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Yuri Vsevolodovich died in the battle. Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich: Before the eclipse. Some facts about Yuri Vsevolodovich

Constantine, Yuri, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich - Grand Dukes of Vladimir-Suzdal. They reigned successively from 1212 to 1246. The most important event of this period was the invasion of Russia by the Mongol-Tatar hordes. From the moment of the first appearance of the steppe hordes to the complete defeat of South and North-Eastern Russia, only seventeen years passed.

VSEVOLODOVICHI, Konstantin, Yuri, Yaroslav. The grand dukes, the children of Vsevolod the Big Nest, reigned, respectively, from 1212 to 1219, from 1219 to 1238 and from 1238 to 1246. Disobeying the admonitions of their dying mother, the pious Princess Mary, the children began feuds. Bequesting the great reign, Vsevolod the Big Nest called the eldest son of Constantine a disobedient and handed the rule over to his beloved third son Yuri. Konstantin, considered this state of affairs a consequence of the boyars' conspiracy, did not obey the will of his deceased father and entered into a fight with Yuri.

In 1216, on the Lipitsa River, a bloody battle took place between Constantine and Yuri, in which Constantine won. Yuri fled to Gorodets, and Constantine proclaimed himself the Grand Duke of Vladimir. Subsequently, the brothers were reconciled. Konstantin Vsevolodovich, bypassing his own sons, declared Yuri the heir to the Vladimir throne. Yuri, for his part, vowed to forget the strife and be a father to the young children of his older brother.

Grand Duke Konstantin Vsevolodovich reigned in Vladimir, engaged in the establishment of civil peace. He built churches, gave alms and ruled a fair trial. The chronicles emphasize the kind-heartedness of the Grand Duke: "He was so kind and meek that he tried not to grieve a single person, loving in word and deed to comfort everyone, and his memory will always live in the blessings of the people."

In 1219, after the death of Konstantin Vsevolodovich, Yuri Vsevolodovich became the Grand Duke of Vladimir. Learning that the Volga Bulgars captured the city of Ustyug, Yuri Vsevolodovich sent his younger brother Svyatoslav against them. Svyatoslav went down the Volga and entered the lands of the Bulgars. His swift victories so frightened the Bulgars that they fled from their cities, leaving their wives, children, property to the victors. When Svyatoslav returned to Vladimir, Yuri Vsevolodovich met him as a hero and rewarded him with rich gifts. At the beginning of winter of the same year, Bulgar ambassadors came to Vladimir with proposals for peace. Yuri Vsevolodovich rejected all conditions and began to prepare for a new campaign. Having tested the power of the grand ducal arms, the Bulgarians tried in every possible way to soften Yuri Vsevolodovich and, finally, with rich gifts, they persuaded him to peace.

The reign of Yuri Vsevolodovich was calm until 1224. This year, Russia first encountered Mongol-Tatar hordes, who came from the depths of Asia, conquering with fire and sword everything that came their way. In the first battle of the Russian squads with the Tatar-Mongols on the Kalka River, Yuri Vsevolodovich did not take part. The princes were unable to agree on the joint defense of the Russian land. Divided into small principalities and tormented by internal strife, Russia could not withstand the Tatar-Mongol invasion.

At the end of 1237, innumerable hordes of Tatar-Mongols, led by Khan Batu, invaded the lands of north-eastern Russia. The Ryazan principality became the first victim of Batyev's invasion. Ryazan was surrounded, and ambassadors were sent to the city. "If you want peace," the ambassadors said, "then a tenth of your wealth will be ours." - “When none of us will survive, then you will take everything” - answered the Ryazan prince. This answer predetermined the fate of not only Ryazan but also many other Russian cities. Ryazan was burned to the ground by the Mongols, and all its inhabitants were exterminated, young and old.

Yuri Vsevolodovich, realizing the mortal threat, went to Yaroslavl to gather an army. On February 3, 1338, having ruined Suzdal, Kolomna and Moscow along the way, Batu approached Vladimir and took the city by storm. The Grand Duchess Agafya with her children and townspeople took refuge in the Assumption Cathedral, where they were all burned alive. The devastation of the Russian lands continued further in two directions: to Galich and to Rostov. Tatar-Mongols burned cities and villages, killed civilians, even small children did not escape their rage.

Yuri Vsevolodovich managed to gather all combat-ready squads on the Sit River. But the courage of the Russian squads could not resist the hordes of Batu. In a bloody battle (March 4, 1338) the entire Russian army was killed together with the Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich and his two sons. After the battle, the Rostov bishop Kirill found among the dead the body of Yuri Vsevolodvich in a princely attire (the head of the Grand Duke was cut off in battle and they could not find it). There was a rumor among the people that Prince Yuri managed to hide in the city of Kitezh on the shore of Lake Svetloyar, but Batu overtook him there and put him to death. At the same hour, Kitezh plunged into the waters of the lake. According to legend, Kitezh must appear in the world on the eve of the Last Judgment.

Yuri Vsevolodovich is the Grand Duke, during the days of whose reign a terrible disaster struck Russia, leaving a deep mark in the history of Russia. Eight hundred years have passed since then, we feel the Mongolian trace both at the level of the genotype of the people, and at the socio-behavioral level of the people. The subsequent transformation of Russia into a multinational empire over the centuries, the annexation of territories once controlled by the Mongol horde are also consequences of the events that took place under Yuri Vsevolodovich. The death of the prince, princess and their children with an interval of a month suggests that the changes in the nature of the Russian state caused by the Mongols were very painful. Together with the princes, thousands of residents of Russian cities died, completely exterminated from young to old.

In 1238 after the death of his brother, he assumed the title of Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich... It was a courageous act, since it was not a flourishing land that fell to him to rule, but, as Karamzin put it, “Yaroslav came to rule over the ruins and corpses. In such circumstances, a sensitive sovereign might hate power; but this prince wanted to be famous for the activity of the mind and the firmness of the soul, and not for his kindness. He looked at the widespread devastation, not in order to shed tears, but in order to make up for the traces of it by the best and fastest means. It was necessary to gather the people scattered, to erect cities and villages from the ashes - in a word, to completely renew the State ”.

First of all, Yaroslav ordered to collect and bury the dead. Then he took measures to restore the destroyed cities and organize the administration of the Vladimir lands. As the senior Russian prince, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich distributed the cities and principalities of North-Eastern Russia among his brothers so that only one princely family would rule in each city at all times.

Meanwhile, in 1239, Batu Khan returned to Russia. This time it fell upon the southern principalities, which were not affected in 1237-1238. In the spring of 1239, his troops took Pereyaslavl and Chernigov, and on December 6, 1240 Kiev fell. "Ancient Kiev has disappeared, and forever: for this, once the famous capital, the mother of the Russian cities, in the XIV and XV centuries was still in ruins: in our time there is only a shadow of its former greatness."

Having actually destroyed Kiev, the Tatars continued to move forward and in 1241 captured Lublin, Sandomierz, Krakow, defeating the troops of the Poles, Czechs, Germans and Hungarians. They reached the very Adriatic Sea and from there turned back.

By this time, Grand Duke Yaroslav II managed to understand that the Tatars more or less leave alone only those peoples who show them obedience. Not seeing an opportunity to fight with them and wishing to somehow save their lands from a new invasion, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich made a wise decision to show the khan his humility... He, the first of the Russian princes, was not afraid or ashamed to go to bow to Khan Batu in the Golden Horde.

In the Horde, they demanded that he perform several pagan rituals, in particular, walk between two bonfires and bow to the shadow of Genghis Khan (in case of refusal, death awaited him, and his land was ruined). For a Christian prince, such a demand meant not only a terrible humiliation, but also a violation of the covenants of the Christian church. Faced with such a demand, other Russian princes preferred to choose not the easiest death. But Yaroslav Vsevolodovich went to great lengths to preserve the remnants of the people in the Vladimir-Suzdal land. If the prince took another, proud, decision, the Vladimir-Suzdal land could no longer exist at all, as many other states, for example, the Volga Bulgaria, disappeared from the pages of history. Batu was pleased with the obedience of the Russian prince and for the first time issued him a label (letter) for the Great Reign, that is, permission to be the Grand Duke.

