Igor's reign 912 945 briefly. Prince Igor. Lightning that came down from the sky

Igor is the son of the Novgorod prince Rurik. The Tale of Bygone Years says that in 879, when Rurik was dying, Igor was a small child, whom his father handed over to his relative Oleg. And in the Novgorod first chronicle of the younger edition, Igor, during the capture of Kyiv in 882, acts as an adult, mature ruler. According to the “Tale of Bygone Years” in 903, Igor is the “helper” of the Great Russian Prince Oleg. It also reports Igor’s marriage to Olga, and under 907 it is said that when Oleg went on a campaign against Constantinople, Igor was his governor in Kyiv. And the Novgorod chronicler states that the campaign against Byzantium was organized not by Oleg, but by Igor.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Igor took the throne in 913 after the death of Oleg the Prophet. In 914, he suppressed the uprising of the Drevlyans, who did not want to obey him. In 915 he made peace with the Pechenegs. In 920 he again fought with the Pechenegs. The results of this war are not known. During his reign (in 913 and 943), two Russian military campaigns were carried out against the Caspian countries. In 940, Kyiv submitted to the streets, on which tribute was imposed “according to the black kuna from the smoke.”

BEGINNING: IGOR GOES TO DREVLYAN

According to the chronicler, Oleg's successor Igor, the son of Rurik, reigned for 33 years (912 - 945) and only five legends are recorded in the chronicle about the affairs of this prince; for Oleg's reign, 33 years were also calculated (879 - 912). The chronicle says that Igor remained an infant after the death of his father; in the legend about the occupation of Kyiv by Oleg, Igor is also a baby who could not even be taken out, but was carried out in their arms; if Oleg reigned for 33 years, then Igor should have been about 35 years old upon his death. Under the year 903, the marriage of Igor is mentioned: Igor grew up, says the chronicler, walked around Oleg, obeyed him, and they brought him a wife from Pskov named Olga. During Olegov's campaign near Constantinople, Igor remained in Kyiv. The first legend about Igor, recorded in the chronicle, says that the Drevlyans, tortured by Oleg, did not want to pay tribute to the new prince and closed themselves off from him, that is, they did not allow either the prince or his husbands to come to them for tribute. Igor went against the Drevlyans, won and imposed a tribute on them greater than what they had previously paid to Oleg.

UNIFICATION OF SLAVIC TRIBES UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF IGOR

The Tale of Bygone Years connects the expansion of the possessions of the Kyiv prince with the name of Oleg. In addition to the territories of the Slovenes, Krivichi and Polyans, which he owned after the capture of Kyiv, dated by the chronicle of 882, Oleg imposes tribute on the Drevlyans, the north and the Radimichi. His successor Igor, according to the Initial Code, subjugated the streets. The chronicle information about the conquest of “Slavinia”, however, is not only chronologically inaccurate, but also clearly incomplete: for example, they say nothing about the Dregovichi and communities of Volyn territorially close to Kyiv. But for the 1st half of the 10th century. there is a unique opportunity to compare four multilingual sources containing extensive information about Rus', with mention of toponyms and anthroponyms, and at the same time created almost simultaneously, within one decade. This is the treatise of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus “On the administration of the empire” (948-952), the work of the Arab author al-Istakhri “The Book of Paths and Countries” (the edition that has reached us is c. 950), the agreement of Igor with Byzantium, which came down in the Old Russian version (which is a translation from the Greek original) as part of the “Tale of Bygone Years” (944), etc. The "Cambridge Document" is a letter in Hebrew sent from Khazaria (c. 949).

