Vadim is brave. How Prince Vadim the Brave rebelled against Rurik An image in the Russian literary tradition
The first mention of Kievan Rus as a state formation dates back to the 30s of the 9th century. By this time, Slavic tribes lived in the northwestern regions of modern Ukraine. These places have been called Volyn since ancient times. They also settled in the Pripyat basin, along the banks of the Dnieper, Oka and tributaries of these rivers. Slavic tribes also lived in the swampy lands of southern Belarus. This is the Dregovichi tribe. Its name comes from the ancient Slavic word "dryagva" - a swamp. And in the northern regions of Belarus, the Wends settled well.
The main enemies of the Slavs were the Rus. Historians do not have a common opinion about their origin. Someone considers them to be from Scandinavia, someone is a Slavic tribe. There is also a belief that the Rus led a nomadic lifestyle in the steppe regions of Western Kazakhstan and the Southern Urals. Over time, they moved to Europe and began to annoy the Slavs with armed raids.
The struggle lasted a long time and ended in the complete defeat of the Slavs. The beginning of this was laid under one of the leaders of the Rus Rurik. When Rurik was born is unknown. He died approximately in 879-882. More likely in 879, according to an ancient chronicle called "The Tale of Bygone Years", written by the monk Nestor in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra at the beginning of the 12th century.
Varangians or mercenaries
Rurik was considered a Varangian (mercenary warrior) and seemed to have close ties with the Frankish king Charles the Bald (823-877). In 862 he appeared in Novgorod. With the support of some elders, he managed to seize power in the city. The impostor did not rule for long - just over a year. Novgorodians raised an uprising against the newcomer Rus. The popular movement was headed by Vadim the Brave. But the freedom-loving Slavs found it difficult to compete with professional mercenaries. Vadim the Brave was killed in 864, and the power was again in the hands of Rurik.
The ambitious Russian created the state, which included Novgorod, as well as the regions adjacent to it. These are Beloozero, Izborsk and Ladoga. Rurik sent a strong squad of his closest associates to Izborsk. Beloozero instructed his closest relatives to protect him. He himself sat down to reign in Novgorod. The Varangian settlement on Ladoga served as the main support for him here.
Thus, the Rus gained real power over the Slavs. Rurik, his associates and relatives laid the foundation for numerous princely dynasties. Their descendants ruled the Russian lands for more than a thousand years.
After his death, Rurik set aside his son. They called him Igor. The boy was very small, so a governor named Oleg became a mentor with him. Judging by the annals, he was the closest relative of Rurik.
Settled in Novgorod, the invaders of the northern lands were not enough. They began a campaign to the south along the great path "from the Varangians to the Greeks." It began on the river Lovat, where the boats were dragged overland to the Dnieper. Moving towards Kyiv, the Rus, led by Oleg and the young Igor, captured Smolensk. After that, the invaders moved to Kyiv. Slavs lived in the city, and there was a squad of Russ, led by Askold. The latter was a type of strong-willed and fearless leader. In 860, he raided the lands of Byzantium. This was the first invasion of the Rus on the lands of the great empire.
Kievan Rus in the 10th century
But after 20 years, military happiness changed Askold. Oleg lured him and Dir (the leader of the Slavs) out of Kyiv, ostensibly for negotiations. On the banks of the Dnieper they were treacherously killed. After that, the inhabitants of the city surrendered without any resistance. This historical event took place in 882.
The following year, Oleg occupied Pskov. In this city, a young Igor found a bride. Her name was Olga. The children were betrothed, and they became the head of a strong state, stretching from the lands of Novgorod to the southern steppes. This power received the name Kievan Rus.
When determining the age of Olga, there are some inconsistencies. The princess traveled to Byzantium in 946. She made such an impression on the emperor that he even expressed a desire to marry her. If the princess was betrothed in 883, then an old woman who was already over 60 should have appeared before the eyes of the basileus. Most likely, Olga was born approximately in 893 or 903. The betrothal to Igor, therefore, did not take place in 883, but 10, or maybe 20 years later.
Along with Kievan Rus, strength and power grew Khazar Khaganate. The Khazars are the tribes of the Caucasus who lived on the territory of modern Dagestan. They united with the Turks and Jews and created a state between the Azov and Caspian Seas. It was located north of the Georgian kingdom.
The power of the Khazars grew stronger day by day, and they began to threaten Kievan Rus. Igor's mentor, voivode Oleg, fought with them. History knows him under the name Prophetic Oleg. He died in 912. After that, all power was in the hands of Igor. He made a campaign against the Khazar Khaganate and tried to capture their city of Samkerts on the shores of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov. This campaign ended in the complete defeat of the squads of Kievan Rus.
In response to this, the Khazar commander Pesach carried out a campaign against Kyiv. As a result, the Russians were defeated and found themselves in the position of tributaries to the Khazar Khaganate. Prince Igor was forced to collect tribute from his lands every year in order to give it to the Khazars. It ended deplorably for the Kievan prince. In 944, he was killed by the Drevlyans, as they refused to pay money and give food to no one knows. Here again there is a discrepancy between dates, since by this time Igor's age was already deeply senile. It can be assumed that people in the X century lived a very long time.
