4. Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev (04.17.1894-11.09.1971)
Soviet statesman and party leader. First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. Hero of the Soviet Union, Three times Hero of Socialist Labor. The first laureate of the Shevchenko Prize, years of reign 07.09.1. (Moscow city).
Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev was born in 1894 in the village of Kalinovka, Kursk province, in the family of the miner Sergei Nikanorovich Khrushchev and Ksenia Ivanovna Khrushcheva. In 1908, having moved with his family to the Uspensky mine near Yuzovka, Khrushchev became an apprentice locksmith at a factory, then worked as a locksmith in a mine and was not taken to the front as a miner in 1914. In the early 1920s, he worked in mines, studied at the working faculty of the Donetsk Industrial Institute. Later he was engaged in economic and party work in Donbass and Kiev. From January 1931 he was at party work in Moscow, in years he was the first secretary of the Moscow regional and city party committees - MK and MGK VKP (b). In January 1938 he was appointed first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine. In the same year he became a candidate, and in 1939 - a member of the Politburo.
During the Second World War, Khrushchev served as a political commissar of the highest rank (a member of the military councils of a number of fronts) and in 1943 was promoted to lieutenant general; led the partisan movement behind the front line. In the first post-war years, he headed the government in Ukraine. In December 1947, Khrushchev again led the Communist Party of Ukraine, becoming the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine; held this post until his move to Moscow in December 1949, where he became the first secretary of the Moscow party committee and secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b). Khrushchev initiated the consolidation of collective farms (collective farms). After Stalin's death, when the chairman of the Council of Ministers left the post of secretary of the Central Committee, Khrushchev became the "owner" of the party apparatus, although until September 1953 he did not have the title of first secretary. In the period from March to June 1953, he attempted to seize power. In order to eliminate Beria, Khrushchev entered into an alliance with Malenkov. In September 1953, he took over as First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. In June 1953, a struggle for power began between Malenkov and Khrushchev, in which Khrushchev won. At the beginning of 1954, he announced the beginning of an ambitious program for the development of virgin lands in order to increase grain production, and in October of the same year he headed the Soviet delegation in Beijing.
The most striking event in Khrushchev's career was the XX Congress of the CPSU, held in 1956. At a closed meeting, Khrushchev condemned Stalin, accusing him of mass destruction of people and erroneous policies that almost ended in the elimination of the USSR in the war against Nazi Germany. The result of this report was unrest in the countries of the Eastern bloc - Poland (October 1956) and Hungary (October and November 1956). In June 1957, the Presidium (formerly Politburo) of the CPSU Central Committee organized a conspiracy to remove Khrushchev from the post of First Party Secretary. After his return from Finland, he was invited to a meeting of the Presidium, which, by seven votes to four, demanded his resignation. Khrushchev called a plenum of the Central Committee, which overturned the decision of the Presidium and dismissed the "anti-party group" of Molotov, Malenkov and Kaganovich. He strengthened the Presidium with his supporters, and in March 1958 took over as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, taking over all the main levers of power. In September 1960, Khrushchev visited the United States as head of the Soviet delegation to the UN General Assembly. During the assembly, he managed to conduct large-scale negotiations with the heads of government of a number of countries. His report to the Assembly contained calls for general disarmament, the immediate elimination of colonialism and the admission of China to the UN. During the summer of 1961, Soviet foreign policy became increasingly harsh, and in September the USSR broke the three-year moratorium on nuclear weapons testing with a series of explosions. On October 14, 1964, by the Plenum of the CPSU Central Committee, Khrushchev was relieved of his duties as First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee and a member of the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee. He was replaced, who became the First Secretary of the Communist Party, and became the Chairman of the Council of Ministers. After 1964, Khrushchev, while retaining his place in the Central Committee, was essentially retired. Khrushchev died in Moscow on September 11, 1971.
Rurik were for sure, but was there Rurik ... Most likely there was, but his personality still raises many more questions than answers.
The "Tale of Bygone Years" tells about Rurik's vocation by the Eastern Slavs. It was according to the "Tale" in 862 (although the chronology in Russia in those years was different, and the year was actually not 862). Some researchers. and this can be seen in particular from the diagram below, Rurik is called the ancestor of the dynasty, but its foundation is considered only from his son Igor. Probably, during his lifetime, Rurik did not have time to realize himself as the founder of the dynasty, because he was busy with other things. But the descendants on reflection, decided to call themselves a dynasty.
Formed three main hypotheses regarding the origin.
- The first - the Norman theory - claims that Rurik with his brothers and squad were from the Vikings. At the time, as proved by research, among the Scandinavian peoples, the name Rurik really existed (meaning "glorified and noble man"). True, there are problems with a specific candidate, information about which is also found in other historical stories or documents. There is no unequivocal identification with anyone: for example, a noble Danish Viking of the 9th century Rorik of Jutland is described, or a certain Eirik Emundarson from Sweden, who raided the Baltic lands.