In Chapter 9 of Constantine’s work it is said that “the monoxyls (ships with a keel part hollowed out from one log - A.G.) coming from outer Russia to Constantinople are from Nemogard, in which Svendoslav, the son of Ingor, the archon of Russia, was sitting, and others from the Miliniski fortress, from Teliutsa, Chernigoga and from Vusegrad (Smolensk, Lyubech, Chernigov and Vyshgorod. - A.G.). So, they all descend along the Dnieper River and converge in the fortress of Kioava, called Samvatas. The Slavs, their paktiots, namely the Kriviteins, Lenzanins and other Slavinians, cut down monoxyls in their mountains during the winter and, having equipped them, with the onset of spring, when the ice melts, they introduce them into the neighboring reservoirs. Since these [reservoirs] flowed into the Dnieper River, they, too, from those [places] there, enter this very river and go to Kiova. They are pulled out for [equipment] and sold to the dews. The Rosys, having bought some of these dugouts and dismantled their old monoxyls, transfer them to these oars, rowlocks and other accessories... equip them. And in the month of June, moving along the Dnieper River, they descend to Vitichev, which is a paktiot fortress of the Ros, and, having gathered there for two or three days, until all the monoxides are united, then they set off and descend along the named Dnieper River.” Then there is a story about the route of the “Rus” to Constantinople, and at the end of the chapter it says: “The winter and harsh way of life of those same Dews is as follows. When the month of November comes, their archons immediately leave Kiava with all their dews and go to polyudium, which is called the “circling”, namely in Slavinia of the Vervians, Druguvites, Krivichi, Severians (Drevlyans, Dregovichi, Krivichi and Severians. - A. G. .) and other Slavs who are paktiots of the Ros. Feeding there throughout the winter, they return to Kiaw again, starting in April, when the ice on the Dnieper River melts.”

Under the author's pen, Igor is presented as the head of Rus', and Kyiv as the main center. His son Svyatoslav reigns in Nemogard (Novgorod). “Rosy” go to polyudye - a circular detour for the purpose of collecting tribute - to the Slavic communities of the Drevlyans, Dregovichs, Krivichis, northerners and “other” Slavs; The latter should apparently include the Ulitsch and the “Lendzanin” - the Lendzan (localized, most likely, in Eastern Volyn), since in Chapter 37 both of them are called tributaries of the “Rus”, and at the beginning of Chapter 9 the Lendzanin together with the Krivichi they are called their “Paktiots” (this term indicates tributary-allied relations). The list of cities through which “monoxyls” descend to Kyiv goes from north to south, along the path “from the Varangians to the Greeks”: Novgorod, Smolensk, Lyubech, Chernigov, Vyshgorod...

After Oleg, Igor became the prince of Kyiv. There are discrepancies in the chronicles telling about the beginning of Igor’s reign, as well as in the stories about Oleg’s death. Much remains unclear regarding Igor's personality. Therefore, some historians suggest that in fact there were two Igors: Igor Rurikovich (Igor the Old) and his son Igor, whom chroniclers began XII V. “united” into one person. After all, more than a hundred years separated them from the events described and much was forgotten.

During the reign of Igor (912-945), several significant events took place in Rus'. The Pechenegs, a nomadic Turkic people, first appeared at the Russian borders, breaking through the possessions of Khazaria into the Black Sea steppes. In 915, Igor made peace with the Pechenegs. The Pechenegs migrated to the Danube, but five years later Russia fought with them.

Relationship K 941, obviously, relations between Rus' and

With Byzantium The Roman Empire, at least, the Russians moved to Constantinople. Igor could count on success, because. Byzantium was busy at war with the Arabs. Ten thousand Russian soldiers on boats approached Constantinople, but the Greek fleet, equipped with devices for throwing Greek fire, gave a worthy rebuff to the invaders. Byzantine ships splashed jets of fire at their enemies. A special composition was burning, the secret of which the Greeks kept secret - it is unknown to this day. It was impossible to put out the Greek fire, and it burned both in water and under water. Many Russians burned or drowned, and those who returned to their homeland spoke in horror about weapons similar to heavenly lightning.

Three years later, “desiring revenge” for the defeat of 941, Igor went against the Byzantines again. But near the Byzantine city of Chersonese (modern Sevastopol in Crimea), he was met by Greek ambassadors who offered peace and gifts. The squad advised us to accept these conditions. As a result, in the same 944 it was concluded new trade agreement. He was worse than Olegov: Russian merchants were obliged to pay duties to Byzantium, the prince promised not to allow the Bulgarians to enter Byzantine possessions in Crimea. But overall it was a beneficial agreement for Rus'.

In 943, Rus' made a successful campaign to the east. The Russians captured the cities of Berda and Derbent.