Acceptance of Orthodoxy by Princess Olga in Constantinople
The princely throne passed by right to Igor's son Svyatoslav. He was still a child, so all power was concentrated in the hands of his mother, Princess Olga. To fight the Khazars, she needed a strong ally. Only Byzantium could become such. In 946, according to other sources in 955, Olga visited Constantinople. To enlist the support of the basileus, she was baptized and converted to Orthodoxy. Thus, the beginning of the baptism of Russia was laid. Olga herself became the first saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Prince Svyatoslav
Having matured and taking power into his own hands in 960, Prince Svyatoslav organizes a campaign against the Khazars. It took place in the summer of 964. The Russian army reached the city of Itil, the capital of the Khazar Khaganate. The allies of the Kyiv prince were the Guzes and the Pechenegs. Itil was located at the mouth of the Volga on a large island. Its inhabitants went out to fight with the allied troops in an open field, and were utterly defeated.
After that, Svyatoslav moved his squads to the Terek. There was the second most important Khazar city of Semender. The city was well fortified, but could not resist the Russians. He fell, and the victors destroyed the fortress walls. The prince ordered to call the conquered city Belaya Vezha, and turned his troops home. The squads reached the Don and in the autumn of 965 ended up in their native lands.
The campaign of 964-965 very highly raised the authority of Kievan Rus in the eyes of the Byzantines. The basileus sent ambassadors to Svyatoslav. Dexterous diplomats led by Kalokir concluded a lucrative treaty. Skillfully playing on the ambition of the young prince, they persuaded him to oppose the Bulgarian kingdom and force him into submission.
Svyatoslav gathered a squad, landed at the mouth of the Danube and met with the army of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter. In battle, the Russians won a complete victory. Peter fled and soon died. His children were sent to Byzantium, where they were imprisoned. The Bulgarian kingdom ceased to be a political force.
Byzantine emperor or basileus
Everything went very well for Svyatoslav. To his misfortune, he became close to the Byzantine ambassador Kalokir. He cherished the dream of taking the imperial throne in Byzantium. From the mouth of the Danube to Constantinople was very close. Svyatoslav entered into an agreement with an ambitious ambassador, but this fact reached the elderly Nicephorus II Phocas, the basileus of the Byzantine Empire.
Anticipating the conspirators, a strong army moved to the mouth of the Danube. At the same time, Foka agreed with the Pechenegs that they would attack Kyiv. Svyatoslav found himself between two fires. Native lands, mother and children were more expensive. Svyatoslav left Kalokir and left with his retinue to defend Kyiv from the Pechenegs.
But, once at the city walls, he learned that the Pecheneg invasion had ended before it had even begun. The city was saved by the governor Pretich. He approached from the north with a strong army and blocked the way for the nomads. The Pechenegs, seeing the strength and power of the Russians, decided not to mess with them. Their khan, as a sign of friendship, exchanged weapons with Pretich, made peace and ordered the horses to be turned to the Dnieper steppes.
Svyatoslav met his mother, lived in the city and saw that life in the capital had changed a lot. Olga, having adopted Christianity, organized a large community in Kyiv. Those who professed faith in one God, became more and more. The number of those wishing to be baptized grew. This was largely facilitated by the authority of Princess Olga. Svyatoslav himself was a pagan and did not favor Christians.
The mother asked her son not to leave Kyiv. But he felt that he was becoming a stranger in his native city. The main reason was religious beliefs. The death of Olga at the end of 969 put an end to this issue. The last thread that connected Svyatoslav with Kyiv was broken. The prince gathered a squad and hurried back to Bulgaria. There he was awaited by the conquered kingdom and the struggle for the Byzantine throne.
Meanwhile, a political upheaval took place in Byzantium. Foka was old and ugly, while his wife Theophano was young and beautiful. This was her second husband. The first was Emperor Roman the Young. When he died in 963, there were persistent rumors that Theophano had poisoned him. In 969, it was the turn of the elderly second husband.
The insidious empress entered into a love affair with John Tzimisces, a relative of Focas. The result was a conspiracy. Theophano let the intruders into the palace, and they killed the old emperor. Tzimiskes became Basileus.
Unlike Roman the Young and Foka, he was smart enough to alienate Theophano from himself. Taking power into his own hands, the new emperor immediately ordered the arrest of the widow and all those who participated in the murder. But he showed true royal generosity by not executing political criminals, to which he himself belonged. The conspirators were exiled to a small island in the Aegean. Theophano returned to the imperial palace only in 976 after the death of the basileus. But this was already a broken woman.
Meanwhile, Svyatoslav returned to Bulgaria. But in these lands, the situation has changed dramatically. The troops of Tzimiskes invaded the lands of the Bulgarian kingdom and captured the city of Preslav. The population of the country immediately began to go over to the side of the winners en masse. The failed basileus Kalokir fled to the city of Pereyaslavets. His further fate is not mentioned in any chronicle.
Svyatoslav with a small retinue found himself between two fires. On the one hand, the Byzantine troops pressed him, on the other, the rebellious Bulgarians bothered him. The prince took refuge in Pereyaslavets, but the city was soon besieged by the regular troops of the great empire. A Greek squadron of 300 ships entered the Danube.
Svyatoslav gave battle to the Byzantines. The resistance of his troops was so courageous and stubborn that the Romans were forced to negotiate. Emperor Tzimisces himself sailed with the fleet. He appointed a meeting with the Kyiv prince in the middle of the Danube.
