The period of formation of the Old Russian state begins with the reign of the Norman prince Rurik. His descendants sought to annex new territories to their principalities, to establish trade and allied relations with Byzantium and other countries.

Donorman princes	Polyudye was not introduced, but developed historically
The first mention of Russia	References to Russia are contained in contemporary Western European, Byzantine and Eastern sources.
Rurik (862-879)	The Varangians, who invaded the East Slavic lands, took thrones in the cities: Novgorod, Beloozero, Izborsk
Oleg (879-912)	According to the chronicle, in 882 two East Slavic centers united: Novgorod and Kiev. The troops of Prince Oleg took Constantinople
Igor (912-945)	peace was concluded between Prince Igor and the emperor of Byzantium the assassination of Prince Igor
Olga (945 - 964)	"Lessons" and "graveyards" were established in Kievan Rus: began to appoint persons to collect tribute (tributors) set the amount of tribute (lessons) indicated places for princely strongholds (graveyards) During the reign of Princess Olga, most of the population of Kievan Rus professed paganism. The collection of tribute from the tribes subject to the Kyiv ruler acquired a regular and orderly character during the reign of Olga.
Svyatoslav (962-972)
Vladimir Svyatoslavich (980-1015)	Consequences of Baptism: 1) the culture of Russia has become "axial" 2) strengthened statehood Russia entered the circle of Christian countries, focusing not on Asia, but on Europe.
Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054)	The conclusion of dynastic marriages became the main means of foreign policy of Kievan Rus during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise
Triumvirate of the Yaroslavichs. (1060) Izyaslav (1054-1073; 1076-1078) Vsevolod (1078-1093) Svyatoslav (1073-1076)	Articles on blood feuds were excluded from the Russkaya Pravda of the Yaroslavichs.
Vladimir Monomakh (1113-1125)	The congress of ancient Russian princes in 1097, where the question “why are we destroying the Russian land, causing strife among ourselves” was raised, took place in Lyubech 1093-1096. All-Russian campaign against the Polovtsians, organized by Vladimir Monomakh.

Domestic and foreign policy of the ancient Kyiv princes

	Politics
	Successful campaign against Byzantium, conclusion of an agreement in September 911. with the Byzantine emperor Leo VI. He managed to unite the northern and southern lands as part of a single state.
	He subjugated the tribes of the streets. In 941 - a large campaign against Byzantium, which ended in the defeat of the Russian army. The conclusion of the treaty of 944. with the Byzantine emperor Roman I Lekapen. The uprising of the Drevlyans, as a result of which he was killed.
By the beginning of the 10th century, the power of the Kyiv prince had spread to most of the East Slavic lands. This is how the Old Russian state was formed.
	Having avenged the murder of her husband three times, she made a campaign against the Drevlyans. Their capital - Iskorosten was taken and destroyed, and the inhabitants were killed or enslaved. Olga and her retinue traveled around the land of the Drevlyans, “setting charters and lessons” - the amount of tribute and other duties. “Stanovishcha” were established - places where tribute should have been brought, and “traps” - hunting grounds were allocated. She visited Byzantium on a "friendly visit" and was baptized.
Svyatoslav	The expansion of the borders of the Old Russian state to the east led to the war between Svyatoslav and the Khazars in the mid-60s. 10th century The campaign against Khazaria in the late 60s was successful, the Khazar army was defeated. After the victories of Svyatoslav, the Vyatichi living in the Oka valley also submitted to the power of the Kyiv prince. In 968 Svyatoslav appeared on the Danube - the Bulgarians were defeated. A war broke out between the Kyiv prince and Byzantium. In July 971 Svyatoslav was defeated near Dorostol. According to the concluded peace, the Byzantines released Svyatoslav with his soldiers. At the Dnieper rapids, Svyatoslav died in battle with the Pechenegs.
Svyatoslav, being away from home for a long time, appointed his eldest son Yaropolk as governor in Kyiv, planted his second son, Oleg, in the land of the Drevlyans, and the Novgorodians took the youngest, Vladimir. It was Vladimir who was destined to win the bloody civil strife that flared up after the death of Svyatoslav. Yaropolk started a war with Oleg, in which the latter died. However, Vladimir, who came from Novgorod, defeated Yaropolk and after his death began to reign in Kyiv.
Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko		He is trying to strengthen the rather loose super union of tribes. In 981 and 982. he made successful campaigns against the Vyatichi, and in 984. - on radimichi. In 981 conquered the Cherven cities in South-Western Russia from the Poles. The Russian lands continued to suffer from the Pechenegs. On the southern borders of Russia, Vladimir built four defensive lines. Baptism of Russia.
Yaroslav the Wise		On the initiative of Yaroslav, the first written collection of laws, Russkaya Pravda, was created. He did a lot for the spread of Christianity, building new churches, cathedrals, schools, and the first monasteries were founded by him. At the end of his reign, he issued a "Charter", in which significant monetary fines were established in favor of the bishop for violation of church canons. Yaroslav also acted as a successor to his father's efforts to organize the country's defense against attacks by nomads. During the reign of Yaroslav, Russia finally took an honorable place in the community of states of Christian Europe. Triumvirate of Yaroslavichs: Izyaslav, Vsevolod, Svyatoslav
Vladimir Monomakh		A serious attempt was made to restore the former significance of the power of the Kyiv prince. Having the support of the people, Vladimir forced almost all Russian princes to submit to him. In Kyiv, during the reign of Monomakh, a new collection of laws, The Long Truth, was prepared. In general, it was a prince close to the ideal in the view of an ancient Russian person. He himself created a portrait of such a prince in his famous Teaching. The "Charter on cuts" protected the city's lower classes.

