A message on the topic of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslav the Wise

Kiev Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich went down in history as a glorious educator, wise ruler and diplomat. One of the most famous princes of Kievan Rus, whose memory has been preserved.

Kievan Rus under his rule became a European state.

Yaroslav the Wise son of the holy Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavovich and Princess Rogneda was born in 978. Descendant of the Rurik family.

Path to the throne

The first years of maturity were marked by rule in Rostov, then in Novgorod. Being the Novgorod prince, Yaroslav refused to pay tribute to his father in Kyiv, which brought upon himself anger and the threat of a military campaign. But the father died, and the brothers began a war for the throne. Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Accursed, seized power in Kyiv and began eliminating his rival brothers. There were several battles between Yaroslav and Svyatopolk, ending in victory for one side or the other. Only after the signing of the peace agreement and the death of his brother Mstislav, Prince Yaroslav the Wise in 1019. becomes the ruler of Rus' and begins a period of strengthening statehood.

The victories over the Pechenegs freed the western and southern borders of Rus' from raids. To protect the borders, the prince builds protective earthen ramparts and fortifications.

Development of the state and education

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, construction actively developed in Kievan Rus, new cities appeared on the map and monasteries were built. Libraries were created at the monasteries, and books began to be copied and translated from Greek into Old Russian, as well as Church Slavonic languages. The prince also allocated a lot of money for education. Training schools appeared.

For the first time, a large school opened in Novgorod (1028), where 300 children of church priests and elders were gathered for education.

Yaroslav the Wise was well-read and educated; he collected a large library located in St. Sophia Cathedral.

He founded new cities: Yaroslavl (1010), Novgorod-Seversky (now the Estonian city of Tartu-Yuryev (1040) and Yuryev on the Ros River (now Belaya Tserkov (1240).

In the Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Yaroslav is mentioned as a prudent and insightful, intelligent and brave ruler.

Prince Yaroslav wrote a set of laws of feudal law “Russian Truth” and published the Church Charter.

The prince preferred to resolve political issues diplomatically rather than militarily. To do this, he used the dynastic marriages of his children with European rulers. He became related to the rulers of Denmark, Hungary, Norway, Greece, Poland and Byzantium. The most famous marriage was concluded with the King of France, Henry I, for whom Anna Yaroslavna was given away.

Strengthening and expanding Orthodoxy

Yaroslav the Wise actively continued the work of his father in spreading Christianity and fighting paganism.

The prince laid the foundation for the construction of churches in Rus'. Under him, the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery was founded (1051), which received the status of a lavra in 1598, the St. Sophia Cathedral and the Golden Gate with the Church of the Annunciation, the monastery of St. George and Irene were built.

Sophia of Kiev with 13 domes was founded by the prince in honor of the victory over the Pechenegs in 1036. The architecture of the cathedral is made in the likeness of the temple in Constantinople, and the painting was carried out by Constantinople masters.

The cathedrals and churches resembled those of Jerusalem and Constantinople, symbolizing the shift in the Orthodox center.

For the first time, the prince personally, without the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, appointed Metropolitan Hilarion at a meeting of bishops (1051).

The Church became independent, and it was Hilarion who opened the list of Russian metropolitans.

Personal data

Yaroslav the Wise himself was married to the daughter of the Swedish king Ingigerda, who took the name Irina at baptism. In their marriage they had 9 children, of which 3 were daughters.

The external portrait of Yaroslav the Wise is not attractive. Large eyes, a large nose and chin stood out on the face,

He limped, either from birth, or after an injury received in battle.

Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise died in February 1054. in Vyshgorod near Kyiv. He was buried in a marble sarcophagus under the arches of St. Sophia Cathedral.

After himself, he appointed his eldest son Izyaslav to rule.

Interesting fact: historians began to call Yaroslav “wise” only from the second half of the 19th century.

Yaroslav the Wise is rightfully considered a revered ancient Russian prince, the son of the great Vladimir the Red Sun (Baptist). He is called the Wise because of his love for science and literature. During his reign, the first set of laws was issued, so to speak - the code of civil law. He was also the father, uncle and grandfather of many European rulers. During baptism, Yaroslav received the name Yuri. Thanks to his love for the Orthodox Church, the construction of many cathedrals and temples, today the Orthodox clergy celebrates the day of his memory: the fourth of March in a leap year and the fifth in a regular year.

Historians cannot agree on the date of birth of the prince. However, most agree that he was born in 978. But this also raises doubts, let alone a birthday that is not reliably known to anyone.

The father of Yaroslav the Wise was Vladimir (Red Sun) from the Rurik family. Mother - Rogneda Rogvoldovna from the Polotsk family. It is worth noting that some famous historians, for example, N. Kostomarov, doubt that Rogneda was his mother. He is also supported by the French historian Arrignon, who is confident that the mother of Yaroslav the Wise is a Byzantine princess. This is evidenced by the prince's active intervention in internal Byzantine affairs in 1043.

Yaroslav the Wise had 3 brothers - Izyaslav, Mstislav and Vsevolod. Their father sent each of them to rule in different cities. The wise man got Rostov, at that time he was not even 10 years old, the governor of Buda was assigned to help the boy, who later became the closest ally and even friend of Prince Yaroslav.

Like his date of birth, the reign of the prince is overwhelmingly shrouded in mystery, shrouded in legends and legends. The time of his principality, as well as the prince himself, is idealized by some historians, while others, on the contrary, reproach it. But, as always, the truth lies in the golden mean.

The reign of Novgorod, where Yaroslav the Wise ruled after Rostov, was more honorable than the reign in Rostov. But, nevertheless, the Novgorod prince was subordinate to the Kyiv prince Vladimir. Thus, Yaroslav the Wise annually had to give two-thirds collected from his subordinate lands. At that time, this amount was 1000 hryvnia - a huge fortune at that time.

This video presents the program “Hour of Truth: Yaroslav the Wise.”

In 1014, Yaroslav the Wise rebelled and refused to pay tribute to his own father. It is worth saying that his decision was supported by the majority of Novgorodians; this can be read in the surviving writings. The father was angry with his son and was preparing for a campaign to pacify those who disagreed, but soon Prince Vladimir fell ill and died suddenly.

The Principality of Kiev passed to the eldest son Svyatopolk the Accursed. For his own safety, as well as to retain power, he killed his brothers Gleb, Svyatoslav and Gleb, especially revered by the people of Kiev. The same fate awaited Yaroslav the Wise, but in 1016 the Rostov prince defeated Svyatopolk, and his army entered the capital. The brothers divided Kyiv into two parts along the Dnieper line and declared a truce, which was always fragile and “hot” clashes still took place from hour to hour. Three years later, Svyatopolk died, and Yaroslav reigned supreme over Kiev.

