AND Princess Olga, born in 942 in Kyiv. At the age of three he had already become a formal Grand Duke due to the death of his father, but the rule was actually exercised by his mother. Princess Olga ruled the state later because Prince Svyatoslav He was constantly on military campaigns. Thanks to the latter, Svyatoslav became famous as a commander.
If you believe ancient Russian chronicles Svyatoslav was the only child of Prince Igor and Princess Olga. He became the first famous prince Old Russian state with a Slavic name, there were still names of Scandinavian origin. Although there is a version that the name Svyatoslav is a Slavic adaptation of Scandinavian names: Olga (Helga - mother of Svyatoslav) is translated from Old Scandinavian as “saint”, and Rurik (Hrorek - grandfather of Svyatoslav) is translated as “great, glorious” - in the early Middle Ages in northern Europe it was normal to name a child after its mother. The Greeks called Svyatoslav Sfendoslavos. Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII wrote about Sfendoslavos, the son of Ingor, sitting in Nemogard (that is, Novgorod), which, by the way, contradicts the Russian chronicles, which say that Svyatoslav spent his entire childhood and youth in Kyiv.
It is also doubtful that four-year-old Svyatoslav began the battle of Princess Olga against the Drevlyans in 946 by throwing a spear at them.
Princess Olga had many plans for her son - she especially wanted to baptize him, marry him to a Byzantine princess (according to Doctor of Historical Sciences Alexander Nazarenko), and then begin baptism of Rus' .
All these plans failed, Svyatoslav remained a convinced pagan until his death. He argued that his squad would not respect a Christian ruler. In addition, the war interested the young prince much more than politics. The chronicles mentioned a “working visit” of Olga and Svyatoslav to Constantinople in 955, as well as an embassy to King Otto I of Germany on the issues of the baptism of Rus'.
All three of these points of the princess’s plans were later realized by her grandson - Vladimir Svyatoslavovich(Great).
Campaigns of Svyatoslav.
In 964, Svyatoslav and his army went east towards the Volga and Oka rivers. In 965 he defeated Khazars and the Volga Bulgars, thus crushing Khazar Khaganate and subjugating the lands of present-day Dagestan and the surrounding area. At the same time, Tmutarakan with the surrounding lands (the present-day Rostov region) and Itil (the present-day Astrakhan region) also came under the authority of Kyiv.
In 966, Svyatoslav defeated the Vyatichi tribes, who then inhabited vast territories on the site of modern Moscow, Kaluga, Oryol, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tula, Lipetsk and Voronezh regions.
In 967, a conflict broke out between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Kingdom. The Byzantine emperor sent an envoy with almost half a ton of gold to Svyatoslav and a request for military assistance. The emperor's geopolitical plans were as follows:
- by proxy, seize the Bulgarian kingdom, which was located at the intersection of profitable trade routes in the Danube region;
- weaken Rus' as a direct competitor and contender for control of trade in Eastern Europe (Rus, by the way, was already weakened by the war with the Vyatichi and the Khazar Khaganate);
- to distract Svyatoslav from a possible attack on the Crimean possessions of Byzantium (Chersonese).
The money did its job, and Svyatoslav went to Bulgaria in 968. He successfully conquered most of its possessions, and settled at the mouth of the Danube (the very intersection of trade routes), but at that moment the Pechenegs attacked Kyiv (did someone send them?), and the prince had to return to the capital.
By 969, Svyatoslav finally threw the Pechenegs back into the steppe, beyond the lands of the defeated Khazar Kaganate. Thus, he almost completely destroyed his enemies in the east.
In 971, the Byzantine emperor John Tzimiskes attacked the capital of Bulgaria by land and water and captured it. Then his troops surrounded Svyatoslav in the Dorostol fortress and besieged him. The siege lasted 3 months, both sides suffered significant losses, and Svyatoslav entered into peace negotiations.
As a result, the prince of Kyiv and his army left Bulgaria without hindrance, received a supply of provisions for 2 months, the trade alliance between Rus' and Byzantium was restored, but Bulgaria completely ceded to the Byzantine Empire.
On the way home, Svyatoslav spent the winter at the mouth of the Dnieper, and in the spring of 972 he went upstream. While passing the rapids, he was ambushed by the Pechenegs and was killed.
Finally, it is worth noting that, according to the chronicles, Svyatoslav had a non-standard appearance - bald with a forelock, as well as a long mustache and an earring in his ear. Some historians believe that it was from him that the Zaporozhye Cossacks adopted the style.
Prince Svyatoslav is a warrior who spent most of his life in battles and campaigns. He is a legendary prince who shared his needs and spoils with his wars. I will be a prince, I did not disdain to be in the squad “like everyone else.” Carrying the burden of a warrior was both a pleasure and a necessity for the prince.
