Three capitals of ancient Rus'. Capitals of Russia. Capitals of unions with Russian participation
As you know, the Old Russian state arose on the trade route, which was also called “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” The territory of the newly formed state was inhabited by such tribes as the Krivichi, Ilmen Slavs, Polyans, Dregovichs, Drevlyans, Radimichi, Polochans and Northerners.
The very first documentary mention of such an ethnonym as “Rus” appears closer to the 9th century. According to historians, the ethnonym “Kievan Rus” appeared only in the 18th-19th centuries in documentary research.
The first capital of Rus'
The period of foundation of such a state as Ancient Rus' is the 8th century. Along with the emergence of the power, the first capital of Ancient Rus', Ladoga, appeared. Memories of this city are described in the Ipatiev list of “The Tale of Bygone Years”. As you know, Ladoga belonged to Rurik, and the estimated dates of Ladoga’s status as the capital of the state are 862-864. It was during these years that Rurik was constantly in the capital, and after it was renamed Novaya Ladoga (modern Leningrad region).
It is also worth mentioning that most scientists do not recognize Ladoga as the first capital of Ancient Rus', therefore it is practically not mentioned in the main scientific works related to the emergence of Ancient Rus'. However, we should not forget that many sources indicate that Ladoga is the first capital of Rus'.
The first capital of Rus' - Novgorod
According to other chronicles, the first capital of Rus' was Novgorod (862-882). It is believed that from the beginning of 862, Rurik ruled Russia precisely while in Veliky Novgorod. But, despite this, since 882 the capital again changes its location and is moved to Kyiv. Nevertheless, Veliky Novgorod continues to have important political significance for the state. According to ancient princely traditions, the eldest sons of the prince went to rule in Novgorod, therefore, rivalry continued between these two capitals, which was a striking feature of the ancient Russian state in all periods of its existence. As a result, it still remains completely unclear which city was the capital of Rus'. The controversy continues to this day.
The first capital of Kievan Rus
After Oleg came to power, Kyiv became the capital of the ancient Russian state, which is why the state began to be called Kievan Rus. At this moment, Novgorod loses its power and authority. After the baptism of Rus' (beginning of the 10th century), Kyiv finally made it clear that it was the capital, since the main metropolitan lived there. This fact played big role in the development of the city and the state itself.
In addition to political beliefs, Kyiv was also convenient from a geographical point of view. It was located on the land of the Drevlyans and had a very convenient location, thanks to which it served as the capital of Rus' for many years, or rather for 361 years (from 882 to 1243).
Starting from the end of the 12th century and until the beginning of the 13th century, Rus' was divided into four main centers: Volyn, Smolensk, Suzdal (Vladimir) and Chernigov. Despite the fact that each center had its own main ruler, they still remained dependent on the Principality of Kyiv. Only Rurik’s heir had the right to occupy the princely throne, which was in Kyiv, but the dynasty was interrupted, since the struggle for the Kiev throne was very fierce and everyone wanted to get the largest “piece” of power over all other principalities. Fratricidal wars led Kyiv to the fall, but it still continued to remain the center of interests of the entire ancient Russian state.
In the 12th century, Kyiv continued to be the capital of Rus', but it gradually lost its role as the center of the state. The Grand Duke no longer needed to be located in Kyiv, and from 1169 Kyiv was subordinate to one of the Grand Duke’s relatives. The tradition of Kyiv rule was interrupted by the Mongol invasion. After the destruction, the city finally lost its value, and they stopped fighting for it. After this, the city was ruled only by weak princes who did not pursue the throne.
The capital of Ancient Rus' - Vladimir
The city of Vladimir itself appeared in 1108, and its founder was Vladimir Monomakh. A few years later, Vladimir began to be considered the capital of North-Eastern Rus', and before that the capital was the city of Suzdal. The reason for such changes was the desire of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky to move all his possessions from Suzdal to Vladimir in order to turn this city into the same influential political and economic center as Kyiv. For the same reason, the architectural features of Vladimir are very similar to those of Kyiv.
