Yaroslav the Wise and Mstislav: creating the future. Mstislav the Brave Vladimirovich short biography The formation of Mstislav the Brave

18. Princely congresses

The first princely congress took place in 1097 in the city of Lyubech. For a long time now, the princes have felt the need to come to an agreement regarding their relationships. Svyatopolk Izyaslavich of Kiev and Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh invited one of the most energetic princes Oleg Svyatoslavich of Chernigov to Kyiv for a meeting: “go to Kiev, let us put order on the lands of Russia before the bishops and before the abbots and before the men of our fathers, and before the people of tradition, so that they may defend Russian land from the filthy." To the invitation, Oleg boldly replied: “It is not right for me to judge the bishop, whether he is an abbot or a smerd,” and did not listen to his brothers, listening, as the chronicler explains, only to his “evil advisers.” He had every reason to think that he would be “judged” at the congress. This was in 1096.

Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh went against Oleg and drove him out of Chernigov. Now he went to the Muromo-Ryazan land and began to threaten his neighbors from here. He successfully fought the Roetovo-Suzdal land, but his success did not last long. Vladimir Monomakh's son Mstislav, who was then sitting in Novgorod, put an end to Oleg's claims. He defeated his army twice, after which Oleg became more accommodating and came to the princely congress in the city of Lyubech. The princes gathered here in order to establish and strengthen peace among themselves. They decided that each of the princes should keep his own patrimony, that is, the land received from his father, and would not encroach on someone else’s. They kissed the cross on the fact that if one of the princes rises up against another, then all the princes must rise up against the instigator.

At this congress, the existence of a new political system was already clearly stated. It was officially declared and recognized by the congress: “let each one keep his fatherland.” The Congress recognized this fact as the basis for further political relations between the princes.

But as soon as the princes parted, a bloody drama broke out between the two princes present at the congress. David Igorevich, Prince of Vladimir-Volynsky, with the assistance of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich himself, treacherously and insidiously dealt with Prince Vasilko of Terebovl. They invited him to visit, shackled him, and David ordered his eyes to be gouged out. Vasilko was a strong and brave man, he made many successful campaigns against the Poles and began to arouse suspicion among the princes about his further plans. They were afraid that, having united with Vladimir Monomakh, he might be dangerous to other princes... They decided to destroy him.

Vladimir Monomakh convened a new congress, which condemned the behavior of David and Svyatopolk and decided to punish the perpetrators. Vladimir and his army went to Kyiv. Svyatopolk wanted to escape, but the Kiev veche did not let him in. It protested against the siege of Kyiv and the bloodshed associated with it. As a result of a new investigation, the case came to a compromise solution - they ordered one of the accomplices in the crime to pursue the other. Svyatopolk had to go against David. Svyatopolk hesitated for a long time and finally went to arrange his own affairs, winning volosts for himself from the relatives of the blinded prince. David, with the help of the Polovtsians, was able to strengthen himself even more.

Three years later, a second congress was convened in Vitichev (1100), where he was summoned. David. This time the northern coalition of princes stood against him. Deprived of the Vladimir-Volyn principality, he had to obey and be content with the new, relatively small volost assigned to him.

Other issues relating to all reigns were also resolved at the congresses. At the congress of 1103 near Lake Dolobsky, the question of joint actions against the Polovtsians was raised, and Vladimir Monomakh had to convince Svyatopolk of the need for a campaign. Gone are the days when Vladimir I sent his henchmen to princes wherever he considered necessary. Svyatopolk’s squad protested, pointing out that in the spring it was impossible to take peasant horses, which the army needed in case of a campaign, and to tear the peasants away from field work, from which not only the smerds suffered, but also their landowners, including the warriors.

Monomakh managed to refute these considerations and prove that the best defense of the peasant economy is the defeat of the Polovtsians, who constantly threaten the same peasantry. The princely congresses were unable to reconcile the conflicting interests of the feudal rulers. The rule of the strong continued to dominate among them. A strong feudal lord had the opportunity to ignore the resolutions of congresses. Feudal fragmentation became an obvious fact. Its inevitable consequence was chronic feudal wars. The Kyiv period of Russian history has ended. But before you finally die... the old system was temporarily restored.

