Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky (Andrey Yurievich, Saint Andrew), Grand Duke of Vladimir, prince of Ryazan, prince of Dorogobuzh and prince of Vyshgorod was born approximately in 1155-1157 in the family Yuri Dolgoruky and the Polovtsian princess Aepa. He was nicknamed Bogolyubsky because of his permanent residence in the city of Bogolyubovo, although Orthodox researchers have their own opinion on this matter: he received the nickname for his personal qualities, and the city was later named after the prince.
The years of his childhood and youth were lost to history (unless, of course, someone from his contemporaries described them).
1146 - Andrei and his brother Rostislav Yurievich expelled Rostislav Yaroslavich from Ryazan.
1149 - Yuri Dolgoruky captured Kyiv, and gave Vyshgorod to his son (Andrei). In the same year, Bogolyubsky took Lutsk and briefly settled in the nearby Dorogobuzh Volynsky.
1152 - an unsuccessful attempt by Andrei and Yuri Dolgoruky to take Chernigov, during which Bogolyubsky was seriously wounded. After that, the father sent his son to Ryazan, but even then there was a failure - Rostislav Yaroslavovich returned to Ryazan, and Bogolyubsky, who had not fully recovered, could not resist him. His father decided to return him temporarily to Vyshgorod, but Andrei went to Vladimir-on-Klyazma, and before that he took out the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary (later called Vladimirskaya) from Vyshgorod, which later became a great Russian shrine. According to legend, the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream and asked him to take the icon to Vladimir.
Later, Andrei did just that, and at the place where the vision came, he founded the city, which he named Bogolyubovo (or it was later named after him).
In 1157, after the death of Yuri Dolgoruky, Bogolyubsky became the prince of Vladimir, Suzdal and Rostov lands. In addition to the icon, he “moved” the capital to Vladimir Rus'. There he founded Assumption Cathedral and many other monasteries and churches.
It is believed that under Andrei Bogolyubsky, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl was built, as well as the Moscow Fortress (in 1156).
Despite the fact that the Orthodox Church considers Bogolyubsky fair, pious and even holy, he expelled his stepmother Olga, her children and many more relatives from the Suzdal, Rostov and Vladimir lands to rule alone. In addition, his goal was to abolish veche(people's assembly to discuss current political, social and cultural issues). He also tried to found a Metropolis of Vladimir, independent of Kyiv, but was turned down by the Patriarch of Constantinople.
On March 12, 1169, Andrei Bogolyubsky took Kyiv (without a siege, in a swoop), plundered it, and put his brother Gleb there to rule, and he returned to Vladimir. He became the first prince of all Rus', who did not rule in Kyiv.
In 1170, after a long siege, Andrei took Novgorod (in which people had already begun to starve, and therefore they decided to make peace). The prince of Vladimir left his son in Novgorod to rule - Yuri Andreevich Bogolyubsky, named after his grandfather - Yuri Dolgoruky.
1171 - a campaign against the Volga Bulgars, which ended with a retreat due to the fact that the enemy gathered significant forces, and many princes-vassals of Bogolyubsky ignored the campaign and did not send their troops.
1173 - a campaign against Vyshgorod, which ended in defeat.
Unsuccessful campaigns against the Bulgars and the Prince of Vyshgorod became the main reason for the boyars' conspiracy against Andrei Bogolyubsky. On June 28, 1174, the boyars attacked the prince. Bogolyubsky resisted for a long time, but in the end fell under the blows of the conspirators. After that, the killers went to the wine cellar to celebrate their crime. Andrew woke up and disappeared. Nevertheless, his disappearance was noticed, found on the street in bloody footprints and finished off. Chronicles say that before his death, he saw his killers and said: "God, if this is the end for me, I accept it."
The death of Bogolyubsky and its circumstances caused him to be called the "Grand Duke" in the Ipatiev Chronicle. By the way, his wife Julitta participated in the conspiracy, for which she was later executed in 1175.
After himself, Bogolyubsky left five sons - Izyaslav, Mstislav, Yuri, Rostislav and Gleb.