One of the greatest merits of Yaroslav the Wise is considered to be the victory over the Pechenegs in 1036. From the pages of the chronicles you can learn that Kyiv was besieged by nomads, and at the same time the prince went to a neighboring city, but returned to the capital with lightning speed and defeated the enemy army. For several years, bloody raids on the lands of Rus' ceased.

After the stunning defeat of the Pechenegs, Yaroslav the Wise was engaged in grandiose construction. At the site of the battle with the nomads, the St. Sophia Cathedral was founded. The building was an exact copy of the Tsaregrad temple. It was decorated with frescoes and mosaics - it amazed with its beauty not only in those days, but even today the St. Sophia Cathedral is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful Orthodox churches. Yaroslav the Wise never skimped on the construction and decoration of churches, and always called the best craftsmen of Greece to decorate them. During his reign, the legendary Golden Gate and the Church of the Annunciation appeared.

The domestic policy of Yaroslav the Wise was fundamentally different from his predecessors. He made a lot of efforts to develop the culture of his own people and educate them. Several main events can be noted that characterize the ruler as truly a wise prince:

1. Thanks to Yaroslav the Wise, it was possible to get rid of the dependence of the Russian Orthodox clergy on Byzantium. In 1054, for the first time in Rus', the church was headed by a Russian, and not a Greek, Metropolitan Hilarion.
2. The main idea of ​​the prince's internal policy was the enlightenment of the people and increasing their education, the eradication of the pagan faith. Christianity was popularized with renewed vigor.
3. During his reign, many books were translated from Greek into Slavic. Yaroslav the Wise loved to read and instilled a love of books in all his relatives and subordinates. It was because of this that reading became fashionable at that time. The church began to teach children writing and literacy. Also, for the first time in Rus', a school for boys was opened.
4. It was during his principality that the first Orthodox monasteries appeared, incl. and the Kiev Pechersk Lavra that has survived to this day. This not only popularized Orthodoxy, but also played an important role in enlightenment - books were translated here and chronicles were written.
5. Yaroslav the Wise became the first to publish a set of laws - “Russian Truth”. His followers later expanded and completed the document.

Yaroslav the Wise spent the last few years of his life in the city of Vyshgorod. He died in the arms of his son Vsevolod on the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Historians agree that this happened on February 20, 1054. He was buried in St. Sophia Cathedral (Kyiv) in a sarcophagus weighing more than six tons. Alas, the remains of the prince disappeared. The sarcophagus was opened several times, first in 1936, then in 1939 and later in 1964.

This video presents a documentary about Yaroslav the Wise. Don't forget to leave your questions, suggestions and

Since school years, from history lessons, for many of us, the name of Prince Yaroslav the Wise has been firmly associated with the first domestic code of laws -. In a sense, it is comparable to the laws of the Babylonian king Hammurabi, for both laws reflected the life, customs and traditions of our distant ancestors. In a word, contemporaries gave the Moscow prince the nickname “Wise” for good reason.

Biography of Yaroslav the Wise (978-1054)

Yaroslav was one of the many children of Svyatoslavich, the baptist of Rus', and his concubine and then wife, Princess Rogneda of Polotsk. When the sons grew up, the father granted them estates and set them up to reign. So, Yaroslav got Rostov. The legendary, apocryphal tale about the founding of the city, which was then named after the prince - Yaroslavl, dates back to this period. Allegedly, the city began with a wooden settlement founded by order of the prince to commemorate his fight with a bear, the image of which was reflected on the city’s coat of arms. Whether this is really so is difficult to say.

Considering the high infant and human mortality rates in general at that time, even taking into account temporary errors, Yaroslav lived a long life - more than seventy years. Was married twice. The fate of the first wife was tragic - she disappeared forever in Polish captivity. Thanks to his marriage to the Swedish princess Ingegerda, he is a distant relative of many monarchs of modern Europe. The marriage had nine children.

The prince was buried with St. Sophia Cathedral. The famous Soviet anthropologist (and today we would add also a physiognomist) Mikhail Gerasimov, shortly before the start of the Great Patriotic War, reconstructed the appearance of Yaroslav from the preserved skull. The current location of the prince's remains is unknown.

Domestic and foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise

Neither the Rostov nor Novgorod reigns of Yaroslav found any detailed reflection in Russian chronicles and in the Tale of Bygone Years. Yaroslav began to play a prominent role in domestic politics when he dared to oppose his own father, as well as his brothers. Naturally, his goal was the Kiev throne. Yaroslav relied on the support of the Novgorodians and the hired Varangian squad. After the death of his father, Yaroslav's main strategic opponent turned out to be his brother Svyatopolk. It took several years of internecine strife for one of them to gain the upper hand. It turned out to be Yaroslav.

Together with another brother, Mstislav, they divided their possessions and no longer interfered in each other’s affairs. Until Mstislav's death, Yaroslav preferred to remain in Novgorod, formally already being the Grand Duke of Kyiv. Yaroslav achieved a final and decisive victory over the Pechenegs. The Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kyiv was founded precisely to commemorate this victory. He conquered the Chud tribes and founded the city of Yuryev (now Tartu in Estonia) in their lands.

Numerous marriages began to take place between Yaroslav's children reaching adulthood and the offspring of famous Polish, Swedish and Norwegian rulers. The total duration of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is 37 years. This is the second-longest individual in power after Ivan IV the Terrible, who ruled much later.

The creation of the first Russian monasteries - Yuriev in Novgorod and Kiev-Pechersk - dates back to the reign of Yaroslav. Metropolitan Hilarion, author of the “Sermon on Law and Grace”, is a protege of Yaroslav the Wise. The number of literate people grew, the first schools were opened.

• Fearing for himself and for his sole power, Yaroslav imprisoned the youngest of his siblings, Sudislav, in a cellar, who spent 23 years in captivity, outlived Yaroslav, and then abandoned the Kyiv throne for the sake of the monastic schema.
• Being baptized by George, Yaroslav also established the day of St. George, which later became part of the saying “Here’s St. George’s Day for you, grandmother!”

Yaro-slav I, in the Baptism Ge-or-giy (Yuri), Vla-di-mi-ro-vich, the Wise (c. 978-989 - 1054), blessed Great Prince of Kiev. Remember March 4 (February 20) on the day of the end.