Management system of ancient Russian lands

The territory of Kievan Rus has undergone repeated changes over the more than 3-century history of the existence of the state. According to Nestor, the Eastern Slavs numbered 10-15 tribes (Polyans, Drevlyans, Ilmen Slovenes, etc.), settled over a large area. However, it is unlikely that the land of the Vyatichi, with whom the princes of Kyiv regularly fought until the end of the 11th century, can be attributed to Kievan Rus. And in the XII-XIII centuries, feudal fragmentation led to the fact that part of the Russian principalities were captured by Lithuanians and Poles (Polotsk, Minsk, etc.).

During the 3 centuries, not only the territory changed, but also the regional administration, as they would say now. Initially, the tribes ruled themselves. In the 9th century, Oleg, regent under the prince of Novgorod, conquered Kyiv, thus establishing a centralized power. Subsequently, he and his followers on the Kiev princely throne imposed tribute on several neighboring tribes. The management of the territories in the 9th-10th centuries consisted in the collection of tribute and was carried out in the form of polyudya - the prince and his retinue traveled around the cities and villages and collected tribute. In addition, the prince led the defense of the land from common external enemies, and could also organize a military campaign (most often in the direction of Byzantium).

Since there was enough land in Kievan Rus, and it would be difficult for one prince to lead such a vast territory, the grand dukes practiced distributing appanages to their combatants. First with a return as payment for military affairs, and then in hereditary possession. In addition, the grand dukes had many children. As a result, in the XI-XII centuries, the Kyiv dynasty ousted the tribal princes from their ancestral principalities.

At the same time, the land in the principalities began to belong to the prince himself, the boyars, and monasteries. The exception was the Pskov-Novgorod land, in which at that time there was still a feudal republic.
To manage their allotments, the princes and boyars - large landowners divided the territory into hundreds, fifths, rows, counties. However, there was no unambiguous definition of these territorial units.

Often there were no unambiguously defined boundaries of these units. City management was carried out by posadniks and thousandths, at a lower level they were centurions, tenths, governors, elders, depending on the traditions of a particular land. At the same time, if candidates for higher positions were more often appointed, then for lower positions they were elected. Even to collect tribute, the peasants chose "good people."

The people's assembly among the Eastern Slavs was called veche.

1. Olesya

   Very detailed and historically correct table. This period of ancient Russian history is usually best remembered by both schoolchildren and students. The thing is that the reign of the ancient Russian princes is certainly associated with various myths, chronicle fables and unusual stories. My favorite stage in the development of the ancient Russian state remains the period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. If there were more such rulers in Russia, the country would not have to regularly experience dynastic crises and popular riots.

2. Irina

   Olesya, I completely agree with you about Yaroslav the Wise. By the way, it is interesting that, after all, initially he had no desire to become the head of state: circumstances prompted him to do so. However, the period of his personal reign became for Russia a time of stability and prosperity. So you say after that that a person does not make history: he does, and how! If it were not for Yaroslav, Russia would not have received rest from strife and would not have had in the XI century. "Russian Truth". He managed to improve the international situation. Talented statesman! There would be more of these in our time.

3. Lana

   The table shows only individual Russian princes, therefore it cannot be considered complete, if we consider everything in detail, then we can count more than 20 princes who were in family ties and ruled their own destinies.

4. Irina

   The table is useful but incomplete. In my opinion, it would be better to highlight the features of the external and domestic policy princes. Attention is paid more to changes and innovations, and not to the characteristic features of the period of government.

5. Angelina

   Information about internal and foreign policy very few rulers. It would be much more informative to present the main achievements of the princes in the form of a single table - the information is a little scattered - you can get confused. Sense in the first table I do not see at all. For some rulers, there is little information at all. For example, Vladimir the Great carried out a number of important reforms that are not mentioned at all in the tables.

6. Igor

   Vladimir Monomakh managed for a short time of his reign to unite more than half of the lands of Russia, which fell apart after the triumvirate of the Yaroslavichs. Vladimir Monomakh improved the legislative system. For a short time, his son Mstislav managed to maintain the unity of the country.

7. Olga

   Nothing is said about the important reforms of Volodymyr the Great. In addition to the baptism of Russia, he carried out administrative and military reforms - this helped strengthen the borders and strengthen the unity of the state's territories.

8. Anna

   It is worth noting the features of the rulers of the period of formation and the heyday of Russia. If at the formation stage they were strong warriors, an example of courage, then at the heyday stage they were politicians and diplomats who practically did not even participate in campaigns. This concerns, first of all, Yaroslav the Wise.

9. Vyacheslav

   In the comments, many approve and admire the personality of Yaroslav the Wise and argue that Yaroslav saved Russia from strife and strife. I completely disagree with such a position of commentators in relation to the personality of Yaroslav the Wise. There is a Scandinavian saga about Edmund. This saga tells that the squad of Scandinavians was hired by Yaroslav for the war with his brother Boris. By order of Yaroslav, the Scandinavians send assassins to his brother Boris and kill him (Prince Boris, who was later recognized as a saint with his brother Gleb). Also, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 1014 Yaroslav raised an uprising against his father Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko (the baptizer of Russia) and hired the Varangians to fight him, wanting to rule in Veliky Novgorod on his own. The Varangians, while in Novgorod, robbed the population and committed violence against the inhabitants, which led to an uprising against Yaroslav. After the death of his brothers Boris, Gleb and Svyatopolk, Yaroslav took the throne of Kyiv and fought with his brother Mstislav Tmutorokan, nicknamed the Brave. Until 1036 (the year of Mstislav's death), the Russian state was divided between Yaroslav and Mstislav into two independent political associations. Until the death of Mstislav, Yaroslav preferred to live in Novgorod, and not in the capital Kyiv. Yaroslav also began to pay tribute to the Varangians in the amount of 300 hryvnias. Introduced a rather heavy fine in favor of the bishop for non-compliance with Christian rules. This despite the fact that 90% of the population were pagans or dual faith. He sent his son Vladimir, together with the Varangian Harold, on a predatory campaign against Orthodox Byzantium. The army was defeated and most of the soldiers died in battles from the use of Greek fire. During his reign, nomadic tribes cut off the Tmutarakan principality from Kyiv, and as a result, it fell under the influence of neighboring states. The relatives of the Swedish king Olaf Shetkonung handed over the native Russian lands around Ladoga to hereditary possession. Then these lands became known as Ingria. The code of laws Russian Truth reflects the enslavement of the population, which actively took place during the reign of Yaroslav, as well as the uprisings and resistance to his power. In the course of recent studies of the Russian chronicles in the description of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, there are a large number of changes and insertions in the original text of the chronicle made, most likely at his direction. Yaroslav distorted the annals, killed the brothers, started civil strife with the brothers and declared war on his father, being essentially a separatist, and he is praised in the annals and the church recognized him as faithful. Maybe that's why Yaroslav was nicknamed the Wise?