Since then, any Russian prince who wanted to become the Grand Duke had to go to the Golden Horde to ask the khan for mercy, never knowing what awaited him: life or death. This is how Yaroslav Vsevolodovich ended his life. After the death of Khan Ogedei, he was going to receive a label for the Great Reign from his son, Khan Guyuk. In 1246, Yaroslav went to him in Karakorum, in Mongolia... The khan received the prince graciously and let him go with mercy, but seven days later, on the way home, Yaroslav died. It is believed that the cause of his death, most likely, was the poison that the mother of Khan Guyuk gave to the prince. Yaroslav Vsevolodovich was buried in Vladimir.

Yaroslav Vsevolodovich was married twice, the prince had nine sons and three daughters. Yaroslav's son, Alexander Nevsky, went down in Russian history as one of the outstanding rulers, he was also canonized by the Orthodox Church.

Grand Duke Vladimirsky, Prince Gorodetsky, Prince of Suzdal

short biography

Yuri (Georgy) Vsevolodovich(November 26, 1188 - March 4, 1238) - Grand Duke of Vladimir (1212-1216, 1218-1238), Prince of Gorodets (1216-1217), Prince of Suzdal (1217-1218).

The third son of the Grand Duke of Vladimir Vsevolod Yuryevich Big Nest from his first marriage, with Maria Shvarnovna. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the guise of noble princes. The relics of the prince are in the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir.

early years

Born in Suzdal on November 26, 1188. Bishop Luke baptized him. On July 28, 1192, tonsure Yuri and on the same day they put him on a horse; “And joy is great in the city of Suzdal,” the chronicler noted.

In 1207, Yuri took part in a campaign against the Ryazan princes, in the winter of 1208/1209 with Konstantin to Torzhok against the Novgorodians, who imprisoned his brother, Svyatoslav, and called Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny to reign, and at the very beginning of 1209 against the Ryazan people , who tried to take advantage of the absence of the main Suzdal forces and attacked the outskirts of Moscow.

In 1211, Yuri married Princess Agafia Vsevolodovna, daughter of Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny, Prince of Chernigov; the wedding took place in Vladimir, in the Assumption Cathedral, by Bishop John.

Conflict with brother

In 1211, Vsevolod the Big Nest, with the support of a specially convened conference with the participation of the boyars and Bishop John, gave the grand-princely Vladimir table to Yuri in violation of the rights of his eldest son, Constantine.

On April 14, 1212, Vsevolod died, and the contradictions between the brothers resulted in civil strife. The 3rd oldest brother Yaroslav took the side of Yuri, and the 4th and 5th brothers Vladimir and Svyatoslav took the side of Constantine. Yuri was ready to give Vladimir in exchange for Rostov, but Konstantin did not agree to such an exchange and offered his brother Suzdal, who refused. At first, the struggle was on the territory of the principality, but then, when the interests of Yuri and Yaroslav intersected with the interests of the Smolensk Rostislavichs, in particular Mstislav Udatny, in Novgorod, the Smolensk and Novgorodians invaded the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, united with Constantine and defeated Yuri, Yaroslav and the Muromites and put on the great reign of Constantine. Yuri got his lot Gorodets Radilov on the Volga. Bishop Simon followed him there. The very next year, Konstantin gave Yuri Suzdal and, leaving Rostov land as an inheritance to his offspring, recognized his brother as his successor on the grand ducal table. Constantine died on February 2, 1218, and Yuri became the Grand Duke for the second time.

Foreign policy

Yuri Vsevolodovich, like his father, achieved foreign policy successes, mostly avoiding military clashes. In the period 1220-1234, Vladimir's troops (including in alliance with Novgorod, Ryazan, Murom and Lithuanian) conducted 14 campaigns. Of these, only three ended in battles (victories over external opponents; 1220, 1226, 1234).

Already in 1212, Yuri released from captivity the Ryazan princes captured by his father in 1208, including Ingvar and Yuri Igorevich, who came to power in Ryazan as a result of the struggle of 1217-1219 and became Yuri's allies.

In 1217, the Volga Bulgarians reached Ustyug, but retaliatory measures were taken only after the death of Constantine and Yuri's rise to power, in 1220. Yuri sent a large army under the leadership of his brother Svyatoslav; the army reached the city of Oshel on the Volga and burned it down. At the same time, the Rostov and Ustyug regiments along the Kama came to the land of the Bulgarians and ravaged many cities and villages. At the mouth of the Kama, both rats united and returned home. Bulgarians in the same winter sent ambassadors to ask for peace, but Yuri refused them.

In 1221 he himself wanted to go against the Bulgarians and went to Gorodets. On the way, he was met by the second Bulgarian embassy with the same request and was again refused. A third embassy with rich gifts appeared in Gorodets, and this time Yuri agreed to peace. In order to strengthen an important place behind Russia at the confluence of the Oka and the Volga, Yuri at that time founded here, on the Dyatlovy Hills, the city of Nov Grad (Nizhny Novgorod). Then he built in the new city a wooden church in the name of the Archangel Michael (later the Archangel Cathedral), and in 1225 he laid the stone church of the Savior.

The founding of Nizhny Novgorod entailed a struggle with the Mordovians, using the differences between its princes. In 1226, Yuri sent the brothers Svyatoslav and Ivan against her, and in September 1228 his nephew Vasilko Konstantinovich of Rostov; in January 1229 he himself went to the Mordovians. After that, the Mordovians attacked Nizhny Novgorod, and in 1232 she was pacified by the son of Yuri Vsevolod with the princes of Ryazan and Murom. Opponents of the spread of Vladimir's influence on the Mordovian lands were defeated, but a few years later, during the Mongol invasion, part of the Mordovian tribes sided with the Mongols.

Yuri organized campaigns to help his former opponents in the Lipitsk battle: the Smolensk Rostislavichs, defeated by the Mongols on Kalka - in 1223 to the southern Russian lands, led by his nephew Vasilko Konstantinovich, who, however, did not have to fight: when he reached Chernigov, he learned about the defeat Russians and returned to Vladimir; and in 1225 - against the Lithuanians, who ravaged the Smolensk and Novgorod lands, which ended with the victory of Yaroslav at Usvyat.

In the years 1222-1223, Yuri twice sent troops, respectively, led by the brothers Svyatoslav under Venden and Yaroslav, under Revel to help the Estonians who rebelled against the Order of the Swordsmen. In the first campaign the Lithuanians were the allies of the Russians. According to the "Chronicle" of Henry of Latvia, in 1224 the third campaign was launched, but Russian troops only reached Pskov. Russian chronicles date Yuri's conflict with the Novgorod nobility to about the same time. Vsevolod Yurievich was taken by his supporters from Novgorod to Torzhok, where his father came to him with an army in 1224. Yuri demanded the extradition of the Novgorod boyars, with whom he was dissatisfied, and threatened, in case of disobedience, to come to Novgorod give your horses to Volkhov to drink, but then withdrew without bloodshed, content with a large sum of money and giving the Novgorodians his brother-in-law, Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich from the Chernigov Olgovichi, as princes.

In 1226, Yuri sent troops to help Mikhail in his struggle against Oleg Kursk in the Chernigov principality; the campaign ended successfully, but after being approved in Chernigov, Mikhail entered into a struggle with Yaroslav Vsevolodovich for the Novgorod reign. In 1228, Yaroslav, once again expelled from Novgorod, suspected the participation of his older brother in his exile and won over to his side his nephews Konstantinovich, Vasilko, Prince of Rostov, and Vsevolod, Prince of Yaroslavl. When Yuri found out about this, he summoned all his relatives to the Suzdal Congress in September 1229. At this congress, he managed to settle all the misunderstandings:

And I bowed to Yurya all, his father's property and his master.

