Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslav the wise

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

Yaroslav the Wise. short biography

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

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

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

System of ascension to the throne

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

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

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

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

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

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

Close ties with Scandinavian countries

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

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

Bloody battle for the throne

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

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

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

Two years later, or the return of Svyatopolk

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

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

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

Political line of rapprochement with the West

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

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

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

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

New capital of the world

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

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

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

Yaroslav the Wise, prince of Ancient Rus', is known to any schoolchild. Once the great ruler of a huge state, he now lives peacefully on the pages of a history textbook, revealing new information about his amazing activities to young minds. A true patriot, a subtle diplomat, an experienced economist and a true connoisseur of art - all this can be said about the prince. Historical portrait It is impossible to briefly describe Yaroslav the Wise, since the period of his reign is generously limited good deeds and smart actions.

War with brothers for the throne

After his death, Prince of Rus' Vladimir left many sons and heirs. The eldest, Svyatopolk, decided to become a single ruler, for this purpose he killed younger brothers: Gleb, Boris and Svyatoslav. The survivor Yaroslav, at that time the prince of Novgorod, having learned about the atrocities of his relative, gathered a squad and went to Kyiv. There were many battles for the throne between the brothers. Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Accursed for his evil disposition and intolerant character, often asked for help from the Pechenegs. The forces were unequal, and Yaroslav retreated. But one day the Russian people themselves, tired of the obnoxious ruler, took up arms and helped the Novgorodian defeat his brother and take the throne.

A little later, he also had to go out onto the battlefield with Mstislav, who ruled in Tmutarakan. Another brother who showed up also wanted to remove his more successful son, Vladimir, from the throne. But even here Yaroslav won. He was greatly supported by both nobles and ordinary peasants. Since then, the era of the heyday of Ancient Rus' began. The historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise (c. 988-1054) even today speaks of the courage and thoughtfulness of this great ruler.

Why Wise?

Nicknames were given to princes by common people based on their style of government, habits or character traits. The historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise makes it clear that he was a truly deep man, with a broad outlook and an analytical mind. He was given the nickname “Wise” because of his tireless educational activities. He not only read chronicles and books, which at that time was considered the peak of learning, he also did everything to ensure that literacy spread to all segments of the population.

Representatives of the clergy, on his instructions, began to teach children the art of reading and writing. The prince also opened the first school for boys, which was located in Novgorod. In the 11th century, this became a big event that changed people's understanding of life. Buying books in large quantities, the prince collected a huge library and handed it over to Yaroslav the Wise - an example of a historical portrait of a ruler who constantly thought about the well-being of his subjects and contributed to this in every possible way.

Introduction of translations

The historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise testifies to the extraordinary prince, his amazing abilities in science and creativity. He became the first in Rus' who decided not only to read and write books, but also to translate existing works of foreign chroniclers and sages.

He revered the wisdom of representatives of other powers, and was especially struck by the thinkers of Ancient Greece. Yaroslav ordered their philosophical treatises to be translated so that people who wanted to read them would use their native language, Slavic, thereby improving it and studying it more deeply. Adhering to this principle, he laid the foundation for the destruction of the dependence of Russian scientists on the heritage of Byzantium. And when the question arose about the appointment of a new metropolitan, he did not call him from abroad, as was previously customary, but appointed his own, Hilarion, from the simple Slavic village of Brestov. The church charter, Nomocanon, was also translated into the native language, as ordered by the prince. To be the best, not to be afraid of changes - these are the character traits that the historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise demonstrates through the centuries. The history of Russia had never known such rulers before.

The first handwritten law in Rus'

Yes, for this good and the right thing Yaroslav the Wise also had a hand. He stands at the origins of the creation of the most ancient Russian monument of jurisprudence - the "Charter" ("Russian Truth", or "Court of Yaroslavl"). Modern researchers unanimously declare that this is not a simple book written by the prince, not only his reflections and thoughts, but a very deep work in the field of law, a whole collection of laws, orders and customs in force in those distant times. They said that private individuals helped the ruler in creating the collection. But even if they wrote the entire “Charter,” Yaroslav’s contribution cannot be overestimated. Since he, at a minimum, patronized them, gathered them all under one roof, united them in one task and brought it to the end - he published a collection.

The “Charter” increased liability for murder, arson, and damage to livestock and property. He stood guard over the health and lives of ordinary people and provided financial compensation for injuries and insults inflicted. He recommended conducting an examination, searching for criminals in hot pursuit, checking false testimony - at this still initial level of development of these components of the modern law enforcement system.

The rise of Kyiv

Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054 - the years of his reign in Kyiv) ruled with dignity. This period marked the heyday of the state and the capital of ancient Rus' - Kyiv. The prince patronized religion. He welcomed the construction of new temples and churches. During his reign, the first monasteries began to be built, among them the world-famous Kiev-Pechersk. Today it is a whole Lavra, which amazes with its beauty and luxury. This is the center of religious life in Kyiv.

Yaroslav also fortified this city with a huge rampart, turning it into a real fortress. The southern entrance was framed by gates, they were called “Golden” because of the church domes. Also in the center of this part of the city, a metropolitan cathedral, known as St. Sophia, was erected. These buildings in the ancient capital of Russian cities have survived to this day in excellent condition. They radiate the glory and strength of our ancestors. Millions of tourists come to Kyiv every year to see these man-made wonders.

Thanks to the prince, the craft began to actively develop. Craftsmen from all over Rus' came to Kyiv and set up a whole settlement here. Nowadays this place is called Podil. The capital of the Russian principality has reached the apogee of development and is on par with such European capitals as London and Paris.

Prince's foreign policy

He managed to expand the borders of Rus'. His power covered and the western part of this land was built on the city of Yuriev, known today as the Estonian Tartu. The desire to make your principality better than everyone else is the credo that radiates from the historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise. indicates that he was able to restore power on the Neman over the Yatvingians. He completely rebuilt and revived not only Kyiv, but also Novgorod, Vladimir-Volynsky, Chernigov.

Yaroslav strengthened the borders of the principality and led an active struggle against the nomads. When they reached the borders of his state, he gathered a squad and successfully repelled enemy attacks. He was feared and respected. Yaroslav was very well-mannered and was received in the most influential countries of Europe: Britain, France, Germany, Norway, Byzantium. The rulers of these powers drank tea with him at the same table, communicated as equals and considered Rus' a full-fledged, developed and strong state unit of that time.

Dynastic connections

Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise, whose political portrait is described in every history textbook today, showed how valuable marriages concluded with representatives of the royal houses of Europe were for him. This, too, showed his renowned wisdom. He himself married the daughter of the Swedish king Ingigerda, who was baptized Irina.

