History of Russia
Heads of the state
SVJATOSLAV Igorevich
(?-972), the prince of
Kiev. The son of prince Igor Rjurikovich. He made campaigns about 964
from Kiev to Oka, to the Volga region, to Northern Caucasus and the
Balkans; has subordinated vyatich, was at war with the Volga Bulgaria,
has crushed the Hazarsky of kaganat, in 967 was at war with Bulgaria
for Podunave. In the union with Hungarians, Bulgaria also waged
Russian-Byzantian war in 970-971. Has strengthened foreign policy
position of the Kiev state. He is killed pecheneg at thresholds of the
river Dnepr.Svjatoslav Igorevich - the grand duke of Kiev.
The annals told about the birth of Svjatoslav in 942. In the moment of death of the father the Svjatoslav was still the baby and to management of a princedom in his early childhood was in hands of his mother Olga.
First time the name of Svjatoslav is mentioned in the annals about 945. Still the child he has taken part in the first battle. There was in that time, when the princess Olga together with the army has gone on war from drevljane to revenge for the killed husband, the prince Igor. Svjatoslav sat on a horse ahead of the Kiev army. Svjatoslav has thrown a spear aside drevljane when meet both armies - Kiev and drevljane. Svjatoslav was absolutely small, therefore the spear has lowered on the ground nearby - has flown by between ears of horse and has struck the horse to the leg. But the Kiev military leaders have told: « Prince has already begun, we will follow, army, for prince ». The ancient custom of Russian soldiers was those - only the prince could begin fight. And it is unimportant, at what age the prince stayed.
The prince Svjatoslav Igorevich since the childhood was brought up as the soldier. The tutor, instructor Svjatoslav was the varjag Asmud, taught the young prince to be the first both in fight, and on hunting, strong to keep in a saddle, to operate the ship, to float,to be hidden from enemy eyes both in a wood, and in steppe. In military art trained Svjatoslav the other varjag - the main Kiev military leader Sveneld.
But Svjatoslav of Igorevich was not similar to mother. If Olga became Christian Svjatoslav remained the pagan - and in a public life, and in himself life. So, most likely, all sons of Svjatoslav were from different wives, in fact Slavs-pagans had a polygamy. For example, mother of Vladimir was kljuchnitsa-slave Malusha. And though kljuchnitsa, held keys from all princely premises, was considered as the important person, her son-prince contemptiously named the son of the slave.
Differently the mother and the son understood also the duties of governors of the state. If the princess Olga has been anxious by the savings of the princedom - the prince Svjatoslav searched for glory in distant military campaigns, not caring at all about the Kiev Russia.
The annals narrates about Svjatoslav as about the true soldier. Spent the night not in a tent, and on a body cloth from the horse, with a saddle in heads. In campaigns he did not carry with himself neither carts, nor boilers, did cook some meat fried on coals and so ate. And unpretentious his soldiers were so hardy also. But the army of Svjatoslav which has been not burdened by transports, moved very quickly and appeared before the opponent unexpectedly, directing on them fear. And Svjatoslav was not afraid of the opponents. When he was in a campaign always sent to the another's grounds a message-prevention: « I Wish to go on you ».
The prince Svjatoslav has made two greater campaigns. The first - against Hazaria. In 964 the army of Svjatoslav has left Kiev and, having risen on the river Desna, has entered the grounds of vjatich, one of the greater slavic tribes was during that time a tribute for Hazaria. The Kiev prince has enjoined over vjatich to render tribute not Hazaria, and to Kiev and has set the army further - against Volga Bulgaria, burtas, Hazaria, and then North Caucasian tribes. About four years this unprecedented campaign proceeded. Winning all fights,the prince has broken, grasped and destroyed capital Hazarskogo of kaganat the city of Itil, has taken well strengthened fortresses of Sarkel on Don, Semender on Northern Caucasus. On coast of Kerch strait has based an advanced post of Russian influence in this edge - the city Tmutarakan, the center of the future the princedom of Tmutarakan .
In 968 Svjatoslav has gone to new military expedition - against the Danube Bulgaria. Kalokir, the ambassador of the Byzantian emperor Nikifor Foka persistently called his there, hoped to push off in war two people dangerous to his empire. Kalokir has transferred Svjatoslav of gold of 455 kg for the help of Byzantium . Russian prince has been obliged to come to the help to allied power under the contract concluded with Byzantium in 944 by prince Igor. Gold was the gift accompanied the request for the military help.
Svjatoslav with a 10-thousand army has crushed a 30-thousand army of Bulgaria and has grasped the city Small Preslava. Svjatoslav has named this city is Perejaslavets and has declared capital of himself power. To Kiev he to come back did not want.
The Bulgarian tsar Peter has entered the secret union with Nikifor Foka. That, in turn, has bribed the leaders of pecheneg who has agreed for the lack of grand duke to attack to Kiev. But arrival of a small army of military leader Pretich, accepted by pecheneg for an advance party of Svjatoslav, has compelled them to depart from Kiev.
Svjatoslav was must return with a part of army to Kiev. He has crushed an army of pecheneg. After that he has declared to mother: " it is not good way for me to sit in Kiev. I wish to live in Perejaslavets on Danube. There is my ground. There is all only best: from Greeks -the gold, fabrics, fault, vegetables different; from Czechia and Hungarians - silver and horses, from Russia - furs, wax and honey. "
In three days the princess Olga has died. Svjatoslav has divided Russian ground between the sons: Yaropolk was in Kiev, Oleg was at the Drevljanskaja ground , and Vladimir - at Novgorod. Himself has hastened in the possession on Danube.