- The second, Slavic version, where Rurik is shown as a representative of the princely family of encouragement from the West Slavic lands. There is information that the Varangians were then called one of the Slavic tribes that lived on the territory of historical Prussia. Rurik, on the other hand, is a variant of the West Slavic "Rerek, Rarog" - not a personal name, but the name of a princely princely family, meaning "falcon". Supporters of this version believe that the coat of arms of Rurik was just a symbolized image of a falcon.
- The third theory believes that Rurik did not really exist at all - the founder of the Rurik dynasty emerged from the local Slavic population during the struggle for power, and two hundred years later his descendants, in order to refine their origins, ordered a propaganda story about the Varangian Ryurik to the author of the Tale of Bygone Years.
The princely dynasty of Rurikovich split over the years into many branches. Not many European dynasties can compare with her in the branching and multiplicity of offspring. But this was the very policy of this ruling group, they did not set the task of staying firmly in the capital, on the contrary, they sent their offspring to all corners of the country.
The branching of Rurikovich begins in the generation of Prince Vladimir (who calls him as Saint, and who - Bloody), and first of all, the line of the princes of Polotsk, the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, is separated.
Very briefly about some of the Rurik
After the death of Rurik, power passed to Saint Oleg, who became the guardian of Rurik's young son, Igor. Prophetic Oleg united the scattered Russian principalities into one state. He glorified himself with intelligence and belligerence, with a large army he went down the Dnieper, took Smolensk, Lyubech, Kiev and made the latter his capital city. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg showed little Igor to the glades:
"Here is the son of Rurik - your prince."
As you know, according to legend, he died from a snakebite.
Further Igor grew up and became the Grand Duke of Kiev. He contributed to the strengthening of statehood among the Eastern Slavs, the extension of the power of the Kiev prince to the East Slavic tribal associations between the Dniester and the Danube. But in the end he turned out to be an avaricious ruler, for which he was killed by the Drevlyans.
Olga, Igor's wife, severely avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband and conquered their main city Korosten. She was distinguished by a rare intelligence and great abilities. In her declining years she adopted Christianity and was later canonized.
One of the most famous princesses in Russia.
Svyatoslav... He is known as one of the most prominent commanders from the Rurik family, who for the most part did not sit still, but who was on military campaigns. His son Yaropolka are considered guilty of the death of their brother Oleg, who tried to lay claim to the Kiev throne.
But Yaropolk was also killed, and again by his brother, Vladimir.
The same Vladimir that Russia baptized. The Kiev Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich was at first a fanatical pagan, he is also credited with such traits as vindictiveness and bloodthirstiness. At least he did not spare his brother and got rid of him in order to take the princely throne in Kiev.
His son Yaroslav Vladimirovich, to whom history has added the nickname "Wise", was indeed a wise and diplomatic ruler of the Old Russian state. The time of his reign is not only internecine feudal wars between close relatives, but also attempts to bring Kievan Rus into the world political arena, attempts to overcome feudal fragmentation, and the construction of new cities. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the development of Slavic culture, a kind of golden period of the Old Russian state.
Izyaslav - I- the eldest son of Yaroslav, after the death of his father took the Kiev throne, but after an unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsians, the Kievites drove him out, and his brother became the Grand Duke Svyatoslav... After the death of the latter, Izyaslav returned to Kiev again.
Vsevolod - I could be a useful ruler and a worthy representative of the Rurikids, but it did not work out. This prince was devout, truthful, very fond of education and knew five languages, but the Polovtsian raids, famine, pestilence and turmoil in the country did not favor his principality. He kept the throne only thanks to his son Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh.
Svyatopolk - II- the son of Izyaslav-I, who inherited the Kiev throne after Vsevolod-I, was distinguished by spinelessness and was not able to pacify the feuds of the princes for the possession of cities. At the congress in Lubich Pereslavl in 1097, the princes kissed the cross "to everyone to own the father's land", but soon Prince David Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko.
The princes gathered again for a congress in the fifth year of 1100, and deprived David of Volhynia; at the suggestion of Vladimir Monomakh, it was decided at the Dolobian congress, in 1103, to undertake a joint campaign against the Polovtsians, the Russians defeated the Polovtsians on the river lard (in 1111) and took a lot of them: Cattle, sheep, horses, etc. Some of the Polovtsian princes killed up to 20 people ... The fame of this victory spread far between the Greeks, Hungarians and other Slavs.
