Holy Blessed Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Andrei Bogolyubsky: historical portrait

Andrei Bogolyubsky had a difficult relationship with his father, Yuri Dolgoruky. Dolgoruky did not want to abandon the idea of ​​Kyiv's leadership and stubbornly strove to "sit down" there. Andrei Yuryevich, on the contrary, worked very successfully on the creation of a new center of attraction - Vladimir. But both of them - one unwittingly, the other quite consciously - determined the further development of Russia. And it happened precisely in the middle of the XII century.

In life and deeds Grand Duke Andrei Yurievich 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 eel's desire to help the Church solve momentary administrative problems. But in history he remained precisely as "Bogolyubsky".

Briefly the years of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky:

• Prince Vyshgorodsky (1149, 1155)
• Dorogobuzh (1150-1151)
• Ryazan (1153)
• Grand Duke of Vladimir (1157-1174).

Andrei Bogolyubsky, years of life and the reign of Prince Andrei.

Historical sources are unable to enlighten on the early years of the life of Grand Duke Andrei Yurievich. Researchers cannot even say for certain what year he was born. Based on Tatishchev’s indication that the prince was killed at the age of sixty-three (in 1174), the year of his birth should be called 1111, but sometimes the period of his birth is defined as “between 1120 and 1125”.

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 converges.

The place of his birth is Rostov-Suzdal Rus, here he received the first impressions of life, and it was this deaf and wooded region that he considered his homeland. Bogolyubsky is very significant and bright in the history of the formation of the Russian state.

Youth of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, internecine wars

From a young age, Prince Andrei was immersed in a whirlpool of internecine strife, in which his father took a lively part. The fight was mainly around, he 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, a 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, against the background of his relatives, Prince Andrei Yurievich demonstrated exceptional peacefulness. In particular, in 1150 it was he who insisted on the reconciliation of longtime enemies and rivals for the throne of Kyiv - Yuri Vladimirovich and Izyaslav Mstislavich. However, the peace was short-lived. Yuri Dolgoruky refused to return to Izyaslav the booty captured under, which was one of the conditions of the agreement, and the strife broke out with renewed vigor.

In 1151, Izyaslav Mstislavich defeated his rival. The victory seemed to be final. He established himself in Kyiv, and concluded an agreement with the defeated Yuri Dolgoruky, according to which he had to return with all his sons to his native.

However, Yuri Vladimirovich was in no hurry to go home, causing dissatisfaction with his son Andrei, who felt uncomfortable in the southern Russian lands and understood that the local population treated Dolgoruky and his seed as foreign invaders and in no way supported their claims to the Kyiv 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 the Chernigov prince Izyaslav Davydovich, who had gone over to the side of Izyaslav Mstislavich. The siege was not crowned with success, and Prince Andrei was wounded under the walls of Chernigov.

In 1154, the long-term rivalry between princes Izyaslav and Yuri ended due to an event as natural as unexpected: Izyaslav Mstislavich died. In March 1155, Yuri Dolgoruky established himself in Kyiv, giving Andrei Vyshgorod, which is very important in a strategic sense (which indicates Yuri Vladimirovich's trust in his rebellious son). Apparently, Yuri Vladimirovich had in mind to transfer the throne of Kyiv to Andrei over time, but Andrei Yuryevich himself was not fascinated by this prospect. In Kievan Rus, he still felt embarrassed, 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:

“Andrey, apparently, then matured a plan not only to retire to the Suzdal land, but to establish in it a center from which it would be possible to turn the affairs of Russia ...

Andrei, who acted in this case 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 were confused and destroyed, especially in southern Russia. The princes, past any seniority by birth, sought princely tables, and the election ceased to be a unanimous choice of the whole earth and depended on the military crowd - on squads, so that, in essence, only one more right was retained - the right to be princes in Russia to persons from the Rurik house ; but which prince to reign where, for that there was no other right, except for strength and good luck. A new law had to be created. Andrew found him; this right was the supreme immediate blessing of religion.”

In Vyshgorod at that time there was a convent in which the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, brought from Constantinople, was placed. The most strange stories circulated about this icon among the people. It was said, for example, that, being placed against the wall, the icon “retreated” from it to the middle of the temple, as if showing thereby the unwillingness to be here. It was this icon that Prince Andrei decided to take with him to the Rostov-Suzdal land, wanting to give his native land a shrine that would be a visible proof of the special Divine care for him and his inhabitants.

He could not openly take the icon from the monastery: the locals would never have given it away. Hiding from them, he was forced to act at night, with the help of accomplices from the monastery clergy, who carried the icon out of the temple and - they had nowhere to retreat - left Vyshgorod together with the prince and his family. One of these accomplices, the priest Mikola, would later write a story about the murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky, and that would remain for centuries.

The rise of Vladimir during the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky

Already on the road, the icon of the Mother of God, carried away, began, as the legend says, to show miraculous properties, thereby showing God's mercy to 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 the 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 stood up, not having the strength to carry the shrine further. The Mother of God clearly showed Her intention to stay in Vladimir. But at that time it was a seedy little town, to which the inhabitants of Suzdal and Rostov treated with undisguised contempt!

Over the next few years, Vladimir, thanks to the work of Prince Andrei, changed beyond recognition. Rebuilding and decorating his residence in Bogolyubovo, he did not forget about the city itself, where the Golden Gate appeared in the shortest possible time (as if “in defiance” of a similar Kyiv building) and the amazing Assumption Cathedral. In general, the prince did not spare the cost of building and decorating churches - apparently, both for personal inclination towards 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 has grown, settled and "fat". The clergy also increased in it, as a result of which, presumably, literacy spread. The surrounding villages also revived, the Zalessky wilderness began to look more cheerful.

So, Vladimir owed his rise entirely to Prince Andrei Yurievich 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 enter into friction with the townspeople, who, although they were not as obstinate as the Novgorodians, nevertheless considered veche power above 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 smallest, Vsevolod (future), was only two years old. Thus, the father sought to humiliate Andrey, a mature husband, putting him on a par - and even lower, since Vladimir was considered lower than both Rostov and Suzdal - with unintelligent babies.

And after all, there is no evil without good! Andrey was not so much offended by his father as the inhabitants of Suzdal and Rostov. And after the death of Yuri Dolgoruky in 1157, they unanimously elected Andrei at a veche as their prince. He graciously accepted the election, but remained in Vladimir, or rather, in Bogolyubovo.

Andrei Bogolyubsky Prince of Rostov-Suzdal

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 significance of the two primordial centers of Ancient Russia - Kyiv and Novgorod. To do this, he undertook a series of military actions. One of them, the capture and unprecedented three-day sacking of Kyiv, became the brightest page in the Russian chronicles (the robbers not only killed and took everyone captive, but swung at the sacred, at the church - "icons of poimash, and books, and vestments ..." ). Another was reflected in the famous icon "Battle of Novgorodians with Suzdalians".

At the same time, Andrei Bogolyubsky did not wish for Kyiv, much less Novgorod reign. He only wanted to confirm his own supremacy, not only in the land where he actually reigned, but throughout Russia. And he succeeded up to a certain point. In the 1160s, he was perhaps the most prominent "political player" in the entire Russian space.