According to various sources, he was born between 978 and 989, and was the second son of Vladimir’s equal from according to Princess Ro-g-ne-dy. According to some reports, in childhood he suffered from a leg problem, which he suffered in 988, but remained lameness.

Prince during the life of Saint Vladimir

Even during his life, he made the first division of land between his sons, Saint Vladi-mir de-sa-dil Vya-ti-years-not Yaro-slav-va in Ro-sto-ve. In 1011, when Yaro-slav baptized Vol-ga, the pagan inhabitants of the Med-vezhy corner you-pu-sti-against him “Holy Med-ve-di-tsu”, but the prince, armed with a se-ki-roy, defeated the beast.

In 1012, after the death of the eldest son of Vy-she-slav-va, Saint Vladi-mir transferred Yaro-slav-va to prince in Nov-go-rod, mi-no-vav of the elder, the Holy Pol-ka, who was then under the wrath of his father. Having become the prince of Novgorod, Yaro-slav wanted to break the barrier from Ki-e-va and become an independent go-su-da-rem of the vast Novgorod region. He started in 1014 to pay his father an annual tribute of 2000 hryvnia, how did everything go in the garden of the new city? -skie. His-la-nie s-pa-da-lo and with the str-le-ni-em of the new-city-tsev, who-ry-go-ti-were on-la-ha-e- my yes-new on them. Yaro-slav was also dissatisfied with the fact that his father showed respect to his younger brother, Bo-ri-su. Having once become angry with Yaro-slav, Vladimir decided to personally go against him, but soon fell ill and died. Yaro-slav, meanwhile, hired a friend of the va-ryagov for the upcoming struggle.

Internecine wars

The princely table was taken over by the eldest in the family, the Holy Regiment Oka-yan, who, wishing to do- Being the sole ruler of all Russia, he died through the hired killers of three brothers - the passionate-sufferers Bo-ri-sa and Gle-ba, as well as St.-glory. The same danger threatened Yaro-slava, but he, the pre-pre-glorified sister of the Pre-slava, himself went to Kiev. Previously, Yaro-slav was in a quarrel with the new city for the fact that he often supported Var-ryazh’s friend in her home -you had skirmishes with the towns in the town, but now the new towns easily agreed to go together with him against his brother. Gathering 40 thousand new townsmen and several thousand Va-Ryazh na-em-niks, Yaro-slav moved against the Holy Paul -ka, calling upon the pe-che-ne-gov for help. Yaro-slav defeated the Holy Pol-ka in a furious battle near Lu-be-than, entered Ki-ev, and took over the princely table in 1016, after which he generously rewarded the Novgorod residents and sent them home. The fleeing Holy Regiment returned with the troops of his father-in-law, the Polish king Bo-le-slava Khrab -ro-go, and also with friends of the Germans, Ven-groves and pe-che-ne-gov. In 1017 or 1018, Yaro-slav was defeated on the banks of the Bug and fled to Novgorod. He was ready to sail to Scandi-na-Via, but the new towns in Russia, the prince’s boats and bowed to Yaro-sla- let's continue to live and fight. With a new large army, he defeated the Holy Regiment and his co-union of pe-che-ne-gov on the Al River - those in 1019, at the same place where his brother Saint Boris was killed. The holy regiment fled to Poland and died on the way, and Yaroslav in the same year became the Great Prince of Kiev. Now he has firmly established himself in Ki-e-ve and, according to the summer scribe, “wiped the dust with his friend "

In 1021, Yaro-slav’s nephew, Prince Brya-chi-slav Izya-s-la-vich Po-lotsky, declared a claim on part of New Year -native regions. Having received the refusal, he attacked Novgorod, took it and plundered it. Hearing about the approach of Yaro-slav, Brya-chi-slav left Nov-gorod with many captives and lie-s . Yaro-slav drove him into the Pskov region, on the Su-dom river, defeated him and freed the captives of the new towns. After this victory, Yaro-slav made peace with Brya-chi-slav, ceding to him the Vi-Tebsk parish with the cities of Vi-Tebsk and Usvyat. As soon as this war was over, Yaro-slav had to begin a more difficult struggle with his younger brother Vengeance Tmu-ta-ra -kan-skim, who demanded from him the division of Russian lands in a ditch, and went with an army to Ki-e-vu in 1024. Yaro-slav at that time was in Novgorod and in the north, in the Suzdal land, where there was famine and strong rebellion , called by the sorcerer. In Novgorod, Yaro-slav gathered a large army against Vengeance and called upon the Va-ryags under the command of the nobles. but vi-tya-zya Yaku-na Sle-po-go. The army of Yaro-slav-va met with the army of Revenge-slav-va at the town of List-ve-na, near Cher-ni-go-va, and in the same that would have happened once. Yaro-slav again retired to his faithful Novgorod. Vengeance sent him to tell him that he recognized his seniority and did not care about Ki-e-va, but Yaro-slav did not believe brother and returned, only having gathered a strong army to the north. That's when, in 1025, he made peace with his brother at Gorod (probably, near Ki-e-va), for some reason The Russian land was divided into two parts along the Dnieper River: the regions along the eastern side of the Dnieper River went away to Msti-slav, and in the west - to Yaro-slav.

In 1035, Msti-slav died and Yaro-slav became the sole ruler of the Russian land - “he was the ruler himself,” as you say le-to-scribe. In the same year, Ya. put his brother, Prince Su-di-sla-va of Pskov, in “po-rub” (that-ni-tsu) , okle-ve-tan-no-go, according to the words of le-to-pi-sey, before the elder brother. In the hands of Yaro-sla-va were now all the Russian regions, with the exception of Prince Po-lots-ko -zh-stva.

