Rurik dynasty chronology and events. The last of the Rurik family

4. Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev (04/17/1894-09/11/1971)

Soviet state and party leader. First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR from 1958 to 1964. Hero of the Soviet Union, Three times Hero of Socialist Labor. The first laureate of the Shevchenko Prize, years of government 07.09.1. (Moscow city).

Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev was born in 1894 in the village of Kalinovka, Kursk province, in the family of a miner Sergei Nikanorovich Khrushchev and Xenia Ivanovna Khrushcheva. In 1908, having moved with his family to the Uspensky mine near Yuzovka, Khrushchev became an apprentice fitter at a factory, then worked as a fitter at a mine and, as a miner, was not taken to the front in 1914. In the early 1920s, he worked in the mines, studied at the working faculty of the Donetsk Industrial Institute. Later he was engaged in economic and party work in the Donbass and Kyiv. From January 1931 he was at party work in Moscow, in the years he was the first secretary of the Moscow regional and city committees of the party - the Moscow Committee and the Moscow City Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks. 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 received the rank of 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 headed the Communist Party of Ukraine, becoming the first secretary of the Central Committee of the CP (b) of Ukraine; he 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 "master" of the party apparatus, although until September 1953 he did not have the title of first secretary. Between March and June 1953, he attempted to seize power. In order to eliminate Beria, Khrushchev entered into an alliance with Malenkov. In September 1953, he took the post of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU. In June 1953, a struggle for power began between Malenkov and Khrushchev, in which Khrushchev won. In early 1954, he announced the start of a grandiose program for the development of virgin lands in order to increase grain production, and in October of that year he headed the Soviet delegation in Beijing.

The most striking event in Khrushchev's career was the 20th Congress of the CPSU, held in 1956. At a closed meeting, Khrushchev condemned Stalin, accusing him of mass extermination of people and an erroneous policy that almost ended in the liquidation of the USSR in the war with 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 the Politburo) of the Central Committee of the CPSU organized a conspiracy to remove Khrushchev from the post of First Secretary of the Party. After his return from Finland, he was invited to a meeting of the Presidium, which, by seven votes to four, demanded his resignation. Khrushchev convened 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 he took the post of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, taking all the main levers of power into his own hands. 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 hold large-scale negotiations with the heads of governments 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 the Soviet foreign policy became more and more rigid, and in September the USSR broke a three-year moratorium on nuclear weapons testing by conducting a series of explosions. On October 14, 1964, 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 by the Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU. He was succeeded, becoming First Secretary of the Communist Party, and becoming Chairman of the Council of Ministers. After 1964, Khrushchev, while retaining his seat on the Central Committee, was essentially retired. Khrushchev died in Moscow on September 11, 1971.

Which has almost twenty tribes of the rulers of Russia, descended from Rurik. This historical character was born presumably between 806 and 808 in the city of Rerik (Rarog). In 808, when Rurik was 1-2 years old, the possessions of his father, Godolub, were captured by the Danish king Gottfried, and the future Russian prince became half an orphan. Together with his mother Umila, he ended up in a foreign land. And his childhood years are not mentioned anywhere. It is assumed that he spent them in the Slavic lands. There is information that in 826 he arrived at the court of the Frankish king, where he received an allotment of land "beyond the Elbe", in fact the land of his murdered father, but as a vassal of the Frankish ruler. In the same period, Rurik, it is believed, was baptized. Later, after the deprivation of these allotments, Rurik entered the Varangian squad and fought in Europe, by no means as an exemplary Christian.

Prince Gostomysl saw the future dynasty in a dream

The Rurikovichi, whose genealogical tree was seen, as the legend says, in a dream by Rurik's grandfather (Umila's father), made a decisive contribution to the development of Russia and the Russian state, since they ruled from 862 to 1598. The prophetic dream of old Gostomysl, the ruler of Novgorod, showed just that from the womb of his daughter a wonderful tree will sprout, which will satisfy the people in his lands. This was another "plus" in favor of inviting Rurik with his strong retinue at a time when civil strife was observed in the Novgorod lands, and the people were suffering from the attack of third-party tribes.

The foreign origin of Rurik can be disputed

Thus, it can be argued that the family tree of the Rurik dynasty began not with foreigners, but with a person who belonged to the Novgorod nobility by blood, who long years fought in other countries, had his own squad and the age allowed to lead the people. At the time of Rurik's invitation to Novgorod in 862, he was about 50 years old - a fairly respectable age at that time.

