Prince Svyatoslav main events. How did great Russia become, or why did the great prince Svyatoslav die

Monument to Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich in Zaporozhye

Even during the life of his mother, leaving the Principality of Kiev in the care of Olga, Svyatoslav made his first brilliant campaigns. He went to the Oka and subjugated the Vyatichi, who then paid tribute to the Khazars; then he turned to the Khazars and defeated the Khazar kingdom, taking the main cities of the Khazars (Sarkel and Itil). At the same time, Svyatoslav defeated the tribes of Yases and Kasogs (Circassians) on the river. Kuban and took possession of the area in the mouths of the Kuban and on the Azov coast called Tamatarkha (later Tmutarakan). Finally, Svyatoslav penetrated the Volga, devastated the land of the Kama Bulgarians and took their city of Bolgar. In a word, Svyatoslav defeated and ruined all the eastern neighbors of Russia, which were part of the system of the Khazar state. Now Russia became the main force in the Black Sea region. But the fall of the Khazar state strengthened the nomadic Pechenegs. All the southern Russian steppes, formerly occupied by the Khazars, now fell at their disposal; and Russia itself soon had to experience great troubles from these nomads.

Returning to Kyiv after his conquests in the East, Svyatoslav Igorevich received an invitation from the Greeks to help Byzantium in its struggle against the Danube Bulgarians. Having gathered a large army, he conquered Bulgaria and stayed there to live in the city of Pereyaslavets on the Danube, since he considered Bulgaria his property. “I want to live in Pereyaslavets Danube,” he said: “there is the middle (center) of my land, all sorts of benefits are collected there: from the Greeks, gold, fabrics, wine and fruits, from Czechs and Ugrians - silver and horses, from Russia furs, wax and honey and slaves." But he had to return from Bulgaria to Kyiv for a while, because in his absence the Pechenegs attacked Russia and laid siege to Kyiv. The people of Kiev with Princess Olga and the children of Svyatoslav barely sat out from the formidable enemy and sent to Svyatoslav with reproaches and a request for help. Svyatoslav came and drove the Pechenegs into the steppe, but did not stay in Kyiv. The dying Olga asked him to wait in Russia until her death. He fulfilled her wish, but, having buried his mother, he immediately left for Bulgaria, leaving his sons as princes in Russia. However, the Greeks did not want to allow Russian domination over the Bulgarians and demanded the removal of Svyatoslav back to Russia. Svyatoslav refused to leave the banks of the Danube. The war began, and the Byzantine emperor John Tzimiskes defeated Svyatoslav. After a series of hard efforts, he locked the Russians in the fortress of Dorostol (now Silistria) and forced Svyatoslav to make peace and clear Bulgaria.

Meeting of Prince Svyatoslav with Emperor John Tzimisces on the banks of the Danube. Painting by K. Lebedev, ca. 1880

The army of Svyatoslav, exhausted by the war, on the way home was captured in the Dnieper rapids by the Pechenegs and Scattered, and Svyatoslav himself was killed (972). So the Pechenegs completed the defeat of the Russian prince, begun by the Greeks.

After the death of Svyatoslav Igorevich in Russia between his sons (Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir) civil strife occurred in which Yaropolk and Oleg died, and Vladimir remained autocratic. The state, shaken by strife, showed signs of internal decay, and Vladimir had to spend a lot of effort to discipline the Varangians, who served him, and pacify the deposited tribes (Vyatichi, Radimichi). Shaken after the failure of Svyatoslav and the external power of Russia. Vladimir waged many wars with various neighbors for border volosts, he also fought with the Kama Bulgarians. He was also drawn into the war with the Greeks, as a result of which he adopted Christianity according to the Greek rite. This important event ended the first period of power of the Varangian dynasty in Russia.

This is how the Kiev principality was formed and grew stronger, uniting politically most tribes of Russian Slavs.

1045 years ago, in March 972, the great Russian prince, one of the founders of the Russian state (the First Russian Empire), Svyatoslav Igorevich, died. According to the official version, Svyatoslav was returning with a small detachment after the war with Byzantium, fell into a Pecheneg ambush and died.

The Russian chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years” reports: “When spring came, Svyatoslav went to the thresholds. And Kurya, the prince of the Pechenegs, attacked him, and they killed Svyatoslav, and took his head, and made a cup from the skull, bound him, and drank from him. Sveneld came to Kyiv to Yaropolk.

The Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon writes about this in his history: “Sfendoslav left Doristol, returned the prisoners according to the agreement and sailed with the remaining associates, directing his way to his homeland. On the way, they were ambushed by the Patsinaks, a large nomadic tribe that devours lice, carries dwellings with them and spends most of its life in wagons. They killed almost all [the Ross], killed Sfendoslav along with others, so that only a few of the huge army of the Ross returned unharmed to their native places.

Starting with N. M. Karamzin, it was generally accepted that it was Byzantine diplomacy that convinced the Pechenegs to attack Svyatoslav: “The then policy of the Emperors did not know generosity: foreseeing that Svyatoslav would not leave them alone for a long time, it was almost the Greeks themselves who instructed the Pechenegs to take advantage of the weakness of the Russian army "("History of the Russian State. Vol. 1).

Svyatoslav

Russian Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich is one of the most prominent rulers and commanders of Russia-Russia. It was not for nothing that he was seriously hurt by liberal (supporters of the pro-Western, “classical” version of history) and Marxist historians, who called him a warrior prince, an “adventurer” who put his personal glory, the search for booty for the squad above the state, national interests of Russia. Like, as a result, his adventurous campaigns led to a heavy defeat from the Roman (Byzantine) army and the death of the prince himself.

The general conclusion was made as follows: “Svyatoslav was a model of a warrior, but not an example of a sovereign. He left the Russian land for remote deeds, glorious for him, but not always useful for Russia. He was almost never a prince in his own land; his mother ruled for him. Svyatoslav broke away from Russia, acted with only one of his squads, and did not rally the combined forces of all the tribes, which could have, with the great talent of Svyatoslav himself, of great importance for the fate of the Kyiv state, and possibly for the whole of Eastern Europe "(" Pages of the Board the Russian State". 1990).

