Yaroslav was the son of the great Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich and the Polotsk princess Rogneda. Even in his youth, in 987, his father appointed him Prince of Rostov, and in 1010, after the death of Vysheslav, the eldest son of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Yaroslav became Prince of Novgorod.

After the death of Prince Vladimir, a struggle began between the brothers for the Kiev throne. First, Kyiv was captured by Svyatopolk. killing the brothers, Prince of Rostov Boris, Smolensk Gleb and Drevlyan Svyatolav. Having defeated Svyatopolk, Yaroslav had to fight with his brother Mstislav, the Tmutarakan prince. Mstislav won in this fight, but in 1036 he died, then the entire Russian land united in the hands of Yaroslav.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise was married to the daughter of the Swedish king Olav, Ingigerda. Old Russian chronicles mention two names of Yaroslav's wife, Irina and Anna. Apparently, Ingigerda received the name Irina at baptism, and she took the name Anna when she was tonsured as a nun.

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054), Kievan Rus reached its peak and became one of the strongest states in Europe. To strengthen his possessions, Yaroslav the Wise built several new cities, Kyiv was surrounded stone wall, and the main city gate is called “Golden”.

The foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise was worthy of a strong monarch and was aimed at strengthening the international authority of Rus'. He made several successful military campaigns against the Finnish peoples, Principality of Lithuania, Poland. In 1036, Yaroslav won the final victory over the Pechenegs, the most long-awaited victory for the fatherland. And on the site of the battle he built the Church of St. Sophia.

During the reign of Prince Yaroslav, the last clash between Rus' and Byzantium took place, as a result of which a peace treaty was signed, supported by a dynastic marriage. His son Vsevolod married the Greek princess Anna.

Dynastic marriages contributed to strengthening peace and friendship between states. Prince Yaroslav the Wise had three daughters and six sons. The eldest daughter Elizabeth was the wife of the Norwegian prince Harald. The second daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, Anna, married the French king Henry I. Anastasia married the Hungarian king Andrew I. Three sons of Yaroslav the Wise, Svyatoslav. Vyacheslav and Igor were married to German princesses.

Domestic policy Yaroslav the Wise was aimed at increasing the literacy of the population. For this purpose, he built a school where boys were taught church work. Yaroslav cared about enlightenment, so he instructed the monks to translate and rewrite Greek books.

The activities of Yaroslav the Wise were very productive. He built many temples, churches, and monasteries. At the head church organization The first Metropolitan Hilarion, Russian by birth, was elected. With the construction of temples, architecture and painting appeared, and church tunes were adopted from Greece. Kievan Rus under Yaroslav the Wise was noticeably transformed.

To strengthen the influence of the church, the church tithe, previously introduced by Prince Vladimir, was renewed, i.e. a tenth of the tribute established by the princes was given to the needs of the church.

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise left its mark on the history of Russia with another great deed - the publication of "Russian Truth", the first collection of laws. In addition, a vault appeared with him church laws"Nomocanon", or translated as "The Helmsman's Book".

Thus, the reforms of Yaroslav the Wise covered a wide range of problems - political, religious, educational.

Yaroslav died in 1054 at the age of 76.

He received the nickname Wise for his love of books, the church, and for his godly deeds. Yaroslav did not acquire new lands with weapons, but returned what was lost in civil strife, and did a lot to strengthen the Russian state.

But Yaroslav was nicknamed the Wise only in the 60s of the 19th century. In those days he was called “Khromts”, because. Yaroslav was limping. In that era, it was believed that physical disability was a sign of special strength and intelligence. Chrome means wise. And perhaps “Wise” is an echo of the nickname “Lame,” and his actions only confirmed this.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise (978-1054) - Rostov and Novgorod prince, Grand Duke Kyiv, son of the Baptist of Rus'. After numerous battles with his brothers, he was able to secure the southern and western borders of the state. Also during the reign of Yaroslav, dynastic ties were established with European countries. It was under him that the “Russian Truth” was compiled. In addition, during this statesman the Golden Gate was built, Pechersky Monastery and St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. To soften the dependence of the Russian Orthodox Church from Byzantium, the ruler sent his Metropolitan Hilarion to the temple.

