Where Yuri Dolgoruky died. Memorable places associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky

Name: Yuri Dolgorukiy

Date of Birth: 1099

Age: 58 years old

Activity: Prince of Rostov-Suzdal and Grand Duke Kiev, son of Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh

Family status: was married

Yuri Dolgoruky: biography

This is probably one of the most controversial and restless characters. Russian history. Son, he was seized by a constant desire to increase power and possessions, conquering more and more cities and villages.

The famous Russian historian Vasily Tatishchev, describing the biography statesman, mentioned that the prince was "a great lover of women, sweet food and drink." And he cared more about "joyfulness than about government and the army." He himself did little, assigning routine duties to "the children and princes of the allies."

Another historian and publicist, Mikhail Shcherbatov, agrees with Tatishchev. He believed that contemporaries gave Yuri the nickname "Dolgoruky" for his personal qualities. The prince, "like the Persian king Artaxerxes, showed" greed for acquisition.

The same Vasily Tatishchev came to the conclusion that 1090 should be considered the date of birth of the prince. If this is so, then Gita of Wessex, the first wife of Vladimir Monomakh, became his mother. By origin, she was an English princess, the daughter of the last reigning king of the Anglo-Saxons, Harold II.

However, "Gyurgeva Mati" (Yuri's mother), which is mentioned in Vladimir Monomakh's "Instructions", died in May 1107, and Gita died in the spring of 1098. Therefore, according to some researchers, the second wife of Monomakh, Efimiya, could be the mother of this offspring.

This means that Yuri Dolgoruky was born between 1095 and 1097. But there is no consensus, so it is generally accepted that the prince was born in the 1090s.

Governing body

As a boy, Yuri, together with his brother Mstislav, was sent to reign in Rostov.

Dolgoruky's independent rule began in 1117. But in the early 1130s, he was irresistibly drawn to the south, closer to the prestigious Kiev principality. The main events in the foreign and domestic politics Yuri Dolgoruky became numerous aggressive campaigns that the prince undertook.

In 1132, Yuri captured Pereyaslavl Russian. But he could not gain a foothold there for a long time - he sat only a week. The capture of Pereyaslavl in 1135 was crowned with the same result.

Restless Yuri Dolgoruky regularly intervened in inter-princely feuds. He had a particular interest in the great Kiev, where at that time his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavovich ruled. Previously, the city was ruled by Yuri's father, Vladimir Monomakh, so the ambitious prince so earnestly sought to take the senior princely throne. Of several attempts to capture Kiev, three were successful. The people of Kiev did not like the greedy and cruel nobleman.

Dolgoruky managed to occupy the coveted city for the first time in 1149. Yuri defeated the troops of Izyaslav II Mstislavich and captured Kiev. In addition, the thrones of Turov and Pereyaslav were under his control. The governor gave Vyshgorod to his elder brother Vyacheslav.

The traditional order of succession to the throne, which was based on the principle of seniority, was violated, so the struggle for the throne of Kiev continued. Izyaslav agreed with the Polish and Hungarian allies and in 1150-51 regained Kiev. He made Vyacheslav co-ruler.

The governor made a new attempt to recapture the city. But the battle ended in an unfortunate defeat on the Ruta River.

The governor made the second successful raid on Kiev in 1153. Having secured the consent of the Grand Duke of Kiev Rostislav, he expelled Izyaslav from the city. Rostislav even conceded to the winner the title of Grand Duke of Kiev. And again, it did not work out to sit on the throne for a long time.

But the third attempt was successful. Having conquered the Kiev principality in 1155, the ruler received the title of the Great Kiev Prince and entrenched himself here until his death. However, even here a long reign did not work out: Yuri Dolgoruky died 2 years after the conquest of Kiev, in 1157.

The years of the reign of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky turned out to be controversial. The nobleman was envious, cunning and greedy, but at the same time he was called a brave and skillful warrior. Some researchers consider him not stupid at all, which positively influenced the results of Dolgoruky's reign. The merits of the prince include an alliance with the Byzantine Empire (including a trade one), and the conclusion of a peace treaty with the Polovtsy, as well as a cherished, albeit short-lived, stay on the throne of Kiev.

But it just so happened that the nobleman, who dreamed of Kiev all his life, is associated with another city - Moscow. Descendants consider him the founder of the capital. According to legend, Yuri Dolgoruky was returning from Kiev to Vladimir and in the swamps he saw an unusual shaggy beast with three heads, which melted into the fog in the morning. Near this place, a settlement of the boyar Kuchka was discovered, who reacted unfriendly to the prince's squad and did not give due honors to unexpected guests. In response, Yuri Dolgoruky undertook a military seizure of the settlement, killing Kuchka in the process.

Yuri showed mercy only to the children of the boyar - daughter Ulita, whom he later married to the son of Andrei Bogolyubsky, and sons - Peter and Yakim. When the secret of the death of their father was revealed to the offspring of Kuchka, they conspired and killed the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrei. This fact is described in the life of Prince Bogolyubsky, who was later glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church as a saint.

In 1147, by order of Yuri Dolgoruky, a settlement was founded on the outskirts of northeastern Russia, the role of which was to protect the borders. It stood on a hill at the confluence of three rivers. It was the perfect place for a watchtower. The settlement turned out to be favorable for life and began to grow rapidly.

In the same year, 1147, the governor, returning from a campaign against Novgorod, wrote to his ally, the Chernigov-Seversky prince Svyatoslav Olgovich, a message: "Come to me, brother, in Moscow!". In this message, Moscow is mentioned for the first time. Later, the prince's chronicle statement turned into a quote that is familiar to all admirers of Russian history. The Ipatiev Chronicle says that the prince's letter is the very first source of information about the future capital of Russia. Therefore, 1147 is considered the year of foundation of the city.

