The Principality of Polotsk: history, education. Culture of the Polotsk Principality

On the lands of ancient Belarus there were several dozens of small states. But the largest and most significant were the Polotsk and Turov princedoms. Under their authority were the smaller voivodships. Such as Pinsk, Minsk, Vitebsk and others. In this article we will review the history of education, culture and rulers of the largest and most famous public education - the Polotsk principality.

One can hear that the Principality of Polotsk is the first Belarusian state. The way it is. After all, the first mention of the birth of feudal relations belong to the Polotsk land. It was here, on the famous waterway "from the Varangians to the Greeks", and formed the strongest princedom of the Belarusian tribes (Radimichi, Krivichi, Dregovichi).

Education

How did the Polotsk principality appear on Belarusian lands? Unfortunately, it is not possible to answer this question properly. To date, no written sources or archaeological finds have been preserved, with the help of which it could be established when the formation of the Principality of Polotsk began. Only the assumptions of historians remain. And the most common theory calls the IX century. It was at this time that the collective burial vaults (long burial mounds) disappeared. Instead of them, single embankments appeared, more rarely - paired ones. Scientists explain this fact by a strong weakening of tribal and tribal ties. In addition, it was in the IX century began to appear class differences between the tombs. Some were expensive furnished, others - much easier. This testified to property inequality.

The division of the tribe into the poor and the rich led to the emergence of a nobility that towered over other members of the community and seized the central power. Of the nobility, in turn, stood out local princes. They built themselves city-fortresses, in which they were safe with their tribes. So, in the first half of the IX century the tribal nobility of Krivichi built a city in the place where the Polota River flowed into the Western Berezina. Here a tribute was collected from all around.

Mother of Belarusian cities

The history of the Polotsk principality begins simultaneously with the creation of the city of Polotsk. The first official mention of the city dates back to 862. However, historians claim that he appeared much earlier. So, even in the undated part of the "Tale of Bygone Years" (the oldest chronicle of the Slavic lands), the name "Polochane" is mentioned simultaneously with "Krivichi". Hence we can conclude that even in times of Krivich, a separate state with a capital in Polotsk was singled out. Long before the first Varangians appeared on those lands and the Old Russian state was formed.

Its name was given to the city by the river on its banks. As already mentioned, near the settlement the Polota River flowed into the Western Berezina.

Territory

The Polotsk and Turov princedoms were located on extremely barren lands. However, Polotsk had one important advantage. It was here that the crossing of important trade routes along the Berezina, the Dvina and the Neman was located. That is the waterway "from the Varangians to the Greeks". This contributed not only to the development of trade and economy in the state, but also caused a massive relocation of other peoples and tribes to the Polotsk lands. And the territory of the principality was surrounded by impenetrable forests, which served as a reliable defense against enemies. And the Polotsk people made money more and more every year. Since the control of the principality behind the trade routes did not like the neighboring states - Kiev and Novgorod. That eventually led to territorial disputes and massive bloodshed.

The Polotsk principality included not only the Polotsk lands, but also a part of the territory of the Dregovichi, Lithuanian and Finnish tribes. Polotians settled throughout the Western Dvina, Polota, as well as in the basins of the Berezina, Svisloch and Neman. The principality included such large cities as Minsk, Vitebsk, Orsha, Borisov, Logoisk, Zaslavl, Drutsk, Lukoml and others. Thus, during the IX-XIII centuries it was a large and strong European state.

The First Prince

The first mention of the sovereign, uniting the Polotsk principality, dates back to the second half of the 10th century. As the chronicles say, "Valadaryu, Trymau I princess Ragvalod Polatsky sowing."

Norman Rogvolod "came from behind the sea" and ruled from 972 to 978. This period is considered the final stage in the formation of the Polotsk principality. The state has its borders, political and administrative systems have been established, a strong army has been formed, and trade ties have begun to be established. The historical core and center was the city of Polotsk.

Princess with three names

The history of the Polotsk principality is the history of the struggle for independence, which was eventually lost. So, already in 980 the lands were included in the Old Russian state. The Principality became a bargaining chip between the then hostile Novgorod and Kiev.