Obviously, this is a superficial look at the military-political activities of Prince Svyatoslav. It fits into the Westerners' version of the history of Russia-Russia, according to which the history of Russia is secondary and peripheral in relation to the history of Western Europe. Like, Russia is "Asia", a "barbarian country", which was introduced to civilization by the "Viking-Swedes" (Scandinavians, Germans). Then the invasion of the "Mongol-Tatars" again threw Russia into the past, and only Peter I "cut a window to Europe." And only by following the Western path of development (Western matrix) will Russia ever reach the level of development and prosperity, for example, Poland or Portugal. Therefore, it is necessary to discard "Great Russian chauvinism", urgently repent of the sins of the "bloody" Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the Terrible, Joseph Stalin and other Russian rulers and statesmen. Forget about the great Russian history, which allegedly did not exist. Allegedly, the whole history of Russia is full of mistakes, blunders, adventurism, blood, dirt, ignorance and drunkenness. The story of the "prince-adventurer" Svyatoslav, who "left his homeland for the sake of glory and exploits," quite fits into this line.

However, there is another view of the state activities of Svyatoslav. As one of the leading Soviet and Russian historians, a specialist in the history of diplomacy, foreign policy and ideology of Ancient Russia, A.N. Sakharov noted: a continuous challenge to the Byzantine Empire, a fierce and uncompromising challenge that became its glory and its tragedy. All his campaigns, barely taking over and leading the Kyiv squad, he eventually directed to fight against the empire. It would be naive to think that this struggle was explained only by the personal feelings of Svyatoslav. Behind the confrontation between the two countries were their common socio-economic and political interests, the laws of social development.

The military-strategic, socio-economic interests of Russia were also behind the uncompromising struggle of Svyatoslav with the Khazars, which the Russian chronicle (written already in the Christian era and edited in the interests of the Christianized elite of Russia) characterizes very briefly and dispassionately: “Svyatoslav go to the goats.” As A. N. Sakharov writes: behind the laconic and impassive phrase from the annals “there is a whole era of the liberation of the East Slavic lands from the yoke of the Khazars, the transformation of the confederation of East Slavic tribes into a single Old Russian state. It was a time of consolidation and self-affirmation, new foreign policy contacts and the search for new trade routes, and Khazaria has traditionally been an enemy in this formation of Russia, a constant, stubborn, cruel and insidious enemy. ... Everywhere, wherever possible, Khazaria resisted Russia, closed her way to the East, forming here a powerful anti-Russian bloc consisting of the Volga Bulgaria, the Burtases, other Pook and Volga tribes, and some peoples of the North Caucasus. As before, the East Slavic tribe of the Vyatichi was dependent on the kaganate ... The struggle of Russia against the eternal rival, behind which Byzantium stood for many decades, was difficult. We had to endure the Sarkel fortress near our borders, we had to endure insidious attacks on the return routes from the East. For more than a hundred years, step by step, the Khazar Khaganate pushed Russia aside from its destinies, but even until the middle of the 10th century, Khazaria, although weakening and isolated, was one of the main enemies of the rising Slavs.

“... The campaign was over: the main goal was achieved - Khazaria was crushed. The Russian army drew a huge triangle in these parts between the points Itil - Semender - Sarkel, between the mouth of the Volga, the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, and the lower reaches of the Don. In the north were the defeated Bulgars and Burtases. With its eastern corner, this triangle faced the Sea of ​​Azov, the Taman Peninsula, the Cimmerian Bosporus - the Kerch Strait, where Russian settlements have long been located. From here it was a stone's throw to the Crimean possessions of Byzantium. ... In fact, Svyatoslav spent three years on a campaign and during this time he subjugated a vast territory from the Oka forests to the grape Semender. ... The campaign of Svyatoslav finally put an end to the Khazar yoke over the Eastern Slavic lands, liberated the Vyatichi tribe from the influence of the Khazars, removed a powerful military barrier that closed the way for the Russian merchants to the East, eliminated the force that was always ready to strike Russia in the back during its military enterprises in the south and east. Now in the Northern Black Sea region, near the mouth of the Dnieper, on the Taman Peninsula, Russia could not be afraid of pressure from the Khazars. The Volga and North Caucasian allies of Khazaria also received a very clear military lesson. The whole situation in the region has changed dramatically. Russia came to the fore here, regaining the positions lost during the numerous steppe invasions ”(A.N. Sakharov. “We are from the Russian family ...”. L., 1986.).

And the activities of Prince Svyatoslav were very impressive: “the huge Khazar empire was defeated and disappeared forever from the political map of Europe. The paths to the East were cleared; Volga Bulgaria ceased to be a hostile barrier and, in addition, Sarkel and Tmutarakan, two most important cities in the southeast, became Russian centers. The balance of power in the semi-Byzantine, semi-Khazar Crimea has also changed, where Kerch (Korchev) also became a Russian city ”(B. A. Rybakov.“ The Birth of Rus ”. M., 2012.). A hundred years later, the Russian prince Gleb, Svyatoslav's great-great-grandson, measured the frozen Kerch Strait and left a famous inscription about how he "measured the sea on ice from Tmutarakan to Korchevo."

Then Svyatoslav continued the struggle, solving national tasks of strengthening in the Northern Black Sea region and the Balkans (in the distant future, the Russian tsars and Secretary General Stalin will solve the same tasks, showing that rulers can change, but the strategic tasks of Russian civilization and people remain the same). The evaluation of the war between Russia and Byzantium (the Eastern Roman Empire) was already distorted at that time, which was due to the incompleteness of the information in the Russian chronicles and the extreme tendentiousness of the Greek (Byzantine) sources, which sought to portray the Russians as "wild barbarians", "Tauro-Scythians", enemies of the Bulgarians, who invaded Bulgaria, and the Byzantines (Romans) as friends and liberators of the Bulgarians. Greek sources are full of omissions, contradictions, obvious lies (for example, the loss of Russ and Romans in battles, when hundreds and thousands of killed Russ and other "barbarians" accounted for one defeated Roman) and a clear unwillingness to recognize the anti-Byzantine alliance of Russians with Bulgarians. Although this alliance was revealed already at the first appearance of Russian squads on the Danube, when 80 Bulgarian cities went over to the side of Svyatoslav. These principles of the policy of the rulers of the West have been unchanged for more than a thousand years. Westerners are rewriting history in their own interests, turning black into white and white into black.

Svyatoslav expanded the possessions of Russia to Pereyaslavets on the Danube, the "Island of the Rus", formed by the bend and delta of the great European river, the sea and the "Trajan's Wall", where the Rus-Ulichi lived (one of the predecessors of the late Cossacks). Svyatoslav himself was very pleased with the new land, where he moved in 967-969. “Not everyone is living in Kiev,” Svyatoslav said to his mother Olga and the boyars. - I want to live Pereyaslavtsi in the Danube, as if that is the environment of my land ... ". Thus, Svyatoslav founded the new residence of the Grand Duke on the Danube, securing a new, very advantageous position at the crossroads of different paths.

