The Tale of Bygone Years 882. The Tale of Bygone Years chronicle

The Tale of Bygone Years was created in the 12th century and is the most famous ancient Russian chronicle. Now it is included in the school curriculum - that is why every student who wants not to disgrace himself in the classroom has to read or listen to this work.

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What is The Tale of Bygone Years (PVL)

This ancient chronicle is a collection of texts-articles that tells about the events in Kyiv from the time described in the Bible, up to 1137. At the same time, the dating itself begins in the work of 852.

The Tale of Bygone Years: Characteristics of the Chronicle

The features of the piece are:

All this singled out the Tale of Bygone Years from among other ancient Russian works. The genre can not be called either historical or literary, the chronicle only tells about the events that took place, without trying to make an assessment of them. The position of the authors is simple - everything is the will of God.

History of creation

In science, the monk Nestor is recognized as the main author of the chronicle, although it has been proven that the work has several authors. However, it was Nestor who was named the first chronicler in Russia.

There are several theories explaining when the chronicle was written:

• Written in Kyiv. Date of writing - 1037, author Nestor. Folklore works are taken as a basis. Repeatedly corresponded with various monks and Nestor himself.
• The date of writing is 1110.

One of the variants of the work has survived to this day, the Laurentian Chronicle - a copy of the Tale of Bygone Years, performed by the monk Lavrenty. Unfortunately, the original edition has been lost.

The Tale of Bygone Years: a summary

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the summary of the chronicle chapter by chapter.

The beginning of the chronicle. About Slavs. First princes

When the Flood ended, the creator of the ark, Noah, died. His sons had the honor of dividing the land among themselves by lot. North and west went to Japheth, Ham to the south, Shem to the east. The angry God destroyed the majestic Tower of Babel and, as a punishment for the proud people, divides them into nationalities and endows them with different languages. This is how the Slavic people, the Rusichi, were formed, who settled along the banks of the Dnieper. Gradually, the Russians also divided:

• Meek peaceful clearings began to live across the fields.
• In the forests - warlike robbers Drevlyans. Even cannibalism is not alien to them.

Andrey's journey

Further in the text you can read about the wanderings of the Apostle Andrew in the Crimea and along the Dnieper, everywhere he preached Christianity. It also tells about the creation of Kyiv, a great city with pious inhabitants and an abundance of churches. This is what the apostle tells his disciples. Then Andrei returns to Rome and talks about the Slovenes who build wooden houses and take strange water procedures called ablutions.

Three brothers ruled over the glades. By the name of the eldest, Kiya, the great city of Kyiv was named. The other two brothers are Shchek and Khoriv. In Tsargrad, Kiyu was given a great honor by the local king. Further, the path of Kyi lay in the city of Kievets, which attracted his attention, but the locals did not allow him to settle here. Returning to Kyiv, Kyi and his brothers continue to live here until their death.

Khazars

The brothers were gone, and the militant Khazars attacked Kyiv, forcing the peaceful, good-natured glades to pay tribute to them. After conferring, the inhabitants of Kyiv decide to pay tribute with sharp swords. The elders of the Khazars see this as a bad sign - the tribe will not always be submissive. Times are coming when the Khazars themselves will pay tribute to this strange tribe. In the future, this prophecy will come true.

Name of the Russian land

In the Byzantine chronicle there is information about a campaign against Constantinople by a certain "Rus", suffering from civil strife: in the north, Russian lands pay tribute to the Varangians, in the south - to the Khazars. Having got rid of oppression, the northern peoples begin to suffer from constant conflicts within the tribe and the lack of a unified power. To solve the problem, they turn to their former enslavers - the Varangians, with a request to give them a prince. Three brothers came: Rurik, Sineus and Truvor, but when the younger brothers died, Rurik became the only Russian prince. And the new state was called the Russian land.

Dir and Askold

With the permission of Prince Rurik, two of his boyars, Dir and Askold, undertook a military campaign to Constantinople, on the way meeting glades paying tribute to the Khazars. The boyars decide to settle here and rule Kyiv. Their campaign against Constantinople turned out to be a complete failure, when all 200 ships of the Varangians were destroyed, many soldiers drowned in the abyss of water, and few returned home.

After the death of Prince Rurik, the throne was to pass to his young son Igor, but while the prince was still a baby, the governor, Oleg, began to rule. It was he who found out that Dir and Askold illegally appropriated the princely title and ruled in Kyiv. Having lured the impostors by cunning, Oleg arranged a trial for them and the boyars were killed, since they ascended the throne without being a princely family.

When the famous princes ruled - Prophetic Oleg, Prince Igor and Olga, Svyatoslav

Oleg

In 882-912. Oleg was the governor of the Kyiv throne, he built cities, conquered hostile tribes, so it was he who managed to conquer the Drevlyans. With a huge army, Oleg comes to the gates of Constantinople and cunningly scares the Greeks, who agree to pay huge tribute to Russia, and hangs his shield on the gates of the conquered city. For extraordinary insight (the prince realized that the dishes presented to him were poisoned), Oleg was called the Prophetic.

Peace reigns for a long time, but, seeing an unkind omen in the sky (a star resembling a spear), the prince-governor calls the soothsayer to him and asks what kind of death awaits him. To Oleg's surprise, he reports that the death of the prince awaits from his beloved war horse. So that the prophecy does not come true, Oleg orders to feed the pet, but no longer approaches him. A few years later, the horse died and the prince, coming to say goodbye to him, is amazed at the error of the prophecy. But alas, the predictor was right - a poisonous snake crawled out of the skull of the animal and bit Oleg, he died in agony.

Death of Prince Igor

The events in the chapter take place in the years 913-945. Prophetic Oleg died and the reign passed to Igor, who had already matured enough. The Drevlyans refuse to pay tribute to the new prince, but Igor, like Oleg earlier, managed to subdue them and imposed even greater tribute. Then the young prince gathers a large army and marches on Constantinople, but suffers a crushing defeat: the Greeks use fire against Igor's ships and destroy almost the entire army. But the young prince manages to gather a new large army, and the king of Byzantium, deciding to avoid bloodshed, offers Igor a rich tribute in exchange for peace. The prince confers with the warriors, who offer to accept tribute and not fight.

But this was not enough for the greedy warriors, after a while they literally force Igor to go to the Drevlyans again for tribute. Greed killed the young prince - not wanting to pay more, the Drevlyans kill Igor and bury him not far from Iskorosten.

Olga and her revenge

Having killed Prince Igor, the Drevlyans decide to marry his widow to their prince Mal. But the princess, by cunning, managed to destroy all the nobility of the recalcitrant tribe, burying them alive. Then the smart princess calls matchmakers - noble Drevlyans and burns them alive in a bathhouse. And then she manages to burn Iskorosten by tying burning tinder to the legs of pigeons. The princess establishes a huge tribute to the Drevlyansk lands.

Olga and baptism

The princess shows her wisdom in another chapter of the Tale of Bygone Years: wanting to avoid marriage with the king of Byzantium, she is baptized, becoming his spiritual daughter. Struck by the woman's cunning, the king lets her go in peace.

Svyatoslav

The next chapter describes the events of 964-972 and the war of Prince Svyatoslav. He began to rule after the death of his mother, Princess Olga. He was a courageous warrior who managed to defeat the Bulgarians, save Kyiv from the attack of the Pechenegs and make Pereyaslavets the capital.

With an army of only 10,000 soldiers, the brave prince attacks Byzantium, which sent a hundred thousandth army against him. Inspiring his army to go to certain death, Svyatoslav said that death is better than the shame of defeat. And he manages to win. The Byzantine king pays a good tribute to the Russian army.

The brave prince died at the hands of the Pecheneg prince Kuri, who attacked the army of Svyatoslav, weakened by hunger, going to Russia in search of a new squad. A bowl is made from his skull, from which the treacherous Pechenegs drink wine.

Russia after baptism

Baptism of Russia

This chapter of the chronicle tells that Vladimir, the son of Svyatoslav and the housekeeper, became a prince and chose a single god. Idols were overthrown, and Russia adopted Christianity. At first, Vladimir lived in sin, he had several wives and concubines, and his people made sacrifices to idol gods. But having accepted faith in one God, the prince becomes pious.

On the fight against the Pechenegs

The chapter recounts several events:

• In 992, the struggle between the troops of Prince Vladimir and the attacking Pechenegs began. They offer to fight the best fighters: if the Pecheneg wins, the war will be three years, if the Rusich - three years of peace. The Russian youth won, peace was established for three years.
• Three years later, the Pechenegs attack again and the prince miraculously manages to escape. A church was erected in honor of this event.
• The Pechenegs attacked Belgorod, a terrible famine began in the city. The inhabitants managed to escape only by cunning: on the advice of a wise old man, they dug wells in the ground, put a vat of oatmeal jelly in one, and honey in the second, and the Pechenegs were told that the earth itself gives them food. They lifted the siege in fear.