According to the chronicles, in 978 Prince Rogvolod, in order to strengthen the borders of his state, decided to give his daughter Rogneda for the Kiev prince Yaropolk, while denying Vladimir Svyatoslavich (Novgorod sovereign of the Rurik dynasty). Not enduring insults, Vladimir stormed Polotsk, killed Rogvolod and his two sons, and Rogneda forcibly made his wife, giving her the name of Gorislav. Then the Novgorod prince captured Kiev and introduced a new religion on the Polotsk lands - Christianity.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Rogneda and Vladimir had four sons: Izyaslav (Prince of Polotsk), Yaroslav the Wise (Prince of Kiev and Novgorod), Vsevolod (Prince Vladimir-Volynsky) and Mstislav (Prince of Chernigov). And also two daughters: Premaslava, who later married Laszlo Bald (Ugric King), and Predslava, who became the wife of Boleslav III the Red (the Czech prince).

After Rogneda tried to kill Vladimir, she and her son Izyaslav (who interceded before his father for mother) were sent to the Polotsk lands, to the city of Izyaslavl. Princess was tonsured in a nun and took the third name - Anastasia.

The princes of Polotsk principality

In 988, the residents of Izyaslavl invited Rogneda's son and Vladimir Izyaslav to reign. He became famous as the scribe and distributor of a new belief, Christianity, on the Polotsk land. It is with Izyaslav that a new branch begins in the Rurikovich dynasty - Izyaslavichi (Polotsk). Descendants of Izyaslav, in contrast to the children of his brothers, stressed their relationship with Rogvolod (on the maternal line). And they called themselves Rogvolodoviches.

Prince Izyaslav died young (in 1001), surviving his mother Rogneda only one year. The Polotsk principality was ruled by his youngest son Bryachislav Izyaslavich. Until 1044, the tsar was pursuing his own policy aimed at expanding the land. Taking advantage of civil strife and weakening of Russia, Bryachislav captured Novgorod and five years held power together with his uncle Yaroslav the Wise. At the same time the city of Bryachislavl (modern Braslav) was built.

Flowering

The top of its power the Polotsk principality reached in 1044-1101, during the reign of Vseslav the Prophet, the son of Prince Bryachislav. Knowing that he was facing battles for life and death, the prince until the mid-sixties XI century was preparing for war - fortified the city, collecting the army. Thus, Polotsk was transferred to the right bank of the Western Dvina, to the mouth of the Polota River.

Vseslav began to expand the Polotsk lands far to the north, subdued the tribes of Latgalians and Livs. However, in 1067, when his campaigns to Novgorod ended unsuccessfully, the prince, along with his sons, was captured by Izyaslav Yaroslavich, and the state was captured. But a year later the rebelling people liberated Vseslav, and he managed to recover the lost lands.

From 1069 to 1072 the Polotsk principality led a relentless and bloody war with the Kiev sovereigns. The Smolensk principality was seized, as well as part of the Chernigov lands in the north. In those years, the population of the capital of the principality was more than twenty thousand people.

A fall

After the death of Vseslav in 1101 his sons divided the principality into destinies: Vitebsk, Minsk, Polotsk, Logoisk and others. And already in 1127 the son of Vladimir Monomakh, taking advantage of the disagreements between the princes, seized and plundered the Polotsk land. Izyaslavichi were taken prisoner, and then sent to Byzantium. Thus, by the end of the 12th century, the authority of the Polotsk principality on the international scene had finally fallen, and part of the territories was captured by Novgorodians and Chernigovites.

In the 13th century, a new misfortune struck the Polotsk land - the Order of Sword-bearers, which later became Livonian. The then-ruling Prince Vladimir Polotsky fought against the Crusaders for more than twenty years, but he could not stop them. This was the beginning of the end of independence. And in 1307 Polotsk became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

Culture of the Polotsk Principality

It was this princedom that became the place where the Belarusian statehood was born, as well as culture and writing. With Polotsk associated names such as Euphrosyne of Polotsk, Lazar Bogsh, Francis Skorina, Cyril of Turov and Simeon of Polotsk. They are the pride of the Belarusian nation.

With the advent of Christianity in the Polotsk lands, architecture began to develop. So, the first monumental building made of stone was Polotsk Sophia Cathedral, built in the 1050s. And in 1161 the jeweler Lazar Bogshe created a masterpiece of applied art of the Eastern Slavs - the unique cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk. The 13th century was the time when the Belarusian language appeared.