External relations

Yaro-sla-v still had to make many moves against external enemies - almost all of his reign -us. In 1017, he successfully repelled the pe-che-ne-gov to Ki-ev and then fought with them as a union -no-ka-mi Holy-pol-ka Oka-yan-no-go. In 1036, le-to-pi-si from-me-cha-yut osa-du Ki-e-va pe-che-ne-ga-mi in the absence of Yaro-slava, from- lu-chiv-she-go-sya in Novgorod. Having received the news about this, he hurried to help and smashed the pe-che-ne-gov under the very walls -mi Ki-e-va. After this, the na-pa-de-niya of pe-che-ne-gov to Rus' stopped. From the West, Yaro-Sla-va moves to the north against the Finns. In 1030, he went to Chud and established his power on the shores of Lake Chud, where he built a city and named it Yurye in the honor of one's saint. In 1042, Yaro-slav left the son of Vladimir on a march to the pit. The move was successful, but friend Vladi-mi-ra returned almost without her as a result of the pas-de-ja. There is news about the march of the Russians at Yaro-slava to the Ural ridge under the leadership of Ule-ba in 1032. On the western borders, Yaro-slav waged wars with Lithuania and Yat-vya-ga-mi, to stop their on-running, and with Poland neck. In 1022, Yaro-slav went to besiege Brest; in 1030 he took Belz (in northeastern Galicia); in the next year, with his brother Vengeance, he returned the Cher-Ven-skie cities to Russia and brought many people of the captives, whom he settled along the Ro-si River in towns to protect the lands from the steppe nomads. cov. He finally recaptured Brest in 1044. Several times Yaro-slav went to Poland to help King Ka-zi-mir to pacify the rise of Ma-zo-via; The last move was in 1047. Prince Yaro-slava is also known for the hostile confrontation between Rus and the Greeks . One of the Russian merchants was killed in a quarrel with the Greeks, after which, not receiving satisfaction for the offense, Yaro-slav sent a large fleet to Byzantium in 1043 under the command of the eldest son of Vladimir Nov-gorod-sko- go and vo-e-vo-dy you-sha-you. Bu-rya race-se-ya-la Russian co-slaves. Vladimir sought the Greek fleet sent to pursue him, but you were surrounded and captured at Varna. In 1046, peace was concluded; prisoners on both sides were returned and friendly from the marriage of my beloved son Yaro-glory, All-in-lo-yes, with the Viz-zan-Tiy tsar-rev-noy.

Although he liked to fight a war, well, according to the scribe, he didn’t like to fight . In external terms, Yaro-slav, like his father, was more focused on diplomacy and mutual from-no-she-niya than on weapons. His time was an era of epoch-making relations with the states of Za-pa-da. Yaro-slav was related to the Norsemen: he himself was married to the Swedish princess In-gi-ger-de, in baptism nii Irina, and the Norse Prince Harald the Bold took his hand before Eli-sa-ve-you. Four sons of Yaro-slava, among them Vse-vo-lod, Svyato-slav and Izya-s-lav, so would you foreign princes. Foreign princes, such as Olaf the Holy, Magnus the Good, Harald the Bold, and noble Norsemen on-ho-di-li- They defend Yar-o-sla-va, and the Var-Ryazh merchants benefit from its special protection. Yaro-slava’s sister Dob-ro-gree-va-Maria was married to Ka-zi-mir Pol-skiy, his second daughter, An-na, Gen-ri-hom I of France, third, Ana-sta-sia - behind An-dre-em I of Hungary. There is news from foreign scribes about family ties with the English ko-ro-la-mi and about the former research at the court of Yaro-slav of two English princes who sought refuge.

Internal management

The significance of Yaro-slava in Russian history is based mainly on his works on internal affairs. the structure of the Russian land. Yaro-slav was the prince-of-the-next-to-no-one of the land, who established it with his blessing. Like his father, he settled the steppe spaces, built new cities, such as Yuryev (now Tartu) and Yaro- Slavl, continued to follow the predecessors in protecting borders and trade routes from nomads and protecting -those in-te-re-sov of Russian trade in Viz-zan-tiya. He fenced off the southern border of Russia with the steppe and in 1032 began to build the city here - Yuryev (now Be- barking Church), Tor-chesk, Kor-sun, Tre-pol and others.

The capital of Yaro-slava, Ki-ev, seemed to be in contact with Western foreign-countries; her liveliness, caused by the intensity of the trade at that time, amazingly la-la pi- sa-te-ley-foreign-country-tsev of the 11th century - for-ka-za-tel-but that the son of Yaro-slav-va, All-in-lod, without leaving Ki-e -wow, you learned five languages. Having decorated Ki-ev with many-gi-mi but-you-mi-build-mi, he led him around and but-you-mi-ka-men-ny-mi-ste-on-mi (“go -rod of Yaro-slava"), having built in them the famous Golden Gates, and above them - a church in honor of the Good-ve- sche-nii. Yaro-slav founded in Ki-e-ve on the place of his victory over the pe-che-ne-ha-mi the temple of St. Sophia, ve-li-ko- sculpted, but decorated it with frescoes and mo-za-i-koy, and also built here the mo-on of St. George and mo-na -styr of Saint Irene (in honor of An-ge-la of her su-pru-gi). About these buildings there were ar-hi-tech-tour-buildings of Kon-stan-ti-no-po-la and Jeru-sa- Lima. Completion of the construction of the Soviet Union with the co-building of the ancient Russian lyre te-ra-tu-ry, “Words about the Law and Bla-go-da-ti”, which was about-from-not-this-but will-be-sacred ti-te-lem March 25, 1038. Then where was the first Russian le-to-write - the so-called. "The most ancient vault."

The core of the internal de-i-tel-no-sti of the holy prince was the promotion of the spread of Christianity on Ru-si, the development of the necessary for this purpose of illumination and preparation of sacred-serve-those lei from Russians. Both in Ki-e-ve and in other cities, Yaro-slav did not spare funds for church benefit, inviting for this Greek masters. Under Yaro-slava, church singers came to Rus' from Byzantium, who taught the Russians axis-mo-voice singing . Le-to-pi-sets noted that under Yaro-slava the Christian faith began to “be fruitful and expand, and black “But the robes have begun to multiply, and they can appear.” When, at the end of his reign, it was necessary to establish a new mit-ro-po-li-ta on the Ki-ev mit-ro-po- Liyu, Yaro-slav in 1051 ordered the Russian bishops to establish a mit-ro-to-the-holy Ila-ri -o-na, first-of-ar-hi-pas-ty-rya Russian mit-ro-po-ly from the Russians.

In order to instill in the people the Christian faith, Yaro-slav ordered to re-translate hand-written books from the Greek what in Slavic and bought a lot of them myself. Co-bi-paradise of book-scribes and re-vo-chi-kovs, he multiplied the number of books in Russia and gradually -but introduced them into universal use. All these ru-ko-pi-si Yaro-slav lived in the bib-lio-te-ku built after the So-fiy-bo-ra for the public go use-zo-va-niya. For the development of the culture, Yaro-slav ordered the spirit-ho-ven-st to educate children, and in Nov-go-ro-de, later Given this summer's data, he set up a school for 300 boys.