Massacre with the Magi

Magi come to Kyiv, they begin to accuse noble women of hiding food, causing hunger. Cunning people kill many women, taking their property for themselves. Only Jan Vyshatich, the Kyiv governor, manages to expose the Magi. He ordered the townspeople to give him the deceivers, threatening that otherwise he would live with them for another year. Talking with the Magi, Yang learns that they worship the Antichrist. The governor orders people whose relatives died due to the fault of deceivers to kill them.

Blindness

This chapter describes the events of 1097 when the following happened:

• Princely council in Lubitsch for the conclusion of peace. Each prince received his own oprichnina, they entered into an agreement not to fight with each other, focusing on the expulsion of external enemies.
• But not all the princes are satisfied: Prince Davyd felt left out and forced Svyatopolk to go over to his side. They conspired against Prince Vasilko.
• Svyatopolk tricks the gullible Vasilko into his place, where he blinds him.
• The rest of the princes are horrified by what the brothers did with Vasilko. They demand from Svyatopolk the expulsion of Davyd.
• Davyd dies in exile, and Vasilko returns to his native Terebovl, where he reigns.

Victory over the Polovtsy

The last chapter of the Tale of Bygone Years tells about the victory over the Polovtsy of princes Vladimir Monomakh and Svyatopolk Izyaslavich. The Polovtsian troops were defeated, and Prince Beldyuzya was executed, the Russians returned home with rich booty: cattle, slaves and property.

This event ends the narrative of the first Russian chronicle.

After the flood, the three sons of Noah divided the earth - Shem, Ham, Japheth. And Shem got the east: Persia, Bactria, even to India in longitude, and in breadth to Rinokorur, that is, from east to south, and Syria, and Media to the Euphrates River, Babylon, Korduna, Assyrians, Mesopotamia, Arabia the Oldest, Elimais, Indy, Arabia Strong, Kolia, Commagene, all Phoenicia.

Ham got the south: Egypt, Ethiopia, neighboring India, and another Ethiopia, from which flows the Ethiopian Red River, flowing to the east, Thebes, Libya, neighboring Kyrenia, Marmaria, Sirte, another Libya, Numidia, Masouria, Mauritania, located opposite Gadir. In his possessions in the east are also: Cilicnia, Pamphylia, Pisidia, Mysia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Kamalia, Lycia, Caria, Lydia, other Mysia, Troad, Aeolis, Bithynia, Old Phrygia and the islands of some: Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus and the river Geona, otherwise called the Nile.

Japheth got the northern and western countries: Media, Albania, Armenia Small and Great, Cappadocia, Paphlagonia, Galatia, Colchis, Bosphorus, Meots, Depevia, Capmatia, the inhabitants of Taurida, Scythia, Thrace, Macedonia, Dalmatia, Malosia, Thessaly, Locris, Swaddling, which is also called the Peloponnese, Arcadia, Epirus, Illyria, Slavs, Lichnitia, Adriakia, the Adriatic Sea. The islands also got: Britain, Sicily, Euboea, Rhodes, Chios, Lesbos, Kitira, Zakynthos, Kefallinia, Ithaca, Kerkyra, a part of Asia called Ionia, and the Tigris River, flowing between Media and Babylon; to the Pontic Sea to the north: the Danube, the Dnieper, the Caucasus Mountains, that is, the Hungarian ones, and from there to the Dnieper, and other rivers: the Desna, Pripyat, Dvina, Volkhov, Volga, which flows east to the part of Simov. In the Japhet part, Russians, Chud and all sorts of peoples are sitting: Merya, Muroma, the whole, Mordovians, Zavolochskaya Chud, Perm, Pechera, Yam, Ugra, Lithuania, Zimigola, Kors, Letgola, Livs. The Poles and the Prussians, the Chud, are sitting near the Varangian Sea. The Varangians sit along this sea: from here to the east - to the limits of Simov, they sit along the same sea and to the west - to the land of England and Voloshskaya. The offspring of Japheth also: Varangians, Swedes, Normans, Goths, Rus, Angles, Galicians, Volokhi, Romans, Germans, Korlyazis, Venetians, Fryags and others - they adjoin the southern countries in the west and neighbor with the Khamov tribe.

Shem, Ham and Japheth divided the land by casting lots, and decided not to enter into the share of a brother to anyone, and each lived in his own part. And there was one people. And when people multiplied on earth, they planned to create a pillar to the sky - it was in the days of Nectan and Peleg. And they gathered in the place of the field of Shinar to build a pillar to heaven, and near it the city of Babylon; and they built that pillar for 40 years, and did not finish it. And the Lord God came down to see the city and the pillar, and the Lord said: “Behold, one generation and one people.” And God confused the nations, and divided them into 70 and 2 nations, and scattered them over all the earth. After the confusion of the peoples, God destroyed the pillar with a great wind; and its remnants are found between Assyria and Babylon, and are 5433 cubits high and wide, and these remnants have been preserved for many years.

After the destruction of the pillar and the division of the peoples, the sons of Shem took the eastern countries, and the sons of Ham - the southern countries, while Japheth took the west and the northern countries. From the same 70 and 2 language came the Slavic people, from the tribe of Japheth - the so-called Noriki, who are the Slavs.

After a long time, the Slavs settled along the Danube, where now the land is Hungarian and Bulgarian. From those Slavs, the Slavs dispersed throughout the earth and were called by their names from the places where they sat down. So some, having come, sat down on the river by the name of Morava and were called Morava, while others were called Czechs. And here are the same Slavs: white Croats, and Serbs, and Horutans. When the Volokhi attacked the Danubian Slavs, and settled among them, and oppressed them, these Slavs came and sat on the Vistula and were called Poles, and from those Poles came Poles, other Poles - Lutich, others - Mazovshan, others - Pomeranians.

In the same way, these Slavs came and sat down along the Dnieper and called themselves glades, and others - Drevlyans, because they sat in the forests, while others sat down between Pripyat and Dvina and called themselves Dregovichi, others sat down along the Dvina and were called Polochans, along the river flowing into the Dvina , called Polota, from which the Polotsk people were named. The same Slavs who sat down near Lake Ilmen were called by their own name - Slavs, and built a city, and called it Novgorod. And others sat down along the Desna, and along the Seim, and along the Sula, and called themselves northerners. And so the Slavic people dispersed, and after his name the charter was called Slavic.

When the glade lived separately along these mountains, there was a path from the Varangians to the Greeks and from the Greeks along the Dnieper, and in the upper reaches of the Dnieper it was dragged to Lovot, and along Lovot you can enter Ilmen, a great lake; Volkhov flows out of the same lake and flows into the Great Lake Nevo, and the mouth of that lake flows into the Varangian Sea. And on that sea you can sail to Rome, and from Rome you can sail along the same sea to Constantinople, and from Constantinople you can sail to the Pontus Sea, into which the Dnieper River flows. The Dnieper flows out of the Okovsky forest and flows south, and the Dvina flows from the same forest, and heads north, and flows into the Varangian Sea. From the same forest, the Volga flows to the east and flows through seventy mouths into the Khvalis Sea. Therefore, from Russia you can sail along the Volga to the Bolgars and Khvalisy, and go east to the lot of Sim, and along the Dvina - to the land of the Varangians, from the Varangians to Rome, from Rome to the Khamov tribe. And the Dnieper flows at its mouth into the Pontic Sea; this sea is reputed to be Russian, - it was taught along the shores, as they say, by St. Andrew, brother of Peter.

When Andrei taught in Sinop and arrived in Korsun, he learned that the mouth of the Dnieper was not far from Korsun, and he wanted to go to Rome, and sailed to the mouth of the Dnieper, and from there he went up the Dnieper. And it so happened that he came and stood under the mountains on the shore. And in the morning he got up and said to the disciples who were with him: “Do you see these mountains? On these mountains the grace of God will shine, there will be a great city, and God will raise many churches.” And having ascended these mountains, he blessed them, and put up a cross, and prayed to God, and descended from this mountain, where Kyiv would later be, and went up the Dnieper. And he came to the Slavs, where Novgorod now stands, and saw the people living there - what is their custom and how they wash and whip, and was surprised at them. And he went to the country of the Varangians, and came to Rome, and told about how he taught and what he saw, and said: “I saw a miracle in the Slavic land on my way here. I saw wooden bathhouses, and they would heat them up strongly, and they would undress and be naked, and they would cover themselves with leather kvass, and young people would lift the rods on themselves and beat themselves, and they would finish themselves off so much that they would barely get out, barely alive, and would douse themselves with icy water, and that's the only way they'll come alive. And they do this all the time, they are not tormented by anyone, but they torment themselves, and then they make ablution for themselves, and not torment. Those, hearing about it, were surprised; Andrey, having been in Rome, came to Sinop.