Russian and Bulgarian troops, with the support of the allies (Pechenegs, Hungarians), drove the Roman Byzantines out of Bulgaria, and also defeated the treacherous pro-Byzantine Bulgarian party. Then the allies went on a broad offensive along the entire northern border of the Byzantine Empire. Svyatoslav's troops crossed the Balkans, crossed the Byzantine border and took Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv). One of the decisive battles in Thrace, when the soldiers of Svyatoslav met with superior enemy forces, was vividly described by a Russian chronicler: “Let us not shame the Russian land, but lie down with bones, dead for shame is not an imam. If we run away, shame on the imam. Do not run away to the imam, but we will stand strong, but I will go before you; if my head lies down, then think for yourself. And Russia was filled, leaned, and Svyatoslav overcame, and the Greeks fled.

True, another part of the army, dominated by Russian allies - Bulgarians, Pechenegs and Hungarians, was defeated near Arcadiopol. But it was not this battle that decided the outcome of the war in 970. All sources telling about the Russian-Byzantine war: the Tale of Bygone Years, Leo the Deacon, and other Byzantine chronicles unanimously report that in the summer of 970 the Greeks asked for peace. It is obvious that the winners of the world do not ask. If the core of Svyatoslav's army had been defeated and fled near Arcadiopol, it is clear that the Greeks (Romans) would have no need to seek a peace agreement with the Russian prince. Tzimisces was to organize the pursuit of the defeated enemy, to finish him off. In terms of finishing off an already defeated enemy, the Romans were great masters and did not know mercy for the defeated.

Thus, Svyatoslav won the decisive battle. And he moved “to the city, fighting and breaking the city ... And he called the king of the Bolaria to his floor, and said to them:“ What are we doing, as if we can’t stand against him? The Byzantines decided to ask for peace. And this meant that Svyatoslav defeated the main forces of the enemy, and moved to Tsargrad-Constantinople, "breaking" other "towns" along the way. At first the Romans failed. Svyatoslav promised to set up his tents "in front of the Byzantine gates." Then the Greeks offered the Russian prince gold and curtains, but Svyatoslav showed indifference to them. John Tzimisces again sends his people to the prince and prays for peace. This time the ambassadors, according to Russian sources, offered weapons as gifts. Svyatoslav was delighted with such gifts. This made it possible to stop the advance of Russian troops on Constantinople. The Russians were only 4 days away from Tsargrad. The Romans agreed with the consolidation of Svyatoslav on the Danube and with the need to pay tribute. Svyatoslav: “Take many gifts, and return to Pereyaslavets with great praise.”

The Romans deceived and did not keep the peace. Taking advantage of the respite, they mobilized new forces (Tzimiskes withdrew troops from the Middle East), prepared the fleet, and in 971 launched a counteroffensive. And Svyatoslav sent the allied troops, and was not ready for a new campaign. Obviously, Svyatoslav did not expect the enemy to recover from defeat so quickly and immediately violate the agreement. Passages in the mountains turned out to be open, they were not guarded. Whose miscalculation it was - the Bulgarians or the Russian garrison in the Bulgarian capital Preslav, is unknown. Perhaps the pro-Byzantine group worked in Bulgaria itself. Outcome is known. A huge and well-armed Byzantine army calmly surrounded Veliky Preslav, where the Bulgarian Tsar Boris and the Russian detachment led by Sveneld were located. After a desperate assault, the Romans broke the resistance of a small Russian-Bulgarian garrison and took the city. At the same time, part of the squad of Sveneld managed to break out of the encirclement.

The Byzantine army began the occupation of Bulgaria. Tzimisces gave the Bulgarian capital and many other cities and fortresses to be plundered by his army. Then the Greeks went to the Danube, where Svyatoslav stood in the fortress of Dorostol with a small army. This time the enemy had a complete advantage: the ground forces blocked the fortress from the land, the fleet from the side of the river. A number of major battles took place here, and in some cases literally a miracle (natural element) saved the Romans from defeat. For more than two months, the army of Tzimiskes unsuccessfully besieged Dorostol. Both armies were exhausted in fierce battles, and did not achieve victory. Then negotiations began. Tzimisces, fearing problems in the rear and new battles with the Russians, who fought on equal terms with the enemy even in small numbers, happily signed peace. The world was honorable. Svyatoslav pledged not to fight with Byzantium and left with a lot of booty. More in the articles:; ; .

With the departure of Svyatoslav from Bulgaria, the independence of the Eastern Bulgarian kingdom fell (Western Bulgaria retained its independence). The Romans occupied the main cities, renamed them, humiliated the Bulgarians and deprived them of their statehood. Tsar Boris was overthrown, together with his brother Roman, whom the Greeks castrated, he was taken to Constantinople and took part in the solemn triumph that Tzimiskes arranged for himself. The crown of the Bulgarian kings was given to the church of St. Sophia, then in the imperial palace, Boris laid down the royal insignia - precious clothes, royal shoes. Split, drenched in blood, robbed and humiliated, Bulgaria lost its independence for two centuries. All this was the result of the treacherous policy of the pro-Byzantine ruling circles.

Obviously, Svyatoslav was not an "adventurer" who "wandered" the steppes in search of glory. He solved the main national tasks of Russia. As B. A. Rybakov noted: “His Volga-Khazar campaign was vital for the young state of Russia, and his actions on the Danube and the Balkans were a manifestation of friendship and solidarity with the people of Bulgaria, whom Svyatoslav helped to defend both his capital and his king, and political independence from the encroachments of Byzantium. ... In relation to Russia, all the swift activity of Svyatoslav was not only not an inattention to its interests or an unconscious desire to “rude”, neglect it, but, on the contrary, everything was designed to solve major state tasks that required the exertion of all forces. The most important task, which was to ensure security on the part of the Khazar Khaganate, was solved quite successfully. The second task - the creation of a peaceful trading foothold on the western coast of the Russian Sea (as the Black Sea was then called. - A.S.), in commonwealth with Bulgaria - was not completed ... ”But this is not Svyatoslav’s fault. This task will be solved by the Russian tsars for more than one century and will never complete the great work (the capture of Constantinople). Svyatoslav could continue the fight, restoring strength in Russia, but he was eliminated.

To be continued…

ctrl Enter

Noticed osh s bku Highlight text and click Ctrl+Enter

Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich is the youngest prince in the history of Russia. Not only did he officially ascend the throne at the age of 3, he also lived only 30 years. However, these were very important 30 years for our state. Let's deal with this in more detail.