Family ties

There are discussions among historians about the years of Yaroslav’s life, but most of them adhere to the version about the year of birth in 978. He was born into the family of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, who baptized Kievan Rus. The mother of the statesman was Rogneda Rogvolodovna.

Already in 987 he received the title of Prince of Rostov. It was in this year that a city called Yaroslavl was founded. Since the boy was very young, a breadwinner and governor of Buda was assigned to him. He helped the ruler get comfortable, and later he became Yaroslav’s closest ally.

After the death of Vysheslav in 1010, Yaroslav was recognized as the prince of Novgorod. In 1014, he first refused to pay tribute to Kyiv, which led to disagreements with his father Vladimir, who at that time was the head of state. He became furious and began preparing a campaign to punish his son. However, he later fell ill and died suddenly.

Vladimir’s other sons took on the task of pacifying his brother. Since 1015, conflicts between Yaroslav and Svyatopolk the Accursed and Mstislav of Tmutarakan began. They lasted for several years. During this time, the state's borders moved several times.

Conflicts with brothers

When Vladimir died, Svyatopolk took his place. He had to destroy three brothers to maintain power. Boris, Svyatoslav and Gleb died at the hands of the ruler's hired killers. This fate awaited younger brother, but he managed to win the battle of Lyubich. In 1016, Svyatopolk fled to his father-in-law Boleslav, and two years later they tried to attack Yaroslav together. The battle took place in Volyn, on the banks of the Bug. For a while, Boleslav managed to take possession of Kiev, but later he quarreled with his son-in-law and left. At this time, the Wise again attacks along with his Varangians and wins.

In 1019, Yaroslav managed to become the prince of Kyiv. His main goal was to protect native land from the Pechenegs and other conquerors. Under his authority, the ruler united almost all ancient Russian territories. But for full control, the man needed to deal with other relatives.

In 1021, he expelled his nephew Bryachislav of Polotsk, after which he divided the state along the Dnieper with his brother Mstislav. In 1036 he dies, and Yaroslav again becomes the only prince. At the same time, he sends his son Vladimir to the post of Novgorod sovereign.

The wise man preferred to resolve all issues through diplomacy, resorting to violence only as a last resort. Studies of his remains showed that the statesman’s leg was almost completely severed. He couldn't do without outside help because he was limping badly.

Some historians claim that the injury was sustained during feuds with the brothers. Other scientists believe that Yaroslav limped since childhood. The chronicles contain confirmation of the second version, allegedly in his youth the ruler suffered paralysis of his legs. But this did not diminish his physical strength.

Administration of Kievan Rus

The Wise ruled Kiev from 1019 to 1054, during which time Rus' became the strongest country in Europe. The territory was surrounded by a stone wall, and the main gate of the city was called “Golden”. The Church of the Annunciation towered above them. Thanks to this statesman, the first full-fledged set of laws, “Russian Truth,” was published in Rus'. To strengthen the defense of the state, several fortresses were cut down along the Ros River.

He also founded several monasteries, including Yuriev and Kiev-Pechersk, as well as the Hagia Sophia Cathedral. The foundation for the last of them was laid on the site of an enchanting victory over the nomads. Even now, the temple amazes the townspeople with its splendor; the frescoes and mosaics are perfectly preserved. For finishing statesman invited the best masters from Greece. Not far from the cathedral are the monasteries of St. George and St. Irene.

Special attention the sovereign devoted to the church and the development of writing. He gathered numerous translators and scribes to expand the library Kievan Rus. All over the land, children learned to read and write thanks to a school for boys opened in Novgorod. Yaroslav himself spent a lot of time reading. The specialists he hired translated books into Old Russian and ecclesiastical Slavic language And.

In 1054, the prince felt his death approaching, so he divided all his lands between his sons, bequeathing them to live in peace. Kyiv throne went to Prince Izyaslav. The statesman died on February 20, 1054. He was buried in a marble coffin, the ceremony took place in the Church of Hagia Sophia.