Tree leaned on with Norway?

How did the genealogical tree of the Rurikoviches form further? A complete picture of this is given in the image given in the review. After the death of the first ruler of Russia from this dynasty (the fact that there were rulers in the Russian lands before him, the Book of Veles testifies), power passed to his son Igor. However, in connection with young age the new ruler was his guardian, which is allowed, Oleg ("Prophetic"), who was the brother of Rurik's wife, Efanda. The latter was related to the kings of Norway.

Princess Olga was the co-ruler of Russia under her son Svyatoslav

The only son of Rurik, Igor, who was born in 877 and killed by the Drevlyans in 945, is known for pacifying the tribes subordinate to him, went on a campaign to Italy (together with the Greek fleet), tried to take Constantinople with a flotilla of ten thousand ships, was the first military commander Rus, who encountered in battle and from whom he fled in horror. His wife, Princess Olga, who married Igor from Pskov (or Pleskov, which may indicate the Bulgarian city of Pliskuvot), cruelly took revenge on the Drevlyansk tribes that killed her husband, and became the ruler of Russia while Igor's son Svyatoslav was growing up. However, after the age of her offspring, Olga also remained the ruler, since Svyatoslav was mainly engaged in military campaigns and remained in history as a great commander and conqueror.

The family tree of the Rurik dynasty, in addition to the main ruling line, included many branches that became famous for unseemly deeds. For example, the son of Svyatoslav, Yaropolk, fought against his brother Oleg, who was killed in battle. His own son from a Byzantine princess, Svyatopolk the Accursed, was something like the biblical Cain, as he killed the sons of Vladimir (another son of Svyatoslav) - Boris and Gleb, who were his brothers by adoptive father. Another son of Vladimir - Yaroslav the Wise - dealt with Svyatopolk himself and became the prince of Kiev.

Bloody civil strife and marriages with all of Europe

It can be safely asserted that the family tree of Rurikovich is partially “saturated” with bloody events. The diagram shows that the reigning from, presumably, a second marriage with Ingigerda (daughter of the Swedish king) had many children, including six sons who were rulers of various Russian destinies and married foreign princesses (Greek, Polish). And three daughters who became queens of Hungary, Sweden and France also by marriage. In addition, Yaroslav is credited with the presence of the seventh son from his first wife, who was taken into Polish captivity from Kyiv (Anna, son of Ilya), as well as the daughter of Agatha, who, presumably, could be the wife of the heir to the throne of England, Edward (the Exile).

Perhaps the distance of the sisters and interstate marriages somewhat reduced the struggle for power in this generation of Rurikovich, since most of the reign of Yaroslav's son Izyaslav in Kyiv was accompanied by a peaceful division of his power with the brothers Vsevolod and Svyatoslav (the triumvirate of Yaroslavovich). However, this ruler of Russia also died in battle against his own nephews. And the father of the next famous ruler of the Russian state, Vladimir Monomakh, was Vsevolod, married to the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh the Ninth.

There were rulers with fourteen children in the Rurik family!

The Rurik family tree with dates shows us that this outstanding dynasty was continued for many years to come by the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh, while the genealogies of the other grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise ceased in the next hundred to one hundred and fifty years. Prince Vladimir, historians believe, had twelve children by two wives, the first of whom was an English princess in exile, and the second, presumably, a Greek woman. Of this numerous offspring, reigning in Kyiv were: Mstislav (until 1125), Yaropolk, Vyacheslav and Yuri Vladimirovich (Dolgoruky). The latter was also distinguished by fertility and gave birth to fourteen children from two wives, including Vsevolod the Third (Big Nest), nicknamed so, again, for the large number of offspring - eight sons and four daughters.

What outstanding Rurikoviches are known to us? The family tree, extending further from Vsevolod the Big Nest, contains such eminent families as Alexander Nevsky (grandson of Vsevolod, son of Yaroslav II), Michael the Second Saint (canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in connection with the incorruptibility of the relics of the murdered prince), John Kalita, who gave birth to John the Meek , who, in turn, was born Dmitry Donskoy.