Vladimir Monomakh... A well-known representative of the Rurik dynasty. Despite the seniority of the Svyatoslavichs, after the death of Svyatopolk-II, Vladimir Monomakh was chosen to the Kiev throne, who, according to the chronicle, "wanted good for the brethren and the whole Russian land." He stood out for his great abilities, rare intelligence, courage and tirelessness. He was happy in campaigns against the Polovtsians. He humbled the princes with his severity. Remarkable is the "teaching for children" left by him, in which he gives a purely Christian moral teaching and a lofty example of the prince's service to his homeland.
Mstislav - I... Like his father Monomakh, the son of Monomakh, Mstislav-I, in mind and character lived in harmony with his brothers, inspiring respect and fear to the rebellious princes. So, the Polovtsian princes who disobeyed him, he expelled to Greece, and instead of them in the city of Polotsk he put his son to rule.
Yaropolk, brother of Mstislav, Yaropolk, son of Monomakh, decided to transfer the inheritance not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew. Thanks to the disagreements that arose from here, the "Monomakhs" lost the Kiev throne, which passed to the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich - "Olegovich".
Vsevolod - II... Having achieved the great reign, Vsevolod wanted to consolidate the Kiev throne in its own way and handed it over to his brother Igor Olegovich. But not recognized by the Kievites and tonsured a monk, Igor was soon killed.
Izyaslav - II... The Kievans recognized Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who with his mind, brilliant talents, courage and friendliness vividly reminded of his famous grandfather Monomakh. With the accession to the throne of Izyaslav II, the concept of seniority, rooted in ancient Russia, was violated: In one genus, a nephew during the life of an uncle could not be a grand duke.
Yury Dolgoruky"... Prince of Suzdal since 1125, Grand Duke of Kiev in 1149-1151, 1155-1157, founder of Moscow. Yuri was the sixth son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh. After the death of his father, he inherited the Rostov-Suzdal principality and immediately began to strengthen the borders of his inheritance, erecting fortresses on them. So, for example, under him there was a fortress Ksyantin, as the modern Tver was called earlier. By his order, cities were founded: Dubna, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Zvenigorod, Gorodets. The first mention of Moscow from 1147 is associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky.
The life of this prince is unusual and interesting. The youngest son of Vladimir Monomakh could not claim more than an appanage principality. As an inheritance, he received the Rostov principality, which became prosperous under Yuri. Many settlements arose here. The indefatigable son of Monomakh received his nickname "Dolgoruky" for his ambitions, for constantly interfering in other people's affairs and for his constant desire to seize foreign lands.
Owning the Rostov-Suzdal land, Yuri all the time sought to expand the territory of his principality and often raided neighboring lands owned by his relatives. Most of all he dreamed of conquering Kiev. In 1125, Yuri moved the capital of the principality from Rostov to Suzdal, from where he made campaigns to the south, strengthening his squad with hired Polovtsian detachments. He annexed the cities of Murom, Ryazan, and part of the lands along the banks of the Volga to the Rostov principality.
The Suzdal prince occupied Kiev three times, but he never managed to stay there for a long time. The struggle for the great reign with his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich was long. Three times Yuri entered Kiev as the Grand Duke, but only the third time did he remain so until the end of his days. The people of Kiev did not like Prince Yuri. This was due to the fact that Yuri more than once resorted to the help of the Polovtsians and almost always was a troublemaker during the periods of the struggle for the throne. Yuri Dolgoruky was a "newcomer" to the people of Kiev, from the North. According to the chronicler, after the death of Yuri in 1157, the Kievites plundered his rich mansion and killed the Suzdal detachment that had come with him.
Andrey Bogolyubsky... Having accepted the grand-ducal title, Andrei Yurievich transfers the throne to Vladimir on the Klyazma, and since then Kiev begins to lose its leading position. Stern and stern Andrey wanted to be autocratic, that is, to rule Russia without veche and squads. Andrei Bogolyubsky mercilessly pursued the disgruntled boyars, they conspired on Andrei's life and killed him.
Alexander Nevskiy"... Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251). Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky consistently implemented a policy aimed at strengthening the northwestern borders of Russia and reconciliation with the Tatars.
While still a prince of Novgorod (1236-1251), he showed himself to be an experienced commander and a wise ruler. Thanks to the victories won in the Battle of the Neva (1240), in the Battle of the Ice (1242), as well as numerous forays against the Lithuanians, Alexander for a long time discouraged the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians from the desire to take possession of the northern Russian lands.
Alexander led the opposite policy in relation to the Mongol-Tatars. It was a policy of peace and cooperation, the purpose of which was to prevent a new invasion of Russia. The prince often traveled to the Horde with rich gifts. He managed to achieve the release of Russian soldiers from the obligation to fight on the side of the Mongol-Tatars.