Drevlyan uprisings Apparently, Igor's military enterprises did not bring significant replenishment to his treasury. How else can we explain the fact that 945 Igor’s youths (that is, ordinary soldiers of the prince’s squad) complained to their master that they were naked, and were jealous of the warriors of the governor Sveneld, who had good clothes and weapons. Sveneld received from Igor the right to collect tribute from part of the Drevlyan land. The youths called on the prince to go to Polyudye to the Drevlyans: “And you and we will get it!”

Igor obeyed and acted not as a wise ruler of the state, but as a tribal leader, accustomed to living by robbing subject peoples. Having taken the due tribute, he sent most of the squad to Kyiv, and with a small squad he decided to “go some more.” The second appearance of the Kievites near the city of Iskorosten gathered the Drevlyans at a meeting, where the Drevlyan men, led by Prince Mal, decided to repel the robbers. As a result, Igor and his youths died, and, according to one version, the Kiev prince was torn into pieces, tied to two trees.

After the death of Grand Duke Oleg, the Drevlyans tried to separate themselves from Kyiv. Prince Igor Rurikovich pacified them and imposed an even greater tribute than under Oleg. Voivode Sveneld received Drevlyan taxes as a reward from Igor for the conquest of the Uglich people and the capture of their city Peresechen.

Prince Igor's internal policy was mainly aimed at pacifying the disturbances of various Slavic tribes.

In 913, Igor planned to raid the Caspian inhabitants. The path lay through the Khazar possessions along the Volga. For a promise to give half of the spoils, the Khazar Kagan let the Russians through. But on the way back of the victors, the Khazars decided to take possession of all the spoils, and most of the Russian army was exterminated, and almost all of those who survived died in the fight against the Bulgarians.

At the end of the 9th century, hordes of nomadic Pechenegs appeared in the neighborhood of the Slavic tribes, and Prince Igor was the first to defend his regions from them. In 915, Prince Igor concluded a peace treaty with them, which lasted 5 years, and later (in 944) entered into an alliance with them against the Greeks. But basically in Russian-Greek relations the Pechenegs sided with the Greeks.

In 941, Prince Igor decided, following the example of Oleg, to make a big campaign against Byzantium, this time to the Asian shores of the empire. But the Danube Bulgarians, seeing Russian ships in the Black Sea, reported this to the emperor. The Greeks gathered forces, equipped ships and set out against the enemy. In a fierce naval battle, the Russians could not withstand the “Greek fire” and were defeated.

Igor wanted to atone for the shame of his defeat and in 944, having hired the Pechenegs, he again moved to Greece. This time the Byzantine emperor did not engage the Russians in battle, but paid off with rich gifts. The following year, Prince Igor concluded a peace treaty with the Greeks.

In foreign policy, Prince Igor pursued trade benefits and various benefits for Russian merchants in Byzantium.

In his old age, Igor Rurikovich did not go to polyudye (tribute collection) himself, but entrusted this task to Sveneld, to which his warriors were indignant. Having listened to them, Prince Igor went to the land of the Drevlyans to collect tribute, and he and his squad resorted to violence. On the way back to Kyiv, deciding that they had not collected enough tribute, they decided to return for repeated exactions.

Such a campaign by Prince Igor against the Drevlyans led to his death. The Drevlyans killed his detachment and killed the prince himself. There is news that the Drevlyans, having bent the trunks of two trees, tied the prince to them, released them, and he was torn into two parts.

After the death of Prince Igor in 945, his wife Princess Olga took control, because their son Svyatoslav was still small. She was very smart, determined, and of a strong character. Olga, resorting to cunning, brutally took revenge on the Drevlyans for the murder of Prince Igor.