The only historical source of the formation of the ancient Russian state is the chronicle. The most famous of the chronicles is “The Tale of Bygone Years,” authored by.
Very often, there is confusion in the dates of life and events of heroes of that time. Svyatoslav is no exception to this rule. Therefore, when studying his life and work, it is imperative to remember this fact.
What kind of campaigns did Svyatoslav go on? (briefly)
- Hiking to Vyatichi
- March on the Khazar Kaganate
- Hike to Volga Bulgaria
- First Danube campaign
- Second Danube Campaign
Svyatoslav's campaign against Vyatichi
By the time Svyatoslav came to power, the Vyatichi were the last tribe of Eastern Slavs who were not part of the ancient Russian state. The Vyatichi were a warlike tribe. They loved to rob merchants and visiting travelers. They handled weapons well. They lived mainly by robbery, hunting and gathering. The tribe lived in the area between the Volki and Oka rivers. The Vyatichi were vassals of the Khazar Kaganate and paid tribute.
During the reign, Vyatichi submitted to the Kyiv prince. But with his death, they believed that they were no longer obliged to comply with the agreements. The mentality of the tribe affected the interpretation of the terms of the contract. The Vyatichi believed that they owed only Oleg, and after his death, they owed nothing to his successors.
Prince Svyatoslav needed to prove his strength and right of succession to Oleg. The pacification of the rebellious Vyatichi is the final touch to the end of the unification of the Slavic tribes and Russian lands. In 964, the army of Svyatoslav set foot on the lands of Vyatichi. The tribe did not dare to fight the formidable Kyiv prince. Svyatoslav promised to rid the tribe of tribute to the Khazar Khaganate, which the squad was going to destroy. The Vyatichi gladly replenished the prince's army and took part in the defeat of Khazaria.
Defeat of the Khazar Kaganate
The Khazar Kaganate is one of the most powerful states of its time. The Khazars changed their religion several times. At first, the population believed in pagan cults. Then, after the Arab raid, the Khazars converted to Islam. Khazaria was at the intersection of important trade routes. There was brisk trade here, which contributed to the growth of the state's welfare. Jewish merchants played a special role. Soon, under their influence, the top of the Kaganate adopted Judaism.
The Khazars were not only excellent at economics. They loved to raid their neighbors and drive people into slavery. The slave trade flourished in the state itself, which was a significant line item in budget revenues.
The strength of the Russian state grew. The presence of such a neighbor as Khazaria posed a significant danger. It was necessary to act. Svyatoslav and his squad went on a hike. The Russian army quickly advanced deep into the borders of Khazaria. The final victory was marked by the capture of the state capital - the city of Itil. Different sources note different dates for the defeat of Khazaria - 964 or 965.
The victory was great. The authority and power of the Kyiv state in the international arena has grown significantly. The prince returned to Kyiv through the lands of the Vyatichi. He demanded tribute and recognition of seniority from the tribe. The Vyatichi agreed to all the conditions.
Hikes to Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria was a strong state that bordered Russia. The Arab historian Ibn Haukal believes that before the defeat of the Kaganate, Svyatoslav and his retinue entered the lands of the Bulgars. The prince collected a lot of booty here, the squad was pleased.
Danube campaigns of Svyatoslav
The Danube campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav are a story that covered his name with legend. The history of the Danube campaigns began in 967. The Emperor of Byzantium, Nicephorus Phocas, planned to subjugate Bulgaria with the help of the Russian army. The emperor sent a messenger - the patrician Kalokir. Kalokir promised Svyatoslav a rich tribute if he conquered Bulgaria for the Emperor.
The Byzantines were in constant war with the Arabs. The Arabs were a strong enemy, drawing upon themselves the full power of the empire. The Byzantines sensibly decided that the Bulgarian issue could be resolved with the help of the Rus.
Let us recall a little history of Byzantium. The western part of the Roman Empire fell, this was a consequence of the great migration of peoples. The eastern one held out. The Eastern Roman Empire included the Balkans. Slavic tribes poured into those lands. When the Slavic population became the majority, the struggle for independence from the emperor began. In 681, Bulgaria gained independence after many years of bloody war.
The Kyiv prince was attracted by war. He willingly agreed to the terms of Byzantium and went on a campaign with his squad. The squad rafted down the Dnieper into the Black Sea, and from there went to the Bulgarian lands. The Bulgarian Tsar Peter did not expect the appearance of the Kyiv squads. The bloody but short war ended with the victory of Svyatoslav.
Byzantium presented the Kyiv prince with a rich tribute. But the prince himself was in no hurry to fulfill his obligations. The prince became obsessed with the idea of creating a huge state. He dreamed of making the city of Pereyaslavets the capital of his possessions. Princess Olga told her son that after her death he could implement his plans. But for now we need to defend Kyiv.