Dynastic marriages

Yaroslav Vladimirovich was married only once in his life, but the chronicles mention two names of his wife - Irina and Anna. The statesman's wife's name was Ingigerde, she was the daughter of the Swedish king Olav. According to historians, at baptism the girl received the name Irina, after being tonsured as a nun they began to call her Anna.

To strengthen his power, Yaroslav married all his daughters to kings of other countries. Elizabeth became the wife of the Norwegian Harald, Anastasia married the Hungarian ruler Andrei. Historians have devoted a lot of time to studying the fate of Anna Yaroslavna, who became the wife of the French king Henry I.

The prince married Vsevolod's son to a Greek princess, and two more offspring tied the knot with German princesses. Izyaslav married his sister Polish prince Casimir, who, in turn, married the Wise's sister. Her name was Dobrogneva. Yaroslav Vladimirovich sought to build a policy on love and diplomacy, avoiding the use of weapons. He hoped that his sons would continue his work, but the death of the sovereign was the impetus for the beginning feudal fragmentation.

During his life, the statesman managed to do more than many other rulers. He had a strong character, constantly strived for enlightenment, for which he was nicknamed the Wise. The Russian Orthodox Church remembers and annually honors the memory of its prince. IN leap year this date falls on March 4th, all other times - on the 5th.
 

Kiev state in the 11th-12th centuries

§ 16. Prince Yaroslav the Wise

After the death of Vladimir the Saint (1050), just as after the death of Svyatoslav, princely civil strife arose in Rus'. Vladimir's eldest son Svyatopolk, having occupied the Kiev "table", sought to exterminate his brothers in order to achieve autocracy himself. Of the five brothers, he managed to kill three (Boris, Gleb and Svyatoslav). Two of them are princes Boris and Gleb , were taken by surprise by the killers and did not think of opposing their older brother. Their martyrdom and their moral righteousness aroused general indignation against Svyatopolk and aroused reverent respect for the memory of the dead. The Church canonized them, and ancient Rus' the suffering princes became an example of brotherly love and meekness. Svyatopolk, for his fratricide, was likened to Cain and received the nickname of the Damned. Svyatopolk's fourth brother Yaroslav , who was in Novgorod, saved himself from Svyatopolk’s assassination attempt, gathered an army of Novgorodians and Varangians and went to war against Svyatopolk. Despite the fact that Svyatopolk was helped by the Polish king (Boleslav the Brave), Yaroslav defeated Svyatopolk and established himself in Kyiv, and Svyatopolk died somewhere in exile. However, defeat and death Svyatopolk the Accursed The strife did not end. Yaroslav's last surviving brother was Mstislav , reigned in Tmutarakan. A war broke out between him and Yaroslav, the consequence of which was the division of the state: Yaroslav received Kyiv and the lands west of the Dnieper; Mstislav received Chernigov and the lands east of the Dnieper. And only after the death of Mstislav of Chernigov, Yaroslav managed to restore autocracy in the Russian land (1034).

Yaroslav's reign earned him great fame and love in Rus'; for his intelligence and erudition he was given the nickname Wise. Yaroslav loved to read books and collected them. Books were translated for him from Greek language and bought Slavic books. The collection of books, organized by Yaroslav at the main Kiev Church of St. Sophia the Wisdom of God, served for the general benefit and was available to everyone who loved book wisdom. Yaroslav, according to the chronicler, “sown the hearts with book words faithful people": he established schools, built churches and ordered the clergy to teach people, instructing them in the new Christian faith. Thus, Yaroslav was the enlightener of Rus'.

He was also its strong defender, actively protecting the borders of the state from external enemies. By the way, he managed to completely defeat the Pechenegs and drive them away from Kyiv forever (1034). The main masses of the Pechenegs soon after left for the Balkan Peninsula; those of them who remained in the Russian steppes, on the borders of the Kyiv state, recognized the power of the Russian princes and were pacified. Together with other small nomadic tribes of the Torks, they formed a semi-sedentary foreign population along the Rosi River (the right tributary of the Dnieper) and on that side received from the Russian people the name “black hoods” (Karakalpaks) due to their black fur hats. The significance of this victory of Yaroslav over the Pechenegs was not overshadowed even by the failure of the raid on Byzantium undertaken under him (1043). The three-year war with the Greeks caused by this raid was the last clash between Rus' and Byzantium and ended with the release of Russian prisoners captured by the Greeks during the raid.