Yuri - III. By marrying the sister of Khan Konchak, in Orthodoxy, Agafya, Yuri gained great strength and help in the person of the Tatars who were akin to him. But soon, thanks to the claims of Prince Dmitry, the son of Mikhail tortured by the khan, he had to appear to report to the horde. Here, at the first meeting with Dmitry, Yuri was killed by him, in revenge for the death of his father and for violation of morality (marriage to a Tatar).
Dmitry - II... Dmitry Mikhailovich, nicknamed "terrible eyes", for the murder of Yuri-III, was executed by the khan for arbitrariness.
Alexander Tverskoy... The brother of Dmitry II, who was executed in the horde, Alexander Mikhailovich, was approved by the khan on the grand throne. He was distinguished by kindness and was loved by the people, but he ruined himself by allowing the Tver people to kill the hated Khan's ambassador Shchelkan. Khan sent 50,000 Tatar troops against Alexander. Alexander fled from the khan's anger to Pskov, and from there to Lithuania. Ten years later, Alexander of Tverskoy returned and was forgiven by the khan. Not getting along, however, with the prince of Moscow John Kalita, Alexander
was slandered by him before the khan, the khan summoned him to the horde and executed him.
John I Kalita... John-I Danilovich, the cautious and cunning prince, nicknamed for his thriftiness Kalita (purse for money), devastated the Tver principality with the help of the Tatars, taking advantage of the case of the violence of the indignant Tverites against the Tatars. He took upon himself the collection of tribute from all over Russia for the Tatars and, thanks to this, having greatly enriched himself, bought up the cities from the appanage princes. In 1326, the metropolitanate from Vladimir, thanks to the efforts of Kalita, was transferred to Moscow, and here, according to Metropolitan Peter, the Cathedral of the Dormition was founded. Since then, Moscow, as the seat of the Metropolitan of All Russia, has acquired the significance of the Russian center.
John-II Ioannovich, a meek and peace-loving prince, followed the advice of Metropolitan Alexei in everything, who was of great importance in the Horde. During this time, Moscow's relations with the Tatars have improved significantly.
Vasily - I... Sharing with the father of the board, Vasily-I ascended the throne as an experienced prince and, following the example of his predecessors, actively expands the boundaries of the Moscow principality: He acquired Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In 1395, Russia was in danger of an invasion of Timur, the formidable Tatar khan. Between
so Vasily did not pay tribute to the Tatars, but collected it into the grand ducal treasury. In 1408, the Tatar Murza Edigei attacked Moscow, but having received a ransom of 3,000 rubles, lifted the siege from it. In the same year, after long disputes between Vasily I and the prince of Lithuania Vitovt, both cautious and cunning, the Ugra River was designated as the extreme border of Lithuanian possessions from the side of Rus.
Vasily - II the Dark... Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky took advantage of Vasily-II's minority, declaring his claims to seniority. But at the trial in the horde, the khan leaned in favor of Vasily, thanks to the efforts of the clever Moscow boyar Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The boyarin hoped to marry his daughter to Vasily, but he was deceived in his hopes: Offended, he left Moscow to Yuri Dmitrievich and assisted him in taking possession of the grand-princely throne, on which Yuri died in 1434, when Yuri's son Vasily Kosoi decided to inherit his paternal power, then all the princes rebelled against him.
Vasily II took him prisoner and blinded him: Then Dmitry Shemyaka, the brother of Vasily the Kosoy, cunningly captured Vasily II, blinded him and took the Moscow throne. Soon, however, Shemyaka had to give the throne to Basil II. During the reign of Basil II, the metropolitan of the Greeks, Isidor, accepted the Florentine union (1439), for which Basil II put Isidor in custody, and the Ryazan bishop John was appointed metropolitan. Thus, from now on, Russian metropolitans are supplied by a council of Russian bishops. In the last years of the Grand Duke, the internal structure of the Grand Duchy was the subject of the main concerns of Vasily II.
John III... Accepted by his father as a co-ruler, John III Vasilievich ascended the grand-ducal throne as the complete owner of Russia. At first he severely punished the Novgorodians, who started to become a citizen of Lithuania, and in 1478 “for a new offense” he finally subdued them. At the same time, the Novgorodians lost their veche and
self-government, and the Novgorod posadnitsa Maria and the veche bell were sent to the camp of John.
In 1485, after the final conquest of other inheritances, more or less dependent on the Moscow principality, John finally annexed the Tver principality to Moscow. By this time, the Tatars were divided into three independent hordes: Golden, Kazan and Crimean. They were at enmity with each other and were no longer afraid of the Russians. In the official history, it is believed that it was John III in 1480, having entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, tore up the Khan's Basma, ordered the Khan's ambassadors to be executed, and then overthrew the Tatar yoke without bloodshed.