In order to elevate the importance of Vladimir even more, Prince Andrei wanted to establish his own metropolis, placing his favorite false bishop Theodorets as metropolitan, but in the end he was forced to abandon this intention, which met with stubborn resistance both in Kyiv and Constantinople, and even extradite Theodorets 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, the policy of Andrei Bogolyubsky began to falter. The authoritarian style of his government turned against him the nobility of Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir. Not to mention the fact that among the princes by the beginning of the 1170s he had almost no allies left. Too often he pointed them out. The prince lost the support of both his relatives and the boyars.

A conspiracy was formed, and Andrei Yurievich Bogolyubsky was brutally murdered in his palace. It 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 a great cry" buried the murdered prince near the walls of the Assumption Cathedral.

Canonization of Grand Duke Andrey Bogolyubsky in 1702

The next item in our story about Andrei Bogolyubsky should be his canonization, which took place in 1702. And we already foresee the surprised question of the reader: 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 settlers 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 schism in the church by the zealous "advancement" of Theodorets. And yet - canonized.

It must be remembered that the Church from time to time canonizes certain statesmen, not because of, but in spite of many of their deeds, and the case of Andrei Bogolyubsky is no exception. By the way, Dmitry Donskoy (the holy faithful) also took persistent steps towards the erection of his confessor, Archimandrite of the Novospassky Monastery Mityai, to the Moscow Metropolis. But no one, except meticulous historians of the Church, has long put this bark on the line for him. Yes, they don't remember it. And they remember the Battle of Kulikovo and the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh. So here.

The story of Andrei Bogolyubsky's expulsion of his younger (from another mother) brothers from the Rostov-Suzdal limits was forgotten, the plunder of Kyiv initiated by him was forgotten. Much has been forgotten. But it is not forgotten that it was him, Andrei, who was chosen by the Lord as the instrument of glorification of the icon of the Mother of God stolen from Vyshgorod as precisely “the same Vladimir one”, to which all Russia has been falling in prayer for 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 now, 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. Then they got relics.

In 1753, the relics of Andrei Bogolyubsky were redressed and placed in a new shrine.

In 1919, the relics of the holy prince underwent an autopsy, after which they were transferred to the museum. The first serious study of the remains was undertaken in 1934, when they were sent to the Leningrad Institute of the History of Feudal Societies (now the Institute of Archeology) without any description so as not to lead researchers astray. The conclusions of the scientists turned out to be in full agreement with what we know about Andrei Bogolyubsky. The data on his death were also confirmed - the skeleton kept traces of many wounds inflicted from behind, on the side and on the already lying body.

It also turned out that the prince had partially fused cervical vertebrae. This made him always hold his head high, which gave him an haughty, proud look.

From Leningrad, the relics returned to Vladimir. When the wave of frenzied atheism subsided and atheism took on "scientific" features, it already seemed indecent to exhibit them in a museum (after all, it was a mockery of the remains of a prominent historical figure). And they "silently", until 1982, not even being listed 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.

Prince ANDREI Yuryevich BOGOLYUBSKY

Icon of St. mch. Andrey Bogolyubsky

Andrei (1111-1174) - the second oldest son of Prince Yuri Dolgoruky and his wife, the Polovtsian princess, in holy baptism Mary, daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa Asenevich.
Wife: Ulita, daughter of boyar Kuchka.
Sons: Yuri, Izyaslav, Vladimir, Mstislav.

Before baptism, Andrei was called China, he grew up and matured in Suzdal, received an excellent education, which the Rurikovichs gave their sons according to the testament of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (who knew five European languages, was fluent in military art, and knowledge of urban science, and theology). Like Vladimir Monomakh, Prince Andrei had an inquisitive philosophical mind, loved to read the Holy Scriptures, and engage in divine thinking. From childhood, he was accustomed to standing idle for long church services, the entire annual liturgical cycle: he knew the saints by heart. For his piety, he received the name Bogolyubsky. The upbringing of the young prince included exercises in the art of war, the development of courage, resourcefulness and other qualities necessary for a prince-commander. The habit of military discipline, the ability to organize oneself, and even in the most urgent cases to find time for prayer, helped him more than once later in life.

Prince Dorogobuzhsky: 1150 - 1151

Ritual ax of Andrey Bogolyubsky

In the battle near the city of Lutsk, in which Izyaslav's brother Vladimir was besieged, in 1150 St. Andrei courageously smashed the front ranks of the enemy, his spear broke, his saddle was pierced by a pike, and only an ardent prayer to the great martyr Theodore Stratilates, whose memory was celebrated that day (February 8), saved the prince from the spear of a German mercenary.

Prince of Ryazan: 1153

In 1146, Andrei, together with his elder brother Rostislav, expelled from Ryazan an ally of Izyaslav Mstislavich - Rostislav Yaroslavich, who fled to the Polovtsians.
In 1153, Andrei was planted by his father to the Ryazan reign, but returning from the steppes with the Polovtsians expelled him.

Prince Andrei loved the Zalessky region, his homeland. Upon reaching the age of majority, the princely sons were usually given a city to manage. Andrey received from his father Vladimir, at that time an insignificant city inhabited by artisans, merchants, "little" people.

Prince Vyshgorodsky: 1149, 1155

After Yuri Dolgoruky became the prince of Kyiv in 1155, he surrounds himself with his sons, giving them the neighboring Kyiv inheritances. Closest of all, he places his eldest and talented son Andrei, making him the prince of Vyshgorod, located only 10 versts from Kyiv, so that he would always be "at hand" of his father. Andrei reigned in Vyshgorod for about a year. But he did not like this life. He did not like either revelry or feasts, he could not endure the constant troubles and strife of his relatives. Understanding the futility of attempts to change the order in the south, Prince Andrei began to look for the possibility of his departure to the north in order to organize life there on the principles of a strong and wise princely power.

Even in his youth, Prince Andrei, having reached the age of majority, undertook a journey to the shrines of the East. He was in Jerusalem and Constantinople, where he lived for several years, studying the life and customs of the peoples of the Byzantine Empire. The Greek kings were his relatives, because. in the line of his grandfather Vladimir Monomakh, born of the Greek princess Irina, he was the great-grandson of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh. It was then, during his stay in Byzantium, that Prince Andrei had the idea of ​​creating the same integral Orthodox state with an autocrat at the head on the territory of the Russian lands that were fragmented and divided at that time.
He understood that behind the princely strife in the struggle for the throne of Kyiv and the best cities, behind fratricides and perjury, there was a great threat and danger to Russia. In Kyiv, the grand ducal power was severely limited by the influential and changeable city council.
The noble Kyiv squad was too self-willed, and the southern border with the restless Polovtsian steppe lay nearby, so a new capital was needed to implement the plans of Prince Andrei. By the providence of God, the city of Vladimir was indicated.

Immediately after the beginning of his reign in Vyshgorod, Prince. Andrei began to ask his father to let him go to his homeland in the Rostov-Suzdal Territory, but Prince. Yuri categorically refused him, not wanting to lose his most reliable and faithful assistant. Book. Andrei began to pray, asking the Lord Himself to decide his fate. At that time, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God was located in the Vyshgorod Convent.
Written in Byzantium around 1130, the miraculous image of the Mother of God belonged to the type of icons that were called "Eleus", and in Russia this word was translated as "Tenderness". This name was assigned to this type of composition. This icon became the national shrine of the Russian land, and the name "Vladimirskaya" came to it later.
Many residents told amazing things about this icon: several times it left its place in the temple and hovered in the air. When the icon was moved to the altar, it left its place there too, turning to face the exit. In front of this shrine, the pious Prince Andrei often prayed at night, and the miracles coming from the icon revealed to him the will of the Lord. Taking with him this and a few more icons, a family and a small squad of faithful people, Prince. Andrei left for his homeland, secretly, without his father's will.
Russian people believed that the Mother of God "Tenderness" is able to work miracles.