Many scientists argue to this day whether Vladimir was the capital of all of Rus', or only its North-Eastern part. The city of Vladimir reached the peak of its power during the reign of Vsevolod Yuryevich, and after that it was forgotten, since Kievan Rus was under the influence of the Golden Horde. After the Golden Horde captured Ancient Rus', the khan named the Vladimir princes as the main rulers of the state, and starting in 1299, the residence of the metropolitan moved to Vladimir. The last ruler of Vladimir was Vasily I, and his heirs were already crowned in Moscow. But, despite this, although Vladimir has become an ordinary province, it is still mentioned in chronicles for a long time as a city of great national importance.
Moscow is the first capital in Rus'
The very first mentions of Moscow date back to 1147. Until the moment the Mongols attacked Kyiv and the Golden Horde gained power over Kievan Rus, Moscow did not play any role. The city was considered an ordinary province, but from the beginning of 1263, when Daniil Alexandrovich began to rule in Moscow, it began to develop very quickly. Although Prince Daniil did not lay claim to the princely throne, he was not going to just sit idly by. With the help of the Smolensk and Ryazan volosts, Daniil increased his territories, thanks to which the prince managed to gather a strong army. It was this step that became a huge impetus in the future.
Since 1325, the residence of the Metropolitan was established in Moscow, the territories of the Moscow princes increased significantly, due to which the quantity and quality of the Moscow army grew. But despite such rapid development, due to the oppression of the Mongol Khan, it had a very precarious position. Only disagreements with the Golden Horde gave the Moscow princes a chance to strengthen their political influence, and the turning point was Moscow’s victory over the Horde army of Mamai in 1380, also known as the Battle of Kulikovo. After this, Moscow finally became the capital of Rus', and today Russian Federation.
Ancient Moscow 17th century. An educational film about the history of the capital of ancient Rus'.
The capital of the Russian Federation is Moscow
Over the centuries-old history of Russia - from Kievan Rus, the Muscovite kingdom, Russian Empire, USSR before the modern Russian Federation, many cities were the capitals of our country. Do you know what cities these are and when exactly they were the main cities, “capital”?
Let's figure this out by looking through the pages of historical books and reference books.
Cities that were the capitals of Russia
| Cities | In what years were they capitals? | Under what ruler |
| Ladoga | 862-864 | Rurik |
| Novgorod | 862-882 (for some time there were two main cities, the centers of Rus') | Rurik |
| Kyiv | 882-1243 | From Oleg to Daniil Romanovich, the founder of the Moscow dynasty of princes. |
| Vladimir | 1243 — 1389 | Daniil Romanovich Moskovsky – Dmitry Donskoy |
| Moscow | 1389-1712 | Dmitry Donskoy - Peter I |
| Saint Petersburg | 1712-1918 | Peter I - Nicholas II |
| Moscow | Since 1918 | All the rulers of the USSR, from V.I. Lenin to M. Gorbachev, N.B. Yeltsin, V.V. Putin, D.A. Medvedev, V.V. Putin. |
The city of St. Petersburg for some time had a different name - Petrograd. Do you know with whom and why this happened?
The city was renamed in 1914 by Nicholas II. Russia was preparing for war with Germany, and the emperor did not want the name of the capital to have a German root. It was he who renamed St. Petersburg burg in Petro hail.
This is the history of the capitals of Russia.
Today every Russian is proud of his capital - Moscow. This is one of the largest and most beautiful cities not only in Russia, but also in the world. Moscow is the heart of our Motherland!
Material prepared by: Melnikova Vera Aleksandrovna
Vladimir is the capital of the Moscow Principality.
Vladimir is a historical city in Russia, located primarily on the left bank of the Klyazma River. It was the ancient capital of North-Eastern Rus'.
The first people began to appear in the territory occupied by modern city, about 30-25 thousand years BC. e. In the third millennium BC. e. Volga-Finnish tribes live here. In the VI-VII centuries AD. e. This territory is being developed by the Finno-Ugric tribe Merya.
In the 9th-10th centuries, first the Ilmen Slovenes, and then other tribes, began to penetrate here. In the 8th-10th centuries, on the hill where the Assumption Cathedral was later built, there was a Meryan village.