The policy of the Byzantine emperor failed. A coup took place in the Byzantine state; the place of Nikephoros Phocas was taken by the commander John Tzimiskes. The plot twisted wildly.
Second Danube campaign of Svyatoslav
The second Danube campaign of Prince Svyatoslav dates back to 969-971.
She died, and the prince began to have the right to do what he wanted. He divided the territory of Kievan Rus between his three sons, laying the foundations for the future first strife.
The prince was of little interest in domestic politics, so he went to Bulgaria. His path lay in Pereyaslavets. While the prince was in Kyiv, the Bulgarians managed to capture the city. The creation of a Russian-Bulgarian state did not appeal to them. A battle broke out under the city walls. The Russian army won an expensive victory. Tsar Boris II recognized himself as a vassal of Kyiv.
The troops of Tsar Boris replenished the troops of Svyatoslav. The king led the cavalry on the campaign. Together with Sveneld, the infantry commander of the Russian army, the united army conquered the “Valley of Roses”. These are Byzantine lands, inhabited mainly by Bulgarians. Svyatoslav organized mass executions here of those who intended to support the Emperor of Byzantium.
Next, Svyatoslav was going to capture Constantinople. The Byzantines played for time, sent messengers, wanted to pay off. They found out the number of troops. As a result, while negotiations were ongoing, the Greeks gathered an army that significantly outnumbered the allies.
Soon a major battle took place near Adrianople. The Allies lost to the Greeks. The spirit of the army fell, the Pechenegs and Hungarians decided to leave Svyatoslav’s squad.
In the spring of 971, the Greeks unleashed the full might of their army on the prince's troops. First they captured Pereyaslavets, then they besieged Dorostol. The enemies inflicted enormous damage on each other. Many noble Greeks and Russians were killed in that battle, many strong and worthy men.
Svyatoslav understood that things were not going well. He is the ambassador of parliamentary messengers to the Greek camp. The parties agreed on peace. The Greeks paid tribute for 10 thousand Russian soldiers. All previous agreements were preserved. Russian merchants could trade profitably with Byzantium, and the Greeks, in turn, could ask Svyatoslav for protection at any time.
Return to Kyiv
The warriors set off towards Kyiv. They reached the Dnieper, where on the island of Khortitsa they were attacked by the Pechenegs. During the battle, Prince Svyatoslav was killed. Only a small part of the squad was able to return home.
Hikes of Svyatoslav video
Map of Svyatoslav's hikes
Results
The campaigns of Svyatoslav are a glorious page in the history of the military exploits of Kievan Rus. Probably, it was Svyatoslav, with his campaigns, who instilled in people what today is commonly called the Russian spirit.
1050 years ago, the famous campaign of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich began, which crushed the Khazar Kaganate. It is worth noting that by the middle of the 10th century. Khazaria reached its maximum power. The Jewish merchant elite kept their own people in strict subjugation and conquered numerous Finnish, Slavic, and Caucasian tribes. She took tribute from them in slaves, furs and other valuable goods. The capital of the Kaganate, the city of Itil, located on the banks of the Volga and Akhtuba, amazed contemporaries with its luxury and size. It stretched for 8-10 km, magnificent houses of the nobility, synagogues, baths, caravanserais were built in it, and crowded bazaars were noisy. Here they were ready to offer visiting merchants the most exotic goods, the most exquisite pleasures - the best dishes, wines, drugs, fiery dancers, girls and boys of all nationalities, for every taste. Choose, have fun, whatever the money is. And on the island, separated by channels, were the palace complexes of the kagan and the king. They were a “city within a city.” Only a select few could get there. The island was connected with the rest of the city by drawbridges; in case of danger or civil unrest, they were raised. Bogateli and other cities of Khazaria - Samkerts, Tamatarkha, Semender, Belenjer.
For a long time, the Kanagat was at enmity with the Byzantine Empire. Wars raged with the Greek allies, the Pechenegs. The Khazars attracted other nomads, the Guzes, against them. The Pechenegs were gradually pushed west, to the lower reaches of the Dnieper. But relations with Byzantium began to change. Both empires came to the conclusion that it was more profitable to be friends. This was facilitated by common interests - to resist the strengthening of Rus'. In Constantinople and Itil, they equally came to the conclusion that the Russians should not be allowed to the sea, they must be weakened in every possible way. Who needs a large and prosperous Principality of Kiev? It will begin to defend its benefits, influence international affairs, and will have to be taken into account. Let the Russians sit in their native forests and come to Constantinople either as slaves or mercenaries, shedding blood for Greek gold.