The reign of Prince Svyatoslav

Officially, his reign took place in the 4th year of his life, when his father Igor died. But since the new prince was still too young, his mother, Princess Olga, ascended the throne. Later, when Prince Svyatoslav matured and was able to govern Russia himself, all power was also distributed between him and his mother in the following form:

• Svyatoslav went on campaigns and conquered new lands, and also concluded agreements beneficial for Russia. We will talk about this a little later.
• Olga was engaged in the internal politics of the state at a time when Svyatoslav was on campaigns.

If we talk about Prince Svyatoslav as a person, then he was remembered throughout his reign as a warrior prince. After all, from the age of 22 he himself took part and led troops on campaigns.

That is why I propose to continue the conversation about Svyatoslav with stories about his most memorable campaigns.

hiking

Khazar campaign

There are many versions of who helped the Pechenegs organize such a successful ambush. According to some sources, it could be the Bulgarians, whose desire to avenge so many losses of soldiers was still great. According to others, Byzantium, for which this battle would be very useful for its foreign policy considerations.

Third sources even claim that Byzantium, on the contrary, asked the Pechenegs to clear the way for Prince Svyatoslav and his army and not kill him.

The years of the reign of Prince Svyatoslav

Different chronicles give the prince's date of birth in different ways. But now it is this one that is generally accepted: 942. If you believe her, then Svyatoslav lived only 30 years, since he died in a battle with the Pechenegs in March 972.

But we remember that officially his reign began at the age of 3. In this way, the years of the reign of Prince Svyatoslav are as follows: 945 - March 972.

Conclusion

We are not given 100% to know everything that happened in those days. Therefore, we can only blindly believe sources like the Tale of Bygone Years and other annals of those times.

Considering that we no longer have other options, I suggest that each of us choose those scenarios that he sees as the most possible and truthful.

P.S. I tried to tell an interesting biography of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich in simple words with my retelling. I hope I succeeded.

If yes, then I'm waiting for your questions and wishes on the following heroes of the column "Great commanders of Russia" in the comments to the article.

The time of birth of the son of Igor and Olga - Prince Svyatoslav raises questions. The Tale of Bygone Years does not date this event, noting only that in 945-946 Svyatoslav was still a child. When the troops of Olga and the Drevlyans stood opposite each other, ready for battle, the spear thrown by Svyatoslav towards the enemy served as a signal for battle. But since he was still small then, the spear fell in front of his horse. Some ancient Russian chronicles, including Ipatievskaya, note the birth of Svyatoslav under the year 942. This, however, contradicts other chronicle data: after all, Igor was born in the late 870s, Olga in the 880s - at the latest in the early 890s, and they got married in 903. It turns out that only after 40 years of marriage, a son was born to two elderly people, which looks unlikely. Therefore, scientists have tried to somehow explain these contradictions.

Unfortunately, nihilism has not been avoided here either. So, the archaeologist S.P. Tolstov even wrote that “the genealogy of the Rurikovich before Svyatoslav is sewn with white threads”, and L.N. Gumilyov believed that Svyatoslav was not the son of Igor at all (or was the son of another Igor, not Rurikovich). But the sources make it impossible to doubt the direct relationship of Svyatoslav with Igor and Olga. Not only Russian chronicles, but also foreign authors, such as Leo the Deacon and Konstantin Porphyrogenitus, call Svyatoslav the son of Igor and Olga.

Additional information from some historical works can help find a way out of a difficult chronological situation. According to the Chronicler of Pereyaslavl-Suzdal, Vladimir, who died in 1015, lived for 73 years, that is, he was born in 941-942, and he was not the firstborn of Svyatoslav. The German chronicler Titmar of Merseburg also wrote about the advanced age of Vladimir, who died "burdened with years." And according to V.N. Tatishchev, who referred in this case to the Rostov and Novgorod chronicles, Svyatoslav was born in 920. And finally, the message of Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his treatise "On the Administration of the Empire" (compiled in 948 - 952) that Ingor's son Sfendoslav was sitting in Nemogard (most researchers see Novgorod in this name). Apparently, Svyatoslav reigned in Novgorod before he officially became the prince of Kyiv, that is, until the autumn of 944. In this case, it is completely incomprehensible how a two-year-old baby could reign in such a large center of Russia, and even send his representative to Russian-Byzantine negotiations (at the conclusion of the treaty of 944, Svyatoslav was represented by a separate ambassador). Of course, it can be assumed that Svyatoslav was ruled by his breadwinner Asmud, that is, both the reign and the embassy were mere formalities, but then what did they make sense? Princes in Russia could take part in adult life from the age of seven or eight, but for a two-year-old baby to be specially represented at foreign policy negotiations and formally be a prince in the second most important Russian city (moreover, Konstantin writes that Svyatoslav just “sat”, reigned, and not just owned) - this has never happened before or after Svyatoslav!

All this allows us to conclude that Svyatoslav was born before 942, possibly in the early 920s, that is, 20 years earlier than the date of the Ipatiev Chronicle. The error can be explained by assuming that it was not Svyatoslav who was born around 942, but one of his sons. The great historian S. M. Solovyov drew attention to yet another aspect of this problem. According to the chronicles, the story is known that the mother of Svyatopolk the Accursed was brought to the son of Svyatoslav Yaropolk as a wife by his father, and initially she was a nun. If there is a historical fact behind this legend, then in 970 Yaropolk was already married, which does not agree well with the date of birth of Svyatoslav in 942. Solovyov explained this by the fact that the princes could marry their young children, even if the bride is much older: "The difference in years with polygamy meant nothing." However, the chronicle news itself once again testifies to the complexity of the problem under consideration.

When analyzing the dating of the birth of Svyatoslav, the analogy with the same late birth of Igor is striking. According to chronicles, Igor at the time of Rurik's death was still very small (according to the Resurrection Chronicle - two years old). Svyatoslav, as it were, repeats this situation: he is about three years old (if we admit that Igor died in the late autumn of 944, then Svyatoslav was also two years old). Under Igor, the teacher Oleg, who is actually an independent prince until his death. Under Svyatoslav - Olga, who also holds the reins of power in her hands for a very long time. Perhaps, with the help of an analogy with Igor, the chronicler tried to explain the actual usurpation of power by Olga, introducing Svyatoslav as a child?

If Svyatoslav was born earlier, then it turns out that Olga simply removed her son from supreme power. Perhaps this should be seen as one of the reasons for his unrestrained military activity?