In 1230, Yuri married his eldest son Vsevolod to the daughter of Vladimir Rurikovich of Kiev and, with the diplomatic support of the latter and Metropolitan Kirill, transferred Novgorod to Mikhail and his son Rostislav. But having finally lost Novgorod in favor of Yaroslav (1231), Mikhail immediately joined the struggle for Kiev against Vladimir Rurikovich and Daniil Romanovich Volynsky, who went over to him. In 1232, Yuri went to the Chernigov land against Mikhail in the direction of Serensk, and stood there for some time. Mikhail avoided direct struggle. In 1229, the campaign against the order planned by Yaroslav did not take place due to disagreements with the Novgorodians and the Pskovites, but after Pope Gregory IX announced a crusade (1232), Yaroslav defeated the knights in the battle on Omovzha. After 1231, for a hundred years, only the descendants of Vsevolod the Big Nest were princes of Novgorod.

List of military campaigns of the Vladimir troops in the period 1218-1238

  • 1219 - Ingvar Igorevich. Gleb Vladimirovich and Polovtsy;
  • 1220 - Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. Volga Bulgaria, Oshel;
  • 1221 - Yuri Vsevolodovich. Volga Bulgaria, Gorodets;
  • 1222 - Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. Order of the Swordsmen, Wenden;
  • 1223 - Vasilko Konstantinovich. Mongol Empire, Chernigov;
  • 1223 - Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Order of the Swordsmen, Revel;
  • 1224 - Yuri Vsevolodovich. Novgorod land, Torzhok;
  • 1226 - Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Battle of Usvyat;
  • 1226 - Yuri Vsevolodovich. Chernigov principality, Kursk;
  • 1226 - Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. Mordva;
  • 1228 - Vasilko Konstantinovich. Mordva;
  • 1229 - Yuri Vsevolodovich. Mordva;
  • 1231 - Yuri Vsevolodovich, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Chernigov principality, Serensk, Mosalsk;
  • 1232 - Vsevolod Yurievich. Mordva;
  • 1234 - Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Order of the Swordsmen, Battle of Omovzha;
  • 1237 - Vsevolod Yurievich. Mongol Empire, Battle of Kolomna;
  • 1238 - Yuri Vsevolodovich. Mongol Empire, City River Battle.

Mongol invasion

In 1236, at the beginning of the Mongol campaign in Europe, the Volga Bulgaria was devastated. According to Vasily Tatishchev, the refugees were received by Yuri and settled in the Volga towns. At the end of 1237, Batu appeared within the Ryazan principality. The Ryazan princes turned to Yuri for help, but he did not give it to them, wanting to “scold the individual himself”. Batu's ambassadors appeared in Ryazan and Vladimir demanding tribute, they were refused in Ryazan, they were gifted in Vladimir, but at the same time Yuri sent troops led by his eldest son Vsevolod to help Roman Ingvarevich, who had retreated from Ryazan.

Having destroyed Ryazan on December 16, Batu moved to Kolomna. Vsevolod was defeated and fled to Vladimir (the Vladimir governor Eremey Glebovich and the youngest son of Genghis Khan Kulkan were killed). Batu, after this victory, burned down Moscow, captured Vladimir, the second son of Yuri, and moved on Vladimir.

Vereshchagin V.P. Bishop Kirill finds the headless body of Grand Duke Yuri on the battlefield on the Sit River

Having received news of these events, Yuri summoned the princes and boyars to a council and, after much deliberation, went beyond the Volga to gather his army. In Vladimir remained his wife Agafia Vsevolodovna, sons Vsevolod and Mstislav, daughter of Theodore, wife of Vsevolod Marina, wife of Mstislav Maria and wife of Vladimir Khristin, grandchildren and governor Pyotr Olesledukovich. The siege of the city of Vladimir began on February 2 or 3, 1238, the city fell on February 7 (according to Rashid ad-Din, the siege and assault lasted 8 days). Mongol-Tatars broke into the city and set it on fire. The entire family of Yuri perished (the Vladimir Martyrs), of all his offspring, only the daughter of Dobrava survived, who had been married since 1226 to Vasilko Romanovich, Prince of Volynsky. On March 4 of the same year, in the battle on the City River, the troops of the Grand Duke were defeated at the camp by the secondary forces of the Mongols, led by Burunday, who followed a more northern route separately from the main forces. Among those killed was Yuri himself.

The headless body of the prince was found by the princely clothes among the bodies of the killed soldiers who remained unburied on the battlefield by Bishop Kirill of Rostov, who was returning from Beloozero. He took the body to Rostov and buried it in a stone coffin in the Church of Our Lady. Subsequently, Yuri's head was also found and attached to the body.

In 1239, the remains were solemnly transferred by Yaroslav Vsevolodovich to Vladimir and laid in the Assumption Cathedral. In the "Book of the Degree Tsarist Genealogy" it is described that the head of the Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich during the burial stuck in his body, and his right hand was raised up: " The holy head of his taco is collectively attached to his honest body, as if you see not a trace of cutting off on his neck, but all the compositions are intact and inseparable ... Also his hand is lifted up and up, see, it is as if he is alive, showing the feat of his accomplishment". On February 13 and 15, 1919, an autopsy of his relics took place. According to the Orthodox Encyclopedia, an eyewitness to the autopsy of the relics said that the head of Grand Duke Yuri had previously been cut off, but fused with the body so that the cervical vertebrae were displaced and fused incorrectly.

Assessment of personality and results of government

Historians and novelists, according to an established tradition laid down by the noble historiography, saw in Yuri Vsevolodovich the direct culprit of the terrible ruin of Russia. This point of view was criticized in the well-known research of Doctor of Historical Sciences V. V. Kargalov “ Ancient Russia in Soviet fiction". The author writes: “ The reader involuntarily gets the impression that if on the eve of the Mongol-Tatar invasion, not Yuri Vsevolodovich, but some other, more energetic and far-sighted prince, sat on the grand-ducal "table" ... then the outcome of the war could have been different ... The tragedy of the country was different: the bravest and most energetic princes and governors (and there were quite a few of them in Russia!), due to feudal fragmentation, could not unite the forces of the people to repel the conquerors". However, this point of view, which can also be called traditional, raises serious objections in historiography. It is emphasized that the Mongols in the first half of the 13th century conquered many countries at various stages of development, and the idea that Russia could successfully resist the invasion if it was united is erroneous.

Ardently and convincingly, on the basis of numerous chronicles and other documents, the prominent Soviet prose writer and publicist Vladimir Chivilikhin rehabilitates Prince Yuri in the opinion of his descendants in his essay novel “ Memory", Awarded the State Prize of the USSR. But the fate of the great Vladimir prince Yuri II Vsevolodovich and his time are still waiting to be revealed by historians and novelists.

Canonization

According to the chronicler, “Yuri was adorned with good manners: he tried to fulfill God's commandments; I always had the fear of God in my heart, remembering the Lord's commandment of love not only to neighbors, but also to enemies, was merciful beyond measure; not sparing his estate, he distributed it to the needy, built churches and decorated them with priceless icons and books; honored priests and monks. " In 1221 he founded a new stone cathedral in Suzdal instead of the dilapidated one, and in 1233 he painted and paved it with marble. In Nizhny Novgorod, he founded the Annunciation Monastery.

In 1645, the imperishable relics of the prince were found, and on January 5, 1645, Patriarch Joseph began the process of canonization of Yuri Vsevolodovich by the Orthodox Church. At the same time, the relics were placed in a silver shrine. Yuri Vsevolodovich was canonized as Holy Blessed Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich... His memory - February 4 (17), according to the assumption of Mikhail Tolstoy, "in memory of his transfer from Rostov to Vladimir."