Among historians, there is a version according to which, by the time it was mentioned in the chronicle, this city had already existed for five thousand years. The name used two ancient Slavic roots: "mosk", which in translation sounds like "flint" and "kov" - "hide". In general, the word meant "stone shelter".

Not only Moscow is considered "born" by this nobleman. Yuri Dolgoruky founded Dmitrov, naming this city in honor of the younger offspring of Vsevolod the Big Nest, baptized by Dmitry. And in the early 1150s, the governor founded Pereyaslavl-Zalessky and Yuryev-Polsky. No reforms were carried out during the reign of the prince. The main achievements of the internal political activity of the governor include the construction of cities, fortresses and temples. The development of the northeastern lands and the calm state on the eastern borders led to the strengthening of Dolgoruky's power.

In 1154, the thirst for conquest again seized the prince. He captured Ryazan, recapturing it from Prince Rostislav. The city was ruled by the son of Dolgoruky - Andrey Bogolyubsky. But it was not possible to keep Ryazan: Rostislav enlisted the support of the Polovtsy and drove the invaders from his estate.

In 1156, the founding prince of Moscow fortified the city with a deep moat and a powerful wooden palisade. His son Andrei Bogolyubsky oversaw the work.

Not everywhere the policy of Yuri Dolgoruky was hated in the same way as in Kiev. In the north of Russia, a good memory has been preserved of him. It is believed here that he put a lot of effort into the arrangement of the Russian land.

During his lifetime, Vladimir-on-Klyazma grew and became stronger. And the grandee left behind architectural monuments - the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, the Church of Boris and Gleb in Kideksha, the St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky, the Church of St. George in Vladimir and the Church of the Savior in Suzdal.

Personal life

The grandee was married twice. The first wife of Dolgoruky is the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa Osenevich. This marriage was conceived by Vladimir Monomakh, with the aim of strengthening peace with the Polovtsy through an alliance. Personal life Yuri Dolgoruky with the Polovtsian has developed happily. In this marriage, 8 children were born.

After the death of his first wife, the prince married a second time. His wife was Princess Olga, daughter (according to other sources - sister) of the Byzantine emperor Manuel the First Komnenos. From two marriages of Yuri Dolgoruky, 13 children were born.

Among the sons of Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrey Bogolyubsky became famous, who strengthened the position of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, which became the core of modern Russia, as well as Vsevolod "The Big Nest", who, after the murder of the elder Andrei, took over the reins of government of the principality. The grandson of Vsevolod III - - became famous for his victory over the Livonian knights during the Battle of the Ice.

Death

In 1157, Yuri Dolgoruky, returning to Kiev, walked at a feast at Osmyannik Petrila. On the night of May 10, the prince felt unwell. Some researchers tend to believe that the unloved nobleman was poisoned by the Kiev nobility. Five days later, on May 15, the ruler died.

The people of Kiev did not wait long: on May 16, on the day of the funeral, they plundered the courtyard of the nobleman they hated and his son. Kiev was again occupied by a representative of the Chernigov Davydovich line, Izyaslav the Third.

The people of Kiev did not even allow the body of the deceased prince to be buried next to the body of his father Vladimir Monomakh. The grave of the prince was arranged in another place. Yuri Dolgoruky was buried on the territory of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - in the Berestovskaya monastery of the Savior.

Memory

Historians, characterizing Yuri Dolgoruky, positively assess his contribution to history, calling the prince "the collector of Russian lands." The goals and objectives of his policy were the strengthening of centralized power over the Russian principalities, which contributed to the reduction of internecine wars.

The monument to Yuri Dolgoruky on Tverskaya Square in the capital is a tribute to the founding prince. The sculpture, designed by S. M. Orlov, was installed in 1954, although he personally approved the monument on the eve of the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Moscow. The image of the prince turned out to be collective, since the exact images of Yuri Dolgoruky were not preserved. On the shield, which is in the hand of the mayor, is depicted. The ornament that adorned the monument used Slavic folklore images and ancient motifs that came to Russia through Byzantium.

And in April 2007, Russia launched a strategic nuclear submarine. The boat "Yuri Dolgoruky" is another "mobile" monument to the Grand Duke.

Commemorative coins are regularly issued in memory of Yuri Dolgoruky. They appeared on the occasion of the 800th anniversary, and then the 850th anniversary of the founding of the capital of Russia.

Many interesting facts from the biography of Prince Dolgoruky were devoted to documentaries, and in 1998 the feature film "Prince Yuri Dolgoruky" was released, where he played the main character.

Memory

• Monuments to Yuri Dolgoruky in Moscow, Dmitrov, Kostroma, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yuryev-Polsky
• The image of the prince on the medal "In memory of the 800th anniversary of Moscow"
• The name of the asteroid (7223) Dolgorukij discovered by astronomer Lyudmila Karachkina
• Feature film "Prince Yuri Dolgoruky"
• Creation of the nuclear submarine "Yuri Dolgoruky"
• The car of the Moscow Automobile Plant M-2141R5 "Yuri Dolgoruky" based on the car "Moskvich-2141"

Yuri I Vladimirovich Dolgoruky

Years of life: about 1091-1157

Reigns: 1149-1151, 1155-1157

Yuri Dolgoruky's father was Vladimir Monomakh, Grand Duke of Kiev. Yuri was his youngest son. His mother, according to one version, was the daughter of the last Anglo-Saxon king Harold II, Gita of Wessex. According to another version - the second wife of Vladimir Monomakh, whose name is unknown.

Yuri the First Vladimirovich Dolgoruky is a representative of the Rurik family, the ancestor of the Vladimir-Suzdal Grand Dukes.

Prince of Rostov-Suzdal (1125-1157); Grand Duke of Kiev (1149-1150 - half a year), (1150-1151 - less than six months), (1155-1157).

Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky is one of the most restless and controversial figures in Russian history. Being the son of Vladimir the Second Monomakh, the Grand Duke of Kiev, he did not want to be content with little and constantly sought to win the Grand Duke's throne and various destinies. It was for this that he was nicknamed Dolgoruky, that is, having long (long) arms.

As a child, Dmitry was sent with his brother Mstislav to reign in the city of Rostov. From 1117 he began to reign alone. From the beginning of the 30s. Dmitry Dolgoruky was irresistibly drawn to the south, closer to the prestigious throne of Kiev. Already in 1132, he captured Pereyaslavl Russian, but could only sit there for 8 days. His attempt to stay in Pereyaslavl in 1135 also failed.

Since 1147, Yuri has been constantly interfering in inter-princely feuds, trying to take the city of Kiev from his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich. During his long life, Yuri Dolgoruky made many attempts to attack Kiev and captured it 3 times, but in total did not sit on the throne of Kiev and 3 years. Because of the thirst for power, self-interest and cruelty, he was not respected by the people of Kiev.

Principality

The first principality of Yuri was the Rostov-Suzdal land. When he began to reign here is unknown. The date of 1096-1097 was established in historiography, but there is no evidence in this regard in the sources. At that time, Yuri was just a child, so the closest boyar Monomakh Georgy (Yuri) Simonovich ruled on his behalf. Despite the fact that Rostov was the political center of the principality, the prince himself lived in Suzdal. This was probably due to the wary attitude of the local nobility towards Yuri, but Simonovich, as a Rostov thousand man, managed to keep both sides from conflicts.

The Rostov-Suzdal land at that time was on the rise: trade flourished, crafts developed, cities were built. The influx of population came from the south, which suffered most from princely strife and attacks by nomads. The Rostov land was also a troubled region, since it was adjacent to the Volga Bulgaria, and Christianity and Islam did not have very warm relations. In 1107 the Bulgars attacked Suzdal and besieged it. The city was saved from destruction. Perhaps this conflict pushed Monomakh to an alliance with the Polovtsy against the Bulgars, which was sealed in January 1108 by the marriage of Yuri to the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa Osenevich. Of course, with this step, Vladimir also wanted to separate the Polovtsian khans, break their unity, which would weaken the onslaught on the southern borders of Russia. And dynastic marriages in the Middle Ages were the best seal that sealed peace agreements.

Yuri was first mentioned on the pages of the chronicle in 1107 precisely in connection with his marriage. There is an assumption that just at this time, and not before, Vladimir Monomakh gave him Rostov-Suzdal possession. In the following decade, warming began in Russian-Bulgarian relations, but the poisoning of Aepa and other Polovtsian khans by the Bulgars during the negotiations in 1117 led to a new conflict with Yuri. In 1120 he made the first trip to the Volga. The army of the Bulgars was defeated, the prince of Rostov captured a lot of booty. This victory eliminated the Bulgar danger for North-Eastern Russia for some time.

In 1125, Yuri's older brother Mstislav, nicknamed the Great, took the Kiev throne. He was the last of the Kiev princes who managed to maintain the unity and power of Kievan Rus. It is generally accepted that his death in 1132 marked the beginning of a new era - feudal fragmentation and the existence of independent principalities. Kiev remained the main principality and at the same time the dream of almost every more or less significant member of the Rurik dynasty. For a long time, a relentless struggle continued between the princes, who were attracted by the prospect of establishing suzerainty over the entire territory of Russia. Prince Yuri was no exception.

An intelligent, though not always self-possessed politician, he saw the key importance of Pereslavl in the struggle for the Kiev table. Located just two days on horseback from Kiev, Pereyaslavl was a kind of stepping stone to the grand prince's throne. According to tradition, one of the brothers of the Grand Duke usually sat in this city. Therefore, in 1132, Yuri captured Pereyaslavl, but only lasted eight days. The new prince of Kiev, Yaropolk Vladimirovich, Yuri's brother, expelled him and sent him back to Suzdal. After that, Yuri tried to become the prince of Polotsk, but this attempt was not crowned with success. In 1134, he again became the Prince of Pereyaslavl. This time he simply bartered Pereyaslavl from Yarogyulk for Rostov and Suzdal, but again he could not stay in the south and returned to his first principality. In the next few years, Yuri concentrated his efforts on the northern direction, first of all, subordinated Novgorod to his influence, where in May 1138 he planted his son Rostislav as a prince. It seemed that Dolgoruky at that time was not at all interested in the rivalry that had again begun around Kiev. Three brothers Yuri - Mstislav, Yaropolk and Vyacheslav, successively occupied the Kiev table in 1125-1139, then the Chernigov clan of the Olgovichs came to power in the country. They belonged to the same generation of Rurikoviches as the Monomashichs. Both those and others were the great-grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise, and the Olgovichi were even older than the Monomashichs, since their grandfather Svyatoslav was the elder brother of the Monomashichs’ grandfather, Vsevolod.

In 1146, Yuri's nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich, son of Mstislav the Great, took the throne of the Grand Duke. This was a direct violation of the rights of Yuri, because he remained, thus, the last Monomashich of this first generation, who did not occupy the Kiev table and had more rights to Kiev. More, if we proceed from the old order of succession to the throne but "patrimonial seniority", when power passed from an older brother to a younger one. However, at the Lublin Congress of Princes in 1097, the "paternal" principle was proclaimed - that is, each prince had the right to inherit his father. According to this principle, Izyaslav's rights were predominant, whose father Mstislav succeeded his father Monomakh. But neither one nor the other order of succession dominated the practice of inter-princely relations in Russia, and their coexistence led to strife and undermined the foundations of the Kievan state.