History knows many examples of how good and reasonable decisions that can direct the development of a state along a path favorable to it remain only empty declarations due to their malicious non-implementation. One such episode of past centuries is the Lyubech Congress of Princes, held in 1097.

The fatal mistake of the wise prince

Feeling the approach of death in 1054, the Kiev prince Yaroslav the Wise made a decision that had long been cherished by him - to divide the territory of the huge state under his control into several principalities, putting his children at the head of each of them.

Despite all his previous merits that gave him the right to be called Wise, this decision of his cannot be called far-sighted, since it was it that marked the beginning of the feudal fragmentation of Rus' and many subsequent troubles.

To eliminate possible discontent among the heirs, Yaroslav, guided by the age principle, gave Kyiv into the possession of his eldest son Izyaslav, and the other five, in descending order of age, other lands - from Chernigov, received by Svyatoslav, to Vladimir-Volynsk, which became Igor’s patrimony. In general, I wanted to do what was best for the elderly prince, but it turned out...

The beginning of princely feuds

Immediately after his death, discord began between the heirs, which turned into open hostility, often leading to bloodshed. Ordinary people, who bore the main burdens of the princely civil strife, did not remain aloof from it. It was their lot that suffered the most suffering and grief. The disastrous situation was aggravated by the constant raids of the Polovtsians, who took advantage of the weakening of the state and did not encounter organized resistance from the appanage princes.

In the current situation, it was necessary to take urgent measures, to discuss which Vladimir Monomakh, who was still Yaroslav the Wise’s right hand during his lifetime, invited the brothers to get together and peacefully resolve all issues. The place of the general meeting, which went down in history as the Lyubech Congress of Princes, was chosen to be the city of the same name located on the banks of the Dnieper, near which was the family estate of Vladimir Monomakh.

An attempt to resolve disagreements

To participate in solving the most important issues of that time, in addition to the sons of Yaroslav the Wise and his other relatives, all the most noble princes also gathered in Lyubech. Thus, the Lyubech Congress (1097) became a forum in which the entire political elite of the late 11th century took part.

After lengthy discussions, disputes, oaths and mutual reproaches, a number of decisions were developed that did credit to the meeting participants for their sober approach to the problems discussed. A record of them was preserved in the famous “Tale of Bygone Years” - a chronicle compiled at the beginning of the 12th century by the monk of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra Nestor.

Congress resolutions

The Kiev chronicler, in particular, reports that the Lyubech Congress outlined the boundaries of the possession of each of the Rurikovichs and obliged them to strictly comply with the decision made, without laying claim to other people's possessions. In case of attempts on anyone’s part to encroach on the land property of a neighbor, the culprit will be considered a criminal, and his actions must be suppressed by the forces of the united militia of other princes.

In the event of further raids by nomads, the Lyubech Congress charged each of the assembled Rurikovichs with the responsibility of participating in their joint reflection. This point was especially important, since at that time the vicious practice had been established not only of evading assistance to a neighbor under attack, but also of using the Polovtsians in internecine struggles to weaken possible competitors.

The significance of the Lyubech Congress also lies in the fact that one of the points of its decisions was to legalize hereditary ownership of land passing from father to son. Such a decision, according to its authors, was supposed to put an end to territorial disputes and the struggle for power. Even though this did not happen in full, it became one of the most important legislative acts of the Middle Ages, since large feudal landownership subsequently took shape on its basis.

Distribution of land holdings

In general, the division of the disputed lands at that time came down to the fact that the Mother of Russian cities was Kyiv, and in addition to it, Pinsk and Turov went to the eldest of the princes, Svyatopolk. He was also given the title of Grand Duke. The initiator of the congress, Vladimir Monomakh, received the Pereyaslavl principality, and with it the Suzdal-Rostov land, Beloozero and Smolensk.