Meeting of Prince Svyatoslav with Emperor Tzimisces
A nondescript shuttle sailed up to the luxurious boat of the basileus. One of the rowers on it was Prince Svyatoslav himself. The leader of the Russians was sitting in a long white shirt and in appearance was no different from ordinary soldiers. The prince had a shaved head, a long forelock, a mustache and an earring in his ear. He did not look like a Christian, but looked like a real pagan, which he was not only externally, but also internally.
The Romans did not need the life of Svyatoslav and his soldiers. The Byzantines generously agreed to let the Russians leave. For this, the Kyiv prince promised to retreat from the Bulgarian kingdom and never again appear in these lands. The princely squad plunged into the boats, went down the river to the Black Sea and sailed to the northeast. The defeated warriors reached the island of Buyana, in the Dniester estuary, and went to the island of Berezan. It happened at the end of the summer of 971.
What happened next on the island does not fit into any framework. The thing is that the princely squad consisted of pagans and Christians. In battles they fought side by side. But now, when the campaign ended ingloriously, the warriors began to look for those responsible for their defeat. Soon the pagans came to the conclusion that the cause of the defeat was the Christians. They brought the wrath of the pagan gods Perun and Volos to the army. Those turned away from the princely squad, deprived of its protection, so the Byzantines won.
The result of this was the mass extermination of Christians. They were tortured and brutally killed. Part of the Christians, led by the governor Svenelda, fought off the pagans who had lost their human appearance. These warriors left the island of Buyan and, having climbed the Southern Bug, ended up in Kyiv. Naturally, all the inhabitants of the city immediately learned about the atrocities committed by Svyatoslav and his henchmen.
The result of this was that Svyatoslav did not go to Kyiv, that is, he did not return to his hometown. He preferred to sit out the harsh winter of 971-972 on the island of Buyan. His remaining army was starving, freezing, but did not leave the prince. They all understood that they would bear severe responsibility for the murder of innocent Christians.
In Kyiv, the head of the Christian community after the death of his mother stood the son of Svyatoslav Yaropolk. He could not forgive his father for the death of his brothers in faith. Yaropolk contacted the Pecheneg Khan Kurei and revealed to him the location of his father. The Pechenegs waited until spring, and when Yaroslav and his pagan warriors left the island, they attacked it. In this battle, all the Russians were destroyed. Svyatoslav also died. Khan Kurya ordered to make a bowl from the skull of the Kyiv prince. From it he drank wine for the rest of his life, and after his death the cup went to his heirs.
With the death of Svyatoslav, the adherents of paganism in Russia weakened significantly. The Christian community began to gain more and more weight. But its influence extended only to Kyiv and the lands closest to it. The bulk of the inhabitants of Kievan Rus continued to believe in pagan gods. This could not go on for long.
Baptism of the Russian land
After the death of Svyatoslav, power in Kyiv passed to Yaropolk. He was a Christian and adopted all the best from his grandmother, Princess Olga. It would seem that the honorable mission of the baptism of Russia should have fallen on him. But man proposes and God disposes. Supporters of the pagan god Perun reigned supreme in Novgorod. Vladimir, the middle son of Svyatoslav, was the prince in this city. Yaropolk, he was a half-brother, as he was born a concubine of Svyatoslav Malusha. His uncle Dobrynya was always with him.
In Ovruch, the original city of the Drevlyans, the younger brother Oleg reigned. He did not recognize the power of Yaropolk and declared his lands independent. Here it is necessary to immediately clarify that at the time of Svyatoslav's death, his sons were 15-17 years old. That is, they were very young people and, naturally, could not make independent political decisions. Behind them stood experienced men, connected by family and financial interests.
Time passed, and the young men grew up. In 977 Yaropolk raided Ovruch. As a result, Oleg was killed, and the Drevlyans recognized the power of the Kyiv prince. Vladimir, fearing the fate of Oleg, fled from Novgorod to Sweden. Peace and silence were established in Russia for a short time. All cities unconditionally recognized the power of Kyiv. It was possible to start the baptism of Russia, but this was prevented by Prince Vladimir.
He returned to Novgorod and declared himself an ardent supporter of the pagan gods. An insignificant handful of Christians who settled in the northern capital were killed. Under the banner of the pagan prince stood the Varangians and Novgorodians.
This army moved to Polotsk and captured the city. Its inhabitants did not even immediately realize that they had become tributaries of Novgorod. The Christian Rogvoloda, who was sitting on the reign in Polotsk, was killed. All of his sons were also killed. And Vladimir brutally raped and killed the daughter of Prince Rogneda. The pagans mercilessly dealt with the adherents of the Orthodox faith and moved further south. They captured Smolensk and in 980 approached Kyiv.
Yaropolk tried to put up a worthy resistance to Vladimir, but there were traitors surrounded by the prince of Kyiv. One of them was the governor Blud. He persuaded Yaropolk to meet with his brother on neutral territory for negotiations. The Kyiv prince left the city gates and went to a large tent, which the invaders pitched not far from the city walls.
But, going inside, Yaropolk did not see his brother. The Varangians, hiding in the tent, attacked the prince and hacked him to death with swords. After that, Vladimir was recognized as the prince of Kyiv, and, accordingly, the ruler of all Russia.