The Grand Duke of Vladimir Andrei Bogolyubsky, canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as a saint, is one of the most prominent rulers in Old Russian. His life path was marked by numerous victories, and his death was a martyr, accepted at the hands of traitors from his own environment. A believing man, Andrei died with a prayer on his lips. He was murdered 845 years ago, on June 29, 1174.
Son of Yuri Dolgoruky
The future Prince of Vladimir, Andrei Bogolyubsky, was born around 1111 into the family of Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky, Prince of Rostov-Suzdal and Grand Duke of Kyiv, who is considered the founder of Moscow, the current capital of the Russian state. Andrei's mother was Anna, the daughter of the Polovtsian prince Kaip (Aepa), whom he married at the age of 11 to Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Thus, Polovtsian blood also flowed in the veins of Andrei Bogolyubsky.Andrei's young years are practically not covered in historical literature, since there are no sources that would give at least some information. It is known that in 1146, when Andrei was already 35 years old, he expelled Rostislav Yaroslavich from Ryazan, and in 1149 Andrei received Vyshgorod from Yuri Dolgoruky, becoming the prince of Vyshgorod. During the campaign against Izyaslav Mikhailovich, Andrei proved himself very well during the siege of Lutsk, although the city was not taken.
Yury Dolgoruky
In 1148, Yuri Dolgoruky married his 37-year-old son to the daughter of the executed boyar Stepan Kuchka, Ulita, who was distinguished by her beauty. During her life, Ulita bore Andrei five children - Izyaslav (died in 1165), Mstislav (died in 1173), Yuri (died 1190), Gleb (died in 1175 at 20, canonized) and daughter Rostislav.
In 1152, Andrei participated in the siege of Chernigov, where he was seriously wounded. In 1153, Yuri Dolgoruky made Andrei the prince of Ryazan, but as a result of the attack on Ryazan by Rostislav Yaroslavich, who enlisted the support of the Polovtsian horde, Andrei was forced to flee Ryazan. There is a legend that he fled from the city in one boot.
When Yuri Dolgoruky finally established himself in Kyiv, he again made Andrei the prince of Vyshgorod.
In the Vyshgorod convent, Andrey literally stole the icon of the Mother of God, very revered by the locals. When Andrei left for Vladimir-on-Klyazma in 1155, he took the miraculous icon with him and it, called the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, later turned into one of the most important Orthodox shrines in Rus'.
According to legend, the icon of the Mother of God was brought from Constantinople (Byzantium), and the Evangelist Luke himself painted it. The icon was already endowed with miraculous properties at that time - supposedly it itself moved away from the wall at night and stood in the middle of the church. Andrey really wanted to have this icon, but it was impossible to take it openly, because the locals would not allow it. Therefore, with the help of the priest Nicholas and the deacon Nestor, Andrei stole the icon at night and hid in the Suzdal land. At night, the Mother of God appeared to Andrei in a dream and ordered him to leave the icon in Vladimir. The prince did just that, and at the place where the Mother of God appeared to him, he founded the city of Bogolyuby (Bogolyubovo).
Prince of Vladimir and Suzdal
Yuri Dolgoruky died in 1157. After the death of his father, Andrei became Prince of Vladimir, Rostov and Suzdal. He moved his capital to Vladimir, adding a New City to the Vladimir Kremlin - an earthen fortress with two stone towers. At the same time, Andrei himself preferred to live in the Bogolyubovo castle, by the name of which they soon began to call the prince himself.The years of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky were characterized by the rapid development of the Vladimir-Suzdal land. So, it was then that the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl was built. It is possible that it was Andrei Bogolyubsky who built Moscow, and not his father Yuri Dolgoruky, who was too busy with business in Kyiv and could only give instructions on the construction of the city. One of the first Andrei began to invite Western European architects to build objects on his lands, understanding the then superiority of Europe in architecture and construction.