Two Svyatoslavovichs - David and Oleg - took possession of Tmutarakan, Ryazan, Murom and Chernigov, and Prince David Igorevich - Lutsk and Vladimir-Volynsky. The youngest of all - Vasilko Rostislavovich - became the master of Cherven, Terebovl and Przemyshl.

The Lyubech Congress ended, as is customary in Rus', with a general kissing of the cross, which was supposed to indicate the readiness of each of those present to sacredly observe the decisions made. However, as subsequent events showed, this readiness did not last long, and the vows were forgotten.

The sad result of perjury

The decisions of the Lyubech Congress of Princes contributed to the cessation of civil strife only on the left bank of the Dnieper, but could not prevent the war that soon began over the southwestern territories, some of which went to Vasilko Rostislavovich. David Igorevich, who was present at the congress and kissed the cross with everyone else, turned out to be an insidious aggressor. He not only encroached on other people's possessions, but also, having captured them, blinded their rightful owner, Prince Vasilko.

A bad example, as we know, is contagious, and after a short time the Great Prince of Kiev Svyatopolk stained himself with perjury, attacking Volyn and Przemysl. Soon after this, the entire south-west of Rus' began to burn.

Thus, the decisions taken by the Lyubech Congress in 1097 were for the most part not respected, and the Russian land was again stained with the blood of internecine wars. Without becoming a single monolithic state, it continued to be subject to raids by nomads, and after a century and a half it found itself under the yoke of the Tatar-Mongol yoke.

Congress of Princes in Lyubech (Lyubech Congress) - a meeting between Russian princes during the first internecine war with the aim of concluding an agreement and dividing possessions. The congress of princes in Lyubech took place in 1097.

Reasons for the Lyubech Congress

The end of the 11th century turned out to be very difficult for Rus'. The country was in a state of constant war - on the one hand, the Polovtsians were constantly raiding the border territories, on the other hand, there were constant internecine wars between the princes for the right to rule in Rus'. In order to get rid of the raids of foreign invaders, the warring princes had to establish peace and create a single army. It was this desire that served as the main reason for convening the Lyubech Congress of Princes.

The first congress of princes in Lyubech

Six princes took part in the congress. The meeting was convened on the initiative of Vladimir Monomakh, who made a speech to those gathered about the need to create a unified army to defeat the Cumans. In order to resolve all the issues that arose between the princes, Vladimir Monomakh proposed re-dividing the territories and spheres of influence so that everyone gets what he wants. After long conversations, the goal of the congress of princes in Lyubech was achieved - the territories were divided, and the state was ready to form a unified army to confront the Polovtsians.

Results of the Lyubech Congress of Princes:

• Svyatopolk Izyaslavich - Kyiv with Turov and Pinsk and the title of Grand Duke;
• Vladimir Monomakh - Pereyaslavl Principality, Suzdal-Rostov land, Smolensk and Beloozero;
• Oleg and Davyd Svyatoslavich - Chernigov and Seversk land, Ryazan, Murom and Tmutarakan;
• Davyd Igorevich - Vladimir-Volynsky with Lutsk;
• Vasilko Rostislavich (with brother) - Terebovl, Cherven, Przemysl.

Consequences and significance of the Lyubech Congress

The Congress of Princes in Lyubech was the first such meeting in Kievan Rus and its decisions were supposed to create a solid foundation for a new, united and more powerful state that could repel the attack of the invaders. However, this was prevented by betrayal. Prince Davyd Igorevich became a traitor.

Immediately after the end of the meeting, Davyd Igorevich secretly met with the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk and informed him of the conspiracy - that Vladimir Monomakh and Vasilko Rostislavich decided to secretly seize the throne, bypassing other princes. Svyatopolk believed and invited Vasilko to his place in Kyiv, where the latter was immediately accused of treason by Davyd and imprisoned. As a result of this betrayal, a new internecine war broke out.

The main decisions of the first Lyubech Congress of Princes were supposed to stop the war, but due to betrayal, the situation only worsened.

