What lands were united by Prince Oleg. The reign of the prophetic Oleg. Prince Oleg's campaign against Byzantium

Essay

Abstract topic

The reign of Prince Oleg

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2. PREFACE.

It is from the end of the ninth century. we can talk about the beginning of the formation of a large state, which was called Rus and appeared as a result, first of all, of the unification of the two main political centers of the Eastern Slavs - the southern one with Kiev and the northern one with Novgorod. The latter, most likely, arose at this time, replacing an older settlement, possibly on the so-called Rurik settlement, near Novgorod. Oleg gradually, one way or another, annexed most of the East Slavic lands to Kyiv. It can be seen from the chronicle that by the end of his reign, the Polans, Slovenes (Novgorod), Chud, Krivichi, Merya, Drevlyans, Radimichi, Northerners, White Croats, Dulebs and Tivertsy obeyed him. However, the subordination of the Croats and Dulebs is doubtful, as well as the western Krivichi (Polochans). In any case, under the rule of Kyiv was primarily "the path from the Varangians to the Greeks" with its branches to the Desna and the Western Dvina. Oleg received the nickname of the Prophet, which, perhaps, is simply a translation into Slavic of his (Scandinavian) name Oleg (sk. Helgi), which means Holy, Prophetic.

3. THE BEGINNING OF OLEG'S REIGN. ASSOCIATION OF Rus'.

Rurik died in 879, leaving an infant son, Igor. All affairs in Novgorod were taken over either by the voivode, or by a relative of Rurik Oleg. There are two versions of the origin of Oleg: some fragments with confusion in chronology according to the First Novgorod Chronicle and the traditional one set out in The Tale of Bygone Years, according to which Oleg is relative of Rurik (brother of his wife Efanda, guardian of the young Igor). After the death of Rurik in 879, Oleg received the rule of the principality, since Igor was still small. For three years, Oleg remained in Novgorod and, after improving his situation, he and his squad set off south, along the Volkhov-Dnepr river line.

IN 882 according to chronicle chronology, Prince Oleg, a relative of Rurik, went on a campaign from Novgorod South. Capturing along the way Smolensk And Lyubech, establishing his power there and putting his people on the reign. Having sailed to the Kyiv mountains and not expecting to take a strong fortress by storm, Oleg went to a military trick. Hiding the soldiers in the boats, he sent the news to Askold and Dir, who reigned in Kyiv, that a merchant caravan had sailed from the north and he was asking the princes to go ashore. Unsuspecting Kyiv rulers came to the meeting. Oleg's soldiers jumped out of the ambush and surrounded the people of Kiev. Oleg picked up little Igor and told the Kyiv rulers that they did not belong to the princely family, but he himself “is the family of the prince”, and Igor is the son of Prince Rurik. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg established himself in Kyiv. Entering the city, he declared: "Let Kyiv be the mother of Russian cities."

So the Novgorod north defeated the Kyiv south. But it was only a purely military victory.” Both economically, politically, and culturally, the Middle Dnieper region has far outstripped other East Slavic lands. At the end of the ninth century it was the historical center of the Russian lands, and Oleg, having made Kyiv his residence, only confirmed this position. A single ancient Russian state arose with its center in Kyiv. It happened in 882.

Oleg did not complete his military successes on this. Having settled in Kyiv, he imposed a tribute on the territories subject to him - “set a tribute” to the Novgorod Slovenes, Krivichi, other tribes and peoples. Oleg concluded an agreement with the Varangians and undertook to pay them annually 300 silver hryvnias so that there was peace on the northwestern borders of Rus'. In 883, Oleg conquered the Drevlyans and imposed a "heavy" tribute on them, and in 884 and 885. laid tribute to the northerners and Radimichi, who had previously paid tribute to the Khazars. But Oleg, in fact, exempts northerners and Radimichi bordering with the Khazars from tribute, imposing tribute on them "easy". From now on, these East Slavic tribes ceased their dependence on the Khazar Khaganate and became part of Rus'. The Vyatichi remained tributaries of the Khazars.

“... In the year 6391 (883). Oleg began to fight against the Drevlyans and, having conquered them, took tribute from them for the black marten. In the year 6392 (884). Oleg went to the northerners, and defeated the northerners, and laid a light tribute on them, and did not order them to pay tribute to the Khazars, saying: "I am their enemy" and you (they) have no need to pay. In the year 6393 (885). He sent (Oleg) to the Radimichi, asking: “To whom do you give tribute?” They answered: "Khazars." And Oleg told them: "Don't give to the Khazars, but pay me." And they gave Oleg a crack, just like they gave the Khazars. And Oleg ruled over the glades, and the Drevlyans, and the northerners, and the Radimichi, and fought with the streets and Tivertsy.

4. TRIP TO BYZANTIA

Under the year 907, the chronicle reports Oleg's campaign against Byzantium. Under the banner of Oleg, the Varangians, Slovenes, Chuds, Krivichi, Merya, Drevlyans, Radimichi, Polans, Northerners, Vyatichi, Croats, Dulebs and Tivertsy spoke. Having equipped 2000 rooks with 40 warriors in each ( Tale of Bygone Years), Oleg went on a campaign to Tsargrad. Byzantine emperor Leo VI Philosopher ordered to close the gates of the city and block the harbor with chains, thus providing Varangians the opportunity to plunder and ravage the suburbs of Constantinople. However, Oleg went on an unusual assault: “And Oleg ordered his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on wheels. And when a fair wind blew, they raised sails in the field and went to the city. . The frightened Greeks offered Oleg peace and tribute. Byzantium was in a difficult position at that time. Peace negotiations with the Arabs were not completed, despite the brilliant naval victory won by the Byzantines over the Arab fleet in the Aegean. Shortly after this success, the ruler of the Asia Minor border region, who went over to the side of the Arabs, raised an uprising against Emperor Leo II. Under these conditions, it was especially important for the Byzantine government to maintain peace with Kievan Rus, military aid which the empire badly needed against the Arabs.
The texts of Oleg's two treaties with Byzantium have been preserved in the annals: an excerpt from the treaty included in the chronicle story dated 907, and the treaty of 911. Most researchers consider the treaty of 907 to be part of the treaty of 911. It is very possible that as a result of Oleg's campaign against Constantinople, committed about 907, a preliminary verbal agreement of peace and alliance was established, which in 911 was included in the written text of the treaty. the first written contracts in 907 And 911 , which provided for preferential terms of trade for Russian merchants (trade duties were canceled, repairs of ships were provided, accommodation for the night), the solution of legal and military issues
Byzantium was especially interested in the military assistance that Rus' could provide to her. Under the treaty of 911, the Russian prince undertook not to forbid the soldiers of Rus' to enter the service of the empire at will. Back in the summer of 910, the Byzantine government sent a large sea expedition against the Arabs under the leadership of the commander Imeriy, who led a fleet of 177 ships with 47,000 rowers and soldiers. On the ships there was a detachment of Russians of 700 people.
According to the contract, Oleg received 12 hryvnias for each oarlock, and Byzantium promised to pay tribute on Russian cities (Kyiv, Chernigov, Pereyaslavl, Polotsk, Rostov, Lyubech and others, in which the "grand dukes" were sitting). As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was a trade agreement on duty-free trade. Rus' V Byzantium. Oleg also ordered to sew sails for his boats, but not simple ones, but from expensive fabrics - from curtains and silk. The Greeks fulfilled the will of the Kyiv prince, and the Russian boats returned to Kyiv under rich sails.

The text of this treaty is significant. First of all, the treaty deals only with the Rus, and not a word mentions the Slavic tribes. Secondly, the Rus are shown as a multi-ethnic conglomerate - "the Russian family". This is evidenced by the names of the ambassadors "from the Russian family": Veremud (Velmud), Karla, Farlof, Rulav, Stemid, Frelav, Aktevu, Guda, Truar, etc. These names can be mostly explained from the Celtic, Illyrian, Iranian, Frisian and Finnish languages. But it is characteristic that this agreement of Oleg, as, indeed, the later agreement of Igor, was written in Slavonic, which speaks of the Slavic-speaking of the princely squads.

A beautiful legend has been preserved about the death of Oleg in The Tale of Bygone Years. Even before the campaign against the Greeks, the Kyiv prince had a favorite horse. But one day the prince asked the pagan sorcerer: "Why will I die?" And the sorcerer answered him: "Prince! If you die from your beloved horse, on which you ride - you will die from him!" These words sunk into the soul of Oleg, and he said: "I will never sit on this horse and I will not see him again." And he ordered to feed the horse, but he did not sit on it again. Several years passed, and Oleg remembered the sorcerer's prediction. Then the prince called the groom and asked him: "Where is my horse, which I ordered to feed and take care of?" And he replied: "The horse died." Oleg laughed: "The Magi told a lie, the horse has already died, but I am alive." And Oleg went to look at the place where the remains of the horse lay - bones and a skull. Seeing the horse's skull, Oleg stepped on it with his foot and laughed again: "Is it not from this skull that I should die ?!" And then a snake crawled out of the skull and stung the prince in the leg. The prince fell ill and soon died. This legend finds parallels in the Icelandic saga about the Viking Orvar Odd , who was also fatally stung on the grave of his beloved horse . It is not known whether the saga became the reason for the creation of the Russian legend about Oleg, or, on the contrary, the circumstances of Oleg's death served as material for the saga. However, if Oleg is a historical character, then Orvar Odd is the hero of an adventure saga created on the basis of some oral traditions no earlier than 13th century.

