Who ruled the lands of Rus' in the Middle Ages? Russian princes of the late XIII - early XIV centuries Beginning of the 14th century what year

If before the invasion of the Tatars Rus' consisted of large principalities (Rostov-Suzdal, Novgorod, Kiev, Ryazan, Smolensk, Chernigov and others), then with the beginning of vassalage the appanage princes were able to formalize their cities as independent hereditary feudal possessions.

And they immediately took advantage of it.

Collapse of the Old Russian State and Lithuania

This is how full-fledged independent states emerged, the number of which soon began to be measured in dozens. And although formally the Vladimir prince was considered the eldest among the princes, everyone understood that the real supreme power lay in the Horde. And independent princes can do whatever they want in their domains, regardless of traditions and seniority.

Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas - founder of the dynasty

In the 14th century, the rapid rise of Lithuania began. Despite its name, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was created on ancient Russian lands and had the same relationship to the indigenous ethnic Lithuania - Samogitia and Aukshaiti - as the Russian principalities to the Finno-Ugric peoples who once inhabited the expanses of North-Eastern Rus'.

If in the ancient Russian principalities the Rurikovichs remained in power, then in Lithuania their own dynasty of Gediminovichs appeared.

The ruling family, apparently, came from the tribal princes of the Yatvingians, who at that time had the reputation of real savages and robbers.

In general, in the Middle Ages, when everyone was enthusiastically slaughtering each other, only peoples with a special character could gain the reputation of robbers. The Yatvingians could just boast of this.

The belligerence of the Lithuanian Gediminovichs became an important factor in their policy.

Three parts of Russian lands after the Tatar invasion

A hundred years after the Tatar invasion, the Russian lands looked completely different. In the northeast there was a conglomeration of many appanage principalities under the formal authority of Moscow. However, its rulers were called the Grand Dukes of Vladimir: the Moscow lands were still not prestigious enough to give the right to rule over other Russian principalities.

All the destinies of this region were ruled by the Rurikovichs - the old Russian dynasty. Formally, Muscovite Rus' remained a vassal of the Horde. In fact, vassal obligations were already ignored from the middle of the 14th century, and dependence was limited to the payment of tribute.

To the west lay the possessions of the Gediminovichs. Their first big acquisitions were the principalities of Polotsk and Turov, which had previously been ruled by the princes of the house of Rurik. Together with Vilna, these territories constituted the indigenous lands of Lithuania.

In the 14th century, the power of the Lithuanian princes began to gradually spread to the neighboring Russian principalities: Kiev, Smolensk, Pereyaslavl, Novgorod-Seversk. However, having captured these areas, Lithuania fell into vassal dependence on the Horde. Accordingly, from 1362 the Gediminovichs received khan's labels for the right to own part of Rus' and paid the due tribute.

Daniil Galitsky from the Rurik family, a descendant of the Kyiv prince Vladimir Monomakh, in 1252 accepted the title of “King of Rus'” from the Pope.

With the help of the prestigious royal crown, he hoped to strengthen his power.

However, his heirs forgot about the title, and only Daniel’s grandson, Yuri, became the next “King of Rus'”.

Why him? Under Yuri, the Galician and Volyn principalities united. However, at the same time, stronger Poland and Lithuania were nearby, and Galician Rus' - as the most remote, peripheral part of the Russian lands - was doomed to be torn to pieces by its neighbors.

Galicia, of course, was also a vassal of the Golden Horde, paid tribute to the khans and even sent troops to participate in joint campaigns with the Tatars against Poland.

Confrontation between Moscow and Lithuania

In the second half of the 14th century, the political situation in the Russian lands changed dramatically. In the east, the rise of Moscow led to the first attempt to free ourselves from the Tatar yoke: the Russian army of Prince Dmitry of Moscow was victorious at the Battle of Kulikovo Field.

In the west, Lithuania's expansion led to conflict with Moscow. Their confrontation became the main content of Russian domestic policy in the next hundred years.

The conflict was related to the resolution of the issue of the unification of Rus'. Both the old Rurikovich and the new Gediminovich laid claim to the role of head of the new unified state.

Initially, the position of the Lithuanian princes was stronger due to the number of troops and the wealth of their possessions, however, from the point of view of legitimacy, the Moscow princes found themselves in a more advantageous position. It was they who could lay claim to the restoration of power by the right of dynastic succession.

Later, a religious conflict between Orthodoxy and Catholicism was added to the confrontation. But in the XIV-XV centuries, the descendants of the appanage princes - who were all Rurikovichs without exception - had a simple choice: to serve the Grand Duke from “their” dynasty or from someone else’s. Many consciously chose “their own”.

Adventures of the title "King of Rus'"

But Galician Rus' ceased to exist at the end of the 14th century. Since 1349, there was a fierce struggle for the lands of Galicia between Poland and Lithuania.

The war ends in 1392 with the division of the failed kingdom. Galicia began to belong to Poland, and Volyn went to Lithuania. At the same time, the Lithuanian princes began to be called the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and Russia. The Polish kings Louis and Casimir III also used the title "King of Rus'" for some time.

The next Polish rulers, already from the Gediminovich dynasty, forgot about the Galician title. But the Hungarian kings immediately remembered him.

Using the title, they symbolically designated claims to the lands of Galicia, originating from its first conqueror, King Louis. The monarch was also the ruler of not only Poland, but also Hungary.

"Reitan - the decline of Poland." Artist Jan Matejko

The title of the kings of Galicia and Lodomeria (Lodomeria is the name of the Vladimir-Volyn lands distorted by the Hungarians and Germans) has already become a real title of the crown Austrian possession.

And how did it all end?