Secret transfer of the icon of the Mother of God from Vyshgorod

IN. Klyuchevsky says that Bogolyubsky with the icon from Vyshgorod sailed with water to Moscow, across the Vazuza River and the Moscow River, then “through the Rogozhsky fields on the Klyazma to Vladimir” (V.O. Klyuchevsky. Soch., vol. 2, M., 1957 , page 9).
The pristine town of Moscow, as the western border outpost of the Vladimir-Suzdal land, was, in the 12th century, according to I.K. Kondratiev, a certain center or gathering place "for the militias passing through it, because the princes and governors of Vladimir, Novgorod, Ryazan and Chernigov converged into it with their troops, heading in different directions of vast appanage Russia." (I.K. Kondratiev. Gray-haired old Moscow. M., 1893, p. 6.)
Further, Bogolyubsky sailed along the Klyazma on boats to Vladimir-Zalessky downstream.
Prince Andrei decided to take the miraculous icon from Vladimir to Suzdal. The overland route from Vladimir to Suzdal apparently passed through the modern settlement. Bogolyubovo, Prince Andrei rode along it.
On the way from Vladimir to Rostov, eleven versts from Vladimir, the horses carrying the icon suddenly stopped, and no force could move them. The chronicle text says: “And from that time (from the Rogozhsky fields) came near the city of Vladimer and always was on the river on the Klyazma and that horse with the icon” ...
Everyone considered this a wonderful omen. After serving a prayer service, we decided to spend the night here. Long after midnight, the light burned in the prince's tent, pitched on the steep bank of the full-flowing Klyazma. The prince prayed at night in front of the miraculous icon, when the Most Pure Mother of God herself appeared before him in an indescribable radiance and said: “I don’t want to, but bring My image to Rostov, but put Him in Vladimir: in this place, in the name of My Nativity, erect a church and make a dwelling for the monks ". Andrei fell to his knees in reverent awe, ready at that very moment to fulfill the Heavenly command. Then, in memory of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God to him, Prince. Andrei ordered the icon painters to paint an icon of the Mother of God such as the Most Pure One appeared to him, and established the celebration of this icon on July 1. Called the Bogolyubskaya (God-loving) icon of the Mother of God, she later became famous for numerous miracles.

Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God

In connection with all these circumstances, the new city on the site of the appearance of the Most Pure Theotokos was named Bogolyubov (“a place beloved by God”), and the prince himself was nicknamed Bogolyubsky.

Grand Duke Vladimir
1157 - 1174

In 1157, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky was poisoned during a feast with one of the people of Kiev named Petrila, who was an osmenik, i.e. senior over eight warriors. His death led to the robbery of the courtyards of both the prince himself and other Suzdal residents. After the rebellion subsided, the people of Kiev began to expect retribution from Prince Andrei. But he was in no hurry to go to Kyiv with a sword, so that by force, like his predecessors, he would establish himself on the "golden" throne of Kiev. He stayed in the northeast in order to create a new capital of Russia here, based on the policy of strengthening a single and absolute power.
After the death of his father, Andrei was elected Prince of Rostov-Suzdal, but he did not stay in either Rostov or Suzdal, but went to his beloved city of Vladimir. In order to strengthen the autocracy, Andrei expels several boyar families from Rostov and Suzdal, the most faithful servants of his father, and also sends his relatives to reduce the risk of internecine disagreements and encroachments on his princely authority. Mstislav, Vasilko and Vsevolod, together with their widowed parent (Andrey's stepmother), left for Constantinople in 1162.

Emperor Manuel received them with honor. Vsevolod spent 7 years in exile. Gleb at that time reigned in Pereslavl South.

Since 1149 Rostov, Suzdal and Murom diocese.
From 1164 (1172) Rostov and Murom diocese.
Since 1198 Rostov, Suzdal and.

Before his death, Dolgoruky asks the masters from Frederick Barbarossa. First, the masters are sent by Friedrich to Yuri, then the arrival of the masters to his son Andrei in Vladimir. From the message of V.N. Tatishchev it follows that they built, at a minimum, the Assumption Cathedral and the Golden Gate in Vladimir. When exactly the construction of the Golden Gate began, we do not know (their approximate dating is 1158 - 1164). But regarding the Assumption Cathedral, it is known for certain that it was founded on April 8, 1158.
From Barbarossa came masters of sculptural decoration and, possibly, an architect. But if the arrival of the latter did take place, then rather narrow tasks were set before him:
- development of decor iconography and guidance of the relevant craftsmen;
- increasing the size and improving the quality of buildings.
Despite the arrival of craftsmen from Western Europe, under Andrei, local construction personnel formed under Yuri were still of decisive importance.

ASSUMPTION CATHEDRAL OF ROSTOV THE VELIKY

In 1160, the oak Cathedral Church of the Dormition in Rostov burned down. In 1162, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky laid a stone cathedral church on the site of a burned-out church.
At the same time, relics were found incorruptible when digging ditches under the walls of the newly laid temple. Prince Andrei sent a stone coffin in which the relics of Leonty were laid and a small chapel was arranged in honor of him on the south side of the altar of the cathedral church. The white-stone cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1204.
Cm.

COUNTRY FORTRESS - BOGOLYUBOVO

On the site of the settlement there was a Meryan settlement of the 9th-10th century, possibly fortified.

The construction of the country fortress continued from 1157 to 1165. According to the plan of Andrei Bogolyubsky, it was a small but well-fortified castle following the example of a Western European one, surrounded by powerful earthen ramparts, which had a base of up to 20 m and a height of up to 6 m. Their perimeter reached 800 m. Stone walls were erected over the ramparts with fighting white stone towers . During the excavations of 1934-1954. the remains of the base of a wall or tower beautifully built of white hewn stone were found, and on the crest of the western rampart - the sole of a powerful foundation of the wall, built of cobblestones on lime mortar.
Cm.

The prince unfolds grandiose construction in Vladimir. The city turned into a huge fortress, surrounded by ramparts 7 km long, surpassing in this respect both Kyiv (4 km.) And Novgorod (6 km.).
Military fortifications were erected around the city with high wooden walls and loopholes, in front of which a wide ditch was dug.
The cutting of the rampart in the western part of the city of Monomakh showed that it was built somewhat later than Ivanovo, on the cultural layer of the 12th century, and had powerful wooden structures inside in the form of log cabins measuring 5.4x5.8 m from logs 0.2-0.4 m thick, connected " in the cloud."

Bookmark of the city of Vladimir and the Assumption Cathedral of the book. Andrei Bogolyubsky. Miniature of the Front Chronicle. Laptev volume. 2nd floor 16th century (RNB. F. IV. L. 133)

Golden Gate

Golden Gate. Reconstruction by A.V. Stoletov.

Golden Gate. Reconstruction by E.I. Deschaltes.