The time has come to pay off the Vikings. But the new Kyiv prince was distinguished not only by pathological cruelty, but also by incredible greed. Having achieved everything he wanted, he decided not to give money to the mercenaries.
The Varangians were gathered on the banks of the Dnieper, ostensibly for calculation. But instead of messengers with sacks of money, Kyiv warriors clad in armor appeared in front of the mercenaries. They put the reward-hungry warriors in boats without oars and let them float down the wide river. In parting, they were advised to get to Constantinople and enter the service of the Byzantine emperor. The Varangians did just that. But the Romans distributed the mercenaries to different garrisons. Those were in small numbers among the Christian soldiers. The further fate of the Varangians is unknown.
Vladimir, despite the vile traits of character, was a far from stupid person. Very soon he became convinced that Christians occupied very strong positions not only in Kyiv, but also in other cities of Russia. He could not ignore these people. Especially after he sent the Vikings to the Greeks and forever lost their support, thanks to his greed.
The newly minted prince of Kyiv did not have any warm feelings for Orthodoxy, apparently personifying it primarily with Yaropolk. At the same time, he understood that paganism was living out its last days. Three religions were unconditionally established in the world. These are Islam, Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Choices had to be made in order to fit into the new international political system.
In his "Tale of Bygone Years" Nestor tells us that Vladimir stood at a crossroads. Wanting to understand the intricacies of each religion, the prince sent messengers to different countries, and then received representatives of various faiths. After that, Vladimir categorically rejected Islam, considering that this religion is unacceptable for Kievan Rus.
The Quran is written in Arabic, and which of the Russians knew this language. Islam forbade drinking wine and eating pork. The prince understood that with such faith he would not last long in power. Feasts after a successful campaign or hunting were an obligatory attribute among the Slavs and Rus. At the same time, boars were always roasted, and stuffed heads with terrible fangs adorned the mansions of almost all nobles. Therefore, the Muslims were sent home in peace, and the prince turned his bright gaze on the Catholics.
Looking at the venerable German priests, Vladimir said only one phrase: “Go back to where you came from. For even our fathers did not receive it.” In this case, the prince was referring to the visit of the Catholic Bishop Adalbert in the middle of the 10th century. He arrived at Princess Olga before her trip to Constantinople. His mission was to baptize the people of Kiev. The Holy Father was categorically refused.
By this time, Olga had already made a choice in favor of Byzantium, seeing her as a strong ally. In addition, a significant role was played by the fact that in those distant times the papal throne was very often occupied by, let's say, the wrong popes. They turned the Vatican court into a den of depravity and vice. These servants of the Lord cohabited with their daughters, drank, used the services of corrupt women. It even went so far that they gave feasts in honor of Satan. Among the Orthodox Greeks, such things were simply unthinkable.
This was the reason that Vladimir refused the pious Catholic. But having not accepted the Latin faith, the prince left himself no choice, since of the three leading systems of worldview, it was the turn of Orthodoxy.
The Kyiv prince, in the end, made the right choice. He adopted the Orthodox faith. The authority of his grandmother played a significant role in this. Even after Olga died, she enjoyed great prestige among Kyiv Christians. The memory of the princess was kept very reverently and carefully. The holy fathers of the Greek Church also acted correctly. They did not impose their faith, thereby emphasizing freedom of choice. The Patriarch of Constantinople was always distinguished by spontaneity and sincerity, and the charm of the Greek liturgy could not be compared with the service in a Catholic church.
Very important in the choice of faith was the fact that Orthodoxy never preached the idea of predestination. Therefore, the responsibility for sins, created by one's own will, fell heavily on the sinner himself. For the pagans, this was quite acceptable and understandable. The norms of Christian morality did not affect the psyche of the new converts, as they were absolutely simple and clear.
The Baptism of Russia took place in 988. First, all the people of Kiev were baptized, and then it was the turn of the inhabitants of other cities. At the same time, violence was not used against people. They parted with the pagan faith absolutely voluntarily, thanks to the competent explanatory work of the ministers of the Orthodox Church. Only princes and governors were obliged to be baptized. They were supposed to lead people by example. Thus, the Russians forever parted with Perun and believed in Christ.
Separate pagan communities survived only in some cities. But they coexisted peacefully with the Christians. At one end of the city there was an Orthodox church, at the other there was a temple of a pagan god. As the decades passed, the temples disappeared. The remaining pagans also accepted Orthodoxy, realizing its undoubted advantage. The baptism of Russia gave the highest freedom to the Russians. It consisted in a voluntary choice between Good and Evil. And the complete victory of Orthodoxy gave the Russian land a great thousand-year history.
The article was written by ridar-shakin
Some of the later annalistic collections preserved the tradition of the unrest in Novgorod, which arose soon after the calling of the princes. Among the Novgorodians there were many dissatisfied with the autocracy of Rurik and the actions of his relatives or united earthmen. Under the leadership of Vadim the Brave, an uprising broke out in defense of the lost liberty. Vadim the Brave was killed by Rurik, along with many of his followers. One can think that the legend has preserved an indication of the existence of any dissatisfaction with Rurik among the freedom-loving Novgorodians. The compilers of the legends could use this legend and present it in a more concrete form, inventing the names of the characters, etc. The legend about Vadim attracted the attention of many of our writers. Catherine II displays Vadim in her dramatic work: "Historical performance from the life of Rurik." Y. Knyazhnin wrote the tragedy "Vadim", which was decided, according to the verdict of the Senate, to be burned publicly "for impudent expressions against the autocratic power" (the order, however, was not carried out). Pushkin, while still a young man, twice took up the processing of the same plot.