The formation of the nation, later called Russ, Rusichs, Russians, Russians, which became one of the strongest nations in the world, if not the strongest, began with the unification of the Slavs settled in the East European Plain. From where they came to these lands, when - it is not known for certain. History of no chronicle evidence for the Rus of the early centuries new era did not save. Only from the second half of the 9th century - the time when the first prince appeared in Russia - can the process of nation formation be traced in more detail.

"Come reign and rule over us..."

Along the great waterway, which connected the entire East European Plain with numerous rivers and lakes, lived the tribes of the ancient Ilmen Slovenes, Polyans, Drevlyans, Krivichi, Polochans, Dregovichi, Severyans, Radimichi, Vyatichi, who received one common name for all - Slavs. Two large cities built by our ancient ancestors - Dnieper and Novgorod - already existed in those lands before the establishment of statehood, but did not have rulers. The names of the governors of the tribes appeared when the first princes in Russia were inscribed in the annals. The table with their names contains only a few lines, but these are the main lines in our story.

The procedure for calling the Varangians to control the Slavs is known to us from school. The founders of the tribes, tired of constant skirmishes and strife among themselves, elected envoys to the princes of the Rus tribe, who lived beyond the Baltic Sea, and obliged them to tell that “... Our whole land is great and plentiful, but there is no dress in it (i.e. . there is no peace and order). Come reign and rule over us." The brothers Rurik, Sineus and Truvor responded to the call. They came not alone, but with their retinue, and settled in Novgorod, Izborsk and Beloozero. It was in 862. And the people whom they began to rule began to be called the Rus - by the name of the tribe of the Varangian princes.

Refuting the initial conclusions of historians

There is another, less popular hypothesis regarding the arrival of the Baltic princes in our lands. According to the official version, there were three brothers, but it is likely that the old tomes were read (translated) incorrectly, and only one ruler arrived in the Slavic lands - Rurik. The first prince of ancient Russia came with his faithful warriors (team) - "tru-thief" in Old Norse, and his family (family, home) - "blue-hus". Hence the assumption that there were three brothers. For some unknown reason, historians conclude that two years after moving to the Slovenes, both Ruriks die like this (in other words, the words “tru-thief” and “blue-hus” are no longer mentioned in the annals). There are several other reasons for their disappearance. For example, that by that time the army, which the first prince gathered in Russia, began to be called not “tru-thief”, but “squad”, and the relatives who came with him - not “blue-hus”, but “kind”.

In addition, modern researchers of antiquity are increasingly inclined to the version that our Rurik is none other than the Danish king Rorik Friesland, famous in history, who became famous for his very successful raids on less weak neighbors. Perhaps that is why he was called to rule because he was strong, courageous and invincible.

Russia under Rurik

Founder political system in Russia, the ancestor of the princely dynasty, which later became royal, ruled over the people entrusted to him for 17 years. He united into one power the Ilmen Slovenes, the Psov and Smolensk Krivichi, the whole and the Chud, the northerners and the Drevlyans, the Merya and the Radimichi. In the annexed lands, he approved his proteges as governors. By the end, Ancient Russia occupied a rather vast territory.

In addition to the founder of the new princely family, history also included two of his relatives - Askold and Dir, who, at the call of the prince, established their power over Kyiv, which at that time did not yet have a dominant role in the newly formed state. The first prince in Russia chose Novgorod as his residence, where he died in 879, leaving the principality to his young son Igor. The heir of Rurik himself could not rule. For many years, undivided power passed to Oleg, an associate and distant relative of the deceased prince.

The first truly Russian

Thanks to Oleg, nicknamed the Prophets by the people, Ancient Russia gained power, which both Constantinople and Byzantium, the strongest states at that time, could envy. What the first Russian prince in Russia did in his time, the regent multiplied and enriched under the juvenile Igor. Gathering a large army, Oleg went down the Dnieper and conquered Lyubech, Smolensk, Kyiv. The latter was taken by elimination, and the Drevlyans who inhabited these lands recognized Igor as their real ruler, and Oleg as a worthy regent until he grew up. From now on, the capital of Russia is Kyiv.

Prophetic Oleg's legacy

Many tribes were annexed to Russia during the years of his reign by Oleg, who by that time had declared himself the first truly Russian, and not a foreign prince. His campaign against Byzantium ended in an absolute victory and the privileges won for the Russians for free trade in Constantinople. A rich booty was brought by the squad from this campaign. The first princes in Russia, to whom Oleg rightfully belongs, truly cared for the glory of the state.

Many legends and amazing stories circulated among the people after the return of the troops from the campaign against Constantinople. To reach the gates of the city, Oleg ordered the ships to be put on wheels, and when a fair wind filled their sails, the ships “went” across the plain to Constantinople, terrifying the townspeople. The terrible Byzantine emperor Leo VI surrendered to the mercy of the winner, and Oleg, as a sign of stunning victory nailed his shield on the gates of Constantinople.

