Reign of Yaroslav the Wise (briefly)

The reign of Yaroslav the Wise - a brief description

Yaroslav was the son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir (Svyatoslavich) and Princess Rogneda. Already in his early youth (987), his father appointed him Prince of Rostov, and after the death of Vysheslav (Vladimir’s eldest son) in 1010, he became Prince of Novgorod.

After Vladimir Svyatoslavich died, the brothers began to fight for the right to the princely throne of Kiev. First, Kyiv was captured by Svyatopolk, killing his own brothers (Boris, Svyatoslav and Gleb), after defeating whom Yaroslav had to fight with the Tmutarakan prince Mstislav. And although Mstislav won this fight, after his death in 1036 the entire Russian land was united in the hands of Yaroslav.

Yaroslav (the Wise) married the daughter of the Swedish king Olav, Ingigerda. This can be confusing because Old Russian chronicles indicate two names of Yaroslav's wives - Anna and Irina. According to researchers, Ingegerda most likely received the name Irina at baptism, and took the name Anna when she was tonsured as a nun.

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054), Rus' was able to flourish and become one of the strongest states in Europe. In order to strengthen his possessions, Prince Yaroslav decided to build several cities and surround Kyiv with a stone wall, and the main city gates were called “Golden” both then and now.

Yaroslav's foreign policy was aimed at strengthening the authority of Rus' among other countries and peoples. The prince made several important military campaigns against Poland and the Principality of Lithuania, and in 1036 he was able to win a complete victory over the Pechenegs, which Kievan Rus could not achieve for so long. The Church of St. Sophia was built on the site of this battle.

Also during the reign of Prince Yaroslav, the last clash between Rus' and Byzantium occurred. The result was the signing of a peace treaty, which was supported by a dynastic marriage. The son of Yaroslav (Vsevolod) took the Greek princess Anna as his wife.

In addition, a feature of the Wise’s domestic policy was to increase literacy among the population of Rus'. For these purposes, schools were built where boys were taught church work. Also during the reign of the prince, Greek books were translated and rewritten.

The main asset of Yaroslav's reforms was “Russian Truth” - the first collection of laws. Also, under this prince, the church code of laws “Nomocanon” (The Helmsman’s Book) appeared.

Yaroslav died at seventy-six years old (1054).

Main events of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise:

1019-1054 - period of reign in Kievan Rus Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich, known as Yaroslav the Wise.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich ascended the Kiev throne as a result of an internecine war with his brother Svyatopolk. Domestic policy Yaroslav was aimed at preserving the unity of Rus'. To this end, Yaroslav took both forceful and reformist actions. So, in 1020 he defeated the army of his nephew, Bryachislav of Polotsk, who ravaged Novgorod. Having suffered defeat in an internecine war with his brother Mstislav of Tmutarakan in 1024, Yaroslav chose to divide government and thereby protect Rus' from new strife. The lands along the left bank of the Dnieper went to Mstislav, and the right bank remained with Yaroslav. Like his father, Yaroslav sent his sons to the most important regions of Rus' as governors. In an effort to ensure a unified order, Yaroslav introduced the first written set of laws in Kievan Rus - the Russian Truth. Under Yaroslav, the Church of St. Sophia was built in Kyiv and the first metropolitan of Kievan Rus of Russian origin, Hilarion, was elected.

Yaroslav pursued an active foreign policy. In the north-west, Yaroslav sought to establish friendly relations with Sweden and Norway through dynastic marriages: Yaroslav himself was married to the daughter of the Swedish king, and Yaroslav’s youngest daughter Elizabeth was married to the king of Norway. Also in the northwest, Yaroslav sought to annex territories in the Baltic states. In 1030, Yaroslav's troops made a campaign against Chud, in 1038 - against the Yatvingians, in 1040 - in Lithuania. In the west, Yaroslav sought to establish profitable relations with France, for which he married his daughter Anna to the French king Henry I. Also in the west, Rus' in 1031-1036. successfully fought with Poland for the Cherven lands. In the east, Yaroslav continued to build fortresses on the border with the steppe, and in 1036 he defeated the Pechenegs near Kiev, after which their raids on Rus' ceased. In the south after a long peace in 1043-1046. There was a war with Byzantium due to the murder of Russian merchants in Constantinople. After peace was concluded, as a sign of the renewal of friendly ties between the two countries, a dynastic marriage was arranged: Yaroslav's son Vsevolod married the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh.

