Prince Vladimir of Kiev had twelve sons. One of them, Yaroslav, ruled over the principality of Novgorod in northern Russia. Once a year he would collect tribute from his subjects and send a considerable portion of it to Kiev. After many years in that distant trading center, with its extensive overseas connections, Yaroslav decided to end the practice of collection tribute. This angered his father, Vladimir, who zealously watched over Russian unity. In order to subdue his recalcitrant son, Vladimir built bridges and kept the forest roads in good condition for a campaign against Novgorod. Yaroslav also began to prepare for a war against his father, bringing in Viking mercenaries from Sweden. Since he was married to a daughter of the Swedish King, he had maintained direct ties with the Vikings. While waiting for the fighting to break out, the mercenary soldiers became dissipated; they ran amok and ill-treated the citizens of Novgorod. The indignant citizenry decided to put an end to this abuse. On a dark night in August 1015, they attacked and killed the mercenaries. This infuriated Yaroslav, since the mercenaries comprised the backbone of his armed forces. That same night he had Novgorod’s best warriors slaughtered. Next morning a courier from Kiev brought the news that the old prince was dead and that his adopted son, Svyatopolk, had seized the throne. Since Yaroslav also coveted the throne, he now bitterly regretted that night’s work for it had weakened him at such a decisive time. To win the support and military aid he needed so badly, he got the people of Novgorod together that same morning and said: “Oh, my beloved, honest warriors, whom in my madness I cut up yesterday! No amount of gold can compensate for their death. Brothers! My father, Vladimir is dead and Svyatopolk now rules in Kiev. I want to wage a war against him. Give me your support!” To gain their support, Yaroslav granted the people of Novgorod a covenant guaranteeing their lives, honour and possessions against any attempts by the mercenary Vikings. The citizens, now content, provided 3,000 warriors, whereupon Yaroslav marched against Kiev.
Yaroslav and Svyatopolk were the strongest and most implacable of all the combatants. The grim struggle for power went on and on with varying success for both sides. In the end, Yaroslav, backed by a strong force of the Vikings, defeated Svyatopolk and was enthroned in Kiev in 1019. Yaroslav proved to be a wise and far-sighted ruler. The people named him Yaroslav the Wise. Yaroslav ruled now over a huge state. It stretched from the While Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, and from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Ural foothills in the east. Half of that boundless area was the sparsely settled northern forestland, which teemed with game; the settled farmlands also accounted for fairly large areas. It was no easy task to govern such a huge territory. The big distances enabled the local authorities to rule uncontrolled. Every landed estate comprised a miniature state, with its own laws and economies. As the unifying center of the ancient Russian state, Kiev played a primary role both politically and economically. Through it passed the famous trade route ‘from the land of the Vikings to the land of the Greeks’, thus joining the north to the south. This splendid, unique city with its numerous churches, was situated on the banks of the Dnieper river. By its wharves were moored ships and smaller sailing vessels laden with furs, wax, amber from Novgorod and other northern towns, wines from Byzantium, precious stones, paints and spices from the Orient. Trade was brisk in Kiev. Its master craftsmen had something to offer the visiting merchants. The products of the potters, blacksmiths, gunsmiths and foundry men were famous far and wide. Foreign merchants were especially taken with the encrusted, chased and filigreed jewelry made of gold, silver and bronze. These were in great demand in the circles of the rich and noble.
A well-educated and devout Christian, Yaroslav fully realized the spiritual strength inherent in Christianity. We read in the “Tale of Bygone Days”: “Yaroslav was very fond of church rituals. He treated the men of holy orders very well, especially the monks, and read books assiduously, often night and day. He brought together large numbers of scribes, who translated Greek books into Slavic. They also wrote numerous books, by which believers learn and enjoy God's teachings.” Yaroslav was building churches, paid the priests from his own pocket and ordered them to enlighten people.
Yaroslav’s third daughter, Anastasia was married to King Andrei I of Hungary and Yaroslav’s two sons had both been married to German Countesses of impeccable linage.
“I am leaving this world, my sons. Love one another, for you are all brothers, born of one father and one mother. If you live in harmony with one another, God will be with you and will defeat your enemies. And you will live in peace. If, on the contrary, you harbour hatred in your hearts, live in discord and quarrel with one another, you yourselves will perish and destroy the land of your fathers, who gained it with such great effort. Live in peace together, brother listening to brother.” Yaroslav the Wise bequeathed the throne along with the city of Kiev, to his elder son distributing the other old Russian cities among his other sons. He died in 1054 and was buried in the St.Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. Upon his death in 1054 he was buried in St.Sophia’s Cathedral.
It was during this trying moment that Yaroslav’s grandson, Vladimir Monomakh, was invited to take power in Kiev. Probably no other Russian Kievan ruler merits such fond memories as Vladimir Monomakh does. A maternal grandson of the Greek Emperor Constantine Monomakh and of Yaroslav’s much-loved son who was a very well educated man with good command of five foreign languages, Vladimir Monomakh was married to the daughter of the Saxon King Harold II who was killed during the battle of Hastings in 1066.