The meadows lived separately in those days and were ruled by their own clans; for even before that brethren (which will be discussed later) there were already clearings, and they all lived in their own families in their places, and each was governed independently. And there were three brothers: one named Kyi, the other Shchek, and the third Khoriv, ​​and their sister Lybid. Kiy sat on the mountain, where the Borichev rise is now, and Shchek sat on the mountain, which is now called Shchekovitsa, and Khoriv on the third mountain, which was nicknamed Horivitsa after his name. And they built a city in honor of their elder brother, and called it Kyiv. There was a forest around the city and a large pine forest, and they caught animals there, and those men were wise and sensible, and they were called glades, from them the glade is still in Kyiv.

Some, not knowing, say that Kiy was a carrier; there was then a transfer from the other side of the Dnieper to Kyiv, which is why they said: “To transfer to Kyiv.” If Kiy had been a carrier, he would not have gone to Constantinople; and this Kiy reigned in his generation, and when he went to the king, they say that he received great honors from the king to whom he came. When he was returning, he came to the Danube, and chose the place, and cut down a small town, and wanted to sit in it with his family, but the people living around did not give him; this is how the inhabitants of the Danube still call the settlement that - Kievets. Kiy, returning to his city of Kyiv, died here; and his brothers Shchek and Khoriv and their sister Lybid died immediately.

The Tale of Bygone Years(also called "Original Chronicle" or "Nestor Chronicle") - the earliest of the Old Russian surviving annalistic vaults of the beginning 12th century. Known from several editions and lists with minor deviations in the texts introduced by scribes. Was compiled in Kyiv.

The period of history covered begins with biblical times in the introductory part and ends with 1117 year(in the 3rd edition). Dated piece of history Kievan Rus starts from summer 6360 ( 852 years according to modern chronology), the beginning of independent government Byzantine emperor Michael.

The name of the vault was given by one of his introductory phrases in Ipatiev list:

The history of the creation of the chronicle

The author of the chronicle is listed in Khlebnikov list like a monk Nestor, famous hagiographer on the edge XI-XII centuries, monk Kievo-Pechersky Monastery. Although this name is omitted from earlier lists, researchers XVIII-19th century Nestor was considered the first Russian chronicler, and The Tale of Bygone Years was considered the first Russian chronicle. The study of chronicles by a Russian linguist A. A. Shakhmatov and his followers showed that there were chronicle codes that preceded The Tale of Bygone Years. It is now recognized that the first original edition of the monk Nestor's PVL has been lost, and modified versions have come down to our time. At the same time, in none of the chronicles there are indications of where exactly the PVL ends.

The problems of the sources and structure of PVL were developed in most detail at the beginning XX century in the works of the academician A. A. Shakhmatova. The concept presented by him still plays the role of the “standard model”, on which subsequent researchers rely or argue. Although many of its provisions have often been subjected to well-founded criticism, it has not yet been possible to develop a concept comparable in importance.

The second edition reads as part Laurentian Chronicle (1377) and other lists . The third edition is contained in Ipatievskaya chronicles (the oldest lists: Ipatiev ( 15th century) and Khlebnikovsky ( 16th century)) . In one of the annals of the second edition under the year 1096 added an independent literary work, " Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh”, dated 1117 year.

Hypothetically Shakhmatova(supported D. S. Likhachev and Ya. S. Lurie), the first chronicle, called the most ancient, was compiled at the metropolitan see in Kyiv, founded in 1037. The sources for the chronicler were legends, folk songs, oral stories of contemporaries, some written hagiographic documents. The most ancient code was continued and supplemented in 1073 monk Nikon, one of the creators Kyiv Caves Monastery. Then in 1093 Abbot of the Kiev Caves Monastery John was created Initial code, who used Novgorod records and Greek sources: “Chronograph according to the great exposition”, “The Life of Anthony”, etc. The initial code was fragmentarily preserved in the initial part of the Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger version. Nestor revised the Primary Code, expanded the historiographic basis and brought Russian history into the framework of traditional Christian historiography. He supplemented the chronicle with the texts of treaties between Russia and Byzantium and introduced additional historical traditions preserved in the oral tradition.

According to Shakhmatova, Nestor wrote the first edition of the PVL in the Kiev-Pechersky Monastery in 1110 -1112. The second edition was created Abbot Sylvester in Kiev Vydubitsky St. Michael's Monastery in 1116 . Compared to Nestor's version, the final part was reworked. AT 1118 the third edition of the PVL is being compiled on behalf of the Novgorod prince Mstislav I Vladimirovich.

Here are the testimonies of past years about when it was first mentioned and from what the name "Russian Land" comes from and who begins to reign in Kyiv earlier - we will tell a story about this.

About the Slavs

After the flood and the death of Noah, his three sons divide the Earth among themselves and agree not to transgress into each other's possessions. They throw lots. Japheth gets the northern and western countries. But mankind on Earth is still united, and for more than 40 years on the field near Babylon has been building a pillar to heaven. However, God is not pleased, he destroys the unfinished pillar with a strong wind and scatters people across the Earth, dividing them into 72 nations. From one of them come the Slavs, who live in the possessions of the descendants of Japheth. Then the Slavs come to the Danube, and from there they disperse throughout the lands. The Slavs peacefully settle along the Dnieper and receive names: some are glades, because they live in the field, others are derevlyans, because they sit in the forests. The Polyans are meek and quiet compared to other tribes, they are bashful in front of their daughters-in-law, sisters, mothers and mothers-in-law, and, for example, the Derevlyans live bestially: they kill each other, eat all kinds of uncleanness, do not know marriage, but, having attacked, they kidnap girls.

About the Journey of the Apostle Andrew

The Holy Apostle Andrew, teaching the Christian faith to the people along the Black Sea coast, comes to the Crimea and learns about the Dnieper, that its mouth is not far, and sails up the Dnieper. For the night, he stops under the deserted hills on the shore, and in the morning he looks at them and turns to the disciples around him: “Do you see these hills?” And he prophesies: "The grace of God will shine on these hills - a great city will arise and many churches will be erected." And the apostle, arranging a whole ceremony, ascends the hills, blesses them, puts up a cross and prays to God. Kyiv will indeed appear at this place later.

The Apostle Andrew returns to Rome and tells the Romans that something strange happens every day in the land of Slovene, where Novgorod will be built later: there are wooden buildings, not stone ones, but the Slovenes heat them up with fire, not being afraid of a fire, pull off their clothes and appear completely naked , not caring about decency, they douse themselves with kvass, moreover, kvass from henbane (intoxicating), begin to slash themselves with flexible branches and finish themselves off so much that they crawl out barely alive, and in addition douse themselves with ice water - and suddenly come to life. Hearing this, the Romans are amazed why the Slovenes are torturing themselves. And Andrei, who knows that the Slovenes are “tailing” in this way, explains the riddle to the slow-witted Romans: “This is ablution, not torment.”

About cue

Three brothers live in the land of the glades, each with his family sits on his hill near the Dnieper. The first brother's name is Kiy, the second - Shchek, the third - Khoriv. The brothers create a city, call it Kyiv after their elder brother and live in it. And near the city there is a forest in which the meadows catch animals. Kiy travels to Constantinople, where the Byzantine king renders him a great honor. From Tsargrad, Kiy comes to the Danube, he likes one place where he builds a small town called Kievets. But the locals do not allow him to settle there. Kiy returns to his lawful Kyiv, where he ends his life with dignity. Shchek and Khoriv also die here.

About the Khazars

After the death of the brothers, a Khazar detachment stumbles upon a glade and demands: "Pay tribute to us." The meadows consult and give each hut a sword. Khazar warriors bring this to their prince and elders and boast: “Here, they have collected some new tribute.” The elders ask: "Where?" The warriors, obviously not knowing the name of the tribe that gave them tribute, only answer: "They gathered in the forest, on the hills, above the Dnieper River." The elders ask: “What did they give you?” The warriors, not even knowing the names of the things brought, silently show their swords. But the experienced elders, having guessed the meaning of the mysterious tribute, predict to the prince: “An ominous tribute, O prince. We got it with sabers, weapons sharp on one side, and these tributaries have swords, double-edged weapons. They will take tribute from us.” This prediction will come true, the Russian princes will take possession of the Khazars.

About the name "Russian land". 852−862

This is where the name "Russian Land" first begins to be used: the then Byzantine chronicle mentions a campaign of a certain Russia against Constantinople. But the land is still divided: the Varangians take tribute from the northern tribes, including the Novgorod Slovenes, and the Khazars take tribute from the southern tribes, including the glades.