The period of the reign of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich is assessed by historians, for example N.M. Karamzin, as successful: thanks to the outstanding political, diplomatic and military abilities of Yaroslav, the unity of Kievan Rus was preserved and legally formalized; Large territories were annexed to Kievan Rus. Yaroslav managed to eliminate the danger of Pecheneg raids on Rus'. Under Yaroslav, the authority of Rus' in the international arena was very great, which is emphasized by the numerous dynastic marriages of Yaroslav's children with the rulers of European states. Yaroslav actively contributed to the spread of Orthodoxy in Rus', for which the Russian Orthodox Church in 2005 established a day of memory of the blessed Prince Yaroslav.

For the historical period 1019-1054. marks the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in Kyiv.

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, a number of important historical events took place. Firstly, Yaroslav’s accession to the throne occurred during an internecine struggle with his brothers, which did not end in 1019. Yaroslav the Wise continued the struggle with Mstislav of Tmutarakan until 1026, when an agreement was concluded between them on the division of lands along the Dnieper. Only after the death of Mstislav in 1036 did Yaroslav the Wise manage to restore power over all Russian lands. To prevent future princely strife, Yaroslav the Wise approved the so-called “Yaroslav’s Row”. A ladder system of succession to the throne is emerging.

Victory in the internecine struggle contributed to the strengthening of the power of the Kyiv prince and made it possible to carry out reforms within the country and strengthen the position of the Old Russian state in the international arena.

Secondly, the process of strengthening the Old Russian state is developing. The strengthening of the power of the Kyiv prince is evidenced by the following facts. Yaroslav the Wise accepts the “Russian Truth” - the oldest code of laws of the Old Russian state that has come down to us, the effect of which extended to all Russian lands.

In 1051, without agreement with the Patriarch of Constantinople, Yaroslav the Wise installed Hilarion at the head of the Kyiv Metropolis.

Evidence of the effectiveness of Yaroslav the Wise was the conclusion of dynastic marriages with the ruling dynasties of European states. Thus, Yaroslav’s daughter Anna was married to the King of France.

The historical period 1019-1054 is assessed by historians as the heyday of the Old Russian state. The unity of the ancient Russian state, divided during the princely strife, was restored. Yaroslav managed to strengthen the unity of the state by adopting an all-Russian law - “Russian Truth”. Strengthening political system and successes in protecting the borders of Russian lands (for example, the defeat of the Pechenegs near Kiev in 1036) contributed to the growth of authority in the international arena, which is confirmed by the conclusion of dynastic marriages between the Rurikovichs and representatives of the ruling dynasties of European states.

Yaroslav the Wise failed to eliminate the causes of civil strife - “Yaroslav’s row” could not prevent the struggle between the heirs for the Kiev throne.

25. Historical essay

1. Write 2 events (phenomena, processes) and conclusions for each.

“… is the period of reign…. This...carried out many transformations that...I will name the most important of them.”

"Another event of the reign... is..."

(If it is a cultural monument, then you can write: “This historical and cultural monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List»)

2. Write 2 personalities associated with a given era and the role of these personalities in a given period (prince, king and his contemporaries)

“The prince (king, emperor) himself took part in the preparation of this document. And also his contemporary..."

3. Write 2 cause-and-effect relationships between events.

“Let us consider what cause-and-effect relationships exist between these events during the reign of...

Both events - and ... and ... - were dictated by common reasons: the aggravation of social contradictions in the country and ...

The result of these events (consequence) was..."