The Golden Gates (1158-1164) were built by analogy with the main gates of Kyiv and Constantinople, which had the same name.
During the construction of the Golden Gate, the following miracle happened. The prince wanted to time the opening of the Golden Gate to the feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God. Scaffolding and circles were removed ahead of time, and the lime had not yet had time to dry and harden. During the prayer service, with a large gathering of people, part of the gate collapsed, and the stones covered 12 people with themselves. Then the prince fervently prayed to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God: “If You do not save these people, I, a sinner, will be guilty of their death!” When the gates were lifted and the stones dismantled, all the crushed ones turned out to be safe and sound.
On April 26, 1164, the construction of the Golden Gate was completed.
Above the triumphal arch, the over-gate Church of the Robe of the Robe was erected, renovated in 1469 by V.D. Yermolin; rebuilt in 1810

Golden Gates of Vladimir

They entered Vladimir from the west through the Golden Gates, and from the east through the Silver Gates. The fortress also had the Volga Gates - access to the Klyazma River, Mednye - access to the Lybed and Irinina Rivers - not far from the Golden Gates.
The Golden Gate has survived to this day and has become the oldest defense monument in Russia. This is a powerful building made of white stone over 20 meters high, cut through by a high arch. The doors of the gates used to be bound with gilded copper and were seen from afar. The dome of a small temple, which completed the construction, also sparkled with gold.
The church, which looks like a toy from a distance, actually accommodates more than a hundred people.
In 1238, the Golden Gate served the people of Vladimir during the defense of the city from the Mongol-Tatar army.
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In different parts of Monomakh's city, the remains of ground and semi-dugout buildings were investigated. Above-ground buildings were of a log structure, mostly single-chamber, their dimensions did not exceed 5-6x4-6 m. The buildings were without foundation devices or with the simplest “chairs” made of log stumps at the corners of the log house, usually with large and deep underground pits. The walls of the semi-dugouts were decorated with wood. As a rule, these were log cabins lowered into the pit. Furnaces in both ground and semi-dugout dwellings were predominantly adobe.
Among the finds from the Old Russian layer of the Monomakh city are Old Russian and late medieval pottery, numerous and varied tools of craftsmen, household items, and many glass bracelets. Frequent finds of majolica tiles.
At the Knyaginin Monastery, the remains of a ground residential building were examined, in the collapse of the furnace of which two silver hryvnias were found, apparently hidden during one of the enemy invasions. At the Golden Gates, a semi-dugout 4.0x3.6 m in size was excavated with traces of wall cladding with wood (probably a log house) and an adobe stove in the southeast corner.

Church of the Savior

Prince of Kyiv in 1108 lays the first stone church in Vladimir. “The same summer, the city of Vladimer Zaleshsky, Volodimer Monomakh, was accomplished, and the church built in it was the stone of the Holy Savior.” After the fire, this temple was completely dismantled.

Under Andrei Bogolyubsky, a new white-stone church of the Savior (1164) grew next to the Golden Gates. The white-stone Church of the Savior stood for about six centuries, until a severe fire in 1778 destroyed it. A few years later, at the end of the eighteenth century, the remains of the church were dismantled, and a new Church of the Savior was built in its place, which has survived to our time.

Church of the Savior

Before construction began, archaeological excavations were carried out at the site of an ancient temple of the twelfth century. The researchers managed to restore the original appearance of the Church of the Savior Andrey Bogolyubsky, of course, most of the architectural elements were restored based on conjectures. However, archaeologists have found slabs that lined the floor of the temple, fragments of carved stone decorations on the facade.
The architects tried to repeat as accurately as possible the image of the Church of the Savior, built under Prince Bogolyubsky. Archaeologists say that the new Church of the Savior is indeed very similar to the ancient one. The building of the church is surrounded by a series of semi-columns, originating from the middle of the walls and reaching almost to the gate. In addition, the walls are richly decorated with carved stone details. The architects used a special method of applying plaster, thanks to this, it seems that the Church of the Savior is made of natural white stone (like its predecessor).
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Vladimir Assumption Cathedral

In the Middle City, Andrei creates the white-stone Assumption Cathedral (1158-1160).
The Assumption Cathedral was erected at the direction of Andrei Bogolyubsky on a high terrain and is visible from afar. The temple was assigned a role similar to that of St. Sophia of Kyiv. The eponymous cathedral of the Caves Monastery in Kyiv served as a model. The desire to make Vladimir a new political and cultural center of Russia led to the search for hitherto unknown ideological and artistic means. The appearance of the main temple had to correspond to the tasks set. The prince allocated a tenth of his income for the construction of the temple and invited craftsmen from different lands.

Scientists believe that architects from Western Europe participated in the construction of the Assumption Cathedral. They creatively used the experience of local builders and the traditions of this land. The temple was generously decorated outside and inside with stone carvings, frescoes, and gilding.
The architect of Barbarossa failed to achieve either a fundamentally new design, or a significant increase in size, or sufficient reliability of the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral. The large Rostov Cathedral (the side of the domed square is 6.7 m) did not stand for long - only 42 years.

The icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir adorned the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos built in 1160. For her salary, according to legend, the prince gave more than 30 hryvnias of gold, except for silver, precious stones and pearls.
After the death of the prince, many hunters were found to take possession of this shrine.
The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was in the hands of the Ryazan Prince Gleb. She was in terrible danger when, in 1238, hordes of Tatars broke into Vladimir. According to legend, Khan Batu himself peered into the mournful face of the Mother of God for a long time and, unable to withstand Her gaze, left the temple.

Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir

The historical days of May 21, June 23 and August 26, associated with this holy icon, have become memorable days of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The most solemn celebration takes place on August 26, established in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon when it was transferred from Vladimir to Moscow.
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Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Sretenskaya Church was built on the banks of the Klyazma by order of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1164.
The reason for its erection was chosen as a special one - in this place, the prince, accompanied by the clergy, with a large gathering of local residents, met the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God being transported to the Assumption Cathedral from Bogolyubov on September 21, 1160. In memory of the meeting of the icon, at the meeting place to perpetuate the memory of such On a glorious and significant event for Vladimir, the wooden church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos was built.
During the construction of the Sretenskaya Church, the prince established a religious procession on September 21 (according to the old style), which was performed by the clergy of the Assumption Cathedral. This tradition did not last long, and already in 1177 the procession was canceled by the cathedral clergy.
During the ruin of Vladimir in 1238, the “wild hordes of the Mongols” burned, among others, the Sretenskaya Church. Since then, it has not been renewed for a long time, and only in 1656 is it mentioned in the archives as “coming again”. Rebuilt and updated, the temple is later found in documents of the second half. 17th century At that time, he was also assigned to the Assumption Cathedral, but already in 1710, his priest conducted divine services in the Sretenskaya Church. Cm. .

Shoulder of St. Prince Andrew. Enamel overlay depicting the Crucifixion of Christ

Armillos of Barbarossa - two pairs of pentagonal gilded copper overlays. Decorated with enamel miniatures with gospel scenes of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. The shoulder pads were made around 1170-1180. jewelers of the Moselle school and, possibly, are ceremonial shoulder bracelets - armillas, which were one of the regalia of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Their probable owner is Friedrich Barbarossa, who, according to legend, presented them to the Grand Duke of Vladimir Andrei Bogolyubsky.