The northern tribes drive the Varangians across the Baltic Sea, stop paying tribute to them and try to govern themselves, but they do not have a common set of laws and therefore are drawn into civil strife, wage a war of self-destruction. Finally, they agree among themselves: "Let's look for a single prince, but outside of us, so that he would rule us, and would judge based on the law." The Estonian Chud, the Novgorod Slovenes, the Krivichi Slavs, and the Finno-Ugric people all send their representatives across the sea to other Varangians, whose tribe is called "Rus". This is the same common name as the names of other nationalities - "Swedes", "Normans", "English". And the listed four tribes offer the following to Russia: “Our land is great in space and rich in bread, but there is no state structure in it. Come to us to reign and govern." Three brothers get down to business with their families, take all of Russia with them and arrive (to a new place): the eldest of the brothers - Rurik - sits down to reign in Novgorod (among the Slovenes), the second brother - Sineus - in Belozersk (near the village), and the third brother - Truvor - in Izborsk (near the Krivichi). Two years later, Sineus and Truvor die, all power is concentrated by Rurik, who distributes cities to the control of his Vikings-Rus. From all those Varangians-Rus, the name (to the new state) arises - "Russian Land".

About the fate of Askold and Dir. 862−882

Rurik has two boyars - Askold and Dir. They are not at all relatives of Rurik, so they ask him (to serve) to Tsargrad along with their families. They float along the Dnieper and see a town on a hill: “Whose town is this?” Residents answer them: “There lived three brothers - Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv - who built this town, but died. And we are sitting here without a ruler, paying tribute to the relatives of the brothers - the Khazars. Here Askold and Dir decide to stay in Kyiv, recruit many Varangians and begin to rule the land of the meadows. And Rurik reigns in Novgorod.

Askold and Dir go to war against Byzantium, two hundred of their ships besiege Constantinople. The weather is calm and the sea is calm. The Byzantine tsar and the patriarch pray for deliverance from godless Russia and, singing, dip the robe of the Holy Mother of God into the sea. And suddenly a storm rises, wind, huge waves rise. Russian ships are swept away, brought to the shore and smashed. Few people from Russia manage to escape and return home.

Meanwhile, Rurik dies. Rurik has a son, Igor, but he is still quite small. Therefore, before his death, Rurik transfers the reign to his relative Oleg. Oleg with a large army, which includes the Varangians, Chud, Slovenes, the whole, Krivichi, captures the southern cities one by one. He approaches Kyiv, learns that Askold and Dir illegally reign. And he hides his soldiers in the boats, swims up to the pier with Igor in his arms and sends an invitation to Askold and Dir: “I am a merchant. We sail to Byzantium, and obey Oleg and Prince Igor. Come to us, your relatives." (Askold and Dir are obliged to visit the arrived Igor, because according to the law they continue to obey Rurik and, therefore, his son Igor; and Oleg also seduces them, calling them his younger relatives; in addition, it is interesting to see what goods the merchant is carrying.) Askold and Dir come to the boat. Here, hidden warriors jump out of the boat. Take out Igor. Judgment begins. Oleg exposes Askold and Dir: “You are not princes, not even from a princely family, And I am a princely family. And here is the son of Rurik. Both Askold and Dir are killed (as impostors).

About Oleg's activity. 882−912

Oleg remains to reign in Kyiv and proclaims: "Kyiv will be the mother of Russian cities." Oleg is indeed building new cities. In addition, he conquers many tribes, including the Derevlyans, and takes tribute from them.

With an unprecedentedly large army - two thousand ships alone - Oleg goes to Byzantium and comes to Constantinople. The Greeks close the entrance to the bay, near which Tsargrad is located, with chains. But the cunning Oleg orders his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on them. A fair wind is blowing on Tsargrad. Warriors raise sails in the field and rush to the city. The Greeks see, and are terrified, and ask Oleg: "Do not destroy the city, we will give you whatever tribute you want." And as a sign of humility, the Greeks bring him a treat - food and wine. However, Oleg does not accept treats: it turns out that poison has been mixed into him. The Greeks are completely frightened: "This is not Oleg, but an invulnerable saint, God himself sent him to us." And the Greeks pray to Oleg to make peace: "We'll give you whatever you want." Oleg sets the Greeks to pay tribute to all the soldiers on two thousand of his ships - twelve hryvnias per person, and forty soldiers per ship - and another tribute for the large cities of Russia. To commemorate the victory, Oleg hangs his shield on the gates of Constantinople and returns to Kyiv, carrying gold, silks, fruits, wines and all kinds of jewelry.

People call Oleg "prophetic". But then an ominous sign appears in the sky - a star in the form of a spear. Oleg, now living in peace with all countries, remembers his beloved war horse. He has not mounted this horse for a long time. Five years before the campaign against Tsargrad, Oleg asked the Magi and magicians: “What am I going to die from?” And one of the sorcerers said to him: “You will die from the horse that you love and ride” (that is, from any such horse, moreover, not only alive, but also dead, and not only the whole, but also from part of it). Oleg, however, only with his mind, and not with his heart, understood what was said: “I will never again sit on my horse and I will not even see him,” he ordered to feed the horse, but not to lead him to him. And now Oleg calls the oldest of the grooms and asks: “Where is my horse, whom I sent to feed and guard?” The groom replies: “Dead>. Oleg begins to mock and insult the magicians: “But the Magi predict incorrectly, everything they have is a lie, the horse is dead, but I am alive.” And he arrives at the place where the bones and the empty skull of his beloved horse lie, dismounts and mockingly says: “And from this skull I was threatened with death?” And tramples the skull with his foot. And suddenly a snake protrudes from the skull and stung him in the leg. Because of this, Oleg falls ill and dies. The magic comes true.

On the death of Igor. 913−945

After the death of Oleg, the unfortunate Igor finally begins to reign, who, although he has already become an adult, went in submission to Oleg.

As soon as Oleg dies, the Derevlyane shut themselves off from Igor. Igor goes to the Derevlyans and imposes more tribute on them than Olegova.

Then Igor goes on a campaign to Tsargrad, having ten thousand ships. However, the Greeks from their boats through special pipes are taken to throw the burning composition at the Russian boats. Russians from the flames of fires jump into the sea, trying to swim away. The survivors return home and tell of a terrible miracle: "The Greeks have something like lightning from heaven, they release it and burn us."

Igor gathers a new army for a long time, not disdaining even the Pechenegs, and again goes to Byzantium, wanting to avenge his shame. His ships literally cover the sea. The Byzantine tsar sends his noblest boyars to Igor: “Do not go, but take the tribute that Oleg took. I will add more to that tribute. Igor, having sailed only as far as the Danube, convenes a squad and begins to consult. The cautious squad declares: “What more do we need - we won’t fight, but we will get gold, silver and silk. Who knows who will win - whether we are, whether they are. What, someone will agree with the sea? After all, we do not pass through the earth, but over the depths of the sea - a common death for all. Igor goes on about the squad, takes gold and silk from the Greeks for all the soldiers, turns back and returns to Kyiv.

But Igor's greedy squad annoys the prince: “The servants of even your governor have undressed, and we, the prince's squad, are naked. Come, prince, with us for tribute. And you will get it, and so will we.” And again, Igor follows the lead of the squad, goes for tribute to the Derevlyans, moreover, he arbitrarily increases the tribute, and the squad does other violence to the Derevlyans. With the collected tribute, Igor was sent to Kyiv, but after some reflection, wanting more than he managed to collect for himself, he turns to the squad: “You return home with your tribute, and I will return to the Derevlyans, I will collect more for myself.” And with a small remnant of the squad turns back. The villagers find out about this and confer with Mal, their prince: “Once a wolf has got into the habit of sheep, it will slaughter the entire herd, if not kill it. So is this one: if we do not kill him, then he will destroy us all. And they send to Igor: “Why are you going again? After all, he took all the tribute. But Igor just doesn't listen to them. Then, having gathered, the Derevlyans leave the city of Iskorosten and easily kill Igor and his squad - the people of Mala deal with a small number of people. And they bury Igor somewhere near Iskorosten.

