Biography
Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, Vladimir Great, Vladimir Clear Sunshko - the most important character in domestic history, a cruel warrior and a talented politician who made a huge contribution to the association of Russian lands. Baptist Rus.
The exact date and place of birth of the Grand Duke is not established, presumably he was born in 955 - 960 in the village of Buddyatin near Kiev. Vladimir - the descendant of the great kind of Rurikov, the illegitimate son of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich and the Knyagini Knyagini Klyagini.
The angry princess, having learned about the adultery of his slave with his son, exiled a pregnant Malusha away from his eyes, but did not refuse the grandson - "Robichić," the son of slaves. When Vladimir was turned three years old, she took him to Kiev and gave to the upbringing of his brother Voevod Dobryne.
Novgorod
Prince Svyatoslav spent all the time in military campaigns and was not very interested in the internal affairs of suspended lands. Therefore, he distributed to his sons belonging to him. Yuropolku got Kiev, Oleg - the Radio region (modern Belarus), and Vladimir received Novgorod.
In 972, Svyatoslav Igorevich died in battle with Pechenegs, and his heirs became the full owners of their possessions. But soon between the brothers began a civil war. The reason was the death of the comrades of Yaropolka from the hand of Oleg. The angry yaropolk decided to punish his brother and take away the Trellian lands. In the first battle, Oleg's army was defeated, and he himself died, crushed on the bridge by the warriors in a panic. Yaropolk joined the captured lands to their possessions and fixed the look at Novgorod.
Feeling danger, Vladimir escaped to his friends Varyagam in Scandinavia, and Yaropolk became the one-chased ruler of all Russia. But not for long. Vladimir did not sit behind the sea folded hands. He quickly found his allies, gathered the army and returned Novgorod in two years. Local residents met Prince with delight and replenished the ranks of his squad. Feeling his strength, Vladimir decided to further disintegrate Russian lands from his brother.
The death of Yaropolk
To begin with, he sent his army to the Radiast lands captured by his brother from Oleg. The calculation turned out to be true, the inhabitants did not very much pledged the governors of Yaropolk and quickly moved to the side of Vladimir. To finally strengthen in these possessions, the prince decided to marry the daughter of influential Polotsk Prince Rogvold Rogned. However, the beauty refused to Vladimir, polilate his "son of slave," and chose to see his husband Yaropolk. The revenge of the angry Vladimir was terrible. His squad captured and destroyed to the base of Polotsk, and Rogvold and his family were cruelly killed. And before that, Vladimir, on the advice of the faithful Mentor of Dobryni, raped Rodned in front of his parents.
Immediately after that, he sent his troops to Kiev. The frightened Yaropolk was not ready for the battle and, strengthening the city, prepared for a long siege. But it was not part of the plans of a strongly configured Vladimir, and he came up with how to put out his brother from the city of cunning. The prince bribed the Vooropolka of Bluda, who convinced him to flee into relatives. There, Vladimir, under the pretext of negotiations, lured his brother in the ambush and killed. He took into his wife a pregnant spouse Yaropolk, who soon gave birth to the son of Svyatopolka, and became the one-chased ruler of Russia.
Prince Kievsky
By adding Yaropolk dewenters to his army, Vladimir entered Kiev. He already had enough of his warriors to abandon the help of Varyagov, who also got used to robbed the captured lands. And Kiev for looting Vladimir was not going to give up. Therefore, leaving the most devotee and talented associates, the rest sent to Constantinople, the "Golden Mountains" and new opportunities for enrichment. And he himself asked the Byzantine Emperor to take them to the service and breed at different places, thereby having military assistance.
Reforming his army, the prince began to strengthen his own power. As a basis, he decided to take a pagan religion, which was supposed to justify the enjoyment of a rampant lifestyle (the prince had five legitimate wives and about a thousand concubines).
Vladimir built in Kiev the Keep, where huge idols of the main pagan gods were constructed. There were regularly arranged rites and sacrifices, which, according to Prince, had to strengthen his power. The image of the main god of Perun with a human head in a helmet and a mustache personally, judging by Prince Vladimir himself, came to this day.
The first ten years of his rule Rusy was marked by numerous victories over the external enemies and the association of Russian lands into a single state.
But with the expansion of the borders to the West, the issue of the change of religion was becoming important to one of the most common and advanced. Vladimir was a far-sighted politician and understood that paganism becomes an obstacle to the further development of Russia. In his lands, a large number of Christianity adherents have long appeared, among whom was the grandmother Vladimir, Princess Olga.