In fact, different chronicles indicate the time and place of Oleg's death in different ways. Some report the death of Oleg in Kyiv, others that Oleg ended his days in the north, in the city of Ladoga, or even overseas.

In accordance with the information of the Bohemian chronicles, it is possible that Oleg the Prophet had a son, also named Oleg. This Oleg, after the death of his father, waged war with Igor, who captured Kyiv, and then fled to Moravia, where he became famous as a warrior and commander.

6. LIST OF USED LITERATURE

"A manual on the history of the Fatherland for applicants to universities" Orlov A.S., Polunov A.Yu., Shestova T.L., Shchetinov Yu.A.

"History of Russia from ancient times to the end of the 17th century" Bokhanov A.N., Gorinov M.M.

1. Governing body Dmitry Donskoy

   Abstract >> Historical figures

   Clearly acted against their tyrants. prince Oleg defeated the Orda Murza Tagai, who plundered ... the Horde, calmly dealt with the affairs of the internal board. It's been about a year. The Khan was silent... with her. But anyway, governing body Dmitry Donskoy was of great importance ...

2. prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich Wise political portrait

   Abstract >> History

   Only mentions of the dates of the beginning and end board. How can this be explained? Satisfactory answer... the graves of the bones of Vladimir's elder brothers, princes Oleg and Yaropolk and their baptism - a rite, of course ...

3. Governing body Yaroslav the Wise

   Law >> History

   Crisis. Accompanied by popular uprisings boards impostors, destruction state power, ... 12. Creation of Kyiv: 1) prince OLEG, years board(879-912); two times ... rebels deprived of the throne. During the period board

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

The great Russian commander, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art.
Prince of Italy (1799), Count of Rymnik (1789), Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and sea forces, Field Marshal of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, grandee of the Sardinian kingdom and prince of royal blood (with the title "king's cousin"), knight of all Russian orders of their time, awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders.

Tsesarevich and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich

Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich, the second son of Emperor Paul I, received the title of Tsarevich in 1799 for participation in the Swiss campaign of A.V. Suvorov, retaining it until 1831. In the Battle of Austrlitz, he commanded the Guards Reserve of the Russian Army, took part in the Patriotic War of 1812, and distinguished himself in the foreign campaigns of the Russian Army. For the "Battle of the Nations" at Leipzig in 1813 he received " golden weapon""For courage!". Inspector General of the Russian cavalry, since 1826 Viceroy of the Kingdom of Poland.

Slashchev-Krymsky Yakov Alexandrovich

Defense of the Crimea in 1919-20 “The Reds are my enemies, but they did the main thing - my business: they revived great Russia!” (General Slashchev-Krymsky).

Romanov Mikhail Timofeevich

The heroic defense of Mogilev, for the first time all-round anti-tank defense of the city.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

He was the Supreme Commander during the Great Patriotic War, in which our country won, and made all strategic decisions.

Chernyakhovsky Ivan Danilovich

To a person to whom this name does not say anything - there is no need to explain and it is useless. To the one to whom it says something - and so everything is clear.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 3rd Belorussian Front. The youngest front commander. Counts,. that of the army general - but before his death (February 18, 1945) he received the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
He liberated three of the six capitals of the Union Republics captured by the Nazis: Kyiv, Minsk. Vilnius. Decided the fate of Keniksberg.
One of the few who pushed back the Germans on June 23, 1941.
He held the front in Valdai. In many ways, he determined the fate of repelling the German offensive on Leningrad. He kept Voronezh. Freed Kursk.
He successfully advanced until the summer of 1943. Having formed the top of the Kursk Bulge with his army. Liberated the Left Bank of Ukraine. Take Kyiv. Repelled Manstein's counterattack. Liberated Western Ukraine.
Carried out the operation Bagration. Surrounded and captured by his offensive in the summer of 1944, the Germans then humiliatedly marched through the streets of Moscow. Belarus. Lithuania. Neman. East Prussia.

There are no outstanding military figures of the period from the Troubles to the Northern War on the project, although there were such. An example of this is G.G. Romodanovsky.
Descended from the family of Starodub princes.
Member of the sovereign's campaign against Smolensk in 1654. In September 1655, together with the Ukrainian Cossacks, he defeated the Poles near Gorodok (not far from Lvov), in November of the same year he fought in the battle of Ozernaya. In 1656 he received the rank of roundabout and headed the Belgorod category. In 1658 and 1659 participated in hostilities against the betrayed hetman Vygovsky and the Crimean Tatars, besieged Varva and fought near Konotop (Romodanovsky's troops withstood a heavy battle at the crossing over the Kukolka River). In 1664, he played a decisive role in repelling the invasion of 70 thousand army of the Polish king on the Left-Bank Ukraine, inflicted a number of sensitive blows on it. In 1665 he was granted a boyar. In 1670, he acted against the Razintsy - he defeated the detachment of the ataman's brother, Frol. Crown military activities Romodanovsky - the war with the Ottoman Empire. In 1677 and 1678 troops under his leadership inflicted heavy defeats on the Ottomans. An interesting moment: both main defendants in the battle of Vienna in 1683 were defeated by G.G. Romodanovsky: Sobessky with his king in 1664 and Kara Mustafa in 1678
The prince died on May 15, 1682 during the Streltsy uprising in Moscow.

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

Soviet military commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union (1955). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (1944, 1945).
From 1942 to 1946, the commander of the 62nd Army (8th Guards Army), which distinguished itself in the Battle of Stalingrad. Took part in defensive battles on the distant approaches to Stalingrad. From September 12, 1942 he commanded the 62nd Army. IN AND. Chuikov received the task of defending Stalingrad at any cost. The front command believed that Lieutenant General Chuikov was characterized by such positive qualities as decisiveness and firmness, courage and a broad operational outlook, a high sense of responsibility and consciousness of his duty. The army, under the command of V.I. Chuikov, became famous for the heroic six-month defense of Stalingrad in street battles in a completely destroyed city, fighting on isolated bridgeheads, on the banks of the wide Volga.

For unparalleled mass heroism and steadfastness of personnel, in April 1943, the 62nd Army received the guards honorary title of Guards and became known as the 8th Guards Army.

Voronov Nikolai Nikolaevich

N.N. Voronov - commander of the artillery of the Armed Forces of the USSR. For outstanding services to the Motherland Voronov N.N. the first in the Soviet Union were awarded the military ranks of "Marshal of Artillery" (1943) and "Chief Marshal of Artillery" (1944).
... carried out the general leadership of the liquidation of the Nazi group surrounded near Stalingrad.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

In front of the Kazan Cathedral there are two statues of the saviors of the fatherland. Saving the army, exhausting the enemy, the battle of Smolensk - this is more than enough.

Stalin (Dzhugashvili) Joseph Vissarionovich

Kosich Andrey Ivanovich

1. During his long life (1833 - 1917) A. I. Kosich went from non-commissioned officer to general, commander of one of the largest military districts of the Russian Empire. He took an active part in almost all military campaigns from the Crimean to the Russian-Japanese. He was distinguished by personal courage and bravery.
2. According to many, "one of the most educated generals of the Russian army." He left many literary and scientific works and memoirs. He patronized the sciences and education. He has established himself as a talented administrator.
3. His example served the development of many Russian military leaders, in particular, Gen. A. I. Denikin.
4. He was a resolute opponent of the use of the army against his people, in which he disagreed with P. A. Stolypin. "The army should shoot at the enemy, not at its own people."

Paskevich Ivan Fyodorovich

Hero of Borodin, Leipzig, Paris (division commander)
As commander in chief, he won 4 companies (Russian-Persian 1826-1828, Russian-Turkish 1828-1829, Polish 1830-1831, Hungarian 1849).
Knight of the Order of St. George 1st class - for the capture of Warsaw (according to the statute, the order was awarded either for saving the fatherland or for taking the enemy capital).
Field Marshal.

Katukov Mikhail Efimovich

Perhaps the only bright spot against the background of the Soviet commanders of the armored forces. A tanker who went through the entire war, starting from the border. The commander, whose tanks always showed their superiority to the enemy. His tank brigades were the only (!) in the first period of the war that were not defeated by the Germans and even inflicted significant damage on them.
His first guards tank army remained combat-ready, although it defended from the very first days of the fighting on the southern face of the Kursk Bulge, while exactly the same Rotmistrov's 5th guards tank army was practically destroyed on the very first day when it entered the battle (June 12)
This is one of the few of our commanders who took care of his troops and fought not by numbers, but by skill.