Sculptural portrait of Andrei Bogolyubsky recreated by M.M. Gerasimov


Plan of Vladimir XII-XIII centuries. (on )

The numbers on the plan indicate:
I - the city of Monomakh (Pecherny city); II - Vetchany city; III - New city; IV - child; 1 - Church of the Savior; 2 - Church of George; 3 - Assumption Cathedral; 4 - Golden Gate; 5 - Orinin's gate; 6 - Copper gate; 7 - Silver Gate; 8 - Volga gates; 9 - Dmitrievsky Cathedral; ten - ; 11 - Nativity monastery; 12 - Assumption (Knyaginin) monastery; 13 - Trading gates; 14 - Ivanovo gates; 15 - gate of the citadel; 16 - Church of the Exaltation at the Market.

In 1158-1164. the western part of the city, called New town, is also surrounded by a line of defensive fortifications - ramparts (about 9 m high), on which the wooden walls of the fortress are erected. In this part of Vladimir there were four gate towers, three of them were wooden. The gates located in the towers were called "Volga", "Irinina" and "Copper".
Excavations here revealed the remains of the Irinin gates in the form of a wooden base and the flooring of the passage.
In the central part of the New Town, in the area of ​​Torgovy Ryady, approx. 2000 sq. m. The oldest buildings here belonged to the XII-XIII centuries. These are underground pits of ground dwellings, ruins of adobe stoves and stoves, utility pits, traces of palisades separating estates. At the junction of two estates, a construction victim was found: a special burial of the heads and parts of the skeletons of two horses.

Posad was intensively populated in the XII - early. 13th century Here at the alleged Silver Gate in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe modern street. Frunze, the remains of two semi-dugouts measuring 4.2x3.0 m were studied, one of which belonged to a blacksmith.
The eastern part of the city of Vladimir, where in the second half. XI century. the settlement was located, during the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, it was also protected by ramparts and wooden fortifications. On this side were other white stone gates known as Silver. But here the wooden walls of the fortress soon fell into disrepair, and therefore the eastern part of Vladimir was called Vetchany city(i.e. "old").

Archaeologists have identified two building horizons in the construction of defensive fortifications in the eastern part of the city (Ivanovsky Val). the preserved height of the first building horizon is 0.9 m, the body of the shaft was poured on the ancient soil horizon, from the outside the embankment of the shaft was reinforced with a wooden palisade. On the surface of the shaft of the first building horizon, the remains of wooden structures adjacent to the shaft, which were damaged in a fire, were recorded. Furnaces were found inside the log cabins. Numerous fragments of pottery vessels of ser. XII - ser. 13th century

In ancient times, the fire layer was leveled and an embankment of the second building horizon was erected, which was preserved to a height of 1.8 to 1.9 m. The body of the shaft was significantly increased in height and width.

On the second building horizon, powerful undisturbed soil strata were traced, which had formed on the rampart by the 16th century. The upper part of the shaft was hidden in the con. XVIII - beginning. 19th century
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By the XIII century. territory st. B. Moskovskaya received four wooden churches and 200 courtyards. XVI - XVII centuries. posad settlements were already located here, to which the territories of Sergievsky, Assumption and Bogoroditsky monasteries and monastic settlements adjoined.

Most of the finds of the Old Russian period are represented by glass bracelets, knives for woodworking and bone carving, bone products and bone drilling tools, and stone products. The most massive finds are fragments of pottery, from which 3 vessels for wine and oil were reconstructed. Elements of decoration of temples were also found.

During the years of reign, Andrei built over 30 churches. All visitors: both Latins and pagans, Prince. Andrew ordered to be taken to the erected temples and show them true Christianity.

Scattered lands united around the city of Vladimir, which at that time became the spiritual and cultural center of Russia.
In 1153, Andrei Bogolyubsky captured Ryazan, but was expelled by Rostislav with Polovtsian help. This event Soloviev S.M. at that time the throne of Kyiv was given to the prince of Smolensk Rostislav Mstislavich.
In 1159, the Murom regiments participated in the campaign of the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky in support of Svyatoslav Vshchizhsky and his uncle Izyaslav Davydovich, who at that time fought for the thrones of Kyiv and Chernigov against the Smolensk-Volyn-Galician coalition.

In 1160, he sent his son Mstislav to the upper Don with an army against the Polovtsians.

One of the state tasks set by Prince. Andrei saw the conquest of the Great Volga Route, which passed through the territory of Russia and connected the countries of Scandinavia with the eastern states. Volga Bulgaria from the time of the campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav (972) against the Khazars posed a serious danger to the Russian state.
A crushing blow to the enemy was dealt in 1164, when Russian troops burned and destroyed several Bulgarian fortresses.
In 1164 Prince Yuri of Murom sent troops to help Andrei Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgarians. Andrei took with him on this campaign the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and a double-sided icon, which depicted the Savior Not Made by Hands on one side and the Adoration of the Cross on the other.
A great miracle was revealed to the Russian army from the holy icons on the day of the decisive victory over the Bulgarians on August 1, 1164. After the defeat of the Bulgarian army, Prince Andrei, his brother Yaroslav, son Izyaslav and others returned to the infantry, who stood under the princely banners at the Vladimir icon, and, bowing icon, "praises and songs repaying her." And then everyone saw dazzling rays of light emanating from the face of the Mother of God and from the Savior Not Made by Hands. In that year, by the command of St. Andrew, it was established August 14 celebration of the All-Merciful Savior () and the Most Holy Theotokos - in memory of the baptism of Russia by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir and in memory of the victory over the Bulgarians.

Soon, the prince established a holiday, hitherto unknown to either the Latin West or the Greek East: a holiday (occurred on October 1/14), which embodied the faith of the holy prince and the entire Russian people in the acceptance of Holy Russia by the Mother of God under Her Protection. The initiative to create the holiday is attributed to Andrei Bogolyubsky himself and the Vladimir clergy, who did without the sanction of the Kyiv Metropolitan. The appearance of a new Mother of God holiday in the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality seems to be a natural phenomenon, arising from the political aspirations of Prince Andrei. In the “Word to the Protection” there is a prayer that the Mother of God will protect her people with the divine cover “from arrows flying in the darkness of our division”, a prayer for the need for the unity of the Russian lands.
In 1165, a church () arose at the mouth of the Nerl, dedicated to a new holiday in honor of the Virgin - Intercession.

The participation of the prince is noticeable in the compilation of the Vladimir chronicle, completed after the death of the prince by his confessor priest Mikulitsa, who included in it a special "Tale of the Assassination of Saint Prince Andrew." The final edition of the Tale of Boris and Gleb also dates back to the reign of Prince Andrei, since the prince was their special admirer: the main shrine of Andrei Bogolyubsky was the hat and sword of the holy martyr Prince Boris (Prince of Rostov). A monument to the prayerful inspiration of the holy prince was the “Prayer”, entered into the chronicle under 1906, after the “Instruction of Vladimir Monomakh”. From the Volga Gates of the city of Vladimir, the Staro-Ryazansky tract began, which ran along the riverbed of the Pol and Buzha rivers, bypassing the lakes - to the left bank of the Oka, to Ryazan.
When the patriarchal chair was still in Kyiv, the winter Patriarchal path from Kyiv through Ryazan to Vladimir ran along the ice of Pra, Meshchersky Lakes and Buzha.
In 1171, according to the chronicles, Andrei Bogolyubsky laid the foundation stone in the southern limits of Meshchera Andreev Gorodok. Then another trade route arose along the left bank of the Kolp and Gus rivers, connecting Vladimir with Gorodets Meshchersky. Cm.
From 1158 to 1165 Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky strengthened the southern borders of Zalessky Rus: he created a chain of fortifications on the left bank of the Klyazma: Vladimir, a fortress over Sungir (), - the latter also blocked the path of Rostov and Suzdal along the Nerl route to Klyazma - this was a very daring and courageous step of the prince, it caused strong discontent of the Old Boyar nobility.