It should be noted that the God-fearing Andrew, however, very famously fought for power. He drove his stepmother Princess Olga from the principality with his half-brothers Mikhail, Vasilko and Vsevolod. Following the stepmother, other relatives of the prince went, as well as boyars close to the late father. Andrei sought to rely on his squad, and also struck up a close friendship with the major merchants of Rostov, Suzdal and Vladimir, considering the townspeople as another of his support.
In 1159, Andrei's squad captured Volok Lamsky, built by the Novgorodians. Here Andrei celebrated the wedding of his daughter Rostislava with Prince Vshchizhsky Svyatoslav Vladimirovich, the nephew of Izyaslav Davydovich. Expanding his possessions, Andrei tried not to deprive the younger combatants, in whom he saw a counterbalance to the boyars. He allocated land plots to them and supported them in every possible way, realizing that they were his main support in the confrontation with the tribal boyars.
By the time of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, there was also an attempt to create a metropolis independent of Kyiv in Vladimir, but the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverg did not confirm Theodore as a metropolitan and appointed the Byzantine clergyman Leon as Bishop of Rostov. Leon was based in Rostov, and Theodore in Vladimir. In the end, Andrew was forced to send Theodore to Kyiv, where the bishop's tongue was cut out and his right hand cut off.
The capture of Kyiv and the war with Novgorod
Andrei Bogolyubsky was also noted for numerous military campaigns, participating in the struggle for power in the expanses of Rus'. In 1169, Andrei Bogolyubsky, taking advantage of the confusion in Kyiv, sent his army there under the command of his son Mstislav Andreevich. The squads of the Polotsk and Muromo-Ryazan princes joined the Vladimir army.
On March 12, 1169, the Suzdal army took Kyiv by storm. The robbery of Kyiv continued for two days. Many residents of the city were taken into captivity, Kyiv churches and monasteries were plundered. Andrei's younger brother Gleb began to rule in Kyiv, while Andrei Bogolyubsky himself chose to stay in Vladimir. For the first time in the history of Ancient Rus', Andrei Bogolyubsky decided to change the order of seniority of princes. Previously, the prince, moving to rule in Kyiv, left his patrimony, but Andrei Bogolyubsky remained in the Vladimir-Suzdal land. Because of this, the status of the Suzdal region has increased many times over, and it was from the Vladimir-Suzdal land that the formation and development of the future unified Russian state began.
In the winter of 1170, an army under the command of the son of Andrei Mstislav, consisting of Suzdal, Ryazan and Murom warriors, arrived near Novgorod and began the siege of this great Russian city. On the morning of February 25, the Suzdalians stormed Novgorod, but the Novgorodians managed to win and capture many Suzdal warriors. Peace with Andrey Bogolyubsky was concluded by the Novgorodians only because soon a famine began in the city and in this situation the Novgorodians decided that it was better to make peace with a serious rival than to continue the enmity.
In addition to Kyiv and Novgorod, Andrei Bogolyubsky twice organized large-scale campaigns in the Volga Bulgaria. This country was the eastern neighbor of Rus', and the Bulgar Turks who inhabited it predominantly professed Islam. In 1164 and 1171 the army of Andrei Bogolyubsky twice invaded the Volga Bulgaria. For the first time, the Suzdalians managed to take the city of Bryakhimov and burn three more cities, and the second time, Mstislav Andreevich, who commanded the Suzdal army, preferred to avoid a collision, seeing that the Bulgars had gathered a very large army and the ratio of sides was not in favor of the Suzdalians.
The murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky
The unsuccessful campaign of the Suzdal army against Kyiv in 1173 caused discontent among some of the major boyars of the principality. The elderly 60-year-old Andrei satisfied the interests of the boyars less and less, and they decided to plot to eliminate the aging prince. The plot was led by the boyars Kuchkovichi, who agreed with the key keeper Anbal. It was Anbal who stole the sword of St. Boris hanging over the bed of Andrei Bogolyubsky, because of which the prince could not resist the conspirators. 
