Historians cannot definitively say the date of birth of Andrei Bogolyubsky. He was first mentioned in Russian chronicles in connection with the feud between his father Yuri Dolgoruky and Izyaslav Mstislavovich. Some researchers claim that the future Prince Andrei was born in 1111 (there is a version that in 1113). Little is known about his childhood. Having received a good upbringing and education, he devoted a lot of time to studying Christianity. Detailed information about his life appears only after Andrei reaches adulthood. It was then that the young prince, by order of his father, began to reign in different cities.
In 1149, at the insistence of his father, he went to reign in Vyshgorod, but a year later he was transferred to the cities of Pinsk, Peresopnitsa and Turov, where he stayed for about a year. By 1151, Dolgoruky again returned his son to the Suzdal land, where he reigned until 1155 and again went to Vyshgorod.
Despite his father's will (Dolgoruky wanted to see his son as a prince in Vyshgorod), Prince Andrei returns to Vladimir, where he brings with him the icon of the Mother of God, which later began to be called the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God.
In 1157, after the death of Yuri Dolgoruky, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky assumed his father's title, but at the same time decided to remain in Vladimir without moving to Kyiv. Historians believe that this act of the prince was the first step towards the decentralization of power. Also in the same year he was elected Prince of Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir.
In 1162, relying on the help of his squad, Andrei Bogolyubsky expels all relatives from his principalities, thereby becoming the sole ruler of these lands. During his reign, the prince expanded his power, subjugating and conquering many surrounding lands in northeastern Rus'. In 1169 Bogolyubsky launched an attack on Kyiv, which resulted in a completely devastated city.
Andrei Bogolyubsky was killed by the boyars in 1174 on the thirtieth of June in the city of Bogolyubovka, which he founded. Historians believe that the organization of the conspiracy against the prince was influenced by his politics and his growing authority among the population, which was not in the hands of the boyars.
In 1702, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky was canonized precisely for his domestic policies based on the Christian faith. In addition, the prince built cathedrals and churches throughout the territory of his state.
; Prince of Vyshgorod, Dorogobuzh, Grand Duke Vladimirsky
He received his nickname “Bogolyubsky” due to the fact that he gave a decree to found the city of Bogolyuby on the river. Nerl.
Andrei Bogolyubsky is one of the most prominent politicians Ancient Rus'. During his reign, the capital of the state was moved from Kyiv to Vladimir, which had a huge impact on further development states.
In the 18th century. was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as a saint; his relics are kept in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.
Brief biography of Andrei Bogolyubsky
The first mentions of Andrei Bogolyubsky in chronicles date back to the period of enmity between his father, Yuri Dolgoruky, and his nephew, Izyaslav Mstislavovich.
The exact date of birth is unknown. Presumably, the future prince was born in 1111 in Suzdal (now Vladimir region). Little is known about Andrei's life in childhood and youth. Scientists suggest that he, like all the sons of princes, received a good upbringing and education, in which spirituality and Christianity played an important role.
After coming of age, in 1149, Yuri sent his son to reign in Vyshgorod, but just a year later Andrei was transferred to the west of Rus', where he ruled Turov, Pinsk and Peresopnitsa. In 1151, Dolgoruky returned his son back to the Suzdal land, and in 1155 he again sent him to reign in Vyshgorod. Contrary to the will of his father, after some time Andrei returns to Vladimir and, according to the chronicle, brings with him an icon of the Mother of God (later the Mother of God of Vladimir). Bogolyubsky continues to rule in Vladimir, which at that time was a fairly small city, inferior in its political and economic influence to Rostov, Murom and other cities.
In 1157, Yuri Dolgoruky dies, and Andrei inherits the title of Prince of Kyiv, but refuses to move to Kyiv, despite the established custom. In the same year, Andrei Bogolyubsky was elected prince of Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir. In 1162, relying on the help of his servants, Bogolyubsky expels all his relatives, the squad of his late father, from the Rostov-Suzdal principality and becomes the sole representative of power in the principality.