4. Write 1 historical score significance of this period ( historical facts, opinions of historians)

“The reign... lasted for a long time -... years. It cannot be assessed unambiguously.

On the one side, …

On the other side, …"

5. Conclusion.

“The era... is a period...”

Extra points:

Use of terms (concepts) - 1 point

No factual errors - 2 points

Consistent, coherent presentation of the material - 1 point

In total we are given 11 points for the essay. Hooray!

25. Historical essay 1019 - 1054. (Example)

1019 - 1054 is the period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise from the Rurik dynasty. This prince carried out many reforms, strengthening the unity Ancient Rus', developing education and culture, as well as ending princely civil strife. I will name the most important of them.

In 1019, the first known set of laws of Russian law was compiled, which went down in history under the name “Russian Truth”. We find the first mention of “Yaroslav’s Truth” in the works of the historian XVIII century Tatishchev. This document contains norms of criminal, inheritance, commercial and procedural legislation. The social class structure of society was fixed here. The upper class consisted of the nobility, the clergy and privileged servants (tiuns, firemen), and the lower class included smerds, purchases, rank and file and serfs. The right and privilege are also reflected. For example, a double vira (fine) was introduced for the murder of high-ranking servants. In addition, the result of compiling the collection is the elimination of blood feuds.

In preparation Brief edition Yaroslav Vladimirovich himself took part. Subsequently, “The Truth of the Yaroslavichs” was published, compiled by the sons of Yaroslav - Izyaslav, Vsevolod and Svyatoslav. This document undated, but many historians lean toward 1072. Here individual ownership of land was introduced. This innovation led to the division of Rus'. Already in XII century by Vladimir Monomakh was compiled Long edition collection.

Thus, “Russian Truth”, on the one hand, contributed to the formation of the legal system of the Old Russian state, and on the other hand led to feudal fragmentation.

Another event of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the defeat of the Pechenegs, which is reflected in Nestor’s chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years.” The Khan of the Pechenegs in 972 killed Svyatoslav Igorevich (Yaroslav’s grandfather) and made a cup from his skull as a sign of respect. Yaroslav's elder brother, Mstislav, could not avenge his ancestors, and Rus' was subject to raids by these nomads for many years. Only in 1036 Yaroslav Vladimirovich’s squad was able to expel the Pechenegs from Kyiv. In honor of this liberation, Yaroslav began construction of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, which ended with the death of the prince in 1054. From the beginning the cathedral was a Byzantine temple, but in the end XVII century was rebuilt in the Ukrainian Baroque style and still retains an ensemble of original mosaics and frescoes. This historical and cultural monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Thus, the siege of Kyiv became the last Pecheneg invasion of Rus', after which a temporary “border silence” was established.

Let's consider what cause-and-effect relationships exist between these events during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.

Both events - the creation of "Russian Truth" and the final defeat of the Pechenegs - were dictated by common reasons: the aggravation of social contradictions in the country and the weakening of princely power. Let us remember the arrival of Yaroslav to the Kiev throne. He managed to eliminate his brother Svyatopolk the Accursed, who killed his own young brothers Boris and Gleb in 1015, and only in 1019 he became the head of the Kiev principality.

The result of these events was the strengthening of the power of the prince, raising the authority of Ancient Rus' in the international arena, and the development of culture and education.

Yaroslav Wise rules for a long time - 35 years. His reign cannot be assessed unambiguously.

On the one hand, uniform written laws were introduced in the country, education developed, libraries were opened, architectural monuments were built, which contributed to the establishment of Russian culture on the same level as Byzantine culture.

On the other hand, the consolidation of legal norms contributed to the registration social inequality, which led to the division of Rus' into many small fiefs.

The era of Yaroslav the Wise is a period of strengthening the borders of Rus', creating the preconditions for feudal fragmentation, which began at the end of the reign of Vladimir Monomakh and the formation of legal law. But the main achievement of this period is the development of culture, writing and Orthodoxy of the Old Russian state.