Terrible representatives of the dynasty

The Rurikoviches, whose genealogical tree ceased to exist at the end of the 16th century (1598), included in their ranks the great Tsar John the Fourth, the Terrible. This ruler strengthened autocratic power and significantly expanded the territory of Russia by annexing the Trans-Volga, Pyatigorsk, Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms. He had eight wives, who bore him five sons and three daughters, including his successor on the throne, Theodore (Blessed). This son of John was, as expected, weak in health and perhaps in intellect. He was more interested in prayers, the ringing of bells, the tales of jesters, than power. Therefore, during his reign, power belonged to his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov. And subsequently, after the death of Fedor, they completely passed to this statesman.

Was the first of the reigning Romanovs a relative of the last Rurikovich?

The family tree of the Rurikids and the Romanovs, however, has some points of contact, despite the fact that the only daughter of Theodore the Blessed died at the age of 9 months, around 1592-1594. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the first of a new dynasty, was crowned in 1613 by the Zemsky Sobor, and came from the family of the boyar Fyodor Romanov (later Patriarch Filaret) and the boyar Xenia Shestova. He was a cousin-nephew (to Blessed), so we can say that the Romanov dynasty to some extent continues the Rurik dynasty.

In March 1584, after a serious illness, one of the most merciless rulers of the Russian state, Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible, died. Ironically, his heir turned out to be the exact opposite of his tyrant father. He was a meek, pious man and suffered from dementia, for which he even received the nickname Blessed ...

A blissful smile never left his face, and in general, although he was distinguished by extreme simplicity and imbecility, he was very affectionate, quiet, merciful and pious. He spent most of the day in church, and as entertainment he liked to watch fistfights, jesters' fun and fun with bears ...

Born for the cell

Fedor was the third son of Ivan the Terrible. He was born on May 11, 1557, and on that day the happy tsar ordered the foundation of a temple in honor of the heavenly patron of the son of St. Theodore Stratilat in the Feodorovsky Monastery of Pereslavl-Zalessky.

It soon became clear that the boy, as they say, "is not of this world." Looking at his growing son, Ivan the Terrible even once remarked:

- He was born more for a cell and a cave than for sovereign power.

Fyodor was small, plump, weak, pale-faced, with an unsteady gait and a blissful smile constantly wandering on his face.

Tsar Fedor I Ioannovich

In 1580, when the prince was 23 years old, Ivan IV decided to marry him. At that time, brides for royal people were chosen at special bridesmaids, for which girls from the most noble families came from all over the state to the capital.

In the case of Fedor, this tradition was broken. Grozny personally chose his wife - Irina, the sister of his favorite former guardsman Boris Godunov. However, the marriage turned out to be happy, since Fedor adored his wife until his death.

The only contender

Despite the fact that Fedor was completely unsuited to become the head of state, after the death of Ivan the Terrible, he turned out to be the only contender for the throne. Two of the king's sons, Dmitry and Vasily, died in infancy.

A worthy successor to Ivan the Terrible could be the second son, the namesake of his father, Tsarevich Ivan, who helped his father to rule and participated in military campaigns with him. Yes, only he died unexpectedly three years before the death of Ivan IV, leaving no offspring. There were rumors that in anger, without wanting it, the king killed him.

Another son, who, like the one who died in infancy, was named Dmitry, was not even two years old by the time of Grozny's death, of course, he still could not accept power. There was nothing left to do but place the 27-year-old blessed Fyodor on the throne.

Realizing that his son was not capable of ruling, Ivan the Terrible, before his death, managed to appoint a regency council to govern the state. It included Grozny's cousin Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, the illustrious military leader Prince Ivan Shuisky, the Tsar's favorite Bogdan Belsky, and Nikita Zakharyin-Yuriev, the brother of Ivan IV's first wife.

However, there was one more person, although not included in the number of regents of the new blessed tsar, but also thirsty for power - Boris Godunov.

Council power

The reign of the regency council began with repression. Ivan the Terrible died on March 18, 1584, and the very next night the Supreme Duma dealt with all the former tsar's associates objectionable to the new government: some were imprisoned, others were expelled from Moscow.

Meanwhile, a rumor swept through the capital that Ivan the Terrible did not die a natural death. It was rumored that Bogdan Belsky poisoned him! Now the villain, being Fyodor's regent, wants to exterminate his son in order to put his best friend, 32-year-old Boris Godunov, on the throne.

Portrait of Boris Godunov

A rebellion broke out in Moscow. It got to the point that the rebels laid siege to the Kremlin and even rolled up cannons, intending to take it by storm.