In the annals of 911, Oleg is already referred to as the first Grand Duke of All Russia. In 912 he dies, according to legend, from a snake bite. His more than 30-year reign did not end heroically.

Among the strong

With the death of Oleg, he took control of the vast possessions of the principality, although in fact he was the ruler of the lands from 879. Naturally, he wanted to be worthy of the deeds of his great predecessors. He also fought (in his reign, Russia was subjected to the first attacks of the Pechenegs), conquered several neighboring tribes, forcing them to pay tribute. Igor did everything that the first prince in Russia did, but he did not succeed immediately in realizing his main dream - to conquer Constantinople. And in their own possessions, not everything went smoothly.

After the strong Rurik and Oleg, Igor's rule turned out to be much weaker, and the obstinate Drevlyans felt this, refusing to pay tribute. The first princes of Kyiv knew how to keep the recalcitrant tribe under control. Igor also pacified this rebellion for a while, but the revenge of the Drevlyans overtook the prince a few years later.

The deceit of the Khazars, the betrayal of the Drevlyans

Relations between the crown prince and the Khazars were unsuccessful. Trying to reach the Caspian Sea, Igor concluded an agreement with them that they would let the squad go to the sea, and he, returning, would give them half of the rich booty. The prince fulfilled his promises, but this was not enough for the Khazars. Seeing that the superiority in strength was on their side, in a fierce battle they killed almost the entire Russian army.

Igor experienced a shameful defeat and after his first campaign against Constantinople in 941, the Byzantines destroyed almost his entire squad. Three years later, wanting to wash away the shame, the prince, having united all the Russians, Khazars and even Pechenegs into one army, again moved to Constantinople. Having learned from the Bulgarians that a formidable force was coming at him, the emperor offered Igor peace on very favorable terms for that, and the prince accepted it. But a year after such a stunning victory, Igor was killed. Refusing to pay a second tribute, the Koresten Drevlyans destroyed the few consolation of tax collectors, among whom was the prince himself.

Princess, the first in everything

Igor's wife, the Pskovite Olga, who was chosen as his wife by Oleg the Prophet in 903, cruelly took revenge on the traitors. The Drevlyans were destroyed without any losses for the Rus, thanks to Olga's cunning, but also merciless strategy - to be sure, the first princes in Russia knew how to fight. The hereditary title of ruler of the state after the death of Igor was taken by Svyatoslav, the son of a princely couple, but due to the latter's infancy, for the next twelve years, Russia was led by his mother.

Olga was distinguished by a rare intelligence, courage and the ability to wisely manage the state. After the capture of Korosten, the main city of the Drevlyans, the princess went to Constantinople and received holy baptism there. Orthodox Church was in Kyiv also under Igor, but the Russian people worshiped Perun and Veles, and did not soon turn from paganism to Christianity. But the fact that Olga, who took the name Elena at baptism, paved the way for a new faith in Russia and did not betray her until the end of her days (the princess died in 969), elevated her to the rank of saints.

Warrior from infancy

N. M. Karamzin, the compiler of the Russian State, called Svyatoslav the Russian Alexander of Macedon. The first princes in Russia were distinguished by amazing courage and courage. The table, in which the dates of their reign are dryly given, is fraught with many glorious victories and deeds for the good of the Fatherland, which stand behind every name in it.

Inherited in three years old the title of Grand Duke (after the death of Igor), Svyatoslav became the actual ruler of Russia only in 962. Two years later, he freed the Khazars from submission and annexed the Vyatichi to Russia, and in the next two years, a number of Slavic tribes living along the Oka, in the Volga region, in the Caucasus and the Balkans. The Khazars were defeated, their capital Itil was abandoned. FROM North Caucasus Svyatoslav brought Yases (Ossetians) and Kasogs (Circassians) to his lands and settled them in the newly formed cities of Belaya Vezha and Tmutarakan. Like the first prince of all Russia, Svyatoslav understood the importance of constantly expanding his possessions.

Worthy of the great glory of the ancestors

In 968, having conquered Bulgaria (the cities of Pereyaslavets and Dorostol), Svyatoslav, not without reason, began to consider these lands his own and firmly settled in Pereyaslavets - he did not like the peaceful life of Kyiv, and his mother was well managed in the capital. But a year later she was gone, and the prince of the Bulgarians, united with the Byzantine emperor, declared war. Going to her, Svyatoslav left the great Russian cities to his sons to manage: Yaropolka - Kyiv, Oleg - Korosten, Vladimir - Novgorod.

That war was difficult and ambiguous - both sides celebrated victories with varying degrees of success. The confrontation ended with a peace treaty, according to which Svyatoslav left Bulgaria (it was annexed to his possessions by the Byzantine emperor John Tzimiskes), and Byzantium paid the established tribute to the Russian prince for these lands.

Returning from this campaign, controversial in its importance, Svyatoslav stopped for a while in Beloberezhye, on the Dnieper. There, in the spring of 972, the Pechenegs attacked his weakened army. Grand Duke was killed in battle. Historians explain the glory of a born warrior assigned to him by the fact that Svyatoslav was incredibly hardy in campaigns, could sleep on damp ground with a saddle under his head, as he was unpretentious in everyday life, not like a prince, and was also picky about food. His message "I'm coming at you", with which he warned future enemies before the attack, went down in history as Oleg's shield on the gates of Constantinople.

In modern historiography, the title "Kyiv princes" is used to designate a number of rulers of the Kyiv principality and the Old Russian state. The classical period of their reign began in 912 with the reign of Igor Rurikovich, who was the first to bear the title of "Grand Duke of Kyiv", and lasted until about the middle of the 12th century, when the collapse of the Old Russian state began. Let's take a brief look at the most prominent rulers during this period.