The reign of Izyaslav in Kiev became the reason for the long-term strife of the Rurikids, when two warring groups of princes were created. On the side of Izyaslav Mstislavich were his brother Prince Rostislav of Smolensk, the elder brother of Yuri Dolgoruky, the former Kiev prince Vyacheslav, and Novgorod, Yuri's traditional rival. Izyaslav enjoyed the support of the Kiev boyars, who invited him to reign. Oriented Izyaslav and the union with Poland and Hungary. Yuri's allies were Vladimirko Galitsky (his son Yaroslav Osmomysl married Yuri's daughter Olga) and Svyatoslav Olgovich (brother of the previous Kiev princes Vsevolod II and Igor (1139-1146). This group was supported by the Polovtsians and Byzantium.

In 1146, Svyatoslav Olgovich, Prince of Kursk and Novgorod-Seversky, was expelled from the Siversky land and went to the land of the Vyatichi, where he settled in the small town of Lobinsk. It was here that the embassy of Yuri Dolgoruky arrived and conveyed the famous words: "Come to me, brother, to Moscow." The meeting in Moscow took place on "Friday for the Praise of the Holy Mother of God" in 1147, that is, on Friday of the fifth week of Great Lent. This day fell on April 4, 1147 - the first day of the historical existence of Moscow. However, this chronicle message does not testify to the existence of Moscow as a city. A number of chronicles date the bookmarking by Yuri of Moscow only in 1156. Some historians believe that Moscow was built in 1153. Indeed, in 1147 only a small settlement could exist, and in 1153 Yuri fortified Moscow, erected a Kremlin with strong walls, turned the city into an outpost on the border with Smolensk land.

With the beginning of the Kiev reign of Izyaslav, Yuri stopped supplying Suzdal tribute to Kiev, which was an important step towards strengthening the political independence of Rostov-Suzdal Rus. Yuri's struggle with Izyaslav began with Dolgoruky's campaign against Novgorod. The retaliatory blow was dealt in the next 1148, when Izyaslav marched on the Rostov land and devastated the Volga lands up to Yaroslavl. In the summer of 1149, Yuri marched on Kiev and defeated the army of Izyaslav in the battle near Pereyaslav. At the beginning of September 1149, he entered Kiev without a fight and became the prince of Kiev. The first Kiev reign of Yuri Dolgoruky began. He installed his son Rostislav as prince of Pereyaslav (he died in 1151), but already in May 1150 Izyaslav unexpectedly approached Kiev, Yuri, taken by surprise, could not resist and fled to Gorodets-Ostersky.

However, Izyaslav's triumph did not last long. Yuri, having gathered the troops of the Chernigov prince Svyatoslav Olgovich and Vladimir Galitsky, moved to recapture the capital. In the battle on the Stugna River, Izyaslav was defeated by the Galicians and fled to Vladimir-Volynsky. Yuri, meanwhile, again occupies Kiev. The transfer of Kiev from one hand to another has become a common thing. In April 1151, with the help of the Hungarian troops, Izyaslav again knocked Yuri out of the capital and occupied the Grand Duke's throne for the third time. In May of this year, a decisive battle took place on the Ruta River, which put an end to Dolgoruky's attempts to recapture Kiev. He was over fifty at the time. Yuri returns to Suzdal. True, he tried to organize campaigns against Kiev in both 1152 and 1153, but both attempts were unsuccessful.

At the same time, with redoubled energy, he begins to develop the Rostov-Suzdal land. Zvenigorod was built on the Moskva River, Kideksha, the country residence of the prince, was fortified, Yuryev-Polsky, Gorodets-Meshchersky were being built. As noted above, in 1153 a fortress was built in Moscow. In 1154, Dmitrov was founded, named after the Christian patron, the son of Yuri - Vsevolod, the future Big Nest. This construction made it possible to strengthen the borders of the principality and contributed to further economic development region.

Meanwhile, great changes took place in Kiev. On November 14, 1154, Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich died. This gave impetus to a new wave of strife. The Kiev table was occupied by Izyaslav's brother Rostislav, but soon he was expelled by the Chernigov prince Izyaslav Davidovich. Having learned that the army of Yuri is advancing from the north, this time deciding to become a Kiev prince at any cost, he voluntarily concedes the grand prince's table. Their union was sealed by the marriage of the son of Yuri Gleb to the daughter of Izyaslav Davidovich. March 20, 1155 Yuri Dolgoruky becomes prince of Kiev for the third time,

An important moment of his reign was the establishment of close relations with Byzantium. By the second marriage, Dolgoruky was married to a relative of the Byzantine emperor Manuel Komnenos. George's church policy was connected with Byzantium. Izyaslav tried to break with the tradition of appointing Russian metropolitans in Constantinople. An important step along this path was the election of Klim (Kliment) Smolyatich to the metropolitan in 1147. This was the second metropolitan of Kiev of Russian origin after Hilarion. He supported Izyaslav and therefore his powers were not recognized in all Russian lands. The Russian Church was at that time on the verge of a split. In 1155, Klim was removed and Dolgoruky turned to the Patriarchate of Constantinople with a request to appoint a new Russian metropolitan. They became the Greek theologian Constantine I. With the support of Yuri, he began a tough fight with the supporters of Clement. Clement himself and the late Izyaslav were anathematized, and their actions declared illegal. The active work of the new metropolitan was interrupted after the death of Dolgoruky.

Death

Yuri died unexpectedly. Prior to that, he feasted at the Kiev osmenik (trade duty collectors) Petrila, after which he fell ill and five days later, on the night of May 15, 1157, he died. The next day he was buried in the village of Berestovo in the Church of the Holy Savior. Chronicles hint that Yuri was poisoned. Someone, but he had enough enemies. Dolgoruky managed to turn against himself a powerful coalition of princes. By 1157, Izyaslav Davidovich and Svyatoslav Olgovich (a former ally), Rostislav Smolensky and the son of the late Izyaslav, Mstislav Volynsky, were preparing to openly oppose him. Yuri was not popular among the people of Kiev either. He did not conclude a "row" with the city, and the Kiev Veche could not forgive such a violation of its traditional rights. Immediately after his death, a revolt broke out in the city against the princely administration. The Kievans defeated the city and country estates of the prince and killed all the Suzdalians in the cities and villages of the Kiev land. After that, the Kiev boyars invited Izyaslav Davidovich of Chernigov to the throne.