The Kiev state under Yaroslav undoubtedly strengthened and prospered. Yaroslav possessed great wealth, which allowed him to undertake extensive and magnificent buildings (§15). In Kyiv he built the wonderful Church of St. Sophia and several others stone temples and monasteries. In Novgorod, under him, they also began to build the Church of St. Sofia. For his buildings, Yaroslav ordered craftsmen from Greece and Construction Materials and, sparing no expense, achieved amazing results. St. Sophia Church in Kyiv was for that era one of the richest and most beautiful buildings in all of Europe. The trade of Rus' under Yaroslav connected Kyiv with lively relations with almost all countries of the European south and west. Yaroslav sent his ambassadors and merchants to Germany, France, Hungary, Poland and the Scandinavian countries. With friendly rulers even of distant states Prince of Kyiv entered into family ties. Yaroslav himself was married to the Swedish princess Ingigerd (Irina); three of his sons married the daughters of German rulers; his daughters married the kings of France, Hungary and Norway; finally, his fourth son Vsevolod was married to a relative of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh. Thus, under Yaroslav, Rus' became part of the European states and the city of Kyiv received the significance of one of the largest European centers, which owned the trade medium between European markets and the east.

One of the greatest princes of Kyiv Rus', the son of the Polotsk princess Rogneda and Vladimir the Great, is Yaroslav the Wise. short biography and all the facts of his life were taken by historians from the “Tale of Bygone Years” - a chronicle that has survived to this day. Yaroslav was born in 978-979 (the date of his birth is not reliably known). In 987, despite his young age, he was 9 years old, he was named Prince of Rostov.

After Vladimir the Great died, a bloody struggle for the rule of Kiev began between his sons. First, the capital was captured by Svyatopolk, one of the sons of Vladimir, killing Boris of Rostov, Gleb of Smolensk and Svyatoslav of Drevlyan. To gain power over the city, Yaroslav had to confront the Tmutarakan prince, brother Mstislav. Mstislav won this battle, but after his death in 1036, Yaroslav united all the Russian lands and became the prince of all Rus'. During the years of his reign, Yaroslav returned the lands lost during civil strife and led his political activity in the direction of centralization and strengthening of the Russian state.

Yaroslav the Wise was married to the daughter of the Swedish king Olav - Ingigerda. In the chronicles of ancient Rus' her names were mentioned such as Irina and Anna. It is believed that Ingigerda was given the name Irina at baptism, and she took the name Anna when she was tonsured as a nun. Prince Yaroslav the Wise had three daughters and six sons.

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, Kievan Rus reached its peak and became one of the most powerful states in Europe. To strengthen the territory of his country, Yaroslav the Wise built several new cities. A protective wall was erected around Kyiv, and the main gate in the city was called Golden.

The policy regarding foreign relations of Yaroslav the Wise was aimed at strengthening the authority of Rus' among European countries. He made several victorious military campaigns against the Principality of Lithuania, the Finnish peoples and Poland. Yaroslav finally defeated the Pecheneg troops in 1036, thereby winning the most long-awaited victory for the fatherland. The St. Sophia Church was built on the site of the victorious battle. Prince Yaroslav the Wise ended the confrontation between Rus' and Byzantium; after the battle in 1043, a peace treaty was signed between the countries, which sealed the dynastic marriage. The Greek princess Anna was given as a wife to one of Yaroslav’s sons, Vsevolod. Marriages between royal offspring helped strengthen peace not only with Byzantium, but also with many European countries.

The course of Yaroslav the Wise's domestic policy was mainly aimed at increasing the level of literacy and education of the population. He built a school where young men were taught church work. Yaroslav also cared about the enlightenment of citizens, instructing monks to translate holy writings and rewrite Greek books.

Colossal work was done by Yaroslav the Wise in the direction of the cultural development of Rus'. His reign was also marked by the construction of many temples, churches, and monasteries. At the head church hierarchy The first Russian-born Metropolitan Hilarion was elected. In those days, architecture and painting appeared in Rus'. Holy chants, adopted from Greek chants, also develop. Kievan Rus changed noticeably during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.