In the 15th century, great changes took place in Russian lands. Moscow was able to subjugate most of the Russian principalities that were once part of the Old Russian state. This gave its rulers the opportunity to legally accept the title of Sovereign of All Rus', declaring the succession of their power from the Kyiv Rurikovichs, and at the same time the rights to all lands that were previously part of the Kyiv state.

Lithuania, which became dependent on Catholic Poland, gradually lost its possessions. The appanage princes of Lithuania, taking advantage of the feudal right of emigration, went to serve the Moscow Rurikovichs along with their principalities.

Already at the end of the century, the Moscow principality was completely freed from the power of the Horde, while Lithuania continued to pay tribute and receive labels from the Crimean Khanate.

Thus ended the history of the Middle Ages in the lands of Rus'.

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The 14th century is a time of significant transformations in life. During this historical period, the power of the Golden Horde over the northeastern territories of Russian lands was finally established. Gradually, a struggle for primacy and the creation of a new centralized state around their fiefdom flares up among the small ones. Only through joint efforts could the Russian lands throw off the yoke of nomads and take their place among the European powers. Among the old cities, completely destroyed by the Tatar raids, there was no power, no political elites, no influence, so neither Kyiv, nor Vladimir and Suzdal could lay claim to the place of the future center of reign. Rus' in the 14th century introduced new favorites in this race. These are the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Principality of Moscow.

Novgorod land. a brief description of

In the old days, the Mongol cavalry never reached Novgorod. This city flourished and maintained its influence thanks to its favorable location between the Baltic states, eastern Russian lands and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The sharp cooling of the 13th-14th centuries (Little Ice Age) significantly reduced harvests on the Novgorod lands, but Novgorod survived and became even richer due to increased demand for rye and wheat in the Baltic markets.

Political structure of Novgorod

The political structure of the city is close to the Slavic traditions of the veche. This form of managing internal affairs also existed in other Russian lands, but after the enslavement of Rus' it quickly faded away. Officially, the power in the principality was held by the veche - a standard form of ancient Russian self-government. But in fact, the history of Rus' in the 14th century in Novgorod was decided by the hands of wealthy citizens. Resale of grain and active trade in all directions created in Novgorod a wide layer of wealthy people - “golden belts”, who actually ruled politics in the principality.

Until the final annexation to Moscow, the lands were the most extensive among all that united Rus' in the 14th century.

Why did Novgorod not become a center?

The Novgorod territories were not densely populated; even during the heyday of the principality, the population of Novgorod did not exceed 30 thousand people - such a number could neither conquer neighboring lands nor maintain their power in them. Although the history of the 14th century calls Novgorod one of the largest Christian centers, the church in the principality did not have much power. Another serious problem was the low fertility of Novgorod lands and strong dependence on more southern territories. Gradually, Novgorod became more and more dependent on Moscow and eventually became one of the cities of the Moscow Principality.

Second contender. Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The 14th century would not be complete without a description of the influence that the Principality of Lithuania (DPL) had on the western lands. Formed from the fragments of the possessions of the great Kyiv, it gathered Lithuanians, Balts and Slavs under its flags. Against the backdrop of constant raids by the Horde, Western Russians saw in Lithuania their natural defender from the warriors of the Golden Horde.

Power and religion in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The supreme power in the state belonged to the prince - he was also called the hospodar. Smaller vassals - lords - were subordinate to him. Soon, an independent legislative body appears in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - the Rada, which is a council of influential lords and strengthens their positions in many areas of domestic policy. A big problem was the lack of a clear ladder of succession to the throne - the death of the previous prince provoked strife between potential heirs, and often the throne went not to the most legitimate, but to the most unscrupulous of them.

Religion in Lithuania

As for religion, the 14th century did not identify a specific vector of religious views and sympathies in the Principality of Lithuania. For a long time, Lithuanians successfully maneuvered between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, remaining pagans in their souls. The prince could be baptized in the Catholic faith, and the bishop at the same time profess Orthodoxy. The broad masses of the peasantry and townspeople generally adhered to Orthodox principles; the 14th century dictated the choice of faith as a list of likely allies and opponents. Powerful Europe stood behind Catholicism; Orthodoxy remained with the eastern lands, which regularly paid to give to the Gentiles.

Why not Lithuania

In the 14th-15th centuries, it skillfully maneuvered between the Golden Horde and European invaders. This situation suited, by and large, all participants in the politics of those years. But after the death of Olgerd, power in the principality passed into the hands of Jagiello. Under the terms of the Union of Krevo, he married the heiress of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and actually became the ruler of both vast lands. Gradually, Catholicism penetrated into all spheres of life in the country. The strong influence of a hostile religion made it impossible to unite the northeastern lands around Lithuania, so Vilnius never became Moscow.

Muscovy

One of the many small fortresses built by Dolgoruky around his native Vladimir principality, it had an advantageous location at the crossroads of trade routes. Little Moscow received merchants from the east and west, and had access to the Volga and the northern banks. The 14th century brought Moscow many battles and destruction, but after each invasion the city was rebuilt.

Gradually, Moscow acquired its own ruler - the prince - and successfully pursued a policy of encouraging settlers who, for various concessions, settled firmly in the new borders. The constant expansion of the territory contributed to the strengthening of the forces and positions of the principality. The state was ruled by an absolute monarchy, and the order of succession to the throne was observed. The power of the eldest son was not disputed, and the largest and best lands of the principality were under his jurisdiction. The authority of Moscow increased noticeably after the principality's victory over Mamai in 1380 - one of the most significant victories that Rus' won in the 14th century. History has helped Moscow rise above its eternal rival, Tver. After the next Mongol invasion, the city was never able to recover from the devastation and became a vassal of Moscow.

