Ancient Rus: the capital. Which city was the capital of Ancient Rus?

Ancient Rus, whose capital was a very beautiful city, had a high authority in the world. The beginning of the first state of the Eastern Slavs is considered to be Kievan Rus, and therefore the first capital is called the glorious city of Kiev. However, the capital city of Prince Kia was not the only one who bore this title. There were much more of them, we'll talk about them and the reasons for their existence in our article.

A little about the state

Before talking about the capitals of the Slavic medieval state, we will give him a little time and place on the page. Ancient Rus is a state formation of eastern tribes with a centralized princely power, which existed from 862 to 1240 (the Mongol invasion). It was distinguished by a high development of culture, largely borrowed from Byzantium. Architects, booksellers, translators, theologians, glassmakers came from Constantinople and the lands that belonged to him. But many crafts were also familiar to the Slavs (jewelry, forging, pottery, art, woodworking, etc.), they perfected their skills, adopting the experience of the world, but retained their identity. In Russia, chronicles were written, monasteries were laid, which became the spiritual centers of the state, coins were minted, there was an own set of laws. Also, grand dukes practiced dynastic marriages that helped strengthen the reputation of Rus and favored foreign policy relations with other highly developed countries.

Why several capitals?

If we follow the official version of history, then the first capital of Ancient Rus is, of course, Kiev. The mother of Russian cities became the main in 882, when Oleg Oleg and Igor landed on the bank of the Dnieper and, having killed Askold and Dir, seized power. It was he, according to the chronicle, who foretold the city a great future. Why did a powerful state need another capital? Ancient Rus, as we know, survived the heyday of Vladimir the Baptist and Yaroslav the Wise, fell into decay. First of all because of strife and civil strife. Numerous sons and grandsons, brothers and uncles of grand dukes received their destiny - a city with neighboring villages, in which each of them ruled. Soon there were more rulers than the lands, and some of them were dissatisfied with the fate assigned to him. Here between them began the struggle for the best place under the sun, for the throne of Kiev, which gave more profit and influence. But some principalities (udels) were stronger, others weaker, princes concluded deals among themselves and often went to war against each other.

The gap between the principalities grew, Kiev gradually lost its importance to the capital. But other arenas came to the arena, which were the main cities of strong ancient Russian principalities. This is Veliky Novgorod, Chernigov, Vladimir, Suzdal, Galich, and later Moscow. Therefore, in the state of the Eastern Slavs there was not one capital: Ancient Russia had many of them, not in vain was called "Gardarica", that is, the Country of cities.

The first capital city

So which city was considered the main Ancient Rus? The capital at number one is Kiev, a majestic city on the Dnieper, the metropolitan's residence from the tenth century. Founded by the legendary prince Kiy (or only reinforced by him), he became the main city of Oleg the Prophetic, his successor Igor and his descendants before Vladimir Monomakh. After that, he was considered to be chief only formally and was transferred to the Grand Duke only by secondary relatives. And after the invasion, the Mongol-Tatars turned into a province, which was then dominated by the Great Lithuanian Principality, and then by the Commonwealth, the Moscow Kingdom.

Ancient Rus, whose capital, as we know, Kiev, cared about the development of cities. In the main city were built stone churches (after the adoption of Christianity), fortified walls were fortified, new gates were erected, schools and book depositories operated. Many sights of the golden epoch of the state and today can be seen in the Ukrainian capital. This is primarily the Golden Gate, St. Sophia Cathedral, the Assumption and the Golden-domed St. Michael's Cathedral, the Trinity Church, the Vydubitsky Monastery.

Ladoga the Old

There is another city that deserves attention of historians - the Old Ladoga. The ancient capital of Russia number two originated in the middle of the eighth century, and in 862 - 864 was the residence of Rurik. According to the chronicles, after this the legendary prince departed for Novgorod, a city that in the future received the title "Great". Today you can see the Assumption Cathedral and St. George's Church erected in the second half of the twelfth century.

Old Ladoga today is a small village, whose age is about twelve centuries old. Recent archaeological studies suggest that the settlement was founded by natives of the Nordic countries. It was a parking lot where ships were being repaired and new ships were being built,

Rurikovo ancient settlement in Novgorod

The capital of Ancient Rus Ladoga lost its title, as Rurik left for a new city, located about two kilometers from the central part of the modern city. Now he attracts unique monuments of princely architecture, he was not touched by the Mongolian horde, and, therefore, was not looted and destroyed. This is Nikolo-Dvorishchensky, St. Sophia, St. George's Cathedral, Antoniev Monastery, Church of the Savior, Nativity of the Virgin, Annunciation, Peter and Paul, Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa.

The heyday of the city fell on the period of the Novgorod Republic, when all important decisions about the life of the state were not made by the veche. It existed from 1136 to 1478, and its territory stretched for hundreds of kilometers - from the Ural Mountains to the Baltic (or Varangian) Sea. It developed crafts, bustling trade, stone buildings were built, chronicles and books were written.

Today Novgorod (the capital of Ancient Rus and the Novgorod Republic) can be safely called the tourist Mecca of Russia, because it has preserved its face through the millennium.

Vladimir-on-Klyazma

Another capital of the ancient Russian state is Vladimir, which was the main in the period 1243 - 1389 years. The city was founded by Vladimir Monomakh in 1108, and in half a century Andrei Bogolyubsky moved his residence to it. The heyday of the settlement fell on the reign of Vsevolod the Great Nest, to which all lands submitted, except Polotsk and Chernigov. About that glorious era in Vladimir resemble the Golden Gate, the Assumption and Dmitrievsky cathedrals.

Conclusion

Under the blows of the nukers of Khan Baty, unfortunately, Ancient Rus ceased to exist. Its capital lost its influence and for many years was in ruins, the crafts that were unclaimed in the Golden Horde were forgotten. But the country gradually recovered from a heavy blow, new generations of people grew up, who first submitted to the Mongolian yoke, and then dropped it. Thus, Rus again reborn and entered a new time with a new face.