About Olga's revenge. 945−946

Even during the life of Oleg, Igor was brought a wife from Pskov, named Olga. After the murder of Igor, Olga is left alone in Kyiv with her baby Svyatoslav. The Derevlyans make plans: “Since the Russian prince was killed, we will marry his wife Olga to our prince Mal, and we will do with Svyatoslav as we please.” And the Derevlyans send a boat with twenty of their noble people to Olga, and they sail to Kyiv. Olga is informed that the Derevlyans have unexpectedly arrived. Clever Olga receives derevlyane in a stone chamber: "Welcome, guests." The villagers answer impolitely: "Yes, welcome, princess." Olga continues the ceremony of receiving ambassadors: “Tell me, why did you come here?” The Derevlyans rudely spread: “The independent Derevlyanskaya land sent us, deciding the following. We killed your Mark, because your husband, like a hungry wolf, grabbed and robbed everything. Our princes are rich, they made the Derevlyansk land prosperous. So you go for our prince Mal. Olga replies: “I really like the way you say it. My husband cannot be resurrected. Therefore, I will pay special honors to you in the morning in the presence of my people. Now you go and lie down in your boat for the coming greatness. In the morning I will send people for you, and you say: "We will not ride horses, we will not ride carts, we will not go on foot, but carry us in a boat." And Olga lets the Derevlyans lie down in the boat (thus becoming a funeral boat for them), orders them to dig a huge and sheer grave pit in the yard in front of the tower. In the morning Olga, sitting in the tower, sends for these guests. Kievans come to the Derevlyans: "Olga is calling you, in order to show you the greatest honor." The villagers say: “We won’t ride horses, we won’t ride carts, we won’t go on foot, but carry us in a boat.” And the people of Kiev carry them in a boat, the Derevlyans sit proudly, akimbo and dressed up. They bring them to Olga in the courtyard and, together with the boat, are thrown into the pit. Olga clings to the pit and inquires: “Have you been given a worthy honor?” The Derevlyans only now guess: "Our death is more shameful than Igor's death." And Olga orders to fill them up alive. And they fall asleep.

Now Olga sends a demand to the Derevlyans: “If you ask me according to the marriage rules, then send the most noble people so that I can marry your prince with great honor. Otherwise, the people of Kiev will not let me in.” The Derevlyans elect the most noble people who rule the Derevlyansk land and send for Olga. Matchmakers appear, and Olga, according to guest custom, first sends them to the bathhouse (again with vindictive ambiguity), offering them: "Wash and appear before me." The bath is heated, the derevlyane climb into it, and as soon as they begin to wash themselves (like the dead), the bath is locked. Olga orders to set fire to it, first of all from the doors, and the Derevlyans burn down all (after all, the dead, according to custom, were burned).

Olga informs the villagers: “I’m already leaving for you. Prepare a lot of intoxicated mead in the city where you killed my husband (Olga does not want to say the name of the city she hates). I must create a weeping over his grave and a feast for my husband.” The derevlyane bring a lot of honey and boil it. Olga, with a small retinue, as it should be for a bride, comes lightly to the grave, mourns her husband, orders her people to build a high grave mound and, following the customs exactly, only after they finish pouring, orders to create a funeral feast. The villagers sit down to drink. Olga tells her servants to take care of the derevlyane. The villagers ask: “Where is our squad that was sent for you?” Olga ambiguously replies: “They are following me with my husband’s squad” (second meaning: “They follow without me with my husband’s squad”, that is, both of them were killed). When the Derevlyans get drunk, Olga tells her servants to drink for the Derevlyans (to commemorate them as dead and thus end the feast). Olga leaves, ordering her squad to flog the derevlyans (a game that completes the feast). Five thousand derevlyans were excised.

Olga returns to Kyiv, collects many soldiers, goes to the Derevlyansk land and defeats the Derevlyans who opposed her. The remaining Derevlyans shut themselves up in Iskorosten, and for the whole summer Olga cannot take the city. Then she begins to persuade the defenders of the city: “What do you sit up to? All your cities have surrendered to me, they give tribute, they cultivate their lands and fields. And you will starve to death without paying tribute.” The villagers confess: “We would be happy to give only tribute, but you will still avenge your husband.” Olga slyly assures: “I have already avenged the shame of my husband and will not take revenge anymore. I will take tribute from you little by little (I will take tribute according to Prince Mal, that is, I will deprive you of independence). Now you have neither honey nor fur, so I ask you little (I won’t let you leave the city for honey and furs, but I ask you for Prince Mal). Give me three doves and three sparrows from each court, I will not impose a heavy tribute on you, like my husband, therefore I ask you little (Prince Mala). You were exhausted in the siege, which is why I ask you little (Prince Mala). I will make peace with you and go” (either back to Kyiv, or again to the Derevlyans). The villagers rejoice, collect three doves and three sparrows from the yard and send them to Olga. Olga reassures the villagers who came to her with a gift: “Now you have already submitted to me. Go to the city. In the morning I will retreat from the city (Iskorosten) and go to the city (either to Kyiv, or to Iskorosten). The villagers joyfully return to the city, tell the people Olga's words, as they understood them, and they rejoice. Olga gives each of the soldiers a dove or a sparrow, orders each dove or sparrow to tie tinder, wrap it in a small scarf and wrap it with thread. When it begins to get dark, prudent Olga orders the soldiers to release pigeons and sparrows with tinder on fire. Pigeons and sparrows fly to their city nests, doves - to dovecotes, sparrows - under the eaves. That is why dovecotes, cages, sheds, haylofts light up. There is no yard where it does not burn. And it is impossible to extinguish the fire, since all the wooden yards are burning at once. The villagers run out of the city, and Olga orders her soldiers to grab them. He takes the city and completely burns it, captures the elders, kills some of the other people, gives some as slaves to his soldiers, imposes a heavy tribute on the remaining Derevlyans and goes throughout the Derevlyanska land, establishing duties and taxes.

About Olga's baptism. 955−969

Olga arrives in Tsargrad. Comes to the Byzantine king. The tsar talks to her, marvels at her reason and hints: "It is fitting for you to reign in Constantinople with us." She immediately takes the hint and says, “I am a pagan. If you intend to baptize me, then baptize me yourself. If not, then I will not be baptized.” And the tsar and the patriarch baptize her. The patriarch teaches her about faith, and Olga, bowing her head, stands, listening to the teachings, like a sea sponge, drunk with water. She is named Elena in baptism, the patriarch blesses her and releases her. After baptism, the king calls her and already directly announces: "I take you as my wife." Olga objects: “How will you take me as a wife, since you yourself baptized me and called me a spiritual daughter? It is illegal for Christians, and you yourself know it.” The self-confident tsar is annoyed: “You switched me, Olga!” He gives her many gifts and sends her home. As soon as Olga returns to Kyiv, the tsar sends ambassadors to her: “I gave you a lot of things. You promised, when you returned to Russia, to send me many gifts. Olga sharply replies: “Wait for my reception as long as I waited for you, then I will give you.” And with these words wraps the ambassadors.

Olga loves her son Svyatoslav, prays for him and for the people all night and day, feeds her son until he grows up and matures, then sits with her grandchildren in Kyiv. Then she breaks down and dies three days later, having bequeathed not to perform feasts on her. She has a priest who buries her.

About the wars of Svyatoslav. 964−972

Having matured, Svyatoslav gathers many brave warriors and, roaming swiftly, like a cheetah, wages many wars. On a campaign, he doesn’t carry a cart behind him, he doesn’t have a boiler, he doesn’t cook meat, but he thinly cuts horse meat, or beast, or beef, bakes and eats on coals; and does not have a tent, but he will lay a felt, and a saddle in his head. And his warriors are the same steppes. He sends out threats to countries: “I will attack you.”

Svyatoslav goes to the Danube, to the Bulgarians, defeats the Bulgarians, takes eighty cities along the Danube and sits down to reign here in Pereyaslavets. The Pechenegs attack the Russian land for the first time and besiege Kyiv. The Kievans send to Svyatoslav: “You, prince, are looking for and defending someone else’s land, but you abandoned your own, but we were almost captured by the Pechenegs. If you don’t come back and defend us, if you don’t feel sorry for your fatherland, then the Pechenegs will capture us.” Svyatoslav and his retinue quickly mounted horses, galloped to Kyiv, gathered soldiers and drove the Pechenegs into the field. But Svyatoslav declares: “I don’t want to stay in Kyiv, I will live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube, because this is the center of my land, because all blessings are brought here: from Byzantium - gold, silks, wines, various fruits: from the Czech Republic - silver; from Hungary - horses; from Russia - furs, wax, honey and slaves.

Svyatoslav leaves for Pereyaslavets, but the Bulgarians shut themselves up in the city from Svyatoslav, then they go out to battle with him, a big slaughter begins, and the Bulgarians almost overcome, but by the evening Svyatoslav still wins and breaks into the city. Immediately Svyatoslav rudely threatens the Greeks: "I will go against you and conquer your Tsargrad, like this Pereyaslavets." The Greeks slyly suggest: “Since we are not able to resist you, then take tribute from us, but just tell us how many troops you have, so that we, based on the total number, can give for each warrior.” Svyatoslav names the number: "We are twenty thousand" - and adds ten thousand, because there are only ten thousand in Russia. The Greeks put up a hundred thousand against Svyatoslav, but do not give tribute. Russia sees a huge number of Greeks and is afraid. But Svyatoslav delivers a courageous speech: “We have nowhere to go. Resist the enemy to us both voluntarily and involuntarily. We will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie here with our bones, for we will not be disgraced by the dead, and if we run, we will be disgraced. We will not run away, but we will become strong. I will go ahead of you." There is a great slaughter, and Svyatoslav wins, and the Greeks flee, and Svyatoslav approaches Constantinople, fighting and destroying cities.