Good luck!

Period from 1019-1054 relate to the history of the Old Russian state. Among the many processes and phenomena, it should be noted such as: firstly, the policy of further Christianization, begun by Yaroslav’s father, and enlightenment; secondly, the beginning of the creation in Rus' of “Russian Truth” - the first written set of laws of the Old Russian state.

All these processes are associated with the activities of such individuals as the Grand Duke of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054 reign) and Metropolitan Hilarion.

Yaroslav the Wise made a huge contribution to the flourishing of Kievan Rus: in 1036 he defeated the Pechenegs, which ensured peace and tranquility, the church was formed, a tax was established in favor of the church - tithe. Episcopal sees were created in Novgorod, Chernigov, Pereyaslavl, and Polotsk. Under Yaroslavl, Kyiv was the largest center of the Christian world. There were 400 churches in Kyiv. By laying the foundation of the Church of Hagia Sophia, which was named like the temple in Constantinople, Yaroslav showed his state equality with Byzantium. The church played an educational role: monasteries and churches were centers for the development and establishment of writing. Yaroslav is the founder of the first library in Rus'. It was he who insisted that the metropolitan be a Slav. In 1051 Hilarion became the leader. Under Yaroslav the Wise, the first set of laws of the Old Russian state, “Russian Truth,” began to be formed, according to which relations in the state were regulated: property rights were protected, a fine was introduced, etc. Yaroslav personally wrote 17 articles in this collection.

Undoubtedly, Saint Hilarion, the priest of the village of Berestov near Kiev, played a major role in this period in history. He was the spiritual mentor of Prince Yaroslav. Hilarion defended the independence of the church from Constantinople. He was not only a prominent church figure, but also a writer, whose work “The Word of Law and Grace” was the ideological concept of Rus'. This ecclesiastical and political treatise preached Christian virtues and emphasized the high international status of Rus' and its independence. Historians suggest that Yaroslav and Hilarion decided to build the Kyiv Sophia Cathedral. The name of this metropolitan is associated with the first church “Charter” of Yaroslav - a system of church jurisdiction.

Let us consider what cause-and-effect relationships exist between these processes and phenomena. Firstly, the process of Christianization and enlightenment, the adoption of the “Russian Truth”, the “Charter” of Yaroslav the Wise had common reasons: the need to create a coherent system, organize not only the church, but also the legal life of the society of a single Old Russian state; strengthening the power of the Kyiv prince. Secondly, further economic, cultural development and strengthening international relations who demanded further development writing and literacy.

The consequence was the strengthening of the power of the Kyiv prince and the international position of Rus', as evidenced by the words of Hilarion in the Church of Hagia Sophia: that the Russian land is known and heard at the four ends of the earth. Secondly, the legal foundations laid down under Yaroslav existed until 1497 - the code of law of Ivan 3. Under Yaroslav the Wise, the flourishing of the Old Russian state was observed, for example, from the 11th century, in rich families they began to teach literacy not only to boys, but also to girls. During this period, chronicles appeared, schools were opened...

In general, we can say that Yaroslav the Wise continued the successful policies of Vladimir, and during his reign Kievan Rus reached its greatest prosperity: Kyiv became one of the largest European cities, and its international prestige at that time became extremely high. The Christian religion spread to all Russian lands and the independence of the Russian people was strengthened. Orthodox Church.

The historian Karamzin believed that Yaroslav sought to turn Kyiv into a “new Constantinople.” Most historians believe that the prince contributed to the strengthening of the entire state, and his time is called the “golden age” of Kievan Rus.

Option 2. Essay on the period 1019-1054.

This period of reign refers to the heyday of the Old Russian state. The ruler of the state during these years was the outstanding Prince Yaroslav the Wise, who made a huge contribution to the development and prosperity of the Russian state. He actively carried out transformative reform activities that seriously influenced the life of the state and society.