Andrei Bogolyubsky's refusal to reign in Kyiv was perceived as a transfer of the capital of Rus' to Vladimir, but historians still dispute the legitimacy of such a statement. Nevertheless, in the literature one can very often find the statement that Andrei Bogolyubsky made Vladimir the new capital of the state during his reign; such a version is considered generally accepted.
During his reign in Vladimir, Andrei Bogolyubsky was able to subjugate many lands and conquer a huge political influence in the northeast of Rus'.
In 1164, Prince Andrei and his army made a successful campaign against the Volga Bulgars, and in 1169 - a campaign against Kyiv, as a result of which the city was devastated by his warriors.
Andrei Bogolyubsky dies on the night of June 29-30, 1174 in Bogolyubovo as a result of a conspiracy of boyars from among his closest associates. In 1702 he was canonized.
Domestic and foreign policy of Andrei Bogolyubsky
At the very beginning of Andrei's reign, the Rostov-Suzdal principality developed rapidly thanks to the influx of people from other lands who fled Kyiv, the situation in which was becoming increasingly dangerous due to constant attacks.
It was thanks to the efforts of Andrei Bogolyubsky that the city of Vladimir and the Rostov-Suzdal principality turned into one of the main political and economic centers of Rus', taking away part of the power from Kyiv. And during the reign of Andrei, Vladimir turned from a small city into a real capital: a fortress, the Assumption Cathedral and other buildings were built that formed the image of the city. Political and economic life was in full swing in Vladimir.
Historians agree that it was this transfer of power to Vladimir that in many ways became the precursor to the further strengthening of this part of Rus' and the weakening of Kyiv. Andrei Bogolyubsky, who actively pursued a policy of strengthening autocracy, is considered a harbinger of the formation of a system of autocracy in Rus'.
Andrei Bogolyubsky also did a lot for the development of culture and religion in Rus'. He tried several times to gain independence from the Kyiv metropolis, but he never succeeded. Despite this, the prince sought greater religious and cultural independence of Rus' from Byzantium (culture in those days was inextricably linked with religion): he founded several new holidays, invited numerous architects to build and decorate churches, which contributed to the development of Russian architecture and art.
In addition to the development of the Rostov-Suzdal principality, Andrei Bogolyubsky quite often made campaigns against his neighbors - Novgorod, Kyiv - in order to strengthen power. In foreign policy, the prince, like his predecessors, strove for greater independence of Rus'.
The results of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky
According to historians, Prince Andrei tried to carry out a revolution in the political system of Rus' and shift the center of power, which he largely succeeded in doing. The result of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky was the emergence of a new political and economic center - Vladimir.
Andrei Bogolyubsky and his father, Yuri Dolgoruky, had a complex relationship. Dolgoruky did not want to give up the idea of the supremacy of Kyiv and stubbornly sought to “sit down” there. Andrei Yuryevich, on the contrary, worked very successfully to create a new center of gravity - Vladimir. But both of them - one unwittingly, the other quite consciously - determined the further development of Rus'. And this happened precisely in the middle of the 12th century.
In life and actions Grand Duke Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky there were many contradictions. As a man of his age, he was cruel. Political foresight was combined in him with cunning and lust for power.
Love for piety and liturgical beauty - with the desire to help the Church solve immediate administrative problems. But in history he remained precisely as “Bogolyubsky”.
Briefly the years of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky:
- Prince Vyshgorod (1149, 1155)
- Dorogobuzhsky (1150-1151)
- Ryazansky (1153)
- Grand Duke of Vladimir (1157-1174).
Andrei Bogolyubsky, years of life and reign of Prince Andrei.
The first date seems more plausible, because Andrei Bogolyubsky was apparently the second son of Yuri Dolgoruky, who had many children. Yuri Vladimirovich entered into his first marriage in 1107, taking as his wife the daughter of the Polovtsian prince Aepa, and four years later Andrei Yuryevich was born. Everything fits together.
His place of birth was Rostov-Suzdal Rus', here he received his first impressions of life, and it was this remote and wooded region that he considered his homeland. Bogolyubsky is very significant and bright in the history of the formation of the Russian state.