AND ON THE HIP SLAVIC SWORD
But who is that? Youth shines
In his face; like spring color
He is beautiful; but, it seems, joy
I did not know him since childhood;
In the eyes of downcast torment;
He wears the clothes of a Slav
And on the thigh is a Slavic sword.
Pushkin, "Vadim"
THE LEGEND ABOUT THE MURDER OF VADIM THE BRIGHT AND THE LEGEND ABOUT THE CALLING OF THE VARYAGS
The military assistance provided by the Varangians to the Novgorod Slovenes was obviously quite effective, which prompted their king to encroach on the local princely power. Let us recall a similar incident that took place a century later, when the Varangians helped Prince Vladimir to seize Kyiv. Entering the city, the Varangians declared to Vladimir: “This is our city; we are straight and, yes, we want to pay back on them, 2 hryvnia per person. This is understandable, because power, both then and before, was obtained by force.
The "coup d'état", accompanied by the extermination of Slovenian princes and noble people, was recognized by a number of Soviet historians. Grekov wrote about him in his early works on Kievan Rus. According to Mavrodin, the Varangian Viking, called to help by one of the Slovenian elders, “seemed tempting to take possession of Holmgard - Novgorod itself, and he, having come there with his retinue, makes a coup, eliminates or kills the Novgorod “elders”, which is reflected in the chronicle story about death of Gostomysl "without a legacy".
The physical elimination of the prince of Novgorod by Rurik and the nobility surrounding him can be guessed from some information from the Nikon Chronicle, which is unique in Russian chronicle writing. Under the year 864, the annals say: “Offended by Novgorodians, saying:“ as if we were a slave, and suffer a lot of evil in every possible way from Rurik and from his family. That same summer, kill Rurik the brave Vadim, and beat many other Novgorodians of his advisers. In 867, "many Novgorodian husbands escaped from Rurik from Novgorod to Kyiv." It is known that the ancient chronology of chronicles is conditional: under one year, chroniclers often combined events that took place in different years. The opposite also took place, that is, the separation of incidents that happened at the same time, over several years. The latter, apparently, we observe in the Nikon chronicle. But, breaking what happened into a series of episodes of different times, the chronicler changed the course and meaning of the actions associated with the coup. It turned out that after the seizure of power by Rurik, dissatisfied Novgorodians resisted the rapist for a long time. This is exactly how the medieval “write-off” was understood by historians, pre-revolutionary and Soviet.
“Regarding the definition of relations between the called prince and the called tribes,” S. M. Solovyov reasoned, “there is a legend about the unrest in Novgorod, about the dissatisfied who complained about the behavior of Rurik and his relatives or united earthmen and who was headed by some Vadim; this Vadim was killed by Rurik along with the Novgorodians, his advisers. However, the troubles continued, because the legend tells that "many Novgorod husbands fled from Rurik from Novgorod to Kyiv." Solovyov refers to the “subsequent events of Novgorod history” and encounters similar phenomena: “And after almost every prince had to fight against certain parties, and if he won, then the opponents fled from Novgorod to other princes to the south, to Russia, or to Suzdal land, depending on according to circumstances. Best of all, the legend about the displeasure of the Novgorodians and the act of Rurik with Vadim and his advisers is explained by the story of the chronicle about the displeasure of the Novgorodians at the Varangians hired by Yaroslav, about the murder of the latter and the revenge of the princely murderers.
With full attention to the news of the Nikon Chronicle about Vadim the Brave, Mavrodin treated advisers who suffered from Rurik: this, of course, gave rise to a struggle between the usurpers-Varangians and Novgorodians, who sought to throw off the power of the Varangian Viking imposed on them with weapons. The resistance of the Novgorod "husbands" was "long and strong".
The interpretation by Solovyov and Mavrodin of the news about Vadim the Brave and the “men” of Novgorod, outraged by the behavior of Rurik and the Varangians who accompanied him, does not take into account the views of ancient people on power and how to acquire it, responding more to the way of thinking of a person of modern times. The task of the researcher is to look at the events of Novgorod history in the second half of the 9th century. from the point of view of their members.
Let's start with the main character of the opposite side of Rurik - Vadim. The chronicler does not say anything about the social status of Vadim, but calls him the Brave, leaving us, albeit a tiny, but still a clue for further reflection. Brave is, of course, a nickname that characterizes the one to whom it is given. Based on it, we define the type of activity of Vadim as a military one. Bravery in war is a quality highly valued in traditional societies. “Hrabor in the rati” is one of the most enthusiastic characteristics of the ancient Russian princes read in the annals. The princes, who were especially famous for their courage, courage and daring, received the corresponding nicknames: Mstislav the Brave, Mstislav Udatny (Udaloy). Returning to Vadim the Brave, we can now assume that we have a Slovenian military leader, leader or prince. In the person of Vadim's "advisers", we are apparently confronted with the Novgorod elders. Rurik, having killed Vadim and the elders co-ruler with him, becomes a prince himself. Most likely, the seizure of power and the murder of representatives of the highest, in modern terms, the echelon of power of the Novgorod Slovenes were a one-time action. But if the bloody drama stretched out over several acts, then, undoubtedly, not for years, as the chronicler depicts. Prolonged resistance of the Novgorodians to Rurik after the death of Vadim the Brave and the elders must be ruled out. Why?