Thus ended the Kiev epic of Yuri Dolgoruky. His activity on the all-Russian scale was rather insignificant, but he did a lot for the Rostov-Suzdal land. During his reign, a distant, almost wild land began to gradually turn into one of the most highly developed regions of Russia. In fact, he prepared the ground on which the principality flourished under his sons, Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest. He went down in history primarily as the founder of the capital of the Russian state, as the prince who laid the foundation for the dynasty of Vladimir-Suzdal and Moscow rulers, the organizer of North-Eastern Russia, which became the core of the future Russia.

Marriages and children

Marriages: since 1108 married to the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa Osenevich (since 1108), since June 14, 1182. on Princess Olga (daughter or sister) of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos)

In total, Yuri Dolgoruky had 13 children:

Rostislav Yurievich, Prince of Novgorod, Pereyaslavsky

Andrei Bogolyubsky, Grand Duke of Vladimir-Suzdal

Ivan Yurievich, Prince of Kursk

Gleb Yurievich, Prince Pereyaslavsky, Grand Duke of Kiev

Boris Yurievich Prince of Belgorod, Turov

Mstislav Yurievich, Prince of Novgorod

Yaroslav Yurievich, Prince of Chernigov

Svyatoslav Yuryevich, Prince Yuryevsky

Vasilko (Vasily) Yurievich, Prince of Suzdal

Mikhail Yurievich, Grand Duke of Vladimir-Suzdal

Vsevolod the Third Big Nest, Grand Duke of Vladimir-Suzdal

· Maria; Olga, who was the wife of the Galician prince Yaroslav Osmomysl.



Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky (years of life: about 1091-1157) - from the Rurik dynasty, the ancestor of the Vladimir-Suzdal Grand Dukes. Prince of Rostov-Suzdal (1125-1157); Years of government: Grand Duke of Kiev in 1149-1151, 1155-1157. He was the youngest son of the Grand Duke of Kiev. He erected the fortresses of Tver, Dubna, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Dmitrov and others. Under him, Moscow was first mentioned (1147). Yuri ascended the throne as a child, therefore Georgy Simonovich, the closest boyar of Monomakh, ruled on his behalf.

We can imagine the image of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky only from a few artistic and historical works.
Prince Yuri, the first ruler of a rich region and the founder of Moscow, clearly showed a desire for autocracy in Russia, trying to extend his influence to the main cities of the north and south of the country - Novgorod and even Kiev. It was for this that he was nicknamed Dolgoruky, that is, having long (long) arms.

For the first time, Yuri is mentioned on the pages of the chronicle in 1107. There is an assumption that just then, and not earlier, Vladimir Monomakh gave him the Rostov-Suzdal possession.

The struggle for the Kiev reign

Since 1147, Dolgoruky constantly intervened in inter-princely feuds, trying to take the city of Kiev from his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich. During his life, Yuri Dolgoruky made many attempts to conquer Kiev and was able to master it three times, but in total he did not sit on the Kiev throne for three years. Because of the thirst for power, self-interest and cruelty, he was not respected by the people of Kiev.

For the first time, Yuri was able to take the Kiev throne in 1149, when he defeated the troops of the Kiev prince Izyaslav II Mstislavich. Under his control were also the principalities - Turov and Pereyaslav. He gave Vyshgorod to his older brother Vyacheslav, however, the traditional order of succession by seniority was violated, which Izyaslav took advantage of. With the help of Hungarian and Polish allies, Izyaslav in 1150-51. was able to regain Kiev and made Vyacheslav co-ruler (essentially continuing to rule on his behalf). Dolgoruky's attempt to recapture Kiev ended in defeat on the Ruta River in 1151.

The second time Yuri Dolgoruky received power in Kiev in 1155, when he expelled Izyaslav III Davidovich, who had seized power, from the city, with the consent of the Grand Duke of Kiev Rostislav. After these events, the title of Grand Duke of Kiev Rostislav gave way to Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky.

From 1155, the third attempt was crowned with success, Yuri Vladimirovich was the ruler in Kiev until his death in 1157. The chronicle says that he was an envious, ambitious, cunning, but also brave man. Not enjoying the special love of the people and princes, he was able to win all the same a reputation not only as a skilled warrior, but also as an equally intelligent ruler.

Construction of the Moscow Kremlin

Founder of Moscow

The dream of his whole life - to become the Grand Duke of Kiev as a result came true, but in history and in the memory of his descendants, he remained the founder of a completely different city. 1147 - it was at the behest of Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky, to protect the borders, on the unknown outskirts of North-Eastern Russia, a city was founded, which to this day is called Moscow. A small village was located on a high hill at the confluence of 3 rivers, which seemed to Yuri the most suitable for building a guard fort. Moscow, the Grand Duke can be said to have created, but we should not forget that he remained the Prince of Kiev. And there were their own affairs, which also lay on the shoulders of Yuri.

Church Affairs

The Grand Duke solved the most important problems for that era. And one cannot ignore the fact that he overcame the deep crisis that struck the church hierarchy of Kievan Rus.

1147 - at the behest of the Grand Duke of Kiev Izyaslav Mstislavich, an ardent opponent of Dolgoruky, and at the initiative of the Chernigov Bishop Onuphry, in St. Sophia of Kiev was convened church cathedral, where Klim Smolyatich was elected to the metropolitan see. The council was considered non-canonical and did not have universal support.

According to Yuri, Klim Smolyatich was removed from the throne of Kiev. The Grand Duke sent ambassadors to the capital of the Byzantine Empire, who, in addition to the news of Yuri Vladimirovich's reign in Russia, conveyed his request to Emperor Manuel Komnenos and Patriarch Konstantin IV Khliarin of Constantinople to appoint a new metropolitan to the Russian cathedra.