In 1795, on the initiative of the Nizhny Novgorod vice-governor, Prince Vasily Dolgorukov, a descendant of Yuri Vsevolodovich, the date of birth of the city's founder began to be celebrated in Nizhny Novgorod.

Folk legends

Foundation of Kitezh According to this legend, in 1164 Georgy Vsevolodovich rebuilt Small Kitezh (presumably modern Gorodets), founded the Feodorovsky Gorodetsky Monastery in it, and then went to a very remote region, where he set (in 1165) on the shore of Lake Svetloyar Big Kitezh, that is, in fact the legendary city of Kitezh.

Foundation of Yuryevets Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich sailed along the Volga with his army, opposite the mouth of the Unzha River, he saw a fire on the mountain, decided to stop at this place. And as soon as they climbed the mountain, he saw the icon of St. George the Victorious and decided to found a fortress here, later a city in honor of his saint of God - Yuryevets. This icon, as stated in the chronicle, was written on a blackboard in spherical traces and was subsequently transferred to Moscow in the Assumption Cathedral (according to another source, it was carved in stone).

Testament of Yuri Vsevolodovich.“Get along with the Russians and do not disdain the Mordovians. It's a sin to fraternize with Mordovians, but it's better than anyone else! And Cheremis only have black onuchs, and a white conscience! "

The gift of the Mordovian land.“The old Mordovians, having learned about the arrival of the Russian prince, sent him with the young people beef and beer. The young people ate expensive beef, drank beer, and brought land and water to the Russian prince. The prince-murza was delighted with this gift, accepted it as a sign of obedience to the Mordovian tribe and sailed further along the Volga River. Where a handful of land given to him by the slow-witted Mordovian youth throws on the shore - there will be a city, where he throws a pinch - there will be a village ... "

The first inhabitants of Nizhny Novgorod The first settlers in Nizhny Novgorod were artisans who fled from the boyar taxes from Novgorod. Yuri Vsevolodovich took them under the patronage and involved them in construction, thanks to which the first fortress was built in a year.

End of Nizhny Novgorod.“There is a small stream in Nizhny Novgorod near the fortress; it flows through the ravines and flows into the Volga near the St. Nicholas Church. His name is Pochainaya and they say that Yuri Vsevolodovich, the founder of Nizhny Novgorod, called this stream so, being struck by the similarity of the location of Nizhny Novgorod with the location of Kiev. In the place where Pochayna originates, there is a large stone on which something was previously written, but has now been erased. The fate of Nizhny Novgorod depends on this stone: lately it will budge; water will come out from under it and drown the whole Lower. "

A family

Wife from 1211 Agafia Vsevolodovna (about 1195 - 1238), daughter of Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny, Prince of Chernigov, Grand Duke of Kiev.

Sons

  • Vsevolod (Dmitry) (1212/1213 - 1238), Prince of Novgorod (1221-1222, 1223-1224). He has been married since 1230 to Marina (1215-1238), daughter of Vladimir Rurikovich. Killed at Batu's headquarters during negotiations before the capture of Vladimir by the Mongols.
  • Mstislav (after 1213 - 1238), married from 1236 to Mary (1220-1238) (origin unknown). He died during the capture of Vladimir by the Mongols.
  • Vladimir (after 1218 - 1238), Prince of Moscow, has been married since 1236 to Khristina (1219-1238) (origin unknown, presumably from the Monomashic family). Killed during the siege of Vladimir by the Mongols.
  • Dobrava (1215-1265) In 1226, she was married to the Prince of Volyn Vasilko Romanovich, thanks to this she turned out to be the only descendant of Yuri Vsevolodovich who survived after the ruin of Vladimir (1238) by the Tatar-Mongols.
  • Theodora (1229-1238)

The history of Kievan Rus, and then the Russian state, is full of events. Over the centuries, since its foundation, this state has constantly expanded and strengthened, despite the invasions of enemies. Many outstanding and noble people took part in its management. One of the rulers who influenced the history of the Russian state was Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich. What kind of person was this? What is his biography? What has he achieved over the years of his reign? All these questions can be answered in this article.

The early years of the prince

Yuri was born in Suzdal on November 26, 1188 in the family of Yurievich, nicknamed the Big Nest and his first wife Maria Vsevolzhey. He was the second son of Vsevolod. The Rostov priest Luke baptized him in the city of Suzdal. At the end of July 1192, Yuri was mounted on a horse after the so-called ceremony of tonsure.

At the age of 19, the prince had already begun to participate in campaigns with his brothers against other princes. For example, in 1207 on a campaign against Ryazan, in 1208-1209. - to Torzhok, and in 1209 - against the Ryazan inhabitants. In 1211, Yuri married the daughter of Vsevolod, Prince of Chernigov, Princess Agafia Vsevolodovna. They got married in the Assumption Cathedral in the city of Vladimir.

Family of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich

Agafya gave birth to her wife of five children. The firstborn was Vsevolod, born in 1212 or 1213, the future prince of Novgorod. The second son was Mstislav, who was born after 1213. Then Agafya in 1215 gave birth to a daughter, who was given the name Dobrava. She subsequently married the Volyn prince. After 1218, their third and last son, Vladimir, was born. And in 1229, another daughter of Theodora was born. But due to the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars, all children, except for Dobrava, died in 1238. Thus, Yuri Vsevolodovich, the great, was left without an heir.

Relationship with brother

Since 1211, Yuri's relationship with his older brother Konstantin has become tense. The reason for the conflict and civil strife between the two brothers is the decision of their father Vsevolod to give the city of Vladimir to his second son. After the death of Prince Constantine, he tries to get him back. Then the enmity between the brothers begins. Having become the Grand Duke, Yuri Vsevolodovich with his army fought several times with Constantine and his retinue.

But the forces were equal. Therefore, none of them could win. After 4 years, the enmity ends in favor of Constantine. Mstislav took his side, and together they managed to capture the city of Vladimir. Constantine becomes its owner, but after 2 years (in 1218) he dies. And again the city returns to the possession of Yuri Vsevolodovich. In addition to Vladimir, the prince also receives Suzdal.

Yuri Vsevolodovich's policy

By and large, the policy of the Vladimir-Suzdal prince Yuri Vsevolodovich was a continuation of the policy of his father. He, too, was not a fan of military battles, but tried to have peaceful relations with his neighbors. Prince Yuri preferred more diplomatic negotiations and various tricks that helped to avoid conflicts and strained relations. In this he achieved good results.

Nevertheless, Yuri Vsevolodovich still had to organize military campaigns or participate in battles. For example, in 1220 he sent his army led by Svyatoslav against the Bulgars who were in the Volga region. The reason for the campaign was the seizure of Russian lands. The princely army reached the Bulgar lands and conquered several villages, and then won the battle with the enemy himself. Prince Yuri receives an offer of an armistice, but only on the third attempt the Bulgars manage to conclude it. This happened in 1221. From that time on, the Russian princes began to enjoy great influence in the territories adjacent to the Volga and Oka rivers. At the same time, the construction of the city, which is now known as Nizhny Novgorod, begins.

Later, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich fights against the Estonians near Revel. In this he is helped by the Lithuanians, who later outwitted him and began to conquer the lands of Russia, ruining them. Around the same time, the prince had to participate in the conflict with the residents of Novgorod, which he successfully resolved.

In 1226, Yuri Vsevolodovich fights with the Mordovian princes for the territory located next to the built Nizhny Novgorod. After several of his campaigns, the Mordovian princes attacked the city, thereby starting a long-term conflict, which took place with varying success for the two sides. But a more serious threat was approaching the Russian lands - the army of the Tatar-Mongols.

The invasion of nomads into Russian lands

Back in 1223, during the Mongol invasion of the northern Black Sea region, the princes of the southern Russian lands turned to Prince Yuri for help. Then he sent his nephew Vasilko Konstantinovich with the army, but he only managed to reach Chernigov when he learned about the sad outcome of the battle on the Kalka River.