The founding of Vladimir is traditionally associated with the chronicle news that Vladimir Monomakh founded the city in 1108. The most prominent specialist in Vladimir archeology, N.N. Voronin, also adhered to this dating.
But in the 1990s, Vladimir local historians spoke out in favor of moving the date of the city’s founding to 990, citing in support of this date the news of a number of later chronicle sources, where Vladimir Svyatoslavich appears as the founder of the city.
Whenever the city was founded, Vladimir began to grow and strengthen thanks to the care of Vladimir Monomakh, who strengthened it as a stronghold for the defense of the Rostov-Suzdal Principality.
The city owes its prosperity to Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who in 1157 moved the capital of the principality here. His successor, Vsevolod the Big Nest, was one of the most powerful Russian princes, and from his reign the title of “great” was assigned to the Vladimir princes.
Now Vladimir is one of the largest tourist centers in the country, part of Golden ring Russia. The monuments of the pre-Mongol era preserved in it are of greatest interest.
Two such monuments can be seen at once on Cathedral Square:
The first one is the Cathedral of the Assumption Holy Mother of God, aka the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir-Volynsky, aka the Mstislav Church in Vladimir-Volynsky, aka the Holy Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir-Volynsky - the oldest and only monument in Volyn that has come down to us from the times of Kievan Rus.
It was built and painted in 1160 under the Volyn prince Mstislav Izyaslavich by Kyiv builders.
The cathedral was the tomb of princes, boyars and bishops. Under the temple there are 6 grand ducal, 2 episcopal and many tombs of noble persons. The builder of the temple, Prince Mstislav, is also buried here.
It was devastated by the hordes of Batu and restored again.
In the first half of the 15th century it was devastated, and at the end of the century, through the efforts of the Vladimir Bishop Vasian, it was restored.
The temple also suffered in the interfaith struggle between Orthodox and Uniates: in 1596, when the Vladimir Bishop Ipatiy Potey accepted the union, the temple became Uniate. During the fire in 1683, which devastated the entire city, the cathedral was badly damaged and was restored only in 1753. The Uniates remade the Byzantine architecture of the temple in the Latin style.
In 1772 the cathedral fell into disrepair. It was used as a “state store” (warehouse).
In 1829, it turned into a complete ruin - the vaults and dome collapsed.
In 1896-1900, architects A. Prakhov and G.I. Kotov carried out a not very successful restoration; the cathedral was restored in the forms of the 12th century.
The Assumption Cathedral is a monument of ancient Russian architecture and an architectural monument of Ukraine.
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1158-1160.
Be sure to go inside the Assumption Cathedral - this is one of the few churches where frescoes by Andrei Rublev have been preserved.
"2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ"
Cathedral Square.
The second no less interesting pre-Mongol monument is the Dmitrov Cathedral.
Dmitrovsky Cathedral, 1192-1194 - court temple, erected by Vsevolod Big Nest at the princely court. Initially, the temple was surrounded by galleries with staircase towers, connecting it with the princely palace (dismantled during restoration in the 19th century). The cathedral is famous for its white stone carving- its walls are decorated with about 600 reliefs depicting saints, mythical and real animals. Most of the reliefs have been preserved in their original form, some were replaced during the restoration of the 19th century.
The inscription on the doors of the Dmitrov Cathedral: “Dear newlyweds! I wish you happiness, but I warn you that banging on the doors of the temple is a bad omen! Prince Vsevolod." - i.e. workers Orthodox Church they scare people with omens - amazing!
But this is not all that can be seen on Cathedral Square and its surroundings.
In 1785, the building of the public chambers was solemnly laid, built by 1790 according to the design of the famous architect K.I. Blanca is in the form of an elongated structure, the façade of which is decorated in the center and on the flanks with porticoes of pilasters. A unique interior: all 3 floors have long corridors covered with vaults. The building housed the provincial administrative apparatus.
During the Second World War, the building housed a military hospital.
Currently, almost the entire building has been transferred to the exhibitions and services of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.
Monument to Alexander Nevsky.
Historical Museum.
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, 1761-1769.