Oleg the Prophet (882-912)

Igor Rurikovich (912-945) - the first ruler of Kyiv, called the "Grand Duke of Kyiv." During his reign, he conducted a number of military campaigns, both against neighboring tribes (Pechenegs and Drevlyans), and against the Byzantine kingdom. The Pechenegs and the Drevlyans recognized the supremacy of Igor, but the Byzantines, militarily better equipped, put up stubborn resistance. In 944, Igor was forced to sign a peace treaty with Byzantium. At the same time, the terms of the agreement were beneficial for Igor, since Byzantium paid a significant tribute. A year later, he decided to attack the Drevlyans again, despite the fact that they had already recognized his authority and paid tribute to him. Igor's warriors, in turn, got the opportunity to cash in on the robberies of the local population. The Drevlyans ambushed in 945 and, having captured Igor, executed him.

Olga (945-964)- The widow of Prince Rurik, who was killed in 945 by the Drevlyane tribe. She headed the state until her son, Svyatoslav Igorevich, became an adult. It is not known exactly when she transferred power to her son. Olga was the first of the rulers of Russia to accept Christianity, while the whole country, the army and even her son were still pagans. Important facts of her reign were the subjugation of the Drevlyans who killed her husband Igor Rurikovich. Olga established the exact amount of taxes that the lands subject to Kyiv had to pay, systematized the frequency of their payment and the timing. An administrative reform was carried out, dividing the lands subordinate to Kyiv into clearly defined units, each of which was headed by a princely official "tiun". Under Olga, the first stone buildings appeared in Kyiv, Olga's tower and the city palace.

Svyatoslav (964-972)- the son of Igor Rurik and Princess Olga. characteristic feature reign was that Olga actually ruled most of his time, first due to the minority of Svyatoslav, and then because of his constant military campaigns and absence in Kyiv. Assumed power around 950. He did not follow the example of his mother, and did not accept Christianity, which was then unpopular among the secular and military nobility. The reign of Svyatoslav Igorevich was marked by a series of continuous conquest campaigns that he carried out against neighboring tribes and state formations. The Khazars, Vyatichi, the Bulgarian kingdom (968-969) and Byzantium (970-971) were attacked. The war with Byzantium brought heavy losses to both sides, and ended, in fact, in a draw. Returning from this campaign, Svyatoslav was ambushed by the Pechenegs and was killed.

Yaropolk (972-978)

Vladimir the Saint (978-1015)- Kyiv prince, best known for the baptism of Russia. He was a prince of Novgorod from 970 to 978, when he seized the throne of Kyiv. During his reign, he continuously conducted campaigns against neighboring tribes and states. He conquered and annexed to his state the tribes of the Vyatichi, Yatvyag, Radimichi and Pechenegs. He carried out a number of state reforms aimed at strengthening the power of the prince. In particular, he began minting a single state coin, replacing the previously used Arab and Byzantine money. With the help of invited Bulgarian and Byzantine teachers, he began to spread literacy in Russia, forcibly sending children to study. He founded the cities of Pereyaslavl and Belgorod. The main achievement is the baptism of Russia, carried out in 988. The introduction of Christianity as the state religion also contributed to the centralization of the Old Russian state. The resistance of various pagan cults, then widespread in Russia, weakened the power of the Kyiv throne and was brutally suppressed. Prince Vladimir died in 1015 during another military campaign against the Pechenegs.

SvyatopolkCursed (1015-1016)

Yaroslav the Wise (1016-1054) is the son of Vladimir. He feuded with his father and seized power in Kyiv in 1016, driving his brother Svyatopolk away. The reign of Yaroslav is represented in history by traditional raids on neighboring states and internecine wars with numerous relatives who claimed the throne. For this reason, Yaroslav was forced to temporarily leave the throne of Kyiv. He built the churches of Hagia Sophia in Novgorod and Kyiv. It is to her that the main temple in Constantinople is dedicated, therefore the fact of such a construction spoke of the equality of the Russian church with the Byzantine one. As part of the confrontation with the Byzantine Church, he independently appointed the first Russian Metropolitan Hilarion in 1051. Yaroslav also founded the first Russian monasteries: the Kiev Caves Monastery in Kyiv and the Yuryev Monastery in Novgorod. First codified feudal right, publishing a set of laws "Russian Truth" and a church charter. He did a great job of translating Greek and Byzantine books into Old Russian and Church Slavonic, constantly spending large sums on the correspondence of new books. He founded a large school in Novgorod, in which the children of elders and priests learned to read and write. He strengthened diplomatic and military ties with the Varangians, thus securing the northern borders of the state. He died in Vyshgorod in February 1054.

SvyatopolkCursed (1018-1019)- secondary interim rule

Izyaslav (1054-1068)- son of Yaroslav the Wise. According to his father's will, he sat on the throne of Kyiv in 1054. Throughout almost the entire reign, he was at enmity with his younger brothers Svyatoslav and Vsevolod, who sought to seize the prestigious Kyiv throne. In 1068, the troops of Izyaslav were defeated by the Polovtsians in a battle on the Alta River. This led to the Kyiv uprising in 1068. At the veche meeting, the remnants of the defeated militia demanded that they be given weapons in order to continue the fight against the Polovtsy, but Izyaslav refused to do this, which forced the people of Kiev to revolt. Izyaslav was forced to flee to Polish king, to his nephew. With the military help of the Poles, Izyaslav regained the throne for the period 1069-1073, was again overthrown, and ruled for the last time from 1077 to 1078.