Among primitive peoples, supreme power was not always inherited and went to the one who, for example, defeated the ruler in single combat. The murders of rulers sometimes followed one after another. Thus, Rurik's murder of the Slovenian prince Vadim, followed by the assignment of the princely title, cannot be considered something extraordinary, out of the ordinary. It did not in the least discord with local customs and concepts about the sources of power of the rulers and therefore hardly caused confusion among the people, and even more so a thirst for revenge. God is on the side of the winner - an ingrained principle that owned the minds of the pagans, which were the Novgorod Slovenes of the time under consideration.
VICTIM "VADIMA"
On January 14 (25), 1791, Knyazhnin died. The circumstances of his death remain mysterious. Pushkin, in a draft of an article on Russian history, wrote: "Knyaznin died under the rods." In the notes to the “Analysis of the report of the Commission of Inquiry in 1826”, the author of which was probably the Decembrist M. S. Lunin, Pushkin’s words are confirmed: “The writer Knyazhnin was tortured in the Secret Chancellery for bold truths in his tragedy Vadim.” In 1836, the historian D. N. Bantysh-Kamensky, a man far from the Decembrist circles, repeated the same thing: “The tragedy of Knyazhnin “Vadim Novgorodsky” made the most noise. Knyaznin, as contemporaries assure, was interrogated by Sheshkovsky at the end of 1790, fell into a severe illness and died on January 14, 1791. It is not difficult to guess what the words “was interrogated” highlighted by Bantysh-Kamensky mean. The temperament of Sheshkovsky, the "house executioner" of Catherine II, is well known...
The stability of opinion about the death of Knyaznin in the Secret Chancellery cannot but attract attention. But what was its cause? After all, Knyazhnin died in 1791, and Vadim Novgorodsky was published in 1793. This circumstance is perplexing. S.N. Glinka, a student and admirer of Knyazhnin, points out that the end of his teacher's life was "foggy" by an article written in connection with the French Revolution with an expressive title: "Woe to my fatherland." It is also known that the playwright read "Vadim Novgorodsky" to friends before the tragedy was transferred to the theater in 1789, that rehearsals had already begun, and only the revolutionary events in France forced the preparation of the play to be stopped out of caution. Under such conditions, rumors of a tragedy could reach the government, which at first led to a refusal to increase the rank, etc. Then, apparently, Knyazhnin was summoned to Sheshkovsky either about the tragedy, or about the article. But whatever the cause of his death, it is clear: the writer, pardoned in 1773, died shortly after the trial of Radishchev and shortly before Novikov's arrest, at a time when Catherine II openly waged a fight against ideas with the help of torture, exile and book burning.
Knyazhnin Ya.B. Selected works. (Library of the poet; Large series). / L. Kulakova. Life and work of Ya.K. Princess. L., 1961
In the earliest ancient Russian chronicle, The Tale of Bygone Years, Vadim's name is not mentioned. In some later annalistic collections of the 16th century, a legend appeared about the unrest in Novgorod, which arose soon after the calling of the Varangians in 862. Among the Novgorodians there were many dissatisfied with the autocracy of Rurik and the actions of his relatives. Under the leadership of Vadim the Brave, an uprising broke out in defense of the lost liberty. Vadim was killed by Rurik, along with many of his followers. According to VN Tatishchev, Vadim was a local Slovenian prince.
The legend and its assessment by historians
In the Nikon chronicle, compiled in the 16th century, this event is described as follows:
Chronicles and Chronographs of the 17th century retell the information of the Nikon Chronicle, adding their own comments and assessments to them:
V. N. Tatishchev, commenting on these legends, and also referring to the text of the Joachim Chronicle, writes:
Many Russian historians, citing the legend of Vadim, consider it a fiction. According to the historian S. M. Solovyov, it is best explained by the story of the chronicle about the displeasure of the Novgorodians with the Varangians, hired by Prince Yaroslav, about the murder of the latter and about the princely revenge on the murderers. The same scientist, apparently, is inclined to explain Vadim with the word “lead”, which in regional dialects means “groom”, “advanced”, “guide”. The uprising could not have taken place in Novgorod in the chronicle year 864, since, according to archaeological evidence, Novgorod did not yet exist at that time. However, Ladoga existed, where Rurik began his reign in 862.
There is also an opinion that the name Vadim goes back to the retinue-princely vocabulary, in which it could mean a governor, leader, leader. Consequently, the clash between Rurik and Vadim can be viewed as a conflict between two squad groups. The folk legend “Yurik-new settler” tells how Yurik-new settler, in which many tend to see Rurik, constantly increased tribute from the Novgorodians, which could cause a conflict between the newcomer prince and the local nobility.