The youth of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, internecine wars
From a young age, Prince Andrei found himself immersed in a maelstrom of internecine strife, in which his father took an active part. The fight was fought mainly around, it changed hands several times, and Andrei Yuryevich regularly participated in the battles on the side of Yuri Dolgoruky, showing undoubted courage. In one of the battles, near Lutsk, he almost died; his horse carried him out of the battle. The noble animal, being mortally wounded, saved its owner, and he honored the memory of his faithful friend as best he could: he buried him on a hill near the Styr River.
At the same time, compared to his relatives, Prince Andrei Yuryevich demonstrated exceptional peacefulness. In particular, in 1150 it was he who insisted on the reconciliation of long-time enemies and rivals for the Kiev throne - Yuri Vladimirovich and Izyaslav Mstislavich. However, the peace was short-lived. Yuri Dolgoruky refused to return to Izyaslav the booty seized under, which was one of the terms of the agreement, and the feud broke out with renewed vigor.
In 1151, Izyaslav Mstislavich defeated his rival. The victory, it seemed, was final. He established himself in Kyiv, and concluded an agreement with the defeated Yuri Dolgoruky, according to which he was to return with all his sons to his native land.
However, Yuri Vladimirovich was in no hurry to go home, causing the discontent of his son Andrei, who felt uncomfortable in the southern Russian lands and understood that the local population treated Dolgoruky and his seed as alien invaders and in no way supported their claims to the Kiev throne.
In July 1151, Prince Yuri went with his sons on a pilgrimage to the temple of Boris and Gleb, built on the Alta River, where he was killed at one time. Here a quarrel occurred between Yuri and Andrei, and Andrei, disobeying his father, left for.
Nevertheless, in 1152 he again took part in the battle on the side of Yuri Dolgoruky, when he besieged Chernigov, planning to punish Prince of Chernigov Izyaslav Davydovich, who went over to the side of Izyaslav Mstislavich. The siege was not successful, and Prince Andrei was wounded under the walls of Chernigov.
In 1154, the long-term rivalry between princes Izyaslav and Yuri ceased due to an event that was as natural as it was unexpected: Izyaslav Mstislavich died. In March 1155, Yuri Dolgoruky established himself in Kyiv, giving Andrey Vyshgorod, which was very important strategically (which indicates Yuri Vladimirovich’s trust in his rebellious son). Apparently, Yuri Vladimirovich had in mind to transfer the Kiev throne to Andrei over time, but Andrei Yuryevich himself was not interested in this prospect. He still felt cramped in Kievan Rus, and eventually decided to escape to his native land.
Andrei Bogolyubsky steals the icon of the Mother of God and runs away to rule in Vladimir
N.I. Kostomarov writes:
“Andrei, apparently, then had a mature plan not only to retire to the Suzdal land, but to establish in it a center from which it would be possible to manage the affairs of Rus'...
Andrei, who in this case acted against his father’s will, needed to sanctify his actions in the eyes of the people with some kind of right. Until now, in the minds of Russians, there were two rights for princes - origin and election, but both of these rights became confused and collapsed, especially in southern Rus'. The princes, bypassing any eldership by birth, sought the princely tables, and the election ceased to be the unanimous choice of the entire land and depended on the military crowd - on the squads, so that, in essence, only one more right was retained - the right to be princes in Rus' to persons from the Rurik house ; but for which prince to reign where, there was no longer any other right for him than strength and luck. It was necessary to create a new law. Andrey found him; this right was the highest direct blessing of religion.”
In Vyshgorod at that time there was convent, which housed the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, brought from Constantinople. The strangest stories circulated among the people about this icon. They said, for example, that, being placed against the wall, the icon “retreated” from it to the middle of the temple, as if thereby showing its reluctance to be there. It was this icon that Prince Andrei planned to take with him to the Rostov-Suzdal land, wanting to give his native land a shrine that would be visible evidence of special Divine care for it and its inhabitants.