The Byzantine king calls his boyars to the palace: "What to do?" The boyars advise: "Send gifts to him, we will bite him, whether he is greedy for gold or silk." The tsar sends gold and silks to Svyatoslav with some wise courtier: “Watch how he looks, what are the expression of his face and the course of his thoughts.” They report to Svyatoslav that the Greeks have come with gifts. He orders: "Enter." The Greeks put gold and silks before him. Svyatoslav looks away and says to his servants: "take it away." The Greeks return to the tsar and the boyars and talk about Svyatoslav: “They gave him gifts, but he didn’t even look at them and ordered them to be removed.” Then one of the messengers offers the king: "Check him again - send him a weapon." And they bring Svyatoslav a sword and other weapons. Svyatoslav accepts him and praises the tsar, conveys his love and kisses to him. The Greeks return to the king again and tell about everything. And the boyars convince the king: “How fierce this warrior is, since he neglects values, but appreciates weapons. Give him tribute." And they give Svyatoslav tribute and many gifts.

With great glory, Svyatoslav comes to Pereyaslavets, but he sees how few squads he has left, since many died in battle, and decides: “I will go to Russia, I will bring more troops. The king will see that we are few, and he will besiege us in Pereyaslavets. And the Russian land is far away. And the Pechenegs are fighting with us. And who will help us?" Svyatoslav sets off in boats to the Dnieper rapids. And the Bulgarians from Pereyaslavets send a message to the Pechenegs: “Svyatoslav will sail past you. Goes to Russia. He has a lot of wealth taken from the Greeks, and captives without number, but few squads. The Pechenegs are stepping into the rapids. Svyatoslav stops to spend the winter at the rapids. He runs out of food, and such a severe famine begins in the camp that further a horse's head costs half a hryvnia. In the spring, Svyatoslav nevertheless swims through the rapids, but the Pecheneg prince Kurya attacks him. Svyatoslav is killed, his head is taken, a cup is scraped out of his skull, the skull is bound on the outside and they drink from it.

About the baptism of Russia. 980−988

Vladimir was the son of Svyatoslav and only Olga's housekeeper. However, after the death of his more noble brothers, Vladimir begins to reign in Kyiv alone. On a hill near the prince's palace, he places pagan idols: a wooden Perun with a silver head and a golden mustache, Khors, Dazhbog, Stribog, Simargl and Mokosh. They make sacrifices, bringing their sons and daughters. Vladimir himself is seized with lust: in addition to four wives, he has three hundred concubines in Vyshgorod, three hundred in Belgorod, and two hundred in the village of Berestovo. He is insatiable in fornication: he brings married women to himself, corrupts girls.

The Volga Bulgars-Mohammedans come to Vladimir and offer: “You, O prince, are wise and reasonable, but you do not know the whole dogma. Accept our faith and honor Mohammed." Vladimir asks: “And what are the customs of your faith?” The Mohammedans answer: “We believe in one God. Mohammed teaches us to circumcise secret limbs, not to eat pork, not to drink wine. Fornication can be done in any way. After death, Mohammed will give each Mohammedan seventy beauties, the most beautiful of them will add the beauty of the rest - this will be the wife of each. And whoever is miserable in this world is like that there too. It is sweet for Vladimir to listen to Mohammedans, because he himself loves women and many fornications. But here's what he doesn't like - the circumcision of members and the non-eating of pork mayas. And about the ban on drinking wine, Vladimir speaks like this: "The fun of Russia is to drink, we cannot live without it." Then the envoys of the Pope come from Rome: "We worship the one God who created the sky, the earth, the stars, the moon and all living things, and your gods are just pieces of wood." Vladimir asks: “What are your restrictions?” They answer: "Whoever eats or drinks - everything is for the glory of God." But Vladimir refuses: "Get out, because our fathers did not recognize this." The Khazars of the Jewish faith come: "We believe in the one God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob." Vladimir asks: “Where is your main land?” They answer: "In Jerusalem." Vladimir sarcastically asks again: “Is it there?” The Jews justify themselves: "God was angry with our fathers and scattered us into different countries." Vladimir is indignant: “Why do you teach others, while you yourself are rejected by God and scattered? Maybe you offer us such a fate?

After that, the Greeks send a certain philosopher who retells the Old and New Testaments to Vladimir for a long time, shows Vladimir the curtain on which the Last Judgment is drawn, on the right the righteous joyfully ascend to paradise, on the left the sinners wander to hellish torments. The life-loving Vladimir sighs: “It’s good for those who are on the right; bitter to those on the left." The philosopher calls: "Then be baptized." However, Vladimir postpones: "I'll wait a little longer." He escorts the philosopher with honor and convenes his boyars: “What can you say cleverly?” The boyars advise: "Send the ambassadors to find out who serves their god outwardly." Vladimir sends ten worthy and smart people: “Go first to the Volga Bulgarians, then look at the Germans, and from there go to the Greeks.” After the journey, the messengers return, and again Vladimir calls the boyars: "Let's hear what they say." The messengers report: “We saw that the Bulgarians in the mosque were standing without a belt; bow down and sit down; they look here and there like crazy; there is no joy in their service, only sadness and a strong stench; so their faith is not good. Then they saw the Germans performing many services in churches, but they did not see any beauty in these services. But when the Greeks brought us to where they serve their God, we were confused - are we in heaven or on earth, because nowhere on earth is there a spectacle of such beauty that we cannot even describe. The service of the Greeks is the best of all.” The boyars add: “If the Greek faith were bad, then your grandmother Olga would not have accepted it, and she was wiser than all our people.” Vladimir hesitantly asks: “Where will we be baptized?” The boyars answer: "Yes, wherever you want."

And a year passes, but Vladimir is still not baptized, but unexpectedly goes to the Greek city of Korsun (in the Crimea), besieges it and, looking up at the sky, promises: “If I take it, then I will be baptized.” Vladimir takes the city, but again he is not baptized, but in search of further benefits he demands from the Byzantine co-rulers: “Your glorious Korsun took. I heard that you have a sister girl. If you don’t give her in marriage to me, then I will create the same for Constantinople as Korsun.” The kings answer: “Christian women are not supposed to marry pagans. Baptize, then we will send a sister.” Vladimir insists: “First, send your sister, and those who came with her baptize me.” The kings sent a sister, dignitaries and priests to Korsun. The Korsunians meet the Greek queen and escort her to the chamber. At this time, Vladimir's eyes get sick, he does not see anything, he is very worried, but does not know what to do. Then the queen urges Vladimir: “If you want to get rid of this disease, then immediately be baptized. If not, then you will not get rid of the disease. Vladimir exclaims: "Well, if this is true, then the Christian God will truly be the greatest." And he tells himself to be baptized. The bishop of Korsun with the tsarina's priests baptizes him in the church, which stands in the middle of Korsun, where the market is. As soon as the bishop lays his hand on Vladimir, he immediately regains his sight and leads the queen to the marriage. Many of Vladimir's squad are also baptized.

Vladimir with the queen and Korsun priests enters Kyiv, immediately orders to overthrow the idols, chop some, burn others, Perun also orders to tie the horse to the tail and drag it to the river, and twelve men make him beat with sticks. They throw Perun into the Dnieper, and Vladimir orders specially assigned people: “If he sticks somewhere, push him with sticks until he carries him through the rapids.” And they do as ordered. And the pagans mourn Perun.

Then Vladimir sends all over Kyiv announcing on his behalf: "Rich or poor, even a beggar or a slave - the one who does not appear on the river in the morning, I will consider my enemy." People go and argue: "If it were not for the benefit, then the prince and the boyars would not have been baptized." In the morning, Vladimir, with the Tsaritsyns and the Korsun priests, goes out to the Dnieper. There are countless people gathering. Part enters the water and stands: some - up to the neck, others - up to the chest, children - at the very shore, babies - are held in their arms. Those who did not fit in roam in anticipation (or: the baptized stand on the ford). The priests on the shore are doing prayers. After baptism, people go to their homes.

Vladimir orders to build churches in the cities in the places where idols used to stand, and to bring people to baptism in all cities and villages, begins to gather children from his nobility and give books for teaching. The mothers of such children weep for them as if they were dead.