Finally, Yaro-slav remained the most known to me as a pro-co-no-da-tel. Already in Nov-go-ro-de, when he was appointed there-in-place-no-one, he was called the Right-to-Court - it was there work has begun on pi-sa-nyh laws of Ru-si. Yaro-slav-wu is proud of the ancient Russian monument to the right - “Russian Truth” (same name -my “Charter” or “Court of Yaro-Slavl”), which is a collection of laws and customs, orally “For-the-horse Russian”, which was mentioned back in the do-go-vo-rah of Ru-si and Vi-zan-ti-ey. "Russian Truth" was born on Novgorod in 1016 and was the first written code of laws for the -loving, civil and administrative. He was first of all concerned with the security of society in a row. Under Yaro-slava, the Church Charter, or the Korm-tea book, appeared, compiled on the basis of the Vi-zan-tiy But -mo-ka-no-na. In it, for the first time, there were definitions of sin and crime: every crime is a sin, but not all -what sin is a crime.

Ha-rak-ter and kon-chi-na

According to le-to-pi-si, the great prince “was lame, but he had a kind mind and was brave in battle.” Describe his character, le-to-pi-sets speaks about intelligence, b-go-ra-zu-mia, compassion for the poor, brave -ro-sti. Yaro-slav's character was strict, and his life was modest, unlike his father, who loved merry feasts. Contemporary people know that Yaro-slav himself was a well-read man in God's service books and a ruler - a big personal bib-lio-te-coy. He, in the words of the scribe, considered books “re-ka-mi, capable of gaining wisdom.” The prince's blessing is due to his diligence in faith. According to one of the legends, he ordered to dig up the bones of princes Yaropolka and Oleg and, having christened them, buried them in Kiev Church of the Assumption of the Most Holy God, hoping to save their souls from eternal torment and -gi-be-li.

The blessed and great prince Yaro-slav the Wise died on February 20, 1054 in his out-of-town resi-den -tion You-sh-go-ro-de, near Ki-e-vom. They would like him in a marble coffin in the Kiev Sophia So-bo-re. One of the prince’s subjects wrote an inscription on the wall of the temple: “In the summer of 6562 of the month of February, 20th, the dormition of the king rya na-she-go...” Dividing the land between the sons and re-giving the Kiev throne to the eldest son Izya-s-la- wow, he left them the following message:

“Here I go from this light, my children. Love each other, for you are brothers, from one father and one mother. If you live in love between each other, then God will be with you. He will kill all your enemies, and you will live in peace. If you start to hate each other and quarrel, then you yourself will perish, and you will ruin the earth from -tsov and your grandfathers, for whom they did their great work.”

Memory, ratings and reading

The Prince of Yaro-slava is known for the flowering of the city of Ki-e-va and the strengthening of its eco-no-mi -human and cultural ties between different parts of the state. This was the era of the highest pro-flowering of Kiev Rus. With his work, Yaro-slav became so powerful that over time the title “Wise” was assigned to him. go." The name of the blessed prince Yaro-of-glory was outside the month-of-words of the Russian Right-of-Slav- Noah Church for the benefit of the pat-ri-ar-kha of Moscow and all Russia Alexia II December 8, 2005.

Family

Father: St. equal-to-ap. Vladimir Svyato-sla-vich (ca. 960-1015), led. book Ki-ev-sky.

Mother: Ro-g-ne-da Ro-gvo-lo-dov-na, in Kre-shche-nii Ana-sta-siya, book. Po-lots-kai.

Wife: St. In-gi-ger-da Ola-fov-na, in the Baptism of Irina, in the foreign language of An-na, bl-gv. Princess of Sweden.

Children:

Ilya († 1020), book. Novgorodsky 1015-1020.

St. bl-gv. Vladimir (1020-1052), book. Novgorodsky 1043-1052.

Izya-s-lav (1024-1078).

Holy glory (1027-1076), book. Cher-ni-gov-sky.

All-in-lod (1030-1093).

Vya-che-slav (1036-1057), book. Smo-lensky.

Igor (1036-1060), prince. Vla-di-mi-ro-Vo-lyn-sky.

An-na, the queen of France, wife of Gen-ri-ha I Ka-pe-ta.

Ana-sta-sia, queen of Hungary, wife of Andrei I.

Eli-za-ve-ta, the queen of Nor-vezh-skaya, and the wife of Garal-da Sme-lo-go.

Prayers

Troparion to the blessed prince Yaroslav the Wise

Like the pious root of the most honorable branch you were, / blessed Prince Yaroslav, / having lived well in piety, / you kept the faith immaculate, / and the temple is wonderful in the Wisdom of God in having established the capital city of Kiev,/ now in Heaven you stand before the Throne of the Holy Trinity, // praying to send down We have great and rich mercy.

Kontakion to the Blessed Prince Yaroslav the Wise

You appeared from early childhood, God-wise Yaroslav, / The divine vessel was chosen by God, / You lived in piety, / You built many holy churches; / Moreover, we praise you, our prince, / as you are a fertilizer to your people, // Glory to Kiev and the establishment of all the Russian lands .

Prayer to the blessed prince Yaroslav the Wise

Oh, holy, blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav, you are the gracious intercessor and patron of all who honor you with love! Offer this small prayer of your unworthy servants to the Lord Christ, that the living spirit of the Orthodox faith, love, piety, and success in good deeds may establish in His Holy Church languishing; may the shepherds be given zeal to care for the salvation of people, to enlighten the unbelievers, guide those who have gone astray, and convert those who have fallen away; rather, so that all the children of the Orthodox Church will remain pure from worldly temptations, superstition, superstition and the obsessions of enemies. Hey, saint of God, do not despise us who pray to you, but help us with your speedy intercession, so that all troubles, misfortunes and sorrows in this temporary life will be avoided, the end of non-shame Well, we will find and, having lived well on earth, we will be worthy of heavenly life in heaven, where Together with you, we will glorify humanity and generosity in the Trinity, glorifying God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Canons and Akathists

Akathist to the holy noble prince Yaroslav the Wise

Kontakion 1

Chosen from the Eternal King of Heaven and the Church of the Creator, given to our country as a fair intercessor and a wonderful intercessor, holy Prince Yaroslav, accept the praise of the love of those who honor your holy memory and pray to Christ God to be preserved unharmed from enemies visible and invisible, and cry out to you with tenderness:

Ikos 1

Having loved the angelic life from youth and directed your thoughts to the search for the one thing needed, Prince Yaroslav, you were a wondrous image of Christian virtues and spiritual perfection; In the same way, you were exalted on earth before your brethren and you were glorified in heaven by the Lord. We, thanking the Creator and our Savior, praise you as the great chosen one of God, calling with tenderness:

Rejoice, God-chosen prince of the Russian land.