He could not openly take the icon from the monastery: the local residents would never give it up. Hiding from them, he was forced to act at night, with the help of accomplices from the monastery clergy, who took the icon out of the temple and - they had nowhere to retreat - together with the prince and his family left Vyshgorod. One of these accomplices, priest Mikola, would subsequently write a story about the murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky and thus remain for centuries.
The rise of Vladimir during the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky
Already on the road, the taken away icon of the Mother of God began, as legend says, to display miraculous properties, thereby showing God’s mercy towards the “pious thief.” (In general, it should be noted that the transfer of certain shrines from place to place often resembles a banal theft. The most famous of events of this kind was the transfer of the relics of St. Nicholas, Archbishop, to Bari, today marked in the church calendar as one of the important holidays.) But the main miracle happened near Vladimir, where the horses stopped, not having the strength to carry the shrine further. The Mother of God clearly showed Her intention to remain in Vladimir. But at that time it was a run-down town, which the residents of Suzdal and Rostov treated with undisguised contempt!
Over the next few years, Vladimir, thanks to the works of Prince Andrei, changed beyond recognition. While rebuilding and decorating his residence in Bogolyubovo, he did not forget about the city itself, where the Golden Gate (as if “in defiance” of a similar structure in Kyiv) and the amazing Assumption Cathedral appeared in the shortest possible time. In general, the prince did not spare expenses for the construction and decoration of churches - apparently, both out of personal attraction to church piety, and for reasons of strengthening his authority, for the construction of any new church, especially a stone, richly decorated one, aroused respect among the people for its creator. Vladimir grew, became more populated and became fatter. There were also more clergymen, as a result of which, presumably, literacy spread. The surrounding villages also came to life, and the wilderness of Zalessi began to look more cheerful.
So, Vladimir owed his rise entirely to Prince Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky, and the inhabitants of this land for the time being showed, as they would say now, “loyalty” to him. If Andrei reigned in Suzdal and Rostov, then there he would inevitably have to come into conflict with the townspeople, who, although they were not as obstinate as the Novgorodians, still considered the veche power higher than the princely power. At first, there were external obstacles to his reign: Yuri Dolgoruky, not forgiving his stubborn son, put his youngest sons from his second wife to reign in Rostov and Suzdal. Of these, the youngest, Vsevolod (future), was only two years old. Thus, the father sought to humiliate Andrei, a mature husband, putting him on the same level - and even lower, since Vladimir was considered lower than both Rostov and Suzdal - with foolish babies.
And after all, every cloud has a silver lining! It was not so much Andrei who was insulted by his father as the residents of Suzdal and Rostov. And after the death of Yuri Dolgoruky in 1157, they unanimously elected Andrei as their prince at the assembly. He graciously accepted the election, but remained “sit” in Vladimir, or rather in Bogolyubovo.
Andrei Bogolyubsky Prince of the Rostov-Suzdal Land
Having become the sole ruler of the entire vast Rostov-Suzdal land, Prince Andrei pursued a rather tough policy, trying in every possible way to belittle the importance of the two original centers of Ancient Rus' - Kyiv and Novgorod. To do this, he took a series of military actions. One of them, the capture and unprecedented three-day sack of Kyiv, entered the brightest page in Russian chronicles (the robbers not only killed and took captive everyone, but also took aim at the sacred, at the churches - “they took icons, and books, and vestments...” ). Another is reflected in the famous icon “Battle of Novgorodians with Suzdalians”.
At the same time, Andrei Bogolyubsky did not want either the Kyiv, or even more so the Novgorod, reign for himself. He only wanted to confirm his own supremacy not only in the land where he actually reigned, but throughout all of Rus'. And he succeeded in this up to a certain point. In the 1160s, he was perhaps the most prominent “political player” in the entire Russian space.
In order to further enhance the importance of Vladimir, Prince Andrei wanted to establish his own metropolitanate, appointing his favorite false bishop Theodoretz as metropolitan, but in the end he was forced to abandon this intention, which met stubborn resistance in both Kyiv and Constantinople, and even extradite Theodoretz to the metropolitan court in Kyiv, where he was executed as a heretic.
The murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky on the night of June 30, 1174
Over time, Andrei Bogolyubsky's policies began to falter. The authoritarian style of his rule turned the nobility of Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir against him. Not to mention the fact that by the early 1170s he had almost no allies left among the princes. Too often he showed them the place. The prince lost the support of both his relatives and the boyars.
A conspiracy was formed, and Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky was brutally murdered in his palace. This happened on the night of June 30, 1174. And the Vladimir mob, like bad children left unattended, robbed and ruined Vladimir and Bogolyubovo for several days in a row. Only on the fifth day did the people come to their senses and “with great tears” buried the murdered prince near the walls of the Assumption Cathedral.
Canonization of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1702
The next point in our story about Andrei Bogolyubsky should be his canonization, which took place in 1702. And we already foresee the reader’s surprised question: for what? As a matter of fact, he differed from most of his contemporary relatives, who fought among themselves every now and then (at the same time, peaceful villagers and townspeople suffered), he differed only in his great political talents and will to power. Peaceful? Yes, but only in comparison with others. Pious? Yes, but he almost caused a church schism with the zealous “promotion” of Theodore. And yet - canonized.
We must remember that the Church from time to time canonizes certain statesmen not because of, but in spite of many of their actions, and the case of Andrei Bogolyubsky is no exception. Dmitry Donskoy (the holy believer), by the way, also took persistent steps towards the elevation of his confessor, Archimandrite of the Novospassky Monastery Mitya, to the Moscow Metropolis. But no one, except meticulous historians of the Church, has long given him this thumbs down. And they don’t remember about it. And they remember the Battle of Kulikovo and the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh. So it is here.
The story of Andrei Bogolyubsky’s expulsion of his younger brothers (from another mother) from the Rostov-Suzdal borders was forgotten, and the sack of Kyiv initiated by him was forgotten. Much has been forgotten. But it has not been forgotten that it was he, Andrei, who was chosen by the Lord as an instrument for glorifying the icon of the Mother of God stolen from Vyshgorod as precisely “that same Vladimir”, to which all of Rus' has been falling in prayer for almost how many centuries. The marvelous white stone churches have not been forgotten - especially since here they are: the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, the unique Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. Finally, death, truly martyrdom, is worth something. And so, the relics of the God-loving prince rest in the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, and the people of Vladimir honor him as “their” saint, and the pilgrims, approaching his shrine, say:
In 1702, Andrei Bogolyubsky was canonized. At the same time they were found power.
In 1753, the relics of Andrei Bogolyubsky were re-veiled and placed in a new shrine.
In 1919, the relics of the holy prince were autopsied, after which they were transferred to the museum. The first serious study of the remains was undertaken in 1934, when they, without any description, so as not to lead researchers astray from the empirical path, were sent to the Leningrad Institute of the History of Feudal Societies (now the Institute of Archaeology). The scientists’ conclusions turned out to be in complete agreement with what we know about Andrei Bogolyubsky. The information about his death was also confirmed - the skeleton contained traces of many wounds inflicted on the back, side and on the already lying body.
It also turned out that the prince had partially fused cervical vertebrae. This forced him to always hold his head high, which gave him an arrogant, proud appearance.
From Leningrad the relics returned to Vladimir. When the wave of rabid atheism subsided and atheism took on “scientific” features, exhibiting them in a museum no longer seemed indecent (after all, it was a mockery of the remains of a prominent historical figure). And they “silently”, until 1982, without even being included in the inventory book, were stored in a closed museum fund.
In 1987, the transfer of the relics of Andrei Bogolyubsky to the Vladimir-Suzdal diocese took place. Now they are again in the Assumption Cathedral.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 27.04.2017 17:32
Andrey Bogolyubsky- Prince of Vyshgorod, Dorogobuzh, Ryazan and Vladimir. Is the son. During his reign, Bogolyubsky was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
During the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality acquired great influence in Rus' and over time became the basis of the Russian state. In this article we will look at the main events of Prince Bogolyubsky and the most interesting facts from his life.
So, in front of you short biography Andrey Bogolyubsky.