His sons also made a good match. Izyaslav chose the sister of the Polish king, Igor - a German princess, Svyatoslav - an Austrian princess, Vsevolod - a Greek princess from the Monomakh family, who gave birth to another famous Russian prince, Vladimir Monomakh.

The daughters of Prince Yaroslav settled down even better. Anastasia married the king of Hungary, Elizabeth married the Norwegian ruler, Anna married the French king. As we see, these dynastic ties further strengthened the position of Rus' on the political and economic world stage. And they showed all European states the strength and power of our illustrious ancestors.

Establishment of the Russian Imperial House

Yaroslav also had a hand in this important moment. He managed to become related to almost all of Europe, and this contributed to the prosperity of his grand duchy. The historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise shows that an active foreign policy helped him in domestic affairs. So, thanks to extensive family ties, he established trade, began to develop cities and further strengthen the borders.

Dynastic policy was also approved at the legislative level. Alexander the Blessed laid the foundation for the Russian Imperial House. According to this decree, persons of the royal family did not have the right to enter into unequal marriages. This was also achieved greater development principalities. After all, connections with the royal houses of other powers only strengthened the position of Rus', since other alliances were of little use. Blood ties also helped to avoid wars; in the event of an enemy attack, they provided active support and assistance, enriched the treasury and developed all spheres of life of the principality.

Conclusion

The historical portrait of Yaroslav the Wise reveals to us the full depth of the prince’s thoughts, his foresight and analytical mind. He knew exactly what was needed to develop the state and strictly adhered to his plan. Thanks to him, Rus' reached the apogee of its development. The economy, trade, art and construction were at their highest peak. The state not only prospered, it declared itself on the political world stage. Russia was considered, respected and revered.

What were the heirs of Yaroslav, the princes of Ancient Rus'? Who are they? Historical portraits show that the Wise did not have a worthy follower. None of his sons could decisively follow in their father’s footsteps, so Rus' never saw such development in those distant years. All the prince’s achievements gradually faded away, the pace of development decreased, and then completely disappeared. The dark medieval hours were approaching, the Time of Troubles. Rus' seems to have been forgotten in lethargic sleep, waiting for a new strong and wise ruler.

The Great Prince of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise became famous for his many achievements. It is known that the people loved him for his kind and fair attitude towards people. He did not seek to conquer new lands, but managed to increase the level of education in his possessions and improve the well-being of the people. During the years of the prince's reign, more books were written than during the entire existence of Kievan Rus. And so that all this handwritten property could pass on to the heirs, it was necessary to find a reliable place for storage. This place became the library of Yaroslav the Wise.

In historical footsteps

The first and only mention of the book depository is given in the Tale of Bygone Years; it dates back to 1037. It says: “Yaroslav loved books, and he placed a lot of what he wrote in the Church of St. Sophia, which he created himself.”

Mikhail Lomonosov also studied this issue. He expressed the opinion that there were also scrolls from the Library of Alexandria in Kyiv. Lomonosov was sure that knowledge brought from India and East Asia was stored there, which Europeans still did not know.

How many books were there?

It is not known for certain how many handwritten texts were kept under the arches of the cathedral. Some historians believe that there were about 500 of them, others are sure that there were much more - about 1000. It is known that Yaroslav the Wise was very fond of books and was a polyglot, he could read most European languages. All texts were first translated from Greek, Bulgarian, Latin languages, and then manually copied and bound. During the prince's lifetime, about 1000 copies were copied. And he began creating his invaluable library 17 years before his death.

It is worth noting that at the beginning of the 11th century, people did not yet know what paper was. Texts were written on parchments. They were made from the skin of young calves and sheep, which was thinned and dried in the sun. Parchment was an extremely expensive material because it took a very long time to make, and animals were killed in herds to create even one book. The covers of such manuscripts were real works of art. They used saffiano leather, which was decorated precious metals and stones. Some pieces had diamond, emerald and pearl inserts.

Princely legacy

The first library of Yaroslav the Wise did not last long. Information about it was lost at the beginning of the 13th century, when the Tatar-Mongols attacked Rus' and burned Kyiv. According to most historians, it was during this period that the book depository died. At the same time, this could have happened earlier, for example, during the Polovtsian raids in 1169 and 1206.

There is a chance that some books were still saved. Largely thanks to the prince’s daughters. Youngest daughter Yaroslav the Wise was betrothed to the French king Henry I. During her departure, she took some of the manuscript property. One of these books was the legendary Reims Gospel. It is assumed that for seven centuries in a row all the kings of France, including Louis XIV, swore an oath during the coronation precisely on this manuscript from the library of Yaroslav the Wise.

The prince had two more daughters, who also became queens of other ruling dynasties medieval Europe. Anastasia became the wife of King Andrew I of Hungary, Elizabeth became the wife of King Harold III of Norway. When leaving for a new place of residence, the princesses took some of the books with them as a dowry.

Nevertheless, most of the manuscripts remained in Kyiv. The library definitely existed until 1054, and then its traces are lost.

Where to find the library of Yaroslav the Wise?

Yaroslavl seems to some to be one of suitable places, where the Grand Duke could leave his treasures. After all, this mighty city was founded by him and had strong, indestructible walls of the Kremlin. But in fact, it’s worth looking for a library in Kyiv.

Today, there are several versions of the possible existence of a secret storage facility. But none of them have been officially confirmed.

Version 1: St. Sophia Cathedral

The most logical place to look for a library is where it was founded. But in 1240, during the Tatar-Mongol invasion, St. Sophia Cathedral was completely destroyed. Ivan Mazepa began its restoration several centuries later. But no information is recorded in history that a secret storage facility was found underground.

In 1916, a collapse occurred under the cathedral. The workers carrying out the excavations found an ancient note in one of the walls that read: “Whoever finds this passage will find the great treasure of Yaroslav.” But further excavations soon ceased. As documents show, to prevent unauthorized treasure hunting.

In 2010, a group of researchers of secret places discovered a huge room underground (at the depth of a four-story building). The research was carried out using a device called a biolocator; its effectiveness has been tested more than once on other objects. Perhaps an unknown treasure is hidden deep underground in the Kyiv catacombs.

Version 2: Mezhyhirya

Children's libraries named after Yaroslav the Wise were opened during Soviet Union throughout huge country. But the party authorities were silent about the discovery of another book depository. It's about about a secret treasure in Mezhyhirya.