Fortified guard posts-notches are being built along large rivers and the most important roads. Such posts can obviously be considered Makeeva Gora (Kameshkovsky district, the village of Makeevo), a settlement near the village of Kunitsyno in the same area, villages near (Kovrovsky district).

Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky, paying his last debt to his father, who died in 1157, by building churches and monasteries in Vladimir and down from the city of Bogolyubov along the Klyazma River on its right bank, he built the first church in the name of the Savior, which is in Kupalishchi (where there were still pagans and worshiped God - Kupala).
On the day of the Assumption of the Mother of God, the Grand Duke arrived at the place where the village of Lyubets (Kovrovsky district) is now, which has the most picturesque location. The place fell in love with the Prince. “Lubo is here,” he said and ordered to build a church in the name of the Assumption of the Mother of God.
The Prince wanted to visit Starodub, but circumstances diverted him to the Princes of Suzdal. The Grand Duke, returning in the winter from Suzdal again to Starodub, lost his way due to a blizzard and, no longer hoping for salvation, ended up in the camp of the village of Elifanovka (the future city of Kovrov) on the eve of the Nativity of Christ. On the occasion of his miraculous deliverance from certain death, he ordered the construction of the Nativity Church here.
In the morning, having warmed up and rested, the Grand Duke went to mass in (now called the Klyazma town). From here he went further and at the mouth of the river Tara and Msterka ordered the construction of a church in the name of the Epiphany of the Lord, where now.
Ever since the Grand Duke ordered the construction of a wooden church in the village of Elifanovka, this village has been called the village of Rozhdestvenskoye.
Elifan's son Vasily Elifanov undertook to cut down and build this church. When consecrating it, the Grand Duke rewarded him with wastelands, forests and meadows from the Nerekhta River to the Gremyachiy Enemy along the Klyazma to a crooked oak and an old willow to Nerekhta, as it appears in the scribe books of Dyak Mikhail Trusov and Fyodor Vitovtov. Later, these lands passed from generation to generation under the name of the wastelands of Elifanovskiye. In 1162, wishing to create an episcopal see in the new capital of Russia - the capital city of Vladimir - Andrei Bogolyubsky asked the Patriarch of Constantinople to separate the city of Vladimir from the Rostov diocese and create a metropolis separate from Kyiv. He proposed his favorite abbot Theodore as a candidate for the metropolitan see. But Patriarch Luke Chrysoverg did not agree to this, and advised the flattering and sly Theodore, who slandered the Rostov Bishop Nestor, to be removed from him.
In 1168, a large Council was convened in Kyiv, consisting of 150 clerics, on the occasion of disputes about fasting on Wednesday and Friday. Hegumen Theodore was sent from Vladimir Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky to the Council with a proposal to overthrow the Kyiv Metropolitan Konstantin and elect a new one, but the proposal was not accepted. Then hegumen Theodore, with a supply of gold and silver, went to Constantinople to the patriarch with a report that there was supposedly no metropolitan in Kyiv, and asked to be appointed metropolitan of Kyiv. The patriarch disagreed. But this did not confuse Abbot Theodore. He brought rich gifts to the patriarch and asked him to be appointed Bishop of Rostov, saying that there supposedly was no bishop there, and that there was no one in Russia to appoint bishops, since there was no metropolitan in Kyiv. The patriarch heeded his prayer, and on June 16, 1170, Theodore was consecrated bishop of Rostov (see). At the same time, in an effort to maintain the favor of Prince Andrei, the most powerful among the rulers of the Russian land, he honored Bishop Theodore with the right to wear a white klobuk, which in ancient Russia was a hallmark of church autonomy.

In 1167, Saint Rostislav, Andrew's cousin, who knew how to bring peace into the complex political and church life of that time, died in Kyiv, and a new metropolitan was sent from Constantinople. The new metropolitan demanded that Bishop Theodore come to him for approval. Saint Andrew again turned to Constantinople for confirmation of the independence of the Vladimir diocese and with a request for a separate metropolis. A letter of response from Patriarch Luke Chrysoverg has been preserved, containing a categorical refusal to establish a metropolitanate, as well as a demand to receive the exiled Bishop Leon and submit to the Metropolitan of Kyiv.
Andrei convinced Bishop Theodore to go to Kyiv with repentance to restore canonical relations with the metropolitan. The repentance of Bishop Theodore was not accepted. Without a conciliar trial, Metropolitan Constantine, in accordance with Byzantine customs, condemned him to a terrible execution: they cut out Theodore's tongue, cut off his right hand and gouged out his eyes. After that, he was drowned by the Metropolitan's servants.

In 1159, Izyaslav Davydovich was expelled from Kyiv by Mstislav Izyaslavich of Volyn and the Galician army, Rostislav Mstislavich became the prince of Kyiv, whose son Svyatoslav reigned in Novgorod. In the same year, Andrei captured the Novgorod suburb of Volok Lamsky, founded by Novgorod merchants, and celebrated here the wedding of his daughter Rostislava with Prince Vshchizhsky Svyatoslav Vladimirovich, the nephew of Izyaslav Davydovich. Izyaslav Andreevich, together with Murom help, was sent to help Svyatoslav near Vshchizh against Svyatoslav Olgovich and Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich.
In 1160, the Novgorodians invited Andrei's nephew, Mstislav Rostislavich, to reign, but not for long: the following year, Izyaslav Davydovich died while trying to capture Kyiv, and Svyatoslav Rostislavich returned to Novgorod for several years.

Capture of Kyiv

Mstislav (prince of Kyiv and son of Izyaslav) continued the family tradition, gathering in the early spring (following the example of Monomakh) 1169 the troops of twelve princes - all the available forces of Southern Russia in one of the largest campaigns against nomads. Crowned with an almost bloodless victory at the mouth of the river. Aurélie, where again many slaves were freed. The Polovtsy did not try to resist and fled. The light cavalry of the black hoods under the command of their commander Basty pursued them at a great distance, capturing crowds of prisoners. The Dnieper grouping was again significantly weakened, but the next strife that had begun did not allow to consolidate the success.
In March 1169, the troops of the allied princes, led by Andrei's son Mstislav, besieged Kyiv. At this time, Prince Mstislav Izyaslavovich ruled in Kyiv. The allies of Mstislav of Kyiv (Yaroslav Osmomysl of Galicia, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Chernigov and Yaroslav Izyaslavich of Lutsky) did not undertake a deblocking blow to the besieged Kyiv.
On March 8, the city was defeated and burned. The Polovtsy who participated in the campaign did not spare even church treasures. Russian chronicles considered this event as a well-deserved retribution: "behold, here for their sins, and even more so for the metropolitan's untruth." The city was taken by attack "on the shield", which the Russian princes had never done before in relation to Kyiv. The Kyiv prince Mstislav fled. The victors robbed him for two days, there was no pardon for anything or anyone. “They were in Kyiv then,” the chronicler said, “there was groaning and longing on all people, inconsolable crying and unceasing sorrow.” Many Kyivans were taken prisoner. In monasteries and churches, the soldiers took away not only jewelry, but also all holiness: icons, crosses, bells and vestments. The Polovtsians set fire to the Pechersk Monastery. Sophia Cathedral was plundered along with other temples.
Andrei's younger brother Gleb reigned in Kyiv, Andrei himself remained in Vladimir.

