Ancient Kievan Rus. Yaropolk Vladimirovich: the story of life

Yaropolk Vladimirovich, whose years of life are dated 1082-1139, was the son of the Grand Duke of Kiev, Vladimir Monomakh (before Prince of Smolensk, Chernigov, Pereyaslavsky). Under his reign, the once united Old Russian state, called Kiev Rus, collapsed. According to rough estimates, Yaropolk was born in Chernigov. Monomakh in 1113, having received the Kiev throne, a year after the death of his son Svyatoslav Yaropolk makes Prince Pereyaslavsky, who becomes a participant in numerous campaigns against the Polovtsians. And in 1116 they together protested against the prince of Minsk Gleb. With already elderly father Yaropolk maintained close relations. He and his eldest son Mstislav Monomakh were trusted by the command of the troops.

Yaropolk Vladimirovich: a brief description of his life

In 1116, Yaropolk took Elena as wife, who gave him the son of Vasilko Yaropolkovich. After the death of Prince Mstislav in 1132, inheriting the throne after his father, the people of Kiev call to the capital Yaropolk and declare it their sovereign. He was then 49 years old, and this was already quite an advanced age for those years.

After that Yaropolk Vladimirovich gives way to Pereyaslavl to the son of Mstislav Vsevolod. However, this prince, who did not have time to appear there, literally after a few hours expelled his uncle - Prince Suzdal and Rostov Yuri Vladimirovich (nicknamed Dolgoruky), who was in an allied agreement with his brother Andrew. Yuri was afraid that in the end Yaropolk would choose Vsevolod as his heir. But Yaropolk reassures his own brothers by giving this land to another nephew, the prince of Polotsk, Izyaslav Mstislavovich. And he decided to send Vsevolod to the individual principality to Ladozhans, Novgorodians and Pskovites, but they also did not want to take it at first, but then they changed their minds, returned their exile, but limited his power.

Yaropolk Vladimirovich: domestic and foreign policy

Kiev and its environs were under the control of Yaropolk, who was a brave and strong warrior and no less gifted military commander, but a very weak politician. Yaropolk 2 Vladimirovich could not prevent the disintegration of the state into individual small principalities. At the same time, when he left to reign in Pereyaslavl Izyaslav, the Polotsk druzhinas, taking advantage of this moment, expelled his brother Svyatopolk from the throne and recognized Prince Vasil'ka Rogvolodovich as their ruler.

Such changes have led to discontent and unrest throughout the district. In order to please the brothers, Yaropolk Vladimirovich makes Izyaslav Mstislavovich give way to Pereyaslavl, in order to give him Minsk, Turov and Pinsk instead. Pereyaslavl took over in his hands Yuri Dolgoruky, for which he paid part of the Suzdal and Rostov lands.

Apple of discord

From this moment, strong hostility arose between the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh (Monomashichami) and the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich (Olegovichy). This became the main sorrow of Russia, as uninterrupted internecine wars began, which lasted for a century.

Novgorodians, reconciling others, often themselves could not get along with each other. As a result, they gathered Ladoga and Pskov citizens and decided to condemn and drive Prince Vsevolod Mstislavovich. They kept him under arrest at the episcopal house for seven weeks. He was released on freedom only when Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich came to Novgorod to reign. But in the city almost immediately rose a riot, which was organized by Vsevolod's supporters.

Indiscriminate hostility

The Novgorodians did not want to hear anything about Vsevolod, but the Pskovites accepted him with sincere respect. Then Svyatoslav, summoning to his allies Gleb from Kursk and Polovtsy, temporarily separates Novgorod from Pskov, thanks to which the newly formed Pskov principality was formed, the throne of which was first occupied by Vsevolod-Gabriel, and then after his death in 1138 - Svyatopolk Mstislavovich.

Novgorodians, on the other hand, having elected Prince Svyatoslav their ruler, declare themselves enemies of Yaropolk. And then they also expel Svyatoslav, but fearing revenge of the Olgovichi, the boyars and the princess leave him on bail and call the grandson of Monomakh, Rostislav Georgievich (Dolgoruky's son), to Novgorod.

Reconciliation

For a very long time, the war between the families of the Olgovichi and Monomachichi continued. The Ol'govichi were particularly rampant in the southern part of Russia and soon took the town of Priluki to get closer to Kiev and besiege it. But Yaropolk gave a retaliatory move and threw them back, but approached Chernigov himself. Urban residents begged Prince Vsevolod Olegovich that he would reconcile with Yaropolk, and then peace was concluded.

After that, Yaropolk returns to his capital city Kiev, where he dies at the age of 57 on February 18, 1139. His throne passes to his brother Vyacheslav.

According to the ancient chroniclers, the government of Yaropolk was also marked by the fact that on the banks of the Dniester the principality of Galicia was formed with the capital of Galich. On his prince's throne sat the ambitious son of Volodar - Vladimirko (Vladimir).

Conclusion

Unlike his father and elder brother Mstislavovich, Yaropolk was not a good diplomat and did not have the authority to be able to keep his state from disintegration. Brave and brave in his youth, to advanced years, he became too cautious in making important decisions, and therefore could not prevent the struggle of the two forces.

By the time of his death, cities such as Novgorod, Polotsk, and Chernigov were beyond his control. Loyalty to Kiev was preserved only by the Rostov-Suzdal Principality.