- Give us the villain Belsky! the people demanded.

The nobles knew that Belsky was innocent, however, in order to avoid bloodshed, they convinced the "traitor" to leave Moscow. When the people were informed that the criminal had been expelled from the capital, the rebellion ceased. Nobody began to demand the head of Godunov. Still, he was the brother of the queen herself!

Fedor was horrified at the sight of a popular uprising. He sought support and found it - next to him was Boris, the brother of his beloved wife Irina, who, without any malicious intent, contributed to his friendship with the young tsar. Soon Boris became perhaps the main figure in the state.

"God's Man"

On May 31, 1584, as soon as the six-week prayer service for the repose of the soul of Ivan IV ended, Fedor was crowned king. On this day, at dawn, a terrible storm with a thunderstorm suddenly hit Moscow, after which the sun suddenly shone again. Many regarded this as "an omen of future disasters."

The regency council appointed by Ivan the Terrible was in power for a short time. Shortly after the flight of the first regent Belsky, Nikita Zakharyin-Yuriev fell seriously ill. He retired and died a year later. The third regent, Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, contacted the conspirators, dissatisfied with Godunov's rise.

Alexei Kivshenko "Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich puts a golden chain on Boris Godunov." 19th century painting

Mstislavsky agreed to lure Boris into a trap: invite him to a feast, but in fact bring him to assassins. Yes, as soon as the plot was revealed, and Prince Mstislavsky was exiled to a monastery, where he was forcibly tonsured a monk.

So, of the regents appointed by Ivan IV, only one remained - Prince Ivan Shuisky. However, he did not have much power. By that time, everyone understood that only Godunov, who was already openly called the ruler, was at the head of the state.

And what about the king? Ascension to the throne did not affect Fedor's attitude to state affairs. He "avoided worldly fuss and dokuki", relying entirely on Godunov. If someone addressed a petition directly to the tsar, he sent the petitioner all to the same Boris.

Tsar Fedor Ioannovich. Sculptural reconstruction of the skull.

The emperor himself spent his time in prayers, walked around the monasteries on foot, and received only monks. Fyodor loved the bell ringing and was sometimes seen personally ringing the bell tower.

Sometimes in the character of Fyodor, the features of his father were still traced - despite his piety, he liked the contemplation of bloody games: he liked to watch fistfights and fights between people and bears. However, the people loved their blessed tsar, because in Russia the feeble-minded were considered sinless, "God's people."

Childless Irina

Years passed, and hatred for Godunov, who had usurped power, grew more and more in the capital.

- Boris left Fedor only the title of king! - both the nobility and ordinary citizens grumbled.

It was clear to everyone that Godunov occupied such a high position only thanks to his relationship with the tsar's wife.

“Let’s remove the sister, we’ll remove the brother as well,” Boris’s opponents decided.

Moreover, Irina herself did not suit many. After all, she did not sit in the tower with folded arms, as a queen should, but like her brother, she was engaged in state affairs: she received ambassadors, corresponded with foreign monarchs, and even participated in meetings of the Boyar Duma.

However, Irina had a serious drawback - she could not give birth in any way. During the years of marriage, she became pregnant several times, but she could not bear the child. This fact and decided to use the opponents of the Godunovs.

The wife of the most quiet and humble Russian Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, Tsarina Irina Fedorovna Godunova.

In 1586, a petition was delivered to the palace: “ Sovereign, for the sake of childbearing, accept a second marriage, and let your first queen go to the monastic rank". This paper was signed by many boyars, merchants, civil and military officials. They asked to send childless Irina to a monastery, as his father had done with one of his childless wives.

The Moscow nobles even picked up a new bride they liked for the tsar - the daughter of Prince Ivan Mstislavsky, the very regent whom Godunov exiled to a monastery. However, Fedor flatly refused to part with his beloved wife.

Godunov was furious at this news. He quickly revealed the names of those who were plotting evil. As it turned out, the conspiracy was headed by the last of the royal regents, Prince Ivan Shuisky, as well as his relatives and friends. As a result, not Irina, but her opponents were forcibly sent to the monastery.

End of the line

Meanwhile, another heir to Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry, was growing up in Uglich. It was he who should have taken power if Fedor did not have children.