To strengthen the power and influence of the church, the church tithe, previously introduced by Prince Vladimir, was restored. A tenth of the established princely tribute complained about the needs and requirements of the church. The reign of Prince Yaroslav was marked not only by the cultural and economic rise of the state, but also by the introduction of the first set of laws, which was called “Russian Truth”. Also during his reign, a set of laws for the church “Nomocanon”, also called the “Helmsman’s Book”, was issued.

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is characterized by the implementation of many reforms in the religious, political and educational spheres.

Yaroslav died at the age of 76 in 1054.

Prince Yaroslav was nicknamed the Wise only in the middle of the 19th century. During his reign, his nickname was “Lame”, as he was lame on his right leg. In those days, it was believed that a person with physical disabilities was the owner of special powers and intelligence. Most likely, “Wise” is an echo of the nickname “Khromets,” which was confirmed by the actions of Yaroslav.

Thus, Prince Yaroslav the Wise can be considered one of greatest rulers Kievan Rus. This name sounds in many legends, and becoming the ego is immortalized in monuments. Many architectural structures that were erected by this ruler have survived to this day, one of them is the St. Sophia Cathedral in the city of Kyiv.

One of the most revered ancient Russian princes- Prince Yaroslav the Wise, son of the great (Baptist). He received the nickname “Wise” for his love of education and the creation of the first code of laws known in Rus', later called “Russian Truth”.

He is also the father, uncle and grandfather of many European rulers. At baptism, Yaroslav received the name George (or Yuri). The Russian Orthodox Church reveres him as a faithful believer and even included the day of his memory in the calendar. In a leap year it is March 4th, and in a normal year it is March 5th.

Childhood and youth

The date of birth of Yaroslav Vladimirovich is still debated today. But most historians and scientists are inclined to believe that the prince was born in 978, although no one is completely sure of this. His birthday is even more unknown.

His parents were Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, who belonged to the Rurik family, and the Polotsk princess. Although there is no agreement here either. For example, famous historian Nikolai Kostomarov doubted that Rogneda was Yaroslav’s mother. And his French colleague Arrignon even believed that the prince gave birth Byzantine princess Anna. Allegedly, this circumstance explains his intervention in internal Byzantine affairs in 1043.

But for the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that the rest of the historians are inclined to consider Rogneda to be the woman who gave birth to the most famous of the ancient Russian princes.

All four offspring born in marriage with Rogneda, Izyaslav, Mstislav, Yaroslav and Vsevolod, were sent by Grand Duke Vladimir to reign in different cities. Yaroslav got Rostov. But since the boy was barely 9 years old, a breadwinner and governor Budy was assigned to him (in other sources of Buda). Later, when the matured Prince Yaroslav the Wise began to rule Novgorod, the breadwinner and mentor turned into his closest ally.

Governing body

This period is in the nature of traditions and legends. The time of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, as well as the personality himself, is tended to be idealized by some historians, and demonized by others. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle.

The reign of Novgorod had a higher status than the reign of Rostov. And yet, the Novgorod ruler had a subordinate status in relation to the Kyiv ruler, that is, Vladimir. Therefore, Prince Yaroslav the Wise obligatorily paid his father 2/3 of the tribute collected from the Novgorod lands every year. It was the amount of 2 thousand hryvnia. 1 thousand remained for the maintenance of the nobleman himself and his squad. It must be said that its size was only slightly inferior to Vladimir’s squad.

Probably, it was precisely this circumstance that prompted the son to rebel and in 1014 refuse to pay a huge tribute to his father. The Novgorodians supported their mayor, as there is information about in the surviving chronicles. Vladimir became angry and began to prepare a campaign to pacify the rebels. But at that time he was advanced in age. Soon he fell ill and died suddenly, without punishing his son.

The place of his father was taken by the eldest son, Svyatopolk the Accursed. To protect himself and keep power in his hands, he destroyed three brothers: Boris, whom the people of Kiev especially loved, Gleb and Svyatoslav. The same fate awaited the Novgorod mayor. But he managed to defeat Svyatopolk in bloody battle near Lyubech and in 1016 entered Kyiv.