It all started in 1934, when the country residence of the first secretary of the regional party committee of Kiev Postyshev was built in this city. The territory of the former Mezhigorsky Monastery was chosen as the location for the work. While digging a pit, a basement was found completely filled with ancient books. Then the party leadership ordered to bury the basement and keep quiet about the find.

This was the case until the 80s of the last century, when one of the workers decided to reveal the secret. Around the same time, the country residence began to be rebuilt for another statesman and again came across the ill-fated cave. But all attempts by historians and archaeologists to penetrate there were in vain. An urgent government project was ordered to be completed and the basement buried.

For the whole world, the mysterious basement, filled to the top with parchments blackened by time, remained a mystery.

Personalized libraries of our time

The Central Children's Library named after Yaroslav the Wise exists in the city of Yaroslavl. But this is not the only book depository named after the Grand Duke. In Kharkov, at the Law University named after Yaroslav the Wise, there is also a structural unit of the same name.

Today, the scientific library of the National Law University named after Yaroslav the Wise is a modern youth center that constantly hosts conferences and research projects.

Central Children's Library of Yaroslav the Wise

This facility is located in the Dzerzhinsky district of Yaroslavl, that is, in the most densely populated area of ​​the city. Address of the Central Children's Library: st. Trufanova, 17, kop. 2. The street is named after the great commander of the Great Patriotic War- Nikolai Ivanovich Trufanov.

The children's library named after Yaroslav the Wise was founded in 1955. At that time the area was called Stalinsky and there was active development in it. New schools required the construction of a library. Then the administration of Yaroslavl made a gift to the youth: it opened a new modern book depository, containing a huge number of books.

Twenty years later library system The city was centralized, and the book depository became known as the Central Children's Library. She united 15 more establishments under her wing, thus becoming a single coordinator of children's leisure time.

Only in 2008, the Central Children's Library of Yaroslavl was named after the founder of the city - Yaroslav the Wise. Now her team holds various events, festivals, creative competitions, fairs, local history readings, cultural events, etc.

Modern library life

Every year, the Central Children's Library of Yaroslav the Wise organizes days dedicated to the Grand Duke. This time is used to study and preserve historical and cultural heritage in the modern world. On these days, historical performances are staged, military reconstructions of medieval battles are organized, including the capture of fortresses, conferences are held and, of course, a holiday is organized for the entire city.

The library is a temple of science. Young people come here to gain new knowledge, enrich themselves with the experience of their ancestors and become as wise as one of the greatest rulers of Kievan Rus.

[:RU]Exactly 960 years have passed since the death of Grand Duke Yaroslav the Wise - the father, grandfather and uncle of many rulers of Europe. He went down in history as one of the most powerful rulers of Kievan Rus, the compiler of the first known code of laws in Rus'. What did he do for the country, and what can we learn from him?

In 1054, on the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (one of Orthodox holidays, celebrated in the first week of Lent) died Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise. The exact date of birth is not known; various chronicles indicate either 978, 988, or 998. Such discrepancies may be caused both by difficulties in reading the medieval Russian counting system, and by the desire of the chroniclers to show Yaroslav as older than the other brothers. Yaroslav was buried in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. The six-ton ​​marble sarcophagus of Yaroslav still stands in the Cathedral of St. Sofia. It was discovered in 1936, 1939 and 1964 and not always qualified research was carried out. Based on the results of the autopsy in January 1939, anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov in 1940 created a sculptural portrait of the prince, which formed the basis for all subsequent images of the prince.

1. Yaroslav the Wise is canonized by the Orthodox Church. Officially, Yaroslav was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church only in 2004, although he was first mentioned as a saint in the work of Adam of Bremen “Acts of the High Priests of the Hamburg Church.” Also canonized were the father of Yaroslav the Wise - Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich (yes, yes, the same "Red Sun"), the brothers of Yaroslav the Wise - Saints Boris and Gleb, the son of Yaroslav the Wise - Vladimir Yaroslavovich, the grandchildren of Yaroslav - Vladimir Monomakh and Hugo the Great, Yaroslav's brother-in-law - Olaf the Saint.

2. Yaroslav strengthened diplomacy and foreign policy. One of the ways to strengthen diplomatic relations was dynastic marriages. Yaroslav the Wise had 10 children: 3 daughters and 7 sons. Elizabeth became the wife of the Norwegian king, Anastasia became the wife of the King of Hungary, Anna married the French king. Yaroslav's sons also married daughters from Austrian, Greek, Polish, and German royal families. Yaroslav himself was married twice, the second wife and mother of most of the children was the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf - Ingigerda (in Orthodoxy Irina).

3. Yaroslav the Wise was known as the founder of cities. He founded Yuryev (now Tartu in Estonia), Yuryev Russky (now Bila Tserkva in Ukraine), Novgorod-Seversky (now in the Chernigov region), Yaroslavl in the Carpathian region (now Yaroslav), and, of course, Yaroslavl, built on the Volga River .

4. Yaroslav was a hero to many literary works of that time, for example, “The Tale of Boris and Gleb”, “The Tale of Law and Grace”, he is also mentioned in many Scandinavian sagas under the name “Yarisleiva of King Holmgard”.

5. The Novgorod State and Kharkov Law Universities are named after Yaroslav the Wise, as well as state award Ukraine - Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

6. Under Yaroslav, the first Russian monasteries appeared, under him Kyiv became one of the largest cities in Europe, second only to Constantinople.

7. Under Yaroslav, active work was underway to translate foreign books into Church Slavonic and Old Russian languages. Years are spent rewriting books. A unique library of Yaroslav the Wise is being created, which disappeared without a trace, like the later library of Ivan the Terrible.

8. Yaroslav the Wise was actually one of the first unifiers of the Russian lands. He gathered under his rule almost all Russian lands from the south to the north.

9. Yaroslav was the first to separate secular and religious norms, thus separating the church from the state, making it more independent on the one hand, and defining and structuring its powers and sphere of responsibility, on the other. In this regard, the “Church Charter” of Yaroslav the Wise was published, which clearly delineated the powers of secular and religious authorities, various offenses against Orthodox faith, and measures of responsibility for them.

10. Perhaps the main achievement of Yaroslav the Wise is the codification of Russian legislation. Created by Yaroslav the Wise, “Russian Truth” is the oldest collection of legal acts of Ancient Rus' that has come down to us. "Russian Truth" contains norms of criminal, inheritance, commercial and procedural legislation, and is one of the most important sources on the history of legal, economic and social relations in Rus'.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich, in the historiographic tradition Yaroslav the Wise. Born approx. 978 - died on February 20, 1054 in Vyshgorod. Prince of Rostov (987-1010), Prince of Novgorod (1010-1034), Prince of Kiev (1016-1018, 1019-1054).