The St. Nicholas Kremlin Church was built in 1761 on the site of an older wooden church that burned down during a big fire. Based on the location of the church, on the territory of the former city Kremlin, the temple was called Nikolo-Kremlevsky. Currently it houses the Vladimir Planetarium, opened in 1962.
Monument to Ander Rublev. The latest work of the Moscow sculptor O.K. Komova, on which he worked for several years. The monument was opened in August 1995 for the 1000th anniversary of the city.
Monument in honor of the 850th anniversary of the founding of the city of Vladimir (popularly called “three sloths”).
The first wooden obelisk with a star was erected here back in 1916. The current one was founded in its place in 1958 in honor of the 850th anniversary of the city (at that time the year of foundation was considered to be 1108), and was inaugurated on October 30, 1969. Sculptor A.B. Ryabichev, architects A.N. Dushkin and E.A. Arkhipov. On the sides of a concave triangular truncated prism there are three figures: an ancient warrior facing the defensive Golden Gate, an architect facing the Assumption Cathedral and a modern worker facing the industrial part of the city.
In 1191 Grand Duke Vsevolod Yuryevich, having chosen a place in Vladimir (in the middle city-kremlin) on the eastern side, in the scree near the Ivanovo Gate, laid the foundation for a monastery.
Since 1230, the monastery began to be governed by archimandrites. The Nativity monastery began to be called the great archimandry and until the time of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich it was listed as the first among Russian monasteries.
In 1237, during Batu’s invasion of Vladimir, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Pachomius, and the brethren of the monastery were killed by the Tatars, and the monastery itself was plundered and devastated.
On November 23, 1263, Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky was buried in the church of the Nativity Monastery, who died on November 14 in Gorodets, on the way back from the Horde. However, in 1723, by decree of Peter I, the relics of Alexander Nevsky were transferred to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
In 1561, by decree of Ivan the Terrible, the primacy among the monasteries passed, then in 1720 the Alexander Nevsky Monastery took second place, so the Nativity Monastery became third.
In the middle of the 17th century, the monastery began again stone construction: in 1654 a bell tower was erected (not preserved), in 1659 state cells were built.
In 1667 the monastery became stauropegial.
Under Archimandrite Vincent in 1678-85. Stone tents were added to the cathedral (not preserved), and a fraternal building was erected at the same time.
In the 2nd half of the 17th century, a stone gate church of the Nativity of Christ with an adjacent refectory was built.
Since 1774, the monastery has been converted into a bishop's house.
In 1859-69. designed by architect N.A. Artleben monastery cathedral is completely rebuilt in brick, in forms close to the original ones. In 1866-67. According to the project of the same Artleben, the gate church of the Nativity of Christ and the refectory were completely rebuilt.
In 1930, the cathedral and bell tower were destroyed.
Subsequently, the monastery buildings were repaired several times. Several new buildings were erected on the territory.
The icon of the Sign is kept in the monastery Mother of God, which belonged to the holy prince Alexander; she was with him in the battle with the Swedes and Livonian knights in 1242.
Church of Alexander Nevsky in the Nativity of Vladimir Monastery.
On the left is the Church of Alexander Nevsky, on the right is the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin.
Wall of the Nativity Monastery.
Corner tower.
Although they say that despite the losses, the monastery that has survived to this day has retained the appearance of a late medieval monastery with a free layout, the monastery is uninteresting from a historical point of view, especially against the backdrop of the ancient churches preserved in the neighborhood.
Go ahead. There is absolutely no view from the observation deck of Cathedral Square - there are trains, why it is needed here at all is not clear. The only interesting thing we could see was the Assumption Church, which, despite its antiquity, for some reason was not restored for a long time.
Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1644-1649. Now it belongs to the Old Believers of Belokrinitsky Consent. Restoration is underway.
“The Vladimir Committee of the RSDLP (Bolsheviks) was located in this building.”
“From 1980 to 1985, Tikhon Stepanovich Sushkov, chairman of the executive committee of the Vladimir Regional Council of Workers’ Deputies, worked in this building, who made a significant contribution to the development of the national economy of the region.”
Old Believer Belokrinitsky consent (Belokrinichniki) Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, 1913-1916. Architect S. M. Zharov.