Here he has crushed an army of tsar Boris, has seized all country from Danube and up to Balkan mountains. In the spring 970 Svjatoslav has passed through the Balkans, storm has taken Filippol (Plovdiv) and has reached Arkadiopol. His army remains only four days of a way on plain up to Tsargrad. Here also there was a fight with byzantines. Svjatoslav has won, but has lost many soldiers and has not gone further, and, having taken from Greeks « gifts many », has returned back to Perejaslavets.
In 971 war has processed. This time byzantines were well prepared. To Bulgaria anew Byzantian armies, repeatedly outnumbering costing there the army of Svjatoslav. With heavy fights, beating off from the pressing enemy, Russian to Danube departed. There, in city Dorostol, last Russian fortress in Bulgaria, cut off from the native ground, the army of Svjatoslav has appeared in ring. More than two months byzantines besieged Dorostol.
At last, on July, 22nd 971 years Russian have begun last fight. Having collected before battle of soldiers, Svjatoslav has said the well-known words: « So we do not shame the ground Russian, but we shall lay down here. For dead shame do not know, and if we shall run — we shall disgrace. So we shall not run, but we become strong, and I shall go ahead of you. If my head will lay down, solve, as to you to be ». Soldiers Also have answered it: « Where your head will lay down, there and the heads we shall combine ».
Fight was very strong, and many Russian soldiers were lost. The prince Svjatoslav has been compelled to recede back in Dorostol. Russian prince also has decided to conclude the world with byzantines, therefore consulted on army: « If we will not conclude the world and learn, that it is not enough of us, will come and will besiege us in city. And Russian ground far, pechenrg with us are at war, and who then will help us? We shall conclude the world, in fact they have already undertaken to pay to us a tribute - it from us and will suffice. If will cease to pay to us a tribute again, having collected set of soldiers, we shall go from Russia to Tsargrad ». And soldiers have agreed, that prince speaks them correctly
Svjatoslav has begun negotiations about the world with John Tsimishy. Their historical meeting has occured on coast of Danube and has been in detail described by the Byzantian writer of the chronicle who was into retinue of emperor. Tsimishy with confidants expected Svjatoslav. Prince has arrived by the ship, sitting in which rowed level with simple soldiers. Distinguish its Greeks could only because the shirt put on by he was purer, than at other soldiers and on an ear ring with two pearls and a ruby, was in his ear. " Svjatoslav was average growth, neither is too high, nor too smaller, with dense eyebrowes, with blue eyes, with a flat nose and with dense long moustaches, hanging on a upper lip. His head was absolutely naked, only on its one party the lock the hair meaning an antiquity of family. A neck thick, shoulders wide and all body harmonous enough. He seem gloomy and wild ".
Having concluded the world with Greeks, Svjatoslav together with army has gone to Russia on the rivers by the ships. One of military leaders has warned prince: « Bypass, prince, thresholds of the river Dnepr on horses - may be at thresholds of pecheneg ». But prince has not listened to his. And byzantines have informed on his nomads - pecheneg: « Russian, Svjatoslav with a small army will go by you, with a lot of riches from Greeks ». And when Svjatoslav has approached to thresholds, he has looked, that he cannot pass. Then Russian prince has decided to wait and has remained to winter. With the beginning of spring Svjatoslav to thresholds again has moved, but has got in an ambush and lost. The annals so transfers the story about death of Svjatoslav: « Svjatoslav has come to thresholds , and Kurya has attacked his , the prince of pecheneg, and has killed Svjatoslav, and has taken his head, and has made a cup from a skull and drank from it ». So prince Svjatoslav Igorevich was lost. There was it in 972.
The Kiev Russia of Svjatoslav in 970, before a campaign to the Danube Bulgaria, has divided between sons: Ярополк Kiev has got, to Oleg - the ground Drevljanskaja, and to Vladimir - Novgorod. This division of a princedom into destinies was spent obviously by the ethnostate principle. Apparently from the fact of division, these kept the certain independence in days of board of Svjatoslav. And after 970 on a place concerning the uniform state there were three princedoms led by three sons of Svjatoslav.
The decision of Svjatoslav has begun original to " the specific period » in Russian history - during more than five hundred years Russian dukes will divide princedoms between the brothers, children, nephews and grandsons. Only in the end of XIV century Dmitry Donskoj bequeaths to son Vasily a great princedom Moskow as the uniform native land. But specific attitudes will be kept and after Dmitry Donskogoj death as early as the whole 150 years - in the middle of XV century the Moscow Russia will be amazed present with " feudal war », with specific князья Ivan III in the end of XV century, and its grandson Ivan IV in the middle of XVI century will struggle also
In a basis of a specific principle of division of Russian princedoms the objective reasons, certainly, laid. First, as at Svjatoslav, the greater role was played with the ethnostate factors, later on the first place there will be factors economic, political and even personal (rivalry between dukes). Here it is necessary to consider, that in the Kiev Russia the authority was transferred by a principle of the senior — to the senior in family. But already in second half XI centuries of princes became very much and related attitudes so have got confused, that the rights to this or that reigning and the more so on a title of grand duke could be found out only force. Therefore have amazed Russia for long five hundred years constant and infinite princely intestine wars.
Certainly, here it is necessary to consider, that the considerable role in a political life of Russia was played also with local self-management of cities and the grounds which could refuse to accept this or that prince or, on the contrary, to invite to itself prince, like not having on the given table of any rights. Similar cases happened not time and also became the reasons of new intestine wars. And the first intestine war has happened already between sons of prince Svjatoslav.
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