Seeing that the princes began to fight again, Vladimir Monomakh decided to convene another congress, which took place in 1110 near Kyiv. During the meeting, the princes decided that they forgive Davyd’s act and are not going to take revenge on him. In confirmation of this, Svyatopolk presented Davyd with the cities of Chertorizhsk and Dubna, and other princes allocated significant sums of money.

The civil strife was stopped, and the state could finally follow the decisions of the first Lubech Congress, which proclaimed peace between the princes and a unified state.

PRINCE CONGRESSES, a term adopted in scientific literature to designate periodic princely meetings-councils (snems, diets) - one of the key political institutions in the Old Russian state, Russian lands and principalities in the 11th - early 15th centuries. The main functions of princely congresses: the organization of power within the Rurik family (the choice of the Kyiv prince, the division and establishment of the order of inheritance of possessions; the reconciliation of individual princes, the resolution of conflicts of princely clans and coalitions), as well as the conduct of foreign policy actions, the settlement of foreign policy issues, in particular, with the Polovtsian khans (in the nomadic world there was a typologically identical institution of periodic meetings of khans and noyons), with Polish, Czech and Hungarian rulers.

Princely congresses were councils of the ruling Rurik dynasty (or its individual “houses”), each representative of which had a potential right to power and the opportunity to appeal to the “princely right” common to all brethren. In the 11th - 1st third of the 13th century, they were carried out according to a stable procedure and in compliance with established rituals. The princes met in a place pre-agreed or determined by the situation itself, then they began “standing on horseback” opposite each other, negotiations through ambassadors; in case of a favorable outcome, the meeting itself began. Sometimes a special sign was given for this - “bilinch” (from Turkic - sign, omen). Princes often met outside city walls (in tents), in small towns and villages, and less often in the capitals of principalities (Kyiv, Chernigov, Vladimir, Rostov). Places for princely congresses were chosen with a special meaning; for example, the Chernigov Olgovichi in the 12th century repeatedly gathered in the village of Olzhichi (possibly their ancestral domain). The formula of the chronicle “to sit with your brothers on a single carpet” (as Prince Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh proposed to Prince David Igorevich at the Vitichevsky Congress of 1100), apparently, was not only a metaphorical designation of the collective council, but also reflected the real “marching” atmosphere of the congress. The princes delivered their speeches in accordance with negotiation etiquette, which included the use of stable rhetorical and legal formulas. Until the mid-13th century, interprince diplomacy was predominantly oral in nature, then written documents that recorded agreements began to be used more often. Upon reaching a consensus, each prince kissed the cross, which sealed the agreement: the princes presented crosses to the oathbreakers or the persons representing them in case of violation of the oath. Princely congresses were often accompanied or ended with a feast and mutual gifts.

In historiography, different views were expressed on the issue of the role of persons of non-princely dignity who were present at princely congresses. B. D. Grekov and his followers believed that not only the Rurik princes, but also other representatives of the feudal elite, primarily boyars and bishops, spoke on equal terms at the princely congresses. Other researchers (in particular, Ya. N. Shchapov) came to the conclusion that most congresses of the 11th-12th centuries were attended by princes and sometimes their representatives (ambassadors, advisers), but not clergy. Boyars and warriors most often acted at negotiations as advisers, ambassadors or bodyguards of the prince; at the same time, they probably had the right of an “advisory vote.” The situation changed fundamentally in the 2nd half of the 13th - early 15th centuries, when princely congresses were finally transformed into councils of the feudal nobility.