Eternal flame. Memorial in honor of Vladimir residents who died during the Great Patriotic War Patriotic War was founded on November 6, 1967 and inaugurated on May 9, 1975 on the site of the Yamsk Kazan Church, destroyed by tanks in 1966, the adjacent park was laid out on the site of the old Yamsk cemetery. Architect B.A. Shiganov, sculptor V.A. Shanin. In the center of the monument site burns the Eternal Flame of Glory, delivered from Moscow from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden.
On May 9, 1985, a bronze sculptural composition of three figures was installed: a woman-mother, a soldier and a rear worker, symbolizing the unity of the people in the fight against the invaders. Sculptor A.A. Pereverten, architect V.I. Fomin.
The history of Ancient Rus' is not only fascinating, but also full of mysteries. The formation of a huge state, as Russia has always been and remains, cannot take place without wars, confusion with rulers, and unrest. This article talks about the capitals of our state, which bore this “title” long before Moscow and St. Petersburg.
A little history: who are the Slavs and what is Rus'
From the 4th century, the Slavs became participants in large-scale population migrations and gradually occupied the territories where they still live. Three branches stood out: southern Slavs (Serbs, Montenegrins), western (these are Czechs, Slovaks, Poles) and eastern (these are Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians). It is the history of the tribes that separated from the Eastern Slavs and began to unite into various unions, and then create the prototype of the state, that is usually called the “history of Ancient Rus'”.
It is believed that even before Rurik, a state called the Slavic Kaganate was formed on the land of the Slavic tribes. In 839, Western chronicles mention “ambassadors of Kagan Ros” who arrived from the northeast. In 860, the Russians even made a campaign against Constantinople.
Two theories of statehood
- "Norman". She claims that only with the help of newcomers (Rurik and his brothers) was order and political system established in Rus'. That because of their inability, the Slavs turned to the “Varangians” for help. It became widespread when the historians Bayer, and later Miller, Schlötzer and Karamzin, began to operate in Russia.
- "Anti-Norman". It points to the prerequisites for the emergence of the state before the appearance of Rurik. By the way, “Slavic Kaganate” comes in very handy here. The main ideologists are Tatishchev and Lomonosov.
Staraya Ladoga - the capital of Ancient Rus'
This settlement is located on the high bank of the Volkhov River, right on the great path “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” When archaeologists carried out excavations near Staraya Ladoga, they found sites of ancient people that can be dated back to the third millennium BC - and this is the Neolithic era. Probably, it was then that the first person settled in this territory.
The very first buildings that can be attributed to the settlement are ship repair workshops, and they date back to 753. Most likely, they were built by immigrants from Northern Europe. As archaeological data show, the first settlement was founded by the Scandinavians. One of the finds of archaeologists is a hair comb from the Merovingian era (the first French dynasty of kings). The find dates back approximately to the 7th century.
In the 8th century, or more precisely in the 760s, this settlement was destroyed by one of the tribes of the early Slavic culture from the south-west (most likely: from the Dniester region, the Danube region, from the upper reaches of the Dnieper or Western Dvina). By the 9th century, Staraya Ladoga was already a Slavic settlement with a small population (about a hundred people), where trade routes passed, crafts, agriculture and trade existed. Residents of Ladoga made beads - “eyes”, which played the role of the first money. Furs were bought for “eyes,” which were then sold to Arab merchants who made their long journeys along the routes “from the Varangians to the Greeks” and “from the Varangians to the Arabs.” As in many of the first cities of northwestern Rus', be it Izborsk, Pskov or Kamno, decoration was cast in Staraya Ladoga using limestone molds. Unfortunately, internecine wars did not bypass the settlement, and Staraya Ladoga was destroyed more than once in the 8th-9th centuries.
The first fortress was built in the 870s. The development of Staraya Ladoga as a small craft town, typical of the north of Ancient Rus' of that era, also dates back to this period.
The main historical source - the Tale of Bygone Years - says about Staraya Ladoga that it was the first capital of Ancient Rus'. It is believed that in 862, when the Varangian Rurik was called to rule in Rus', he initially “sat down to rule” in Staraya Ladoga. And only two years later he moved to Veliky Novgorod (then just Novgorod, but more on that below). It is also believed that the grave is located in Ladoga Prophetic Oleg- “Oleg’s mound”, which is located near the Volkhov River.