It is interesting that, belonging to a dynasty of Varangian origin, Svyatoslav bore a purely Slavic name. In Constantine Porphyrogenitus and Leo the Deacon, the name of the prince is transferred as Sfendoslav, which proves the preservation of nasal vowels in the Slavic language at that time. The fact of the initial reign of Svyatoslav in Novgorod can be considered, in fact, as the earliest manifestation of the dynastic tradition of the Rurikovichs to put the eldest son, heir or one of the sons of the Grand Duke on the Novgorod table. Thus, the unity of the two most important ancient Russian centers and the special position of Novgorod in the system of the Old Russian state were also emphasized. Svyatoslav began this tradition, which arose almost immediately after the registration of Kyiv as an ancient Russian capital (Igor was the first Kyiv prince from the Rurik dynasty).

Svyatoslav became famous as a brave and valiant knight who shared all the difficulties and hardships with his combatants. He did not carry a tent, bed, dishes and boilers with him, did not like expensive clothes, and together with the soldiers slept in the open air, on the ground, putting a saddle under his head, ate half-baked meat baked on coals. To match the way of life was the appearance of the prince - a mighty hero, hardened in hardships and formidable in appearance. Svyatoslav was a brave and talented commander - his enemies were afraid of him. “I’m going to you!”, That is, I’m going to you, - this is how he usually warned the enemy before the start of the war.

Svyatoslav spent almost his entire life in wars with neighboring states. In 964, he moved into the lands of the Vyatichi, who paid tribute to the Khazars. This was the first blow to the power of the Khazar Khaganate. The Vyatichi lived in the interfluve of the Oka and the Volga, this wilderness was separated from the rest of Russia by dense, impenetrable forests, and going there was the first feat of Svyatoslav (much later, Vladimir Monomakh proudly wrote that he had passed through the land of the Vyatichi). Then in 965 Svyatoslav defeated the Khazar Khaganate. He took an important fortress that defended Khazaria from the Don - Belaya Vezha (Sarkel). Sarkel was built for the Khazars by the Byzantines in the late 830s. Now the entire Volga was under the control of Russia, and this could not but worry the Byzantines. With rich gifts, an envoy of Constantinople, a dignitary Kalokir, appeared in Kyiv, who suggested that Svyatoslav direct his attack on Danube Bulgaria. At that time, she got out of control of Byzantium and ceased to comply with the terms of the peace treaty previously concluded between the two countries. Svyatoslav, pursuing his goals, agreed. It seemed tempting to the prince to take possession of the Lower Danube. After all, it was an economically and commercially rich region. If he became part of Russia, then its borders would expand and come close to the borders of the Byzantine Empire itself.

In 967 Svyatoslav started a war with the Bulgarians. Luck accompanied him. According to the chronicles, the Rus took 80 cities along the Danube, and Svyatoslav settled in the Danube city of Pereyaslavets. Here the Byzantines sent him all sorts of gifts, including gold and silver. In 968, Svyatoslav had to leave to save Kyiv from the invasion of the Pechenegs, but then he returned to the Danube. The chronicle preserved his words: “It is not pleasant for me to sit in Kyiv, I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube - for there is the middle of my land, all good things flow there: from the Greek land - gold, curtains, wines, various fruits, from the Czech Republic and from Hungary silver and horses, from Russia - furs and wax, honey and slaves. This position widened the gap between Svyatoslav and the Kyiv elite. The Kievans reproached their prince: “You, prince, are looking for someone else’s land and take care of it, but you left your own ...” This is probably why they did not send troops to help him when Svyatoslav returned to Kyiv after the war with the Byzantines.

But still, Svyatoslav was drawn to the Danube. Soon he was there again, again took Pereyaslavets, who returned during his absence to the Bulgarians, and then the war broke out with Byzantium. The emperor then was John Tzimisces, an Armenian by origin (Tzimisces in Russian means “shoe”). He was known as an experienced commander, but Svyatoslav was not inferior to him in military skill. A clash between the two heroes was inevitable. The Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon brought to us the true words of the Russian prince: “Sfendoslav (Svyatoslav) was very proud of his victories over the Misyans (inhabitants of the Byzantine province of Misia); he had already firmly taken possession of their country and was completely imbued with barbaric arrogance and arrogance (here, of course, it must be taken into account that Svyatoslav was a mortal enemy for the Byzantines). Sfendoslav answered the Roman ambassadors arrogantly and boldly: “I will leave this rich country no sooner than I receive a large monetary tribute and ransom for all the cities I captured during the war and for all the prisoners. If the Romans do not want to pay what I demand, let them immediately leave Europe, to which they have no right, and go to Asia, otherwise let them not hope to conclude peace with the Tauro-Scythians. (this is how Leo the Deacon calls the inhabitants of Russia).

Emperor John, having received such an answer from the Scythian, again sent ambassadors to him, instructing them to convey the following: “We believe that Providence governs the universe, and we profess all Christian laws; therefore, we believe that we ourselves should not destroy the undefiled peace inherited from the fathers and thanks to God’s help, the unshakable world. That is why we urgently urge and advise you, as friends, to leave at once, without delay or reservation, a country which by no means belongs to you. Know that if you do not follow this good advice, then not we, but you, will turn out to be violators of the peace concluded in ancient times. (...) if you yourself do not leave the country, then we will expel you from it against your will. I believe that you have not forgotten about the defeat of your father Ingor (Igor), who, despising the oath agreement, sailed to our capital with a huge army on 10 thousand ships, and to the Cimmerian Bosporus (Kerch Strait) arrived with barely a dozen boats, becoming the herald of his own misfortune. I do not mention his further miserable fate, when, having gone on a campaign against the Germans (or rather, in the Drevlyans), he was taken prisoner by them, tied to tree trunks and torn in two. I think that you will not return to your fatherland if you force the Roman force to oppose you - you will find death here with your entire army, and not one torch-bearer will arrive in Scythia to announce the terrible fate that has befallen you. This message angered Sfendoslav, and he, seized with barbaric fury and madness, sent the following answer: “I see no need for the emperor of the Romans to rush to us; let him not exhaust his strength to travel to this country - we ourselves will soon pitch our tents at the gates of Byzantium (Constantinople) and we will erect strong barriers around the city, and if he comes to us, if he decides to resist such a disaster, we will bravely meet him and show him in practice that we are not some artisans who earn their livelihood by the labor of their hands. (the Byzantine army consisted largely of peasants, while there were professional soldiers in Svyatoslav's squad), but men of blood who defeat the enemy with weapons. In vain, due to his unreasonableness, he takes the Ross for pampered women and tries to intimidate us with such threats, like babies who are frightened with all sorts of scarecrows. Having received news of these crazy speeches, the emperor decided to immediately prepare for war with all diligence in order to prevent the invasion of Sfendoslav and block his access to the capital ... "

The news of the approach of Svyatoslav's squads confused the perfidious Greeks. The Rus were advancing towards Constantinople. But Tzimiskes managed to mobilize his forces, and Svyatoslav retreated. The fate of the Balkans was decided in bloody battles. Finally, Svyatoslav left the capital of Bulgaria - Preslav the Great and fortified himself in the fortress on the Danube Dorostol (now Silistra). Here, in 971, his army was surrounded by a hundred thousandth army of the emperor of the Byzantines. The governors of Svyatoslav considered further struggle pointless and offered the prince to surrender. But he resolutely refused and turned to his few soldiers with an appeal: “We will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lay down our bones. The dead have no shame. Let's stand strong, I'll go ahead of you!