On the night of June 28-29, 1174, the Kuchkovichi boyars went down to the wine cellar, where they drank wine for courage, and then went to the prince's bedroom. When they knocked on Andrei Bogolyubsky's door, the prince asked who was behind the door. One of the boyars named Procopius, the prince's favorite servant. But Andrei, who perfectly knew the voice of his assistant, realized that he was being deceived and became alert. He did not open the door, but jumped up and was about to grab his sword. But the sword was not there. At this time, the boyars Kuchkovichi broke down the door to the prince's chambers and attacked Andrei.
Bogolyubsky, despite his age, was distinguished by remarkable physical strength. He fought the boyars for a long time, until he fell under their blows. Thinking that the prince was dead, the Kuchkovichi left the bedchamber. Andrei soon woke up and somehow left his bedroom, trying to hide on the stairs behind a pillar. But the boyars discovered a bloody trail and soon found Andrey himself. Bogolyubsky began to read the prayer, saying at the end of it: "Lord, into Your hands I commit my spirit!" After these words, he died under the blows of the assassins. The lifeless body of Andrei Bogolyubsky was dragged out into the street.
The faithful servant of Andrei Bogolyubsky Kuzmishche Kiyanin took the body of his master to the church, but only on the third day after the murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky did Abbot Arseny sing the funeral service. The body of the prince was transferred from Bogolyubov to Vladimir, where he was buried in the monastery. In 2015, when restoration work was underway at the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereslavl-Zalessky, historians discovered an inscription from the 12th century that contained a detailed description of the circumstances of the murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky and the names of 20 participants in the conspiracy to eliminate the prince.
Andrei Bogolyubsky was counted among the saints of the Russian Orthodox Church many centuries after his tragic death. He was canonized in 1702, and July 4 (17) was made a day of remembrance. The relics of St. Andrew Bogolyubsky are in the St. Andrew's chapel of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.
The prince was a wise and brave man
What was the prince, numbered among the saints, a man? Now it is difficult to judge this, because there are only fragmentary sources in the form of ancient chronicles. Nevertheless, the great Russian historian Vasily Osipovich Klyuchevsky, based on data analysis, compiled a verbal portrait of Andrei. He noted that the prince was a brave man, during the battle he “forgotten”, got involved in the most dangerous fights and might not even notice how the helmet was knocked off him. He risked his life without hesitation, but as soon as the battle ended, Andrei turned into a wise politician who could make informed decisions. Indeed, Andrei Bogolyubsky was an outstanding political figure. He differed from many princes in his ability to keep the situation under control. He could almost never be caught off guard. And only in the last years of his life, in old age, Andrey somewhat lowered his vigilance, which caused his death. But it should be noted that Andrei lived for 63 years, which was very, very much for the old Russian prince in the age of strife and constant wars.
Andrei Bogolyubsky, like many other Russian princes, shed a lot of blood in his life, including his relatives. But the main merit of the prince, which cannot be taken away from him, refers to the transformation of the Vladimir-Suzdal land into an independent political center of the Russian land. And in this regard, Andrei was a worthy son and successor to the work of his father, Yuri Dolgoruky, and in terms of political wisdom, a worthy grandson and heir of Vladimir Monomakh.
One of the most prominent rulers of Ancient Rus' is rightfully considered Andrei Bogolyubsky, who had the high-profile title of "Holy Blessed Prince." He, as the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, ruled with dignity, honorably continuing the work of his famous ancestors. He founded the city of Bogolyuby, in honor of which he received his nickname, transferred the center of Rus' from Kyiv to Vladimir. Under him, the city and the entire Vladimir principality developed at an active pace and became truly powerful. In 1702, the Russian Orthodox Church canonized Andrei Bogolyubsky, today his relics are in the Assumption Cathedral in his beloved city of Vladimir.
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Biography
When was the Grand Duke born? not a single historian can say for sure, the annals most often indicate the year 1111, but there are other dates, for example - 1115. But the place of birth is definitely accurate - Rostov-Suzdal Rus, it was this remote region of forests that he recognized as his homeland.