Emperor Manuel immediately recognized Dolgoruky as the rightful prince of Kiev. The Byzantine historian John Kinnam writes that Yuri (George) "occupied the first place" (in another translation: "possessed seniority") "among the philarchs (rulers) of Tauroscythia (Rus)".

Yury Dolgoruky. Portrait from the Royal Titular

Vladimir icon Mother of God

The name of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky is associated with the appearance in Russia of its main shrine - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. When Yuri reigned in Kiev, the Patriarch of Tsaregradsky sent him an image of the Mother of God, which was written by the Evangelist Luke. The icon was placed in a maiden's monastery in Vyshgorod, which in ancient times was the specific city of Blessed Princess Olga. Andrey Bogolyubsky, leaving Vyshgorod, took out miraculous icon to the Suzdal land. For her, he erected the Assumption Church in Vladimir, and since that time the icon has been called Vladimirskaya. Vladimir icon The Mother of God began to be revered as the intercessor of the Russian land and the patroness of Moscow founded by Yuri Dolgoruky.

Civil strife

1156 - a new Metropolitan Konstantin arrived in Russia from Constantinople, installed in Kiev according to the canons Orthodox Church. The Grand Duke tirelessly strove for the unity of Northern and Southern Russia. At first, he succeeded, but soon his opponents, who claimed the power of the grand duke, felt that the son of Monomakh was dreaming of autocracy, and began to prepare for war. Princely civil strife intensified.

Death

1157 - a powerful coalition of South Russian princes was formed against the Grand Duke, only Svyatoslav Seversky did not betray Yuri. The regiments of Izyaslav Davidovich, Rostislav Mstislavich Smolensky, Mstislav Izyaslavich were preparing to march on Kiev. Yuri Dolgoruky accepted the challenge, the war was inevitable. Returning to Kiev, Dolgoruky on May 10, 1157, after a feast at the boyar Petrila, suddenly fell ill, and on May 15 he died.

On the day of the performance against Yuri Dolgoruky by the united princely squads, a messenger arrived from Kiev to Izyaslav Davidovich with a message about the death of the Grand Duke. The chronicler wrote: “On that day, the people of Kiev came to Izyaslav, saying: go, prince, to Kiev, Yuri died.” The phrase may indicate that in Kiev they expected the arrival of Izyaslav and could hasten the death of the last of the sons of Monomakh. Having received this news, according to the chronicler, “he (Izyaslav Davidovich), shedding tears and raising his hands to God, said: blessed are you, Lord, for you judged me with him by death, and not by bloodshed.” The princes, hostile to Dolgoruky, relied in their claims on the Kievan boyars, who were dissatisfied with the policy of the Grand Duke.

Everything speaks for the fact that the Grand Duke could become a victim of a princely-boyar conspiracy. On the death of Yuri Dolgoruky, the chronicle says: “Yuri drank at Osmenik Petril that day, and at night he fell ill and had his illness for 5 days, and Yuri Vladimirovich, Prince of Kiev, reposed in Kiev, the month of May on the 15th day on Wednesday at night ". From this it follows that the death of the Grand Duke occurred under rather mysterious circumstances, although the chronicler does not openly speak of his deliberate poisoning.

Someone, and he had many enemies. Yuri set against himself a powerful coalition of princes. Dolgoruky was not popular among the people of Kiev either. He did not conclude a "row" with the city, and the Kiev Veche could not forgive such a violation of its traditional rights. Immediately after his death, a riot broke out in the city against the princely administration. The Kievans destroyed the city and country estates of the prince and killed all the Suzdalians in the cities and villages of the Kiev land. After that, the Kiev boyars invited Izyaslav Davidovich of Chernigov to the throne.

Memory

Thus ended the epic of the Grand Duke of Kiev Yuri Dolgoruky. His activities on the all-Russian scale were rather insignificant, but he was able to do a lot for the Rostov-Suzdal land. During his reign, a distant, almost wild land began to gradually turn into one of the most highly developed regions of Russia. In fact, he prepared the ground on which the principality flourished under his sons, Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod the Big Nest. He went down in history, first of all, as the founder of Moscow, as the prince who laid the foundation for the dynasty of Vladimir-Suzdal and Moscow rulers, the organizer of North-Eastern Russia, which became the core of the future Russia.

Today, a monument to Yuri Dolgoruky stands in the very center of Moscow. The Grand Duke proudly looks from his bronze horse at the results of his labors.

Prince Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky (Georgy Vladimirovich) - son of Vladimir Monomakh, Kiev ruler and founder of Moscow. Years of life: 1090s - May 15, 1157. Buried in Kiev.

Historians still cannot determine the exact date of the prince's birth due to uncertainty with Yuri's mother. Approximately the future prince was born in the period 1090-1097. From an early age, he inherited the Rostov-Suzdal principality, which Yuri controlled from Suzdal, he took care of the needs of the inhabitants throughout his life. Dolgoruky led an active foreign policy conquest, annexation of lands, for which he received his nickname.

On Wikipedia about Yuri Dolgoruky you can find Additional information about his ancestors, wives and children, the origin of the nickname. We will illuminate the path of the ruler of Russia, his merits and transformations.

Characteristics of Yuri Dolgoruky

The famous researcher N. M. Karamzin described the Suzdal prince as an outstanding personality with a tough temper and rebelliousness, but not without good qualities. Yuri did not favor the boyars and did not pardon the enemies, he took care of ordinary people. Renowned for:

• founded several cities and settlements,
• built churches and roads,
• praised Christianity.

It is noted that the inhabitants of the northeast respected the prince for his creation and support. By annexing new lands and resettling people there, he provided them with loans for housing, allowed them to freely conduct land activities.