Staraya Ladoga lost its city status in 1704, when by decree of Peter the Great the city of Novaya Ladoga was founded at the mouth of the Volkhov.
In 2003, the 1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga was celebrated on a grand scale. Vladimir Putin visited the city twice these days, and the event was also very actively covered by the press. Staraya Ladoga most likely received the title “ancient capital of Rus'” not only historically, but also in contrast to Kyiv - “the mother city of the Russians.” Actually, like the “mound of the Prophetic Oleg” - as a counterbalance to the version that Oleg’s burial is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa. Unfortunately, politics can control history.
"Mr. Veliky Novgorod"
The city has always been divided into two parts - Torgovaya and Sofia, with the Volkhov River running between them. It is interesting that this is not just a geographical division; sometimes the tension between the residents of the two parts reached such intensity that everything resulted in clashes on the bridge over the Volkhov. The city itself appeared at the turn of the 9th-10th centuries, although the first sites take us far back to the Neolithic era, around the third millennium BC.
It is customary to take the year 859 as the date when Novgorod officially came into existence. Although the debate continues even now. Many scientists insist that Novgorod as a city existed before. If only because in 859 Gostomysl, the famous Novgorod elder, died, which already shows the emergence of Novgorod as a city that also had an elder, even earlier than the named date.
Also, based on the data of archaeologists, already from the 5th century the so-called culture of the Novgorod hills was formed - under this name archaeological finds in the settlement of Gorodok-na-Mayate and others located in Novgorod region. All this shows that even before the middle of the 9th century life was in full swing in those parts.
Arab historians call Novgorod (under the name al-Slaviya) one of the three centers of Ancient Rus' of the 10th century. There are hypotheses that by this name they did not even mean Novgorod itself, but “Rurik’s settlement” and the first settlements on the site of the future city. Also, Novgorod at the end of the 10th century is mentioned in the writings of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. In the Scandinavian sagas, Novgorod is called “Holmgard - the capital of Gardariki”, which can be translated as “Novgorod - the capital of Rus'”. By the way, “Gardarika” means “country of cities,” which indicates that by that time there were cities in Rus' and there were many of them. There are also many versions in Russian chronicles. For example, in the Tale of Bygone Years the city already existed by the time of Rurik’s arrival, that is, by 862. Less known chronicles say that only Rurik “cut down a city on the Volkhov River”, founding the capital.
Rurik's successor was Oleg, who was later nicknamed "The Prophetic". It was he who moved the capital from Novogorod to Kyiv in 882. Veliky Novgorod, despite losing the title of capital, retained its authority for a very long time, was the only city of Ancient Rus' that had autonomy (the period of the Novgorod Republic), and was not always subordinate to Kyiv, and later to Moscow. And only in 1578 all residents of Veliky Novgorod took an oath of allegiance to Moscow Prince Ivan the Third. The autonomy of Novgorod was abolished, the “veche bell” was removed from the bell tower and taken to Moscow. But the city has retained a proud name, which is very often used when talking about this city - “Mr. Veliky Novgorod”.
"Mother of Russian Cities", or "Metropolis" Kyiv
To begin with: why “the mother of Russian cities”? There is such a phrase in the Tale of Bygone Years about the events of 882. And it says something like this: “Oleg, the prince, sat down in Kyiv, and Oleg said: “Let this be the mother of Russian cities.” That is, the designation of Kyiv was taken straight from the chronicle. Why not the father then? There is a more scientific explanation for this.
It turns out that if translated from Greek, the word “metropolis” is the mother of cities. And why exactly from Greek? Because Greek language- this is the language of Byzantium, at that time a neighbor and, periodically, either a friend or an enemy of Rus'. In order to “equalize” the importance of cities, and therefore the importance of states, Kyiv, in the image of Constantinople (or Constantinople, remember the fairy tales?), began to be called the “metropolis”. And if in Russian - “mother of cities”. And now a little history.