Leo the Deacon also tells about the same battle: “While the sovereign (Emperor John) slowly moving towards the army of the Ross, several brave men possessed by desperate insolence separated from their phalanx, who, having ambushed, made a surprise attack and killed some soldiers from the advance detachment of the Romans. Seeing their corpses scattered along the road, the emperor lowered the reins and stopped the horse. The death of his compatriots led him into indignation, and he ordered to track down those who committed this atrocity. John's bodyguards, having carefully searched the surrounding forests and bushes, seized these robbers and brought them bound to the emperor. He immediately ordered them to be killed, and the bodyguards, without delay drawing their swords, chopped them all to one to pieces. Then the troops approached the space lying in front of Dorostol ... the Taurus-Scythians tightly closed their shields and spears, giving their ranks the appearance of a wall, and awaited the enemy on the battlefield. The emperor lined up the Romans against them, placing armored horsemen on the sides, and archers and slingers behind, and, ordering them to shoot non-stop, led the phalanx into battle. The warriors met hand to hand, a fierce battle ensued, and in the first battles, both sides fought for a long time with equal success. The dews, who among the neighboring peoples gained the glory of victors in battles, believed that a terrible disaster would befall them if they suffered a shameful defeat from the Romans, and fought, straining all their strength. The Romans, on the other hand, were overcome with shame and anger at the thought that they, having defeated all opponents with weapons and courage, would retreat like newcomers inexperienced in battles and lose their great glory in a short time, having been defeated by a people fighting on foot and not at all able to ride. on horseback. Motivated by such thoughts, both armies fought with unsurpassed bravery; the dews, which were led by their innate brutality and rabies, rushed in a furious impulse, roaring like possessed ones, at the Romans, and the Romans advanced, using their experience and military art. Many warriors fell on both sides, the battle went on with varying success, and until the very evening it was impossible to determine which side the victory was leaning on. But when the luminary began to lean towards the west, the emperor threw his entire cavalry at full speed on the Scythians; in a loud voice, he called on the soldiers to show in practice the natural Roman prowess and instilled in them good spirits. They rushed with extraordinary force, the trumpeters blew for battle, and a mighty cry rang out over the Roman ranks. The Scythians, unable to withstand such an onslaught, took to flight and were driven back behind the walls; they lost many of their warriors in this battle. And the Romans sang victorious hymns and glorified the emperor. He gave them rewards and arranged feasts, increasing their zeal in battle.

But, despite the "victorious hymns", John realized that Svyatoslav was worth his death. Seeing that he would not be able to break the resistance of the Russians, the Byzantine emperor went to peace. Leo the Deacon described the meeting of Svyatoslav with Tzimiskes as follows: “Sfendoslav also appeared, sailing along the river on a Scythian boat; he sat on the oars and rowed along with his entourage, no different from them. This was his appearance: of moderate height, neither too tall nor too short, with shaggy eyebrows and a fair complexion. blue eyes mi, snub-nosed, beardless, with thick, excessively long hair above the upper lip. His head was completely naked, but on one side a tuft of hair hung down - a sign of the nobility of the family; a strong nape, a broad chest and all other parts of the body are quite proportionate, but he looked sullen and wild. He had a gold earring in one ear; it was adorned with a carbuncle framed by two pearls. His attire was white and differed from the clothes of his associates only in cleanliness. Sitting in a boat on a bench for rowers, he talked a little with the sovereign about the conditions of peace and left. Thus ended the war between the Romans and the Scythians.

As a result, Russia and Byzantium concluded a new peace treaty - not in the palace or in the office, but right on the battlefield. The Rus pledged to continue not to attack Bulgaria and the Byzantine lands, and the Greeks promised to let Svyatoslav's army go home without hindrance, supplying him with a small supply of food. Trade relations between the two powers were also restored. The text of the agreement, as usual, was drawn up in two copies and sealed. One should think that on the seal of the Russian prince there was an image of a bident - the tribal sign of the Rurikovich.

Returning to their homeland, the Russian army was divided. One part of it, led by the governor Sveneld, went by land, and Svyatoslav and his retinue sailed along the Danube to the Black Sea. Then they entered the Dnieper and moved north. But in the spring of 972, on the Dnieper rapids, where the ships had to be dragged, the Pechenegs attacked the Russian squad. Svyatoslav died in battle. And the Pecheneg Khan Kurya made a cup out of the skull of the prince, encasing him in gold. From this cup he drank wine, hoping that the mind and courage of the glorious commander would pass to him.

Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich forever remained in Russian history as a brave warrior and great commander, who covered Russian weapons with glory and strengthened the international prestige of Russia.

Svyatoslav had three sons. Even during his lifetime, he made the eldest son Yaropolk his heir in Kyiv, the second son Oleg - the prince of the Drevlyansk, and the younger Vladimir, born from the concubine Malusha, at the request of the Novgorodians themselves, the prince of Novgorod.

The origin of Malusha is unknown. In the annals, it is only dully reported that she was the daughter of a certain Malk Lubechanin. Malusha's sister was Dobrynya, a distant prototype of the epic hero Dobrynya Nikitich. Malusha herself was the slave of Princess Olga, and therefore Princess Rogneda called Vladimir "robichich", that is, the son of a slave (but more on that below). In historiography, an interesting hypothesis arose about the genealogy of Malusha. It has been suggested that she is actually the daughter of the Drevlyansk prince Mal, who, after the death of her father, became the slave of the victor, Princess Olga. But this version runs into such irresolvable contradictions that it cannot be recognized as worthy of attention.