About the fight against the Pechenegs. 992−997

The Pechenegs arrive and Vladimir comes out against them. On both sides of the Trubezh River, at the ford, troops stop, but each army does not dare to go to the opposite side. Then the Pecheneg prince drives up to the river, calls Vladimir and offers: “Let's put out your wrestler, and I'll put mine. If your wrestler hits mine on the ground, then we will not fight for three years; if my wrestler hits yours, then we will fight for three years.” And they're leaving. Vladimir sends heralds to his camp: “Is there anyone who would fight with the Pechenegs?” And the desiring is nowhere to be found. And in the morning the Pechenegs come and bring their wrestler, but ours do not. And Vladimir begins to grieve, still continuing to appeal to all his soldiers. Finally, an old warrior comes to the prince: “I went to war with four sons, and the youngest son stayed at home. Since childhood, there is no one who would overcome him. Once I grumbled at him when he crushed the skins, and he got angry with me and, out of frustration, tore the rawhide sole with his hands. This son is brought to the overjoyed prince, and the prince explains everything to him. But he is not sure: “I don’t know if I can fight the Pechenegs. Let me be tested. Is there a bull, big and strong?” Find a big and strong bull. This younger son orders the bull to be enraged. They apply a red-hot iron to the bull and let it go. When the bull rushes past this son, he grabs the bull by the side with his hand and tears off the skin with meat, as much as he grabbed by his hand. Vladimir allows: "You can fight the Pechenegs." And at night he orders the soldiers to get ready to immediately rush to the Pechenegs after the duel. In the morning the Pechenegs come, they call: “What, is there no fighter? Ours is ready." Both troops of the Pechenegs converge and release their fighter. It's huge and scary. The wrestler from Vladimir Pecheneg comes out and sees him and laughs, because he looks ordinary. They mark the area between both troops, let the fighters in. They start a fight, tightly hug each other, but our hands strangle the Pecheneg to death and throw him to the ground. Ours emit a cry, and the Pechenegs flee. The Russians are chasing them, whipping them and driving them away. Vladimir rejoices, lays the city at that ford and names it Pereyaslavets, because our young man intercepted the glory from the Pecheneg hero. Vladimir makes both this young man and his father great people, and he himself returns to Kyiv with victory and great glory.

Three years later, the Pechenegs come near Kyiv, Vladimir with a small retinue goes against them, but does not withstand the fight, runs, hides under the bridge and barely escapes from the enemies. Salvation occurs on the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and then Vladimir promises to build a church in the name of the holy Transfiguration. Having got rid of the Pechenegs, Vladimir puts up a church and arranges a grand celebration near Kyiv: he orders three hundred cauldrons of honey to be boiled; convenes his boyars, as well as posadniks and elders from all cities, and many more people; distributes three hundred hryvnias to the poor. After celebrating eight days, Vladimir returns to Kyiv and again arranges a big holiday, calling together countless people. And it does so every year. Allows every poor and wretched person to come to the princely court and receive everything they need: drink, and food, and money from the treasury. Orders also to prepare wagons; load them with bread, meat, fish, various fruits, barrels of honey, barrels of kvass; to drive around Kyiv and call out: “Where are the sick and infirm, unable to walk and get to the princely court?” Those orders to distribute everything necessary.

And with the Pechenegs there is an incessant war. They come and besiege Belgorod for a long time. Vladimir cannot send help, because he has no soldiers, and there are a huge number of Pechenegs. There is a severe famine in the city. The townspeople decide at the meeting: “After all, we will die of hunger. It’s better to surrender to the Pechenegs - they will kill someone, and leave someone to live. ” One older, who was not present at the veche, asks: “Why did the veche meet?” He is informed that the people will surrender to the Pechenegs in the morning. Then the old man asks the city elders: "Listen to me, do not give up for another three days, but do what I command." They promise. The old man says: "Scrape at least a handful of oats, or wheat, or bran." They find. The old man tells the women to make a mash on which they boil jelly, then he tells them to dig a well, insert a vat into it, and fill the vat with mash. Then the old man orders to dig a second well and insert a vat there too. And sends to look for honey. They are looking for a basket of honey, which was hidden in the prince's cellar. The old man orders to prepare a honey decoction and fill a vat in the second well with it. In the morning he orders to send for the Pechenegs. The sent townspeople come to the Pechenegs: "Take hostages from us, and you - about ten people - enter our city and see what is happening there." The Pechenegs triumph, thinking that the townspeople will surrender, they take hostages from them, and they themselves send their noble people to the city. And the townspeople, taught by a smart old man, say to them: “Why are you ruining yourself? Can you get over us? Stay at least ten years - what can you do to us? We have food from the ground. If you don't believe me, then see with your own eyes. The townspeople lead the Pechenegs to the first well, scoop up a mash with a bucket, pour it into pots and cook jelly. After that, taking the jelly, they approach the second well with the Pechenegs, scoop up a honey broth, add it to the jelly and start eating - they themselves are the first (not poison!), followed by the Pechenegs. The Pechenegs are surprised: "Our princes will not believe this if they do not try it themselves." The townspeople fill them with a whole tavern with jelly talker and honey broth from wells. Part of the Pechenegs with a korchaga returns to their princes: they, having cooked, eat and also marvel; then they exchange hostages, lift the siege of the city and go home.

About the reprisals against the Magi. 1071

The sorcerer comes to Kyiv and predicts in front of the people that in four years the Dnieper will flow back, and the countries will change places: the Greek land will take the place of the Russian, and the Russian land will take the place of the Greek, and other lands will exchange. The ignorant believe the sorcerer, and real Christians mock him: "The demon amuses you to your death." So it happens to him: he goes missing overnight.

But two magicians appear in the Rostov region at the time of crop failure and announce: "We know who hides the bread." And walking along the Volga, in whatever volost they come, they immediately accuse noble women, supposedly that one hides bread, that one hides honey, that one - fish, and that one - furs. Hungry people bring their sisters, mothers and wives to the wise men, and the wise men women they seem to cut through and (allegedly from the inside) take out either bread or fish. Magi kill many women, and take their property for themselves.

These magicians come to Beloozero, and with them already three hundred people. At this time, Yan Vyshatich, the governor of the Kyiv prince, was collecting tribute from Belozersk. Jan finds out that these Magi are just the stinks of the Kyiv prince, and sends an order to the people accompanying the Magi: "Give them to me." But people don't listen to him. Then Yang himself comes to them with twelve warriors. People, standing near the forest, are ready to attack Jan, who approaches them only with an ax in his hand. Three people come out of those people, come up to Jan and frighten him: “You are going to die, don’t go.” Yang orders them to be killed and approaches the others. They rush at Yang, the front of them misses with an ax, and Yang, intercepting, beats him with the back of the same ax and tells the combatants to cut down the others. People run away into the forest, killing Yanov's priest in the process. Jan enters Belozersk and threatens the inhabitants: "If you do not seize the Magi, then I will not leave you for a year." The people of Belozersky go, capture the Magi and bring them to Jan.

Yang interrogates the Magi: "Why did you kill so many people?" The Magi answer: “They hide the bread. When we exterminate such, there will be a harvest. If you wish, right in front of you we will take a grain out of a person, or a fish, or something else. Yang denounces: “This is a complete lie. God created man from the earth, man is permeated with bones and blood veins, there is nothing else in him. The Magi object: "It is we who know how man was created." Yang says, “So what do you think?” The Magi rant: “God bathed in the bath, sweated, dried himself with a rag and threw it from heaven to earth. Satan argued with God, who from the Rag to create a man. And the devil created man, and God put a soul into him. Therefore, when a person dies, the body goes to the ground, and the soul goes to God. Yang exclaims: “What god do you believe in?” The Magi are called: "The Antichrist". Yang asks, "Where is he?" The Magi answer: "He sits in the abyss." Yang pronounces a sentence: “What kind of god is this, since he sits in the abyss? This is a demon, a former angel, cast down from heaven for his arrogance and waiting in the abyss for God to come down from heaven and put him in chains along with the servants who believe in this antichrist. And you, too, will have to take the torment from me here, and after death - there. The Magi boast: “The gods inform us that you can’t do anything to us, because we answer only to the prince himself.” Yang says: "The gods lie to you." And he orders to beat them, tear out their beards with tongs, put a gag in their mouths, tie them to the sides of the boat and put this boat in front of them along the river. After a while, Yang asks the Magi:

"What are the gods saying to you now?" The Magi answer: "The gods tell us that we will not be alive from you." Yang confirms: "You are rightly told." But the wise men promise Jan: “If you let us go, then you will have a lot of good. And if you destroy us, then you will receive a lot of grief and evil. Yang rejects: "If I let you go, then evil will come to me from God. And if I destroy you, then there will be a reward for me." And he turns to the local guides: “Which of you relatives were killed by these magi? And those around them admit - one: “I have a mother”, the other: “Sister”, the third: “Children”. Yang calls: "Avenge your own." The victims seize the Magi, kill them and hang them on an oak tree. The next night, the bear climbs the oak, gnaws them and eats them. So the Magi died - they foresaw others, but they did not foresee their own death.

