Many historians call the prince who baptized Rus Vladimir the Holy. However, in the epics, his name sounds different - Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko. It just so happened that he lived in a split between two eras - Christian and pagan. Therefore, one can speak of him as a violent, cruel pagan and as a just and righteous Christian.
His father was the great Russian prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. He was rarely in his capital city - Kiev. Most often he spent time on long military campaigns. The mother of the future Grand Duke is a princely slave who served Princess Olga, the mother of Svyatoslav. The Grand Duchess Olga raised Vladimir on a par with her other grandchildren.
After the death of her husband, Prince Igor, by the hand of the Drevlyans, Princess Olga ruled Russia for 15 years: “And Princess Olga ruled the regions of the Russian land subject to her not as a woman, but as a strong and reasonable husband, firmly holding power in her hands and bravely defending herself from enemies … And she was terrible for the latter, loved by her own people. In all matters of management, she showed foresight and wisdom. At the same time Olga, merciful at heart, was generous to the poor, the poor and the poor; fair requests soon reached her heart, and she quickly fulfilled them.
Russia grew and strengthened: new cities were built, borders were strengthened, numerous military outposts guarded peaceful life from the east from nomads and from attacks from the west. Trade flourished, merchants brought their goods from overseas countries, Scandinavian mercenaries considered it good luck to be hired into the Russian army. The wise princess Olga came to the conclusion that the state can be strengthened by a single religion. She made her choice and went on a pilgrimage to Constantinople. There Olga adopted Christianity and became the first Christian from the Rurik family. Olga remained the ruler of Kiev and her son's faithful counselor.
In 972 Svyatoslav died in a battle with the Pechenegs. Three years before his death, he divided the lands between his sons: the elder Yaropolk gave the Kiev throne, Oleg began to rule the lands of the Drevlyans, Vladimir left to reign in Novgorod. Vladimir was accompanied by his uncle-educator - Dobrynya. Despite the close relationship between the brothers, internecine disputes soon began. Yaropolk, having killed his brother Oleg, annexed the Drevlyansky land to his territories. Vladimir realized that he could not cope with his brother, and fled from Novgorod, to which Yaropolk hastened to appoint his governor. In 977 Vladimir returned to Novgorod with an army of Varangian mercenaries. Novgorodians supported Vladimir, taking his side. And the very next year, the Novgorodian army moved to Kiev. Yaropolk could not hold the city. The chronicles record that he was cunningly killed.
Vladimir celebrated his victory. By 985, all the East Slavic lands were united under the arm of the Kiev prince. Not a single Russian ruler before him had achieved such success. In Kiev, by his order, the sanctuary of the six highest pagan gods (Perun, Dazhdbog, Semargl, Khors, Stribog and Makoshi) was built. Prince Vladimir was well aware that religion would help govern the united nations. The pagan period includes the victories of Prince Vladimir over Poland (Cherven cities were annexed), over the Yatvingians and over the East Slavic tribes of the Radimichi and Vyatichi.
Expanding his possessions, he, as a competent politician, first of all looked for allies, not subjects. So, in 985, having defeated the army of the Volga Bulgarians, the Kiev prince did not demand payment of tribute, but concluded an eternal alliance and an equal peace. In the annals it is said that Prince Vladimir, examining the captive Bulgarians and seeing that they were well dressed and shod, said: "Let's look for bast shoes." This meant that the Kiev prince did not want to commit robbery against neighbors, but wanted to unite millions of weak and unprotected ordinary citizens under his hand. And the lapotniki did not disappoint - they reached two oceans and created a huge and powerful Russian state!
According to the chronicle, the baptism of Rus took place thanks to the conscious choice of faith by Prince Vladimir. He allegedly had detailed conversations with representatives of Islam, Western "Latin" Christianity and Judaism. But after talking with a philosopher from Byzantium, he decided to focus on Christianity.