Vasily - III. The son of John III from his marriage with Sophia Paleologus Vasily III was distinguished by pride and inaccessibility, he punished the descendants of appanage princes and boyars who dared to oppose him. He is "the last collector of the Russian land."
Having annexed the last appanages (Pskov, a northern principality), he completely destroyed the appanage system. He fought twice with Lithuania, according to the teaching of the Lithuanian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky, who entered the service of him, and finally, in 1514, took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. The war with Kazan and the Crimea was difficult for Vasily, but ended with Kazan's punishment: Trade was diverted from there to the Makaryevskaya fair, which was later transferred to Nizhny. Vasily divorced his wife Solomonia and married Princess Elena Glinskaya, the more he aroused the boyars who were dissatisfied with him. From this marriage, Basil had a son, John.
Elena Glinskaya... Appointed by Vasily III as the ruler of the state, the mother of three-year-old John Elena Glinskaya immediately took drastic measures against the boyars who were dissatisfied with her. She made peace with Lithuania and decided to fight the Crimean Tatars, who daringly attacked the Russian possessions, but, amid preparations for a desperate struggle, she died suddenly.
John - IV the Terrible... Left at the age of 8 in the hands of the boyars, the intelligent and talented Ioann Vasilyevich grew up amid the struggle of parties because of the rule of the state, amid violence, secret murders and incessant exile. Himself often enduring oppression from the boyars, he learned to hate them, and the cruelty, violence and
rudeness contributed to the hardening of his heart.
In 1552, John conquered Kazan, which ruled over the entire Volga region, and in 1556 the kingdom of Astrakhan was annexed to the Moscow state. The desire to establish himself on the shores of the Baltic Sea forced John to start the Livonian War, which led him to a clash with Poland and Sweden. The war began quite successfully, but ended with the most unfavorable truce for John with Poland and Sweden: John not only failed to establish himself on the shores of the Baltic, but also lost the coast of the Gulf of Finland. A sad era of "searches", disgrace and executions began. John left Moscow, went with his entourage to the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda, and here he surrounded himself with oprichniks, whom John opposed to the rest of the earth, the zemstvo.
The Rurikovichs are the descendants of Rurik, who became the first known chronicle prince of ancient Russia. Over time, the Rurik family split into several branches.
The origin of the dynasty
The Tale of Bygone Years, written by the monk Nestor, tells the story of the vocation of Rurik and his brothers to Russia. The sons of the Novgorod prince Gostomysl perished in the wars, and he married one of his daughters to a Varangian-Ross, who gave birth to three sons - Sineus, Rurik and Truvor. Gostomysl called them to reign in Russia. It was with them in 862 that the Rurik dynasty began, which reigned in Russia until 1598.
First princes
In 879, the summoned prince Rurik died, leaving his little son Igor. At the time when he was growing up, the principality was ruled by Oleg - a relative of the prince through his wife. He conquered the entire Kiev principality, and also built diplomatic relations with Byzantium. After the death of Oleg in 912, Igor began to reign until he died in 945, leaving two heirs - Gleb and Svyatoslav. However, the eldest (to Svyatoslav) was a three-year-old child, and therefore his mother, Princess Olga, took the reign into her own hands.
Having become the ruler, Svyatoslav was more interested in military campaigns and in one of them he was killed in 972. Svyatoslav left three sons: Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. Yaropolk killed Oleg for the sake of autocracy, while Vladimir first fled to Europe, but later returned, killed Yaropolk and became the ruler. It was he who baptized the Kievites in 988 and built many cathedrals. He reigned until 1015 and left behind 11 sons. After Vladimir, Yaropolk began to reign, who killed his brothers, and after him Yaroslav the Wise.
Yaroslavichi
Yaroslav the Wise reigned in total from 1015 to 1054 (including interruptions). When he died, the unity of the principality was broken. His sons divided Kievan Rus into parts: Svyatoslav received Chernigov, Izyaslav - Kiev and Novgorod, Vsevolod - Pereyaslavl and Rostov-Suzdal land. The latter, and later his son Vladimir Monomakh, significantly expanded the inherited lands. After the death of Vladimir Monomakh, the disintegration of the unity of the principality was finally established, in each part of which a separate dynasty ruled.
Specific Russia
Feudal fragmentation is growing due to the law of succession to the throne, according to which, power was transferred by seniority to the prince's brothers, while the younger ones were given in cities of less importance. After the death of the main prince, everyone moved by seniority from city to city. This order led to internecine wars. The most powerful princes launched a war for Kiev. The power of Vladimir Monomakh and his descendants turned out to be the most influential. Vladimir Monomakh leaves his possessions to three sons: Mstislav, Yaropolk and Yuri Dolgoruky. The latter is considered the founder of Moscow.