And suddenly, in 1591, a tragedy occurred. Eight-year-old Dmitry played with his friends “poke” - they threw a sharp nail into the ground from behind the line. As eyewitnesses later claimed, when the turn came to the prince, he had an epileptic attack, and he accidentally hit himself in the throat with a nail. The wound proved fatal.

Since then, Fedor has remained the last of his family. And since, apart from Irina, he refused to accept another woman, all the hope of the state was on her. A year after the death of Tsarevich Dmitry, she still managed to give birth to a child, however, not an heir, but an heiress.

The granddaughter of Ivan IV was named Theodosia. However, she did not live long. Blessed Fyodor never had any other children. Therefore, when at the end of 1597 the 40-year-old tsar fell seriously ill and died in January of the following year, the famous family of Moscow rulers was interrupted along with his departure.

Thus ended the rule of the Rurik dynasty, which ruled Russia for 736 years.

Oleg GOROSOV

The Rurikovichs were for sure, but was there Rurik ... Most likely he was, but his personality still raises many more questions than answers.

The Tale of Bygone Years tells about the calling of Rurik 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 actually was 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.

Three main hypotheses have been formed regarding the origin of .

• The first - the Norman theory - claims that Rurik with his brothers and squad were from the Vikings. At the time, as proven by research, the name Rurik really existed among the Scandinavian peoples (meaning "illustrious and noble husband"). True, there are problems with a specific candidate, information about which is also available in other historical stories or documents. There is no unequivocal identification with anyone: for example, the noble Danish Viking of the 9th century, Rorik of Jutland, or a certain Eirik Emundarson from Sweden, who raided the Baltic lands, is described.
• The second, Slavic version, where Rurik is shown as a representative of the princely family of obodrites from the West Slavic lands. There is evidence that one of the Slavic tribes living on the territory of historical Prussia was then called the Varangians. Rurik, on the other hand, is a variant of the West Slavic “Rerek, Rarog” - the name is not personal, but the name of the Obodrite princely family, denoting “falcon”. Supporters of this version believe that the coat of arms of the Rurikovich 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 during the struggle for power from the local Slavic population, and two hundred years later, his descendants, in order to ennoble their origin, ordered the author of The Tale of Bygone Years a propaganda story about the Varangian Rurik.

The princely dynasty of Rurikovich over the years was split into many branches. Few European dynasties can compare with her in branching and numerous offspring. But such was the very policy of this ruling group, they did not set the task of firmly sitting in the capital, on the contrary, they sent their offspring to all corners of the country.

The branching of the Rurikoviches begins in the generation of Prince Vladimir (who calls him as Saint, and who - Bloody), and first of all the line of princes of Polotsk, descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, is separated.

Very briefly about some of the Ruriks

After the death of Rurik, power passed to Saint Oleg, who became the guardian of the young son of Rurik - Igor. Prophetic Oleg united the Russian disparate principalities into one state. He glorified himself with intelligence and militancy, with a large army he went down the Dnieper, took Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv 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 snake bite.

Further Igor grew up and became the Grand Duke of Kiev. He contributed to the strengthening of statehood among the Eastern Slavs, the expansion 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 a greedy ruler, for which he was killed by the Drevlyans.

Olga, Igor's wife, cruelly avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband and subjugated them main city Korosten. She was distinguished by a rare mind and great abilities. In her declining years, she adopted Christianity and was later canonized as a saint.

One of the most famous princesses in Russia.

Svyatoslav. Known as one of the most prominent commanders from the Rurik dynasty, for the most part, he did not sit still, but was on military campaigns. his son Yaropolk blamed for the death of his brother Oleg, who tried to claim the throne of Kyiv.

But Yaropolk was also killed, and again by his brother, Vladimir.

the same Vladimir that Russia baptized. The Kyiv 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 Kyiv.

His son Yaroslav Vladimirovich, to whom history added the nickname “Wise”, was a really wise and diplomatic ruler of the Old Russian state. The time of his reign is not only internecine feudal wars between the closest relatives, but also attempts to bring Kievan Rus on the world political arena, attempts to overcome feudal fragmentation, 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 throne of Kyiv, but after an unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsy, he was driven out by the people of Kiev, and his brother became the Grand Duke Svyatoslav. After the death of the latter, Izyaslav returned to Kyiv again.