Rejoice, most honorable branch of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir.

Rejoice, heir to the trust of our ancestors.

Rejoice, imitator of the wisdom of Solomon.

Rejoice, you have served God with all your life.

Rejoice, patron of all ends of the Russian land.

Rejoice, faithful executor of Christ's commandments.

Rejoice, wondrous guardian, given to us all by God.

Rejoice, holy and faithful Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 2

Having seen, while still a youth, most praised Yaroslav, your father come from evil deeds to good deeds and illuminated by the Light of Christ, together with your brothers you received holy baptism and with your God-enlightened heart you sang gratefully to the Lord: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Your mind, servant of Christ, is illuminated by the spiritual knowledge of the Merciful Lord, as if you, having loved a life pleasing to God and being attentive to your pious parents, have grown in the passion of God, prayer and virtues. For this reason, Lord, seeing your faithfulness in small things, place you over many, but we cry out to you with love:

Rejoice, taught in the truths of Christianity from childhood.

Rejoice, having loved the Lord with all your heart since your youth.

Rejoice, wonderfully preserved by God in the trials of many.

Rejoice, deeds of courage, like a good warrior who showed himself in battle.

Rejoice, diligent to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Rejoice, having imitated the virtue of your glorious ancestors.

Rejoice, thou who hast acquired the gracious gifts of the All-Holy Comforter of the Spirit.

Rejoice, you who enrich us with the gift of wisdom.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 3

Strengthened by the power of the Most High, blessed Yaroslav, you grew in meekness and humility of your soul, preparing yourself for princely service, and you prayed for heavenly help, crying out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having the fear of God in your heart, faithful Prince Yaroslav, you showed obedience to your father Vladimir and, according to his will, you passed from the great Kiev to the borders of the land of the Rostov princedom, where you established the inhabitants in faith in the true God and erected the temple of the great prophet Elijah there You, hereby show your great love for the Lord and His saints, and encourage us to cry out to you in praise:

Rejoice, unquenchable lamp of the Orthodox faith.

Rejoice, abundant love for your neighbors.

Rejoice, consolation to those who are inconsolable in sorrow.

Rejoice, blessed temple builder.

Rejoice, lover of the beauty of the church.

Rejoice, admonish those who do evil.

Rejoice, zealot of the Truth of Christ.

Rejoice, lover of the Heavenly Fatherland.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 4

A storm of fratricidal enmity shook the Russian land, when Svyatopolk the Accursed, blinded by love of power, commanded the murder of your beloved brothers Boris and Gleb; But you, blessed Yaroslavl, grieving over their death, you placed your trust and hope in the Lord and by His power you established the truth in Rus', singing with all your might: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Having heard about the many sorrows you endured, holy noble prince Yaroslav, from Svyatopolk the Accursed, we magnify the Lord who strengthened you, who preserved you, when you were forced to leave the borders of Kiev and move to the borders of Novgorod, from which you came to your father’s land with your warriors, the truth You have established God. We, imitating your faith and courage, cry out to you:

Rejoice, former dweller in your land.

Rejoice, you who diligently sought the city from above.

Rejoice, wise pilgrim, having directed your feet on the path of salvation.

Rejoice, God's chosen one, having endured many sorrows.

Rejoice, you who have returned meekly and peacefully to the princedom of Veliky Novgrad.

Rejoice, prince there in a godly and righteous manner.

Rejoice, you who loved the yoke of Christ with all your heart.

Rejoice, having received him with all your heart.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 5

You have shone like a godly star through your godly deeds, Prince Yaroslav, and now you stand before the throne of the Almighty; For this reason, we pray to you: together with your saints, make a prayer to the King of those who reign, so that, for the sake of your conciliar intercession, He will add His mercy to the Slovenian peoples, and confirm us in the Orthodox faith, crying out to Him now: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen your righteous life, the people of Russia glorified you, their merciful ruler, blessed Yaroslav; You, imputing human praise to nothing, remained unscathed by pride, showing everyone the image of true humility, learning from it, crying out to you with love:

Rejoice, fulfiller of the truth of the Gospel.

Rejoice, image of spiritual poverty.

Rejoice, rich treasure of virtues.

Rejoice, great glory to the pious.

Rejoice, nourisher of widows and orphans.

Rejoice, comforter of sorrowful hearts.

Rejoice, for you have served the Lord in every way that pleases you.

Rejoice, for you interceded for us with your intercession.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 6

You appeared as a preacher of Christian virtues, most blessed Prince Yaroslav: you, zealous for piety not only in words, but with all your life, built and decorated churches, you were a merciful intercessor and trustee of the people. For this reason, we, sinners, relying on your merciful care for us, diligently resort to your intercession, crying out with gratitude to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

You have shone in our country with the light of your good deeds, Saint Yaroslav, and you have been appointed on the candlestick of the Orthodox Church, so that you may shine upon your earthly Fatherland and bring the Russian people to the Sun of Truth, with such hope offering you such praises:

Rejoice, faithful follower of Christ.

Rejoice, diligent seeker of the Heavenly Fatherland.

Rejoice, you who laid your hands on the Lord's side.

Rejoice, you who have never turned back your face.

Rejoice, blessed preacher of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Rejoice, with your godly words enlighten many minds.

Rejoice, those who love and honor you, the mediator of eternal salvation.

Rejoice, you who enlighten sinners to correction.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 7

Wanting to glorify our Divine Redeemer and His Most Pure Mother, you commanded, the all-wise Yaroslav, to erect the Golden Gate in the capital city of Kiev, which you crowned with the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, so that everyone who is in this city, under the grace-filled cover of the Queen of Heaven and earth, will have spiritual joys. Let this be fulfilled by constantly singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

The new Justinian the Great truly appeared, O God-wise Prince Yaroslav, as you created a great and glorious temple in honor of St. Sophia - the Hypostatic Wisdom of God, and you laid the foundation for just laws and merciful judgments in your power, planting Christian piety and book learning. For this reason, we pray to you: instruct all of us, who honor your holy memory, to be heirs of your good deeds and to follow your godly virtues, singing these praises to you:

Rejoice, abundant outpouring of soul-helping knowledge.

Rejoice, bright illumination of the darkness of the soul.

Rejoice, merciful enlightenment of wrong meanings.

Rejoice, sudden overthrow of those who think wrongly.

Rejoice, unshakable assurance of the faithful.

Rejoice, thou who taketh away spiritual darkness.