Campaign to Novgorod

In 1168, the Novgorodians called for the reign of Roman, the son of Mstislav Izyaslavich of Kyiv. The first campaign was carried out against the princes of Polotsk, Andrei's allies. The land was devastated, the troops did not reach Polotsk for 30 versts. Then Roman attacked the Toropetskaya volost of the Smolensk principality. The army sent by Mstislav to help his son, led by Mikhail Yuryevich, and the black hoods were intercepted by the Rostislavichs on the way.
Having subjugated Kyiv, Andrei organized a campaign against Novgorod. Prince Yuri of Murom sent troops to help Andrei Bogolyubsky at the end of 1169 against Roman Mstislavich of Novgorod.
In the winter of 1170, Mstislav Andreevich, Roman and Mstislav Rostislavichi, Vseslav Vasilkovich of Polotsk, Ryazan and Murom regiments came near Novgorod.
By the evening of February 25, Roman with the Novgorodians defeated the Suzdalians and their allies. The enemies fled. The Novgorodians captured so many Suzdalians that they sold them for next to nothing (2 nogata each). However, famine soon set in Novgorod, and the Novgorodians preferred to make peace with Andrei with all their will and invited Rurik Rostislavich to reign, and a year later, Yuri Andreevich.
According to other sources, the inhabitants of Vladimir were thrown back by the miracle of the Novgorod Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign, which was brought to the city wall by the holy Archbishop John. But when the prudent prince changed his anger to mercy and attracted the Novgorodians to himself with peace, God's favor returned to him: Novgorod accepted the conditions set by St. Andrew.

Siege of Vyshgorod in 1173

After the death of Gleb Yuryevich in the reign of Kiev (1171), Vladimir Mstislavich occupied Kyiv at the invitation of the younger Rostislavichs and secretly from Andrei and from another main contender for Kyiv - Yaroslav Izyaslavich Lutsky, but soon died. Andrei gave the reign of Kiev to the eldest of the Smolensk Rostislavichs - Roman. Soon, Andrei demanded that Roman extradite the Kyiv boyars suspected of poisoning Gleb Yuryevich, but he refused. In response, Andrei ordered him and his brothers to return to Smolensk. Andrei planned to give Kyiv to his brother Mikhail Yuryevich, but he instead sent his brother Vsevolod and nephew Yaropolk to Kyiv, who were then taken prisoner by Davyd Rostislavich.
Rurik Rostislavich reigned briefly in Kyiv. An exchange of prisoners was carried out, according to which the prince Vladimir Yaroslavich, who had previously been expelled from Galich, captured by Mikhail and sent to Chernigov, was extradited to the Rostislavichs, and Vsevolod Yuryevich was released by them. Yaropolk Rostislavich was retained, his older brother Mstislav was expelled from Trepol and was not received by Mikhail, who was then in Chernigov and, apart from Torchesk, claimed Pereyaslavl.
The Kyiv chronicler describes the moment of reconciliation between Andrei and the Rostislavichs as follows: “Andrey lost his brother and Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Chernigov, and proceeded to Rostislavich.” But soon Andrei, through his swordsman Mikhn, again demanded from the Rostislavichs "not to be in the Russian land": from Rurik - to go to his brother in Smolensk, from Davyd - to Berlad. Then the youngest of the Rostislavichs, Mstislav the Brave, conveyed to Prince Andrei that the Rostislavichs had previously kept him as a father "out of love", but would not allow them to be treated as "handmaids". Roman obeyed, and his brothers cut off the beard of the ambassador Andrei, which gave rise to the outbreak of hostilities.
In addition to the troops of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, regiments from the Murom, Ryazan, Turov, Polotsk and Goroden principalities, Novgorod land, princes Yuri Andreevich, Mikhail and Vsevolod Yuryevich, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, Igor Svyatoslavich participated in the campaign. Rostislavich chose a different strategy than Mstislav Izyaslavich in 1169. They did not defend Kyiv. Rurik locked himself in Belgorod, Mstislav in Vyshgorod with his regiment and Davyd's regiment, and Davyd himself went to Galich to ask for help from Yaroslav Osmomysl. The entire militia laid siege to Vyshgorod in order to capture Mstislav, as Andrei ordered. Mstislav took the first battle in the field before the start of the siege and retreated to the fortress. Meanwhile, Yaroslav Izyaslavich, whose rights to Kyiv were not recognized by the Olgovichi, received such recognition from the Rostislavichs, moved the Volyn and auxiliary Galician troops to help the besieged. Having learned about the approach of the enemy, a huge army of the besiegers began to randomly retreat. Mstislav made a successful sortie. Many, crossing the Dnieper, drowned. “So,” says the chronicler, “Prince Andrey was such a clever man in all matters, but he ruined his meaning by intemperance: he was inflamed with anger, became proud and boasted in vain; but the devil instills praise and pride in the heart of a person.
Yaroslav Izyaslavich became Prince of Kyiv. But over the following years, he, and then Roman Rostislavich, had to cede the great reign to Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Chernigov, with the help of which, after the death of Andrei, the younger Yurievichs established themselves in Vladimir.

The Patriarchal Garden in Vladimir, according to legend, was founded by the holy noble prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. In Vladimir there was no residence of the patriarch, but a cherry orchard was specially planted, where the capital's clergy came to rest. Cm.

In Georgia, this Prince of Vladimir was called "Sovereign Andrew the Great", and in Armenia - "Tsar of the Russians". The princes: Kyiv, Smolensk, Chernigov, Ryazan and Murom, even Volyn princes, and in the end, the free "Mr. Novgorod", walked according to his grand prince's will. Most of the time the prince spent in Bogolyubovo in solitude and prayer. There he received foreign ambassadors and merchants. He often traveled to the mouth of the Sudogda to hunt with a small number of close people.

Chapel of St. blg. Prince Gleb in the Assumption Cathedral


Cancer with the relics of St. Gleb Vladimirsky in the Assumption Cathedral

Having performed a funeral on June 20, 1174 in the temple of the Virgin over his son Gleb (), Andrei evaded the noisy life of the capital to his beloved Bogolyubov, so that here, in the silence of monastic solitude, he would satisfy the grief of his soul with his pious pursuits. While here, in his secluded chapel, he cast down his sorrow before the Lord, in Vladimir, in his absence, among his relatives and friends in the summer of 1174, a villainous conspiracy was formed.
He was then in his 63rd year. It was the work of the boyars Kuchkovichi, relatives of his first wife, the daughter of the boyar Kuchka executed by Yuri Dolgoruky, the original owner of Moscow, and Andrei's second wife, a Bulgarian by birth, she could not forgive him for glorious victories over her tribe. The reason for the murder was Andrey's order to execute one of the Kuchkovichi. There were twenty conspirators, and none of them was personally offended by the prince, but many, on the contrary, were favored by him, especially two foreigners Anbal, Yas (Ossetian) by origin, and the Jew Efrem Moizich.

On the night of June 28-29, on the day of remembrance of St. App. Peter and Paul, a drunken crowd of twenty murderers made their way to the palace, cut out the guards and broke into the bedchamber of the unarmed prince. The day before, the housekeeper Anbal treacherously stole the sword of St. Boris, which constantly hung over Andrei's bed.