Biography of Andrei Bogolyubsky
Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky was born around 1111 in Rostov the Great. In 1149, Yuri Dolgoruky instructed Andrei to rule Vyshgorod. Soon the young prince took part in the war against the Polotsk and Volyn sovereign Izyaslav Mstislavich. Having reached Volyn, he showed unprecedented courage during the siege of Lutsk.
In 1153, Bogolyubsky began to rule the Ryazan principality, but was soon expelled from the throne by Rostislav Yaroslavovich. Later, he again began to rule Vyshgorod, but already in 1155 he decided to leave for Vladimir-on-Klyazma, stealing the icon of the Virgin Mary.
According to legend, Andrei Bogolyubsky allegedly saw a dream in which he was told to leave the icon in Vladimir, which he did. In addition, in the place where he had a dream, the prince formed the settlement of Bogolyubovo. It was after this that he was nicknamed Andrei Bogolyubsky.
Board of Andrei Bogolyubsky
When Yuri Dolgoruky died in 1157, Andrei Bogolyubsky began to rule the Vladimir, Rostov and principalities. Soon he decided to make Vladimir the capital.
After this, over the course of several years, he built a white stone fortress with 5 gates. An interesting fact is that one of them, the Golden Gate, can still be seen today.
Golden Gate in Vladimir In addition, Bogolyubsky erected the Assumption Cathedral and the famous Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, and was also involved in the construction of defensive structures. Then he began to carry out political reforms, wanting to strengthen his position on the throne.
In 1161, Andrei Yuryevich expelled his stepmother, the Greek princess Olga, from his lands, along with her 3 sons. Trying to manage all his possessions single-handedly, he decided to abolish the holding of veches, at which princes and nobles resolved various serious issues.
As a result, Bogolyubsky drove out all the boyars who had served his father, and many close relatives. Trying to develop feudal relations, he, first of all, hoped for the squad and residents of Vladimir. The prince also traded with the Rostov and Suzdal regions.
In 1159, Andrei occupied the small Novgorod fortification of Volok Lamsky. Then he made an attempt to create a metropolitanate on the subject lands, independent of the Kyiv one. However, this attempt was unsuccessful.
Reconstruction of Andrei Bogolyubsky's castle Andrei Bogolyubsky invited Western European masters to build churches and monasteries. Wanting to carry out reforms in the field of religion, he introduced some holidays in Rus'. It is believed that he was the initiator of the establishment of such holidays as Honey Spas and the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Capture of Kyiv (1169)
After the death of Rostislav in 1167, power in the Rurik family passed to Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Chernigov.
However, when other relatives intervened in the struggle for the throne, internecine wars began. Mstislav Izyaslavich Volynsky captured, expelling his uncle Vladimir Mstislavich, and installed his own son Roman to rule Novgorod.
Mstislav did everything possible to completely rule the Kyiv principality. However, he was opposed by his cousins, the Rostislavichs.
This state of affairs was only to the advantage of Andrei Bogolyubsky. Without wasting time, he sent his squad towards Kyiv, enlisting the support of 11 more Russian princes.
The Kiev campaign of 1169, led by Bogolyubsky's son Mstislav Andreevich, ended with the capture of Kyiv. After this, the city was subjected to two days of sack, and many of its inhabitants were captured.
Ultimately, Andrei’s brother Gleb became the new sovereign of the Kyiv lands. An interesting fact is that Andrei Yuryevich was the first in Rus' who managed to change the idea of seniority in the Rurikovich dynasty.
March on Novgorod (1170)
Having subjugated Kyiv, Andrei Bogolyubsky decides to assemble a squad against Novgorod. At the same time, the Novgorodians wanted to see Roman Galitsky, who was the son of Mstislav Izyaslavich, as their ruler.
Soon battles began between the armies of Andrei and Roman. As a result, the last prince won a landslide victory. Soon a great famine occurred in Novgorod, which prompted its residents to improve relations with Andrei.
Andrei Bogolyubsky on a postcard by Ivan Bilibin A number of historians believe that it was Bogolyubsky who, after the defeat, organized a food blockade, which ultimately had an effect and led to a truce.