It is curious that the Scandinavian "Saga of Olaf Tryggvason" also speaks about Vladimir's mother, although without mentioning the name. King Gardariki Valdamar had an old, decrepit mother. She was considered a pagan prophetess, and many of her predictions came true. There was a custom in Gardariki: on the first day of Yule (a pagan winter holiday, later identified with Christmas), in the evening, Vladimir's mother was taken out in an armchair to the ward, placed opposite the place of the prince, and the old prophetess predicted the future. Vladimir treated his mother with great respect and reverence, asking her if any danger threatened Gardariki. One evening, the princess predicted the birth of Olav Tryggvason in Norway, who later visited Russia.

The motif of prophecy is common in medieval literature. But for all the legend of this story (researchers believe that the features of the wise Princess Olga could be reflected in the image of Vladimir's mother), it adds new colors to the initial Russian history.

After the death of Svyatoslav, Yaropolk became the full-fledged prince of Kyiv. But his reign was short-lived. Voivode under Yaropolk, as well as under his father and grandfather, remained Sveneld. "The Tale of Bygone Years" tells how once the son of Sveneld - Lut was hunting in the forests near Kyiv. At the same time, Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich also went hunting. “Who dared to hunt on princely lands?” - Oleg asked his governor, seeing several horsemen in the distance. “Lut Sveneldich,” they answered him. Then the prince decided to punish the disobedient. Having caught up with Luta, Oleg killed him in anger. Since then, Sveneld held a grudge against Oleg and began to persuade Yaropolk to go to war against his brother.

In 977, strife began between the Svyatoslavichs. Yaropolk set off on a campaign against the Drevlyan principality. In the first battle, Oleg was defeated and fled to the city of Ovruch. Like many Russian cities, Ovruch was surrounded by a moat, through which a bridge was thrown to the city gates. Oleg's warriors and the surrounding inhabitants from all sides flocked under the walls of the city, hoping to hide from the approaching squads of Yaropolk. On the bridge leading to the fortress, a lot of people crowded, they crowded and pushed each other. Oleg himself got into this crush. He hardly made his way among the people who were distraught with fear and, finally, was thrown from his horse right into the ditch. From above, the bodies of crushed soldiers and the corpses of horses fell on him ... When Yaropolk captured Ovruch, he found the lifeless body of his brother in the city moat. The prince lamented that he had started the war, but it was already impossible to stop it.

Vladimir, who reigned in Novgorod, found out about what had happened and fled to relatives in Scandinavia. In 980, he returned to Russia with a large Varangian squad and moved south to Kyiv. Along the way, the young prince decided to capture the large and rich city of Polotsk, where Rogvolod reigned. Rogvolod had two sons and a beautiful daughter, whose name was Rogneda. Vladimir wooed Rogneda, but the proud princess refused him (“I don’t want to rozuti robichich,” she said, since, according to custom, the wife took off her husband’s shoes after the wedding), especially since Yaropolk was going to marry her. Then Vladimir suddenly attacked Polotsk, captured the city and burned it. Rogvolod and his sons perished, and Rogneda unwillingly had to become the wife of the winner. She bore Vladimir four sons, one of whom was Yaroslav the Wise.

Now it's Yaropolk's turn. On the advice of the governor Blud, whom Vladimir bribed, Yaropolk fled Kyiv, leaving the city to its fate. Deprived of a leader, the people of Kiev did not even resist the advancing army. The gates of Kyiv opened, and Vladimir solemnly sat on the princely throne of his father. Yaropolk, meanwhile, took refuge in the small town of Roden, but his strength was exhausted. When Vladimir approached the city, Yaropolk's close associates advised their prince to surrender without a fight. With a heavy heart, Yaropolk went to his brother's headquarters. And as soon as he entered the vestibule of Vladimir's house, two Varangians guarding the door raised him with swords in his bosoms. The prince's bloodied body hung lifelessly on sharp swords...

Thus began the reign of Vladimir in Kiev.

Name: Svyatoslav Igorevich (Svyatoslav Rurikovich)

Date of Birth: 942

Age: 30 years

Date of death: 972

Activity: military leader, statesman

Family status: was married

Svyatoslav Igorevich: biography

Prince of Novgorod and Kyiv Svyatoslav Igorevich ruled the Russian state from 944 to 972. The ruler is known for his military campaigns and conquests, battles against the Bulgarian state and Byzantium.

Svyatoslav became the only son of Prince Igor and Princess Olga. The exact date of birth of the future ruler is still not known. According to the Ipatiev list, Svyatoslav Igorevich was born in 942 (some sources indicate 940). There is no record of the event in the Laurentian list. This raises a lot of questions among researchers, since the information is contradictory. In literary sources, the year 920 is stated, but historians consider this a fiction, not the truth.

The upbringing of the prince's son was entrusted to the Varangian Asmud, who emphasized basic skills. Young Svyatoslav received knowledge that was useful in military campaigns: the art of combat, the management of horses, a rook, swimming, the skill of disguise. Another mentor, the governor Sveneld, was responsible for the military art. The first data about Svyatoslav, which can be seen in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of Prince Igor, began to appear in 944. A year later, the prince dies.

The death of the ruler led to the dissatisfaction of the Drevlyans about the collection of too much tribute. Since Svyatoslav Igorevich is still a child, the reins of government are transferred to his mother, Princess Olga. A year after the murder of her husband, Olga goes to the lands of the Drevlyans. As befits the head of state, 4-year-old Svyatoslav begins the battle with his father's squad. The young ruler won the battle. The princess forced the Drevlyans to submit. To prevent such tragedies from happening in the future, the regent introduces a new system of government.

The annals say that in childhood Svyatoslav Igorevich did not part with his mother and constantly lived in Kyiv. Scientists have found evidence of the incorrectness of this judgment. The Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus recounted the following:

“Monoxyls coming from outer Russia to Constantinople are one of Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, son of Ingor, archon of Russia, sat.”

Researchers believe that Svyatoslav moved to Novgorod at the request of his father. There was a mention in the annals of Olga's visit to Constantinople. At the same time, they talk about the future prince, without naming the title of Svyatoslav Igorevich.

Beginning of the reign

The Tale of Bygone Years says that the first campaign of Svyatoslav Igorevich happened in 964. The main goal of the ruler was to strike at the Khazar Khaganate. The prince did not become distracted by the Vyatichi, who met along the way. The attack on the Khazars fell a year later - in 965. The chronicle says the following about this:

“In the summer of 6473 (965) Svyatoslav went to the Khazars. Having heard, the Khazars went out to meet him with their prince kagan and agreed to fight, and Svyatoslav the Khazars defeated them in the battle, and took their city and the White Tower. And he defeated the yases of the icasogs.