In 1236 the Tatar-Mongols decide to go to Europe. And they do it through the lands of Russia. At the end of the next year, Batu Khan goes to Ryazan, captures it and moves towards Moscow. After a while, the khan approaches Kolomna, and then to Moscow, which he burns. After that, he sends his army to the city of Vladimir. So pretty quickly the Mongol-Tatar hordes seized the Russian lands.

The death of the prince

Having learned such sad news about the enemy's successes, Yuri Vsevolodovich, Prince of Vladimir, after a meeting with the boyars, leaves for the Volga to gather an army for himself. His wife, two sons, daughter and other people close to Yuri remain in Vladimir. In early February, the Mongol-Tatars begin a siege of the city, which they captured on February 7. They burst in and burn Vladimir. The family and loved ones of the Vladimir prince perish at the hands of opponents.

Less than a month later, namely on March 4, Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich entered the battle with the enemies. The battle takes place on the Sit River. Unfortunately, this battle ends with the defeat of the Russian army, during which Prince Vladimir himself also perishes. The headless body of Yuri was found by the Rostov bishop Kirill, who was returning from Beloozero. He transferred the remains of the prince to the city and buried it. After a while, the head of Yuri was also found.

In 1239, the remains of Yuri Vsevolodovich were transferred to Vladimir and buried in the Assumption Cathedral. Thus ended the life of a Russian.

Board results

Historians have different attitudes to the reign of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich. Some admit that he made a great contribution to the expansion of Russian lands. Others consider his rule to be bad, since he could not protect Russia from the invasion of nomads, thereby allowing them to rule over the Russian lands. But at that time, many principalities were unable to withstand the formidable and powerful enemy. Do not forget that during the reign of Yuri, several large cities, cathedrals and churches were built. He also led a successful policy until the invasion, which speaks of his talent and diplomatic ability.

Some facts about Yuri Vsevolodovich

Several interesting facts are connected with the life of Prince Yuri:

  • It is noteworthy that of the whole family of the prince, his daughter Dobrava lived the longest, because she married the Volyn prince Vasilko in 1226 and lived for 50 years.
  • The walled city was built in just one year. Its first settlers were artisans who fled from Novgorod. Yuri Vsevolodovich patronized them, using them in construction.

  • The beginning of the reign of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich is 1212, although in 1216 it was interrupted and continued in 1218 until his death in 1238.
  • Although the prince preferred diplomatic negotiations to military actions, nevertheless he personally took part in 6 campaigns: in 1221 against the Volga Bulgaria, in 1224 against the Novgorod land, in 1226 against the Chernigov principality, in 1229 against Mordva, in 1231 again against Chernigov principality and finally in 1238 against the Mongol-Tatars.

  • According to one chronicler, Yuri Vsevolodovich was a devout man, he always tried to follow God's commandments, respected priests, built churches, did not pass by the poor, was generous and had good qualities.
  • In 1645, Prince Yuri was canonized for his contribution to the development of the Christian faith in Russia, as well as for his mercy towards his enemies.

YURI II VSEVOLODOVICH

Yuri (Georgy) Vsevolodovich (1189-1238) - Grand Duke of Vladimir - 1212-1216 and 1218-1238

Conducted. book mch. Georgy Vsevolodovich. Icon. 1645 g.

Yuri is the third son of the Grand Duke of Vladimir Vsevolod Yuryevich Big Nest from his first marriage with Maria Shvarnovna. Born in Suzdal on November 26, 1187, according to the Ipatiev Chronicle, and according to the Laurentian Chronicle, in 1189. He was baptized by Bishop Luke. On July 28, 1192, Yuri was tonsured and on the same day they put him on a horse; “And the joy is great in the city of Suzdal,” the chronicler notes on this occasion.
In 1208 or 1209, he utterly defeated the Ryazan princes near the Drozdna (Trostny) river, who were devastating the places near Moscow.
In 1210 he took part in a campaign against the Novgorodians, who imprisoned his brother, Svyatoslav, and called Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny to reign; the peace, however, was concluded without bloodshed.
In 1211 Yuri married Princess Agafia Vsevolodovna, daughter of Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny, Prince of Chernigov; the wedding took place in Vladimir, in the Assumption Cathedral, by Bishop John.

1212-1217 - Grand Duke Vladimirsky.
After his death (1212) Vsevolod III appointed his second son, Yuri, and not the eldest, Constantine, as his successor, because the latter did not want to take Vladimir without his beloved. A struggle broke out between the older brothers, in which the younger brothers also took part.

(about 1212-1345) - the capital of Yuryev-Polsky.
Uglich principality(1216-1591) - the capital of Uglich.
Yaroslavl principality(1218-1463) - the capital of Yaroslavl.

Already in 1212, Yuri released from captivity the Ryazan princes captured by his father in 1208, including Ingvar and Yuri Igorevich, who came to power in Ryazan as a result of the struggle of 1217-1219. and became allies of Yuri.

In 1214 it was formed by the will of the great Vladimir prince Georgy Vsevolodovich.
Since 1149 Rostov, Suzdal and Murom dioceses.
Since 1164 (1172) the Rostov and Murom diocese.
Since 1198 the Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir dioceses.
Since 1213 (1214) the Rostov, Pereyaslavl and Yaroslavl dioceses.
Since 1214 the Vladimir and Suzdal diocese.
Since 1226 the Rostov and Yaroslavl diocese.
Since 1228 Suzdal, Vladimir and Pereslavl-Zalesskaya dioceses.

In 1215, Yuri established a special diocese for the Vladimir-Suzdal region, in order to eliminate its dependence on the church from Rostov. Bishop was made abbot Simon... Simon was consecrated from among the abbots of Vladimir in Kiev by Metropolitan Matthew. In 1214, the newly appointed Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal placed his residence in the same place where he had previously been hegumen, i.e. in the Theotokos-Rozhdestvensky monastery in the city of Vladimir.
Saint Simeon is the author of eight narratives about the Monks of the Caves, which laid the foundation for the Kiev Caves Patericon - the first Russian "Fatherland". Vladyka Simon died on May 22, 1226 and was buried in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.
The next bishop of Vladimir was the hegumen of the Vladimir Monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God Mitrofan dedicated to the Kiev Metropolitan Kirill II. The saint cared much about the decoration of the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral.

Georgy Vsevolodovich defended Yaroslav, on whose side were the younger Vsevolodovich Svyatoslav and John, as well as the bloc. book Muromsky Davyd (Pyotr) Georgievich. Mstislav Udaloy took the side of Constantine. Yuri and his younger brothers suffered a severe defeat in 1216 at.
Yuri, having killed three horses, rode on the fourth at noon on April 22, on Friday to Vladimir, sad, exhausted in one shirt (he threw off his outer dress on the road, as slowing his flight). The people of Vladimir did not recognize their prince the first time: so unusual was his appearance. Not expecting defeat, they mistook him for the prince's messenger, hurrying to please them with the news of the victory. “Ours are prevailed,” they shouted enthusiastically, - watching the horseman approaching the city. But what was their surprise when they recognized in him the prince himself and in such a pitiful state. “Strengthen the walls, lock up the city,” were the first words of George that reached the ears of the people of Vladimir. But who was to strengthen and defend the city? All those capable of carrying weapons were taken on a campaign. Remained in the city: spiritual, decrepit elders, children, and women. Instead of merriment, crying arose in the city; in the evening and at night, ordinary people began to run too, one wounded would come running, the other with their feet. And then bitter complaints were heard against Yaroslav, the main culprit of the disaster: "We have suffered such a misfortune from you, it is said about your perjury: come birds of heaven, feed on human blood, animals eat human meat." The unfortunate prince asked the citizens not to hand him over to the victors. He wanted to leave the city of his own free will. The people of Vladimir sympathized with the prince, but they could not help him in any way: they only promised not to hand him over to Constantine.