The fragile truce between the brothers who divided Kyiv along the Dnieper from time to time passed into a “hot” stage. But in 1019 Svyatopolk died, and Yaroslav the Wise began undivided rule of the Kyiv throne.

The great merit of Prince Yaroslav the Wise was the victory over the Pechenegs. This happened in 1036. As the chronicles say, the city was besieged by nomads during the period when the ruler went to Novgorod, where he took part in the foundation of the temple. But having received news of the danger, he quickly returned and defeated the Pechenegs. From that moment on, their devastating and bloody raids on Rus' stopped for a short time.

The “golden” time of Yaroslav the Wise began. After the victories, the nobleman took up grandiose construction. At the site of the brilliant victory over the nomads, the St. Sophia Cathedral was founded. In many ways it was a copy of the cathedral in Constantinople. Decorated with magnificent frescoes and mosaics, the temple amazed its contemporaries with its beauty and delights the eye today.

The nobleman spared no expense on the church splendor and invited the best Greek craftsmen to decorate the cathedral. And the famous Golden Gate appeared in the city, which was repeated in Constantinople. The Church of the Annunciation grew above them.

Domestic and foreign policy

The ruler made considerable efforts to break the dependence of the Russian Orthodox Church on Byzantium, which dominated it. Therefore, in 1054, for the first time in the history of Rus', its church was headed by a Russian, and not a Greek, metropolitan. His name was Hilarion.

The internal policy of Yaroslav the Wise was aimed at increasing the education of the people and eradicating the remnants of the pagan faith. Christian faith vaccinated with new strength. In this, the son continued the work of his great father, Vladimir the Baptist.

The son ordered the translation of Greek handwritten books into the Slavic language. He himself loved to read and tried to instill a love of reading and education in his subordinates. The clergy began teaching children to read and write. A school for boys appeared in Novgorod, which accepted its first 300 students.

The number of books grew rapidly and book wisdom became a kind of fashion of the time. It became prestigious to be enlightened.

The Tale of Bygone Years talks about a certain collection of books and documents, which is usually called the Library of Yaroslav the Wise. Scientists talk about different quantities: from 500 to 950 volumes. According to some sources, the library was transferred by the prince (according to other sources - by his great-grandson) to the St. Sophia Cathedral.

Since ancient books that are a thousand years old have not been found, there are many hypotheses about where they could be stored. Some claim that these may be the dungeons of the St. Sophia Cathedral, others talk about the catacombs Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the third - about the Vydubitsky Monastery. But there are also skeptics who believe that the priceless tomes could not have survived the devastating Polovtsian raids and fires.

Another version that has the right to exist is that the Library of Yaroslav the Wise became part of the no less legendary Library.

Prince Yaroslav the Wise stood at the origins of the appearance of the first Russian monasteries, including the main one - Kiev-Pechersk. The monastery not only made a huge contribution to the promotion and popularization of Christianity and Orthodoxy, but also played a huge role in enlightenment. After all, chronicles were compiled here and books were translated.

And at this wonderful time, “Russian Truth” by Yaroslav the Wise appeared. This is the first set of laws of Rus', which followers added and expanded.

Historians also highly appreciate the foreign policy of the nobleman, in which he also achieved enormous success. It seems that he was the first of the Russian princes to emphasize diplomacy rather than force of arms.

At that time, dynastic marriages were considered the main way to improve relations with other states. And since Kievan Rus during the reign of the Wise turned into an enlightened and strong state, many rulers of European countries expressed a desire to “be related” to it.

The wife of Yaroslav the Wise was the daughter of King Olaf of Sweden, Ingigerda, who received the name Irina after baptism. From her father she inherited a rich dowry - the city of Aldeigaborg (later Ladoga). The lands adjacent to it were called Ingermanlandia (which translates as the lands of Ingigerda).

The prince's son, Vsevolod, married a Greek princess. Two more offspring are among the German princesses. Son Izyaslav married the sister of the Polish prince Casimir, and Casimir himself married the Wise’s sister, Dobrogneva.