All that is known about his early life is that he received a good education and upbringing based on spirituality and the Christian religion. Much more information is available about the time when, on the orders of his father, Andrei, having reached the age of majority, began to rule in different cities.
Years of his principality can be divided into several periods:
- Vyshgorod (1149 and 1155)
- Dorogobuzhsk (1150-1151)
- Ryazan (1153)
- Vladimir (1157-1174).
In 1149, Andrei Bogolyubsky was sent by his father to rule Vyshgorod, but a year later he received a transfer to the west, but he did not stay there for a long time. Against the wishes of Yuri Dolgoruky to see his son in Vyshgorod, after returning, he remains to live and rule in his beloved city of Vladimir, where, according to some historians, he transports the famous icon of Our Lady of Vladimir.
Even having inherited the title of Grand Duke after the death of his father in 1157, Andrei Bolyubsky did not return to Kyiv. Experts believe that this fact gave rise to the organization of centralized power and influenced the transfer of the capital to Vladimir.
In 1162 the prince, enlisting the support of his team, expels all his relatives and his father's army from the Rostov-Suzdal lands, which makes him the only ruler of these lands. During the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vladimir's power was greatly strengthened and expanded, many surrounding lands were conquered, which gave him significant influence in politics in the northern and eastern parts of Rus'.
In 1169, the prince with his warriors, as a result of a successful campaign, almost completely ruins Kyiv.
Many boyars were angry with his rapidly growing power, cruel reprisals and autocratic character, and therefore already in 1174 they, having agreed, Andrey Yurievich is killed in Bogolyubovo founded by him.
Foreign and domestic policy
The main achievement of Prince Andrei in domestic politics is considered to be the increase in the well-being and viability of the Rostov-Suzdal lands. At the beginning of his reign, many people from neighboring cities, Kyiv refugees, came to this principality, who dreamed of settling in a quiet and safe place. Big influx of people contributed to the region's rapid economic growth. The principality, and later the city of Vladimir, increased its influence on the political arena and well-being in general at an unusually fast pace, thanks to which, by the last years of Andrei Bogolyubsky's life, they, bypassing Kiev, became the center of Rus'.
Under Andrei Bogolyubsky, great attention devoted to the development of the spiritual and cultural sphere, he more than once made attempts to make Rus' independent from Byzantium in religious terms, established new Orthodox holidays. Architects invited to build temples and cathedrals became frequent guests, due to which a special Russian tradition appeared in architecture and the famous Golden Gate, the Bogolyubovo castle town and several churches, for example, Intercession on the Nerl, the Nativity of the Virgin in Bogolyubovo, were erected.
The prince's foreign policy was also carefully conducted. Most of all, he was worried about protecting the lands from nomads who regularly made their raids. He twice conducted campaigns in the Volga Bulgaria. As a result of the first. held in 1164, the city of Ibragimov was taken, three other cities were burned, the second campaign in 1171 took place with the participation of the sons of the princes of Murom and Ryazan and brought rich booty.
Board results
The most important and important outcome The reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky undoubtedly was the shift of the political and economic center from Kyiv to Vladimir.
But the successes of the prince were not limited to this., among his main achievements should be mentioned:
- largely successful attempts to unite the country,
- change in the political system (get rid of appanages and created a centralized power),
- had a significant impact on the creation of the Russian tradition in architecture.
In 1702 the prince was canonized. Despite the fair criticism of such a decision, one can understand the motives of the Church. The story of exile by Andrey Bogolyubsky his younger brothers and the ruin of Kyiv are forgotten, but everyone remembers that it was he who brought the icon of the Mother of God to Vladimir. Magnificent temples were built under him and, of course, he was martyred.
Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky was the son of Yuri Dolgoruky. The father, during his lifetime, allocated a lot to his son - the city of Vyshgorod. There is not much specific information about this stage of the prince's life. It is only known that for some time he ruled in Vyshgorod, but after that he left the city without permission and went to Vladimir. Why did Andrey get the unremarkable Vyshgorod? The fact is that Yuri Dolgoruky was supposed to transfer power after his death to Andrei, so he wanted to keep his son near him.