The first princely congress reliably recorded in the sources took place in 1026 in Gorodets (most likely in the city of Gorodets-Ostersky, now Oster), where the Kiev prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise and the Chernigov prince Mstislav Vladimirovich made peace. At this meeting, the results of the long-term war for the power of the sons of the Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich were summed up, and the agreements reached became a precedent for the peaceful settlement of inter-princely relations (references to peace conditions were used in political negotiations of Russian princes even in 1195). At the congress in Vyshgorod (1072), according to the assumption of a number of researchers, the compilation and editing of the Russian Truth was carried out. At the end of the 11th - beginning of the 12th century, princely congresses began to be held more often, which was associated both with the solution of key issues in the political life of the Old Russian state, and with the intensified Polovtsian danger. A special place was occupied by the Lyubechsky congress of 1097, after which the Vitichevsky congress (10.8.1100), the congress on the Zolotcha River (1101), the Dolob congresses (1103 and 1111) took place; the congress on the Zhelyan River dates back to the same period, a record of which is included in the complex graffiti of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.

At the Vitichevsky congress of 1100, assembled to resolve the conflict around the Terebovl and Vladimir-Volyn principalities that arose after the Lyubech congress, the Kiev prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, the Pereyaslavl prince Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh, the Chernigov prince David Svyatoslavich and the Novgorod-Seversky prince Oleg Svyatoslav HIV made peace among themselves. On August 30, Prince David Igorevich, the initiator of the attack on the Terebovl prince Vasilko Rostislavich in 1097, came to the meeting. However, the negotiations reached a dead end, after which all the princes demonstratively moved away from David Igorevich, standing separately “on horseback” with their squads. The princes, discussing his fate together, did not allow him to come to them, did not contact him personally anymore, and informed him of the decision of the congress through their associates. David Igorevich became a “renouncer,” that is, an outcast prince, and lost the right to speak at the congress. At the same congress, Vasilko Rostislavich was deprived of Terebovlya and had to remain in the care of his brother - Volodar Rostislavich - or the Kyiv prince (the Rostislavich brothers did not obey this decision and defended their possessions). The decisions of the Congress of 1100 confirmed the political and legal norm of princely law, according to which the “husband” is responsible for the crime with his “head”, and the prince - with the volost. At the Dolob Congress of 1103, Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and their advisors-combatants decided to organize a campaign against the Polovtsians in the spring, when the nomads were weakened after wintering. Other Russian princes also joined the campaign. At the Dolob Congress of 1111, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Monomakh again insisted on an extracurricular (in the spring, at the height of the sowing) campaign against the Polovtsians, which again ended in the defeat of the nomads. At the Dolob congresses, a new military doctrine of the Russian princes was developed, which involved the abandonment of defensive tactics and the organization of long-distance campaigns to destroy the Polovtsian nomads.

In the 12th - 1st third of the 13th century, the tradition of holding princely congresses was preserved. Large-scale congresses of senior princes were also held (1115, 1135, 1145, 1150, 1154, 1155, 1159, 1170, 1195, 1203, 1223), and meetings of representatives of individual princes, princely clans and coalitions (1142, 1147, 1158, , 1194 , 1206, 1207, 1216/17).

In addition to the princely congresses themselves, the Russian princes regularly held congresses together with the Polovtsian khans (every spring and when the Kyiv prince changed). For the first time in the Tale of Bygone Years, such a congress is mentioned in 1054/55, when peace was concluded by the Pereyaslavl prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich and the Polovtsian Khan Bolush.

After the Mongol-Tatar invasion, princely congresses were held in North-Eastern Rus' until the beginning of the 15th century. In historiography, they have not been studied enough, there is no complete list of them, and the procedure has not been reconstructed. They were attended as full participants not only by the Rurik princes, but also by representatives of the boyars, church hierarchs, Tatar ambassadors (they often controlled the organization and progress of princely congresses on behalf of the khans of the Golden Horde), and others. A. N. Nasonov noted the typological similarity of the princely congresses this time and the Mongol kurultai. Representative princely congresses were held in 1296 in Vladimir, in 1300/01 in Dmitrov, in 1340 in Moscow; in November 1374 in Pereyaslavl, in March 1375 (they developed the general position of the Russian princes in relation to Mamai). One of the last princely congresses recorded in the chronicles was the congress on November 1, 1380 after the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.

The institution of princely congresses, along with similar Polish institutions, became the prototype of the aristocratic diets in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The tradition of jointly resolving the most important domestic and foreign policy issues was embodied in the activities of advisory bodies - the Boyar Duma, and later - Zemsky Sobors, etc.