1217 - Prince in Gorodets Radilov.
The winners were in no hurry to come to Vladimir. They spent the whole day at the site of the massacre, probably engaged in cleaning up the dead bodies, and only on Sunday, on the third day after the battle, on April 24, did they approach Vladimir and besieged him. On the night of Sunday to Monday, there was a fire in the palace led by the prince. Despite the strong desire of the Novgorodians and Smolny residents to take Vladimir by storm, Mstislav did not allow them to do this and saved the city from defeat. On the following Tuesday night, the fire in the city was repeated again: it caught fire in front of the place where the Smolyans were camped, and burned to light. This time the Smolensk prince did not allow his unawares to enter Vladimir. The victorious princes were sure that George himself would hand over the city to them and ask them for peace. On Wednesday morning (April 27), Yuri went out to the winners with rich gifts; "Brothers, I beat you with my head, give you my stomach and feed me with bread."
Konstantin solemnly entered Vladimir, led the inhabitants to the cross, reconciled Yaroslav with Mstislav, Gorodets gave Yuri Radilov on the Volga. Before leaving Vladimir, Georgy Vsevolodovich entered the Cathedral Church, where in front of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God he poured out all his sorrow in prayer cries and, shedding tears, fell on his parent's coffin. “God judge my brother Yaroslav that you have brought me to this place,” he said, leaving the temple, then sat down with his family in the boat and down the river. Klyazma went to his new destiny. Among the few friends, the Bishop of Vladimir, the virtuous Simon, who did not want to leave his prince in misfortune, also wished to follow him.
After seeing Georgy Vsevolodovich off, the people of Vladimir opened the gates to the victors and met them with a procession.

1217-1219 - Prince of Suzdal .
Soon after his accession to the throne, Constantine asked George to come to him in Vladimir for a friendly meeting. George was not slow to appear at the call and, out of his innocence, sincerely forgave his brother. Both brothers, in the words of one descriptor, when they met, "hunted and placast for many hours," entered the cathedral church of the Mother of God, where, at the grave of their parent, they captured their reconciliation by prayer and kissing the cross. Constantine appointed George another inheritance of the city of Suzdal and declared him heir to his throne. George, for his part, gave his word to Constantine to replace his children in the person of his father, when he was led. Prince Vladimirsky. Consoled, George left with his family and court to Suzdal on September 11, 1217.

On February 2, 1219, Constantine died, causing general grief among the people; the chronicle says: "they wept with great lamentation, - the boyars, as the defenders of their land, the servants, as about the breadwinner and master, the poor and the black people, as about their consolation and the garment of their nakedness." Yuri sat down in Vladimir.

1219-1238 - Grand Duke Vladimirsky .
On death led. Prince Constantine, the people of Vladimir kissed the cross to his brother Georgy Vsevolodovich, who, after a short break, entered into the rights of the grand duke for the second time. Together with him came from Suzdal and his inseparable companion, Bishop Simon.
The second accession of Georgy Vsevolodovich to the Grand Duke's throne took place under favorable circumstances. Although northeastern Rust still remained divided into appanages and even a large number of them, since, after the death of Constantine, the Rostov principality was divided between his two sons; but, ruled by princes linked by blood ties of kinship, she did not particularly tolerate it. None of the chronicles says that the appanage princes were not happy with their destinies; on the contrary, it is known that they revered George, as the eldest of the family, for their father and acted in everything according to his will.
The Volga Bulgarians took advantage of the civil strife that existed in the Vladimir principality after the death of Vsevolod, again began to disturb the Russian possessions and in 1217 reached Ustyug, which belonged to the Vladimir prince. Georgy's first step, upon accession to the throne, was to pacify the Bulgarians. For this, in 1220 a large army was equipped with him and sent on a campaign under the leadership of his brother, Svyatoslav Yurievsky. It reached the city of Oshel on the Volga and burned it down. At the same time, the Rostov and Ustyug regiments along the Kama came to the land of the Bulgarians and ravaged many cities and villages. At the mouths of the Kama, both rats united and returned home. The Grand Duke with his children went to meet the victors in Bogolyubov, he himself brought them with due honor to the capital, generously presented them with gold, silver and materials and arranged a cheerful, three-day feast in honor of them. Bulgarians in the same winter sent ambassadors to ask for peace, but the experience of previous years has already shown that peace with this restless people cannot be reliable, Yuri refused them. In order to completely stop the attacks of the Bulgarians on Russia, it was necessary to strengthen the eastern borders of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.
In 1221 a fire devastated the city of Vladimir, 27 churches burned down. Two years later, a new fire destroyed the grand ducal courtyard and 2 churches.

In 1221 he himself wanted to go against the Bulgarians and went to Gorodets. On the way, he was met by the second Bulgarian embassy with the same request and was again refused. A third embassy with rich gifts appeared in Gorodets, and this time Yuri agreed to peace.

Foundation of Nizhny Novgorod

The foundation led. book mch. Georgy Vsevolodovich N. Novgorod near the Dyatlovy mountains. thin V.P. Malinovsky. 2003 r.

Gorodets was the "last" Slavic city on the Volga until 1221.
In 1221, Prince Georgy Vsevolodovich at the confluence of the two great rivers Volga and Oka established a stronghold for the defense of the borders of the Vladimir principality from the Moksha, Erzya, Mari and Volga Bulgars under the name Novgorod of the Nizov land (the Nizov land the Vladimir principality was called the Novgorodians) - later this name was transformed into Nizhny Novgorod, and remained in the imperial title until 1917.

Monument to Yuri Vsevolodovich and Bishop Simon in the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin


Archangel Michael Cathedral in Moscow

The Archangel Cathedral is the sacred center of the Kremlin. The cathedral is located on Chasovaya Gora. The wooden church of the Archangel Michael was built back in 1221, then it was soon rebuilt into a stone one. In 1225 he founded the stone Church of the Savior.

SUZDAL


Nativity Cathedral in Suzdal

The first construction of the cathedral dates back to the 11th century, at the time of the reign of Vladimir Monomakh. In 1222, by order of Yuri Vsevolodovich, the dilapidated building was dismantled, and a new one was built in its place, made of white stone. It stood until the 16th century. In 1528, the white-stone walls were dismantled to an arcature belt with female masks and replaced with brick ones. The three-domed cathedral receives a five-domed completion in the 17th century. signs from the inside. Thus, the cathedral has come down to this day with great changes. The interior has preserved wall paintings from the 13th, 15th, and 17th centuries.
- the first city temple intended not only for the princely family.
It is located in the center of a ring of earthen ramparts, in the bend of the Kamenka River. Throughout its history, the temple has burned several times. The sons of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, princes from the Shuisky family, and others are buried in the cathedral.

In 1223, terrible news spread throughout Russia about new, never-before-heard enemies who approached the Grand Duchy of Kiev. Who these enemies were and where they came from, no one knew in Russia. Some called them Tatars, others Taurmen, others Pechenegs. It was heard that they had already conquered many lands outside Russia: Yasov, Obezov, Kosagov, ruined the Polovtsian land, and it was not far from here to Kiev. The Polovtsian prince turned to the Russian princes for help. "Now they have taken our land," he told them, "tomorrow they will take yours, and therefore help us." The council of the princes of southern Russia decided to help the Polovtsy. "It is better to meet enemies on a foreign land," they reasoned, "than on their own," and sent for help to Vladimir to Georgy Vsevolodovich. But the Tatars, as these new enemies in Russia were called, did not hesitate to advance and the Vladimir army, sent under the leadership of Vasilko Konstantinovich, did not rush to the point. The Battle of Kalka, known in Russian history for such a strong defeat for the Russians, "which has never happened since the beginning of the Russian land", has already ended. In this battle, 6 Russian princes, 70 heroes, many Tyasyatsky, boyars and governors fell; Some of the Kievites then perished up to ten thousand, “Oh, and it’s impossible to say how many of them were beaten, exactly one God knows the number innumerable” (Nik. 354) and of the entire Polovtsian and Russian army, barely a tenth managed to escape. "And there was weeping and toughness in Russia and throughout the whole earth, who heard this misfortune" (Lavr. 189.). Southern Russia was waiting for itself a complete death, but suddenly the Tatars turned back and "we will not know where they came from and kamo her desha." Vasilko Konstantinovich, having brought his army only to Chernigov and, “hearing this great misfortune,” hastily returned to Vladimir, “saved by God and the Most Pure Theotokos” (Lav. 189).