Vladimir Monomakh was more that just a good warrior, he was also a wise lawmaker and a gifted writer. The ‘Instructions to My Children’ he left behind is still very relevant today. Following are some excerpts from this moral admonition. “Repentance, tears and charity – these are the three good things we need to fight our enemy, the devil… Care for the downtrodden, feed them, defend orphans and widows... And above all, humiliate yourselves, harbor no pride in your heart and in your head for we are mortals all – today we are alive, tomorrow – in the coffin. Our possessions are not ours, we are just caretakers of what is given us by God. Do not bury your treasures for it is a sin. Do not be idle at home, look after everything; never rely on your housekeeper and servants so that your guests don’t make laugh of you, of your home and your food... Do not indulge in too much drink, food and sleep... Honour your guests no matter where they come from, whether they are noblemen or not. Visit the sick, see off the deceased and have kind word for everyone... Love your wives but never let them rule over you. Keep in mind all the useful things you know and learn what you don’t know… Do good and never hesitate to help those in need...” Vladimir Monomakh lived a life that was near and dear to the Russian heart and soul. He was a God-loving man, and his was a living faith for he never set it apart from his daily labours. Vladimir Monomakh lived according to the Lord’s Commandments, meaning that he lived with all and for the sake of all. Vladimir Monomakh died in 1025 being in his 70s. The so-called Monomakh Hat, the orb, chain and the shoulder mantle the Russian czars wore during enthronization – all these things that once belonged to Vladimir’s grandfather, Constantine Monomakh, the Greek Emperor, have all survived the rigors of time and are now on display in the Kremlin. Legend has it that shortly before giving up the ghost, Vladimir Monomakh had the boyars and the top clergy brought in to announce his last wishes: “May no one ascend the throne when I’m gone,” he said. “This country is divided and if someone takes the throne, the princes will get envious, they will fight him and bring ruin to this country...” After that Vladimir handed the symbols of royal power to his son Yuri for safekeeping them until God gave Russia a new Ruler, a real autocrat to rule Russia with an iron hand... Shortly after Vladimir’s death the Kiev Russ started falling apart into dozens of small principalities. For the next few centuries Russia would be a divided land ruled by feudal lords envious of each other’s wealth…
Illustrations:
11/19/2004
|
By the beginning
of the 11th century the Kiev Russ had been a state for 200 years. Once
part of a union of tribes, it had progressed to the status of a big feudal
power, whose authority grew noticeably after the adoption of Christianity.
The Kiev Russ prospered under Prince Yaroslav the Wise, who ruled from
1019 to 1054. His reign in Kiev was preceded by a series of highly dramatic
events, which reflected the cruel morals of that distant age...
The war between
the brothers grew in ferocity, claiming ever new victims. Svyatopolk had
his other two brothers, the princes Boris and Gleb, murdered. Burning with
thirst for power and total rule, he did no spare his closest relatives,
even those who laid no claim to the throne. Many of Vladimir’s twelve sons
met the same cruel fate.
After he
had grown rich and consolidated his hold on the throne, Yaroslav spared
no money to beautify the capital. Kiev began to compete with the capital
of Byzantium. Around Kiev Yaroslav built a ring of fortifications unparalleled
in Russia. The main entrance, known as the Golden Gate, symbolized the
city's indomitable strength for seven centuries. The gate is still standing.
One of Kiev's most beautiful temples of worship, St.Sophia’s Cathedral,
with its 13 domes, marble walls and splendid frescoes, was built with the
help of Byzantine masters.
The rivalry
with Byzantium also made itself felt in the attitude to the church. Wishing
independence, Yaroslav put a Russian, the Metropolitan Illarion, at the
head of the Russian Orthodox Church without the knowledge of the Patriarch
in Constantinople. Until then the Metropolitan of the Russian church had
always been a Greek.
He ruled the land
for 35 years and the Kiev Russ thrived under his reign with many European
royals eager to marry into the family of this powerful ruler. Yaroslav
the Wise was married to Indigerda who was the daughter of the Swedish King
Olaf and he had arranged for his sister, Dobrogneva, to tie the knot with
the Polish King Kazimierz. One of his daughters, Elizabeth, was married
to King Harald of Norway and the other, Anna, was the wife of the French
King Henry I. After her husband’s death, Anna ruled France for many years,
until their son, Philippe finally came of age. Anna was widely admired
for her good schooling and at the time of almost complete illiteracy, she
always signed official papers with her full name instead of just jotting
down a sign of the cross like others did... Moreover, from then on the
French kings would now be sworn in on the Gospel Queen Anna had brought
with her from Russia even though it was written in Slavic and no one could
read Slavic in medieval France...
Yaroslav
lived a long life and died an old man of 76 years old. Shortly before departing
this world he invited his children to his deathbed for a final instruction:
Before very
long, however, the period of prosperity the Kiev Russ enjoyed under Yaroslav,
started coming to an end. Twenty years on, Yaroslav’s heirs were already
locked in a bitter feud for the throne. The domestic disrepair was aggravated
by outside woes – the Polovtsy nomads were up in arms now devastating the
southern Russian towns and villages, their hands freed up by the mutual
antagonism of the Russian princes and their stubborn refusal to take orders
from the Kiev Prince to make a common stand against the pillaging enemy.
Ascending
the throne, Vladimir Monomakh put all his energy, wit and military genius
to bring the Russian state together again and flush out the nomadic aggressor
– something he successfully did for 13 years effectively keeping the Polovtsy
at bay.