Yaroslav the Wise was born around 978. The son of the baptist of Rus', Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich (from the Rurik family) and the Polotsk princess.

At baptism he was named George.

Yaroslav is first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years in article 6488 (980), which talks about the marriage of his father, Vladimir Svyatoslavich, and Rogneda, and then lists 4 sons born from this marriage: Izyaslav, Mstislav, Yaroslav and Vsevolod.

Year of birth of Yaroslav the Wise

In the article of the year 6562 (1054), which talks about the death of Yaroslav, it is said that he lived for 76 years (according to the ancient Russian count of years, that is, he lived for 75 years and died in the 76th year of his life). Accordingly, according to the chronicles, Yaroslav was born in 978 or 979. This date is the most commonly used in the literature.

However, there is an opinion that given year is erroneous. The chronicle article under the year 1016 (6524) talks about the reign of Yaroslav in Kyiv. If you believe this news, then Yaroslav should have been born in 988 or 989. This is explained in different ways. Tatishchev believes that there was a mistake and he should be not 28, but 38 years old. In the chronicles that have not survived to this day, which were at his disposal (Raskolnichya, Golitsyn and Khrushchev chronicles), there were 3 options - 23, 28 and 34 years, and according to the Orenburg manuscript, the date of birth of Yaroslav should have been attributed to 972.

Moreover, in some later chronicles it is read not 28 years, but 18 (Sofia First Chronicle, Arkhangelsk Chronicle, Ipatiev List of the Ipatiev Chronicle). And in the Laurentian Chronicle it was stated that “And then Yaroslav would be 28 years old in Novgorod,” which gave S. M. Solovyov grounds to assume that the news refers to the duration of Yaroslav’s Novgorod reign: if we take 18 years as correct, then from 998, and if 28 years is the total reign in Rostov and Novgorod since 988. Solovyov also doubted the correctness of the news that Yaroslav was 76 years old in the year of his death.

Taking into account the fact that the marriage between Vladimir and Rogneda, according to the now established opinion, was concluded in 978, and also that Yaroslav was the third son of Rogneda, he could not have been born in 978. According to historians, the dating of 76 years appeared in order to present Yaroslav as older than Svyatopolk. However, there is evidence that it was Svyatopolk who was the eldest of the sons at the time of Vladimir’s death. Indirect evidence of this can be the words of Boris, which he said to his squad, not wanting to occupy Kiev, since it was Svyatopolk who is the eldest: “He said, “Don’t let me lay my hands on my elder brother, even if my fathers die, then I’ll be in Father's revenge."

IN currently the fact of Svyatopolk's seniority is considered proven, and the indication of age is considered evidence that the chronicler tried to present Yaroslav as the elder, thus justifying his right to the great reign.

If we accept the traditional date of birth and seniority of Svyatopolk, then this leads to a revision of the chronicle story about the struggle of Vladimir and Yaropolk for the Kiev throne, and attributing the capture of Polotsk and Vladimir’s marriage to Rogneda to 976 or the beginning of 977, before his departure for the sea.

Additional information about Yaroslav’s age at the time of death is provided by data from a study of Yaroslav’s bone remains conducted in 1939-1940. D.G. Rokhlin indicates that Yaroslav was over 50 years old at the time of death and indicates 986 as the probable year of birth, and V.V. Ginsburg - 60-70 years old. Based on these data, it is assumed that Yaroslav could have been born between 983 and 986.

In addition, some historians, following N.I. Kostomarov was expressed doubts that Yaroslav is the son of Rogneda. However, this contradicts the news of the chronicles, in which Yaroslav is repeatedly called her son. There is also a hypothesis by the French historian Arrignon, according to which Yaroslav was the son of the Byzantine princess Anna, and this explains Yaroslav’s intervention in internal Byzantine affairs in 1043. However, this hypothesis also contradicts all other sources.

Yaroslav the Wise ( documentary)

Yaroslav in Rostov

The Tale of Bygone Years for the year 6496 (988) reports that Vladimir Svyatoslavich sent his sons to various cities. Among the listed sons is Yaroslav, who received Rostov as a table. However, the date indicated in this article, 988, is quite arbitrary, since many events fit into it. Historian Alexey Karpov suggests that Yaroslav could have left for Rostov no earlier than 989.

The chronicles about Yaroslav's reign in Rostov do not report anything other than the fact of his imprisonment. All information about the Rostov period of his biography is of a late and legendary nature, their historical reliability is low.

Since Yaroslav received the Rostov table as a child, real power was in the hands of the mentor sent with him. According to A. Karpov, this mentor could be the “breadwinner and governor named Buda (or Budy)” mentioned in the chronicle in 1018. He was probably Yaroslav's closest ally in Novgorod, but he no longer needed a breadwinner during the Novgorod reign, so it is likely that he was Yaroslav's educator even during the Rostov reign.

The founding of the city of Yaroslavl, named after the prince, is associated with the reign of Yaroslav in Rostov. Yaroslavl was first mentioned in the “Tale of Bygone Years” in 1071, when the “revolt of the Magi” caused by famine in the Rostov land was described. But there are legends that attribute the founding of the city to Yaroslav. According to one of them, Yaroslav traveled along the Volga from Novgorod to Rostov. According to legend, on the way he was attacked by a bear, which Yaroslav, with the help of his retinue, hacked to death with an axe. After this, the prince ordered to cut down a small wooden fortress on an impregnable cape above the Volga, named after him - Yaroslavl.

These events are reflected on the city's coat of arms. This legend was reflected in “The Legend of the Construction of the City of Yaroslavl,” published in 1877. According to the research of the historian and archaeologist N. N. Voronin, the “Tale” was created in the 18th-19th centuries, but according to his assumption, the “Tale” was based on folk legends associated with the ancient cult of the bear, characteristic of tribes living in the forest belt modern Russia. An earlier version of the legend is given in an article published by M. A. Lenivtsev in 1827.

However, there are doubts that the Yaroslavl legend is connected specifically with Yaroslav, although it probably reflects some facts from initial history cities.

In 1958-1959, Yaroslavl historian Mikhail Germanovich Meyerovich substantiated that the city appeared no earlier than 1010. This date is currently considered the founding date of Yaroslavl.

Yaroslav reigned in Rostov until the death of his elder brother Vysheslav, who ruled in Novgorod. The Tale of Bygone Years does not report the date of Vysheslav’s death.