Vseslav Charodey (1068-1069)

Svyatoslav (1073-1076)

Vsevolod (1076-1077)

Svyatopolk (1093-1113)- the son of Izyaslav Yaroslavich, before taking the throne of Kyiv, he periodically headed the Novgorod and Turov principalities. The beginning of the Kyiv principality of Svyatopolk was marked by the invasion of the Polovtsy, who inflicted a serious defeat on the troops of Svyatopolk in the battle near the Stugna River. This was followed by several more battles, the outcome of which is not known for certain, but in the end, peace was concluded with the Polovtsy, and Svyatopolk took the daughter of Khan Tugorkan as his wife. The subsequent reign of Svyatopolk was overshadowed by the continuous struggle between Vladimir Monomakh and Oleg Svyatoslavich, in which Svyatopolk usually supported Monomakh. Svyatopolk also repelled the constant raids of the Polovtsians led by the khans Tugorkan and Bonyak. He died suddenly in the spring of 1113, possibly by poisoning.

Vladimir Monomakh (1113-1125) was a prince of Chernigov when his father died. He had the right to the Kyiv throne, but gave it to his cousin Svyatopolk, because he did not want war at that time. In 1113, the people of Kiev raised an uprising, and, having thrown Svyatopolk, they invited Vladimir to the kingdom. For this reason, he was forced to accept the so-called "Charter of Vladimir Monomakh", which alleviates the situation of the city's lower classes. The law did not affect the foundations of the feudal system, but regulated the conditions of enslavement and limited the profits of usurers. Under Monomakh, Russia reached the peak of its power. The Minsk principality was conquered, and the Polovtsy were forced to migrate east of the Russian borders. With the help of an impostor who pretended to be the son of the previously killed Byzantine emperor, Monomakh organized an adventure aimed at placing him on the Byzantine throne. Several Danubian cities were conquered, but success could not be further developed. The campaign ended in 1123 with the signing of peace. Monomakh organized the publication of improved editions of The Tale of Bygone Years, which have survived in this form to this day. Monomakh also created several works on his own: the autobiographical Ways and Fishes, the code of laws “the charter of Vladimir Vsevolodovich” and “Instructions of Vladimir Monomakh”.

Mstislav the Great (1125-1132)- son of Monomakh, formerly former prince Belgorod. He ascended the throne of Kyiv in 1125 without resistance from the other brothers. Among the most outstanding deeds of Mstislav, one can name a campaign against the Polovtsians in 1127 and the sacking of the cities of Izyaslav, Strezhev and Lagozhsk. After a similar campaign in 1129, the Principality of Polotsk was finally annexed to the possessions of Mstislav. In order to collect tribute, several campaigns were made in the Baltic states, against the Chud tribe, but they ended in failure. In April 1132, Mstislav died suddenly, but managed to transfer the throne to Yaropolk, his brother.

Yaropolk (1132-1139)- Being the son of Monomakh, he inherited the throne when his brother Mstislav died. At the time of coming to power, he was 49 years old. In fact, he controlled only Kyiv and its environs. By his natural inclinations he was a good warrior, but he did not possess diplomatic and political abilities. Immediately after the assumption of the throne, the traditional civil strife began, connected with the succession to the throne in the Principality of Pereyaslavl. Yuri and Andrei Vladimirovich expelled Vsevolod Mstislavich from Pereyaslavl, who was imprisoned there by Yaropolk. Also, the situation in the country was complicated by the frequent raids of the Polovtsy, who, together with the allied Chernigov, plundered the outskirts of Kyiv. The indecisive policy of Yaropolk led to a military defeat in the battle on the Supoy River with the troops of Vsevolod Olgovich. The cities of Kursk and Posemye were also lost during the reign of Yaropolk. This development of events further weakened his authority, which was used by the Novgorodians, who announced their separation in 1136. The result of the reign of Yaropolk was the actual collapse of the Old Russian state. Formally, only the Principality of Rostov-Suzdal retained submission to Kyiv.

Vyacheslav (1139, 1150, 1151-1154)

According to the sources of history, the Old Russian state belongs to the early feudal powers. At the same time, the old communal formations and the new ones, which the lands of Russia borrowed from other peoples, are closely intertwined.
Oleg became the first prince in Russia. He was from the Varangians. The state he created was, in fact, only a very peculiar association of settlements. He became the first prince of Kyiv and "under his hand" were many vassals - local princes. During his reign, he wanted to eliminate petty principalities, creating a single state.
The first princes in Russia played the role of commanders and not only controlled the course of the battle, but also personally took part in it, and quite actively at that. Power was hereditary, through the male line. After Prince Oleg, Igor the Old (912-915) ruled. It is believed that he is the son of Rurik. After that, power passed to Prince Svyatoslav, who was still a small child and, therefore, his mother, Princess Olga, became regent under him. During the years of reign, this woman was rightfully considered a reasonable and fair ruler.
Historical sources indicate that around the year 955 the princess goes to Constantinople, where she accepts the Christian faith. When she returned, she officially transferred power to her grown son, who was the ruler from 957 to 972.
Svyatoslav's goal was to bring the country closer to the level of world powers. During his militant reign, this prince crushed the Khazar Khaganate, defeated the Pechenegs near Kyiv, carried out two military campaigns in the Balkans.
After his death, Yaropolk (972-980) was the heir. He began a quarrel with his brother - Oleg for power and began to wage war against him. In this war, Oleg died, and his army and lands passed into the possession of his brother. After 2 years, another prince - Vladimir decided to go to war against Yaropolk. Their fiercest battle took place in 980 and ended with the victory of Vladimir. Yaropolk was killed after a while.

Domestic politics

The internal policy of the first Russian princes was carried out as follows:
The king had the main advisers - the squad. It was divided into an older one, whose members were boyars and rich men, and a younger one. The latter included children, grids and youths. The prince consulted with them on all matters.
The princely squad carried out a secular court, collecting court fees and tribute. In the process of development of feudalism, most combatants were the owners of various lands. They enslaved the peasants and thus created their own profitable economy. The squad was an already formed feudal class.
The prince's power was not unlimited. The people also took part in the administration of the state. Veche, the people's assembly, existed in the period from the 9th-11th centuries. Even much later, people gathered to make important decisions in some cities, including Novgorod.
To strengthen the positions of the Russian state, the first legal norms were adopted. Their earliest monuments were the agreements of the princes of Byzantium, which date back to 911-971. They contained laws on prisoners, the right to inheritance and property. The first set of laws is "Russian Truth".