Shein Mikhail Borisovich

He led the Smolensk defense against the Polish-Lithuanian troops, which lasted 20 months. Under the command of Shein, repeated attacks were repulsed, despite the explosion and a breach in the wall. He held and bled the main forces of the Poles at the decisive moment of the Time of Troubles, preventing them from moving to Moscow to support their garrison, creating an opportunity to assemble an all-Russian militia to liberate the capital. Only with the help of a defector, the troops of the Commonwealth managed to take Smolensk on June 3, 1611. The wounded Shein was taken prisoner and was taken away with his family for 8 years in Poland. After returning to Russia, he commanded an army that tried to return Smolensk in 1632-1634. Executed on boyar slander. Undeservedly forgotten.

It's simple - It was he, as a commander, who made the greatest contribution to the defeat of Napoleon. He saved the army in the most difficult conditions, despite misunderstanding and heavy accusations of betrayal. It was to him that our great poet Pushkin, practically a contemporary of those events, dedicated the verse "Commander".
Pushkin, recognizing the merits of Kutuzov, did not oppose him to Barclay. To replace the common alternative “Barclay or Kutuzov”, with the traditional resolution in favor of Kutuzov, Pushkin came to a new position: both Barclay and Kutuzov are both worthy of the grateful memory of their descendants, but everyone honors Kutuzov, but Mikhail Bogdanovich Barclay de Tolly is undeserved forgotten.
Pushkin mentioned Barclay de Tolly even earlier, in one of the chapters of "Eugene Onegin" -

Thunderstorm of the twelfth year
It has come - who helped us here?
The frenzy of the people
Barclay, winter or Russian god?...

Skopin-Shuisky Mikhail Vasilievich

For my short military career practically did not know failures, both in battles with the troops of I. Boltnikov, and with the Polish-Liovsk and "Tushino" troops. The ability to build a combat-ready army practically from scratch, train, use Swedish mercenaries on the spot and during the time, select successful Russian command personnel to liberate and protect the vast territory of the Russian northwestern region and liberate central Russia, persistent and systematic offensive, skillful tactics in the fight against the magnificent Polish-Lithuanian cavalry, undoubted personal courage - these are the qualities that, despite the little-knownness of his deeds, give him the right to be called the Great Commander of Russia.

Chuikov Vasily Ivanovich

"There is a city in vast Russia to which my heart is given, it went down in history as STALINGRAD ..." V.I. Chuikov

Bennigsen Leonty Leontievich

Surprisingly, a Russian general who did not speak Russian, who made up the glory of Russian weapons at the beginning of the 19th century.

He made a significant contribution to the suppression of the Polish uprising.

Commander-in-Chief in the Battle of Tarutino.

He made a significant contribution to the campaign of 1813 (Dresden and Leipzig).

Rurik Svyatoslav Igorevich

Year of birth 942 date of death 972 Expansion of the borders of the state. 965 the conquest of the Khazars, 963 the campaign to the south to the Kuban region the capture of Tmutarakan, 969 the conquest of the Volga Bulgars, 971 the conquest of the Bulgarian kingdom, 968 the foundation of Pereyaslavets on the Danube (the new capital of Rus'), 969 the defeat of the Pechenegs in the defense of Kiev.

Gorbaty-Shuisky Alexander Borisovich

Hero of the Kazan War, the first governor of Kazan

Dzhugashvili Joseph Vissarionovich

Gathered and coordinated a team of talented military leaders

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Alexander Vasilyevich Kolchak (November 4 (November 16), 1874, St. Petersburg - February 7, 1920, Irkutsk) - Russian oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers late XIX- early XX centuries, military and political figure, naval commander, full member of the Imperial Russian geographical society(1906), admiral (1918), leader of the White movement, Supreme Ruler of Russia.

Member of the Russo-Japanese War, Defense of Port Arthur. During the First World War, he commanded the mine division of the Baltic Fleet (1915-1916), the Black Sea Fleet (1916-1917). Georgievsky Cavalier.
The leader of the White movement both on a national scale and directly in the East of Russia. As the Supreme Ruler of Russia (1918-1920), he was recognized by all the leaders of the White movement, "de jure" - by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, "de facto" - by the Entente states.
Supreme Commander of the Russian Army.

Stessel Anatoly Mikhailovich

Commandant of Port Arthur during his heroic defense. The unprecedented ratio of losses of Russian and Japanese troops before the surrender of the fortress is 1:10.

Shein Mikhail Borisovich

Governor Shein - the hero and leader of the unprecedented defense of Smolensk in 1609-16011. This fortress decided a lot in the fate of Russia!

Most Serene Prince Wittgenstein Peter Khristianovich

For the defeat of the French units of Oudinot and MacDonald at Klyastits, thereby closing the road for the French army to St. Petersburg in 1812. Then in October 1812 he defeated the Saint-Cyr corps near Polotsk. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian-Prussian armies in April-May 1813.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

The largest figure in world history, life and state activity which left the deepest mark not only in the fate of the Soviet people, but also of all mankind, will be the subject of careful study of historians for more than one century. The historical and biographical feature of this personality is that it will never be forgotten.
During Stalin's tenure as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the State Defense Committee, our country was marked by victory in the Great Patriotic War, massive labor and front-line heroism, the transformation of the USSR into a superpower with significant scientific, military and industrial potential, and the strengthening of our country's geopolitical influence in the world.
Ten Stalinist blows - common name a number of major offensive strategic operations in the Great Patriotic War carried out in 1944 by the armed forces of the USSR. Along with others offensive operations, they made a decisive contribution to the victory of the countries of the Anti-Hitler coalition over Nazi Germany and its allies in World War II.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

Finnish war.
Strategic retreat in the first half of 1812
European campaign of 1812

Budyonny Semyon Mikhailovich

Commander of the First Cavalry Army of the Red Army during the Civil War. The First Cavalry Army, which he led until October 1923, played important role in a number of major operations of the Civil War to defeat the troops of Denikin and Wrangel in Northern Tavria and the Crimea.

Yuri Vsevolodovich

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

General Kotlyarevsky, son of a priest in the village of Olkhovatka, Kharkov province. He went from private to general in the tsarist army. He can be called the great-grandfather of the Russian special forces. He carried out truly unique operations ... His name is worthy of being included in the list of the greatest commanders of Russia

Duke of Württemberg Eugene

Infantry general, cousin of the Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I. Served in the Russian Army since 1797 (enlisted as a colonel in the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment by the Decree of Emperor Paul I). Participated in military campaigns against Napoleon in 1806-1807. For participation in the battle near Pultusk in 1806 he was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious 4th degree, for the campaign of 1807 he received a golden weapon "For Courage", distinguished himself in the campaign of 1812 (personally led the 4th Jaeger Regiment into battle in the battle of Smolensk), for participation in the Battle of Borodino he was awarded the Order of St. George the Victorious, 3rd degree. Since November 1812, the commander of the 2nd infantry corps in the army of Kutuzov. He took an active part in the foreign campaigns of the Russian army in 1813-1814, the units under his command especially distinguished themselves in the battle of Kulm in August 1813, and in the "battle of the peoples" at Leipzig. For courage at Leipzig, Duke Eugene was awarded the Order of St. George, 2nd degree. Parts of his corps were the first to enter the defeated Paris on April 30, 1814, for which Eugene of Württemberg received the rank of general of infantry. From 1818 to 1821 was the commander of the 1st Army Infantry Corps. Contemporaries considered Prince Eugene of Württemberg one of the best Russian infantry commanders during the Napoleonic Wars. On December 21, 1825, Nicholas I was appointed chief of the Tauride Grenadier Regiment, which became known as the Grenadier Regiment of His Royal Highness Prince Eugene of Württemberg. On August 22, 1826, he was awarded the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Participated in the Russian-Turkish war of 1827-1828. as commander of the 7th Infantry Corps. On October 3, he defeated a large Turkish detachment on the Kamchik River.

Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich

Baklanov Yakov Petrovich

An outstanding strategist and a mighty warrior, he earned respect and fear of his name from the invincible highlanders who forgot the iron grip of the "Thunderstorm of the Caucasus". At the moment - Yakov Petrovich, a model of the spiritual strength of a Russian soldier in front of the proud Caucasus. His talent crushed the enemy and minimized the time frame of the Caucasian War, for which he received the nickname "Boklu" akin to the devil for his fearlessness.

Yudenich Nikolai Nikolaevich

The best Russian commander during the First World War. An ardent patriot of his Motherland.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

Outstanding Russian commander. He successfully defended the interests of Russia both from external aggression and outside the country.

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

The Soviet people, as the most talented, a large number of outstanding military leaders, but the main one is Stalin. Without him, many of them might not have been in the military.

