk region XI-XVIII centuries. - Kursk: Region-Press, 2004. - 125 p. - ISBN 5-86354-067-2

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