Cities founded by Dolgoruky

Prince Yuri did a lot for Russia. One of the most famous accomplishments foundation of Moscow. In 1147, he held a meeting there with Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich, his future ally in the capture of Kiev. Approximately from 1156 active building of Moscow began.

In the early 1150s, Dolgoruky founded the city of Yuryev, which was named after him, and then Pereslavl. In the latter, the Borisoglebskaya church, built under Dolgoruky in his residence Kideksha, is still preserved. The prince was religious and erected many temples, choosing for this a noble and valuable white stone.

In addition, the Suzdal prince founded Dmitrov, Yuryev-Polsky. He significantly expanded his possessions and appeared as a powerful force in the North of Russia.

Let's follow the main events that took place during the reign of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Briefly about the three periods:

1. The beginning of the reign: from 1113 to the 40s.
2. The first conquest of Kiev - 1149−1151
3. Second reign in Kiev - 1155−1157

The reign of Dolgoruky in 1113-40s

Around 1113, Dolgoruky began to manage his lands.

In 1120, the Rostov-Suzdal prince organized a campaign of Polovtsy, Russians against the Bulgars of the Volga region.

In 1125, the prince moved from Rostov to Suzdal in order to better manage his principality. But he was still dependent on the decrees of the Kiev prince - Mstislav the Great, only in 1131 Dolgoruky achieved autonomy of government. The people appreciated their ruler, who protected his subjects, provided them with housing and access to churches.

In 1132, the Principality of Pereyaslav threatened to withdraw to Vsevolod Mstislavovich, which Yuri did not allow. Izyaslav Mstislavovich was sent to replace him, which Dolgoruky also took with hostility. Izyaslav and Vsevolod harbored a grudge against the obstinate Prince Yuri and, having united their troops, organized a campaign against the Rostov-Suzdal Principality in 1134. But the decisive battle did not give a decisive outcome, both sides came out with heavy losses.

In 1135, the then ruler of Kiev, Yaropolk, agreed to leave Pereyaslavl to Yuri Dolgoruky if he gave the central part of his principality. But the decision of Yaropolk in the union was opposed by the Mstislavovichi and Olgovichi. Yuri returned to Rostov again, and Pereyaslavl went to Andrey Dobry.

In 1139, Yaropolk died, and difficulties arose with a successor to the throne of Kiev. Yuri made an attempt to go south with the Novgorodians, but failed. To win the throne for Dolgoruky was the number one task.

Board in Kiev

In 1147, Dolgoruky settled in Kursk, and two years later captured Kiev. But Izyaslav Mstislavovich, with the support of the Kiev nobility, conquered the city from him and took the throne. Yuri tried to defend himself, made a series of attacks, but lost and was forced to yield to Izyaslav, to leave the southern lands.

Prince Dolgoruky found a strong ally in the person of Svyatoslav Olgovich - Izyaslav's rival. In addition to him, Vladimir Galitsky spoke for Yuri, the Polovtsy took the same side. But the advantage was for the Mstislavovichs. They were supported by the inhabitants of the Smolensk, Novgorod, Ryazan principalities, the rulers of the lands where Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland are now located. Therefore, the prince of Suzdal was overthrown in 1152 from the throne of Kiev.

But Prince Yuri did not leave his goal. Izyaslav died, other heirs to the throne died, Izyaslav Davydovich became the ruler of Kiev. Dolgoruky acquired a powerful squad, which forced Davydovich to abdicate almost immediately and flee to the Chernigov Principality. So, in 1155 Dolgoruky became the ruler of Kiev for the second time.

Andrey Yuryevich now ruled in Vyshgorod, and Gleb Yuryevich - in Pereyaslavl.

Death and legacy

But Yuri Vladimirovich did not enjoy the achieved goal for long. In 1157, he was poisoned in the house of the Kiev boyar, Osmannik Petrila. The poison acted quickly, and soon the prince was gone. Dolgoruky did not have much popularity and respect among the locals, so his yard was immediately smashed. Izyaslav Davydovich returned to Kiev.

Prince Yuri was married twice. The first wife, the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan, bore him five sons-heirs. The second is a Greek woman, the heiress of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel. From her, Dolgoruky received six sons, among them: Vsevolod (the future Grand Duke of Vladimir, Vsevolod III), Mikhail, Vasily.

While Yuri ruled in Kiev (1149-1151), Suzdal was placed at the disposal of his son Vasily. When Dolgoruky ascended the throne a second time (1155−1157), Rostov-Suzdal Principality again followed him. Yuri expected to pass it on after his death to Vsevolod and Mikhail, send other older children to the southern lands. However, Andrei, later nicknamed Bogolyubsky, left Vyshgorod, heading to the northeast, and after the death of his father chose Vladimir-on-Klyazma as the capital and became Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal.

Finally

Prince Yuri conquered a lot of lands and developed territories, living in a difficult time of internecine wars. He paid tribute to religion, paid attention to the construction of temples. During his reign, the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality became the center of Northern Russia, it flourished, and its inhabitants idolized their noble prince.

However, there are a number of critics who claim that the prince did not care about anything other than a keen desire to conquer new territories. And Dolgoruky owes all his merits to his sons and allies, the princes.

It is worth taking into account the different points of view of historians, comparing them and finding a common factual basis. Unfortunately, for such personalities as Prince Dolgoruky, who lived in the first millennium, there is practically no reliable information due to the small number of lifetime descriptions and testimonies.

In Moscow, on the square in front of the city hall, there is an equestrian monument. The mighty warrior stretched out his hand over the city. This is a memory of the one who founded Moscow - Yuri Dolgoruky.

Uniter of the Lands

A meticulous historian will say that Yuri Dolgoruky did not found Moscow - the city, and even more so the settlement, existed long before him. It's just that in the chronicles Moscow was first mentioned during his reign in 1147, and in 1156 he fortified it, turning it into a well-protected trading center.