Ermolov Alexey Petrovich

Hero of the Napoleonic Wars and the Patriotic War of 1812. Conqueror of the Caucasus. Smart strategist and tactician, strong-willed and brave warrior.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

For the highest art of military leadership and boundless love for the Russian soldier

Grachev Pavel Sergeevich

Hero of the Soviet Union. May 5, 1988 "for the performance of combat missions with minimal casualties and for the professional command of a controlled formation and the successful actions of the 103rd Airborne Division, in particular, to occupy the strategically important pass Satukandav (Khost province) during the military operation" Highway " "Received the Gold Star medal No. 11573. Commander of the Airborne Forces of the USSR. In total, during his military service, he made 647 parachute jumps, some of them while testing new equipment.
He was shell-shocked 8 times, received several wounds. Suppressed the armed coup in Moscow and thereby saved the system of democracy. As Minister of Defense, he made great efforts to preserve the remnants of the army - a task that few people had in the history of Russia. Only because of the collapse of the army and a decrease in the number of military equipment in the Armed Forces, he could not end the Chechen war victoriously.

Rurikovich Yaroslav the Wise Vladimirovich

He devoted his life to defending the Fatherland. Defeated the Pechenegs. He established the Russian state as one of the greatest states of his time.

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

After Zhukov, who took Berlin, the brilliant strategist Kutuzov, who drove the French out of Russia, should be second.

Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

The Greatest Commander and Diplomat!!! Who utterly defeated the troops of the "first European Union" !!!

Romanov Petr Alekseevich

Behind the endless discussions about Peter I as a politician and reformer, it is unfairly forgotten that he was the greatest commander of his time. He was not only an excellent rear organizer. In the two most important battles of the Northern War (the battles of Lesnaya and Poltava), he not only developed battle plans himself, but also personally led the troops, being in the most important, responsible areas.
The only commander I know of was equally talented in both land and sea battles.
The main thing is that Peter I created a national military school. If all the great commanders of Russia are the heirs of Suvorov, then Suvorov himself is the heir of Peter.
The Battle of Poltava was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) victory in Russian history. In all other great predatory invasions of Russia, the general battle did not have a decisive outcome, and the struggle dragged on, went to exhaustion. And only in the Northern War did the general battle radically change the state of affairs, and from the attacking side the Swedes became the defender, decisively losing the initiative.
I think that Peter I deserves to be in the top three in the list of the best commanders of Russia.

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Russian admiral who gave his life for the liberation of the Fatherland.
Scientist-oceanographer, one of the largest polar explorers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, military and political figure, naval commander, full member of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society, leader of the White Movement, Supreme Ruler of Russia.

Dragomirov Mikhail Ivanovich

Brilliant crossing of the Danube in 1877
- Creation of a tactics textbook
- Creation of the original concept of military education
- Leadership of the NAGSH in 1878-1889
- Huge influence in military matters for the whole 25th anniversary

Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich

Successes in the Crimean War of 1853-56, victory in the Battle of Sinop in 1853, defense of Sevastopol in 1854-55.

Golenishchev-Kutuzov Mikhail Illarionovich

(1745-1813).
1. GREAT Russian commander, he was an example for his soldiers. Appreciated every soldier. "M. I. Golenishchev-Kutuzov is not only the liberator of the Fatherland, he is the only one who outplayed the hitherto invincible French emperor, turning the "great army" into a crowd of ragamuffins, saving, thanks to his military genius, the lives of many Russian soldiers."
2. Mikhail Illarionovich, being a highly educated person who knew several foreign languages, dexterous, refined, able to inspire society with the gift of words, an entertaining story, served Russia as an excellent diplomat - ambassador to Turkey.
3. M. I. Kutuzov - the first to become a full cavalier of the highest military order of St. George the Victorious of four degrees.
The life of Mikhail Illarionovich is an example of service to the fatherland, attitude towards soldiers, spiritual strength for the Russian military leaders of our time and, of course, for the younger generation - the future military.

Alekseev Mikhail Vasilievich

One of the most talented Russian generals of the First World War. Hero of the Battle of Galicia in 1914, savior of the Northwestern Front from encirclement in 1915, chief of staff under Emperor Nicholas I.

General of Infantry (1914), Adjutant General (1916). Active participant in the White movement in the Civil War. One of the organizers of the Volunteer Army.

Uborevich Ieronim Petrovich

Soviet military leader, commander of the 1st rank (1935). Member of the Communist Party since March 1917. Born in the village of Aptandriyus (now the Utena region of the Lithuanian SSR) in the family of a Lithuanian peasant. He graduated from the Konstantinovsky Artillery School (1916). Member of the 1st World War 1914-18, second lieutenant. After the October Revolution of 1917 he was one of the organizers of the Red Guard in Bessarabia. In January - February 1918 he commanded a revolutionary detachment in battles against the Romanian and Austro-German invaders, was wounded and captured, from where he fled in August 1918. He was an artillery instructor, commander of the Dvina brigade on the Northern Front, from December 1918 the head of the 18 divisions of the 6th Army. From October 1919 to February 1920 he was commander of the 14th Army during the defeat of the troops of General Denikin, in March - April 1920 he commanded the 9th Army in the North Caucasus. In May - July and November - December 1920 the commander of the 14th Army in battles against the troops of bourgeois Poland and the Petliurists, in July - November 1920 - the 13th Army in battles against the Wrangelites. In 1921, assistant commander of the troops of the Ukraine and Crimea, deputy commander of the troops of the Tambov province, commander of the troops of the Minsk province, led the fighting in the defeat of the gangs of Makhno, Antonov and Bulak-Balakhovich. From August 1921 commander of the 5th Army and the East Siberian Military District. In August - December 1922 Minister of War of the Far Eastern Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the People's Revolutionary Army during the liberation of the Far East. He was commander of the North Caucasian (since 1925), Moscow (since 1928) and Belorussian (since 1931) military districts. Since 1926 he was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR, in 1930-31 he was deputy chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR and head of armaments of the Red Army. Since 1934 he has been a member of the Military Council of the NPO. He made a great contribution to the strengthening of the defense capability of the USSR, the education and training of command personnel and troops. Candidate member of the Central Committee of the CPSU (b) in 1930-37. Member of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee since December 1922. He was awarded 3 Orders of the Red Banner and Honorary Revolutionary Weapons.

Prince Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich

The most remarkable of the Russian princes of the pre-Tatar period of our history, who left behind great fame and a good memory.

Ushakov Fedor Fedorovich

The great Russian naval commander, who won victories at Fedonisi, Kaliakria, at Cape Tendra and during the liberation of the islands of Malta (Ioanian Islands) and Corfu. He discovered and introduced a new tactic of naval combat, with the rejection of the linear formation of ships and showed the tactics of "alluvial formation" with an attack on the flagship of the enemy fleet. One of the founders Black Sea Fleet and its commander in 1790-1792

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

To the first world war commander of the 8th Army in the Battle of Galicia. On August 15-16, 1914, during the Rogatin battles, he defeated the 2nd Austro-Hungarian army, capturing 20 thousand people. and 70 guns. Galich was taken on August 20. The 8th Army takes an active part in the battles near Rava-Russkaya and in the Battle of Gorodok. In September he commanded a group of troops from the 8th and 3rd armies. September 28 - October 11, his army withstood the counterattack of the 2nd and 3rd Austro-Hungarian armies in the battles on the San River and near the city of Stryi. During the successfully completed battles, 15 thousand enemy soldiers were captured, and at the end of October his army entered the foothills of the Carpathians.

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

Russian military leader, political and public figure, writer, memoirist, publicist and war documentary.
Member of the Russo-Japanese War. One of the most productive generals of the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. Commander of the 4th Rifle "Iron" Brigade (1914-1916, since 1915 - deployed under his command into a division), 8th Army Corps (1916-1917). Lieutenant General of the General Staff (1916), commander of the Western and Southwestern Fronts (1917). An active participant in the military congresses of 1917, an opponent of the democratization of the army. He expressed support for the Kornilov speech, for which he was arrested by the Provisional Government, a member of the Berdichevsky and Bykhov sittings of generals (1917).
One of the main leaders of the White movement during the Civil War, its leader in the South of Russia (1918-1920). He achieved the greatest military and political results among all the leaders of the White movement. Pioneer, one of the main organizers, and then commander of the Volunteer Army (1918-1919). Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the South of Russia (1919-1920), Deputy Supreme Ruler and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, Admiral Kolchak (1919-1920).
Since April 1920 - an emigrant, one of the main political figures of the Russian emigration. The author of the memoirs "Essays on the Russian Troubles" (1921-1926) - a fundamental historical and biographical work about the Civil War in Russia, the memoirs "The Old Army" (1929-1931), the autobiographical story "The Way of the Russian Officer" (published in 1953) and a number of other works.

Brusilov Alexey Alekseevich

One of the best Russian generals of the First World War. In June 1916, the troops of the Southwestern Front under the command of Adjutant General Brusilov A.A., simultaneously striking in several directions, broke through the enemy’s defense in depth and advanced 65 km. IN military history This operation was called the Brusilovsky breakthrough.

Monomakh Vladimir Vsevolodovich

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Victory in the Great Patriotic War, saving the entire planet from absolute evil, and our country from extinction.
Stalin from the first hours of the war exercised control over the country, front and rear. On land, at sea and in the air.
His merit is not one or even ten battles or campaigns, his merit is the Victory, composed of hundreds of battles of the Great Patriotic War: the battle near Moscow, the battles in the North Caucasus, Battle of Stalingrad, the battles on the Kursk Bulge, the battles near Leningrad and many others before the capture of Berlin, success in which was achieved thanks to the monotonous inhuman work of the genius of the Supreme Commander.

Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky Pyotr Alexandrovich

Romodanovsky Grigory Grigorievich

An outstanding military leader of the 17th century, prince and governor. In 1655, he won his first victory over the Polish hetman S. Pototsky near Gorodok in Galicia. Later, being the commander of the army of the Belgorod category (military administrative district), he played a major role in organizing the defense of the southern border of Russia. In 1662, he won the biggest victory in the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine in the battle of Kanev, defeating the traitorous hetman Y. Khmelnitsky and the Poles who helped him. In 1664, near Voronezh, he forced the famous Polish commander Stefan Czarnecki to flee, forcing the army of King Jan Casimir to retreat. Repeatedly beat the Crimean Tatars. In 1677 he defeated the 100,000th Turkish army of Ibrahim Pasha near Buzhin, in 1678 he defeated the Turkish corps of Kaplan Pasha near Chigirin. Thanks to his military talents, Ukraine did not become another Ottoman province and the Turks did not take Kyiv.

John 4 Vasilyevich

Izylmetiev Ivan Nikolaevich

Commanded the frigate "Aurora". He made the transition from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in a record time for those times in 66 days. In the bay, Callao eluded the Anglo-French squadron. Arriving in Petropavlovsk, together with the governor of the Kamchatka Territory, Zavoyko V. organized the defense cities, during which the sailors from the Aurora, together with the locals, threw into the sea an overwhelming Anglo-French landing force. Then he took the Aurora to the Amur Estuary, hiding it there. After these events, the English public demanded a trial of the admirals who lost the Russian frigate.

Wrangel Pyotr Nikolaevich

Member of the Russo-Japanese and World War I, one of the main leaders (1918−1920) of the White movement during the Civil War. Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in the Crimea and Poland (1920). General Staff Lieutenant General (1918). Georgievsky Cavalier.

Antonov Alexey Innokentievich

He became famous as a talented staff officer. Participated in the development of almost all significant operations of the Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War since December 1942.
The only one of all the awarded Soviet military leaders with the Order of Victory in the rank of army general, and the only Soviet holder of the order who was not awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Denikin Anton Ivanovich

One of the most talented and successful commanders of the First World War. A native of a poor family, he made a brilliant military career, relying solely on his own virtues. Member of the REV, WWI, graduate of the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff. He fully realized his talent commanding the legendary "Iron" brigade, then deployed into a division. Participant and one of the main characters of the Brusilov breakthrough. He remained a man of honor even after the collapse of the army, a prisoner of Bykhov. Member of the ice campaign and commander of the All-Russian Union of Youth. For more than a year and a half, having very modest resources and far inferior in number to the Bolsheviks, he won victory after victory, freeing a huge territory.
Also, do not forget that Anton Ivanovich is a wonderful and very successful publicist, and his books are still very popular. An extraordinary, talented commander, an honest Russian man in a difficult time for the Motherland, who was not afraid to light a torch of hope.

Karyagin Pavel Mikhailovich

Colonel, Chief of the 17th Jaeger Regiment. He showed himself most clearly in the Persian Company of 1805; when, with a detachment of 500 people, surrounded by a 20,000-strong Persian army, he resisted it for three weeks, not only repelling Persian attacks with honor, but taking fortresses himself, and finally, with a detachment of 100 people, made his way to Tsitsianov, who was going to help him.

Kovpak Sidor Artemevich

Member of the First World War (he served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. During the First World War, he fought on the Southwestern Front, a member of the Brusilov breakthrough. In April 1915, as part of the guard of honor, he was personally awarded the St. George Cross by Nicholas II. In total, he was awarded St. George's crosses III and IV degrees and medals "For Courage" ("George" medals) III and IV degrees.

During the Civil War, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German invaders together with the detachments of A. Ya. .Denikin and Wrangel on the Southern Front.

In 1941-1942, Kovpak's formation carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests on the Right-Bank Ukraine in the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr and Kiev regions; in 1943 - the Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan formation under the command of Kovpak fought over 10 thousand kilometers in the rear of the Nazi troops, defeated the enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the deployment of the partisan movement against the German occupiers.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union:
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 18, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, the courage and heroism shown in their performance, Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 708)
The second medal "Gold Star" (No.) Major General Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 4, 1944 for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid
four Orders of Lenin (18.5.1942, 4.1.1944, 23.1.1948, 25.5.1967)
Order of the Red Banner (24.12.1942)
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 1st class. (7.8.1944)
Order of Suvorov, 1st class (2 May 1945)
medals
foreign orders and medals (Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia)

Kolchak Alexander Vasilievich

Prominent military leader, scientist, traveler and discoverer. Admiral of the Russian Fleet, whose talent was highly appreciated by Sovereign Nicholas II. The Supreme Ruler of Russia during the Civil War, a real Patriot of his Fatherland, a man of tragic, interesting fate. One of those military men who tried to save Russia during the years of unrest, in the most difficult conditions, being in very difficult international diplomatic conditions.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

He is a great commander who did not lose a single (!) Battle, the founder of Russian military affairs, brilliantly fought battles, regardless of its conditions.

Barclay de Tolly Mikhail Bogdanovich

Full Knight of the Order of St. George. In the history of military art, according to Western authors (for example: J. Witter), he entered as an architect of the strategy and tactics of "scorched earth" - cutting off the main enemy troops from the rear, depriving them of supplies and organizing a guerrilla war in their rear. M.V. Kutuzov, after taking command of the Russian army, in fact, continued the tactics developed by Barclay de Tolly and defeated Napoleon's army.

Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich

Successfully commanded the Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War. Among other things, he stopped the Germans near Moscow, took Berlin.

Prince Svyatoslav

Kornilov Lavr Georgievich

KORNILOV Lavr Georgievich (08.18.1870-04.31.1918) Colonel (02.1905). Major General (12.1912). Lieutenant General (08.26.1914). Infantry General (06.30.1917). with a gold medal from the Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff (1898). Officer at the headquarters of the Turkestan Military District, 1889-1904. Participant Russo-Japanese War 1904 - 1905: Headquarters officer of the 1st Rifle Brigade (at its headquarters). While retreating from Mukden, the brigade was surrounded. Having led the rearguard, he broke through the encirclement with a bayonet attack, ensuring the freedom of defensive combat operations of the brigade. Military attache in China, 04/01/1907 - 02/24/1911. Participant in the First World War: commander of the 48th Infantry Division of the 8th Army (General Brusilov). During the general retreat, the 48th division was surrounded and General Kornilov, who was wounded on 04.1915, was captured near the Duklinsky Pass (Carpathians); 08.1914-04.1915. Captured by the Austrians, 04.1915-06.1916. Dressed in the uniform of an Austrian soldier, he escaped from captivity on 06.1915. Commander of the 25th Rifle Corps, 06.1916-04.1917. Commander of the Petrograd Military District, 03-04.1917. Commander of the 8th Army, 04.24-07.08.1917. 05/19/1917 by his order introduced the formation of the first volunteer "1st strike force 8th Army" under the command of Captain Nezhentsev. Commander of the Southwestern Front...

Platov Matvei Ivanovich

Military ataman of the Don Cossack army. Started valid military service from the age of 13. A member of several military companies, he is best known as the commander of the Cossack troops during the Patriotic War of 1812 and during the subsequent Foreign Campaign of the Russian Army. Thanks to the successful actions of the Cossacks under his command, Napoleon's saying went down in history:
- Happy is the commander who has Cossacks. If I had an army of Cossacks alone, then I would conquer all of Europe.

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

Stalin during the Patriotic War led all the armed forces of our country and coordinated them fighting. It is impossible not to note his merits in the competent planning and organization of military operations, in the skillful selection of military leaders and their assistants. Joseph Stalin proved himself not only as an outstanding commander who competently led all fronts, but also as an excellent organizer who did a great job of increasing the country's defense capability both in the pre-war and war years.

A short list of military awards I.V. Stalin received during the Second World War:
Order of Suvorov, 1st class
Medal "For the Defense of Moscow"
Order "Victory"
Medal "Gold Star" Hero of the Soviet Union
Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"
Medal "For the Victory over Japan"

Peter I the Great

Emperor of All Russia (1721-1725), before that, Tsar of All Rus'. He won the Great Northern War (1700-1721). This victory finally opened free access to Baltic Sea. Under his rule, Russia Russian empire) became a Great Power.

Drozdovsky Mikhail Gordeevich

Ivan groznyj

He conquered the Astrakhan kingdom, to which Russia paid tribute. Destroyed the Livonian Order. Expanded the borders of Russia far beyond the Urals.

Benigsen Leonty

An unfairly forgotten commander. Having won several battles against Napoleon and his marshals, he drew two battles with Napoleon, losing one battle. Participated in the battle of Borodino. One of the contenders for the post of commander-in-chief of the Russian army during the Patriotic War of 1812!