Over the centuries of its brilliant existence, Byzantium managed to betray all its “barbarian” allies: Alans, Goths, Huns, Bulgarians, Antes, Armenians, Turks, Magyars. Having conspired against the Russians with the Khazars, she also betrayed the Pechenegs. Greek diplomats helped persuade the nomadic leaders not to touch the Kaganate and allow it to build fortresses in the steppes. The line of Khazar white-stone castles began to move west. As archaeological data show, the latest of these fortresses, in the middle of the 10th century, had already crossed the Dnieper - in the village of Voznesenka near Zaporozhye. From now on, the Dnieper rapids were controlled not by the Pechenegs, but by the Khazars! Now they decided who to let through “from the Varangians to the Greeks” and who not, what tribute to take from those passing through. But the Byzantines considered themselves to be winning. Stone strongholds will block Russian roads to the sea much more reliably than crowds of steppe inhabitants. And this meant the safety of Constantinople! This meant that we could forget about the tribute that Byzantium pledged to pay to the Prophetic Oleg and Igor.
The Khazars also benefited. Their king Joseph was in correspondence with the vizier of the Spanish Caliphate Hosdai Ibn Shafrut, boastfully telling him: “And from the day our ancestors entered under the cover of the Shekinah, He (God) subjugated all our enemies to us and overthrew all the peoples and tribes living around us, so that no one has resisted us to this day. They all serve and pay us tribute - the kings of Edom and the kings of the Ishmaelites.” He reported about the borders of the Kaganate: “Our lands reach the Kuzu River to the west, and to the cold country of Yuru and Visu to the north. And they are submissive to us, fearing our sword...” Yuru - Ugra, inhabiting the Northern Urals, Visu - the entire tribe on Beloozero, Kuzu - Southern Bug. Having crossed the Dnieper fortresses, the Khazars already considered the steppes to the next big river their possessions.
Rus' was vast and populous. Try to enslave her through military operations! But why war? She was being strangled! The tentacles of the Kaganate covered Rus' from two sides - from the north, through the Upper Volga region and from the south, through the Black Sea region. With the assistance of Byzantium, the Khazars entered into an alliance with another friend of Constantinople - the kings of Bulgaria. The enemies “stretched out their hands” towards us, and were almost closed.
However, the Russian state was strangled not only by fortresses and customs outposts. In 944, while organizing a campaign against the Greeks, Prince Igor got heavily into debt - he hired Varangians, nomads. Jewish merchants willingly provided him with loans. But they had to be returned. Trying to collect the required amounts, Igor decided to collect increased tribute from the Drevlyan tribe and died at the hands of the rebels. Widow of Prince St. Olga had to pacify the riots. However, the debts did not go away; interest was added to them. And they were not small; in the Middle Ages, moneylenders tore three skins from debtors. A gain of 100% per year was considered very moderate. During the years of disorganization of Rus', the war with the Drevlyans, the debt increased significantly.
The payment of interest itself turned into a regular tribute to the Khazars, and the country was drawn into economic bondage. And for deferments or reduction of debt, lenders demanded various privileges. In Kyiv, the Jewish “end” grew, even one of the gates was called Zhidovsky. This end received the rights of self-government, all affairs of the Jews were decided by their own boss - in fact, the Khazar ambassador and governor in Rus'. But for the time being, Olga could not speak out against the Kaganate. The Khazars were too serious an opponent. Byzantium and Bulgaria would have intervened... The Grand Duchess had to maintain the appearance of friendship, courteously receive the moneylenders and their boss, and listen carefully to requests. It was necessary to maneuver, to look for cunning moves. And at the same time secretly, little by little, prepare for a fight with a predatory neighbor.
St. Olga herself traveled to Constantinople. Apparently, she tried to convince the emperor to change his political guidelines. After all, Rus' could become a much more reliable friend for him than Khazaria. But the visit was disappointing. The Grand Duchess was convinced: Byzantium is an irreconcilable enemy of Rus'. One cannot hope for an alliance with her or at least for her neutrality. In case of war, he will definitely stab you in the back.
Meanwhile, the empress’s son Svyatoslav was growing up. His mother gave him his own inheritance - Novgorod. Under the leadership of the boyar Asmud, the young man learned to be a ruler and mastered military science. His squad was formed from the same young people as the prince. Stories and exercises alone are not enough to educate real warriors, but in Novgorod there were opportunities to learn in practice. Together with the Novgorodians, Svyatoslav made expeditions to the Estonians, Finns, and Samoyeds. Tribes were subjugated and imposed tribute. The prince probably also took part in Varangian sea campaigns. In these enterprises, an iron, unparalleled squad was united and forged. And twenty-year-old Svyatoslav himself turned into an experienced and skillful boss.