Foreign policy of Russia

The main tasks of the Russian princes in foreign policy were:
1. Protection of trade routes;
2. Making new alliances;
3. Fight against nomads.
special national importance had trade relations between Byzantium and Russia. Any attempts by Byzantium to limit the trade opportunities of an ally ended in bloody clashes. In order to achieve trade agreements with Byzantium, Prince Oleg laid siege to Byzantium and demanded the signing of an appropriate agreement. It happened in 911. Prince Igor in 944 concluded another commercial agreement, which has survived to this day.
Byzantium constantly sought to push Russia against other states in order to weaken it. Thus, the Byzantine prince, Nicephorus Foka, decided to use the troops of the Kievan prince Svyatoslav, so that he went to war against the Danube Bulgaria. In 968, he occupied many cities along the banks of the Danube, including Pereyaslavets. As can be seen, the Byzantine failed to weaken the Russian positions.
The success of Svyatoslav offended Byzantium, and she sent the Pechenegs to capture Kyiv, whose military forces were activated as a result of a diplomatic agreement. Svyatoslav returned to Kyiv, liberated it from the invaders and went to war against Byzantium, making an alliance with the king of Bulgaria - Boris.
Now the fight against Russian power was led by the new king of Byzantium, John Tzimiskes. His squads were already defeated in the first battle with the Russians. When Svyatoslav's troops reached Andrianapolis itself, Tzimiskes made peace with Svyatoslav. The last major campaign against Byzantium took place in 1043, according to historical sources, due to the murder of a Russian merchant in Constantinople. The bloody war continued for several years, until peace was signed in 1046, which resulted in the marriage between the son of the Russian prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich and the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh.

Who is the first prince of Kievan Rus?

The ancient tribes, which were located along the entire great waterway that connected the entire East European Plain, were united into one ethnic group, which was called the Slavs. The Slavs were considered such tribes as the glades, the Drevlyans, the Krivichi, the Ilmen Slovenes, the northerners, the Polochans, the Vyatichi, the Radimichi and the Dregovichi. Our ancestors built two of the greatest cities - Dnieper and Novgorod - which already existed at the time of the establishment of the state, but did not have any ruler. The ancestors of the tribes constantly quarreled and fought with each other, having no way to find a "common language" and come to a common decision. It was decided to call to rule their lands and people by the Baltic princes, brothers named Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. These were the first names of the princes who entered the annals. In 862, the prince brothers settled in three large cities - in Beloozero, in Novgorod and in Izborsk. The people of the Slavs turned into Russ, since the name of the tribe of the Varangian princes (and the brothers were Varangians) was called Rus.

The story of Prince Rurik - another version of events

Few people know, but there is another old legend about the emergence of Kievan Rus and the appearance of its first princes. Some historians suggest that the chronicle was incorrectly translated in some places, and if you look at a different translation, it turns out that only Prince Rurik sailed to the Slavs. "Sine-hus" in Old Norse means "clan", "house", and "tru-thief" - "squad". The annals say that the brothers Sineus and Truvor allegedly died due to unclear circumstances, since the mention of them in the annals disappears. Perhaps it’s just that now “tru-thief” was listed as “squad”, and “sine-hus” was already mentioned as “genus”. This is how non-existent brothers died in the annals and a squad appeared with the Rurik clan.

By the way, some scholars argue that Prince Rurik was none other than the Danish king Rorik of Friesland himself, who made a huge number of successful raids on his warlike neighbors. It was for this reason that the Slavic tribes called on him to rule their people, because Rorik was brave, strong, fearless and smart.

The reign of Prince Rurik in Russia (862 - 879)

The first prince of Kievan Rus, Rurik, was not just an intelligent ruler for 17 years, but the ancestor of the princely dynasty (which became royal years later) and the founder of the state system, thanks to which Kievan Rus became a great and powerful state, despite the fact that it was founded completely recently. Since the newly formed state had not yet been fully formed, Rurik devoted most of his reign to seizing lands by uniting all Slavic tribes: the northerners, the Drevlyans, the Smolensk Krivichi, the Chud tribe and the whole, the Psovski Krivichi, the Merya tribe and the Radimichi. One of his most great achievements, thanks to which Rurik strengthened his authority in Russia - the suppression of the uprising of Vadim the Brave, which took place in Novgorod.

In addition to Prince Rurik, there were two more brothers, relatives of the prince, who ruled in Kyiv. The brothers' names were Askold and Dir, but according to the legends, Kyiv existed long before their reign and was founded by three brothers Kyi Shchek and Khoriv, ​​as well as their sister Lybid. Then Kyiv did not yet have a dominant significance in Russia, and Novgorod was the residence of the prince.

Princes of Kyiv - Askold and Dir (864 - 882)

First Kyiv princes only partially entered history, since very little was written about them in the Tale of Past Years. It is known that they were the warriors of Prince Rurik, but then they left him down the Dnieper to Tsargrad, but, having mastered Kyiv along the way, they decided to stay here to reign. Details of their reign are not known, but there are records of their deaths. Prince Rurik after himself left the reign to his young son Igor, and until he grows up, Oleg was the prince. Having taken power into their own hands, Oleg and Igor went to Kyiv and in a conspiracy killed the Kyiv princes, justifying themselves by the fact that they did not belong to the princely family and did not have the right to reign. They ruled from 866 to 882. Such were the first Kyiv princes - Askold and Dir.