Interestingly, a contemporary of Svyatoslav presents events in a different way. Ibn-Khaukal argued that the prince dealt with the Khazars later than the time indicated in the annals.

A contemporary recalled other military actions against the Volga Bulgaria, but such information is not available in official sources. Here is what Ibn Haukal said:

“Bulgar is a small city, there are no numerous districts in it, and it was known for being a port for the states mentioned above, and the Rus devastated it and came to Khazaran, Samandar and Itil in the year 358 (968/969) and set off immediately after to the country of Rum and Andalus ... And al-Khazar is a side, and there is a city in it called Samandar, and it is in the space between it and Bab al-Abwab, and there were numerous gardens in it ... but then the Rus came there, and not there are no grapes or raisins left in that city.”

In 965 Svyatoslav Igorevich arrives in Sarkel-on-Don. Several battles were required to conquer this city. But the ruler did not celebrate the victory for long, as Itil, the main city of the Khazar Khaganate, appeared on the way. The conqueror got one more settlement - Semender. This glorious city is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

The Khazar Khaganate fell before the onslaught of Svyatoslav, but this was not enough for the ruler. The prince tried to win back and secure these lands. Soon Sarkel was renamed into Belaya Vezha. According to some reports, in the same years, Kyiv received Tmutarakan. It is believed that it was possible to hold power until the beginning of the 980s.

Domestic politics

The domestic policy of Svyatoslav Igorevich was active. The ruler set himself the goal of strengthening power by attracting military squads. Politics did not attract the young prince, so there were no special changes in the internal activities of the state during the years of Svyatoslav's reign.

Despite the dislike for the internal affairs of Russia, Svyatoslav Igorevich made some adjustments. In particular, he formed a new system for collecting taxes and taxes. In different parts of the Old Russian state, special places were organized - graveyards. Here they collected money from the inhabitants. Svyatoslav Igorevich was able to overcome the Vyatichi, who now and then rebelled against the ruler. During the campaign, the prince pacified the violent people. Thanks to this, the treasury began to replenish again. Despite the work in this direction, Princess Olga took on most of the concerns.

The wisdom of the reign of the Grand Duke is manifested after the birth of sons. Svyatoslav Igorevich needed to put faithful and devoted people on the thrones in different cities. In Kyiv, Yaropolk ruled, in Novgorod - Oleg became Prince of Drevlyansky.

Foreign policy

Foreign policy became the passion of the young prince. On his account, several major wars - with the Bulgarian kingdom and Byzantium. Many versions in history have these important events for Russia. Historians settled on two variations of the struggle against the Bulgarian kingdom. The first opinion was that it all started with a conflict between Byzantium and the Bulgarian kingdom. In this regard, the Byzantine emperor turned to Svyatoslav Igorevich for help. It was his soldiers who were supposed to attack Bulgaria.

The second opinion lies in the fact that Byzantium tried to weaken the Kyiv prince, since the ruler was able to conquer their lands. And there was no peace in the Byzantine state: the ambassador who arrived at Svyatoslav decided to plot against his emperor. He persuaded the Russian prince, promised him Bulgarian lands and treasures from the treasury of Byzantium.

The invasion of Bulgaria took place in 968. Svyatoslav Igorevich managed to overcome opponents and conquer Pereyaslavets, located at the mouth of the Danube. Relations with the Byzantine state began to deteriorate gradually. In the same year, the Pechenegs raided Kyiv, so the prince had to urgently return to the capital of Russia. In 969, Princess Olga, who was engaged in the internal politics of the state, died. This prompted Svyatoslav Igorevich to attract children to the board. The prince did not want to stay in the capital:

“I don’t like to sit in Kyiv, I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube - for there is the middle of my land, all good things flow there: from the Greek land, gold, curtains, wines, various fruits; from the Czech Republic and from Hungary silver and horses; from Russia, furs and wax, honey and slaves.

Despite the fact that it was the Byzantine government that organized the raid on the Bulgarians, the latter turned to them for help in the fight against Svyatoslav. The emperor thought for a long time what to do, but then decided to strengthen his state with a dynastic marriage. At the end of 969, the sovereign dies, and John Tzimisces ascended the throne. He did not allow the Bulgarian son and the Byzantine maiden to get engaged.

Realizing that Byzantium is no longer an assistant, the authorities of the Bulgarian state decide to conclude an agreement with Svyatoslav Igorevich. Together the rulers go against Byzantium. Military tension between the empire and the Russian state grew. Gradually, troops were brought up to the fortresses. In 970 there was an attack on Byzantium. On the side of Svyatoslav were the Bulgarians, Hungarians and Pechenegs. Despite the serious advantages in terms of the number of military men, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich was defeated in a pitched battle.

A year later, the troops regained strength and again began to raid the Byzantine state. Now the rulers are in battle. Again the fighters of Byzantium were more successful. They captured the Bulgarian king and crept up to Svyatoslav. In one of the battles, the prince was wounded. After that, the Byzantine emperor and the Russian ruler sat down at the negotiating table. Svyatoslav Igorevich leaves Bulgaria, but restores trade relations with Byzantium. Now the eastern part of the Bulgarian state submits to the emperor. Western regions gained independence.

Personal life

Military campaigns became the main goal of the life of Svyatoslav Igorevich. The personal life of the prince was developing successfully. The ruler became the father of three sons - Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. The care of the internal politics of the state fell on the shoulders of the young sons, while the father conquered new territories.

In the official documents of that time there is no information about the wife who gave birth to two eldest sons. It is known about Vladimir's mother. The woman was not married to the prince, but was a concubine.

Death and memory

The biography of Svyatoslav Igorevich ends in March 972. The prince could not remain at the mouth of the Dnieper. Together with the army, the ruler tried to get through the ambush of the Pechenegs. This was a disastrous mistake, as the weakened fighters fell at the hands of the nomads. The Pechenegs brutally dealt with Svyatoslav:

“And Kurya, the prince of the Pechenegs, attacked him; and they killed Svyatoslav, and cut off his head, and made a cup out of the skull, encasing the skull, and then they drank from it.

During the reign, the prince expanded the territory of the state and received the nickname Brave. Svyatoslav is so called in historical references. The memory of Svyatoslav Igorevich lives to this day. The image of the warrior prince was used in fiction and art. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first monument "Svyatoslav on the way to Tsar-grad" appeared. Sculptures are located in Kyiv and Ukrainian regions.

A peculiar photo is available on the Internet. According to the descriptions of the contemporaries of the prince, the masters created a portrait: a man of medium height, snub-nosed, with thick eyebrows, blue eyes, a long mustache, a strong nape and a broad chest.