Nestor said that he “went on campaigns easily, like a pardus, and fought a lot.” Without convoys, tents, boilers. I was content with meat roasted over coals. He slept with a sweatshirt on his back, with a saddle in his head. So were all his other warriors.” Leo the Deacon described the portrait of the prince: “He was of moderate height... thick eyebrows, blue eyes, a flat nose, a sparse beard, his upper lip was covered with thick, flowing hair. The head was completely bare, only a tuft of hair hung on one side - a sign of noble birth. The neck is thick, the shoulders are wide and the whole build is very slender. His gaze was gloomy and stern. In one ear hung a gold earring, decorated with two pearls with a ruby in the middle. He was wearing white clothes, only different from the others in cleanliness” (ordinary warriors). As we see, the “sign of noble origin” among the Russians was the same “Oseledets” that the Cossacks later sported, and one earring among the Cossacks meant the only son of their mother - which was Svyatoslav.
He did not have the slightest interest in administrative and economic issues and tried to avoid them. But the Novgorod boyars liked it. The prince doesn’t meddle in their affairs, so it’s okay, they’ll figure it out on their own somehow. Olga also did not insist that her son master these responsibilities more carefully. She prepared Svyatoslav for the main task. A fatal blow to Khazaria. Even when the prince grew up, his mother retained enormous influence on him, and a peculiar division of their functions developed. Olga was still in charge of all civil administration, and this allowed Svyatoslav not to be distracted by current affairs and to concentrate on the military sphere.
The Grand Duchess continued to conduct active diplomacy. She entered into an alliance with the enemy of Byzantium, the German emperor Otto. She entered into an alliance with Hungary, agreed to seal it in marriage, and wooed a Magyar princess for her son. In Rus' they called it Predslava. True, the Hungarians of that time were not at all similar to those of today. The Ugric nomads had not yet had time to mix with Europeans; they remained short, stocky, with wide faces and narrow eyes. Is it any wonder that Svyatoslav, having married his ally, fell in love with another girl, his mother’s servant Malusha. However, she was not an ordinary slave, but Olga’s housekeeper and household manager. And not a simple one - her brother Dobrynya was not a farmer, not a craftsman, but a professional warrior. Some historians suggest that Malushi's father, the Lyubech resident Malk, was none other than the Drevlyan prince Mal, whom Olga turned into captivity and settled in Lyubech. It is known that Malk was a very devoted servant of the princess, and after her he was baptized, receiving the name Nikita. From Malushi was born the future sovereign of Rus', St. Vladimir the Baptist...
But few people yet guessed about the impending greatness of our power. It was necessary to fight not only for greatness, but for life itself, for freedom. But suddenly major changes occurred in Byzantium. As a result of a series of coups and unrest, the warlike Nicephorus Phocas came to power. He was fired up to crush several opponents at once. He sent his entire fleet to Sicily to clear it of Arab pirates. And he himself gathered a huge army and in 964 led it to Syria. Thus, the forces of Byzantium were connected on two fronts. The most opportune moment has come for Rus'.
Svyatoslav and Olga managed to prepare well for this. The army was well armed, trained, able to accurately act on commands, and maintain ranks under enemy attacks. The fast boats rushed overseas to recruit additional contingents of the Varangians. The Kyiv rulers also looked at new allies. The Khazars, having reached the Dnieper with fortresses, began to press the Pechenegs without hesitation, and already considered them subjects. The nomads could not possibly like this. But the Kaganate also quarreled with the Guzes, whom they used against the Pechenegs. It seems that their help was no longer needed. So why flirt and send gifts? They began to treat them disdainfully and take them into slavery. In Kyiv, such things were tracked. Now the time has come, Russian ambassadors rushed to the Pechenegs and Guzes.
The campaign plan was developed in advance. Going to Itil directly, through the Black Sea region, was suicide. There were three hundred fortresses in this direction; the Khazars felt completely safe behind such an impressive “fence.” Another route to Khazaria, through the Upper Volga, was also blocked by cordons, cities and fortresses of the Khazar vassals. You will get involved in protracted battles, the allies of the Kaganate, the Bulgarians, will strike from the rear, and the Byzantines will join in. No, it was necessary to act quickly and immediately achieve complete victory.
There was a third path, along the Oka, through the lands of the Vyatichi and Murom, and it led straight to the heart of the Kaganate. True, one could get stuck here for a long time. It was no easier to besiege the forest fortresses of the Vyatichi than stone castles. But the kaganate was ruined by the short-sighted greed of its rulers. The power looked indestructible and eternal - from the “Kuzu River” to the “cold country of Yuru and Visu,” everyone was submissive, “fearing our sword.” Who dares to encroach on Khazaria? And if so, then there was no need to stand on ceremony with your subjects! The Vyatichi covered an important section of the border, but they exacted a high tribute from them, not in animal skins, but in silver, “one shell from the plow.” Therefore, Svyatoslav’s envoys were able to come to an agreement with the tribe.