Vsevolod - I could be a useful ruler and a worthy representative of the Ruriks, but it did not work out. This prince was pious, truthful, very fond of education and knew five languages, but the raids of the Polovtsians, famine, pestilence and troubles in the country did not favor his principality. He stayed on the throne only thanks to his son Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh.

Svyatopolk - II- the son of Izyaslav-I, who inherited the throne of Kyiv after Vsevolod-I, was characterized by spinelessness and was not able to pacify the civil strife of the princes for the possession of cities. At the congress in Lyubich, Pereslavl in 1097, the princes kissed the cross "to each own his father's land", but soon Prince David Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko.

The princes gathered again for a congress in Vyatichenia in 1100, and deprived David of Volhynia; at the suggestion of Vladimir Monomakh, they decided at the Dolobsky congress, in 1103, to undertake a joint campaign against the Polovtsy, the Russians defeated the Polovtsy on the Sala River (in 1111) and took a multitude of people: Cattle, sheep, horses, etc. Some Polovtsian princes killed up to 20 people . The fame of this victory spread far among the Greeks, Hungarians and other Slavs.

Vladimir Monomakh. A well-known representative of the Rurik dynasty. Despite the seniority of the Svyatopolk II, after the death of Svyatopolk II, Vladimir Monomakh was elected to the throne of Kiev, who, according to the chronicle, "wished well 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. Remarkably left by him is the “teaching to children”, in which he gives a purely Christian moral teaching and a high example of the service of the prince to his homeland.

Mstislav - I. Resembling his father Monomakh, the son of Monomakh, Mstislav I, lived in harmony with his brothers in mind and character, inspiring respect and fear in recalcitrant princes. So, he expelled the Polovtsian princes who disobeyed him to Greece, and instead of them in the city of Polotsk he planted his son to rule.

Yaropolk, brother of Mstislav, Yaropolk, the son of Monomakh, decided to transfer the inheritance not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew. Thanks to the strife that arose from here, the “Monomakhovichi” lost the Kyiv throne, which passed to the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich - the “Olegovichi”.

Vsevolod - II. Having achieved the great reign, Vsevolod wanted to secure the throne of Kyiv in his own way and handed it over to his brother Igor Olegovich. But not recognized by the people of Kiev and tonsured a monk, Igor was soon killed.

Izyaslav - II. The people of Kiev recognized Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who, with his intelligence, brilliant talents, courage and friendliness, vividly resembled his famous grandfather Monomakh. With the accession to the throne of Izyaslav-II, the concept of seniority, which was rooted in ancient Russia, was violated: In one way, a nephew during the life of his uncle could not be a Grand Duke.

Yury Dolgoruky". Prince of Suzdal from 1125, Grand Duke of Kyiv 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, building fortresses on them. So, for example, during his reign, the fortress of Xiantin, as modern Tver was called before, arose. By his order, the cities were founded: Dubna, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Zvenigorod, Gorodets. The first annalistic mention of Moscow dated 1147 is also associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky.
The life of this prince is unusual and interesting. The younger son of Vladimir Monomakh could not claim more than a specific 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 "Long-armed" for his ambitions, for constantly interfering in other people's affairs and for the constant desire to seize foreign lands.
Owning the Rostov-Suzdal land, Yuri always sought to expand the territory of his principality and often raided neighboring lands owned by his relatives. Most of all, he dreamed of taking possession of Kiev. In 1125, Yuri moved the capital of the principality from Rostov to Suzdal, from where he made campaigns to the south, reinforcing his squad with mercenary Polovtsian detachments. He annexed the cities of Murom, Ryazan, part of the lands along the banks of the Volga to the Rostov principality.
The Suzdal prince occupied Kyiv three times, but he never managed to stay there for a long time. The struggle for a great reign with his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich was long. Three times Yuri entered Kyiv as the Grand Duke, but only the third time he remained so until the end of his days. The people of Kiev did not like Prince Yuri. This was due to the fact that Yuri had resorted to the help of the Polovtsy more than once and was almost always a troublemaker during periods of struggle for the throne. Yuri Dolgoruky was a "newcomer" for the people of Kiev, from the North. According to the chronicler, after the death of Yuri in 1157, the people of Kiev plundered his rich mansions and killed the Suzdal detachment that came with him.