Why was he nicknamed "Bogolyubsky"
After leaving Vyshgorod, Andrey went to Vladimir. On the way, he passed through the village of Bogolyubovo. In this village, Andrey's horse stopped, and they could not move him. The prince considered this a good sign and a manifestation of God, so he ordered the construction of a palace and a church of the Virgin on this site. That is why the prince went down in history as Andrei Bogolyubsky.
Governing body
The reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky began in the Rostov-Suzdal principality. Very quickly, he renamed it the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality. It was a typical prince of the era of feudal fragmentation. He sought to elevate his principality, and subordinate the rest of the principalities to his influence.
Rise of Vladimir
It was no coincidence that I said that the principality was originally called Rostov-Suzdal. It had 2 main cities Rostov and Suzdal. In each city there were strong boyar groups. Therefore, the young Prince Andrei decided not to rule in these cities, but in the relatively young Vladimir. That is why the principality was renamed, and it is from here that the rise of the city of Vladimir begins.
From 1157 Andrei was a full and independent ruler of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.
Religion
The religious component is important for understanding the personality of the prince and the tasks that he solved. The main feature of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky is the desire for independence and independent rule. This is what he wanted for himself, for his principality, and for the religion of his principality. In fact, he tried to create a new branch in the Christian religion - the cult of the Virgin. Today, this may seem wild, since the Mother of God is important in all religion. Therefore, it is necessary to give a description of what temples were built in large cities:
- Kyiv and Novgorod - a temple in honor of St. Sophia.
- Vladimir - Church of the Assumption of the Virgin.
From the point of view of religion, these are different worldviews and, to some extent, even contradictions. In an effort to emphasize this, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky turned to Constantinople, seeking to divide the Kyiv and Rostov dioceses, transferring the latter to Vladimir. Byzantium rejected this idea and allowed only within the framework of the principality to transfer the diocese from Rostov to Vladimir.
In 1155, Andrei took out from Vyshgorod an icon that today is considered one of the main Orthodox shrines - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. It was during his reign that such church holidays as the Savior (August 1) and Intercession (October 1) were first established.
Military successes
The annals note that Andrei Bogolyubsky was an excellent warrior. He had victory and defeat on his account, but in all battles he showed himself bravely. In an effort to create the only powerful principality, he needed to close the gap between Vladimir and Kyiv and Novgorod. For this, the path of war was chosen.
On March 8, 1169, the troops of Andrei Bogolyubsky stormed Kyiv. The prince did not want to rule here, but considered victory solely as a specific ruler - to plunder the enemy and weaken him. As a result, Kyiv was plundered, and Andrei approved his brother, Gleb, to reign in the city. Later in 1771, after the death of Gleb, the throne of Kiev was transferred to Prince Roman of Smolensk. It is noteworthy that when Prince Andrei demanded that Roman Rostislavich Smolensky hand over the boyars, who were suspected of killing Gleb, the Grand Duke was refused. The result was a new war. In this war, the army of Andrei Bogolyubsky was defeated by the army of Mstislav the Brave.
Having solved the problem of Kyiv, Prince Andrei fixed his army's gaze on Novgorod, but on February 25, 1770, Bogolyubsky lost the battle to the Novgorod army. After the defeat, he decided to act by cunning and blocked the delivery of grain to Novgorod. Fearing famine, the Novgorodians recognized the dominant position of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.
The murder of the prince
Today, the popular version is that the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky by the end of his life no longer aroused the approval of the population. People believed less and less in their prince, so a conspiracy was drawn up, during which the prince was killed. The murder of Andrei Bogolyubsky happened on the night of June 29, 1174, when a group of conspirators (they were boyars and nobility) broke into the prince's chambers and killed him. There are 2 things that are important to understand here:
- Prince Andrei Yurievich Bogolyubsky was unarmed. This is despite the fact that in an era when conspiracies and murders were commonplace, weapons were always with a noble person. The most reasoned version is that the boyars bribed someone from the prince's entourage. Modern historians support this version, and they say that they bribed a personal key keeper, who stole the sword.