In the life of this man - the unifier of many Russian lands, the son of Vladimir Monomakh and the daughter of the English king Harold II Gita - there is a lot of obscure and mysterious things. It is not surprising: in the XII century in Russia, the tradition of detailed chronicles was not yet developed. And, as a result, history is replaced by stories about it - myths, legends.

The official version claims that the prince received his nickname - Dolgoruky - for constant territorial encroachments, when in the early 1130s. fought for the cities of Southern Pereslavl and Kiev. Yuri repeatedly attacked Kiev, took possession of it three times, but he managed to sit on the throne for a total of no more than three years. Not only did the Kiev clergy not accept him, but ordinary Kievans also disliked him because of self-interest and cruelty.

For some, Dolgoruky is a hero, a unifier of lands. And indeed: under him, temples were erected throughout Russia, including the famous churches on the Nerl, in Vladimir, Suzdal, he developed new cities - Yuryev-Polsky, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Dmitrov.

However, there were also many who had a steady antipathy towards the prince. Perhaps he could not stand comparison with his glorious father Vladimir Monomakh. Having become the head of the senior line of the Monomashichs, Yuri, instead of continuing the brilliant foreign policy of his father, entered into a deadly struggle with the Volyn princes for the throne of Kiev. Everything was here: betrayals, murders, conspiracies, and short-lived alliances. As a result, Dolgoruky took up arms against many, including his nephews.

Historian N.M. Karamzin conveys a legend that the people hated the prince so much that they did not even want Y. Dolgoruky to be buried next to his glorious father. Yuri was buried outside the city - in the Berestovskaya Church of the Savior. And then they plundered both his palace and the princely house beyond the Dnieper.

Nine hundred thirty years later

Why did Yuri Dolgoruky die? It is known that in the last days of his life he was preparing for a battle against the union of princes who decided to storm Kiev. Everyone was waiting for a cruel multi-day slaughter, and suddenly ... Karamzin relates the story: on May 10, 1157, the prince began to feast on a visit to his boyar Osmyannik Petrila and fell ill that night, and died five days later.

They said that the boyars poisoned him. The constant conspiracies of the princes against each other, the struggle for the throne of Kiev, it would seem, gave an undoubted reason for the forcible removal of Yuri. History has not preserved any direct evidence of this, but for many, his death seemed sudden - right on the eve of the most important battle for Kiev.

In the late 80s of the twentieth century in Ukraine, near the Church of the Savior on Berestovo, in a sarcophagus, clearly intended for an influential person, the bones of the skeleton were found. It was immediately assumed that the remains could belong to Yuri Dolgoruky, because all the ancient chronicles indicate that the prince should be buried here. At the request of the director of the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, a forensic medical examination of the bone remains was carried out. The official conclusion made us take a different look at the appearance of Yuri Dolgoruky and the nature of his death.

The conclusion says: “The bone remains of a man of low stature (about 157 cm), fragile physique, with poorly developed muscles, who died at an advanced (60–70 years) age, are presented for the study.” So, the real Yuri is not at all like that warrior-hero who stands in front of the Moscow City Hall. He was short, wiry and lean.

And Yuri Dolgoruky died at an advanced age, he was 60-70 years old: at that time he could be considered a long-liver. Before the discovery of the remains, the time of the birth of the prince was not known, the chronicles recorded only the date of his death - 1157. Now it turned out: the prince lived to a ripe old age and his death could hardly have been unexpected.

Obviously, in recent years, he was very ill and suffered. From the forensic medical conclusion: "During his lifetime, the person whose bones were examined suffered from pronounced osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine, accompanied by pain." Most likely, by this age, Yuri was already moving with difficulty - any sudden movement caused pain. He walked bent over, possibly limping, probably turning his head only together with his body - he could not do otherwise. He spent most of his time either sitting or lying down. He slept, probably anxiously, often waking up from sharp pains. If he had to mount a horse, he did it with great difficulty and only with the help of servants. Naturally, he could no longer take any personal part in the battles.

He probably had other ailments as well. Often, osteochondrosis is accompanied by heart disease, malfunctions in the activities of a number of internal organs. There may also be a violation of pulmonary activity. In any case, in this state of the intervertebral discs and cartilaginous tissue of a person, a whole “bouquet” of pathologies accompanies. By the way, it is possible that it is precisely the wild pains, the inability to rest and recover normally that explain those outbursts of anger, irritability and cruelty of Dolgoruky, which the annals tell about.

Was there poison?

However, the fact of illness does not mean at all that Prince Yuri could not be poisoned. Establishing poisoning after almost a thousand years is extremely difficult, and yet we managed to find out something. What then could poison? First of all, poisons of inorganic and mineral origin - for example, arsenic, lead. They could also be poisons of organic, vegetable origin, isolated, say, from herbs, poisonous berries, etc. All this could be poured into any drink, given as a medicine to relieve pain. Alas, after a thousand years, the presence of poisons of organic origin cannot be established. But traces of arsenic, mercury, and other similar substances can be found in bone tissue or, for example, in hair. We read the conclusion: “In the spectral study of the bones, no signs of poisoning with inorganic poisons (compounds of arsenic, lead, zinc, silver, copper, etc.) were found.”

Prince Dolgoruky was not poisoned with poisons of inorganic origin so popular at that time. What about others? It's possible, but that's out of the realm of speculation. We can only say that Yuri Dolgoruky lived to old age and was by this time seriously ill. He was ill, as is known from the annals, for five days, after which he died - they usually die from poisons faster, although such an outcome is also possible. We do not know how these last five days have passed, how the disease has developed. But it seems that the most terrible enemy of man, the natural aging of the body, has done his job here. And the prince died from multiple dysfunctions of the body.

What if..?

True, there is another mystery: what if the human remains found in the Church of the Savior on Berestovo do not belong to Yuri Dolgoruky?