Andrey Bogolyubsky. Having taken the grand ducal title, Andrey Yuryevich transferred the throne to Vladimir on the Klyazma, and since then Kyiv began to lose its leading position. The stern and strict Andrei wanted to be autocratic, that is, to rule Russia without a vecha and squads. Andrei Bogolyubsky mercilessly pursued the disgruntled boyars, they plotted on Andrei's life and killed him.

Alexander Nevskiy". Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251). Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky consistently pursued a policy aimed at strengthening the northwestern borders of Russia and reconciliation with the Tatars.
While still the 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 on the Ice” (1242), as well as numerous sorties against the Lithuanians, Alexander for a long time discouraged the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians from wanting to take over the northern Russian lands.
Alexander conducted an opposite policy towards the Mongols-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. Having married the sister of Khan Konchak, in Orthodoxy Agafya, Yuri gained great strength and help in the person of the Tatars who were related to him. But soon, thanks to the claims of Prince Dmitry, the son of Mikhail, who was tortured by Khan, he had to appear for a 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 the violation of morality (marrying a Tatar).

Dmitry - II. Dmitry Mikhailovich, nicknamed "terrible eyes", for the murder of Yuri III, was executed by the Khan for arbitrariness.

Alexander Tverskoy. Native brother executed in the horde of Dmitry II, Alexander Mikhailovich was approved by the khan on the grand throne. He was distinguished by his kindness and was loved by the people, but he ruined himself by allowing the Tverichians to kill the hated Khan's ambassador Shchelkan. Khan sent 50,000 Tatar troops against Alexander. Alexander fled from the Khan's wrath to Pskov, and from there to Lithuania. Ten years later, Alexander of Tver returned and was forgiven by the khan. Not getting along, however, with the Prince of Moscow, John Kalita, Alexander
he 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 Kalita (purse for money) for his thrift, devastated the Tver principality with the help of the Tatars, taking advantage of the violence of the indignant Tverichians against the Tatars. He took upon himself the collection of tribute from all over Russia for the Tatars, and having greatly enriched himself thanks to this, he bought cities from the specific princes. In 1326, thanks to the efforts of Kalita, the metropolis from Vladimir was transferred to Moscow, and here, according to Metropolitan Peter, the Assumption Cathedral was laid. 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 peaceful prince, followed the advice of Metropolitan Alexei in everything, who used great value in the Horde. During this time, relations between Moscow and the Tatars have improved significantly.

Vasily - I. Sharing with the father of the reign, 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 threatened by the danger of an invasion by Timur, the formidable Tatar khan. Between
Vasily did not pay tribute to the Tatars, but collected it in the grand ducal treasury. In 1408, the Tatar Murza Edigey attacked Moscow, but having received a ransom of 3,000 rubles, he lifted the siege from it. In the same year, after long disputes between Vasily I and the Lithuanian prince Vitovt, both cautious and cunning, the Ugra River was appointed the extreme border of Lithuanian possessions from Russia.

Vasily - II Dark. Vasily II's infancy was taken advantage of by Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky, who declared his claims to seniority. But at the trial in the horde, the khan leaned in favor of Vasily, thanks to the efforts of the smart Moscow boyar Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The boyar hoped to marry his daughter to Vasily, but was deceived in his hopes: Offended, he left Moscow to Yuri Dmitrievich and assisted him in mastering the grand-ducal throne, on which Yuri died in 1434, when Yuri's son Vasily oblique decided to inherit his father's power, then all the princes rebelled against him.

Vasily II captured him and blinded him: Then Dmitry Shemyaka, brother of Vasily Kosoy, by cunning captured Vasily II, blinded him and took the Moscow throne. Soon, however, Shemyaka had to give the throne to Vasily II. During the reign of Vasily II, the Greek metropolitan Isidore accepted the Florentine union (1439), for which Vasily II put Isidore in custody, and Ryazan Bishop John was appointed metropolitan. Thus, from now on, Russian metropolitans are supplied by a council of Russian bishops. During the last years of the great reign, internal organization the grand duchy was the subject of the main concerns of Basil II.

John III. Adopted by his father as a co-ruler, John III Vasilievich ascended the throne as the full owner of Russia. At first, he severely punished the Novgorodians who started to become Lithuanian subjects, and in 1478, “for a new offense,” he finally subdued them. Novgorodians lost at this 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 appanages 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 official history, it is believed that it was John III in 1480, having entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, tore off the Khan's basma, ordered the Khan's ambassadors to be taken to execution, and then, without bloodshed, overthrew the Tatar yoke.