- Only the boyars took part in the conspiracy. This fact refutes the version that by the end of his life the prince had ceased to enjoy the trust of people. He ceased to enjoy the trust of the boyars who fought for power. Cause? Andrei began to actively fight against the permissiveness of the nobility.
A very important point - as soon as it became known that Prince Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky was killed, ordinary people rebelled against the boyars guilty of the conspiracy, and many of them were killed. It is hard to imagine that the people would have reacted this way to the death of a prince whom they did not love. In reality, the boyar conspiracy against the prince was connected with his policy and an attempt to strengthen his own autocracy by oppressing the power of the boyars.
Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky is a controversial figure in Russian history. On the one hand, it was a ruler who tried to counteract the deepening decentralization of Russian lands. At the same time, he did not shy away from despotic methods, which by the end of his life caused fierce resistance even from his closest associates. On the other hand, the prince became known for his sincere piety, adorned Rus' with many churches that have survived to this day.
Son of Yuri Dolgoruky
There is very little information about the prince's childhood. It is assumed that he was born in 1111, although there are other options, such as the interval between 1120 and 1125. His parents were known not only for the founding of Moscow, but also the instigator of a number of bloody civil strife, Yuri Dolgoruky, and the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan, who was not known by name.
The study of the surviving remains of the prince confirms the chronicle data that Andrei Bogolyubsky sat in the saddle at an early age and from childhood he wielded a sword, and with both hands. This is indicated by severe deformity of the humerus.
chronicle silence
The first mention of the prince dates back to 1149. Forty years separating the birth of Andrei Bogolyubsky from the date of the first appearance on the political arena of Ancient Rus' are surrounded by silence. It is hard to believe that in such a restless era, the eldest son of one of the main contenders for the Grand Duchy of Kiev remained aloof from battles. However, one of the lives of the Grand Duke reports that Andrei Bogolyubsky spent many years in Jerusalem. This is indicated, firstly, by all the same deformations of the bones, indicating that the prince used a combat technique unusual for Rus'. Secondly, having become the Grand Duke, Andrei uses the image of a lion on his coat of arms, similar to what is on the coat of arms of Jerusalem. Thirdly, the policy of the prince seemed to be outside all established traditions. Instead of fighting for Kyiv, he creates a strong principality in the northeast with a center in Vladimir.
One of the most educated people of his time, Prince Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky, hardly knew about Europe only by hearsay. If he was not in Jerusalem, he could easily be there. This is indicated by his correspondence with the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, family ties with the English kings, as well as knowledge of six languages.
The strife of southern Rus'
Andrei's father in terms of activity can only be compared with the Chernigov prince Oleg, nicknamed the sad name "Gorislavich" for using the Polovtsy in the fight against the Kyiv princes. Yuri Dolgoruky also did not disdain the Polovtsian help and even married the daughter of the khan. The first mention of Andrei Bogolyubsky in the annals is connected precisely with his participation in his father's wars for Kyiv.
The obstinate disposition of the prince manifests itself even then. Having defeated his nephew, Yuri occupied the main city of southwestern Rus', the possession of which was associated with a great reign. As a gratitude for his help, he gives his eldest son the second most important city in the region - Vyshgorod. However, Andrew does not stay there. After several months of reign, he arbitrarily leaves the inheritance allocated to him and goes to the Suzdal principality.
Under Prince Vladimir the Holy (980-1015), Rus' adopted Christianity according to the Byzantine model, characterized by a penchant for mysticism, veneration of icons and saints. The life of any person, including the prince, was evaluated in the coordinates set by Orthodoxy, and the people themselves did not even think of getting out of them. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky did not differ in this respect from his contemporaries.
He took to Vladimir the icon of the Mother of God kept in Vyshgorod, which from that time began to be called Vladimirskaya. This icon became one of the most revered, and the Mother of God began to be considered the patroness of Vladimir and all of North-Eastern Rus'.