Strengthening sovereignty

The 14th century gradually puts Moscow at the head of a single state. The oppression of the Horde is still strong, the claims to the northeastern lands of the northern and western neighbors are still strong. But the first stone Orthodox churches in Moscow had already risen up, and the role of the church, which was strongly interested in creating a unified state, intensified. In addition, the 14th century marked a milestone for two great victories.

The battle showed that the Golden Horde could be expelled from Russian lands. The long war with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ended in the defeat of the Lithuanians, and Vilnius forever abandoned attempts to colonize the north-west. This is how Moscow took the first steps towards establishing its statehood.

The most comprehensive reference table main dates and events in the history of Russia from the 13th to the 14th centuries. This table is convenient for schoolchildren and applicants to use for self-study, in preparation for tests, exams and the Unified State Exam in history.

	Main events of the 13th -14th century
	Trade agreements of Novgorod with German Hanseatic cities
	Formation of the Galicia-Volyn principality
	Capture by the Order of the Swordsmen (founded in 1202) of the lands of the Livs, Estonians, Semigallians and others in the Baltic states
	The campaign of the Galician-Volyn prince Roman Mstislavich against the Polovtsians
1205 – 1264 intermittently	Reign in Galich and Volyn of Daniil Romanovich
	The first chronicle evidence of Tver
	Division of the Vladimir-Suzdal land between the sons of Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest
	The Great Reign of Yuri Vsevolodovich in the Vladimir-Suzdal Land.
	Battle on the river Lipice. Victory of Prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich over the brothers Princes Yuri and Yaroslav in the struggle for the Great Reign of Vladimir
	Founding of Nizhny Novgorod by the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich in the land of the Mordovians - an outpost for the fight against Volga Bulgaria
	The defeat of the Russian-Polovtsian squads on the river by the Tatars. Kalka
	Capture of Yuriev, a Russian fortress in the Baltic states, by the Order of the Swordsmen
	Posadnichestvo in Novgorod by Stepan Tverdislavich - a supporter of orientation towards Vladimir
	Reign of Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky in Novgorod
	Invasion of Mongol-Tatar troops led by Khan Batu into Rus'
	Destruction of Ryazan by the Mongol-Tatars
	The capture and destruction by the Mongol-Tatars of Kolomna, Moscow, Vladimir, Rostov, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Uglich, Galich, Dmitrov, Tver, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, Yuryev, Torzhok and other cities of North-Eastern Rus'
	The defeat of the united army of the princes of North-Eastern Rus' in the battle with the Mongol-Tatars on the river. Sit. Death of Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich
	The Great Reign of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich in Vladimir
	Invasion of Batu's troops into the South Russian lands. The destruction of Pereyaslavl and Chernigov
	Capture by the knights of the Livonian Order (founded in 1237 as a result of the merger of the Teutonic Order and the Order of the Sword) of the Russian fortresses of Izborsk, Pskov, Koporye
1240, Sep. – Dec.	Siege and capture of Kyiv by Batu's troops
	Battle of the Neva. The defeat of the Swedish army by the army of Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky
	The defeat of the knights of the Livonian Order on Lake Peipsi (“Battle of the Ice”) by the army of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky
	Formation of the state of the Golden Horde (Ulus Jochi)
	The Great Reign of Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky in Vladimir

	Annexation of the Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal and Murom principalities to Moscow
	The defeat of the Golden Horde by the troops of Timur (Tamerlane). The ruin of the outlying lands of Rus'. Destruction of Yelets
	Transfer of the Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir to Moscow
	Establishment of vassal dependence of Smolensk on Lithuania
	Annexation of the Novgorod possessions - Bezhetsky Verkh, Vologda, Veliky Ustyug to Moscow
	Reign of Ivan Mikhailovich in Tver. Strengthening Tver
Late 14th century	Annexation of Komi lands to Moscow. The campaign of the Moscow army against the Volga Bulgars and the capture of their capital

History of Rus' in the 15th century. known since the reign of Vasily the 1st (1389-1425), who continued the policy of his ancestors to unite the Russian lands.

Prince Vasily 1st was married to the daughter of the Lithuanian prince Vytautas, but despite this, relations with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were tense, the marriage only softened the situation.

Lithuanian rulers tried to secure the former lands of Kievan Rus for themselves; they contributed to the division of the Orthodox population: in the 15th century. In Kyiv, a second Metropolitan of All Rus' appeared, independent of Moscow.

Chronology of the main events of the 15th century. in Russian history

In 1408 - a raid by the Horde led by the military leader Edigei. Moscow paid off, but some Russian territories were devastated, and the city of Vladimir was plundered.

But the forces of the Horde were melting away, and the long military conflict between the isolated Crimean Khanate and the Horde contributed to this.

In 1425, after the death of Vasily the 1st, the princely throne passed to his son, Vasily the 2nd (1425-1462).

With his reign came princely strife. Relatives of Vasily II refused to recognize him as their ruler. A fierce struggle was waged for almost a quarter of a century. Vasily received the nickname Dark because he was blinded. As a result, Vasily the Dark retained the throne, but did not become a significant political figure.

1462 - Ivan the 3rd becomes Grand Duke of Moscow (1462-1505). Unlike his predecessor, he was considered an outstanding ruler of Russia. Ivan the 3rd actively continued the unification of Russian lands.

Under him, Novgorod the Great with its vast territories was annexed to the Russian borders. At the beginning of July 1471, a battle took place between the Novgorod militia and the Moscow army. The militia suffered a severe defeat, despite their large numbers, since the preparation and organization of the army of the Moscow Prince Kholmsky was better. An agreement was drawn up, according to which Novgorod assured of its obedience to Ivan 3rd and refusal to come under the rule of Lithuania.

And in 1478, Ivan the 3rd sent his army on a campaign against Novgorod, the city surrendered to the mercy of the winner. According to the concluded agreement, Novgorod the Great with its vast possessions was completely united with the Moscow principality.

Soon the Vyatka land, Perm the Great, and the Komi region were annexed. Some peoples of Siberia recognized themselves as subjects of the Grand Duke.

End of the 15th century. in Rus' was significant for the fall of the Horde yoke.

In the autumn of 1480 on the banks of the river. The troops of Khan Akhmat and Ivan the 3rd met the Ugrians.

The victory of Rus' was achieved with little bloodshed. November 12, 1480 - the first day of the state's liberation from the yoke.

Thanks to the expansion of Russia's borders in the 15th century. Due to the annexation of new territories, interest in geographical sciences increased.

Liberation from the yoke of the Golden Horde had a positive impact on other branches of Russian culture of the 15th century. The education of residents is developing.

Parables, messages and other works of spiritual literature appear. The number of different laws is increasing.

Blacksmithing, the manufacture of weapons, the minting of coins, and the creation of limestone for wall painting developed. Advances in these areas arose due to the influx of knowledge in the applied arts. The field of technology also developed. It is known that Russian craftsmen used a system of gear wheels.

Architecture of Ancient Rus' 14-15th centuries. was on the rise. The construction of fortresses, new temples and palaces was actively carried out. Masons and architects from other cities, Italian architects and engineers were invited.

Access to Moscow was protected by the stone Kremlin, Red Square, and fortress monasteries. The Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals were erected.

Culture and development of Rus' in the 11th century

Territories and state of Rus' in the 11th century

The formation of a unified Russian state, which began in the 10th century, received a new round of development in the 11th century. The Kyiv princes, who actively carried out campaigns on the surrounding lands, subjugated more and more territories with the local population living here. The center of unification of the Slavic tribes was Kyiv, from where administration was carried out and the most important decisions were made. The population of Rus' during this period was quite diverse - the state included not only Slavic tribes, but also part of the Finnish tribes, the Baltic and some others.

Russian territory in the 11th century extended from Lake Ladoga to the mouths of the Rosi River, the right bank of the Dnieper, as well as from the mouth of the Klyazma River (the city of Vladimir Zalessky) to the upper reaches of Western But (the city of Vladimir Volynsky). Rus' retained Tmutarakan, and Galicia (the place of residence of the Croats) constantly passed from Rus' to Poland, submitting to the authority of one prince or another. However, the most important thing was that the disparate tribes and peoples finally began to form a more modern and powerful state.

The diverse population that previously lived on these lands now became part of Kievan Rus or the Russian state, but in the full sense it was impossible to call this state the territory of the Russian people, since the Russian people themselves had not yet been fully formed - scattered tribes lived on the territory of Rus', who still largely adhered to their own ancient traditions and very slowly merged into a single people under the influence of Christianity, but Christianity itself had not yet become the main religion for everyone (in the 12th century there were still pagans living in some lands).

The main mechanism that connected all these tribes was state power and state administration. The head of state was considered the Grand Duke of Kiev, a descendant of the Varangian Rurik, who was called to reign in Rus'. Gradually, other government bodies were formed, attempts were made to reform the tax system and management system - the state developed.

Religion and society in Rus' in the 11th century

Christianity was adopted in 988, and it had a huge influence on the development of Rus' in the 11th century. Along with Christianity, new political and social trends and new types of relationships began to appear. The prince became God's vicegerent, and had to take care not only of the political viability of Rus', but also of the social and spiritual life of his subordinates.

A princely squad appears, which gradually turns from a guard into a kind of authority, having more and more powers and freedoms. Representatives of the princely squad were considered people of the highest class; it consisted of the highest (boyars) and the lowest (youths and children). Despite the fact that in the 11th century the squad was still more military in nature, its economic and political functions had already begun to take shape - the separation of the aristocracy, the division of society, and the formation of a class state began, which would only strengthen over the next two centuries.

In the culture and architecture of Rus' in the 11th century, as in all other areas of life, a new revolution began, associated with the adoption of Christianity. Religious motifs began to appear in painting, active construction of churches began - St. Sophia Cathedral was built in Kyiv, considered one of the most important architectural monuments of that period. Education, literacy and writing are actively beginning to spread in Rus', and schools are beginning to be built.

Main events of the 11th century in Rus'

1017-1037 - Construction of fortifications and St. Sophia Cathedral near Kyiv;
1019-1054 - Yaroslav the Wise becomes the Grand Duke of Kyiv;
1036 - Yaroslav's victory over the Pechenegs;
1043 - the last armed conflict between Russia and Byzantium;
1095 - foundation of Pereyaslavl-Ryazan;
1096 - first mention of Ryazan;
1097 - Lyubech Congress of Princes;

In general, the 11th century turned out to be a rather favorable period for the formation and development of Rus'. Despite the constant civil strife among the princes, as well as feudal fragmentation, the state continues to form, uniting more and more lands under its leadership, a single religion appears, the class composition of society is formed, and literacy is spread. Rus' is gradually becoming a strong state, capable of developing and dictating its terms in foreign policy, as well as resisting the raids of nomadic tribes.

New cities are being actively built, the population is moving from villages to larger settlements, trade and crafts are beginning to develop. The economy and culture are growing, new types of art are appearing (this is primarily due to the adoption of Christianity), tribal differences are gradually disappearing, and a single Russian ethnic group is being formed.

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All the rulers of Russia from Rurik to Putin in chronological order

The history of Rus' goes back more than a thousand years, although even before the advent of the state, a variety of tribes lived on its territory. The last ten-century period can be divided into several stages. All the rulers of Russia, from Rurik to Putin, are people who were true sons and daughters of their eras.

Main historical stages of development of Russia

Historians consider the following classification to be the most convenient:

- reign of the Novgorod princes (862-882);

- reign of the Great Kyiv Princes (882-1263);

- reign of princes in Vladimir (1157-1425);

— Grand Duchy of Moscow (1283-1547);

- the period of kings and emperors (from 1547 to 1917);

- USSR period (1917 - 1991);

- reign of presidents (1991-present).

This classification will tell a lot even to a reader who is not strong in the history of the country. The characteristics of the rulers of Russia of a particular period largely depend on the era of their time. The main centers of political life in Rus' changed their location several times. Until 1547, princes ruled in Rus', then the period of monarchization of the state began, which tragically ended in 1917. Almost the entire 20th century was marked by the hegemony of the Communist Party, as well as the emergence of new independent states on the territory of the former USSR.

Chronology of the rulers of Russia from 862 to the beginning of the period of fragmentation (Novgorod and Grand Duchy of Kiev)

The results of research into historical materials from this period allow us to trace the order of the princes in power. It was also possible to establish the reign dates of all the rulers of Russia during the specified period. So:

— Rurik ruled from 862 to 879;

— Prophetic Oleg was in power from 879 to 912;

- Igor was in the princely field for the next 33 years, killed in 945;

- Olga, Grand Duchess (945-964);

- prince-warrior Svyatoslav (son of Igor and Olga) ruled for 8 years before his death on the battlefield;

- Yaropolk Svyatoslavovich (972-980);

— Yaroslav the Wise (1016-1054);

- from 1054 to 1068 Izyaslav Yaroslavovich was in power;

- from 1068 to 1078, the list of rulers of Russia was replenished with several names at once (Vseslav Bryachislavovich, Izyaslav Yaroslavovich, Svyatoslav and Vsevolod Yaroslavovich, in 1078 Izyaslav Yaroslavovich ruled again)

— 1078 was marked by some stabilization in the political arena; Vsevolod Yaroslavovich ruled until 1093;

— Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich was on the throne from 1093 to 1113;

- Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh (1113-1125) - one of the best princes of Kievan Rus;

- from 1132 to 1139 Yaropolk Vladimirovich had power.

All the rulers of Russia from Rurik to Putin, who lived and ruled during this period and up to the present time, saw their main task in the prosperity of the country and strengthening the country’s role in the European arena. Another thing is that each of them walked towards the goal in their own way, sometimes in a completely different direction than their predecessors.

The period of fragmentation of Kievan Rus

During the times of feudal fragmentation of Rus', changes on the main princely throne were frequent. None of the princes left a serious mark on the history of Rus'. By the middle of the 13th century, Kyiv fell into absolute decline. It is worth mentioning only a few princes who ruled in the 12th century. So, from 1139 to 1146 Vsevolod Olgovich was the prince of Kyiv. In 1146, Igor the Second was at the helm for two weeks, after which Izyaslav Mstislavovich ruled for three years. Until 1169, such people as Vyacheslav Rurikovich, Rostislav of Smolensky, Izyaslav of Chernigov, Yuri Dolgoruky, Izyaslav the Third managed to visit the princely throne.

The capital moves to Vladimir

The period of formation of late feudalism in Rus' was characterized by several manifestations:

— weakening of the Kyiv princely power;

- the emergence of several centers of influence that competed with each other;

- strengthening the influence of feudal lords.

On the territory of Rus', 2 largest centers of influence arose: Vladimir and Galich. Galich was the most important political center at that time (located on the territory of modern Western Ukraine). It seems interesting to study the list of Russian rulers who reigned in Vladimir. The importance of this period of history will still have to be assessed by researchers. Of course, the Vladimir period in the development of Rus' was not as long as the Kiev period, but it was after it that the formation of monarchical Rus' began. Let us consider the reign dates of all the rulers of Russia at this time. In the first years of this stage of development of Rus', rulers changed quite often; there was no stability, which would appear later. For more than 5 years, the following princes were in power in Vladimir:

- Andrey (1169-1174);

- Vsevolod, son of Andrei (1176-1212);

- Georgy Vsevolodovich (1218-1238);

- Yaroslav, son of Vsevolod (1238-1246);

- Alexander (Nevsky), great commander (1252-1263);

— Yaroslav III (1263-1272);

— Dmitry I (1276-1283);

— Dmitry II (1284-1293);

— Andrei Gorodetsky (1293-1304);

— Michael “Saint” of Tverskoy (1305-1317).

All rulers of Russia after the transfer of the capital to Moscow until the appearance of the first tsars

The transfer of the capital from Vladimir to Moscow chronologically approximately coincides with the end of the period of feudal fragmentation of Rus' and the strengthening of the main center of political influence. Most of the princes were on the throne longer than the rulers of the Vladimir period. So:

- Prince Ivan (1328-1340);

— Semyon Ivanovich (1340-1353);

— Ivan the Red (1353-1359);

— Alexey Byakont (1359-1368);

— Dmitry (Donskoy), famous commander (1368-1389);

— Vasily Dmitrievich (1389-1425);

— Sophia of Lithuania (1425-1432);

— Vasily the Dark (1432-1462);

— Ivan III (1462-1505);

— Vasily Ivanovich (1505-1533);

— Elena Glinskaya (1533-1538);

The decade before 1548 was a difficult period in the history of Russia, when the situation developed in such a way that the princely dynasty actually ended. There was a period of timelessness when boyar families were in power.

The reign of tsars in Rus': the beginning of the monarchy

Historians distinguish three chronological periods in the development of the Russian monarchy:
before the accession to the throne of Peter the Great, the reign of Peter the Great and after him. The reign dates of all the rulers of Russia from 1548 to the end of the 17th century are as follows:

— Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible (1548-1574);

— Semyon Kasimovsky (1574-1576);

- again Ivan the Terrible (1576-1584);

— Feodor (1584-1598).

Tsar Fedor had no heirs, so the Rurik dynasty was interrupted. 1598-1612 is one of the most difficult periods in the history of our homeland. Rulers changed almost every year. Since 1613, the Romanov dynasty has ruled the country:

— Mikhail, the first representative of the Romanov dynasty (1613-1645);

- Alexei Mikhailovich, son of the first emperor (1645-1676);

- Fyodor Alekseevich ascended the throne in 1676 and ruled for 6 years;

- Sophia, his sister, reigned from 1682 to 1689.

In the 17th century, stability finally came to Rus'. The central government has strengthened, reforms are gradually beginning, leading to the fact that Russia has grown territorially and strengthened, and the leading world powers began to take it into account. The main credit for changing the face of the state belongs to the great Russian Tsar Peter I (1689-1725), who simultaneously became the first emperor.

The reign of Peter the Great was the heyday of the Russian state, when the empire acquired its own strong fleet and strengthened the army. All Russian rulers, from Rurik to Putin, understood the importance of the armed forces, but few were given the opportunity to realize the country's enormous potential. An important feature of that time was Russia's aggressive foreign policy, which manifested itself in the forcible annexation of new regions (Russian-Turkish wars, the Azov campaign).

The chronology of the rulers of Russia from 1725 to 1917 is as follows:

— Ekaterina Skavronskaya (1725-1727);

- Queen Anna (1730-1740);

— Ivan Antonovich (1740-1741);

— Ekaterina Petrovna (1741-1761);

— Pyotr Fedorovich (1761-1762);

— Catherine the Great (1762-1796);

— Pavel Petrovich (1796-1801);

— Alexander I (1081-1825);

— Nicholas I (1825-1855);

- Alexander II (1855 - 1881);

— Alexander III (1881-1894);

- Nicholas II - the last of the Romanovs, ruled until 1917.

This marks the end of a huge period of development of the state, when the kings were in power. After the October Revolution, a new political structure appeared - the republic.

Russia during the USSR and after its collapse

The first few years after the revolution were difficult. Among the rulers of this period one can single out Alexander Fedorovich Kerensky. After the legal registration of the USSR as a state and until 1924, Vladimir Lenin led the country. Next, the chronology of the rulers of Russia looks like this:

— Dzhugashvili Joseph Vissarionovich (1924-1953);

— Nikita Khrushchev was the First Secretary of the CPSU after the death of Stalin until 1964;

— Leonid Brezhnev (1964-1982);

— Yuri Andropov (1982-1984);

— Konstantin Chernenko, General Secretary of the CPSU (1984-1985);

— Mikhail Gorbachev, first president of the USSR (1985-1991);

— Boris Yeltsin, leader of independent Russia (1991-1999);

- current head of state Putin - President of Russia since 2000 (with a break of 4 years, when the state was led by Dmitry Medvedev)

All the rulers of Russia from Rurik to Putin, who have been in power for the entire more than thousand-year history of the state, are patriots who wanted the flourishing of all the lands of the vast country. Most of the rulers were not random people in this difficult field and each made their own contribution to the development and formation of Russia. Of course, all the rulers of Russia wanted the good and prosperity of their subjects: the main forces were always directed to strengthening the borders, expanding trade, and strengthening defense capabilities.

From the Carpathians to the Urals: who ruled the lands of Rus' in the Middle Ages?

The fragmentation of Rus' into many appanage principalities is the merit, rather, of the Golden Horde than of previous Russian rulers.

Collapse of the Old Russian State and Lithuania

Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas - founder of the dynasty

If in the ancient Russian principalities the Rurikovichs remained in power, then in Lithuania their own dynasty of Gediminovichs appeared.

The ruling family, apparently, came from the tribal princes of the Yatvingians, who at that time had the reputation of real savages and robbers.

The belligerence of the Lithuanian Gediminovichs became an important factor in their policy.

Three parts of Russian lands after the Tatar invasion

Moscow in the 14th century

All destinies of this region were ruled by the Rurikovichs - the old Russian dynasty. Formally, Muscovite Rus' remained a vassal of the Horde. In fact, vassal obligations were already ignored from the middle of the 14th century, and dependence was limited to the payment of tribute.

Daniil Galitsky from the Rurik family, a descendant of the Kyiv prince Vladimir Monomakh, in 1252 accepted the title of “King of Rus'” from the Pope.

With the help of the prestigious royal crown, he hoped to strengthen his power.

"King of Rus'" Daniil Galitsky

However, his heirs forgot about the title, and only Daniel’s grandson, Yuri, became the next “King of Rus'”.

Galicia, of course, was also a vassal of the Golden Horde, paid tribute to the khans and even sent troops to participate in joint campaigns with the Tatars against Poland.

Battle of Kulikovo. Artist S. Prisekin

In the west, Lithuania's expansion led to conflict with Moscow. Their confrontation became the main content of Russian domestic policy in the next hundred years.

The conflict was related to the resolution of the issue of the unification of Rus'. Both the old Rurikovich and the new Gediminovich laid claim to the role of head of the new unified state.

Later, a religious conflict between Orthodoxy and Catholicism was added to the confrontation. But in the 14th–15th centuries, the descendants of the appanage princes - who were all Rurikovichs without exception - had a simple choice: to serve the Grand Duke from “their” dynasty or from someone else’s. Many consciously chose “their own”.

Adventures of the title "King of Rus'"

But Galician Rus' ceased to exist at the end of the 14th century. Since 1349, there was a fierce struggle for the lands of Galicia between Poland and Lithuania.

"King of Rus'" Casimir III with his subjects

The next Polish rulers, already from the Gediminovich dynasty, forgot about the Galician title. But the Hungarian kings immediately remembered him.

Using the title, they symbolically designated claims to the lands of Galicia, originating from its first conqueror, King Louis. The monarch was also the ruler of not only Poland, but also Hungary.

"Reitan - the decline of Poland." Artist Jan Matejko

First Tsar of All Rus' Ivan III

Already at the end of the century, the Moscow principality was completely freed from the power of the Horde, while Lithuania continued to pay tribute and receive labels from the Crimean Khanate.

Thus ended the history of the Middle Ages in the lands of Rus'.

Kievan Rus in the 13th century (briefly)

13th century in the history of Rus' began without any special external shocks, but in the midst of endless internal strife. The princes divided the lands and fought for power. And soon the internal troubles of Rus' were joined by danger from the outside. The brutal conquerors from the depths of Asia under the leadership of Temujin (Genghis Khan, meaning “great khan”) began their actions.

The armies of the nomadic Mongols mercilessly destroyed people and conquered lands. Soon the Polovsk khans asked for help from the Russian princes, and they agreed to oppose the approaching enemy.

In 1223, a battle took place on the river. Kalke. Due to the fragmented actions of the princes and the lack of a unified command, the Russian warriors suffered heavy losses and left the battlefield. The Mongol troops pursued them to the very outskirts of Rus'. Having plundered and devastated them, they moved no further.

In 1237, the troops of Temuchin’s grandson, Batu, entered the Ryazan principality. Ryazan fell. The conquests continued.

In 1238 on the river. Yuri Vsevolodovich's city army entered into battle with the invader's army, but lost to the Tatar-Mongols. At the same time, the southern Russian princes and Novgorod remained on the sidelines and did not come to the rescue.

In 1239-1240, having replenished his army, Batu undertook a new campaign against the Russian lands. At this time, the unaffected northwestern regions of Rus' (Novgorod and Pskov lands) were in danger from the crusading knights who had settled in the Baltic states, who wanted to spread the Catholic faith by force throughout Rus'. The Swedes and German knights were going to unite in the name of a common idea, but the Swedes were the first to act.

In 1240 (July 15), the Battle of the Neva took place: the Swedish fleet entered the mouth of the river. Not you. The Novgorodians turned to the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich for help. His son, the young Prince Alexander, set off with the army, counting on the surprise and speed of the onslaught. Although his army was outnumbered by his rival (even with the Novgorodians and commoners joining), Alexander's strategy worked. In this battle, Rus' won, and Alexander received the nickname Nevsky.

Meanwhile, the German knights gained strength and began military operations against Pskov and Novgorod. And again Alexander came to the rescue.

On April 5, 1242, the Battle of the Ice took place: troops met on the ice of Lake Peipsi. Alexander won again - thanks to a change in the order of the formation and coordinated actions. And the knights’ uniforms played against them: when they retreated, the ice began to break under their weight.

In 1243 the Golden Horde was formed. Formally, the Russian lands were not part of this state, but were subject to it: they were obliged to replenish the treasury of the Horde, and the princes had to receive labels to reign at the khan’s headquarters.

During the second half of the 13th century. The Horde made devastating campaigns against Rus' more than once. Cities and villages were ruined.

1251-1263 - reign of Alexander Nevsky.

Due to the invasions of conquerors, during which settlements were destroyed, many cultural monuments of Ancient Rus' of the 10th-13th centuries disappeared. Churches, cathedrals, icons, as well as works of literature, religious objects and jewelry remained intact.

The basis of Old Russian culture is the heritage of the East Slavic tribes. It was influenced by nomadic peoples, the Varangians. In addition, the peculiarities of cultural development are associated with the adoption of Christianity, as well as the influence of Byzantium and Western European countries.

With the adoption of Christianity, literacy began to spread, writing developed, enlightenment began, and Byzantine customs began to be introduced.

These changes also influenced 13th-century clothing. in Rus'. Its cut was simple and uniform; items differed mainly in fabric. The suit became longer and looser, not emphasizing the figure, but giving it a static look.

The nobility wore expensive foreign fabrics (velvet, brocade, taffeta, silk) and furs (sable, otter, marten). Ordinary people used canvas fabric, hare and squirrel fur, as well as sheepskin for clothing.

The 14th century is the “finest hour” of Moscow in the history of Russia.
It is perhaps impossible to find a more problematic period in the ruins of the once powerful Kievan Rus than the 14th century. The strife of the 12th century led to this situation, breaking the country into separate principalities. This circumstance was partly the reason for the catastrophic conquest of almost all Russian lands by Batu’s army in the 13th century and the establishment of the heavy yoke of the Tatar-Mongol Golden Horde and the creeping occupation of southwestern Rus' by the Poles and Lithuanians. After the pogrom of 1240, Kyiv was unable to restore its former influence.
In such difficult conditions, the importance of the Vladimir Principality increased. In the depths of this large territorial formation in the north-east of Rus' in the 11th century, a small and at first unremarkable town appeared on the Moscow River. The village was simply called Moscow, and for it the 14th century truly became its “finest hour,” because it was the local rulers who managed to unite the Russian principalities under their hands. Moscow became one of the centers of Orthodoxy and rose up like a phoenix of a mighty kingdom.
It is worth setting a goal to identify the cause-and-effect relationships that led Moscow to claims of dominance in its territorial segment (north-eastern Rus'). What events contributed to her rise? Determine the relationship between internal contradictions in the Moscow principality and the growth of its authority as a unifier of Russian lands.

The end justifies all the means

The history of the Moscow principality, as a small and poor inheritance, begins in the middle of the 13th century, when, as a result of the division of the inheritance of Alexander Nevsky, it went to his two-year-old fourth son Daniil. He began to reign here as an adult in 1276 and managed to bring its status to that of a capital-prince. Prince Daniil took full advantage of Moscow’s favorable location at the intersection of land and water trade routes. This led to the fact that it was here that the conditions for the formation of a center really emerged, where a new Russian community could take shape. The last years of the reign of the founder of the Moscow principality occurred at the beginning of the 14th century in Russian history. The first significant events were the annexation of Kolomna to Moscow in 1301, the next year the whole

Pereyaslavl principality, and a year later Mozhaisk.

After the death of Prince Daniil Alexandrovich, the Moscow table was taken by the eldest son Yuri Danilovich. Already in 1304, he started a lawsuit for the great reign in the Vladimir land with the Tver prince Mikhail Yaroslavich. Apparently, the arguments of the new applicant for the coveted label were not as convincing as those of his Tver colleagues. Khan Uzbek in 1305 entrusted the great reign of Vladimir to Mikhail Tver, even despite the direct support of the candidacy of the Moscow prince by Metropolitan Peter of All Rus'. Only in 1317 did Yuri Danilovich manage to achieve the Grand Duke's label.
True, for the sake of this they had to slander Mikhail Tverskoy in the poisoning of Yuri’s wife Agafya, nee Konchaka, the sister of Khan Uzbek. Then, of course, it came back to haunt him: the son of the Tver prince Dmitry, who was executed by slander, Yuri, formally recognizing the power of the Moscow prince, literally hunted him. So, after fraud with the scrolling of the collected Horde tribute at the Novgorod auction, Yuri was summoned to the Horde for explanations. The prince did not go not only because he feared the khan’s wrath, but also because of fear of Dmitry Tverskoy, who was waiting for him on the way to Sarai. Moscow lost the label for a while, and Prince Dmitry of Tver still got “formidable eyes” for Yuri Danilovich in the Horde, although he also lost his violent little head for lynching.

Slowly towards a great goal

After the death of Prince Yuri in 1325, his brother Ivan, known to everyone as “Kalita,” began to reign. Unlike Yuri, who was constantly traveling, Ivan Danilovich willingly remained on the farm in Moscow. He conducted his affairs diligently and skillfully used the accumulated funds for the good of his estate. Having become the Grand Duke, he significantly expanded Moscow's possessions by purchasing cities and villages from other people's estates. In the confrontation with Tver, Ivan did not disdain anything and snatched for Moscow a label for the great reign, which never left the capital.
Ivan Kalita built an oak Kremlin and brought order to the roads, strictly pursuing robbers. Boyars and simple settlers flocked to him, filling the vast lands with working and serving populations. No less important was the move of the Metropolitan from Vladimir to Moscow, which made it the spiritual center of Orthodox Rus'.
His successor Simeon the Proud continued to round off his possessions by purchasing new lands and the policy of acquisition and accumulation. He did not waste his father’s inheritance and left his brother Ivan Ivanovich the funds to acquire the Trans-Oka lands. In addition, Ivan actively and profitably changed land, but did not anger God too much and tried not to offend weak neighbors.
The same cannot be said about his son, known as Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy. He had already forced weak appanage princes to obey, like Konstantin Vasilkovich of Rostov, expelled others from his possessions, like princes Dmitry Galitsky and Ivan Starodubsky, and because of the controversial purchase of the Meshchera region, he quarreled with the Ryazan prince on the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo.

Demonstration of the character of the Russian people

Already in the second half of the 14th century, the Moscow principality became stronger not only economically, but also spiritually. Along with the metropolitan see, to which Alexy, a native of the Moscow boyars, was appointed, the famous Russian spiritual ascetic Sergius of Radonezh founded the Trinity-Sergius Lavra in the lands of the principality. All this emphasized Moscow's governing authority.
The renewed Rus' felt the ability to break the iron grip of Mongol-Tatar rule. The character of the Moscow prince began to emerge in his relations with the Horde. The first clash on the Piana River in 1377 did not bring victory to Moscow, but forced it to “learn a lesson.” The very next year, Murza Begich’s army of twenty thousand was completely defeated.
In 1380, Russian regiments, led by the Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich, met on September 8 on the Kulikovo field with the Horde hordes of Mamai. This battle can be considered the main event in the history of Russia in the 14th century. The battle was hot and at first it was impossible to determine the winner. Only the hidden reserve - the ambush regiment - decided the fate of the battle in favor of the Russian army. The losses were enormous, but the victory instilled hope for complete liberation from the Tatar yoke and accelerated the political fragmentation of the Golden Horde. Undoubtedly, Moscow has become the uncontested center of Russian lands.
Even Tokhtamysh’s ruinous campaign did not change the established status of Moscow one iota. Having recovered a little from the attack, Dmitry Donskoy resolved the Meshchera issue with Oleg of Ryazan and recognized the Great Reign of Vladimir with its district as the heritage of the princes of Moscow and bequeathed it to his son Vasily. In 1397, the heir of the glorious Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Vasily, took away part of the lands from the Novgorodians, including the cities of Rzhev and Vologda. He continued farming in the Oka region, taking Kozelsk and Lyubutsk, annexing the Suzdal principality and other lands.
The 14th century is also famous in Russian history for the construction of the first stone Moscow Kremlin. The Laurentian Chronicle was compiled. The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God was transferred to Moscow from Vladimir. They also survived the Lithuanian invasion of Moscow and the plague epidemic. Everything in nature is interconnected and interdependent.
Thus, the monstrous tangle of contradictions that swirled in the history of Russia in the 14th century gave birth to the preconditions for the formation of a great Russian power.