Prince Igor. 912–945

Igor's reign was not marked at all by any great incident in the people's memory until 941, when Nestor, in agreement with Byzantine Historians, describes Igor's war with the Greeks. This Prince, like Oleg, wanted to glorify his old age with it, having lived until that time on friendly terms with the Empire: for in 935 his ships and warriors went with the Greek fleet to Italy. If you believe the Chroniclers, then Igor entered the Black Sea with 10,000 ships. The Bulgarians, then allies of the Emperor, notified him of this enemy; but Igor managed, having landed on the shore, to devastate the Vospor region. Here Nestor, following the Byzantine Historians, speaks with new horror about the ferocity of the Russians: about the temples, monasteries and villages they turned to ashes; about prisoners killed inhumanly, etc. Roman Lekapin, a famous warrior, but a weak Emperor, finally sent out a fleet under the command of Theophanes the Protovestiary. Igor's ships were anchored near Far or the lighthouse, ready for battle. Igor was so confident of victory that he ordered his soldiers to spare the enemies and take them alive; but success did not correspond to his aspirations. The Russians, horrified and thrown into disarray by the so-called Greek fire, with which Theophanes lit many of their ships and which seemed to them like heavenly lightning in the hands of an embittered enemy, retreated to the shores of Asia Minor. There, Patrick Vardas with selected infantry and cavalry, and Domestic John, famous for the victories he won in Syria, with an experienced Asian army, attacked the crowds of Russians who were plundering flourishing Bithynia, and forced them to flee to the ships. They weighed anchor, sailed to the Thracian shores at night, fought with the Greeks at sea and returned to their fatherland with great damage.

Death of Igor. 946 Engraving by B. Chorikov

Prince Igor collects tribute from the Drevlyans. Hood. K. Lebedev

Igor was not sad, but wanted to take revenge on the Greeks; gathered another large army, called the Varangians from overseas, hired the Pechenegs, and two years later went to Greece again with a fleet and cavalry. Lekapin, not confident of victory and wanting to save the Empire from the new disasters of war with a desperate enemy, immediately sent envoys to Igor. Having met him near the Danube mouth, they offered him tribute, which the brave Oleg had once taken from Greece; They promised more if the Prince wisely agreed to peace. Igor took gifts from the Greeks for all his soldiers, ordered the hired Pechenegs to ruin neighboring Bulgaria and returned to Kyiv.

Grand Duke Igor Rurikovich. Painting of the Chamber of Facets. Х1Х century

The next year, Lekapin sent Ambassadors to Igor, and the Prince of Russia to Constantinople, where they concluded a solemn peace...

Having swornly approved the alliance, the Emperor sent new Ambassadors to Kyiv to present the Russian Prince with a peace charter. Igor, in their presence on the sacred hill where Perun stood, solemnly pledged to maintain friendship with the Empire; His warriors also, as a sign of an oath, laid weapons, shields and gold at the feet of the idol. The ritual is memorable: weapons and gold were the most sacred and precious things for Russian pagans. Varangian Christians took the oath in the Cathedral Church of St. Elias, perhaps the oldest in Kyiv.

Igor, having presented the Greek Ambassadors with precious furs, wax and captives, released them to the Emperor with friendly assurances. He really wanted peace for his old age; but the selfishness of his own squad did not allow him to enjoy peace. At the onset of autumn, the prince went to the land of the Drevlyans and, forgetting that moderation is a virtue of power, burdened them with a burdensome tax. His squad - perhaps taking advantage of the weakness of the elderly Prince - also wanted wealth and robbed the unfortunate tributaries, pacified only by victorious weapons. Igor had already left their area; but fate determined that he would die from his own imprudence. Still dissatisfied with the tribute he had taken, he decided to send the army to Kyiv and return with part of his squad to the Drevlyans to demand a new tribute. Then the desperate Drevlyans, seeing - according to the Chronicler - that it was necessary to kill the predatory wolf, or the whole herd would be its victim, armed themselves under the command of their Prince, the name Mala; They left Korosten, killed Igor with his entire squad and buried him not far from there. The Byzantine Historian narrates that they tied this unfortunate Prince to two trees and tore him in two.

Prince Igor. Portrait from the Tsar's Title Book

Chapter VI Prince Igor. 912-945 Revolt of the Drevlyans. The appearance of the Pechenegs. Igor's attack on Greece. Treaty with the Greeks. Murder of Igor. Igor, in his mature age, assumed dangerous power: for his contemporaries and posterity demand greatness from the heirs of the great Sovereign or despise