The “State Book” (XVI century) reports that Vysheslav died before Rogneda, Yaroslav’s mother, whose year of death is indicated in the “Tale of Bygone Years” (1000). However, this information is not based on any documents and is probably a guess.

Another version was given in “Russian History” by V.N. Tatishchev. Based on some chronicle that has not reached our time (probably of Novgorod origin), he places information about the death of Vysheslav in an article for the year 6518 (1010/1011). This date is now accepted by most historians. Vysheslav was replaced in Novgorod by Yaroslav.

Yaroslav in Novgorod

After the death of Vysheslav, Svyatopolk was considered the eldest son of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich. However, according to Thietmar of Merseburg, he was put in prison by Vladimir on charges of treason. The next eldest son, Izyaslav, had also died by that time, but even during his father’s life he was actually deprived of the right to inheritance - Polotsk was allocated to him as an inheritance. And Vladimir installed Yaroslav in Novgorod.

The Novgorod reign at this time had more high status than Rostovskoe. However, the Novgorod prince still had a subordinate position to the Grand Duke, paying an annual tribute of 2000 hryvnia (2/3 collected in Novgorod and the lands subordinate to it). However, 1/3 (1000 hryvnia) remained for the maintenance of the prince and his squad, the size of which was second only to the size of the squad of the Kyiv prince.

The period of the Novgorod reign of Yaroslav until 1014 is just as little described in the chronicles as the Rostov one. It is likely that from Rostov Yaroslav first went to Kyiv, and from there he left for Novgorod. He probably arrived there no earlier than 1011.

To Yaroslav Novgorod princes Since the time of Rurik, they lived, as a rule, on the Settlement near Novgorod, while Yaroslav settled in Novgorod itself, which, by that time, was a significant settlement. His princely court was located on the Trade side of Volkhov, this place was called “Yaroslav’s courtyard”. In addition, Yaroslav also had a country residence in the village of Rakoma, located south of Novgorod.

It is likely that Yaroslav's first marriage dates back to this period. The name of his first wife is unknown, but presumably her name was Anna.

During excavations in Novgorod, archaeologists found the only copy of the lead seal of Yaroslav the Wise, which was once suspended from a princely charter. On one side of it are depicted the holy warrior George with a spear and shield and his name, on the second - a man in a cloak and helmet, relatively young, with a protruding mustache, but without a beard, as well as inscriptions on the sides of the chest figure: “Yaroslav. Prince Russian." Apparently, the seal contains a rather conventional portrait of the prince himself, a strong-willed man with a humpbacked predatory nose, whose dying appearance was reconstructed from the skull by the famous scientist - archaeologist and sculptor Mikhail Gerasimov.

Yaroslav's speech against his father

In 1014, Yaroslav resolutely refused to pay his father, the Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, an annual lesson of two thousand hryvnia. Historians suggest that these actions of Yaroslav were connected with Vladimir’s intention to transfer the throne to one of his younger sons, the Rostov prince Boris, whom he brought closer to himself in recent years and transferred command of the princely squad, which actually meant the recognition of Boris as heir. It is possible that this is precisely why the eldest son Svyatopolk rebelled against Vladimir, who was then imprisoned (he remained there until his father’s death). And it was precisely this news that could prompt Yaroslav to oppose his father.

In order to confront his father, Yaroslav, according to the chronicle, hired the Varangians overseas, who arrived led by Eymund. Vladimir, who in recent years lived in the village of Berestovo near Kiev, ordered to “break the path and pave bridges” for the campaign, but fell ill. In addition, in June 1015, the Pechenegs invaded and the army gathered against Yaroslav, led by Boris, was forced to set off to repel the raid of the steppes, who, having heard about Boris’s approach, turned back.

At the same time, the Varangians hired by Yaroslav, doomed to inaction in Novgorod, began to cause unrest. According to the first Novgorod chronicle: “The Varangians began to commit violence against their married wives.”

As a result, the Novgorodians, unable to withstand the violence being committed, rebelled and killed the Varangians in one night. Yaroslav at this time was at his country residence in Rakom. Having learned about what had happened, he called to himself representatives of the Novgorod nobility who participated in the rebellion, promising them forgiveness, and when they arrived to him, he brutally dealt with them. This happened in July - August 1015.

After this, Yaroslav received a letter from his sister Predslava, in which she reported on the death of his father and the events that happened after that. This news forced Prince Yaroslav to make peace with the Novgorodians. He also promised to pay the viru for each person killed. And in further events Novgorodians invariably supported their prince.

Yaroslav in Kyiv

On July 15, 1015, Vladimir Svyatoslavich died in Berestovo, having not managed to extinguish his son’s rebellion. And Yaroslav began the fight for the Kiev throne with his brother Svyatopolk, who was released from prison and declared their prince by the rebellious Kyivians. In this struggle, which lasted four years, Yaroslav relied on the Novgorodians and the hired Varangian squad led by King Eymund.

In 1016, Yaroslav defeated the army of Svyatopolk near Lyubech and occupied Kyiv in late autumn. He generously rewarded the Novgorod squad, giving each warrior ten hryvnia. From the chronicles: “And let them all go home, - and having given them the truth, and having written off the charter, he said to them: walk according to this letter, just as it was copied for you, keep it in the same way.”

The victory at Lyubech did not end the fight with Svyatopolk: he soon approached Kiev with the Pechenegs, and in 1018 the Polish king Boleslav the Brave, invited by Svyatopolk, defeated Yaroslav’s troops on the banks of the Bug, captured his sisters, his wife Anna and Yaroslav’s stepmother in Kiev and, instead In order to transfer the city (“table”) to his daughter’s husband Svyatopolk, he himself made an attempt to establish himself in it. But the people of Kiev, outraged by the furies of his squad, began to kill the Poles, and Boleslav had to hastily leave Kyiv, depriving Svyatopolk of military assistance. And Yaroslav, having returned to Novgorod after the defeat, prepared to flee “overseas.”

But the Novgorodians, led by the mayor Konstantin Dobrynich, having chopped up his ships, told the prince that they wanted to fight for him with Boleslav and Svyatopolk. They collected money, concluded a new treaty with the Varangians of King Eymund and armed themselves.

In the spring of 1019, this army, led by Yaroslav, carried out a new campaign against Svyatopolk. In the battle on the Alta River, Svyatopolk was defeated, his banner was captured, he himself was wounded, but escaped. King Eymund asked Yaroslav: “Will you order him to be killed or not?” - to which Yaroslav gave his consent: “I will not do any of this: I will not set anyone up for a (personal, chest to chest) battle with King Burisleif, nor blame anyone if he is killed.”