All preparations were carried out in deep secrecy. In Kyiv, the Grand Duchess did not reveal the slightest hint of imminent change. Khazar diplomats and merchants were confident that they were still feared, fawned over, and ready to yield. They smugly calculated Russian debts and cheated with interest. They wondered what else they could demand from the supportive empress, who did not want to irritate them. And she only gave vent to her true feelings at night. Saint Olga prayed fervently. I couldn’t trust secrets to anyone, I opened up only to God. Yes, her son remained a pagan. But Titus Flavius, who destroyed Jerusalem, was a pagan! And in Itil the descendants of the very Jews who crucified Christ ruled. Will the Lord really not help?
And in the depths of the country, away from the Jewish quarter of Kyiv and from the Byzantine spies, troops gathered. They were secretly transferred to the Chernigov region, to the villages of the northerners. The operation began in the late autumn of 964. We tried to choose the time literally on the eve of freeze-up! Svyatoslav moved up the Desna. From the sources of this river, boats were dragged into the tributaries of the Oka. The Vyatichi's possessions began here. They were already waiting. The harvest was harvested, allowing the army to be fed. The Vyatichi slaughtered the Khazars who were in their cities with great pleasure. And just then ice began to form on the rivers, snow began to fall - winter was coming. She reliably cut off the forest edge from Itil for several months. Thus, no news leaked to Khazaria; its rulers were not even aware of the danger.
Svyatoslav wintered with the Vyatichi, repaired ships, and built new ones. He negotiated with the Muroma, and the tribe willingly agreed to return to Rus'. And in the spring of 965, as soon as the ice melted, boats with messengers sailed down the river. They carried three menacing words: “I’m coming at you!” These words struck like thunder from a clear sky. They were stunned and panicked. The Khazars and their satellites did not know until the last moment that trouble was looming over them. And now it was too late to do anything. Following the messengers, a mighty Russian flotilla entered the Volga. She destroyed Volga Bulgaria and the Burtases. They, too, were forced tributaries of the Kaganate, but didn’t they help him? In 912, together with the Khazars, they vilely destroyed the Russian army. Here comes the reckoning.
In Itil, the Khazars managed to organize themselves. They raised the hired Khorezm guard, armed the townspeople, and accepted the fleeing Bulgarians and Burtases. But Svyatoslav counted on this when he sent a daring challenge. Let the enemies gather together to finish them off at once. The allies approached the prince. From the right bank of the Volga - the Pechenegs, from the left - the Guzes. The Khazar army was led into the field by King Joseph and the puppet Khagan from the Ashina clan, who did not even keep his name. “And having entered the battle, and a battle ensued, Svyatoslav defeated the Kozar.” Kagan fell in the control room. Joseph disappeared without a trace. Chasing and trampling the fleeing Khazar militia, the Russians broke into Itil. The metropolis, stretching for several kilometers, was destroyed and burned to the ground. The fairy-tale palaces, luxurious houses, and entertainment venues disappeared and disappeared into black smoke.
How many slaves and slaves gained freedom? Those who worked by the sweat of their brow for the Jewish masters, who pleased them. Those held in barracks by slave traders were paraded naked in front of buyers. Those who had already been sold and were waiting to be sent to distant countries... How many people shed happy tears and hugged their fellow tribesmen - Russians, Vyatichi, Murom residents, Pechenegs, Guzes? They are not mentioned anywhere. But they were. But the Khazars were hit hard. Ibn-Haukal wrote that “nothing remained of them except a scattered incomplete part.” They hid on the Volga islands with the hope of “staying close to their regions” - returning home when the Russians left. But “the Russian people... were on the prowl for her,” for this “incomplete part.” The nest of evil spirits was taken out to the roots so that it would not be reborn.
Having destroyed Itil, part of the Russian army went to the Terek and wiped out the former Khazar capital Semender and Belenjer from the face of the earth. And Svyatoslav himself and the core of his squads dragged the boats from the Volga to Ilovlya, splashed out onto the Don and took Sarkel. It was not just a fortress, but the center of the Khazar border command. From here the entire system of fortresses was controlled. Excavations have shown that Sarkel was captured with fierce fighting and razed to the ground. In its place, Svyatoslav ordered the construction of the Russian fortress Belaya Vezha.
Along the Don, the prince entered the Sea of Azov and defeated Samkerts and Tamatarcha. All the major cities of Khazaria were crushed in one campaign! Svyatoslav’s goal was not to defeat the Kaganate, but to completely eliminate it. Cut off all the monster's heads in one fell swoop. He cut them down. And there was no need to take hundreds of castles that blocked the steppes between the Don and the Dnieper. As soon as Itil and Sarkel fell, the Khazar garrisons, to whom the Russians came to the rear, abandoned the fortresses and fled to their friends in Bulgaria. Svyatoslav fought in the North Caucasus, defeated the Khazar vassals, Yases (Alans) and Kasogs. They separated. Some, following the Khazars, rushed to the Bulgarians, others joined the Russians. The prince “brought some of the Yasses and Kasogs to Kyiv” and settled them in its environs.