In the summer of 1223, there was a terrible drought throughout the Vladimir-Suzdal land: forests and swamps were burning; the air was filled with such darkness and smoke that birds fell to the ground and animals fled from the forests to cities and villages, “and there was fear and horror on everyone” (Nik. 347). Terrible comets, in 1223 and 1225, frightened the northern people. But the 1230th year was especially difficult and formidable for the people of Vladimir and more than half of Russia. On May 3, an unprecedented natural phenomenon happened in Vladimir. During the liturgy, while the Gospel was being read in the cathedral church, there was such a strong earthquake that many churches cracked, the icons in them moved from their place, chandeliers and candlesticks swayed from side to side; the people, in horror, thinking, “as if the head had covered some of them,” fell to the ground. The same month, on the 10th and 14th, terrible solar eclipses were visible in the sky. "Not for good, but for evil, God dividing our sin shows us signs" (Novg. 114). "And God will be angry and devastate the earth" from the Annunciation to Ilyin's day there was rainy weather, then it got cold, they did not have time to harvest the bread in the fields, frost began on September 14, unfortunately the previous year was a poor harvest. As a result, famine began so strong that people instead of bread ate pine and linden bark, tree leaves, did not disdain horses, dogs, even fell, “and spread the wrath of God and diminished people all over the earth, they are innumerable”. In 1231, this disaster passed: the harvest of bread and various vegetables that year was excellent throughout the Russian land, moreover, a lot of wheat and flour was imported from the German land. Those who survived thanked God, who had sent His mercy to them, "when, with a terrible scream, the Russian land had already perished from gladness." The next 5 years passed well for the city of Vladimir.

In the west, there was a struggle with strong enemies who began to threaten Russia even before the Tatars: Lithuania, the Swedes and the German knights of the Teutonic Order. They threatened not only with the seizure of territory, but also with the destruction of the Orthodox faith, the spiritual foundation of the Russian people. In 1222 - the campaign of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich against the order of the sword-bearers near Wenden, the Lithuanians acted as allies of the Russians.
In 1223 - Yaroslav Vsevolodovich's campaign near Revel to help the Estonians who rebelled against the Order of the Swordsmen.
According to the "Chronicle" of Henry of Latvia, in 1224 the third campaign was launched, but Russian troops only reached Pskov. Russian chronicles date Yuri's conflict with the Novgorod nobility to about the same time. In 1229, the campaign against the order planned by Yaroslav did not take place due to disagreements with the Novgorodians and the Pskovites, but in 1234 Yaroslav defeated the knights in the battle at Omovzha.
In 1225, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich's campaign against the Lithuanians (the Grand Duchy of Lithuania), who ravaged the Smolensk and Novgorod lands, ended with Yaroslav's victory at Usvyat.

The founding of Nizhny Novgorod entailed a struggle with the Mordovians, using the differences between its princes. In 1226 Yuri sent his brothers, Svyatoslav and Ivan, against her, and in September 1228 his nephew, Prince of Rostov; in January 1229 he himself went to the Mordovians. After that, the Mordovians attacked Nizhny Novgorod, and in 1232 she was pacified by the son of Yuri Vsevolod with the princes of Ryazan and Murom. Opponents of the spread of Vladimir's influence on the Mordovian lands were defeated, but a few years later, during the Mongol invasion, part of the Mordovian tribes sided with the Mongols.

In Novgorod, the struggle of parties continued, in which Yuri also had to take part. In 1221, the Novgorodians sent ambassadors to him with a request to give them their son as princes. Yuri sent his young son Vsevolod to the reign of Novgorod and helped the Novgorodians in the fight against the Livonian Order, sending an army under the leadership of his brother Svyatoslav. Vsevolod, however, soon returned to Vladimir, and in his place Yuri sent, at the request of the Novgorodians, Yaroslav's brother. In 1223 Yaroslav left Novgorod for his Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, and the Novgorodians again begged Vsevolod Yuryevich. This time there were some misunderstandings between Yuri and the Novgorodians; Vsevolod was taken from Novgorod to Torzhok, where in 1224 his father came to him with an army. Yuri demanded the extradition of the Novgorod boyars, whom he was dissatisfied with, and threatened, in case of disobedience, to come to Novgorod "to water his horses in Volkhov", but then withdrew without bloodshed, content with a large sum of money and giving the Novgorodians his brother-in-law, Prince Mikhail Vsevolodovich, prince Chernigov.
But the continuous change of princes in Novgorod continued: either Yuri's brother, Yaroslav, or brother-in-law, Mikhail Chernigovsky, reigned there. In 1228, Yaroslav, once again expelled from Novgorod, suspected the participation of his elder brother in his exile and won over to his side his nephews Konstantinovich, Vasilko, Prince of Rostov, and Vsevolod, Prince of Yaroslavl. When Yuri found out about this, he summoned all his relatives to a congress in Vladimir in September 1229. At this congress he managed to settle all the misunderstandings, and the princes bowed to Yuri, calling him father and master.
In 1230, the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir Rurikovich and Mikhail of Chernigov turned to Yuri with a request to settle disputes between Mikhail and Yaroslav over Novgorod. With the participation of Metropolitan Kirill, Yuri reconciled the opponents; Yaroslav obeyed the will of his older brother and abandoned Novgorod, which was given to Mikhail’s son, Rostislav.

Pridneprovskaya Rus, still torn apart by civil strife, again, as it happened under Vsevolod, began to turn to his son Vladimir for help in her needs.

In 1231, George went to the Chernigov land against Mikhail, who, in alliance with Vladimir Rurikovich, the Grand Duke of Kiev, began hostile actions against Yuri's son-in-law, Vasilko Romanovich, and the latter's brother, Daniel Galitsky. After this campaign, Mikhail lost Novgorod, which again passed to Yaroslav, after which for a hundred years only the descendants of Vsevolod the Big Nest were princes of Novgorod.

