Vladimir Svyatoslavich is undoubtedly the most famous ruler of the ancient Russian state. After all, it was thanks to his efforts that Christianity became the official religion in Russia. For this act, Prince Vladimir, nicknamed the Red Sun, was even ranked among the Equal-to-the-Apostles saints.
Is it a robicich slave?
Most often, it is said about the origin of Vladimir that his mother was a slave concubine. The only argument for such a statement is the words of Rogneda, to whom the prince wooed. She refused him, saying that she would not marry "Robicich".
In fact, the word "slave" in Russia could be called not only shackled slaves, but in general any person of a non-princely family. For example, in "The Tale of Bygone Years" Svyatoslav discusses the wealth of his lands: "From the Greek land - gold, pavoloks, wines, various fruits, from the Czech Republic and Hungary, silver and horses, from Russia furs and wax, honey and slaves." Agree, if it was a question of shackled slaves, anyone would be named, but not his compatriots.
In the Joachim Chronicle, when describing the murder of Yaropolk, it is said: "Fornication shut the doors and did not allow his servants to enter after him." In this case, we mean the warriors. The slavish position of Vladimir's mother is also doubtful because her brother Dobrynya (one of the prototypes of the famous epic hero) served as a voivode.
In addition, the chronicle clearly states that Malusha (that was his mother's name) was a housekeeper, which speaks of a rather high status. The steward was the treasurer at the court, was in charge of food supplies and even had his own slaves in the service. So Rogneda, most likely, only hinted at the ignorant origin of Vladimir on the maternal side, and not at all about slavery.
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Ask yourself a younger
Vladimir's father Svyatoslav rarely visited Kiev, he was constantly attracted by military campaigns. Apparently, during one of his visits at home, he had a fleeting romance with his mother's housekeeper. Princess Olga was angry when she found out about Malusha's pregnancy. She drove her out of Kiev and settled in a certain village of Budyatino. The future Baptist of Russia was born there. And yet Vladimir was recognized as a prince's son, and therefore, when he grew up a little, he was taken to Kiev for education.
In 970, setting off on his last campaign, Svyatoslav entrusted Kiev to Yaropolk, Oleg - the Drevlyan territories. At that moment, Novgorodians just came with a request to give them a prince, to which Svyatoslav replied: "Who would have come to you?" And then Dobrynya advised the ambassadors: "Ask yourself a younger one." They did just that. Vladimir became the prince of Novgorod.
Gorislava Mountain
After Svyatoslav died in 972, Russia split into three independent states - each of the prince's sons remained the ruler of the land entrusted to him. The brothers lived in peace for three years. But in 975, a conflict occurred between Yaropolk and Oleg, as a result of which the latter was accidentally killed.
Vladimir thought that Yaropolk was getting rid of his brothers, wanting to seize all power in Russia. He left Novgorod and went on the run. But already in 980 he returned with the Varangian mercenaries and announced that he was going to war against Yaropolk.
Wanting to attract the Polotsk prince Rogvold to his allies, Vladimir sent messengers to him with the proposal: "I want to marry your daughter Rogneda."
- Do you want for Vladimir? - the father asked his daughter.
Here Rogneda said her fateful phrase:
- I don’t want for Robichich, but I want for Yaropolk.
Vladimir was furious when he received an insulting answer, and immediately led an army to Polotsk. Vladimir took the city by storm, and Rogneda paid dearly for her words. According to the Suzdal Chronicle according to the Laurentian list, Dobrynya, who had a great influence on his nephew, commanded him "to be with her in front of her father and mother." Having abused the girl, Vladimir killed her parents and two brothers, and then played a wedding.
After that Rogneda was given another name - Gorislav.
The path to the throne
In the same year, Vladimir led an army to Kiev in order to take the throne of Kievan Rus from his brother. He managed to achieve this without even going into battle.
He simply bribed the voivode Yaropolk, who first convinced his master to leave Kiev, actually handing him over to Vladimir, and then completely persuaded him to voluntarily come to his brother. But as soon as Yaropolk came to the negotiations, the Varangian mercenaries pierced him with swords. Vladimir became the full-fledged ruler of Russia.