But the brilliant campaign of 965 was not limited to these successes. Russia faced another vitally important task - to establish itself at sea. Svyatoslav also solved it, and easily, as if casually. On the way home, his army passed through Byzantine possessions in the Azov region and Northern Crimea. 10 cities and 500 villages were plundered. But the population in these parts was mixed. Slavs have long settled with the Greeks and married each other. One of the Byzantine toparchs (chiefs of provinces, his name remains unknown) sadly wrote that most of his subordinates “lived according to the customs of the barbarians,” and during the invasion of the Russians, “cities and peoples voluntarily joined them.” Even the local nobility refused to obey the toparch and unanimously decided to submit to Svyatoslav.
In just one year, the map of Eastern Europe has changed beyond recognition. The huge Khazar Khaganate disappeared, and the possessions of Rus' spread along the Oka River, spilling out to the Azov and Black Seas.
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When he grew up and matured, he turned out to be a brave and stern warrior and a talented, tireless commander. The chronicle describes his character and actions as follows: he began to gather many and brave warriors, walking easily, like a leopard; fought a lot. When going on a campaign, he did not carry carts or boilers with him, because he did not cook meat, but, cutting horse meat, or animal meat, or beef into thin slices, he baked on coals; he did not have a tent, but he slept on a horse's sweatshirt, with the saddle under his head; so were all his warriors. Deciding to start a war, he sent to different countries, to different peoples with the announcement: “I’m coming at you...”
First, Svyatoslav undertook a series of successful campaigns to the east. He subjugated to his power the easternmost Slavic tribe - the Vyatichi, who until then had paid tribute to the Khazars. Around 965, he inflicted a series of heavy defeats on the Khazars, took and destroyed their main cities - Itil, Belaya Vezha and Semender. He defeated the North Caucasian tribes of Yas and Kasogs and subjugated the Azov region with the city of Tmutarakan; He also defeated the Volga Bulgars, and took and plundered their capital, the Bulgars.
Having defeated all the eastern enemies and neighbors of Rus', Svyatoslav turned to the west. The Byzantine government asked for his help in the fight against the Danube Bulgarians, and Svyatoslav, having gathered a large army, moved to the Danube in 967, defeated the Bulgarians, conquering Bulgaria and - to the great displeasure of the Byzantine government - decided to stay there forever and make the city of Pereyaslavets on the Danube its capital.
During Svyatoslav's absence, new enemies from the southeast - the Pechenegs - invaded Russian borders and threatened Kyiv itself. According to the chronicle, the people of Kiev sent ambassadors to Svyatoslav with angry reproaches: “You, prince, are looking for someone else’s land and guarding it, but you have renounced your own - the Pechenegs almost took us, along with your mother and your children; if you don’t come and defend us, they’ll take us again; Do you really not feel sorry for your fatherland, nor for your old mother, nor for your children?”
Hearing this, Svyatoslav hurried to Kyiv and drove the Pechenegs into the steppe. However, he soon declared to his mother and boyars: “I don’t like Kyiv, I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube: there is the middle of my land, everything good is brought there from all sides: from the Greeks gold, fabrics, wines, various fruits, from the Czechs and Hungarians silver and horses, from Rus' - furs, honey, wax and slaves."
After Olga’s death, Svyatoslav “imprisoned” his eldest son Yaropolk to his place in Kyiv, Oleg in the land of the Drevlyans, the minor Vladimir and his uncle Dobrynya were released to Novgorod, at the request of the Novgorod ambassadors, and he himself again went to the Balkans (970). However, the Byzantine emperor John Tzimiskes decided to expel the restless and unwanted neighbor and marched against him with a huge army.
According to the story of the initial chronicle, the Russian soldiers were frightened when they saw in front of them a huge number of enemy troops, which far outnumbered them. Then Svyatoslav pronounced his famous appeal to the squad: “We have nowhere to go, willy-nilly or unwillingly we have to stand against the enemy; So we will not disgrace the Russian land, but we will lie here with our bones; “The dead have no shame”; if we run, then there will be nowhere to run from shame: let us stand strong. I will go ahead of you, and if my head falls, then look after yourself.” The squad answered the prince: “Where your head lies, there we will lay our heads.”
Meeting of Prince Svyatoslav with Emperor John Tzimiskes on the banks of the Danube. Painting by K. Lebedev, ca. 1880
A fierce battle followed (“the slaughter was great”), in which, according to the Russian chronicle, Svyatoslav won a complete victory. However, in reality, his army was extremely reduced from continuous battles, and, seeing the impossibility of victory over the numerous troops of the Byzantine emperor, Svyatoslav was forced to make peace with him, pledging to cleanse Bulgaria. The main Russian forces retreated from the Balkans by land, while Svyatoslav and a small squad went home by sea and along the Dnieper; In the Dnieper rapids, the Pechenegs attacked Svyatoslav and killed him (972).