Rejoice, filling our souls with peace and love.

Rejoice, thou wisest destroyer of the enemy's slander.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 8

Thinking of being a wanderer and a stranger on earth, blessed Yaroslav, you did not know peace in your labors, your people affirmed in piety and protected your dominion with peace; For this reason, now you abide in the presence of the holy noble princes, rejoicing with them and singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

Having served the Lord with all your soul and pleasing Him with all your life, you became famous for your piety, Grand Duke, and, having achieved your blessed dormition, you gave up your spirit to God in peace. We, remembering your righteous life and blessed repose, cry out to you:

Rejoice, many cities adorned with the temples of God.

Rejoice, having served the greatness of the Russian land.

Rejoice, jealous of the faith of Christ in all your life.

Rejoice, thou who hast created the strength of thy power.

Rejoice, you who have shown great wisdom in governing the people.

Rejoice, you have been diligently concerned about the good of your people.

Rejoice, organizer of common peace within the borders of your country.

Rejoice, God-given helper to your people.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 9

You are all in the highest, God-blessed Prince Yaroslav, having settled in the abodes of paradise, and you do not abandon us, who warmly honor you, instructing us to the mind of the Divine and diligently doing the commandments of Christ. and fulfill all our beneficial requests, urging us to sing gratefully to the Heavenly Father: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The great prophets and skilled rhetoricians will not be able to adequately sing of your deeds, for they are perplexed to utter the praise worthy of you, O righteous prince. But we, in all our labors and struggles, seeing the grace of God in you and, trusting in your intercession, cry out to you:

Rejoice, shining ray of the radiant sun of Christ, the land of Russia.

Rejoice, never ceasing in your prayers to the Lord for us.

Rejoice, for the sake of your fatherland before the Lord, merciful sorrowful one.

Rejoice, teacher of Christ-like life on earth.

Rejoice, unshakable pillar of God's orthodoxy.

Rejoice, invincible champion of truth.

Rejoice, consolation to the sorrowing and strong fence to the offended.

Rejoice, firm protection and joy to all who are hated.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 10

You left saving instructions for your sons and your people, God-wise prince, saying: “Love one another; If you live in love with each other, then God will be with you and subdue your enemies.” Remembering this, we ask you: pray to the miraculous God, so that we too may abide in love with everyone and achieve eternal salvation through your intercession, forever singing with gratitude: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You were a faithful servant and a great servant of the Heavenly King, blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav; Therefore, for the sake of prudence, we decorate with wings, you easily flew through all the networks of the enemy. We, marveling at the height of your virtuous life, sing to you with love and zeal:

Rejoice, great servant of God, having ended earthly life holy and righteously.

Rejoice, thou who has come from many sorrows to eternal rest.

Rejoice, crowned by Christ with the crown of incorruptible glory.

Rejoice, and after death do not leave us through your intercession.

Rejoice, you teach us to do the commandments of the Lord.

Rejoice, turning petrified hearts into sources of mercy.

Rejoice, you return those who have retreated from the right faith to the path of salvation.

Rejoice, thou who wisely nourish those wandering on the sea of ​​this life.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 11

Accept the prayer song from us, holy faithful Prince Yaroslav, and lift up your prayer for us, who honor your holy memory, to the Throne of the Almighty, so that, rejoicing in your glorification in heaven and on earth, and in your everlasting intercession, we cry out in gratitude to the Holy Father in Heaven : Alleluia.

Ikos 11

A luminous luminary, shining with the rays of Christian virtues, you appeared, decorating the church sky, to the wise God Yaroslav, and to all those wandering in the darkness of unbelief, doubt, lack of faith and wickedness, give a ray of hope for salvation and give a guide to the Sun of Truth to Christ Jesus, and in the light of His commandments Marching with all the faithful, they will joyfully sing to you:

Rejoice, for with your soul's eyes I will contemplate the Lord.

Rejoice, before Him, as a son before the Father, as a disciple walking before the Teacher.

Rejoice, having sought Him all the days of your life and set your intention in Him.

Rejoice, thou who shone brightly upon the earth with the brilliance of virtues.

Rejoice, you have received an imperishable crown from the Lord in heaven.

Rejoice, for through you we avoid various temptations.

Rejoice, for through your intercession we receive gracious help.

Rejoice, for you will soon precede those who call upon you.

Rejoice, for you have saved those who love you from various troubles and misfortunes.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 12

Having been enriched by the grace of God in the unceasing creation of the commandments of Christ, after your departure from the earthly, especially to the three-sun throne of the Most Holy Trinity, you did not retreat from your people in the spirit of your love; For this reason, we pray to you: pour out your warm prayer to the Lord, that He may preserve His Holy Church unharmed from heresies and schisms, and may all her children have mercy and save those who cry out to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing your virtues and miracles, blessed prince, how great are your labors and exploits, which you have raised for the well-being of our state, we earnestly thank and praise you, calling with love:

Rejoice, Grand Duke Yaroslav, stand before the Throne of the Heavenly King.

Rejoice, offer up silent praise to the Most Holy Trinity.

Rejoice, you who have received eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Rejoice, for the wondrous image of the love of the Heavenly Father has been revealed within you.

Rejoice, quick helper to the helpless.

Rejoice, warm prayer book for the salvation of sinners.

Rejoice, for the Lord graciously listens to your prayers.

Rejoice, joint heir with the saints of God.

Rejoice, holy and blessed Grand Duke Yaroslav.

Kontakion 13

O glorious servant of Christ, Great Prince Yaroslav, listen to the voice of our prayer and through your intercession ask us from the Lord in this life for affirmation in faith and virtues, preservation from heresies and schisms, deliverance from sorrows and misfortunes, forgiveness of our sins and firm salvation in the hour of death. hope, that we may be worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and sing to God forever: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

Prayer

O holy faithful, Grand Duke Yaroslav, all who lovingly honor you, gracious intercessor and patron! Offer this small prayer of your unworthy servants to the Master Christ, that the living spirit of the Orthodox faith, love, piety, and success in good deeds may be established in His Holy Church; may zeal grant the shepherds care for the salvation of people, so as to enlighten the unbelievers, guide those who have gone astray, and convert those who have fallen away; rather, so that all the children of the Orthodox Church will remain pure from worldly temptations, superstition, superstition and the obsessions of the enemy. To her, saint of God, do not despise us who pray to you, but help us with your speedy intercession, so that having escaped all troubles, misfortunes and sorrows in this temporary life, we will find a shameless death and, having lived so well on earth, we will be worthy of heavenly life in heaven, where together with you we will glorify the love of mankind and generosity in the Trinity of the glorified God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

The name and portrait of Yaroslav the Wise are well known even to those who have completely forgotten the history of Russia. He was one of the twelve sons of Vladimir the Baptist. an extremely bright personality, and above all, Yaroslav actively continued the work of his father.