In 1019, Yaroslav married the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Sjötkonung - Ingigerda, for whom the king of Norway Olaf Haraldson had previously wooed her, who dedicated his wife to her and subsequently married her younger sister Astrid. Ingigerda is baptized in Rus' consonant name- Irina. As a dowry, Ingigerda received from her father the city of Aldeigaborg (Ladoga) with adjacent lands, which have since received the name Ingermanlandia (Ingigerda's land).

In 1020, Yaroslav's nephew Bryachislav attacked Novgorod, but on the way back he was overtaken by Yaroslav on the Sudoma River, defeated here by his troops and fled, leaving behind prisoners and loot. Yaroslav pursued him and forced him to agree to peace terms in 1021, assigning to him the two cities of Usvyat and Vitebsk as his inheritance.

In 1023, Yaroslav's brother - the Tmutarakan prince Mstislav - attacked with his allies the Khazars and Kasogs and captured Chernigov and the entire Left Bank of the Dnieper, and in 1024 Mstislav defeated Yaroslav's troops under the leadership of the Varangian Yakun near Listven (near Chernigov). Mstislav moved his capital to Chernigov and, sending ambassadors to Yaroslav, who had fled to Novgorod, offered to share the lands along the Dnieper with him and stop the wars: “Sit down in your Kiev, you are the elder brother, and let me have this side.”

In 1025, Bolesław the Brave's son Mieszko II became king of Poland, and his two brothers, Bezprym and Otto, were expelled from the country and took refuge with Jarosław.

In 1026, Yaroslav, having gathered a large army, returned to Kyiv and made peace at Gorodets with his brother Mstislav, agreeing with his peace proposals. The brothers divided the lands along the Dnieper. The left bank was retained by Mstislav, and the right bank by Yaroslav. Yaroslav, being the Grand Duke of Kyiv, preferred to stay in Novgorod until 1036 (the year of Mstislav's death).

In 1028, the Norwegian king Olaf (later called the Saint) was forced to flee to Novgorod. He arrived there with his five-year-old son Magnus, leaving his mother Astrid in Sweden. In Novgorod, Ingigerda, the half-sister of Magnus's mother, Yaroslav's wife and Olaf's former fiancée, insisted that Magnus remain with Yaroslav after the king returned to Norway in 1030, where he died in the battle for the Norwegian throne.

In 1029, helping his brother Mstislav, he made a campaign against the Yases, expelling them from Tmutarakan. The following year, 1030, Yaroslav defeated Chud and founded the city of Yuryev (now Tartu, Estonia). In the same year he took Belz in Galicia. At this time, an uprising arose against King Mieszko II in the Polish land, the people killed bishops, priests and boyars.

In 1031, Yaroslav and Mstislav, supporting Bezprym's claims to the Polish throne, gathered a large army and marched against the Poles, recaptured the cities of Przemysl and Cherven, conquered Polish lands, and, taking many Poles prisoner, divided them. Yaroslav resettled his prisoners along the Ros River. Shortly before this, in the same 1031, Harald III the Severe, king of Norway, half-brother of Olaf the Saint, fled to Yaroslav the Wise and served in his squad. As is commonly believed, he took part in Yaroslav's campaign against the Poles and was a co-leader of the army. Subsequently, Harald became Yaroslav's son-in-law, taking Elizabeth as his wife.

In 1034, Yaroslav installed his son Vladimir as prince of Novgorod. In 1036, Mstislav suddenly died while hunting, and Yaroslav, apparently fearing any claims to the reign of Kiev, imprisoned his last brother, the youngest of the Vladimirovichs - the Pskov prince Sudislav - in a dungeon (cut). Only after these events did Yaroslav decide to move with his court from Novgorod to Kyiv.

In 1036, he defeated the Pechenegs and thereby freed Rus' from their raids. In memory of the victory over the Pechenegs, the prince founded the famous Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv; artists from Constantinople were called to paint the temple.

In the same year, after the death of his brother Mstislav Vladimirovich, Yaroslav became the sole ruler of most of Rus', with the exception of the Principality of Polotsk, where his nephew Bryachislav reigned, and after the death of the latter in 1044 - Vseslav Bryachislavich.

In 1038, Yaroslav's troops made a campaign against the Yatvingians, in 1040 against Lithuania, and in 1041 a water expedition on boats to Mazovia.

In 1042, his son Vladimir defeated the Yams, and during this campaign there was a large loss of horses. Around this time (1038-1043), the English prince Edward the Exile fled from Canute the Great to Yaroslav.

In addition, in 1042, Prince Yaroslav the Wise provided great assistance in the struggle for the Polish royal throne to the grandson of Boleslav the Brave - Casimir I. Casimir married Yaroslav's sister - Maria, who became the Polish Queen Dobronega. This marriage was concluded in parallel with the marriage of Yaroslav’s son Izyaslav to Casimir’s sister, Gertrude, as a sign of alliance with Poland.

In 1043, Yaroslav, for the murder of “one famous Russian” in Constantinople, sent his son Vladimir, together with Harald Surov and governor Vyshata, on a campaign against Emperor Constantine Monomakh, in which hostilities unfolded on sea and land with varying success and which ended in peace , concluded in 1046.

In 1044, Yaroslav organized a campaign against Lithuania.

In 1045, Prince Yaroslav the Wise and Princess Irina (Ingegerda) went to Novgorod from Kyiv to their son Vladimir to lay a stone St. Sophia Cathedral, instead of burnt wood.

In 1047, Yaroslav the Wise broke the alliance with Poland.

In 1048, ambassadors of Henry I of France arrived in Kyiv to ask for the hand of Yaroslav's daughter Anna.

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise lasted 37 years. Recent years Yaroslav spent his life in Vyshgorod.

Yaroslav the Wise died on February 20, 1054 in Vyshgorod, exactly on the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, in the arms of his son Vsevolod, having outlived his wife Ingigerda by four years and his eldest son Vladimir by two years.

The inscription (graffiti) on the central nave of the St. Sophia Cathedral under the ktitor's fresco of Yaroslav the Wise himself, dated 1054, speaks of the death of “our king”: “In 6562 February 20 of the Ascension of our Tsar in (Sunday) in (n) food (lyu) (mu)ch Theodore.”

In different chronicles, the exact date of Yaroslav’s death was determined differently: either February 19, or February 20. Academician B. Rybakov explains these disagreements by the fact that Yaroslav died on the night from Saturday to Sunday. In Ancient Rus', there were two principles for determining the beginning of the day: in church reckoning - from midnight, in everyday life - from dawn. That is why the date of Yaroslav’s death is called differently: according to one account it was still Saturday, but according to another, church account, it was already Sunday. Historian A. Karpov believes that the prince could have died on the 19th (according to the chronicle), but he was buried on the 20th.