In the character and activities of Svyatoslav, this most brilliant and famous knight of Ancient Rus', we still see to a greater extent the features of a wandering Norman Viking than of the national sovereign of the Russian land.
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Campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav
Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich was born in 940. At the same time, this date is not considered accurate, because in various sources that have survived to this day, it differs. Svyatoslav was the son of Prince Igor, killed by the Drevlyans, but in the first years after the murder of his father, Princess Olga ruled Kievan Rus instead of her young son.
Campaign against the Khazar Kaganate
The rich military activity of the warrior prince began in 964, when he led his troops to the eastern lands where the Vyatichi lived. After the quick conquest of this Slavic tribe, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich decides to move forward. Now his goal is the Khazar Kaganate, which was previously a powerful great state, whose territories stretched along the Volga and Don. But, in that historical period, the Kaganate lost all its power.
At that time, the Khazars were nomads who lived mainly in the slave trade, agriculture and animal husbandry. In addition, they were paid duties on ships. Many trade routes passed through the lands of the Khazar Kaganate and along the rivers under its control. For example, the so-called Serebryan route, along which the entire flow of jewelry to Europe passed from Asia.
That is why Prince Svyatoslav begins his journey from the eastern lands. After all, access to such trade routes opened up enormous prospects for the development of Kievan Rus. This was a very important strategic move, since Prince Oleg built the Tmutarakan fortress, which allowed Slavic ships to bypass the territory of the Khazars. But in 830, the Khazars built their Sarkel fortress, blocking Oleg’s bypass route.
Trekking to the Sarkel fortress
So, the great warrior prince went to the Sarkel fortress in 865, where he managed to defeat the Khazar troops and capture the fortress, which it was later decided to rename Belaya Vezha. However, this was only the beginning of Svyatoslav Igorevich’s military campaigns. His next goal was the northern territories of the Caucasus, on the way to which he destroyed many Khazar cities. Also, during this historical period of Svyatoslav’s reign, the Slavs defeated the Circassian and Ossetian (Yas) tribes. The Grand Duke's eastern campaign turned out to be very successful and significantly expanded the borders of the Slavic state.
Byzantine campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav
Further actions of the rulers of Rus' were imposed by the Byzantine Empire. So, in 967, the Byzantine emperor decided to solve his long-standing problems by enlisting the support and help of Svyatoslav. The Greeks had long tried to punish the Bulgarians, whose territories were quite often used by the Hungarians for access to the sea, who continually threatened Constantinople with violence.
The Emperor of Byzantium sent his ambassadors to Kyiv with expensive gifts and promises to allocate even more gold to Kievan Rus if it agreed to go to war against the Bulgarians. The Grand Duke of Kiev, according to the chronicles, was particularly prudent, so he agreed to the ambassadors’ proposal and marched to Bulgaria across the Danube with his army, which numbered sixty thousand people.
Like the prince’s past military activities, Svyatoslav’s Bulgarian campaign was crowned with success. Since the Bulgarians understood that they would not be able to give a worthy rebuff, they decided to lay down their arms and surrender to the Slavs. The winners received enormous wealth and stayed in the city of Pereyaslaets, which was located north of the modern town of Varna.
However, in 968 Kyiv was attacked by the Pechenegs, who besieged the city. As soon as news of this comes to Svyatoslav, the prince, who was planning a further movement to the western lands, adjusts the campaign and returns to besieged Kyiv, where he defeats the Pechenegs and liberates the city.
While the prince and his squad were not in Bulgaria, a popular uprising broke out against the Slavs remaining in Pereyaslavets. A considerable Bulgarian army was assembled, which recaptured Pereyaslavets from the Russian soldiers. In 970, the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatoslav marched with an army to Bulgaria, where he brutally recaptured the captured city and punished everyone who in any way helped its capture by the Bulgarians.
After this, the prince moves forward and subjugates the entire Bulgarian land to Kievan Rus. Having reached Adrianople, the Russian army was met by the Byzantines, who, fearing that Kievan Rus would secure the selected territory, hastened to defeat the enemy.
The chronicles that have reached us about this campaign mention that eighty thousand Greeks marched against ten thousand Russian soldiers, but even this army could not break the spirit of the Kyiv prince, who inspired his army and won this unequal battle. The Emperor of Byzantium immediately hastened to offer peace to Rus', bestowing gifts on the prince and his soldiers, but a few months later the Greeks again started a war, blocking the mouth of the Danube with their ships. In the following months, the Russians suffered defeat, after which Svyatoslav left Bulgaria and was killed by the Pechenegs on the way to Kyiv.