The daughters of a Kyiv nobleman had similar dynastic marriages. Elizabeth was married to the Norwegian king Harald, Anastasia - to the Hungarian ruler Andrei. But the most famous and revered was the daughter Anna Yaroslavna, who became the wife of the French king Henry I. As a result, such foreign policy Prince Yaroslav the Wise found himself connected by ties of kinship with many powerful neighbors, near and far.

Founding of cities

Prince Yaroslav the Wise founded Yuryev. This happened in 1030, when he went on a campaign to Chud. New town, named after his angel, appeared on the shore Lake Peipsi. Now called Tartu, it is the second largest Estonian city after Tallinn.

Another city of Yaroslav the Wise is Yaroslavl, although some historians consider the fact of its founding by the prince not indisputable.

There is another Yuriev, which was founded by a prince. This city turned out to be at the same time a fortress that was part of the Poros defensive line. It was erected to protect Kyiv from nomads. In 1240, the Tatar-Mongols destroyed it, leaving only the ruins of the church. The city was revived around it, receiving the name Bila Tserkva. It is still called that today.

Personal life

Many historians agree that Ingigerd’s wife, who became Irina after baptism, had a huge influence on her husband and left a noticeable mark on the history of Rus'. On the lands she inherited from her father, St. Petersburg was built in 1703.

In Kyiv, thanks to Princess Irina, the first convent. It was built at the Church of St. Irene. One of its columns “survived” until the mid-twentieth century. Now only the quiet Irininskaya Street reminds of the existence of the temple.

How the personal lives of Yaroslav the Wise and Ingigerda-Irina turned out is difficult to say today. What is known is that 6 sons and 3 daughters were born in her marriage. The wife shared the views of her husband and converted to his faith, doing a lot to promote it.

The great nobleman, it seems, was not handsome. A strongly protruding nose and the same chin, a sharply defined mouth and large eyes did not add to the attractiveness. He was also lame due to different lengths of his legs. According to one version, due to hip and knee joints, and on the other - due to hereditary Perthes disease.

There is a historical puzzle-riddle about which different historians have their own opinions. Some of them claim that Prince Yaroslav the Wise was married twice.

His first wife was allegedly a Norwegian, Anna. In this marriage even a son, Ilya, was born. But in 1018, he and his mother were captured by the Polish king Boleslav the Brave and taken to Poland forever. This version is allegedly confirmed by the fact that Anna's name appears in some chronicles.

But there are also opponents to this controversial version. They claim that everything is much simpler. Anna is the monastic name of Ingigerda-Irina. Allegedly, at the end of her life, she took monastic vows as a nun, taking this name for herself. In 1439, Archbishop Euthymius canonized Anna. She is considered the heavenly patroness of Novgorod.

It is noteworthy that Prince Yaroslav the Wise himself was canonized as a saint only in the 21st century.

Death

Prince Yaroslav the Wise spent the last years of his life in Vyshgorod. He died on the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy in the arms of one of his sons, Vsevolod, having outlived his wife by 4 years and his eldest son, Vladimir, by 2 years.

The date of the prince's death is considered to be February 20, 1054. He was buried in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, in a 6-ton marble sarcophagus. Unfortunately, the remains of the great ruler disappeared. It is known that the sarcophagus was opened three times in the 20th century: in 1936, 1939 and 1964. And they did not always do it skillfully and conscientiously.

After the autopsy in 1939, the remains of Yaroslav the Wise were sent to Leningrad, where scientists from the Institute of Anthropology confirmed for the first time that one of the 3 skeletons (male, female and child) from the opened burial actually belonged to the prince. Using the found skull, anthropologist Mikhail Gerasimov was able to reconstruct the appearance of the ruler.

The remains were returned to Kyiv. But in 2009, the tomb was opened again and it was discovered that there were no remains of the oldest of the Rurikovichs. Two female skeletons were found at the site - one from the times of Kievan Rus, the second even older - from the Scythian period. The newspapers Izvestia and Pravda from 1964 were also found in the tomb.

Many historians and researchers are inclined to believe that the remains should be looked for in the USA. Allegedly, they were taken there in 1943, when German troops were retreating.