Archaeological excavations show that the first sites on the site of Kyiv were already about fifteen to twenty thousand years ago. And the city itself, according to legend, was founded by the legendary brothers Kiy, Khoriv and Shchek and was named after their elder brother. It is believed that already in the 6th-7th centuries the settlement on the right bank of the Dnieper could be considered a city. It was on this basis that in 1982 the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv was celebrated. Although many historians argue that the formation of Kyiv as a city occurred later - in the 8th-10th centuries.
At the end of the 9th century, Askold and Dir, warriors of Rurik, ruled in Kyiv. As many know from legends, in 882, Prince Oleg, having shown little Igor to the Kiev people crowded near the Dnieper, killed Askold and Dir as “not of the princely family,” declaring that Igor was of the princely family and would rule after him. It was from this year that Kyiv became the capital of Ancient Rus' (or Kievan Rus, as historians would later call this period).
During the period of feudal fragmentation, which began after the death of Vladimir Monomakh and his son, Mstislav the Great (in 1132), Kyiv retained power only formally, because each separated principality considered itself independent and had its own capital. In 1169, the Vladimir prince Andrei Boglyubsky plundered Kyiv, and a little later (in 1203) the capital was attacked by the Smolensk prince Rurik Rostislavovich. This greatly weakened Kyiv before the Mongol invasion, and in 1240 Kyiv was plundered by the “Horde”. The Kiev principality was later nominally called “Great Russian”, but it became entirely dependent on the Horde.
In 1243, the Vladimir prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich received the label for the great reign from the Horde, who chose to leave his “headquarters” in Vladimir. From this moment on, Kyiv, although historically significant, has no political significance. Later it would be conquered by Lithuania, then the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and only at the end of the 17th century would it return to Russia - already the Empire.
The capital of Ancient Rus' Vladimir, or the nominal capital
It was founded in 1108 by Vladimir Monomakh. Vladimir was the capital of our state for a little more than a century, starting in 1243, but of great importance didn't have. The main reason is the dependence of the Russian princes on the will of the “Horde”. Of course, nominally Vladimir was the capital, and in 1299 the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church even moved his headquarters here, and from the beginning of the 14th century the princes of Vladimir began to bear the title of “Grand Dukes of All Rus'.” But gradually a trend arose: if a prince was appointed to the throne not from Vladimir, then he would only be crowned in Vladimir, as in the capital, and then return to his ancestral city. The last person to undergo coronation in this way was Vasily the First in 1389. The next one, Vasily the Second, was crowned in Moscow. Vladimir was still referred to as a “grand-ducal city” for a long time, but became simply a provincial center.
Since 1389, the title of “capital of Ancient Rus'”, or rather Moscow Rus', passes to Moscow. A completely different story begins.
Directory number one
As one of the most interesting sources on this topic, you can use the wonderful book by E. Nelidova. It was first published at the beginning of the 20th century under the title “Rus in its capitals.” Now the book has been published again and is called "Four Capitals of Ancient Rus'. Staraya Ladoga, Veliky Novgorod, Kyiv, Vladimir. Legends and Monuments." The book is written in a very lively popular science language and is equipped with many illustrations, some of which are from pre-revolutionary times.
- In 1862, a monument called “The Millennium of Russia” was unveiled in Novgorod (pictured below). Among the many domestic statesmen, writers, princes, historians, there is no such figure as Ivan the Terrible. It is believed that this is revenge for the pogrom that Grozny committed in Novgorod in 1569-70.
- In the vicinity of Staraya Ladoga, in addition to Oleg’s grave, there is also the burial place of Rurik. It is believed that the body lies in one of the many underground passages under the old part of the settlement.
In two essays El. Blinova talks about interesting and important historical periods in the life of our region. In the first - about how the city of Vladimir became the capital of ancient Rus'; in the second - about the threatening XIII century for the Motherland and about the glorious deeds of the great Russian commander Alexander Nevsky, who reigned in Vladimir for eleven years.
More than a thousand years ago, in the 9th century, a huge Slavic state emerged in Eastern Europe - Kievan Rus.
The Russian land stretched from the White Sea in the north to the Black Sea steppes in the south, from the Carpathian Mountains to the Urals.
