Rus after Vladimir
 Vladimir’s
death caused a period of bloody internecine conflict in his family over succession to the
throne: his eldest son, Svyatopolk, took the throne after murdering his brothers Boris and
Gleb.
Boris and Gleb
Boris and Gleb were the younger and much beloved sons of Grand Prince
Vladimir, the ruler of Kievan Rus, who in 988 baptised his subjects. The older of the two,
Boris, was very gifted and learned to read and write. By the time they came of age to rule
their respective patrimonies, the territories of Ryazan and Murom, they had already
cultivated in their hearts Christian virtues of mercy, compassion and kindness, traits
still rare in a land freshly converted from barbarous paganism.
 Boris
was particularly esteemed among the people and the soldiery. His popularity provoked
bitter jealousy in his eldest brother Svyatopolk (known to history as “the Accursed”).
He saw Boris as a rival for the position of Grand Prince, and when Vladimir died
Svyatopolk wasted no time in plotting his brother’s murder.
Boris had been sent by his father to fend off an anticipated raid by
the Pechenegs. He was returning to Kiev when he was met by emissaries sent by Svyatopolk,
from whom he learned of his father’s death and his brother’s self-willed accession to
the throne. The latter, knowing that the people would rather have Boris as ruler and
desiring to forestall any opposition that this news might stir up, bade his messengers
assure Boris of his fraternal goodwill and his intent to increase Boris’ domain.
Boris was well aware of his brother’s long-standing hatred for him.
The young prince knew that his life was threatened. He firmly rejected the advice of his
father’s retainers who urged Boris to oust the unpopular Svyatopolk, pledging their
support to such a plan, “Be it not for me,” he replied, “to raise my hand against my
brother. Now that my father has passed away, let him take the place of my father in my
heart.”
Knowing that armed resistance would only provoke needless bloodshed,
Boris sent away his soldiers and remained alone where they had encamped on the bank of the
Alta, together with a few servants; it was Saturday evening and he retired to his tent to
recite the vigil service. As the murderers burst into the tent, Boris’ faithful servant
George, a young Hungarian, placed himself between the prince and his attackers in an
attempt to save his master’s life. The servant was killed at once, while the Prince,
grievously wounded by the thrust of a lance, was bound up in the tent canvas and taken on
a cart to Kiev. But he never reached the city. When Svyatopolk learned that his brother
was still alive, he sent two Varangians to consummate the bloody deed, which was
accomplished when one of them plunged his sword into Boris’ heart.
Svyatopolk’s next victim was Gleb. He sent word to the guileless
prince that his father was very ill and was calling for him. Always obedient to his
father, Gleb set off at once with a small retinue. Near Smolensk, where his route took him
by boat down the river Smyadyn, he was met by emissaries from his brother Yaropolk bearing
a letter of warning from their sister Predislava: “Do not come! she wrote, Your father
has died and Svyatopolk has killed your brother.”
But the warning had come too late. The murderers hired by Svyatopolk
caught up with Gleb on the river. He knew that he alone was the object of the pursuit and,
like his brother, Gleb urged his company not to offer armed resistance, as they were
outnumbered and all would perish. After a momentary weakness in which he begged his
assassins to spare his young life, he calmly accepted his fate. Gleb was killed by his own
cook who, terrified into compliance by Svyatopolk’s henchmen, seized the head of the
young prince and cut his throat. His body was thrown onto the shore and covered with
brush.
Five years later, when Yaroslav finally succeeded in overthrowing the
treacherous Svyatopolk, the bodies of the two royal martyrs, discovered to be incorrupt,
were laid to rest together in the church of St. Basil in Vyshgorod, Yaroslav’s residence
near Kiev. Their tomb immediately became a place of pilgrimage, and the many miracles
which took place before their relics persuaded Church authorities to consent to
Yaroslav’s request and canonize the two brother-princes.
Yaroslav the Wise
Yaroslav defeated Svyatopolk and his Pecheneg allies in 1015 and
assumed the title of Grand Prince.
To defend his state from the attacks of nomadic tribes, Yaroslav
fortified the southern frontier by building along the Ros River, the Trubizh River, and
the Sula River the towns of Korsun, Kaniv, Pereyaslav, Lubny, and Lukoml and lines of
ramparts, castles, and outposts.
To strengthen his power and provide order in social and legal relations
in his realm, Yaroslav arranged for the compilation of a book of laws called Pravda
Yaroslava (Yaroslav’s Justice), the oldest part of the Russkaya Pravda.
During his rule Christianity spread and grew stronger in Rus (he actively suppressed
paganism), and the organizational and hierarchical structure of the Rus church was
established. In 1039 the existence of the Kiev metropoly was confirmed in writing as being
under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople. Yaroslav issued a statute
defining the rights of the church and clergy. Apart from Constantinople’s right to
confirm the appointment of the metropolitan, the  Rus church was autonomous, and in 1051 Yaroslav
initiated the sobor of bishops that chose Illarion as metropolitan of Kiev. The
first monasteries in Rus were formally established during Yaroslav’s reign. He founded a
primary school and library at the Saint Sophia Cathedral and sponsored the translation of
Greek and other texts into Church Slavonic, the copying of many books, and the compilation
of a chronicle.
Yaroslav strengthened the international role of Rus through dynastic
unions. He married his children to rulers and noble families of Sweden, Norway, France,
Hungary, and Poland.
After his death, the Great Prince was buried in the Saint Sophia
Cathedral, where his marble sarcophagus has been preserved.
Questions to the Text:
1. How were Boris and Gleb assassinated?
2. What was the nickname of Svyatopolk?
3. What was the most important document created during the reign of
Yaroslav the Wise?
By Alevtina Kozina
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