Great reign
Yuri Dolgoruky died in 1157. It was rumored that the indefatigable prince had been poisoned. Before his death, he managed to order the inheritance of his lands: the Principality of Kiev was to go to Andrei as the eldest son, and Suzdal and Rostov, the main cities of the North-East, were inherited by his younger sons, Mikhail and Vsevolod.
However, Andrei did not fulfill his father's will. Instead of going to Kyiv, he stayed in Vladimir, which from that moment is gradually being promoted to the leading roles in the region. Andrey Bogolyubsky strengthens his principality, conducts active construction work. The neglect of Kyiv is evidenced by the fact that, having suppressed the performance of the people of Kiev, he gives the city to his younger brother Gleb.
church building
The prince received his nickname by the name of the village of Bogolyubovo - his favorite residence. It is on its territory that Andrei begins the construction of many temples, not forgetting about Vladimir. The prince tried in every possible way to emphasize the equality of the new capital to Kyiv. At the entrance to the city, he erects the Golden Gate, similar to those that were in Kyiv. Considering that they were built in imitation of Constantinople, we can conclude that the prince's reform plans were quite extensive.
One of the most famous buildings of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky is the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, built on the banks of the Nerl River. An Orthodox monastery soon appeared next to it. In addition to him, the prince rebuilt the burned-out Assumption Cathedral in Rostov.
Power crisis and conspiracy
In history, Andrei Bogolyubsky is known as a brave warrior who did not spare himself and despised danger. Largely due to this, he managed to win a number of major battles. However, by the end of his life, luck is increasingly cheating on the prince. At first, he failed to punish the people of Kiev a second time for their attempt to get out of his sphere of influence. Then the campaign against the Volga Bulgars failed: the northeastern princes did not support the initiative of the prince.
The reason for this was the emphatically authoritarian style of government. Evaluating the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky briefly, we can say that he did not spare himself, but he was not going to spare others either. In fact, all noble families refused to support the prince, and many did so in an open form. In addition, military campaigns at all times require significant financial investments. Considering that stone construction was also not a cheap pleasure, it can be assumed that Andrei Bogolyubsky exhausted his boyars and ordinary people with endless requisitions.
As a result, a conspiracy developed among the boyars. This indicates that the crisis has reached an extreme point. From the time of the death of princes Boris and Gleb, the murder of a ruler was considered a grave sin. But this did not stop the conspirators. They were led by the boyar Yakim Kuchkov and his son-in-law Peter. Also involved in the conspiracy was the Grand Duke's keykeeper, an Ossetian named Anbal.
Murder
The conspirators carefully prepared. Knowing that Andrei possesses remarkable strength and excellent command of the sword, Anbal took the weapon out of the prince's bedroom in advance. On the night of 30 (according to other versions - 29) June 1174, the conspirators entered Bogolyubsky's chambers. He tried to defend himself and was unsuccessful. Firstly, there were too many killers, about 20 people, and in cramped quarters and darkness they struck blows rather at each other than at the prince. Secondly, they were very drunk: it was impossible to commit such a crime on a sober head. As a result, they managed to overcome Andrei. Examination of the remains showed that the prince received 45 blows with various weapons: sabers, swords and spears.
As if frightened by what they had done, the conspirators hurried to leave the palace, forgetting to do the most important thing: to check whether the prince was really dead. By mistake, they took the body of their murdered colleague with them. Meanwhile, Andrei only lost consciousness for a short time. Waking up, he tried to hide and already went downstairs. But the conspirators did not go far. They heard Andrei's groans, returned and finished him off.
Bogolyubsky's treasury was plundered, and the prince's body lay in the dust on the street for several days. Fearing punishment, the clergy and ordinary Vladimirians did not even try to remove the body. Finally, one of the servants of the Grand Duke named Kuzma could not stand it. He wrapped Andrei's body in a carpet and took it to the church. When the passions subsided, a funeral service was performed. Andrei Bogolyubsky was buried in the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir.