Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich: biography, board of directors

The exact date of birth of Vsevolod Mstislavich is unknown. Historians say that he was born around 1095. Prince Vsevolod was the eldest son of Mstislav the Great and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh. His grandfather Inge on the maternal line was the Swedish king.

Beginning of the Board in Novgorod

If in Russia the old order of succession was still preserved, then Vsevolod could become the ruler of Kiev. However, in the XII century, the East Slavic state finally passed into the stage of feudal fragmentation, when there was no single authority, but there were several centers of influence. One of them was Novgorod the Great. It was the second largest city in Russia, its unofficial northern capital.

It was there that in 1117 the young Vsevolod was sent. However, citizens of Novgorod were the most freedom-loving and restless. Here, the significance of the Veche Assembly in the central square of the city, where the most important decisions were made, was still very important. The princely power here competed with the power of the posadniks. It was an elective post. Most often, local merchants or boyars became posadniki.

In the first year of the reign of Vsevolod the Novgorodians began to make independent decisions without asking the young governor about this. This behavior led to the fury of Vladimir Monomakh, who ruled in Kiev and was conditionally considered the oldest and most important prince. He called in the southern capital of the Novgorod boyars, half of whom left in hostages. The rest returned to their city and persuaded their fellow citizens to accept the appointed posadnikom Monomakh.

Trekking in the Chud

In 1131 Vsevolod united with his younger brothers from other principalities (Izyaslav, Rostislav and Yaropolk) and went on a campaign against the Baltic chud. These were the ancestors of modern Estonians. The first campaign was successful. Russian troops burned many villages, captured prisoners and prey. However, the second campaign ended in the defeat and death of a large number of Novgorod soldiers.

The Prince of Pereyaslavl

When in 1132 the father of Vsevolod Mstislav died, Kiev passed to his uncle, Yaropolk Vladimirovich. Even during the life of his elder brother, he promised that he would give his nephew his former possessions - Pereyaslavl. Vsevolod left Novgorod for a short time to get a southern city.

However, he never managed to start there to rule. Another of his uncles, Yuri Dolgoruky, drove his nephew from Pereyaslavl. He was afraid that Vsevolod would become the heir of Yaropolk in Kiev. According to the new order, power in the "mother of Russian cities" was passed according to seniority.

The expelled prince Vsevolod returned to Novgorod. However, the townspeople did not want to accept it, accusing them of treason. The prince left them to rule in Pereyaslavl, and therefore violated the promise to die with them.

Again the Novgorod prince

However, soon the Novgorodians changed their minds. They returned the prince to the city. However, now his power was limited to the posadniki. They turned from servants and prince's assistants to his co-rulers.

Meanwhile, the western limits of the Novgorod land continued to be troubled by the raids of the wild chudis. Prince Vsevolod decided to put an end to this. On February 9, 1033, he captured the city of Yuryev. This fortress was founded by Yaroslav the Wise. He called her by his Christian name given to him at baptism. In 1061, the local tribes regained control of this place, while the Russian rulers continued internecine wars.

The news of Yuryev's return was accepted by Novgorodians with great joy. However, there was still no peace in the city. The people, continuing to worry, fought, among other things, local officials. One of them was even thrown from the bridge to Volkhov. This place was for Novgorod akin to a rock in Sparta, where they got rid of sickly babies.

War with Yuri Dolgoruky

Therefore, Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich urgently needed something that could distract the troubled people. Soon such an occasion was found. In South Russia wars continued between the feuding princes. The younger brother of Vsevolod Izyaslav ruled in Turov, where he was expelled by his uncles.

The fugitive took refuge in Novgorod. The brothers decided to oppose Yuri Dolgoruky, with whom they had old scores. In addition, the Suzdal prince was dissatisfied with the Novgorod people. Bread, which they bought in the land of Yuri Dolgoruky, was now subject to an additional duty, because of what his price jumped dramatically.

The inhabitants themselves demanded that their prince march. The army left the city on December 31, 1134. The path to the enemy's land took about a month. The brothers agreed that, if successful, Izyaslav would become the Suzdal prince.

Battle of Zhdana Mountain

January 26, 1135 the enemies met. The Novgorodians settled on Zhdanoi Mountain. Suzdal had to knock out the enemy from occupied height. In order to do this, it was decided to allocate a detachment, which went around to the rear of the enemy.

Finally, the Novgorodians rushed down, trying to smash the enemy. At first the Suzdalians found themselves in a very difficult situation, even the prince's banner was seized. However, at the most crucial moment, a detachment sent to the rear came to the rescue. The Novgorodians were caught between two fires. Many people were killed, including the city's posadnik and the thousandth.

Prince Vsevolod of Novgorod escaped from the battlefield. In honor of the deceased, he ordered the construction of the Church of the Assumption. On the eve of the campaign, Metropolitan Michael of Kiev came to the city, urging the Novgorodians not to start bloodshed. He was detained. After the defeat Novgorodians with honors released the minister of the Church. In Suzdal princedom in the memory of the battle at Zhdana mountain in its place was erected a monastery. Fearing the western neighbors, Yury Dolgoruky founded Moscow in a few years.

Expulsion from Novgorod

However, Prince Vsevolod, whose brief biography already knew the ups and downs, was never able to recover from defeat. Citizens were unhappy with his escape from the battlefield. In 1136 they announced to Vsevolod that they were depriving him of power. The reasons were also named: dislike for the people, leaving for Pereyaslavl several years ago, flight during the battle at Zhdana Mountain, a fickle policy in which he supported the Kiev princes and then the princes of Chernigov.

Vsevolod and his family were sent to prison, where he stayed for 7 weeks, waiting for his fate. At this time the Novgorodians decided to summon the princes by the decision of the veche. This became the end of the classical monarchy in this city. Novgorod became the first republic in Russia - later a similar system will appear in Pskov.

The first was called Svyatoslav Olgovich - the son of the prince of Chernigov. Only after he arrived in the city, Vsevolod, on the decision of the veche, was released and permanently expelled.

Prince of Vyshgorod and Pskov

He arrived in Kiev to his uncle Yaropolk. He gave him to manage a small Vyshgorod. However, the reign of Prince Vsevolod in Novgorod did not pass without a trace. There he left a lot of supporters, including the local posadnik. At first they almost killed the new prince Svyatoslav Olgovich, but in the end they left for Vyshgorod to their ruler.

Among them were the Pskovites. They called Vsevolod to rule in their city, which was in a semi-dependent position from Novgorod. The prince loved the Russian north, in the south he was uncomfortable among the endless strife of local destinies. He happily went to Pskov, on the way enlisting the support of the Polotsk prince Vasilko. He in 1129 was exiled by the father of Vsevolod to Constantinople. Therefore, even Vasilko had a serious reason to take revenge on the guest. However, he generously forgot the insult to Mstislav and even conducted Vsevolod with his army to Pskov.

He was gladly received in the city, which from that moment became an independent principality. However, in Novgorod this news has led the people into a rage. The inhabitants of the city plundered the houses of the remaining well-wishers Vsevolod. In addition, they raised money to buy the necessary weapons needed in the march to Pskov. Svyatoslav called to the aid of his brother, Kursk prince Gleb. The Polovtsy nomads went to the north, who were allies of the Chernigov rulers. Never have they plundered the northern borders of Russia, and now they were waiting for this campaign with joy.

However, the Pskovites did not lose heart. They armed themselves and blocked all roads to the city. For this, trees felled and fortifications were built. Finally Svyatoslav reached Dubrovna and turned back, not daring to commit bloodshed.

The conflict persisted, but the biography of Prince Vsevolod was interrupted. He died of health problems in 1138. His place was taken by the younger brother Svyatopolk. Thus, Vsevolod managed to stay a Pskov prince for exactly one year. He had a son Vladimir and a daughter of Verkhuslava, who married the Polish ruler Boleslav IV Kudryavy.

Canonization

It is known that Vsevolod Mstislavovich, Prince of Novgorod, actively invested in the construction of Orthodox churches. In 1127 he laid the church of John the Baptist in honor of the birth of his son Ivan, who soon died in infancy. Also known is his other temple - the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Both buildings have survived to this day. For this the prince was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in the 16th century.