Prince Vladimir Monomakh became sole ruler in Russian history who voluntarily gave up much power.In the light he appeared in one thousand and fifty-second year.Life principle was to preserve the honor of his ancestors.And during his reign it was the best for the Kievan Rus.
Activities Vladimir Monomakh was of great importance for Russia, and to find something like this in the history of very difficult.He tries to do the best, shedding less blood and save the lives of fellow Christians.Defend their land and at the same time is willing to enter into contracts, if it becomes possible.
Famous majestic headdress
Great Vladimir Monomakh!His biography does not know everything, but knows the name of each student.And thanks in part to a very famous subject.Fur-lined gold crown decorated with rubies and emeralds, the most famous of all the king's jewels - the Cap of Monomakh.
According to legend, this rich crown of Emperor Constantine Monomakh sent her grandson Vladimir, to show the continuity of power of Russian rulers.And any portrait of Vladimir Monomakh always represented him in this famous headdress.But how wrong the artists!After all, he had never even royal crown in the hands not kept, and Russian princes put it on his head, only four centuries later.
mysterious Byzantine amulet
Another famous thing that the prince was a mysterious medallion-coil.On one side - the image of the Archangel Michael and the other - the head surrounded by snakes.No one knows how the prince was at this strange medallion, but Vladimir never parted with it.
scientists paid special attention to the inscriptions, which left this amulet unknown master.One of them - a prayer, but another set of historians to a standstill.This Greek ancient spell that has played a role.What matters helped Monomakh strange spell on Byzantine medallion?Without a doubt, the Byzantine Empire played in the life of the prince huge role
Ancestors great ruler
On the maternal side of his family was his grandfather Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh.That's nickname means in translation "edinoborets" in the future will be the main political mission of the great Russian prince, which will characterize the activities of Vladimir Monomakh.He took the name of his grandfather, and wore it all my life.This led to the fact that the halo of Byzantine education, way of thinking, traditions and so on - all this is part of his biography.
Questions Blood Prince played in the fate of a huge role.His grandfather from the mother was Constantine endowed, according to the ancient chronicler, in vain to win the hearts of his subjects.This gift, by the way, had himself Prince Vladimir Monomakh.He enjoyed people's genuine love.According to his father as his grandfather himself was Yaroslav the Wise.It seemed that all of the best qualities of this branch of the family - a thirst for knowledge, analytical mind and insistence to keep the law - focused in the character of the young prince.
father of a young prince Vladimir
can say that Europe and Asia have shared with Monomakh best.But no less impact it has had and the father, Vsevolod Yaroslavovich.He knew five languages and was one of the most educated men of his time.From the age of seven tempered father of a young prince in many campaigns and battles.
studied hard courage and patience Vladimir Monomakh.Biography of Prince tells the facts that since the age of thirteen, he led his warriors, and even his own fiefdom - Rostov.Then there was Smolensk, Chernigov and dozens of other small towns.
Monomakh used meekly endure inconveniences and hardships.But the truly skilled warrior made his hunting.Driving around in the wilderness, according to tradition, he caught dozens of wild horses and tied them with your bare hands.There was then the best way to develop courage, agility, strength and speed of reaction.Home
adult career in the difficult times
That tactic worked out in the early years hunting, when the prince drove the beast in its territory, would later become the main weapon against Monomakh more dangerous enemy.Vladimir Monomakh, whose reign had a very difficult period, began his adult career when continuous pressure on Russia was nomadic.
And initially, each accompanied by a raid ruin Russia and the defeat of the Russian princes.There were certainly some successes, but in general to stop this onslaught could not.And the character of Vladimir was forged during this period.The war with Polovtsy, who took a huge steppe territory from the Danube to the Irtysh, the young Vladimir II considered his main task.
capture of Jerusalem, or the experience of the European family
By this time in Europe, has already taken the first crusade, which ended with the capture of Jerusalem and the creation of a Christian state in the Middle East.In this campaign involved a cousin of Vladimir - Count Hugh of Vermandois.And Vladimir decided to adopt the experience of the European family.