In 1226 the Vladimir Church lost its worthy Archpastor. "Blessed, merciful and teaching" Bishop Simon died on May 22 and, mourned, led. the prince and all his flock, was buried in the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral. In his place, George was elected Mitrofan, according to some chronicles hegumen, according to others archimandrite of the Vladimir Rozhdestvensky monastery; but for some reason his ordination was postponed for a long time. The Grand Duke, who was in Chernigov, met with Metropolitan Kirill of Kiev, who arrived here at the head of the embassy from the Kiev prince with the same purpose of appeasing the princes. This metropolitan, a Greek by birth, was "cunning in the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and a great teacher." He endeared himself to all the princes who were at the congress; but most of all he loved him. book George. He begged the Primate of All Russia to go with him to Vladimir, “bless him there too,” and to appoint a bishop of the Vladimir-Suzdal region. In the first days of March, the Metropolitan arrived in Vladimir and was received by citizens "with great honor." On the 14th day of the month of March, 1227, "the beginning of fasting, whenever we worship the honest Cross," the consecration of the bishop was appointed. Georgy invited 4 more bishops from neighboring principalities to this celebration, and almost all the princes of northeastern Russia gathered. On the appointed day, they gathered at the Assumption Cathedral Vel. The prince, his entire family, visiting princes, boyars and many people of Vladimir, and with such a large gathering, was appointed by the cathedral of Russian hierarchs Mitrofan to the bishop of "Volodymyr, Suzhdal and Pereslavl."
The chronicler who described this event was himself an eyewitness to it. "Come and see me, a sinner, that being and see wondrous and glorious and glorify the All-Merciful God and the Great Prince George."
After his consecration, the Metropolitan stayed for several more days in Vladimir, "was honored a lot" and led. the prince and the people of Vladimir, and then went to Kiev. Vel himself. the prince with his children and his brothers saw off the distinguished guest out of the city.
In 1230, the successor of Metropolitan Kirill, who died in 1229, was also in Vladimir, the Metropolitan of Kiev of the same name, who was at the head of the embassy to George from the Kiev prince to pacify the same Mikhail of Chernigov and Yaroslav of Pereslavl. The prince led, and this time treated the Metropolitan with due respect and persuaded his brother Yaroslav to make peace with Michael.
Conducted. Prince George, hearing about, wished that his holy relics be transferred to Vladimir. Soon an opportunity was found for that. At the end of 1229, ambassadors came to the prince from Bulgaria to renew the peace treatises with Russia. George demanded from the ambassadors that St. the relics of the martyr, to which they willingly agreed. On March 9, 1230, on the feast day of 40 martyrs, “the new martyr of Christ Abramius was brought from the Bulgarian land to the glorious city of Volodymer”, Bishop Mitrofan and all the clergy of Vladimir “with great honor and with candles,” ordered the prince and all his family and all the inhabitants of Vladimir went out to meet St. relics a mile out of the city and with the singing of church songs were brought into the city “and placed in the church of St. Theotokos, in the monasteries of the Grand Duchess Vsevolozhie, the Assumption, the female ".

He carried on rumors of piety. book George and his influence on other Russian princes spread far beyond the borders of Russia and Pope Gregory IX did not fail to make an attempt to attract the lead. Prince Vladimirsky to the Roman Catholic faith. In 1231 he sent a letter to George to Vladimir, in which, after flattering expressions of love and goodwill, Vel. prince and ordinary convictions to submit to him, the pope, as the viceroy of Christ and successor to Ap. Peter, supposedly the only one who has the power to knit and decide, wrote: “We, sincerely desiring salvation for your soul and all success, benefit and honor, implore and convince your lordship that you humbly accept and observe the rites and customs of Latin Christians, having conquered ourselves and our the kingdom, for the love of Christ, the sweet dominion of the mother of all Christians, the Church of Rome, which offers to have you in the Church of God, as a great sovereign, and to love you as a chosen son; but you will more abundantly feel the grace of the apostolic seat and ours, if, leaving the path of error, you follow the straight path shown to you. And we, on our side, will accept you and your kingdom under the protection of our strong patronage. " But dad's attempt was unsuccessful.

Mind. 1238 BC
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... 1238-1246 - Grand Duke of Vladimir.

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Yuri Vsevolodovich (1188-1238) - Grand Duke of Vladimir, son of Vsevolod the Big Nest.

Yuri Vsevolodovich was one of the many sons of Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest, took an active part in 1212-1216, participated in the Lipitsk battle, twice sat on the grand princely throne in Vladimir, the first time receiving it from his father, and the second - by the will of his brother Constantine. Yuri remained the Grand Duke of Vladimir until his death in 1238, when the throne was transferred to his brother Yaroslav.

Biography of Yuri Vsevolodovich (briefly)

Prince Yuri was born in 1188 in Suzdal, was the third son of Prince Vsevolod Yuryevich and his first wife. From an early age, Yuri was involved in both the spiritual and military life of his family, which later influenced his policy. In the early years, he took part in several military campaigns together with his brothers. In particular, in 1207 he went to Ryazan, and in 1208 and 1209. - to Torzhok. Yuri Vsevolodovich married in 1211 and subsequently had several children, of which only his daughter survived.

Prince Yuri began to be mentioned more often in the annals starting in 1211, when he entered into an internecine war with his own brothers. The cause of the discord was Mr. Vladimir, which Prince Vsevolod, contrary to tradition, handed over not to his eldest son Konstantin, but to Yuri. After the death of Vsevolod in 1212, Constantine decided to return the throne that belonged to him by right and made a proposal to give Yuri Suzdal in exchange for Vladimir. Yuri did not accept the offer, a feud ensued, in which other brothers were involved.

Yuri and Konstantin several times collected troops and went on campaigns against each other in 1213 and 1214, but neither army could take over the other, and the brothers stood for a long time at the mouth of the river. Ishna. The confrontation was resolved only a few years later, in 1216, when Mstislav Rostislavich joined Constantine's army and together they were able to invade Vladimir, defeat the army of Yuri and Yaroslav and subjugate power. In the same year, Constantine became the Grand Duke of Vladimir.

However, Yuri briefly loses his throne. Konstantin, after spending a year in Vladimir, writes a will, according to which after his death the city goes to Yuri. A year later, in 1218, Constantine dies, and Yuri again becomes the prince of Vladimir and does not leave this place until his death.

Domestic and foreign policy of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich

The policy of Yuri Vsevolodovich is in many ways similar to the policy of his father. Like him, Yuri was not a supporter of open armed conflicts, he always tried to use diplomacy and cunning in the settlement of certain foreign policy problems. It was by avoiding serious military conflicts that he was able to achieve certain successes in domestic and foreign policy.

Despite his peacefulness, Yuri nevertheless spent several campaigns during his reign. In particular, since 1220, he has been actively fighting against the Volga Bulgaria, which by that time was able to occupy part of the Russian territories on the border. Yuri sends his army against the Bulgarians, which manages to reach the territory of the Volga Bulgaria, ruin several large cities and villages, thereby forcing the Bulgarians to agree to an armistice. However, even after Yuri receives an offer of peace, he does not go to meet his former rivals. Only a year later, in 1221, after two more peace proposals and a significant ransom, Yuri signed a peace treaty. At the same time, in order to strengthen his power in the conquered territories, Yuri ordered the founding of Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod) and the rebuilding of several cathedrals and temples in it.

Later, in 1222 and 1223, Yuri, together with the Lithuanians, was fighting the Estonian tribe near the town of Revel. After two campaigns against the Estonians, a new stage of the struggle against the Lithuanians begins, who until recently supported Yuri and then attacked Russia. At the same time, a conflict with Novgorod flared up inside the country, in which the prince also took part.

In 1226 Yuri and his troops begin a long struggle with Mordva for the territory around Nizhny Novgorod. The struggle continues for several years with varying success - major battles take place in 1226, 1228 and 1229.

At the end of his reign, Yuri faces a more serious threat -. In 1236, Batu Khan attacked Russia and rapidly conquered its territories. After Moscow was captured, Yuri, having learned about this, leaves from Vladimir to the river. City, where he begins to actively recruit an army and call on his brothers for help. Although Yuri enlisted the support of Yaroslav and Svyatoslav, the princes did not manage to assemble a sufficiently strong army. In February 1238 Khan Batu captured Vladimir, ravaged the city and burned down the entire family of Yuri (only his daughter survived).

Yuri undertakes a retaliatory campaign against Batu in March 1238. In one of the battles, on March 4, he dies.

Results of the board of Yuri Vsevolodovich

Historians assess the role of Prince Yuri in the history of Russia ambiguously. On the one hand, he managed to do quite a lot for the development of the state: several profitable peace agreements were concluded, new cities were built, and much attention was paid to the development of the church. Yuri was a rather merciful ruler, constantly building new cathedrals, monasteries, churches, and helping those in need.

On the other hand, he failed to protect Russia from the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols and the devastation that followed. It is the unsuccessful policy of Prince Yuri that will largely become the reason for the long rule of the Tatars on the territory of Russia.

Nevertheless, for his attitude to the church and for his mercy, Yuri was canonized in 1645.