At the end of the 10th - first half of the 11th century, Kievan Rus, as K. Marx noted, entered its heyday, becoming the largest and most powerful state in Europe. It was neither Ukrainian, nor Belarusian, nor Great Russian, but was the common historical cradle of these Slavic peoples. But the Kiev state turned out to be short-lived. The development of feudal relations in it led to the formation of local economic and political centers. With their growth and strengthening, the importance of Kyiv fell.
The development of feudal relations resulted in increased exploitation of the working population of villages and cities. Already in the 11th century, open protests of the oppressed classes against the feudal lords took place in the Old Russian state. The first major movement of the “great rebellion” in the Suzdal land dates back to 1024.
In the fight against all manifestations of anti-feudal protest, the feudal lords energetically strengthened the apparatus of power in different parts Rus'.
As a result of feudal fragmentation, over ten feudal principalities were formed on the territory of Rus' in the 11th-12th centuries.
The largest of them were: Novgorod, Polotsk, Rostov-Suzdal (Vladimir-Suzdal), Galicia-Volyn, Chernigov.
The Vladimir-Suzdal Principality acquired the greatest importance among the isolated lands. It occupied a very vast territory from Nizhny Novgorod to Tver along the Volga, to Gorokhovets, Kolomna and Mozhaisk in the south, including Ustyug and Beloozero in the north.
The Vladimir-Suzdal princes sought to subjugate neighboring peoples. In the east and northeast, their power extended to the Volga-Kama (Mordovian and Mari) and Podvina lands. Ships have been sailing along the Volga for a long time. Rus' traded with the peoples of the Caucasus, with whom they maintained cultural ties.
The northeastern part of the territory of the Old Russian state was distinguished by some peculiarities in socio-political development.
It was relatively remote from the center of the Old Russian state and was less dependent on the power of the Kyiv prince. The landowner boyars were actually the masters of this region. The political centers here were Rostov, the citadel of the “old boyars,” and Suzdal. By the 12th century, significant changes had occurred in the region. The population increased sharply, primarily as a result of colonization from other regions of the Old Russian state, especially those that were attacked by the nomadic Pechenegs and Polovtsians.
This led to the emergence of new population groups not associated with the “old” Rostov boyars and independent of it; new cities arose, the most important of which was Vladimir-on-Klyazma, founded under Vladimir Monomakh.
The Vladimir-Suzdal land becomes the patrimony of the Pereyaslavl prince Vladimir Monomakh at the end of the 11th century. Vladimir Monomakh was born in 1053. His father was Vsevolod, the beloved son of one of the powerful Kyiv princes, Yaroslav the Wise, and his mother was Princess Maria, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh.
Vladimir Monomakh and a large retinue visited his northeastern possessions several times.
During one of these campaigns, in order to further strengthen and protect his patrimony - the Rostov-Suzdal land - from the ruinous raids of other feudal princes, Vladimir Monomakh founded a new city on the site of a village of landowners and artisans on the left, elevated bank of the Klyazma River.
Vladimir Monomakh, who knew Kyiv and its fortifications well, chose an elevated place for the new city so that the natural boundaries could be strengthened with additional fortifications.
This was in 1108. The city received a name - Vladimir.
The last years of his life, Vladimir Monomakh was the Grand Duke of Kyiv and was almost not involved in the affairs of his northeastern possessions.
The political weight and importance of the Vladimir-Suzdal land increased sharply during the reign of Yuri Dolgoruky, the youngest son of Vladimir Monomakh.
Yuri was aware of all the turbulent events that took place in ancient Kyiv in connection with the struggle for the great reign, and at the same time he settled in his patrimony - the Vladimir-Suzdal land. He extended his influence to Novgorod, Murom, Ryazan, and established a strong alliance with the Galician land. The name of Yuri Dolgoruky is associated with the construction of new and strengthening of existing cities.
The founding of Moscow by Yuri Dolgoruky is one of the most prominent pages of his activity. Moscow was first mentioned in chronicles in 1147.
Results produced for last years Excavations allow us to conclude that long before that there was a craft village of our distant ancestors - the Vyatichi, and in the western part of Borovitsky Hill there was a small fortress.