Another sorcerer begins to excite people already in Novgorod, he seduces almost the entire city, acts like a god, claiming that he foresees everything, and blasphemes the Christian faith. He promises: "I will cross the Volkhov River, as if by land, in front of everyone." Everyone believes him, turmoil begins in the city, they want to kill the bishop. The bishop puts on a robe, takes the cross, goes out and says: “Whoever believes the sorcerer, let him follow him. Whoever believes (in God), let him follow the cross.” People are divided in two: the Novgorod prince and his retinue gather at the bishop, and the rest of the people go to the sorcerer. There are skirmishes between them. The prince hides the ax under his cloak, comes to the sorcerer: “Do you know what will happen in the morning and until evening?” The sorcerer boasts: "I will see through everything." The prince asks: “Do you know what will happen now?” The sorcerer puts on airs: "I will work great miracles." The prince pulls out an ax, cuts the sorcerer, and he falls dead. And people disperse.

About the blinding of the Terebovl prince Vasilko Rostislavich. 1097

The following princes gather in the city of Lubech for a council to maintain peace among themselves: the grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise from his various sons Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh), Davyd Igorevich, Davyd Svyatoslavich, Oleg Svyatoslavich and the great-grandson of Yaroslav, the son of Rostislav Vladimirovich Vasilko Rostislavich. The princes persuade each other: “Why are we destroying the Russian land, quarreling among ourselves? And the Polovtsy strive to separate our land and rejoice when there are wars between us. From now on, let us unite unanimously and save the Russian land. Let each own only his fatherland. And on that they kiss the cross: "From now on, if one of us goes against anyone, then we will all be against him, and the honest cross, and the whole Russian land." And having kissed, they part ways.

Svyatopolk and Davyd Igorevich return to Kyiv. Someone sets Davyd up: "Vladimir conspired with Vasilko against Svyatopolk and you." Davyd believes the false words and slanders Svyatopolk against Vasilko: “He conspired with Vladimir and is trying to kill me and you. Take care of your head." Svyatopolk, in dismay, believes Davyd. Davyd suggests: "If we do not grab Vasilko, then there will be no reigning either for you in Kyiv, or for me in Vladimir-Volynsky." And Svyatopolk listens to him. But Vasilko and Vladimir know nothing about it.

Vasilko comes to worship in the Vydubitsky monastery near Kyiv. Svyatopolk sends to him: “Wait until my name day” (four days later). Vasilko refuses: "I can't wait - as if at home (in Terebovlya, west of Kyiv) there was no war." Davyd says to Svyatopolk: “You see, he does not consider you, even when he is in your homeland. And when he leaves for his possessions, you yourself will see how your cities will occupy, and you will remember my warning. Call him now, grab him and give it to me." Svyatopolk sends to Vasilko: “Since you won’t wait for my name day, then come right now - we’ll sit with Davyd.”

Vasilko goes to Svyatopolk, on the way he meets his combatant and dissuades him: "Do not go, prince, they will seize you." But Vasilko does not believe: “How will they seize me? Just kissed the cross. And he comes with a small retinue to the princely court. Meets him

Svyatopolk, they go into the hut, Davyd also comes, but he sits like a mute. Svyatopolk invites: "Let's have breakfast." Vasilko agrees. Svyatopolk says: "You sit here, and I will go and arrange." And it comes out. Vasilko tries to talk to David, but he does not talk and does not listen from horror and deceit. After sitting for a while, Davyd gets up: "I'll go after Svyatopolk, and you sit down." And it comes out. As soon as Davyd comes out, Vasilko is locked up, then they shackle him in double chains and put guards for the night.

The next day, Davyd invites Svyatopolk to blind Vasilko: “If you don’t do this and let him go, then neither you nor me will reign.” On the same night, Vasilko is transported in chains on a cart to a town ten miles from Kyiv and is led into some kind of hut. Vasilko sits in it and sees that Svyatopolk's shepherd is sharpening a knife, and guesses that they are going to blind him. Here the grooms sent by Svyatopolk and David enter, spread a carpet and try to throw Vasilko down on it, who is struggling desperately. But others also pounce, knock down Vasilko, tie him up, grab a board from the stove, put it on his chest and sit down at both ends of the board, but they still cannot hold it. Then two more are added, they remove the second board from the stove and crush Vasilko so fiercely that his chest cracks. Holding a knife, the shepherd Svyatopolkov approaches Vasilko and wants to stick it in the eye, but misses and cuts through his face, but again sticks the knife into the eye and cuts out the pupil (rainbow with a pupil), then the second pupil. Vasilko lies as if dead. And, like a dead man, they take him with a carpet, put him on a cart and take him to Vladimir-Volynsky.

On the way, they stop for lunch at the market in Zvizhden (a town west of Kiev). They pull off Vasilko's bloody shirt and give it to the hit man to wash. She, having washed it, puts it on and begins to mourn Vasilko, as if dead. Vasilko, waking up, hears crying and asks: “Where am I?” They answer him: “In Zvizhden”. He asks for water and, having drunk, comes to his senses, feels his shirt and says: “Why did they take it off me? May I accept death in this bloody shirt and stand before God.

Then Vasilko is hurriedly brought along the frozen road to Vladimir-Volynsky, and Davyd Igorevich is with him, as if with some kind of catch. Vladimir Vsevolodovich, in Pereyaslavets, learns that Vasilko was captured and blinded, and is horrified: "Such evil has never happened in the Russian land, neither under our grandfathers, nor under our fathers." And he immediately sends to Davyd Svyatoslavich and Oleg Svyatoslavich: “Let's get together and correct this evil that has been created in the Russian land, moreover, between us, brothers. After all, now the brother of the brother will begin to slaughter, and the Russian land will perish - our enemies, the Polovtsy, will take it. They gather and send to Svyatopolk: “Why did you blind your brother?” Svyatopolk justifies himself: "It was not I who blinded him, but Davyd Igorevich." But the princes object to Svyatopolk: “Vasilko was not captured and blinded in the city of Davydov (Vladimir-Volynsky), but in your city (Kyiv) he was captured and blinded. But since Davyd Igorevich did this, grab him or drive him away. Svyatopolk agrees, the princes kiss the cross in front of each other and make peace. Then the princes expel Davyd Igorevich from Vladimir-Volynsky, give him Dorogobuzh (between Vladimir and Kyiv), where he dies, and Vasilko again reigns in Terebovlya.

About the victory over the Polovtsy. 1103

Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh) with their squads confer in a single tent about a campaign against the Polovtsy. The squad of Svyatopolk dissuades: "Now it's spring - we will damage the arable land, we will ruin the smerds." Vladimir shames them: “You feel sorry for the horse, but don’t you feel sorry for the smerd himself? After all, the smerd will begin to plow, but the Polovtsian will come, kill the smerd with an arrow, the horse will take him, go to his village and seize his wife, children and all his property. Svyatopolk says: "I'm ready." They send to other princes: "Let's go to the Polovtsians - either live or die." The assembled troops reach the Dnieper rapids and from the island of Khortitsa gallop through the field for four days.

Having learned that Russia is advancing, countless Polovtsy converge on advice. Prince Urusoba offers: "Let's ask for peace." But the young people say to Urusoba: “If you are afraid of Russia, then we are not afraid. Let's crush them." And the Polovtsian regiments, like a boundless coniferous thicket, are advancing on Russia, and Russia is against them. Here, at the sight of Russian warriors, great horror, fear and trembling attacks the Polovtsy, they are as if in a slumber, and their horses are lethargic. Ours, horse and foot, cheerfully attack the Polovtsians. The Polovtsy flee, and the Russians flog them. In the battle, twenty Polovtsian princes are killed, including Urusoba, and Beldyuz is taken prisoner.

The Russian princes, who defeated the Polovtsy, are sitting, they bring Beldyuz, and he offers gold, and silver, and horses, and cattle for himself. But Vladimir tells Beldyuz: “How many times have you sworn (not to fight) and still attacked the Russian land. Why did you not punish your sons and your family not to break the oath and you shed Christian blood? Now let your head be in your blood." And he orders to kill Beldyuz, who is cut into pieces. The princes take cattle, sheep, horses, camels, yurts with property and slaves and return to Russia with a huge number of captives, with glory and a great victory.

Retold by A. S. Demin.