Lit.: Lyubavsky M.K. Lithuanian-Russian Seim. M., 1900; Telberg G. G. A few remarks about inter-princely dreams in ancient Rus' // Journal of the Ministry of Public Education. 1905. No. 6; Sreznevsky I.I. Materials for the dictionary of the Old Russian language based on written monuments. St. Petersburg, 1912. T. 3; Novitsky V. Taking the Russian Land from the X-XIII centuries. // Practices for learning the history of Western Russian and Ukrainian law. Kiev, 1927. Issue. 3; Nasonov A. N. Mongols and Rus'. M.; L., 1940; Grekov B. D. Kievan Rus // Grekov B. D. Selected works. M., 1959. T. 2; The Old Russian state and its international significance. M., 1965; Russocki S. Zjazdy ksizeçе // Slownik starozytnoäci slowianskich. Warsz., 1982. T. 7. Gz. 1; Kizilov Yu. A. Princely congresses of North-Eastern Rus' XIV-XV centuries. and their place in the process of centralization (traditions and reality) // Society, state, law of Russia and other countries. Norm and reality. Early and developed feudalism. M., 1983; Pashuto V.T. Experience of periodization of the history of Russian diplomacy (early and developed feudalism) // The most ancient states on the territory of the USSR. Materials and research. 1981. M., 1983; Likhachev D.S. Russian ambassadorial custom of the 11th-13th centuries. // Likhachev D.S. Research on Old Russian Literature. L., 1986; Shchapov Ya. N. State and Church of Ancient Rus' X-XIII centuries. M., 1989; Zimin A. A. Russian Truth. M., 1999; Vodatyrev S. The Sovereign and his counselors: ritualised consultations in Muscovite political culture, 1350s - 1570s. Hels., 2000; Shchavelev A. S. Congresses of Russian princes with nomads as a mechanism for political resolution of conflicts of the 11th - early 13th centuries. // Slavs and their neighbors: Historical roots of ethno-confessional conflicts in the countries of Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. The Middle Ages - the beginning of the New Age. M., 2003; aka. Congresses of Princes as a political institution of Ancient Rus' // The Ancient States of Eastern Europe. 2004 M., 2006; aka. Procedure for the Congress of Princes // Eastern Europe in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Political institutions and supreme power. M., 2007; aka. On the issue of the first congress of the Rurik princes // Yaroslav the Wise and his era. M., 2008.

Plan
Introduction
1 Procedure, composition of participants
2 Congresses XI - beginning XII centuries
3 Congresses XII - 1st half. XIII centuries
4 Congresses with the Polovtsians
5 Congresses in Russian principalities
5.1 Principality of Chernigov
5.2 Ryazan Principality
5.3 Principality of Smolensk
5.4 North-Eastern Rus'

Bibliography

Introduction

Congresses of Russian princes are personal meetings of the Rurikovichs, undertaken to resolve differences and jointly resolve issues of domestic and foreign policy. They were held in Kievan Rus and individual Russian principalities from the 11th to the 14th centuries.

The congresses were of an official nature and had a formalized procedure. In form, they were a “family” council, which corresponded to the idea that existed among the princes that all parts of Rus' were ruled by brothers of the same clan. In the 11th - early 12th centuries, the decisions of major congresses, in which all the senior princes of their generation took part, determined the political structure of Kievan Rus. In the subsequent period, in the context of the expansion of the dynasty and the onset of feudal fragmentation, regional congresses appeared, held among the princely branches within a particular land, and meetings of individual princes. At the same time, right up to the Mongol invasion, all-Russian congresses continued to meet periodically, successfully solving, first of all, the tasks of organizing joint campaigns against nomads. A special type of congress was the so-called. "companies"- regular meetings of the Kyiv princes with the Polovtsian khans, undertaken to maintain peaceful relations. According to the calculations of A. S. Shchavelev, in the pre-Mongol period in Rus', a total of up to 170 princely meetings of various levels took place.