The fight between Moscow and Tver
One of the famous descendants of Yuri Dolgoruky was Alexander Nevsky, under whom an independent Moscow principality arose. In an effort to raise their influence, the descendants of Nevsky begin a struggle with Tver. During the reign of a descendant of Alexander Nevsky, the Moscow principality became one of the main centers of the unification of Rus, but the Tver principality remained outside its influence.
Creation of the Russian state
After the death of Dmitry Donskoy, power passes to his son Vasily I, who managed to preserve the greatness of the principality. After his death, a dynastic power struggle begins. However, under the reign of the descendant of Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan III, the Horde yoke ends and the Moscow principality plays a decisive role in this. Under Ivan III, the process of forming a unified Russian state was completed. In 1478, he appropriates the title of "Sovereign of All Russia".
Last Rurikovich
The last representatives of the Rurik dynasty in power were Ivan the Terrible and his son Fyodor Ivanovich. The latter was not a ruler by nature, and therefore, after the death of Ivan the Terrible, the state was essentially ruled by the Boyar Duma. In 1591, Dmitry, another son of Ivan the Terrible, dies. Dmitry was the last contender for the Russian throne, since Fyodor Ivanovich had no children. In 1598, Fyodor Ivanovich also died, with whom the dynasty of the first Russian rulers, who had been in power for 736 years, was interrupted.
The article mentions only the main and most prominent representatives of the dynasty, but in fact there were many more descendants of Rurik. The Rurikovichs made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Russian state.
The image shows a sequence of successive rulers of Russia, as well as their numerous relatives: sons, daughters, sisters and brothers. The Rurik family tree, whose scheme begins with the Varangian prince Rurik, is an interesting material for historians to study. It was it that helped researchers find out interesting facts about the descendants of the Grand Duke - the founder of the Old Russian state, became a symbol of the unity of family members, power and continuity of generations.
Where does the tree of the Rurik dynasty originate from?
Prince Rurik himself and his wife Efanda are semi-mythical figures, and there are still disputes among historians about their possible origin. The most common version, based on the Tale of Bygone Years, says that a native of the Varangians was voluntarily invited to reign, although some suggest that Rurik and his squad captured Novgorod during one of their campaigns. There are also opinions that the ancestor of the royal dynasty had Danish roots and was called Rorik. According to the Slavic version, the origin of his name is associated with the designation of a falcon in the language of one of the tribes. There are also those who believe that the prince, as a historical person, did not exist at all and was a fictional character.
Ambition pushed the descendants of Rurik to internecine wars and murders. In the battle for the throne, the victory was won by the strongest, while death awaited the loser. Bloody divisions of land were accompanied by fratricide. The first happened between the sons of Svyatoslav: Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. Each of the princes wanted to gain power in Kiev and for this purpose was ready for any sacrifice. So, Yaropolk killed Oleg, and he was destroyed by Vladimir. The winner became the Grand Duke of Kiev. This striking historical figure deserves to be told in more detail about her.
Coming to power of Vladimir Svyatoslavich
A photo of the Rurikovich family tree with the dates of reign shows that the reign of the son of Svyatoslav Igorevich, Prince Vladimir, falls on the end of the 10th century. He was not a legitimate son, since his mother was the housekeeper Malusha, but according to pagan customs he had the right to inherit the throne after his father of princely origin. However, the story of his birth made many people laugh. For his low origin, Vladimir was dubbed "robichich" - the son of a slave. Vladimir's mother was removed from the upbringing of the child and the boy was handed over to the warrior Dobrynya, who is Malusha's brother.
When Svyatoslav died, a power struggle broke out in Kiev between Yaropolk and Oleg. The latter, retreating during the battle with his brother, fell into a ditch and was crushed to death by horses. The Kiev throne passed to Yaropolk, and Vladimir, having learned about this, moved with Dobrynya to the Varangian lands to gather an army.
Together with his soldiers, he conquered Polotsk, which was at that time on the side of Kiev and decided to marry Yaropolk's bride, Princess Rogneda. She did not want to marry the son of a slave, which greatly offended the prince and caused his rage. He forcibly took the girl as his wife and killed her entire family.
To overthrow Yaropolk from the throne, Vladimir used a trick. He lured his brother into negotiations, where the Kiev prince was stabbed to death by the soldiers of Vladimir. So power in Kiev was concentrated in the hands of the third son of Svyatoslav Igorevich, Grand Duke Vladimir. Despite such a bloody prehistory, a lot was done during his reign for the development of Russia. The most significant merit of Vladimir is considered to be the baptism of Rus in 988. From that moment on, our state from pagan turned from pagan to Orthodox and received a new status in the international arena.
