Bogatyrs are the epic defenders of the Russian Land, “superheroes” of the Russian people for many centuries. Let's remember the main ones.
1. Ilya Muromets. Holy hero
Ilya Muromets was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, this is the main Russian hero. Ilya Muromets is the main character not only of Russian epics, but also, for example, Germanic epic poems of the 13th century. They also call him Ilya, he is also a hero, yearning for his homeland. Ilya Muromets is also found in the Scandinavian sagas, in them he is, no less than a blood brother of Prince Vladimir.
2. Bova Korolevich. Lubochny hero
Bova Korolevich was the most popular hero among the people for a long time. Lubochnye tales about the "great hero" were published in hundreds of editions from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Pushkin wrote "The Tale of Tsar Saltan", partially borrowing the plot and the names of the heroes of the tales about the Battle of the Korolevich, which his nanny read to him. Moreover, he even made sketches of the poem "Bova", but death will prevent him from completing the work.
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The prototype of this knight was the French knight Beauvo de Anton from the famous chronicle poem Reali di Francia, written in the XIV century. In this respect, Bova is a completely unique hero - a visiting man.
3. Alyosha Popovich. Younger
"The youngest of the younger" heroes, and therefore his set of qualities is not so "superman". He is not even alien to vice: cunning, selfishness, greed. That is, on the one hand, he is distinguished by courage, but on the other hand, he is proud, arrogant, scolding, fervent and rude.
4. Svyatogor. Megabogatyr
Megabogatyr. But the hero of the "old world". The giant, the elder hero the size of a mountain, whom even the earth does not hold, lies on the mountain in inaction. Epics tell of his meeting with the craving of the earth and death in a magic grave.
Many features of the biblical hero Samson have been transferred to Svyatogor. It is difficult to determine precisely its ancient origin. In the legends of the people, the hero-veteran transfers his strength to Ilya Muromets, the hero of the Christian age.
5. Dobrynya Nikitich. Bogatyr with connections and
Dobrynya Nikitich is often associated with the chronicle Dobrynya, uncle of Prince Vladimir (according to another version, nephew). His name embodies the essence of "heroic kindness." Dobrynya has the nickname "young", with great physical strength "he will not offend a fly", he is a defender of "widows and orphans, unhappy wives." Dobrynya is also "an artist at heart: a master to sing and play the harp".
6. Duke Stepanovich. Bogatyr Major
Duke Stepanovich comes to Kiev from the conditional India, behind which, according to folklorists, in this case the Galicia-Volyn land is hidden, and arranges a bragging marathon in Kiev, passes tests from the prince, and continues to brag. As a result, Vladimir finds out that Duke is really very rich and offers him citizenship. But Duke refuses, because "if you sell Kiev and Chernigov and buy paper for the inventory of Dyukov's wealth, then there will not be enough paper."
7. Mikula Selyaninovich. Bogatyr-plowman
Mikula Selyaninovich is an agrarian hero. Found in two epics: about Svyatogor and about Volga Svyatoslavich. Mikula is the first representative of agricultural life, a powerful peasant-plowman.
He is strong and hardy, but home-loving. He puts all his strength into agriculture and family.
8. Volga Svyatoslavovich. Bogatyr magician
Supporters of the "historical school" in the study of epics believe that the prototype of the epic Volga was Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. Volga was also correlated with Prophetic Oleg, and his trip to India - with Oleg's campaign against Constantinople. Volga is a difficult hero, he has the ability to shape-shifting, he knows how to understand the language of animals and birds.
9. Sukhman Odikhmantievich. The insulted hero
According to Vsevolod Miller, the prototype of the hero was the Pskov prince Dovmont, who ruled from 1266 to 1299.
In the epic of the Kiev cycle, Sukhman goes to extract a white swan for Prince Vladimir, but on the way he enters into a battle with the Tatar horde, which erects Kalinov bridges on the Nepra River. Sukhman defeats the Tatars, but in battle he receives wounds, which he seals with leaves. Returning to Kiev without the white swan, he tells the prince about the battle, but the prince does not believe him and imprisons Sukhman in a dungeon pending clarification. Dobrynya goes to Nepru and learns that Sukhman did not lie. But it's' too late. Sukhman feels disgraced, peels off the leaves and bleeds out. The river Sukhman begins from his blood.
10. Danube Ivanovich. Tragic hero
According to the epics about the Danube, it was from the blood of the hero that the river of the same name began. The Danube is a tragic hero. He loses to his wife Nastasya in archery competitions, accidentally hits her while trying to recoup, learns that Nastasya was pregnant and stumbles upon a saber.
11. Mikhailo Potyk. Faithful husband
Folklorists disagree with whom Mikhailo Potyk (or Potok) should be correlated. The roots of his image are found in the Bulgarian heroic epic, and in Western European fairy tales, and even in the Mongolian epic Geser.
According to one of the epics, Potok with his wife Avdotya the White Swan makes a vow that whoever of them dies first, the second is buried next to him in the grave alive. When Avdotya dies, Potok is buried nearby in full armor and on horseback, he fights the dragon and revives his wife with his blood. When he dies himself, Avdotya is buried with him.
12. Khoten Bludovich. Bogatyr groom
The hero Khoten Bludovich, for the sake of a wedding with the enviable bride Tea Sentinel, first beats her nine brothers, then a whole army hired by the future mother-in-law. As a result, the hero receives a rich dowry and appears in the epic as a hero “who married well”.
13. Vasily Buslaev. Zealous hero
The most daring hero of the Novgorod epic cycle. His unbridled disposition leads to a conflict in the Novgorodians and he is desperately rowdy, betting that he will beat all the Novgorod peasants on the Volkhov Bridge and almost fulfills his promise - until his mother stops him.
In another epic he is already mature, he goes to Jerusalem to atone for sins. But Buslaev is incorrigible - he again goes back to the old and absurdly dies, proving his youth.
14. Anika is a warrior. Bogatyr in words
Even today, Anika is a warrior who is called a person who loves to brag about his strength far from danger. Unusual for a Russian epic hero, the name of the hero is most likely taken from the Byzantine legend about the hero Digenis, who is mentioned there with the constant epithet anikitos.
Anika the warrior in verse boasts of strength and offends the weak, death itself is ashamed for it, Anika challenges her and dies.
15. Nikita Kozhemyaka. Serpentine
Nikita Kozhemyaka in Russian fairy tales is one of the main heroes of the snake fighters. Before engaging in a fight with the Serpent, he breaks 12 skins, thereby proving his legendary power. Kozhemyak not only defeats the Snake, but also harnesses him to the plow and plows the land from Kiev to the Black Sea. The defensive ramparts near Kiev got their name (Zmievs) precisely because of the deeds of Nikita Kozhemyaka.