In historiography, the congresses of the Rurikovichs are considered as a special institution, but its role, especially during the period of fragmentation, is not sufficiently studied and is interpreted diametrically opposite: from the recognition of the congresses by the highest authority of the country (V.T. Pashuto) to their assessment as an archaic procedure that did not provide real impact on the political system (B. A. Rybakov, A. P. Tolochko).

1. Procedure, composition of participants

The typical procedure for the congress looked like this: the princes, each with his retinue, arrived at a pre-agreed place and, positioned separately from each other, began “standing on horseback.” Ambassadors were exchanged for preliminary negotiations. Then the congress itself began. The venue for it most often was princely tents pitched outside the city walls, or small towns and castles, sometimes villages. Less frequently, congresses were held in Kyiv and regional capitals. During the congress, the princes made speeches. The agreements were predominantly oral and were accompanied by rhetorical formulas and references to legal precedents of the past. The agreements reached were sealed by the kiss of the cross, which each prince had to perform personally. The crosses were kept and could be presented in case of breaking an oath; such an act was considered an absolute sin and was perceived very sharply by society. At the end of the congress, a feast was held (sometimes several feasts given by the princes to each other in turn). The feast was accompanied by drinking together from the same cup and exchanging gifts. Their items were furs, expensive clothing, horses, weapons and ammunition, as well as simply various rare or unusual things. For example, at the congress of 1160, Rostislav Mstislavich of Smolensky added fish teeth to his gifts to Svyatoslav Olgovich of Chernigov.

The congresses had a pronounced elitist character. Persons of non-princely dignity usually did not take direct part in the discussion. When in 1096 Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Monomakh invited their cousin Oleg Svyatoslavich to come to Kyiv and conclude an agreement in the presence of the clergy, boyars and townspeople, he contemptuously declared that “it is not proper for a bishop, or abbot, or smerd to judge me.” Representatives of the clergy were almost never invited to the congresses. At the same time, with the con. In the 12th century, trends towards the evolution of congresses towards greater representativeness appeared in some principalities and were associated with the procedure for the transfer of power, when the ruling prince during his lifetime determined the heir. For this purpose, a “Council” was assembled, which, in addition to the princes, included representatives of the nobility, clergy and cities. A similar thing took place in the Galician principality (in 1187, by order of Yaroslav Osmomysl) and Vladimir-Suzdal (1211, on the initiative of Vsevolod the Big Nest).

2. Congresses XI - beginning. XII centuries

Gorodets Congress(1026/1027) - the first reliably known congress of the Rurikovichs. It took place between the brothers Yaroslav the Wise and Mstislav Tmutarakansky - the only surviving children of Vladimir by that time. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, their meeting took place near Gorodets (obviously, Gorodets-Ostersky of the Chernigov land, or the eponymous Gorodets near Kyiv). The brothers made peace on the terms of recognition of Yaroslav's seniority and the division of the “Russian land” along the Dnieper. The left bank with its center in Chernigov went to Mstislav. Thus, a model was developed according to which conflicts between Russian princes were subsequently resolved. The historical significance of the congress is evidenced by the fact that at the end of the 12th century the Monomakhovichs and Olgovichs appealed to it in their disputes;

Congress near Orsha(July 10, 1067) - a “failed” congress of the sons of Yaroslav the Wise - Prince Izyaslav of Kyiv, Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov and Prince Vsevolod of Pereyaslavl on the one hand, and Prince Vseslav Bryachislavich of Polotsk with his two sons on the other. The congress was preceded by a war in which Vseslav was defeated. The Yaroslavichs invited him to a meeting, kissing the cross that they would not cause harm. But as soon as Vseslav swam to the left bank of the Dnieper, where the brothers’ camp was located, and entered Izyaslav’s tent, he and his sons were treacherously captured. He was brought to Kyiv and put in a cellar. A year later, he was freed by the rebels of Kiev, and he was even able to become the prince of Kyiv for a short time. This event occurred on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and was perceived by contemporaries as God's punishment for perjury;