The prince's rise to power was not easy. The civil strife between the sons and heirs of Prince Vladimir lasted for many years. In the struggle for the Kiev throne, the main rival of the Novgorod prince Yaroslav was his brother Svyatopolk, nicknamed the Damned for the cruel reprisal against his brothers Boris and Gleb. Yaroslav emerged victorious from this feud and began to rule wisely for many years.

Thus, under his leadership, the 1st set of laws was created for the first time - “Russian Truth” in 1051. The reason for the creation of the code was the need to streamline, systematize the numerous pre-existing customs and rules (some of them were quite barbaric, for example, the custom of blood feud, which was replaced with a more humane one - a fine).

In order to strengthen power, a reform of government bodies was carried out: the positions of mayor and governor were introduced. In foreign policy Prince Yaroslav tried to expand international relations between Rus' and foreign countries, which was greatly facilitated by dynastic marriages of relatives with Western rulers. So, he married his daughters to the kings of Norway and France, and, as you know, he himself took the daughter of the king of Sweden, Ingegerda, as his wife. Thus, the international authority of Rus' increased, ties and contacts with Western powers expanded. The prince did not forget about protecting his borders and actively repelled the military threat in the form of raids by the steppe nomads, the Pechenegs. Under his leadership, the Pechenegs were completely defeated.

The growing power and authority of Rus' allowed Yaroslav to appoint the first Russian metropolitan for the first time. In 1051, the outstanding writer and activist Hilarion became Metropolitan of Kyiv. He is the author of the religious-journalistic “Tale of the Law and Grace of God.” The role of this statesman and religious figure is great. He contributed to strengthening the position of the Russian Church, spreading literacy and education in humane customs.

Yaroslav, nicknamed the Wise, was indeed an educated, versatile personality of his time. He patronized culture and education, under him Christianity spread, literacy, book publishing, and libraries grew. Beautiful churches were erected - St. Sophia Cathedrals in Kyiv and Novgorod (1037, 1045), the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. New cities were built - Yaroslavl, Yuryev.

The role of this ruler in the history of the Old Russian state is great. Thanks to his reforms, Rus' increased its authority in the international arena. Power reforms contributed to centralization and its strengthening. This ruler gave a strong impetus to the development of culture, art, chronicle writing, and education. The foundations of Russian legislation were laid.

Many historians, such as Klyuchevsky, Soloviev, evaluate this period as a significant era in the history of our state. These years saw the heyday and power of the Old Russian state. During these years, Rus' grew stronger, acquired a reserve of spirit, perseverance, wisdom and was able to reserve strength to meet the era of fragmentation and new trials.

The period of the reign of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vladimirovich is assessed by historians, for example N.M. Karamzin, as successful: thanks to the outstanding political, diplomatic and military abilities of Yaroslav, the unity of Kievan Rus was preserved and legally formalized; Large territories were annexed to Kievan Rus. Yaroslav managed to eliminate the danger of Pecheneg raids on Rus'. Under Yaroslav, the authority of Rus' in the international arena was very great, which is emphasized by the numerous dynastic marriages of Yaroslav's children with the rulers of European states. Yaroslav actively contributed to the spread of Orthodoxy in Rus', for which the Russian Orthodox Church in 2005 established a day of memory of the blessed Prince Yaroslav.

Option 3. 1019 – 1054

This period refers to the history of Ancient Rus', covering the years of the reign of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Yaroslav the Wise

Among the most important events and processes of this period are the following:

Protecting the population of Ancient Rus' from external aggression, protecting and expanding the borders of the state;

Creation of a written code of laws;

Cultural flourishing of the Old Russian state.

Let's take a closer look at the last two areas.