Prince of ancient Russia - the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet (879 - 912)

After the death of Rurik, power passed to his combatant Oleg, who was soon nicknamed the Prophet. Oleg the Prophet ruled Russia until the son of Rurik, Igor, becomes of age and can become a prince. It was during the reign of Prince Oleg that Russia gained such power that such great states as Byzantium and even Constantinople could envy him. The regent of Prince Igor multiplied all the achievements that Prince Rurik had achieved, and enriched Russia even more. Gathering a huge army under his command, he went down the Dnieper River and conquered Smolensk, Lyubech and Kyiv.

After the assassination of Askold and Dir, the Drevlyans who inhabited Kyiv recognized Igor as their legitimate ruler, and Kyiv became the capital of Kievan Rus. Oleg recognized himself as a Russian, and not a foreign ruler, thus becoming the first truly Russian prince. The Prophetic Oleg's campaign against Byzantium ended in his victory, thanks to which the Rus received favorable benefits for trade with Constantinople.

During his campaign against Constantinople, Oleg showed an unprecedented "Russian ingenuity", ordering the warriors to nail the wheels to the ships, due to which they were able to "ride" along the plain with the help of the wind right to the gate. The formidable and powerful ruler of Byzantium, named Leo VI, surrendered, and Oleg, as a sign of his impeccable victory, nailed his shield to the very gates of Constantinople. It was a very inspiring symbol of victory for the entire squad, after which his army followed their leader with even greater devotion.

Prophecy about the death of Oleg the Prophet

Oleg the Prophet died in 912, having ruled the country for 30 years. There is a lot of talk about his death interesting legends and even ballads were written. Before his campaign with his retinue against the Khazars, Oleg met a magician on the road, who prophesies the death of the prince from his own horse. The Magi were held in high esteem in Russia, and their words were considered the true truth. Prince Oleg the Prophetic was no exception, and after such a prophecy he ordered a new horse to be brought to him. But he loved his old "comrade-in-arms", who went through more than one battle with him, and could not forget about him so easily.

Many years later, Oleg learns that his horse has long gone into oblivion, and the prince decides to go to his bones to make sure that the prophecy has not come true. Stepping on the bones, Prince Oleg says goodbye to his "lonely friend", and almost convinced that his death has passed, he does not notice how a poisonous snake crawls out of the skull and bites him. So Oleg the Prophet met his death.

The reign of Prince Igor (912 - 945)

After the death of Prince Oleg, Igor Rurikovich took over the rule of Russia, although in fact he was considered the ruler since 879. Remembering the great achievements of the first princes, Prince Igor did not want to lag behind them, and therefore he also often went on campaigns. During the years of his reign, Russia was subjected to many attacks by the Pechenegs, so the prince decided to conquer the neighboring tribes and force them to pay tribute. He coped with this problem rather well, but he did not succeed in fulfilling his old dream and completing the conquest of Constantinople, since everything inside the state gradually plunged into chaos. The powerful princely hand was weakened in comparison with Oleg and Rurik, and this was noticed by many obstinate tribes. For example, the Drevlyans refused to pay tribute to the prince, after which a riot arose, which had to be pacified with blood and a sword. It would seem that everything has already been decided, but the Drevlyans have been plotting revenge on Prince Igor for a long time, and a few years later she overtook him. We will talk about this a little later.

It was not possible for Prince Igor to control his neighbors, with whom he signed a peace agreement. Having agreed with the Khazars that on the way to the Caspian they would let his army go to the sea, and in return he would give half of the booty received, the prince, along with his retinue, was practically destroyed on the way home. The Khazars realized that they outnumbered the army of the Russian prince, and staged a brutal massacre, after which only Igor and a few dozen of his warriors managed to escape.

Victory over Constantinople

This was not his last shameful defeat. He felt another thing in the battle with Constantinople, which also destroyed almost the entire princely squad in battle. Prince Igor was so angry that, in order to wash his name from shame, he gathered under his command all his squad, Khazars and even Pechenegs. In this composition, they moved to Tsargrad. The Byzantine emperor learned from the Bulgarians about the approaching disaster, and upon the arrival of the prince began to ask for pardon, offering very favorable conditions for cooperation.

Prince Igor did not enjoy his brilliant victory for long. The revenge of the Drevlyans overtook him. A year after the campaign against Constantinople, as part of a small detachment of tribute collectors, Igor went to the Drevlyans to collect tribute. But they again refused to pay and destroyed all the tax collectors, and with them the prince himself. Thus ended the reign of Prince Igor Rurikovich.

The reign of Princess Olga (945 - 957)

Princess Olga was the wife of Prince Igor, and for the betrayal and murder of the prince, she cruelly avenged the Drevlyans. The Drevlyans were almost completely destroyed, and without any damage to the Russians. Olga's ruthless strategy exceeded all expectations. Having gone on a campaign against Iskorosten (Korosten), the princess and her friends spent almost a year in a siege near the city. Then the great ruler ordered to collect tribute from each court: three doves or sparrows. The Drevlyans were very happy with such a low tribute, and therefore, almost immediately, they hurried to fulfill the order, wanting to appease the princess. But the woman was distinguished by a very sharp mind, and therefore she ordered to tie a smoldering tow to the foot of the birds, and let them go free. The birds, carrying fire with them, returned to their nests, and since earlier houses were built of straw and wood, the city quickly began to burn and completely burned to the ground.

After his great victory, the princess went to Constantinople and received holy baptism there. Being pagans, the Russians could not accept such an antics of their princess. But the fact remains, and Princess Olga is considered the first who brought Christianity to Russia and remained faithful to her faith until the end of her days. At baptism, the princess took the name Elena, and for such courage she was elevated to the rank of saints.

Such were the princes of ancient Russia. Strong, brave, merciless and smart. They managed to unite the eternally warring tribes into one people, form a powerful and rich state and glorify their names for centuries.