The Tale of Bygone Years and the Nikon Chronicle say that part of Russia left Rurik and settled in Kyiv, where the chronicle Russian princes Askold and Dir were established. In the same Tatishchev, the connection between events is described as follows: “In this time, the Slovenes fled from Rurik from Novgorod to Kyiv, and then killed Vadimr the brave prince of Slovenia.” All the events described by chronicles fit into the interval between 860 and 867. In the same period, archaeologists noted the laying of coin treasures in the north of Russia, which indicates an unstable trade situation and a change of power. Thus, the late legend about Vadim the Brave could have real historical foundations.
Image in the Russian literary tradition
The legend about Vadim attracted the attention of many Russian writers. Catherine II displays Vadim in her dramatic work: "Historical performance from the life of Rurik." Vadim in this play is an episodic hero, the cousin of the wise Rurik, but with the light hand of the enlightened empress, the stormy life of Vadim the Brave in Russian literature began. Catherine herself wrote in a letter of 1795: “No one paid attention to this thing, and it was never played ... I did not dare to put my conclusions about Rurik in the History, since they were based only on a few words from the annals of Nestor and from Dalén's History of Sweden, but having met Shakespeare at that time, in 1786 I came up with the idea of translating them into a dramatic form.
Yakov Knyazhnin wrote the tragedy "Vadim", which, according to the Senate's verdict, was decided to be burned publicly "for impudent expressions against the autocratic power" (the order, however, was not carried out). Alexander Pushkin, while still a young man, twice took up the processing of the same plot. Mikhail Lermontov was also at one time interested in the personality and sad fate of the legendary Novgorod hero.
Vadim appears in the historical works of Maria Semyonova. In the novel "The Sword of the Dead" the conflict between Vadim and Rurik is the basis of the plot. In the novel "Pelko and the Wolves", the main character, Karel Pelko, serves in Vadim's squad during his conflict with Rurik. The image of Vadim is opposed to Rurik, but the heroes speak positively of him: "The prince was brave and an honest enemy, there is nothing to remember him with, except for a kind word."
Nothing is known about the date and place of Vadim's birth. Even in The Tale of Bygone Years, which describes events from biblical times, nothing is said about this. In later chronicles of the 16th century, a legend appears that describes the turmoil in Novgorod.
The turmoil began after the calling of the Varangians in 862 to reign in Novgorod. It is known that the locals did not like the autocracy of Prince Rurik, after which Vadim the Brave led an uprising against him. Together with most of his associates, Vadim was killed in 864, and the uprising was put down.
The well-known Russian historian V.N. Tatishchev writes that Vadim came from a family of Slovenian (Eastern Slavs) princes, but he also does not know anything about the date of his birth.
Causes of the uprising
Some scientists, mentioning the legend of Vadim, argue that this is fiction. And others believe that this legend explains his presence in the annals by the confusion and dissatisfaction of the Novgorodians with the Varangians, who were hired by Prince Yaroslav to rule Novgorod. As you know, some Varangians were killed during the turmoil. For which the locals were later avenged.
There is also an opinion that the uprising of Vadim the Brave could not have taken place in Novgorod in 864, as described in the chronicle, since, according to some archaeological facts, Novgorod did not exist then. Nevertheless, at that time there was already Ladoga, where the Varangian Rurik began to reign in 862. According to some versions, Ladoga itself could also be called Nova-gorod, which is consonant with Novgorod.
However, the annals tell of "Yurik-new settler", in which many see the name of Rurik, who ruled the principality and constantly increasing tribute from the Novgorodians, which was one of the reasons for the uprising.
Versions about Vadim
According to some historians, Prince Vadim the Brave, who allegedly led the uprising against Rurik, could have had a completely different name. So, for example, it is believed that this is not a name, but a verb - “lead”, which in various dialects means “groom”, “guide”, “advanced”.
There is also an opinion that says that the name Vadim refers to the princely retinue vocabulary and, according to it, could mean a governor, leader, leader. Consequently, the conflict between Vadim and Rurik can also be viewed as a clash between two squad groups.
However, these are only versions of historians, which are often based on assumptions and rather controversial facts that ignore fundamental works, such as The Tale of Bygone Years or the Nikon Chronicle, for example.
Varyag Rurik
Vadim the Brave and the grandson of Gostomysl, Rurik, according to legend, were still in conflict, which led to the fact that Vadim was killed. However, Rurik is also, according to some historians, a rather controversial and ambiguous figure, there are even versions that he did not exist at all.
However, according to the official historical version, Rurik lived in the 9th century, his date of birth is unknown, and he died in 879. According to legend, he was the grandson of the Ilmen elder Gostomysl, who by origin is considered a Slovene (ancient Slav). It is believed that Gostomysl was one of those who called on the Varangians to reign over the Slovenes.
Rurik himself, according to one version, is considered to be a Jutlander (ancient Dane) by origin, and according to another, he is encouraged (one of the tribes of the ancient Slavs).
According to the ancient Russian chronicles, Rurik is identified with the Varangian, who was called to reign in Novgorod and subsequently suppressed the uprising of Vadim the Brave. Rurik is considered the ancestor and founder of the princely, and later the royal dynasty. The Rurikoviches are considered as the founders of the Old Russian state as such.
Historians' assessment
According to historians, the uprising of Vadim the Brave, who led the Novgorodians against Rurik, did take place. Fundamental science, based on the annals that have survived to this day, unequivocally declares this incident. There is also no doubt about the personalities of both Vadim the Brave and Rurik himself.