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The implementation of the decision was accelerated after Prince Vladimir demanded the Byzantine princess Anna to be his wife in exchange for the help of the Russian troops in the fight against Varda Foka (Reference: Varda Foka is a Byzantine military leader, known for leading three rebellions against the Macedonian dynasty). The Byzantine emperors agreed, but on the condition that Vladimir would be baptized. The prince of Kiev kept his promise, but was deceived by the Byzantines. To get the princess as a wife, Prince Vladimir captured the Byzantine city in the Crimea - Chersonesos, only after that the marriage he so desired took place.
Returning to Kiev, first of all, he ordered to destroy the pagan temple. All townspeople were ordered to gather at the confluence of the Pochayna River into the Dnieper. There, with the participation of the prince and several Greek priests who arrived from Chersonesos, right in the river water, the people of Kiev were baptized. Prince Vladimir told his subjects that the unbaptized "enemies would be him", but as you know, there were no such in large cities. There were no opponents of the adoption of Christianity in Kiev, since for the pagan Slav the word of the prince is the law. The Kievans forgave him the destruction of pagan idols and got used to being baptized. The same thing happened throughout the territory of Russia. The Novgorodians tried to resist, but the governor of the prince, Dobrynya, used force and destroyed the riot (the residence of the stubborn pagans was set on fire). In the Rostov-Suzdal land, which was not politically subordinated to Kiev,Christians remained in the minority for a long time.
What has Christianity given to Russia? First, Russia was accepted into the European family of Christian nations. Secondly, the Slavic alphabet became widespread in Russia. Books were copied into the Slavic language, and first of all, the Bible. Thirdly, the achievements of Byzantine culture were transferred to Russian culture: architecture, icon painting.
After Epiphany, Prince Vladimir pursued a reasonable foreign policy. He managed to make peace with the head of Poland Boleslav I, who had been his opponent for a long time. For a long time, the Kiev prince had to defend his borders from the Pechenegs. For defense, numerous fortresses were erected on the southern borders of the country, as well as earthen embankments and high walls (palisades).
Prince Vladimir enacted the necessary legislative acts defining the powers of the church. Some historians believe that the Kiev prince tried to make changes in the order of succession to the throne.
The grand duke also paid attention to the monetary policy: he began minting his own coins, very similar to the Byzantine samples. The prince was depicted on the coins and the inscription was made: "Vladimir is on the table, and his behold is gold (or: silver)." The issue of coins was connected not so much by economic needs (in Russia there were enough Arab and Byzantine coins), as by political goals: its own monetary unit was proof of the sovereignty of the new Christian state.
Under Prince Vladimir, the book education of the people began, children were forced to go to school. The teachers were Byzantines and Bulgarians. One generation later, experts in literature and masters of the word grew up in Russia. At the same time, massive stone construction began, although it is known that the first stone buildings date back to the reign of Yaroslav.
As for the personal life of the Kiev prince, it is known that before baptism he led a dissolute lifestyle. Here is what is written in The Tale of Bygone Years: “Vladimir was defeated by lust. He had wives: Rogneda, whom he settled on Lybid, where the village of Predslavino is now located, from her he had four sons: Izyaslav, Mstislav, Yaroslav, Vsevolod and two daughters; from a Greek woman he had Svyatopolk, from Chekhin - Vysheslav, and from another wife - Svyatoslav and Mstislav, and from a Bulgarian - Boris and Gleb, and he had three hundred concubines in Vyshgorod, three hundred in Belgorod and two hundred in Berestovo, in the village, which now called Berestovoye. And he was insatiable in fornication, bringing married women to him and corrupting girls. He was as much a woman-lover as Solomon, for they say that Solomon had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines."
After baptism, Vladimir was in only two consecutive marriages: with the Byzantine princess Anna and only after her death in 1011, with the daughter of Count Kuno of Joningen.
Prince Vladimir died on July 15, 1015. Despite numerous political miscalculations and sins, the Great Russian Prince Vladimir continued the work of his grandmother, Princess Olga. He united all the East Slavic tribes into one power, turning Russia into one of the largest states in Europe. Vladimir Krasnoe Solnyshko showed himself to be a skillful ruler, politician and courageous military leader.
The reign of Vladimir was an important stage in the creation of a single and powerful state of three fraternal peoples - Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian. And each of the three peoples has legends and tales about the great, brave and wise ruler - Vladimir the Red Sun.