Branching of the family tree of the Rurik dynasty
The direct heirs along the line of the first prince were:
- Igor
- Olga
- Svyatoslav
- Vladimir
There are documents in which you can find references to Igor's nephews. According to sources, their names were Igor and Akun, but little is known about them. Branches in the scheme of the Rurikovich tree began after the death of the great Kiev prince Vladimir. In the formerly single clan, a struggle for power between the princes began, and feudal fragmentation only exacerbated the situation.
So, the son of the Kiev prince Vladimir, Svyatopolk the Accursed, killed his brothers Boris, Gleb and Svyatoslav in the battle for the throne. However, another figure claimed power, which can be seen in the photo of the family tree of the Rurik dynasty. Svyatopolk's opponent was Prince Yaroslav the Wise. For a long time, a destructive internecine war was waged between the two pretenders to the throne. It ended with Yaroslav's victory in the battle on the Alta River. Kiev passed into the power of Yaroslav the Wise, and Svyatopolk was recognized as a traitor to the Rurik family.
Yaroslav the Wise died in 1054, after which the tree changed radically. Over the years of Yaroslav's reign, the end of the unity of the clan came to an end, the state was divided into appanages with its own way of life, laws, power and government. Most of the inheritance and land was divided between the three sons of the Wise:
- Izyaslav - Kiev, Novgorod
- Vsevolod - Rostov-Suzdal possessions and the city of Pereyaslavl
- Svyatoslav - Murom and Chernigov
As a result, the previously unified power was split and the so-called triumvirate was formed - the rule of the three princes of the Yaroslavichs.
Local dynasties began to form in specific lands. The photo shows that it was from this period that the genus began to expand greatly. This was mainly due to the large number of dynastic marriages that princes entered into in order to increase their authority, preserve and consolidate power. Before, only the most influential and significant princes could afford to look for a spouse abroad. Now, however, many have begun to enjoy this privilege.
Family tree of Rurikovich: branching scheme
The original unity of the clan was out of the question, the branches multiplied and intertwined. Let's take a closer look at the largest of them.
Izyaslavichi Polotsk
The line got its name from the founder of the branch - Izyaslav, the son of Vladimir Yaroslavich and the Polotsk princess Rogneda. According to legend, Rogneda decided to take revenge on her husband for what he did to her and her family. At night, she made her way into his bedroom and wanted to stab him, but he woke up and parried the blow. The prince ordered his wife to put on an elegant dress and stood in front of her with a sword in his hands. Izyaslav stood up for his mother and Vladimir did not dare to kill his wife with his son.
The prince decided to send Rogneda and Izyaslav to live in the Polotsk lands. Hence the line of the Izyaslavichs of Polotsk appeared. There is evidence that some of Izyaslav's descendants attempted to seize power in Kiev. So, Vseslav and Bryacheslav tried to squeeze Yaroslav the Wise, but their expectations were not destined to come true.
Rostislavichi
They originate from Prince Rostislav. He was an outcast and had no right to claim the throne after the death of his father, but with the help of wars he managed to gain power in Tmutarakan. He left behind three sons:
- Vasilko
- Volodar
- Rurik
Rurik left no descendants, and the sons of Vasilko ruled Terebovla and Galicia. Volodar's son, Vladimirko, in an effort to expand the estates of the Rostislavichi, annexed Galich to the lands. His cousin Ivan Galitsky helped him. He added Terebovl to the possessions. This is how a large and influential Galician principality was formed. The Rostislavich branch was interrupted when Vladimir Yaroslavich, the son of the famous prince Yaroslav Osmomysl, died. After this event, Roman the Great began to rule in Galich - one of the heirs and descendants of Yaroslav the Wise.
Izyaslavichi Turovsky
Another descendant of the Wise - Izyaslav Yaroslavich, ruled in Turov. The prince died in 1078, his brother Vsevolod began to rule in Kiev, and his youngest son Yaropolk began to rule in Turov. However, a fierce struggle was waged for these lands, as a result of which the descendants of Izyaslav perished one after another. In the end, they were forever expelled from their possessions by Vladimir Monomakh. Only in 1162, Yuri, a distant descendant of Izyaslav, was able to get back the lost possessions and strengthen them for himself. According to some sources, some Lithuanian-Russian princely dynasties originate from the Izyaslavichs of Turovsky.
Svyatoslavichi
This branch of the Rurik family tree originates from Svyatoslav, one of the participants in the triumvirate formed after the death of Yaroslav the Wise. After the death of their father, the sons of Svyatoslav fought with their uncles Izyaslav and Vsevolod, as a result of which they were defeated. However, one of the sons, Oleg Svyatoslavich, did not lose hope of regaining power and expelled Vladimir Monomakh. The lands rightfully belonging to the Svyatoslavichs were divided among the surviving brothers.