Disputes are allowed only about the time of birth of these historical characters and about the name of Vadim, since it is really possible to interpret him as a “voivode”. In other cases, statements that there was no uprising against Rurik, and all this is fiction, are unfounded and unproven. In other words, this is a free interpretation and fantasy of individual historians.
findings
Summarizing the above, we can say that the uprising of the Novgorodians led by Vadim the Brave against Rurik and the Varangians is a scientifically proven fact, which is confirmed in the ancient Slavic chronicles. There is also a number of circumstantial evidence that speaks of these events that occurred in 864.
Vadim the Brave is also a literary character, but references to him in works of art are based on ancient documents. So, for example, Catherine II mentions him in her work - "Historical presentation from the life of Rurik." Later, the famous Russian writer Ya. B. Knyazhnin created a tragedy called Vadim Novgorodsky. A. S. Pushkin and M. Yu. Lermontov also undertook to work on this plot, as they were interested in both the personality and the fate of Vadim the Brave.
Vadim is the leader of those who did not put up with the injustice of the Varangians. However, Rurik played an important role in the history of Russia, influencing the formation of the state as a whole, and later creating an entire royal dynasty of Rurikovich. And it is not known how the history of Russia would have developed if Vadim the Brave had defeated Rurik.
Gostomysl was succeeded by his grandson Rurik by the right of seniority. He was a kind of Varangian, and what the Varangians could be, the Slavs already knew, they were taught from their bitter experience. Together with Rurik, the formidable Varangian army also came to the Slavs. After all, the new prince brought with him more relatives, and therefore their squads. Rurik's brothers Truvor and Sineus did not come to Russia alone, each of them captured their fighters for a new place of residence. It was more like an occupation. However, this time the Varangians had a legal opportunity to gain a foothold on Russian soil. Which is exactly what they did.
To begin with, they settled in the northern Slavic capital - Staraya Ladoga. Rurik immediately showed the Slavs that he did not come to them in peace, and not to reconcile them, bringing peace and order. He came to them as a master. On these rights, he began to distribute to the brothers the lands that did not belong to him. This behavior was more like the behavior of a conqueror. In order to gain a foothold in the new lands, Rurik granted key cities and positions to the people loyal to him. The Slavs were unhappy with this. The new prince noticeably infringed on their rights and freedoms. A real war began with the surrounding tribes of the Slavs. As the Piskarevsky chronicler says, “girding a lot of squads with me. And start fighting everywhere." The discontent of the Slavs is growing. “Some Slavs, not wanting to be under the rule of Rurik, like a Varangian, fled,” says Tatishchev.
The more timid and weak flee from Novgorod to Kyiv, under the protection of the Slavic prince Oskold. Others, more brave and strong, are ready to take up arms and, following the example of Gostomysl, expel the Varangians. The Slavs have their own leader and their own full-fledged candidate for the throne. legitimate candidate. This is another grandson of Gostomysl, Vadim the Brave. Vadim's possession was Izborsk. Rurik favors this city to his brother Truvor. The chronicle does not say exactly when this happened, before or after the murder of Vadim, but this is not so important. If this happened before, then Rurik, initially taking the den, provoked him to rebel. Not a single Russian hero would have endured such humiliation, and if he had endured, then after that no one would reckon with him, no one would respect him.
And honor for the Russian hero is more precious than life. If the people of Rurik killed Vadim first, and then the prince granted his lands to his brother, then this only indicates that the visiting Varangians who came to power began to oppress the Slavs so that the local nobility, not accustomed to such treatment, rebelled against the Varangian yoke. This is the same example when, no matter how you rearrange the events, it will not be more beautiful. The chronicler expressed the confrontation between Rurik and Vadim in one phrase: "I did not want to be a slave to the Varangians." That's who the proud Slavic prince Vadim did not want to be. The murder of Vadim Izborsky was the main milestone of Rurik's path to sole and full power. “The same summer Novgorodtsy was offended, saying: “as if we were a slave, and much evil will suffer in every possible way from Rurik and from his kind.” That same summer, kill Rurik Vadim the brave and many other Novgorodians beat his luminaries ”(Nikon Chronicle).
Most of the supporters of Gostomysl's son shared the fate of their leader. Almost at the same time, the Varangians raided their mansions. The opposition ceased to exist, and the political struggle ended. Now that Vadim is dead, the Slavs will not dare to encroach on the power of Rurik for a long time. After the death of Vadim, "confusion did among the people." The best representative of the Slavic nobility, the last legitimate contender for the throne of his grandfather, died. Rurik did not want to share his power with anyone. Vadim was really a threat to Rurik. From the very beginning, the Varangian thought Vadim was an enemy, which means he had to get rid of him. Compromise in this case was extremely difficult to find. Young, hot, ambitious warrior, Slav, local, caring for his people.
The verdict was signed. Moreover, Vadim, unlike Rurik, was loved by the Slavic people. And judging by the nature of the Slavic hero, he would hardly have gone to him. Vadim the Brave would be a much better option for Novgorod than the Varangian Rurik - this is a continuation of the Gostomysl line in the reign. The prince was a patriot, and he, unlike Rurik, did not need to rob his people, gaining a foothold on the throne. But history does not know the subjunctive mood. Vadim lost. And Rurik, having strengthened his personal power, did even more than he could imagine.