Long before this period, customary law existed in Ancient Rus'. During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, by his order, legal customs were collected and recorded in the form of a written code - “Russian Truth”. By creating a written set of laws, Yaroslav set out to give the entire population of his state, regardless of place of residence, identical and fair (from the point of view of that era) laws, thereby uniting his subjects into a single people. Another task of “Russian Pravda” was to protect the noble, wealthy segments of the population from attacks on their lives and property. “Russian Truth” limited the use of blood feud and approved a fine (vira) for a number of crimes. “Russian Pravda” contains articles that can be considered articles of criminal, civil, and procedural law. “Russian Truth” became an important basis of the Ancient Russian state, contributed to the safety of the population, the flourishing of various aspects of the life of Ancient Rus', incl. development of culture.

The years of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise were the heyday of ancient Russian culture. Under the patronage of the prince, schools, monasteries, temples were created, chroniclers, theologians, and craftsmen were supported. Among the most important achievements in this direction, it should be noted the construction of the most important temple in national history- St. Sophia of Kyiv. Stone Temple, richly decorated fresco painting and mosaics, erected to commemorate the victory over the Pechenegs. During the reign of Yaroslav, another important architectural monument of Ancient Rus' was founded - Sophia of Novgorod. It is to this period that the activities of a major church and cultural figure in our history, Metropolitan Hilarion, date back. The first Kiev metropolitan of Russian origin, was proclaimed metropolitan with the assistance of Prince Yaroslav. Hilarion is known as the author of “The Sermon on Law and Grace” - one of the oldest works of Russian literature. It is related to another important event in the cultural life of Russian history that occurred at that time - the founding of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. Among its founders were also such saints as Theodosius of Pechersk and Anthony of Pechersk.

Assessing this period in our history, we should note its exceptional significance as the heyday of the Old Russian state. This is a period of economic and political stability, foreign policy security, and a time of cultural flourishing. The creation of a single written set of laws strengthened the power of the prince, ensured the safety of the population, and protected the social structure of society. All this contributed to stability and prosperity.

The culture of Ancient Rus' reached unprecedented heights. Architectural masterpieces and other works of material culture were created. Spiritual culture also reached unprecedented heights in its development - chronicle writing, literature, literacy developed, and monasteries flourished.

Option 4

1019 - 1054 is the period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise from the Rurik dynasty. This prince carried out many reforms, strengthening the unity of Ancient Rus', developing education and culture, and also ending princely feuds. I will name the most important of them.

In 1019, the first known set of laws of Russian law was compiled, which went down in history under the name “Russian Truth”. We find the first mention of “Yaroslav’s Truth” in the works of the 18th century historian Tatishchev. This document contains norms of criminal, inheritance, commercial and procedural legislation. The social class structure of society was fixed here. The upper class consisted of the nobility, the clergy and privileged servants (tiuns, firemen), and the lower class included smerds, purchases, rank and file and serfs. The right and privilege are also reflected. For example, a double vira (fine) was introduced for the murder of high-ranking servants. In addition, the result of compiling the collection is the elimination of blood feuds.

Yaroslav Vladimirovich himself took part in the preparation of the Brief Edition. Subsequently, “The Truth of the Yaroslavichs” was published, compiled by the sons of Yaroslav - Izyaslav, Vsevolod and Svyatoslav. This document is undated, but many historians are inclined to 1072. Here individual ownership of land was introduced. This innovation led to the division of Rus'. Already in the 12th century, Vladimir Monomakh compiled a lengthy edition of the collection.

Thus, “Russian Truth”, on the one hand, contributed to the formation of the legal system of the Old Russian state, and on the other hand, led to feudal fragmentation.

Another event of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the defeat of the Pechenegs, which is reflected in Nestor’s chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years.” The Khan of the Pechenegs in 972 killed Svyatoslav Igorevich (Yaroslav’s grandfather) and made a cup from his skull as a sign of respect. Yaroslav's elder brother, Mstislav, could not avenge his ancestors, and Rus' was subject to raids by these nomads for many years. Only in 1036 Yaroslav Vladimirovich’s squad was able to expel the Pechenegs from Kyiv. In honor of this liberation, Yaroslav began construction of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, which ended with the death of the prince in 1054. From the beginning, the cathedral was a Byzantine-style temple, but at the end of the 17th century it was rebuilt in the Ukrainian Baroque style and still retains an ensemble of original mosaics and frescoes. This historical and cultural monument is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Thus, the siege of Kyiv became the last Pecheneg invasion of Rus', after which a temporary “border silence” was established.