However, the date of death is not accepted by all researchers. V.K. Ziborov dates this event to February 17, 1054.

Yaroslav was buried in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. The six-ton ​​marble sarcophagus of Yaroslav still stands in the Cathedral of St. Sofia. It was discovered in 1936, 1939 and 1964 and not always qualified research was carried out.

Appearance of Yaroslav the Wise

Based on the results of the autopsy in January 1939, anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov created a sculptural portrait of the prince in 1940.

The height of Yaroslav the Wise was 175 centimeters. The face is of the Slavic type, with a medium-high forehead, a narrow bridge of the nose, a strongly protruding nose, large eyes, a sharply defined mouth (with almost all teeth, which was extremely rare in old age), and a sharply protruding chin.

It is also known that he was lame (which caused him to walk poorly): according to one version, from birth, according to another, as a result of being wounded in battle. Prince Yaroslav's right leg was longer than his left due to damage to the hip and knee joints. This may have been a consequence of hereditary Perthes disease.

According to Newsweek magazine, when the box with the remains of Yaroslav the Wise was opened on September 10, 2009, it was found that it contained, presumably, only the skeleton of Yaroslav’s wife, Princess Ingegerda. During the investigation carried out by journalists, a version was put forward that the remains of the prince were taken from Kyiv in 1943 during the retreat of German troops and may currently be at the disposal of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA (jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople).

Disappearance of the remains of Yaroslav the Wise

In the 20th century, the Sarcophagus of Yaroslav the Wise was opened three times: in 1936, 1939 and 1964.

In 2009, the tomb in the St. Sophia Cathedral was opened again, and the remains were sent for examination. During the autopsy, Soviet newspapers Izvestia and Pravda, dated 1964, were discovered.

The results of a genetic examination published in March 2011 are as follows: the tomb contains not male, but only female remains, and they are composed of two skeletons, dating from completely different times: one skeleton from the times of Ancient Rus', and the second a thousand years older, that is, from the time of Scythian settlements .

Remains Old Russian period, according to anthropologists, belong to a woman who did a lot of hard physical labor during her life - clearly not of a princely family. M. M. Gerasimov was the first to write about female remains among the found skeletons in 1939. Then it was announced that in addition to Yaroslav the Wise, other people were buried in the tomb.

The trace of the ashes of Yaroslav the Wise can be traced to the icon of St. Nicholas the Wet, which was taken from the St. Sophia Cathedral by representatives of the UGCC, who retreated along with the German occupiers from Kyiv in the fall of 1943. The icon was discovered in the Holy Trinity Church (Brooklyn, New York, USA) in 1973.

According to historians, the remains of the Grand Duke should also be looked for in the USA.

Yaroslav the Wise - Monument “1000th Anniversary of Russia”

Personal life of Yaroslav the Wise:

First wife (before 1019) - presumably Norwegian by name Anna. She was captured in Kyiv in 1018 by the Polish king Boleslav the Brave along with Yaroslav's sisters and taken forever to Poland.

Second wife (since 1019) - Ingegerda(in baptism Irina, in monasticism, possibly Anna); daughter of King Olaf Skötkonung of Sweden. Their children dispersed throughout Europe.

Sons of Yaroslav the Wise:

Ilya(before 1018 -?) - possible son of Yaroslav the Wise from his first wife, taken to Poland. Hypothetical prince of Novgorod.

Vladimir(1020-1052) - Prince of Novgorod.

Izyaslav (Dmitry)(1025-1078) - married the sister of the Polish king Casimir I - Gertrude.

Svyatoslav (Nikolai)(1027-1076) - Prince of Chernigov, it is assumed that he was married twice: the first time in Killikia (or Cicilia, Caecilia), of unknown origin; the second time was probably on the Austrian princess Oda, daughter of Count Leopold.

Vsevolod (Andrey)(1030-1093) - married a Greek princess (presumably the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh), from whose marriage Prince Vladimir Monomakh was born.

Vyacheslav(1033-1057) - Prince of Smolensk.

Igor(1036-1060) - Prince of Volyn. Some historians assign Igor fifth place among the sons of Yaroslav, in particular, based on the order of listing the sons in the news of the will of Yaroslav the Wise and the news that after the death of Vyacheslav in Smolensk, Igor was removed from Vladimir (“The Tale of Bygone Years”).

Daughters of Yaroslav the Wise:

Elizabeth became the wife of the Norwegian king Harald the Harsh.

Anastasia became the wife of King Andras I of Hungary. In the city of Tichony, on the shores of Lake Balaton, a church was named in their honor and a monument was erected.

She married King Henry I of France. In France she became known as Anna of Russia or Anna of Kiev. In France, in the city of Senlis, a monument was erected to Anna.

Holy relatives of Yaroslav the Wise:

The future Orthodox saint, noble prince Yaroslav (King Yaritsleiv) was the brother-in-law of the common Christian future saint, the Norwegian king Olaf the Saint - they were married to sisters: Yaroslav to his older sister, the future Orthodox saint Ingigerd, Olaf to his younger sister, Astrid.

Before that, both saints had one bride - Princess Ingigerd of Sweden (in Rus', the blessed princess Irina), who in the spring of 1018 agreed to marry Olaf of Norway and personally embroidered a cloak with a gold clasp for her groom, and in the fall of the same year, at the request of her father, she gave agreement to marry Yaroslav (the wedding took place in 1019).

Romantic relationship Olaf and Ingigerd from 1018 to 1030 are described in three Scandinavian sagas: “The Saga of Olaf the Holy”, “The Strands of Eymund”, etc. "Rotten skin."

In 1029, Olaf, while in exile in Novgorod, wrote a visu (poem) about Ingigerd; part of it has survived to the present day. According to the sagas, Olaf in Novgorod in the winter of 1029/1030 showed two miracles of healing: in particular, he cured the seriously ill nine-year-old son of Yaroslav and Ingigerd, the future Orthodox saint Vladimir (Valdemar). After the death and glorification of Olaf in Novgorod, b. In the capital city of Yaroslav, the Church of St. Olaf, popularly nicknamed the “Varangian”, was erected.

The young son of the future Saint Olaf, Magnus the Good, was adopted by the future Saint Yaroslav the Wise after the death of his father, was brought up in his family, and upon reaching adulthood, with the help of his adoptive father, received back the throne of Norway, and then Denmark.