Rurikovich Svyatoslav Igorevich

The great commander of the ancient Russian period. The first known to us Kyiv prince having Slavic name. The last pagan ruler of the Old Russian state. He glorified Rus' as a great military power in the campaigns of 965-971. Karamzin called him "Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history". The prince freed the Slavic tribes from vassalage from the Khazars, defeating the Khazar Khaganate in 965. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, in 970, during the Russian-Byzantine war, Svyatoslav managed to win the battle of Arcadiopol, having 10,000 soldiers under his command, against 100,000 Greeks. But at the same time, Svyatoslav led the life of a simple warrior: “On campaigns, he didn’t carry carts or cauldrons behind him, he didn’t cook meat, but, thinly slicing horse meat, or beast, or beef and roasting it on coals, he ate like that; he didn’t have a tent , but slept, spreading a sweatshirt with a saddle in their heads - the same were all the rest of his warriors... And sent to other lands [envoys, as a rule, before declaring war] with the words: "I'm going to you!" (According to PVL)

Gurko Joseph Vladimirovich

Field Marshal General (1828-1901) Hero of Shipka and Plevna, Liberator of Bulgaria (a street in Sofia was named after him, a monument was erected). In 1877 he commanded the 2nd Guards Cavalry Division. To quickly capture some of the passes through the Balkans, Gurko led an advance detachment, composed of four cavalry regiments, an infantry brigade and a newly formed Bulgarian militia, with two batteries of horse artillery. Gurko completed his task quickly and boldly, won a series of victories over the Turks, ending with the capture of Kazanlak and Shipka. During the struggle for Plevna, Gurko, at the head of the troops of the guard and cavalry of the western detachment, defeated the Turks near Gorny Dubnyak and Telish, then again went to the Balkans, occupied Entropol and Orkhanie, and after the fall of Plevna, reinforced by the IX Corps and the 3rd Guards infantry division, despite the terrible cold, he crossed the Balkan Range, took Philippopolis and occupied Adrianople, opening the way to Constantinople. At the end of the war, he commanded military districts, was governor-general, a member state council. Buried in Tver (settlement Sakharovo)

Ivan III Vasilievich

He united the Russian lands around Moscow, threw off the hated Tatar-Mongol yoke.

Kotlyarevsky Petr Stepanovich

Hero of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813
"General Meteor" and "Caucasian Suvorov".
He fought not in numbers, but in skill - first, 450 Russian soldiers attacked 1,200 Persian sardars in the Migri fortress and took it, then 500 of our soldiers and Cossacks attacked 5,000 askers at the crossing over the Araks. More than 700 enemies were exterminated, only 2,500 Persian fighters managed to escape from ours.
In both cases, our losses are less than 50 killed and up to 100 wounded.
Further, in the war against the Turks, with a swift attack, 1000 Russian soldiers defeated the 2000th garrison of the Akhalkalaki fortress.
Then, again in the Persian direction, he cleared Karabakh of the enemy, and then, with 2,200 soldiers, defeated Abbas-Mirza with a 30,000-strong army near Aslanduz, a village near the Araks River. In two battles, he destroyed more than 10,000 enemies, including English advisers and artillerymen.
As usual, Russian losses were 30 killed and 100 wounded.
Kotlyarevsky won most of his victories in night assaults on fortresses and enemy camps, preventing the enemies from coming to their senses.
The last campaign - 2000 Russians against 7000 Persians to the fortress of Lankaran, where Kotlyarevsky almost died during the assault, lost consciousness at times from blood loss and pain from wounds, but still, until the final victory, he commanded the troops as soon as he regained consciousness, and after that he was forced to be treated for a long time and move away from military affairs.
His feats for the glory of Russia are much cooler than the "300 Spartans" - for our generals and warriors have repeatedly beaten a 10-fold superior enemy, and suffered minimal losses, saving Russian lives.

Nevsky, Suvorov

Undoubtedly holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky and Generalissimo A.V. Suvorov

Donskoy Dmitry Ivanovich

His army won the Kulikovo victory.

Kazarsky Alexander Ivanovich

Captain Lieutenant. Member of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-29. He distinguished himself in the capture of Anapa, then Varna, commanding the Rival transport. After that, he was promoted to lieutenant commander and appointed captain of the Mercury brig. On May 14, 1829, the 18-gun brig "Mercury" was overtaken by two Turkish battleships "Selimiye" and "Real Bey". Having accepted an unequal battle, the brig was able to immobilize both Turkish flagships, one of which was the commander of the Ottoman fleet himself. Subsequently, an officer from Real Bey wrote: “In the continuation of the battle, the commander of the Russian frigate (the infamous Raphael, which surrendered without a fight a few days earlier) told me that the captain of this brig would not give up, and if he lost hope, then he would blow up the brig If in the great deeds of ancient and our times there are feats of courage, then this act should overshadow all of them, and the name of this hero is worthy to be inscribed in gold letters on the temple of Glory: he is called Lieutenant Commander Kazarsky, and the brig is "Mercury"

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Author and initiator of creation technical means Airborne Forces and methods of using units and formations of the Airborne Forces, many of which embody the image of the Airborne Forces of the USSR Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces, which currently exists.

General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko:
In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name, not only in our country, but also abroad ...

Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov:
Under more than twenty years of Margelov landing troops became one of the most mobile in the combat structure of the Armed Forces, prestigious service in them, especially revered by the people ... A photograph of Vasily Filippovich in demobilization albums went from soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition for the Ryazan Airborne School overlapped the numbers of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who failed their exams for two or three months, before snow and frost, lived in the forests near Ryazan in the hope that someone would not withstand the stress and it would be possible to take his place .

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich

GKO Chairman, Supreme Commander USSR Armed Forces during the Great Patriotic War.
What other questions might there be?

Kappel Vladimir Oskarovich

Perhaps the most talented commander of the entire Civil War, even if compared with the commanders of all its sides. A man of powerful military talent, fighting spirit and Christian noble qualities is a real White Knight. Kappel's talent and personal qualities were noticed and respected even by his opponents. The author of many military operations and exploits - including the capture of Kazan, the Great Siberian Ice Campaign, etc. Many of his calculations, which were not evaluated in time and missed through no fault of his own, later turned out to be the most correct, which was shown by the course of the Civil War.

Pozharsky Dmitry Mikhailovich

In 1612, the most difficult time for Russia, he headed the Russian militia and liberated the capital from the hands of the conquerors.
Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky (November 1, 1578 - April 30, 1642) - Russian national hero, military and political figure, head of the Second People's Militia, which liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. With his name and with the name of Kuzma Minin, the exit of the country from the Time of Troubles, which is currently celebrated in Russia on November 4, is closely connected.
After Mikhail Fedorovich was elected to the Russian throne, D. M. Pozharsky played a leading role in the royal court as a talented military leader and statesman. Despite the victory of the people's militia and the election of the tsar, the war in Russia still continued. In 1615-1616. Pozharsky, at the direction of the tsar, was sent at the head of a large army to fight against the detachments of the Polish colonel Lisovsky, who besieged the city of Bryansk and took Karachev. After the struggle with Lisovsky, the tsar instructed Pozharsky in the spring of 1616 to collect the fifth money from the merchants to the treasury, since the wars did not stop, and the treasury was depleted. In 1617, the tsar instructed Pozharsky to conduct diplomatic negotiations with the English ambassador John Merik, appointing Pozharsky as governor of Kolomensky. In the same year, the Polish prince Vladislav came to the Moscow state. The inhabitants of Kaluga and neighboring cities turned to the tsar with a request to send them D. M. Pozharsky to protect them from the Poles. The tsar fulfilled the request of the people of Kaluga and ordered Pozharsky on October 18, 1617 to protect Kaluga and the surrounding cities with all available measures. Prince Pozharsky fulfilled the tsar's order with honor. Having successfully defended Kaluga, Pozharsky received an order from the tsar to go to the aid of Mozhaisk, namely, to the city of Borovsk, and began flying units disturb the troops of Prince Vladislav, inflicting significant damage on them. However, at the same time, Pozharsky fell seriously ill and, at the behest of the tsar, returned to Moscow. Pozharsky, barely recovering from his illness, took an active part in the defense of the capital from the troops of Vladislav, for which Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich rewarded him with new estates and estates.

Suvorov Alexander Vasilievich

If someone has not heard, write to no avail

Yaroslav the Wise

Rokossovsky Konstantin Konstantinovich

Because it inspires many by personal example.

Prince Oleg (879-912), according to legend, was a very enterprising and warlike ruler. As soon as power fell into his hands, he conceived a big deal - to master the entire course of the Dnieper, to take into his own hands the entire waterway to rich Greece, and for this he had to conquer all the Slavs who lived along the Dnieper. Here one princely squad was not enough. Prince Oleg recruited a large army from the Ilmen Slavs, from the Krivichi subordinate to him, the Finnish tribes and moved south with them and his retinue.