Siege of Vyshgorod (1173)
When Gleb Yuryevich died in 1171, Vladimir Mstislavich found himself on the Kiev throne, but he soon died. Then the throne passed to the prince of the Smolensk Rostislavichs - Roman.
Andrei Bogolyubsky demanded that he hand over all high-ranking officials whom he suspected of poisoning Gleb.
However, Roman did not want to take such a step. In this regard, Andrew removed him from the throne and ordered him and his brothers to go back home. He did not dare to disobey Bogolyubsky’s decree, but one of the Rostislavichs, Mstislav the Brave, refused to obey the sovereign’s command.
Andrey Bogolyubsky reconstruction of Gerasimov Mstislav stated that he would not allow such rude treatment of him and his brothers. As a result, he cut off the beard of Ambassador Andrei, which was the reason for the war.
When Bogolyubsky's squad approached Vyshgorod, it began a large-scale siege. An interesting fact is that Andrei ordered Mstislav to be captured alive in order to get even with his offender. He, in turn, was forced to hide in the fortress along with his army, because he understood his powerlessness.
Meanwhile, Yaroslav Izyaslavich sent Volyn and Galician troops to help the besieged. When Andrei Bogolyubsky's regiments noticed Yaroslav's huge army from afar, they began to hastily flee from the battlefield. Mstislav, seeing support, left the fortress and, together with his squad, entered the battle.
During the retreat, many Suzdal residents found their death in the Dnieper, while others fell on the battlefield. Thus, the siege of Vyshgorod turned out to be extremely unsuccessful for Andrei Bogolyubsky.
Hiking to Volga Bulgaria
In 1164, Andrei Yuryevich went to war against the Volga Bulgars. The enemy suffered heavy human and technical losses. Bryakhimov was taken and 3 other cities were incinerated.
After 6 years, Bogolyubsky, together with his allies, again went to war against the Bulgars. The princes entered Bulgarian territory and began to plunder it mercilessly.
And although Andrei sometimes had to engage in battles with the enemy, he managed to completely subjugate these lands.
Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the remains of the princely palace (passage and staircase tower) in the Bogolyubsky Monastery, Bogolyubovo Personal life
In 1148, Andrei took as his wife the boyar's daughter Ulita, who was distinguished by her special beauty. In this marriage they had 5 children: Izyaslav, Mstislav, Yuri, Gleb and Rostislava.
An interesting fact is that Julitta conspired against her husband, for which she was executed in 1175. However, a number of historians believe that it was not her who was killed, but another, unknown wife of Bogolyubsky.
Death and canonization
The defeat of 1173 and tense relations with the nobility led to a conspiracy against Andrei Bogolyubsky. As a result, on the night of June 28-29, 1174, the prince was beaten to death by the boyars.
There is a version that the conspirators, having previously drunk wine, came to Andrei’s chambers to commit reprisals against him. The Emperor did not open the door and immediately rushed to the sword, which always hung near his bed. But as it turned out, the weapon was stolen in advance by the housekeeper Anbal.
Having broken the castle, the boyars attacked the defenseless prince and began to beat him. And although Bogolyubsky offered worthy resistance to the conspirators, the forces were too unequal. Finally, all wounded, he fell to the ground.
Murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky Thinking that Andrei had died, the killers triumphantly went to the cellar to drink wine. However, the prince, having regained consciousness, tried to escape from his residence.
But the villains found him following a trail of blood, after which they dealt him fatal blows. Bogolyubsky’s corpse lay in the courtyard, and meanwhile people were looting his chambers.
Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky was buried in the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. In 1702, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint.
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One of the most outstanding rulers of Ancient Rus' is Andrei Bogolyubsky, who had the loud title “Holy Blessed Prince”. He, as the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, ruled with dignity, honorably continuing the work of his famous ancestors. He founded the city of Bogolyuby, in whose honor he received his nickname, and moved the center of Rus' from Kyiv to Vladimir. Under him, the city and the entire Vladimir Principality developed at an active pace and became truly powerful. In 1702 the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Andrei Bogolyubsky, today his relics are in the Assumption Cathedral in his beloved city of Vladimir.