Let's consider what cause and effect connections exist between these events during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise.

Both events - the creation of "Russian Truth" and the final defeat of the Pechenegs - were dictated by common reasons: the aggravation of social contradictions in the country and the weakening of princely power. Let us remember the arrival of Yaroslav to the Kiev throne. He managed to eliminate his brother Svyatopolk the Accursed, who killed his own young brothers Boris and Gleb in 1015, and only in 1019 he became the head of the Kiev principality.

The result of these events was the strengthening of the power of the prince, raising the authority of Ancient Rus' in the international arena, and the development of culture and education.

Yaroslav the Wise ruled for a long time - 35 years. His reign cannot be assessed unambiguously.

On the one hand, uniform written laws were introduced in the country, education developed, libraries were opened, architectural monuments were built, which contributed to the establishment of Russian culture on the same level as Byzantine culture.

On the other hand, the consolidation of legal norms contributed to the formalization of social inequality, which led to the division of Rus' into many small fiefs.

The era of Yaroslav the Wise is a period of strengthening the borders of Rus', creating the preconditions for feudal fragmentation, which began at the end of the reign of Vladimir Monomakh and the formation of legal law. But the main achievement of this period is the development of culture, writing and Orthodoxy of the Old Russian state.

1019-1054 – the period of the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, which is called the heyday of the Old Russian state.

A lot happened during this time important events, but some of the most important of them are: the creation of a code of laws of the Old Russian state “Russian Truth” and the appearance of the first Russian Metropolitan Hilarion.

In 1016, the compilation of a code of laws of the Old Russian state - “Russian Truth”, began, which contained the norms of criminal, inheritance and procedural legislation. Main role Yaroslav the Wise was involved in the creation of this document, who was the initiator of the emergence of “Russian Truth”; he also directly compiled the articles for this code.

During the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, culture and literacy actively developed among ordinary people. The main role in this was played by the priests, who taught the people and also wrote their texts, which at the moment are the oldest monuments of ancient Russian culture.

In particular, Hilarion of Kiev played a big role in this, who wrote at least three theological texts intended for the common people. He used his texts to teach people not only Christianity, but also literacy.

In 1051, the first Russian Metropolitan Hilarion was elected by a council of bishops. Previously, metropolitans were Greeks, and were appointed by the Patriarch of Constantinople and approved by the Byzantine emperor, because the Russian Orthodox Church was one of the dioceses of the Church of Constantinople. The reason for such an important event for the history of Russia was the need to gain independence from Byzantium in church terms, since the church already at that time had great influence in the state, and it was simply impossible to give Byzantium the opportunity to choose the main person of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The consequence of this event was the acquisition of partial autonomy, and also the image of the church that we see now appeared, because the path of development of the two churches (Russian and Constantinople) began to gradually differ.

Also during this period, during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, the establishment of dynastic ties with Europe was not uncommon. Like myself Prince of Kyiv was married to the daughter of the king of Sweden, and his children were betrothed to the children of European kings. The reason for this was the need to further strengthen the authority of Rus' at the international level, since Yaroslav was more concerned with internal issues and did not intend to fight with European countries, he needed allies. The consequence of this was the emergence of friendly relations with powerful countries, which really raised the authority of Rus', which clearly gave protection to the ancient Russian state from any serious wars.

These events greatly influenced the course of the further history of Rus': the creation of “Russian Pravda” laid the foundations of the legal and regulatory system of the state, which was used when creating new codes of law (in particular, this code of law of 1497). The establishment of dynastic marriages improved relations between Russia and more developed countries. Such experience allowed Yaroslav's descendants to repeat his example, thereby showing that Yaroslav's actions were of great importance for the further history of Rus'.