Vyshgorod Congress(May 20, 1072) - congress of the Yaroslavichs (Izyaslav, Svyatoslav and Vsevolod), held in the presence of the metropolitan and clergy in Vyshgorod for the ceremonial transfer of the relics of Boris and Gleb to the new stone church. Most researchers interpret this ceremony as the official canonization of the dead princes and explain it with the desire to create a cult of patrons of the princely family. There is an assumption that it was at this congress that the “Pravda Yaroslavichs” was adopted;

Exit to Zhelany(December 4, 1093?) - congress of the eldest grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise: Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Monomakh and Oleg Svyatoslavich on the Zhelyanya River for the “creation of the world.” Not mentioned in the chronicles. It is known about him from graffiti on the wall of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral. This circumstance may indicate that congresses were held more often than noted in the chronicles. The year of the meeting is not named. According to A.S. Shchavelev, most likely it took place in 1093 and was associated with the unsuccessful actions of Svyatopolk against the Polovtsians;

Lyubech Congress(1097) - the most famous congress of Russian princes. It took place in the city of Lyubech (on the Dnieper) with the goal of agreeing to end inter-princely feuds over inheritances and to rally against the Polovtsians who were ravaging Rus'. The Lyubech Congress was attended by 6 princes - Prince of Kiev Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Prince of Pereyaslav Vladimir Monomakh, Prince of Chernigov Oleg Svyatoslavich, his brother Davyd Svyatoslavich, Prince of Volyn David Igorevich and Prince Vasilko Rostislavich. The Lyubech Congress proclaimed the principle of princes inheriting the lands of their fathers. This decision stated the existence of a new political system in Rus' and in the future opened the process of creating regional dynasties.

Gorodets Congress(spring 1098) - a military congress organized on the initiative of Vladimir Monomakh with Davyd and Oleg against Svyatopolk, after he unceremoniously violated the agreement of the Lyubech Congress and captured Vasilko Rostislavich, and then allowed Davyd Igorevich to blind him. The brothers gathered together with their squads in the forest near Gorodets and sent ambassadors to Svyatopolk with the words: “Why did you commit this evil in the Russian land and throw a knife at us? Why did he blind his brother? If you had any accusation against him, you would have denounced him before us, and, having proven his guilt, then you would have done the same with him.”. Not accepting Svyatopolk’s justification, the next morning the brothers crossed the Dnieper and moved to Kyiv. Svyatopolk wanted to flee the city, but the people of Kiev did not allow him to do this. Bloodshed was avoided through the mediation of Vladimir Monomakh’s mother and the Metropolitan. Svyatopolk pledged to his brothers to expel David.

Congress in Uvetichi(1100) - Svyatopolk, Vladimir Monomakh, Davyd and Oleg Svyatoslavich made peace among themselves on August 10, and on August 30 they gathered again for the trial of Davyd Igorevich, who violated the truce established in Lyubech. Davyd was deprived of the Vladimir-Volyn principality, receiving in return the towns of Buzhsky Ostrog, Duben, Czartorysk and 400 hryvnia of silver. The reconciliation of the princes allowed them in subsequent years to organize large-scale campaigns against the Polovtsians;

Zolotchensky Congress(1101) - a congress of all the brothers (7 princes, Yaroslav was also present from the Svyatoslavichs) on the Zolotche River. Polovtsian ambassadors arrived at the congress asking for peace. The princes conveyed to them an offer to meet in the city of Sakov (within the left bank of the Kiev region). The Russian-Polovtsian congress took place on September 15, the parties exchanged hostages and made peace;

Dolob Congress(spring 1103) - congress of Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh at Dolobskoye Lake near Kyiv to organize a joint campaign against the Polovtsians. Unlike previous congresses, negotiations took place with the participation of the squad. Svyatopolk’s squad opposed the idea of ​​going on a campaign against the Polovtsy in the spring, in response, Vladimir Monomakh made a speech, after which the squad could not object, and Svyatopolk agreed.