Prince Oleg first of all took possession of Smolensk, the city of those Krivichi, which were not yet subject to anyone, then took Lyubech, the city northerners, left detachments of his squad in these cities under the command of reliable, experienced governors, and he himself went further. Finally appeared and Kyiv. Oleg knew that it would not be easy to take this city by force: Askold and Dir, experienced leaders, reigned there, and their squad was brave and experienced. I had to resort to trickery: the army was left behind, and Oleg sailed to Kiev with several boats, stopped not far from the city and sent Askold and Dir to tell that their countrymen, Varangian merchants, were going to Greece, wanted to see them and asked them to come to boats.

The fleet of Prince Oleg goes to Constantinople along the Dnieper River. Engraving by F. A. Bruni. Before 1839

TERMS

Anti-Norman theory(M.Lomonosov, B.A. Rybakov), according to which the state was formed in 882.

beekeeping- collection of wild honey.

Grand Duke- the head of the Grand Duchy in Rus' in the 10-15th century, the Russian state in the 15th - mid-16th century.

Veche- National assembly in Rus' in 10-14 centuries. It decided questions of war and peace, summoned and expelled princes, passed laws, concluded treaties with other states.

Byzantium- a state that arose in the 4th century in the eastern part of the Eastern Empire as a result of its collapse. It existed until the 15th century. The capital is Constantinople, in Rus' it was called Tsargrad. IN 1453 Byzantium was captured by the Ottoman Empire, the capital was renamed Istanbul.

Military democracy- a social structure in which the military nobility stands out (prince and retinue), concentrating significant material values ​​\u200b\u200band political power in their hands.

Ancient Rus'- the first name of the state in the 11-13 centuries.

Druzhina-armed detachments under the prince, participating in wars, managing the principality and the personal household of the prince.

Smoke - unit of taxation from the yard.

Procurement- peasants who took a loan (“kupu”) from landowners, cattle, grain, tools of labor and were forced to work off their debt.

prince- at first it was the leader of the tribe, the head of the squad. With the development of feudal society - the head of the principality. The elder was called great, the rest - specific.

Annals- historical chronicles in the 11-18 centuries. Recording events by year.

quitrent- the annual collection of tribute - money, food, handicrafts - from the peasants.

Verv-world- community.

Shift farming- a method of cultivating the land, in which shrubs were cut down and burned, fertilizer was used for 5-7 years.

Slash-and-burn agriculture- forests uprooted, burned. Such fertilizer was enough for up to 15-3-20 years.

polyudie- a detour by the prince with a retinue of all his lands to collect tribute.

The path "from the Varangians to the Greeks"- a waterway connecting Northern Rus' with the South. He walked from the Varangian (Baltic) Sea along the Neva, Lake Ladoga, the Volkhov River, Ilmenskoe Lake, the Lovat River, then dragged to the Dnieper River, along it to the Black Sea, then along the sea coast to Byzantium.

Early feudal monarchy- the state of the transitional period from the primitive communal system to the feudal one. In the 8th-11th centuries. there was a process of formation of feudal relations in Rus' while maintaining elements of the primitive communal system (veche, blood feud, paganism, tribal customs).

Ryadovichi- smerds (peasants) who entered into an agreement (series) with landowners on the conditions of work for him or the use of his land or tools.

Smerdy- free peasants-communes who had their own farm and arable land.

lot- the share of a member of the princely family in the family property.

Feudalism- a stage in the development of mankind, which replaced the primitive communal system. Under feudalism, the land belongs to the feudal lords - large landowners ("feud" - land), who transferred the rights by inheritance. The peasants had their own household, family, fed themselves, bore duties. The feudal lord appropriated the labor of the peasants in the form of feudal rent.

feudal rent- payment for the use of the land of feudal lords in the form of working off (corvée), quitrent in kind or cash quitrent.

Khazars- nomads, Turkic-speaking people. The state is the Khazar Khaganate, the capital is Itil. They were finally defeated by Svyatoslav in 965.

serfs- feudally dependent population, legally close to slaves. The sources of the formation of this class: captivity, sale for debts, marriage with a serf or serf, etc.

centrist theory- the state of Rus was formed as a result of internal pan-Slavic development, but with the participation of the Varangians (A.L. Yurganov, L.A. Kovtsa and most modern historians).

Servants- in the 9th-12th centuries - slaves, later - a wide range of feudal-dependent people.

Encyclopedia line...

Prince Oleg, also called Oleg the Prophet, is the legendary ruler of Rus' at the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th centuries. Of course, the prototype of the chronicle Oleg was a historical figure, about whom, unfortunately, little is known for certain. Therefore, historians usually use the chronicle legend about Oleg and his time, taken from the Tale of Bygone Years (PVL), in scientific, popular science and educational texts. This is a work of the late XI - early XII centuries. is recognized by all as the main historical source for the reconstruction of the past of the Old Russian state. Most researchers tend to consider the Kiev-Pechersk monk Nestor as the author of the PVL.

Battles and victories

  Prince of Novgorod (since 879) and Kiev (since 882), unifier of Ancient Rus'. He expanded its borders, dealt the first blow to the Khazar Khaganate, concluded agreements with the Greeks that were beneficial for Rus'. The legendary commander, about whom Pushkin wrote: "Your name is glorified by victory: Your shield is on the gates of Constantinople."

According to the PVL, Oleg appears to be a skilled commander and a prudent politician (it is no coincidence that he was nicknamed "Prophetic", that is, predicting the future). In 879-882 after the death of Rurik, Oleg ruled in the East Slavic North among the Krivichi, Ilmen Slovenes and the surrounding Finno-Ugric peoples (tribes of Meri, Vesi, Chudi). Having made a trip to the south along the trade route "From the Varangians to the Greeks", Oleg in 882 captured Kiev. So the two main centers for the formation of statehood among the East Slavic tribes "Novgorod" ("Slavia" - in foreign sources) and the Kiev region ("Kuyaba") were united under the rule of one ruler. Many modern historians take the date of 882 as the conditional date of birth of the Old Russian state. Oleg reigned in it from 882 to 912. According to Nestor, after Oleg's death from a snakebite, Rurik's son Igor (912–945) becomes Prince of Kyiv.

With the reign of Oleg in Kyiv, scientists associate significant events in ancient Russian history. First of all, the territorial core of the Old Russian state was laid. Oleg was recognized as the supreme ruler by the tribes of Polyans, Northerners, Drevlyans, Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi, Vyatichi, Radimichi, Ulich and Tivertsy. Through the governors of Prince Oleg and the local princes of his vassals, public administration young state. Annual detours of the population (Polyudye) laid the foundation for the tax and judicial systems.

Vel Oleg and active foreign policy. The prince fought the Khazars and made them completely forget that for two centuries the Khazar Khaganate had been collecting tribute from a number of East Slavic lands. In 898, Hungarians appeared near the borders of Oleg's state, moving from Asia to Europe. Oleg managed to establish peaceful relations with this warlike people. Oleg's campaign in 907 to the capital of the Byzantine Empire - Constantinople (aka Constantinople) - brought Rus' in 911 an exceptionally successful trade agreement: Russian merchants received the right to duty-free trade in Constantinople, could live for six months in the suburbs of the capital in the monastery of St. Mammoth, receive food and repair their boats at the expense of the Byzantine side. Even earlier, in 909, Rus' and the Byzantine Empire concluded a military treaty of alliance.

A few comments on the traditional interpretation of the image of the Prophetic Oleg

To the above brief reference about Oleg, which has become a common tradition - especially in popular and educational literature, we must add a few scientific comments.

First, according to archaeological data, in the IX century. Novgorod as such did not yet exist. On the site of Novgorod there were three separate settlements. They were connected into a single city by Detinets, a fortress built at the end of the 10th century. It was the fortress in those days that was called the "city". So both Rurik and Oleg were not in Novgorod, but in a certain "Stargorod". They could be either Ladoga or Rurik's settlement near Novgorod. Ladoga, a fortified city on the Volkhov, located near the confluence of the Volkhov into Lake Ladoga, was in the 7th - first half of the 9th centuries. the largest shopping center northeastern Baltic. According to archaeological data, the city was founded by immigrants from Scandinavia, but later there was a mixed population - the Normans coexisted with the Slavs and Finno-Ugric peoples. By the middle of the IX century. includes a terrible pogrom and a fire that destroyed Ladoga. This may well be consistent with the annalistic news about big war 862, when the Ilmenian Slovenes, Krivichi, all Merya and Chud “driven the Varangians across the sea”, who collected tribute from them in 859–862, and then began to fight among themselves (“and there was a clan against a clan ...”). After the destruction of the middle of the IX century. Ladoga was rebuilt, but never regained its former significance.

Under Nestor, the memory of former greatness Ladoga or the significance of the Rurik settlement was no longer there, he wrote two centuries after the time of the calling of the Varangians. But the glory of Novgorod, as a major political center, reached its peak, which made the chronicler believe in its antiquity and place the first rulers of Rus' in Novgorod.