Biography
When was the Grand Duke born Not a single historian can say for sure; chronicles most often indicate the year 1111, but there are other dates, for example, 1115. But the place of birth is definitely exact - Rostov-Suzdal Rus', it was this remote region of forests that he recognized as his homeland.
All that is known about his early years is that he received a good education and upbringing based on spirituality and the Christian religion. Much more information is available about the time when, by order of his father, Andrei, having reached adulthood, began to rule in different cities.
Years of his principality can be divided into several periods:
- Vyshgorod (1149 and 1155)
- Dorogobuzhsk (1150-1151)
- Ryazan (1153)
- Vladimir (1157-1174).
In 1149, Andrei Bogolyubsky was sent by his father to rule Vyshgorod, but a year later he received a transfer to the west, however, he did not stay there long. Contrary to the wishes of Yuri Dolgoruky to see his son in Vyshgorod, after his return he remains to live and rule in his beloved city of Vladimir, where, according to some historians, he transports the famous icon of Our Lady of Vladimir.
Even having inherited the title of Grand Duke after the death of his father in 1157, Andrei Bolyubsky did not return to Kyiv. Experts believe that this fact gave rise to the organization of centralized power and influenced the transfer of the capital to Vladimir.
In 1162 the prince with the support of his squad, expels all his relatives and his father’s army from the Rostov-Suzdal lands, which makes him the only ruler of these lands. During the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vladimir's power greatly strengthened and expanded, many surrounding lands were conquered, this gave him significant influence in politics in the northern and eastern parts of Rus'.
In 1169, the prince and his warriors, as a result of a successful campaign, almost completely ruined Kyiv.
Many boyars were angry with his rapidly growing power, brutal reprisals and autocratic character, and therefore already in 1174 they agreed Andrei Yuryevich is killed in Bogolyubov, which he founded.
Foreign and domestic policy
The main achievement of Prince Andrey in domestic policy the increase in prosperity and wealth of the Rostov-Suzdal lands is rightfully considered. At the beginning of his reign, many people came to this principality from neighboring cities, Kyiv refugees who dreamed of settling in a quiet and safe place. Large influx of people influenced the rapid economic growth of the region. The Principality, and later the city of Vladimir, increased their influence in the political arena and their welfare in general at an unusually rapid pace, thanks to which recent years In the life of Andrei Bogolyubsky, it was they, bypassing Kyiv, that became the center of Rus'.
Under Andrei Bogolyubsky, huge attention was given to the development of the spiritual and cultural sphere, he more than once made attempts to make Rus' independent of Byzantium in religious terms, established new Orthodox holidays. Frequent guests were architects invited to build temples and cathedrals, due to which a special Russian tradition appeared in architecture and the famous Golden Gate, the castle town of Bogolyubovo and several temples were erected, for example, the Intercession on the Nerl, the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Bogolyubovo.
The prince also conducted his foreign policy carefully. Most of all, he was concerned about protecting the lands from nomads who regularly carried out their raids. He campaigned twice in Volga Bulgaria. As a result of the first. took place in 1164, the city of Ibragimov was taken, three other cities were burned, the second campaign in 1171 took place with the participation of the sons of the princes of Murom and Ryazan and brought rich booty.
Results of the board
The most important and important result During the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the political and economic center undoubtedly shifted from Kyiv to Vladimir.
But the prince’s successes were not limited to this., among his main achievements should be mentioned:
- largely successful attempts to unite the country,
- change in the political system (got rid of inheritances and created centralized power),
- had a significant influence on the creation of the Russian tradition in architecture.
In 1702 the prince was canonized. Despite fair criticism of this decision, it is possible to understand the motives of the Church. The history of exile by Andrei Bogolyubsky his younger brothers and the ruin of Kyiv are forgotten, but everyone remembers that it was he who brought the icon Mother of God to Vladimir. Magnificent temples were built under him and, of course, he suffered martyrdom.