He is immensely inspired by the exploits of the crusaders.And the main characteristic of Vladimir Monomakh says that his whole life was marked by struggle.He prepared for every fight, but one desire was not enough.Here it was useful tactic that the young prince used during hunting horse.It is necessary to drive the enemy, like a wild beast in its territory.
Vladimir Monomakh.Biography warrior
Monomakh was the first one at the end of the eleventh century and the beginning of the twelfth moved to a different combat tactics - attack on the steppe.And that was a fundamental difference between the old battles and confrontations that showed Vladimir: to go into the steppe by nomadic, taking the fight to the town and encampments of nomads, where to finish them on the spot.
It is this new strategy is characteristic of Vladimir Monomakh, which shows his great gift as a commander.He, being only a prince of Pereyaslavl, gathered under its banner squads from all over Russia.His authority in this crucial time was much higher than that of the Kiev governor.Opponents clash between the twenty-seventh of March one thousand one hundred and eleventh year solnice River, a tributary of the Don.
crushing defeat nomads
Such unconditional defeat of the Russian armies did not know the steppe.About ten thousand Polovtsian perished on the battlefield.The news of the victorious campaign in the steppe sold worldwide.Vladimir Monomakh manages almost impossible.
Given that all of the land has become fragmented, Kievan Rus ceased to exist, and the Old Russian state fell apart, it unites all these forces together and pretty much in control of almost the entire territory of Kievan Rus.
brother Oleg, or the murder of the son of Nomad
not soon expelled from the Russian lands, but Vladimir did on the way to this victory is a huge step.What was he, this great Russian commander?History Vladimir Monomakh has not kept accurate descriptions of his appearance.Every historian imagines his Monomakh.We know one thing: he was an ascetic stoicism, a wise and courageous leader.
But the most important to take the throne of Kiev Prince by law could not.After all, power in the state, according to the rules of succession, described his grandfather Yaroslav the Wise, is not passed from father to son and the eldest in the family.A law for Monomakh was paramount.That is why the rule of Vladimir Monomakh in Chernigov inferior rightful owner, but there he reigned sixteen years.
Board transmits to his cousin Oleg.And the wife and children of Vladimir Monomakh, of course, along with the Prince himself, to leave their ancestral lands.Afterwards, Oleg Moore attack and kill the son of Vladimir.Rejection of the fratricidal war was more important than the personal grief that is felt Vladimir Monomakh.His biography says that all his life he had fought only against foreign enemies and relatives of murder is considered a crime.That's how he knew the law.
Death of Prince Vsevolod Monomakh
never betrayed his principles.It is by no means not to get involved in the civil war.The thirteenth of April one thousand and ninety-three years old his father died, Vladimir, prince of Kiev Vsevolod, and he seemed to had a chance to take over the throne of the first Russia.He was popular among the people, respect for the princes - for the people of Kiev have offered to take his father's place.But he again refused, as he was sure that the throne should be passed by law.And the ruler became the one who was supposed to seniority - cousin Svyatopolk.
History is only a few rulers who voluntarily gave up power.This Roman emperor Diocletian and Lucius Cincinnati.But Vladimir Monomakh was the only one who lost power because he considered himself illegitimate ruler.And in that was his authority in the princely family and among all Old Russian nobility.Vladimir nothing ever broke.He always adhered to the rules, even to the detriment of themselves.
last on the throne
But the prince Monomakh, who never seemed destined to be on the throne of Kiev, finally it takes.During the reign of it takes a number of legislative acts that reduce the intensity of social passions.This is one of his greatest achievements.After taking the main throne of Russia, Vladimir did not leave their military campaigns.In one thousand one hundred sixteenth, Prince launched a war against Byzantium.Together with a great army, he went to the Danube, and the opposing side hurried to settle relations world.
Rus running Monomakh became very strong, and it had to be considered worldwide.In Kiev was sent to the embassy with rich gifts.Among them were ceremonial dress, and it was then and there was a legend about the famous hat Monomakh.Russia has found in the person of Vladimir the defender and savior.He is the one who proved that for all the protection you need to stop infighting and unite.And thanks to its military policy Polovtsian tribes went further away from the Russian border.