Sword of Saint Boris

Andrei, who in his old age possessed powerful strength, managed to throw the first of the attackers to the floor with a blow, whom the conspirators immediately hacked to death with swords, mistaking in the dark for a prince. But soon the killers realized their mistake: “and therefore, knowing the prince, and fighting with him velmi, more powerful, and slashing and swords, and sabers, and giving spear ulcers to him.”

The forehead of the saint was pierced with a spear, the cowardly killers inflicted all other blows from behind. When the prince finally fell, they abandoned him, carrying away the murdered accomplice. But the prince was still alive. With groans, covered in blood, he descended the palace stairs, calling the guards. But the killers heard his moaning, they turned back. The prince managed to hide in a niche under the stairs. “Death is ahead of us, for the prince is alive,” the scoundrels cried out in horror, not finding the prince in the bedroom. But all around was quiet, no one came to the aid of the sufferer. Then the villains grew bolder, lit candles and found their victim along the bloody trail. Boyar Ioakim Kuchkovich cut off his left hand. “What have I done to you? God will avenge you for my blood and for my bread! Lord, into Your hands I commend my spirit,” were the last words of the holy prince-martyr.

Chambers and canopies (over which a bell tower was erected) led. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky

Place of the murder of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky

When in the morning his friend Kuzmishche Kievlyanin came to the place of the murder of the prince and, not finding him, began to ask: “Where was the gentleman killed?” we say that we want to throw him to the dogs, and if anyone starts for him, that is our enemy and we will kill him. Undaunted by the threats, Cosmas said: “The fiend Anbal! Throw off at least a carpet or spread something or something to cover our master. Oh, infidel! And do you really want to throw it to the dogs? Do you remember, Jew, in what you came here? You are now standing in Aksamite, and the prince is lying naked; but I beg you, drop me something.” And Anbal threw off the carpet and the veil. Having wrapped the body of the prince with them, Kosma carried him to the church; but she was locked up. "Open it," he said to the ministers of the church. “Throw a party here,” they answered, “drunk more byahut,” the chronicler notes. The villains have already made them drunk. “And your servants will not recognize you, Lord,” Kosma cried and said, “and sometimes a guest comes from Constantinople or from other countries, you order everyone to be taken to church, to the chamber (choirs) - let them look at the Glory of God and decorations; and now they don’t let you into your church.” Kosma was forced to leave the body of the prince on the porch, where it lay for two days. On the third day, hegumen Arseniy persuaded the Bogolyubov clerics to bring the body of the prince into the church. “Although we have been waiting for the senior abbots for a long time, but how long will this prince lie like this? Unlock the church for me, I will give him a drink and put him in a coffin.” A faithful servant from Kiev, Kosma, took the body of his prince to the temple, which was placed in a stone coffin and, together with hegumen Arseny, performed the burial rite, buried the prince and lowered him into a tomb lined with stone.
The rebels plundered the prince's house, "gold, silver, ports and curtains and an estate, he has no number", gathered a squad of people ready for anything for money and wine, and, having made an outrage among the people, left for Vladimir. In Vladimir, there were also worthless people who, with the help, probably of the Kuchkovichi, indignant people here too. Both in Bogolyubovo and here, the rebels robbed and beat posadniks (posadniks in ancient times were called chiefs in the genus of civil governors), tiuns (tax collectors), swordsmen and other servants of the princes, and only on the 5th day, according to the clergy, did the rebellion subside. Archpriest Mikulitsa (Nikolai) with the clergy in robes with images went through the streets of the city and appeased the rebels. On the 6th day (Friday, July 4), the people of Vladimir asked Abbot Theodulus and Luka, the steward of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to prepare, properly, a funeral stretcher and go with the clergy and people to Bogolyubov to transfer the body of the Blessed Prince to Vladimir; and Archpriest Mikulitsa was asked with all the city clergy in robes and with the icon of the Mother of God to meet the coffin at the Silver Gate. Many people gathered to meet the funeral procession. As soon as the grand ducal banner appeared from afar (a banner usually worn in front of the coffin during princely funerals), all the residents of Vladimir sobbed. “Ilyudye,” the chronicle says, “could not hold back, but everyone fights, but from tears I can’t see and the cry is far away without hearing.” Are you going to Kyiv, Lord, the people lamented over the prince, “whether with those golden gates, or with that church that he wanted to put in the great courtyard, on Yaroslavl” (Shortly before his death, Andrei planned to build a temple in Kyiv, similar to the Vladimir Cathedral “yes there will be a memory for all his fatherland ”and he already sent masters there from Vladimir.). After a solemn memorial service was performed in the Assumption Cathedral Church, with due honor and laudatory songs, the coffin with the body of the sufferer was placed in the Cathedral Church of Our Lady.

The assassination of Prince Andrei. Frescoes in the stair tower of the prince's castle

In 1702, the incorrupt relics of Prince Andrei were found. “Seven centuries have passed since the Grand Duke Andrei Georgievich Bogolyubsky transferred the throne of the Grand Duke from Kyiv, and Vladimir became the capital of the Grand Duchy and the center of state administration - the Vladimir princedom was the first destined to lay the foundation for a beneficent autocracy in Russia: Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky was the first of the Princes of Russia to express in actions of their own idea of ​​autocracy,” wrote the well-known Vladimir local historian K.N. Tikhomirov after the end of the celebrations on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the transfer of the Grand Duke's capital from Kyiv to Vladimir, which was celebrated on July 4, 1857, on the day of memory of the Holy Right-Believing Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky.
Until 1985, the relics were kept in the museum's funds in a building on Museum Street. “I was greeted by three lovely women - employees of the foundations. One, probably the eldest, said to her friend: "Bring us, please, Andryusha, he lies on the mezzanine according to the list."
This affectionate, almost domestic word "Andryusha", used in relation to such an outstanding person of the Russian land, set me up foreboding a miracle. The attendant brought in large wooden boxes, similar in appearance to those used for postal parcels. In them, carefully lined with cotton wool and old newspapers, were the bones of a human skeleton. Each individually wrapped in Izvestia, all newspapers are dated 1948. Thus, it can be assumed that during this time (almost 36 years) no one touched the remains ... ”(see).
In 2007, 850 years have passed since the transfer of the Grand Duke's capital of Ancient Russia from Kyiv to Vladimir. This event, which undoubtedly became one of the key events in Russian history, made us think about the historical significance of the figure of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky, whose personality and deeds were clearly underestimated by official Soviet science for many years, or even presented in a distorted light.

St. blgv.vl.kn. Andrei Bogolyubsky. Icon from the iconostasis of the Bogolyubsky church

2011 marked the 900th anniversary of the birth of Andrei Bogolyubsky.

Cancer with the relics of St. Andrey Bogolyubsky

The relics of St. Andrei Bogolyubsky are in cancer in Vladimir.

Saint Andrew. Fresco of the Dormition Knyaginin Monastery. North side of the southwest pillar. Vladimir. 1647-1648

Saint Andrew. Fresco of the Dormition Knyaginin Monastery. Vladimir. 1647-1648

App icon. Andrew the First-Called and St. Andrei Bogolyubsky. 1650 - 1660s). 167 x 112. From the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.

Children

Ulita gave birth to five children:
† 1158
Prince Yaropolk Rostislavich. 1174 - 1175 - Prince of Vladimir.
1175-1176 - Prince of Vladimir (Suzdal).
. 1176-1212 - Grand Duke of Vladimir.

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