Monomakhovichi
The line was formed from Vladimir Monomakh - the son of Prince Vsevolod. He also had a brother who died fighting the Polovtsi. Thus, all princely power was concentrated in the hands of Vladimir. The princes of Kiev gained control and influence in all Russian lands, including Turov and Polotsk. But the fragile unity did not last long. With the death of Monomakh, internecine strife resumed and power in the estates again became fragmented.
It is noteworthy that Prince Yuri Dolgoruky was a descendant of the Monomakh branch on the genealogical tree of the Rurik dynasty. It is he who is indicated in the annals as the founder of Moscow, which later became the collector of Russian lands.
The Rurik family tree is full of tyrants, murderers, traitors and conspirators. One of the most cruel sovereigns of Russia is consideredJohn IV the Terrible... The atrocities that took place during his reign in the Russian lands are still remembered with shudder. Murders, robberies, raids on the civilian population, which, with the Tsar's permission, were repaired by the guardsmen - these are bloody and terrible pages of the history of our state. It is not for nothing that the sculpture of Ivan the Terrible is absent on the Millennium of Russia monument, erected to the glory of the great sovereigns of our country.
There were also wise rulers among the Rurikovichs - the pride of the clan and the defenders of their state. itIvan Kalita- a collector of Russian lands, a brave warriorAlexander Nevskiyand liberated Russia from Tatar-Mongol dependence, the Grand DukeDmitry Donskoy.
Compiling the genealogical tree of the Rurik dynasty with the dates and years of reign is a difficult task for historians that requires deep knowledge and long-term research. The point here is the remoteness of the era, and the numerous interweaving of surnames, genera and branches. Since the grand dukes had many descendants, now it is almost impossible to find a person on whom the royal dynasty was finally interrupted and ceased to exist. It is only known that the last tsars from this ancient family before the Romanovs came to power were Fyodor Ioannovich and Vasily Shuisky. It is difficult to answer the question whether the descendants of the first Russian prince exist today or whether the family has forever sunk into oblivion. Researchers tried to find out using a DNA test, but there is still no reliable data on this.
The Rurik dynasty is the very first grand-ducal dynasty on the Russian throne. It was confirmed, according to the text of the Tale of Bygone Years, in 862. This date has a symbolic name "the vocation of the Varangians".
The Rurik dynasty existed for 8 centuries. During this time, there was a mass of displacements, mistrust, conspiracies against its representatives. The first representative of the dynasty, that is, its founder, Rurik. was invited to rule in Novgorod by the people's veche of the city. Rurik laid the foundation of statehood in Russia, became the founder of the first grand-ducal dynasty. But it is worth noting that more than half of the representatives of Rurikovia nevertheless came from Kievan Rus.
So, the Rurik dynasty, the list of which will be presented below with all the characteristics of its leaders, has its own ramified system. The second representative was Oleg. He was the governor of Rurik and ruled when his son was young. He is known for uniting Novgorod and Kiev, and also signed the first treaty between Russia and Byzantium. When Rurik's son Igor grew up, power passed into his hands. Igor conquered and conquered new territories, imposing tribute on them, which is why he was brutally killed by the Drevlyans. After Igor, power passed into the hands of his wife. This wise woman carried out the first economic reform on Russian soil, establishing lessons and churchyards. When the son of Olga and Igor Svyatoslav grew up, naturally, all the power went to him.
But this prince was distinguished by his military thinking and was constantly on campaigns. After Svyatoslav, Vladimir I ascended the throne, better known as St. Vladimir.
He baptized Russia at the end of the 10th century. After Vladimir, Svyatopolk ruled, he was in an internecine war with his brothers, in which Yaroslav the Wise won. This is the one whose reign was great: the first Russian code of laws was drawn up, the Pechenegs were defeated and great temples were erected. After the reign of Yaroslav, Russia will remain in a kind of turmoil for a long time, because the struggle for the great princely throne is intensifying and no one wants to lose it.
The Rurik dynasty, whose tree was very complex, received the next great ruler after almost 100 years. It was Vladimir Monomakh. He was the organizer of the Lyubesky Congress, he defeated the Polovtsians and preserved the relative unity of Rus. The Rurik dynasty after his reign branched out again.
Yuri Dolgoruky and Andrei Bogolyubsky can be distinguished from this period. Both princes were prominent figures in the era of the fragmentation of Russia. The remaining period of the existence of this dynasty will be remembered by several names: Vasily 1, Ivan Kalita, Ivan 3, Vasily 3 and Ivan the Terrible. It is with the names of these figures that the creation of a single Russian state is associated, it was they who began the annexation of all the lands to Moscow and they also finished.
The Rurik dynasty gave our land statehood, huge spacious territories that were united by the last representatives of this dynasty, a vast cultural heritage.