Also Yaroslav the Wise is the brother of the Orthodox, the first saints glorified in Rus' - princes Boris and Gleb, the father of the Orthodox saints Vladimir and Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, the grandfather of the locally revered Orthodox saint Vladimir Monomakh and the Catholic Hugo the Great, Count of Vermandois.

Yaroslav was buried in Sophia of Kyiv in the former six-ton ​​Prokonesian marble tomb of the Holy Pope Clement, which his father Vladimir Svyatoslavich took from the Byzantine Chersonese he conquered. The tomb is still intact.

There is also a point of view that Yaroslav the Wise had another daughter named Agatha, who became the wife of Edward the Exile, heir to the throne of England. Some researchers question the fact that Yaroslav was the son of Rogneda, and there is also a hypothesis that he had a wife, Anna, who died around 1018. Perhaps Anna was Norwegian, and in 1018 she was captured by Boleslav the Brave during the capture of Kyiv . There, a hypothesis is put forward that a certain Ilya is the “son of the King of Rus'” Yaroslav the Wise.

The origin of the wife of one of the sons - the German princess Oda, daughter of Leopold - is a controversial fact in terms of belonging to the Staden family (rulers of the North March) or the Babenbergs (rulers of Austria before the Habsburgs). It is also controversial whose wife Oda was - Vladimir, Svyatoslav or Vyacheslav. Today the dominant point of view is that Oda Leopoldovna was the wife of Svyatoslav and came from the Babenberg family.

Yaroslav the Wise in culture

Yaroslav is a traditional character in literary works hagiographic genre- Life of Boris and Gleb. The very fact of the murder serves as a favorite theme for individual legends for ancient chroniclers. In total, “The Tale of Boris and Gleb” has been preserved in more than 170 copies, of which the oldest and most complete are attributed to the Monk Nestor and the monk Jacob Mnich.

It says, for example, that after the death of Vladimir, power in Kyiv was seized by Vladimir’s stepson Svyatopolk. Fearing the rivalry of the Grand Duke's own children - Boris, Gleb and others, Svyatopolk first of all sent assassins to the first contenders for the table in Kyiv - Boris and Gleb. A messenger sent from Yaroslav conveys to Gleb the news of the death of his father and the murder of his brother Boris... And now, saddened by grief, Prince Gleb sails along the river in a boat, and it is surrounded by the enemies who have overtaken him. He realized that this was the end and said in a humble voice: “Since you have already started, when you start, do what you were sent to do.” And Yaroslav’s sister Predslava warns that their brother Svyatopolk is going to eliminate him too.

Yaroslav is also mentioned in the “Sermon on Law and Grace” by Metropolitan Hilarion and in “Memory and Praise to the Russian Prince Vladimir” by Jacob Mnich.

Since Yaroslav was married to Ingegerda - the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Skötkonung and arranged dynastic marriages of his daughters, including Elizabeth (Ellisiv) - with the King of Norway Harald the Severe, he himself and his name are repeatedly mentioned in the Scandinavian sagas, where he appears under the name " Yarisleyva Konung Holmgard", that is, Novgorod.

In 1834, a professor at St. Petersburg University, Senkovsky, having translated “Eymund’s Saga” into Russian, discovers that the Varangian Eymund, together with his retinue, was hired by Yaroslav the Wise. The saga tells how King Yarisleif (Yaroslav) fights with King Burisleif (Boris), and in the saga Burisleif is killed by the Varangians by order of Yarisleif. Then, some researchers, based on the saga about Eymund, supported the hypothesis that the death of Boris was the “work of the hands” of the Varangians sent by Yaroslav the Wise in 1017, given that, according to the chronicles, Yaroslav, Bryachislav, and Mstislav refused to recognize Svyatopolk as the legitimate prince in Kyiv.

However, Senkovsky’s hypothesis, based solely on the data of the “Eymund Saga”, an active supporter of which is currently the historian and source scientist I. N. Danilevsky, proves the possible “involvement” of Yaroslav only in the murder of Boris (“Buritsleiv”), but not in any way Gleb, who is not mentioned at all in the saga.

At the same time, it is known that after the death of Prince Vladimir, only two brothers - Boris and Gleb - declared their allegiance to the new Kyiv prince and pledged to “honor him as their father” and for Svyatopolk it would be very strange to kill his allies. To date, this hypothesis has both its supporters and opponents.

Also, historians, starting with S. M. Solovyov, suggest that the story of the death of Boris and Gleb was clearly inserted into the Tale of Bygone Years later, otherwise the chronicler would not have repeated again about the beginning of the reign of Svyatopolk in Kyiv.

Old Russian chroniclers raise the topic of Yaroslav’s wisdom, starting with the “praise of books” placed under the year 1037 in the “Tale of Bygone Years”, which, according to them, consisted in the fact that Yaroslav is wise because he built the churches of Hagia Sophia in Kyiv and Novgorod, then is dedicated to the main temples of the cities of Sofia - to the wisdom of God, to which it is dedicated main temple Constantinople. Thus, Yaroslav declares that the Russian Church is on a par with the Byzantine Church. Having mentioned wisdom, chroniclers, as a rule, reveal this concept by referring to the Old Testament Solomon.

The oldest of the portraits of the Kyiv prince was made during his lifetime on the famous fresco in the Cathedral of St. Sophia. Unfortunately, part of the fresco with portraits of Yaroslav and his wife Ingegerda has been lost. Only a copy of A. van Westerfeld, the court painter of the Lithuanian hetman A. Radzivil, made in 1651 from an entire fresco, has survived.

Famous sculptor and anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov reconstructed Yaroslav’s face based on his skull. The sculptural image of Yaroslav was created by M. O. Mikeshin and I. N. Schroeder in the monument “Millennium of Russia” in 1862 in Novgorod.

IN fiction: is minor character historical novels by Valentin Ivanov “Great Rus'” (1961), Antonin Ladinsky “Anna Yaroslavna - Queen of France” (1973), in the historical story “Harald’s Treasure” by Elizaveta Dvoretskaya, as well as in the story “The Fiery Finger” by Boris Akunin (2014).

In cinema:

- “Yaroslavna, Queen of France” (1978; USSR) directed by Igor Maslennikov, in the role of Prince Yaroslav Kirill Lavrov;
- “Yaroslav the Wise” (1981; USSR) directed by Grigory Kokhan, in the role of Yaroslav Yuri Muravitsky, Yaroslav in childhood Mark Gres;
- "Yaroslav. A thousand years ago" (2010; Russia) directed by Dmitry Korobkin, in the role of Yaroslav Alexander Ivashkevich.