Yaroslav the Wise. short biography

Little Yaroslav was lame from birth. Overcoming this illness, he began to practice with the sword every day. Therefore, his right shoulder was much larger than his left. Moreover, the prince was considered one of the best warriors among his contemporaries.

The chronicle, which describes the biography of Yaroslav the Wise, reports that in the summer of one thousand and eleven he went to baptize the pagans, and they put a bear in front of the prince, but he was able to defeat her. And when people saw this, they joyfully began to be baptized, because they believed that heavenly truth is always on the winning side.

Yaroslav thought the same thing at that time. His own, as yet limited, experience convinced him of this. After all, his father appointed him to rule the principality only after he was convinced that his son had a powerful will, which allowed him to overcome the illness acquired from birth.

System of ascension to the throne

During his lifetime, Vladimir divided the lands between his sons. Svyatopolk receives the Principality of Turov, Yaroslav - Rostov, the eldest son, Vysheslav, sits in Novgorod. And this system of princes ascending the throne, which is created by Vladimir, continues to operate for two more generations. It's called ladder.

All principalities are ranked according to their status. For example, Novgorod is considered the most prestigious after Kyiv, where my father sits. Therefore, the eldest son will rule in Novgorod. Then Polotsk, Turov, Rostov and so on.

As soon as the eldest of the brothers dies (during the life of the father), all the remaining ones rise one step up. That is why it is called ascension to the throne. The exception is if one of the middle brothers dies, then the principality is inherited by his children and grandchildren.

One death that saved thousands of lives, or the death of a sovereign

An interesting fact that the biography of Yaroslav the Wise describes concerns the death of Vysheslav, after which the redistribution of principalities begins. And here a very strange thing is observed: Yaroslav immediately finds himself in Novgorod. Why this happened is unclear. The chronicles are silent about this.

After some time of reign, Yaroslav quarreled with his father because he refused to pay tribute to Kyiv. And Vladimir was going to go to war against his own son, but did not have time. He died unexpectedly while preparing for this campaign. But by that time Yaroslav had already managed to invite the Varangians to participate in the battle with his father.

Close ties with Scandinavian countries

Unlike previous times, in the era of Yaroslav a consistent and stable foreign policy of the ancient Russian state was formed. Moreover, just like Vladimir, he acutely feels his family ties with the Scandinavian north. When the struggle in Rus' flares up and the lives of Vladimir and Yaroslav are in danger, they try or even flee to Scandinavia. Mercenaries are invited from there.

Ambassadors are exchanged with them when concluding a marriage, for example, Yaroslav with the Swedish princess. A trade agreement is drawn up with Norway. Moreover, Yaroslav interferes in internal affairs. In particular, in Norway he actually places Olav's son Magnus the Good on the throne, bribing all the nobility in his favor.

Bloody battle for the throne

While the Varangians are robbing the local population, raping and killing. Naturally, the Novgorodians did not like this, and one night they gathered and killed all the tormentors. In response to this, Yaroslav gathers the best residents and kills them. And on the same night he receives news from Kyiv that Vladimir has died suddenly. This happened on the fifteenth of July, one thousand and fifteen.

This is the first date that the biography of Yaroslav the Wise reports with an accuracy of one day. Svyatopolk seizes power in Kyiv. The squad of Boris, the next brother, invites him to seize power into his own hands. But he refuses. He says that Svyatopolk is like a father to him and the throne belongs to him by right. However, that same night, mercenaries sent by Svyatopolk arrive and kill Boris.

At the same time, he sends his people to his second brother, Gleb, and, moreover, even wants to kill Yaroslav. But he receives news of this from his sister Predslava. And the next morning he already assembles a regiment and goes to war against Svyatopolk. He defeats him and expels him from Kyiv. And then the biography of Yaroslav the Wise for two years does not report any facts about his life.

Two years later, or the return of Svyatopolk

In one thousand and eighteen, Svyatopolk suddenly appears, and not alone, but with Borislav the Brave, the Polish king, who supports him. Kyiv is captured because Yaroslav the Wise flees. A brief biography of that period reports that he did not even intend to defend the city.

Borislav robs Kyiv, captures Yaroslav's sisters and his stepmother and returns to Poland. And Svyatopolk again rules in the city. Yaroslav flees to Novgorod, where he again gathers an army for a new battle and again wins. This is what Rus' experienced under Yaroslav the Wise.

But the new ruler still had brothers, whom he always treated very coldly. Then he puts one of them in prison. He sat there until the death of the heir to the throne, and only then the sons of Yaroslav the Wise freed him from prison. And he deals with others no less cruelly.

Political line of rapprochement with the West

The history of Yaroslav the Wise is not replete with facts. But one thing is certain. During his reign, that is, closer to the middle of the eleventh century, Ancient Rus' became widely known to Western Europe.

And the point is not only that he pursued an active matrimonial policy. The daughters and sons of Yaroslav the Wise entered into marriages with representatives of Western European ruling dynasties. This was precisely the political line of Yaroslav the Wise for rapprochement with the West - Hungary, Poland and other states.

For example, Izyaslav was married to the sister of the Polish king Casimir I, whose name was Gertrude. Vsevolod - on the Greek princess Irina Monomakh. From this marriage the famous prince Vladimir Monomakh will appear. And Igor was married to the German princess Cunegonde. At this time, the father is preparing for war with Byzantium.

But not as gloomy as it might seem against the backdrop of all the events preceding his ascension to the throne. After he became a full-fledged prince in Kyiv, Yaroslav began vigorous activity. In one thousand thirty-six he begins grandiose construction.

New capital of the world

This is an act that testifies not only that Yaroslav the Wise was a good business executive. Such actions were also important politically. He built the Church of St. Sophia of Kyiv, at the same time the oldest chronicle was created, and the “Sermon on Law and Grace” was pronounced.

That is, Yaroslav the Wise is doing a tremendous amount of work to give a very special status to the state that he headed. Under him, Kyiv becomes the “new capital of the world.” He also organizes activities to translate books into Slavic.

And just before his death, Yaroslav assigned a certain principality to each of his sons, so that there would be no further internecine strife. He lays the foundations for a completely new government structure, which is a much wiser system of government.