And then a problem arose: the Varangians did their part - they helped Vladimir to seize power, and now it's time to pay the bills. The prince did not want to pay, and said: "Wait another month until we collect the money."
The Varangians waited, waited, but gradually began to suspect that Vladimir had simply deceived them. Then, in order not to waste time, they asked to be released to serve in the Greek land. Vladimir gladly agreed. But before them he sent a messenger with a letter. He wrote to the Byzantine rulers: "Here the Varangians are coming to you, do not try to keep them in the capital, otherwise they will do you the same evil as here, but settle them in different places, but do not let one here." The Greeks did just that.
Fornication and war
As chroniclers note, the new ruler of Russia was "defeated by lust." He had five wives, and there are countless concubines - in each city there are more than a hundred. As it is said in the "Tale of Bygone Years": "And he was insatiable in fornication, bringing married women to him and corrupting girls."
The second passion of Vladimir was the war. Unlike Yaropolk, who did not like battles and decided everything by diplomacy, Vladimir, having sat on the throne, immediately launched a stormy military campaign. In 981, he led an army against the Poles and captured many cities.
In the same year he defeated the Vyatichi. In 982, he again went to the rebellious Vyatichi and defeated them again. In 983 he conquered the Yatvingians. In 984 - the Radimichi. And a year later - Bulgarians.
In whom to believe?
All these years Vladimir was an ardent pagan: he raised the idols of the Slavic gods and performed services for them. But after the Bulgarian campaign he suddenly decided to change his faith, although he had not yet decided on which one. For this, he announced something like a competition. First, the prince received ambassadors from the Bulgarians who professed Islam. Then the representatives of the Pope appeared, preaching Catholicism. Greeks came - Orthodox Christians.
There were also Khazar Jews who praised Judaism. But Vladimir has not yet decided what he wants. Then he decided to send ten husbands to each state so that they would personally "test their faith." When they returned, the men reported that they liked the Greek rite best of all.
And Vladimir decided to be baptized. True, he did it in a very extraordinary way. He went to war against the Greeks.
Do not christen - I will burn the city
In 988, Vladimir's army laid siege to the Byzantine city of Korsun. Its inhabitants refused to surrender, and then the prince ordered his people to make an embankment near the wall in order to lead the troops to an attack along it. But his plan failed - the Greeks made a small hole in the wall and began to rake the earth poured by the Russians and dump it in the middle of the city. It is not known how long the prince would have stood under the walls of the city, puzzled why his embankment did not grow. But the Greeks were let down by betrayal. The Korsunian Anastas sent a letter to the Russians, attached to the arrow, in which he said that water is supplied to the city wells through pipes coming from the east. For Vladimir, whose campaign almost ended in failure, this message turned out to be very useful.
- If it turns out to be true - I am baptized! He exclaimed.
The pipes were found, the water was cut off, and soon Korsun, exhausted from thirst, surrendered. Having captured the city, Vladimir immediately sent a message to the Byzantine rulers Vasily and Constantine:
“I heard that you have a girl sister. If you don’t give it up for me, then I will do the same to your capital as to this city”. The Greeks sent the answer: "It is not proper for Christians to give their wives to pagans." Then Vladimir announced that he was not averse to being baptized.
Anna had to go to Vladimir in Korsun. There, the priests who arrived with her baptized the prince.
Returning to Kiev, Vladimir began to violently destroy the idols he had erected: he ordered some to be chopped up, others burned. And then he announced that all pagans are obliged to convert to Christianity.
Father to son
Prince Vladimir lived until 1015, erecting temples in Russia instead of temples and new cities. He continued to fight, especially with the Pechenegs, who often staged raids on Russia.
But at the end of his life, he almost had to face off in battle with his own son. All his sons ruled various lands and regularly paid tribute to Kiev.
But Yaroslav, who reigned in Novgorod, refused to share with his father. Vladimir got angry and began to prepare for the campaign. Then Yaroslav, like Vladimir himself once, called for Varangian mercenaries from across the sea. And it is not known how all this would have ended if Vladimir had not suffered a serious illness. He died soon after. It happened on July 15, 1015. The prince was buried in the Church of the Holy Mother of God, which he once erected. Well, the throne of Kievan Rus passed to that very rebellious son - Yaroslav.
Oleg GOROSOV