Carefully having weighed everything and against, negotiating with influential representatives of various denominations and consulting with wise elders and nobles, Vladimir decided to stop his choice on Christianity, the adoption of which would promise for Russia additional benefits in relations with Byzantia.
Personal life
Vladimir has repeatedly provided Military assistance to Constantinople, so I decided to ask the wife of their sister Anna Vizantine. The emperors consensus agree that the Russian Prince will take Christianity. However, the princess categorically responded to the decision of the brothers and refused to marry barbarian and bastards. The angry Vladimir sent his warriors to Tavrid and took the city of Korsun (now Chersonesos in Sevastopol). After that, he again asked the hands of the princesses, this time threatening that in case of refusal the same fate will suffer from Constantinople. The emperors left nothing to do, how to persuade Anna and send it to the groom accompanied by priests.
Luxurious wedding flotilla soon arrived in Korsun, where the baptism of Vladimir took place. According to the legend, the prince, by that time almost blinded, during the rite of baptism he was clear, and, penetrating God's grace, immediately dubbed his boyars and warriors. In the same place, in Corsun, the marriage of Anna and Vladimir, who received the name of Vasily in honor of one of the bride brothers, took place. As a sign of gratitude, Constantinople's emperors, the prince returned to them the rich wedding gifts and generously gave Korsun.
Baptism of Russia
Returning to Kiev, Vladimir immediately baptized his sons, and through the time and residents of the city, gathering them on the shore of the Dnieper. Becoming a zealous Christian, the prince ordered to destroy the head of the pagan idols and to build the Church of St. Vasily in this place. At the same time, with the participation of the Byzantine masters, the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos was erected, called a tenth in honor of the tenth of state revenues, which Vladimir ordered to give in favor of the Church.
In all of his lands, the prince sent priests and enlighteners, which were called upon to spread a new faith in Russia. Vladimir refused to be former wives and concubines and recognized Anna the only spouse given to him by the Lord. With its help, he took up educational activities, organizing special educational institutions for Russian priests, and published a new church charter, which was called the feeding book. He generously distributed land under the construction of churches and monasteries and acquired for Russian monks the Skit on Mount Athos.
With Vladimir, the first Russian gold and silver coins were minted, thanks to which the prince's lifted images reached us. As a true Christian, he cared for the poor and the suffering, opened hospitals and schools, distributed help to the poor and hungry.
But in the rest of the Russian lands, the Christianization process was not so smooth, as in Kiev. Some areas refused to follow a new faith, which caused folk rebounds and uprisings that had to suppress the force. The rest of the prince took a rather peaceful policy, stopping the conquest and swinging all the attention to the strengthening of the borders of the state. During this period, many fortress cities were built, in which his sons ruled.
Only endless raids of Pechenegs forced Vladimir to periodically take a weapon.
Enhance between sons
The last years of the Grand Duke were overshadowed by the conflict between his sons, which took place in a new internecine war. Vladimir had twelve sons, each of which owned his lands. Father's favorites were younger Boris and Gleb, so when Vladimir decided to make a tron of Boris to the end of his life, it caused the outrage of the senior sons of Svyatopolka and Yaroslav.
Svyatopolk - the son of the widow Yaropolk, adopted by Vladimir, since childhood I had hatred for the prince who killed his father. He married to the daughter of the Polish Prince and enlisted by the support of the Poles, he decided to qualify for the throne in spite of the will of Vladimir. The plot was revealed, and the Svyatopolka was sharpened in the fortress.
After some time, Novgorod Prince Yaroslav rebelled, refusing to pay Kiev Dan. Vladimir personally headed the army and went on battle with his son, but on the road fell ill and suddenly died. Svyatopolk took advantage of the moment and decided to claim the freed throne.
However, Kievans rebelled and began to be able to put on the throne of Boris. Then Svyatopolk decided to get rid of the competitors and causally asked for Boris and Gleb's murderers. The next victim of the bloody Svyatopolka was the brother Svyatoslav, the Lord of the Radiast Land. To deal with the bortal fraternity I had to Yaroslav. He chose the time when Svyatopolka had no support for Polish troops, and moved his squad to Kiev. Svyatopolk did not enjoy love and support of citizens, so I had to run. During the battle on the Alt River, Prince was killed.
Memory
For the greatest merits of Prince Vladimir in the creation of the Russian state, he was counted for the face of saints. Every year on July 15 in Russia, the day of his memory is celebrated, which is a great religious holiday. In Kiev, Belgorod, Sevastopol and many other cities, monuments are erected by the Baptist of Russia, and the majestic temple is built on the territory of Chersonese.
On November 4, 2016, the world's largest monument to Vladimir, dedicated to the Millennium of His death, was solemnly opened in Moscow.