Vasily III. The son of John -III from his marriage with Sophia Paleologus Vasily -III was distinguished by pride and impregnability, punished the descendants of appanage princes and boyars subject to him, who dared to rebuke him. He is "the last collector of the Russian land."
Having annexed the last inheritances (Pskov, the northern principality), he completely destroyed specific system. He fought twice with Lithuania, on the teaching of the Lithuanian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky, who entered his service, and, finally, in 1514, he took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. The war with Kazan and the Crimea was difficult for Vasily, but ended in the punishment of Kazan: Trade was diverted from there to the Makaryev fair, which was later transferred to Nizhny. Vasily divorced his wife Solomonia and married Princess Elena Glinskaya, the more he aroused the boyars dissatisfied with him. From this marriage, Vasily 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 boldly attacked Russian possessions, but in the midst of preparing 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 Ivan Vasilyevich grew up among the struggle of parties over the rule of the state, among violence, secret murders and incessant exile. He himself often endured harassment from the boyars, he learned to hate them, and the cruelty, violence and violence that surrounded him
rudeness contributed to the hardening of his heart.

In 1552, Kazan, which dominated the entire Volga region, was conquered by John, 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 brought him into conflict with Poland and Sweden. The war began quite successfully, but ended in the most unfavorable truce for John with Poland and Sweden: John not only did not establish himself on the shores of the Baltic, but also lost the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The sad era of "search", disgrace and executions began. John left Moscow, went with his entourage to Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda and here he surrounded himself with guardsmen, whom John opposed to the rest of the land, the Zemstvo.

The Rurikoviches are the descendants of Rurik, who became the first known chronicle prince of ancient Russia. Over time, the Rurik family split into several branches.

Dynasty

The Tale of Bygone Years, written by the monk Nestor, tells the story of the calling of Rurik and his brothers to Russia. The sons of the Novgorod prince Gostomysl died in the wars, and he married one of his daughters to a Varangian-Russian, who gave birth to three sons - Sineus, Rurik and Truvor. They were called by Gostomysl to reign in Russia. It was with them that the Rurik dynasty began in 862, 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, Oleg, a relative of the prince through his wife, ruled the principality. 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 (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 fond of 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 people of Kiev in 988, 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 breaks). When he died, the unity of the principality was broken. His sons divided Kievan Rus into parts: Svyatoslav received Chernigov, Izyaslav - Kyiv and Novgorod, Vsevolod - Pereyaslavl and the Rostov-Suzdal land. The latter, and later his son Vladimir Monomakh, significantly expand the inherited lands. After the death of Vladimir Monomakh, the disintegration of the unity of the principality is finally established, in each part of which a separate dynasty rules.

Russia specific

Feudal fragmentation is growing due to the ladder of succession to the throne, according to which power was transferred by seniority to the brothers of the prince, while the younger ones were given in cities of less significant importance. After the death of the chief prince, everyone moved by seniority from city to city. This order led to internecine wars. The most powerful princes launched a war for Kyiv. The power of Vladimir Monomakh and his descendants proved to be the most influential. Vladimir Monomakh leaves his possessions to his three sons: Mstislav, Yaropolk and Yuri Dolgoruky. The latter is considered the founder of Moscow.

Moscow's struggle with Tver

One of the famous descendants of Yuri Dolgoruky was Alexander Nevsky, under whom an independent Moscow principality arose. In an effort to elevate their influence, the descendants of Nevsky begin to fight with Tver. During the reign of a descendant of Alexander Nevsky, the Moscow principality becomes one of the main centers of the unification of Russia, but the Tver principality remains outside its influence.

Creation of the Russian state

After the death of Dmitry Donskoy, power passes to his son Vasily I, who managed to maintain the greatness of the principality. After his death, a dynastic struggle for power begins. However, under the reign of Ivan III, a descendant of Dmitry Donskoy, 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 appropriated the title of "sovereign of all Russia" to himself.

The last Rurikovichs

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 Boyar Duma essentially controls the state. 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, Fedor Ivanovich also dies, with whom the dynasty of the first Russian rulers, who had been in power for 736 years, is interrupted.

The article mentions only the main and most prominent representatives of the dynasty, but in fact there were much more descendants of Rurik. The Rurikovichs made an invaluable contribution to the development of the Russian state.