Prince Oleg and Igor. Artist I. Glazunov

Our second reservation will concern chronology. The fact is that the chronology in PVL, as in another ancient Russian chronicle- Novgorod, before the reign of Vladimir (980-1015) conditional. Nestor had separate records of the facts of the 10th-11th centuries at hand, perhaps even a whole initial chronicle, which is distinguished by historians in the PVL, but there were no exact dates for early events. They were spoken about only by oral legends passed down from generation to generation among the inhabitants of Rus'. The lack of dates was a big problem for Nestor, but he, being a talented chronicler, made the first reconstruction of the chronology in Russian historical science. Legends and fragmentary records named the names of Byzantine kings (Caesars), contemporaries of the first Russian princes. Based on the years of the reigns indicated in the Byzantine chronicles translated into Slavonic in Kyiv, the author of the PVL compiled his conditional system of time coordinates for the initial period of ancient Russian history. A. A. Shakhmatov noted that the date of Oleg’s death in PVL 912 coincides with the date of the death of his counterpart Emperor Leo VI, and Igor dies, like his contemporary Emperor Roman I, in 945. Both Igor and Oleg rule on 33 years, such a coincidence is suspicious and reeks of an epic sacred-legendary approach to chronology. The last remark is also appropriate in relation to the story of Oleg's death. Both the PVL and the Novgorod Chronicle claim that Oleg died after being bitten by a snake that crawled out of the horse's skull. It was the horse of Oleg himself, but the prince set him aside, because the sorcerer once predicted his death precisely from his own horse. According to the PVL version, this fatal meeting of Oleg with his dead horse took place near Kiev in 912.

Our third remark concerns the fact that the PVL version of the origin, activity and death of the Prophetic Oleg is not the only one among the annalistic Russian sources. The first Novgorod chronicle, which, according to some researchers, is even older than the PVL, calls Oleg not a prince, but a governor under Igor, the son of Rurik. Oleg accompanies Igor on his campaigns. It is Prince Igor who cracks down on Askold, and then goes on a campaign against the Roman (Byzantine) empire and besieges Constantinople. Oleg, according to the First Novgorod Chronicle, finds his end when he leaves Kyiv north to Ladoga, where the legendary snake is waiting for him. Bitten by her, he dies, but not in 912, but in 922. The Novgorod Chronicle reports and another version of Oleg's death: some say that Oleg went "beyond the sea" and died there.

The fourth comment will be related to the possible participation of Oleg in the eastern campaigns of the Rus. Russian chronicles say that he successfully fought with the Khazars, and eastern sources also tell about the Caspian campaigns of the Rus, directed against Persia, which fall at the time of Oleg. Some historians believe that the vague and fragmentary reports of Eastern documents on this subject can be hypothetically associated not only with time, but also with the name of Oleg.

According to the historian of the XIII century. Ibn Isfandiyar, somewhere between 864 and 884, the first raid of the Rus on Persian city Abaskun, however, the Emir of Tabaristan managed to defeat and kill all the Rus. Another campaign or even two campaigns of the Rus took place in 909-910. 16 ships of the Rus captured and plundered the city of Abaskun, but the emir of the Sari region in 909 caught up with the detachment of the Rus in the area of ​​the Mugan steppe and defeated it. In 910, Rus ships appeared near the city of Sari, took it, and then some Rus went inland, while others remained on their ships. Shirvanshah managed to defeat the ships of the Rus in a night battle, and they all died.

And, finally, another campaign, which the historian can correlate with one of the Russian chronicle versions about the death of Oleg, took place in 913. The well-known Arab historian and geographer Al-Masudi testified that somewhere in 913-914. (“... it was after 300 AH,” Al-Masudi wrote) the Rus, led by their leader, whose name is not named, entered the Sea of ​​Azov on 500 boats from the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait. It is worth saying that the same Al-Masudi in his other work mentioned two great rulers of the Rus - Al-Dir, in whom they see the chronicle ruler of Kiev, and Olvang, who is usually associated with the chronicle Askold, but can be found with equal success in this transcription of the name similarity with the name of Oleg, the winner of Dir and Askold.

Overseas guests. Artist N. Roerich

But let us return to the message of Al-Masudi about the Caspian campaign of the Rus. The ruler of the Khazar Khaganate, wanting to avert danger from himself, allowed the Rus to pass to the mouth of the Don, and then along this river to get to the place where the Don comes closest to the Volga. Here the Russians dragged their ships to the Volga. The target of the Russian invasion was Persia. The ruler of the Rus promised the Khazar king half of the future Persian booty for loyalty. The Ruses, descending the Volga to the Caspian Sea, began to successfully fight for Persian Azerbaijan. According to the agreement, they left half of the production in Khazaria. However, they did not have a chance to return home. The guards of the Khazar king consisted of Muslim mercenaries, and they decided to take revenge on the Rus for the dead and robbed of their fellow believers in Azerbaijan. The ruler of the Khazars did not contradict the guards, but warned the Rus of the danger. The battle between Muslims and Russians lasted three days. 30 thousand Russ died, the rest retreated up the Volga, but were finally defeated by the Turks, Bulgars and Burtases. In this campaign, their leader also died. Some historians believe that it can be assumed that the “lateral version” expressed in the Novgorod Chronicle about the death of Oleg “beyond the sea” is a vague memory of the death of Oleg precisely in the Caspian campaign, and it is incorrect to interpret “went overseas”, as he definitely returned to Scandinavia through the Baltic Sea, as they usually try to decipher the "deaf" message of the Novgorod Chronicle.

The Khazar source, known as the "Cambridge Document", tells of the war between the Rus and the Khazars, which took place in the 10th century. Historians believe that, most likely, in the 940s, since the events described in the "Cambridge Document" have analogies with the stories of Russian chronicles about the campaign of Prince Igor against the Greeks in 941 and about the raid of the Rus on the Khazar city of Samkerts on Taman in 944. However, in the Khazar source, the leader of the Rus is called H-l-g-w, which can be read as Khlgu or Helgo, and the latter clearly resembles the Scandinavian "Helgi" and the Russian Oleg. Maybe this Helgo of the "Cambridge Document" is our Prophetic Oleg. If so, then his regency over Igor or co-rule with him, or maybe his service, lasted in reality longer than is commonly believed in the established historical tradition.

According to the named Khazar message, Helgo concluded an agreement with Constantinople and, by virtue of it, went to fight the Khazars. On the Taman Peninsula, he took the city of Samkerts and began to leave with the booty. Then the Khazar governor of Samkerts, Pesach, gathered forces, caught up and defeated the Rus. Helgo was forced by an agreement with Pesach to go to war against Byzantium. However, the Greeks burned almost the entire Russian fleet with the famous Greek fire. A sense of honor did not allow Helgo and his soldiers to return home twice defeated, and they set off on a campaign against the Persian possessions in the Caspian. Here Helgo's squad and he himself found their end in battle.

Prince Oleg and the Magus. Prophecy about the death of Oleg.

From the above comments, let us now move on to a more important, in our opinion, circumstance. The fact is that world history knows many examples when a historical character, during the time that has come after his death, seemed to split in two. In the memory of descendants, his double appeared, which crystallized from oral traditions, memoirs of contemporaries, interpretations of descendants, reflections of chroniclers who recorded information about him. The legend often "corrected" all the mistakes and small features real prototype, and in the memory of the people (historical myth or, in other words, historical tradition), this legendary double displaced the real historical person and began to act as a serious ideological factor in the current history of the people, which had already been separated from the time of the prototype by many centuries. In Western Europe, such a metamorphosis happened with Richard the Lionheart, in Russian - in many respects with Alexander Nevsky, among the nomadic peoples of Asia - with the images of Iskander (Alexander the Great) and Genghis Khan. By the will of the chronicler who created The Tale of Bygone Years, his successors of the 13th-17th centuries, the first Russian historians and, of course, A.S. Pushkin, who poetically retold the PVL legend about Prophetic Oleg, the legendary Oleg became a part of all subsequent Russian history. His image of a prince-warrior, defender of the Russian land and creator of the Russian state has become part of self-identification Russian people throughout its subsequent history after the 9th century.

The deeds of bygone years, the legends of antiquity deep ...

The Russian historical tradition recognizes the campaign against Tsargrad in 907 as the greatest of the military feats of Prince Oleg. Here is how the Tale of Bygone Years tells about this event.

“In the year 6415 (907). Oleg went to the Greeks, leaving Igor in Kyiv; he took with him many Varangians, and Slavs, and Chuds, and Krivichi, and Meryu, and Drevlyans, and Radimichi, and Polyans, and Severians, and Vyatichi, and Croats, and Dulebs, and Tivertsy, known as interpreters: these were all called Greeks "Great Scythia". And with all these Oleg went on horseback and in ships; and there were 2000 ships. And he came to Constantinople: the Greeks closed the Court, and closed the city. And Oleg went ashore, and began to fight, and did many murders in the vicinity of the city to the Greeks, and they broke many chambers, and burned the churches. And those who were captured, some were cut off, others were tortured, others were shot, and some were thrown into the sea, and the Russians did many other evils to the Greeks, as enemies usually do.

The Legend of Prophetic Oleg illustrated by V. M. Vasnetsov

And Oleg ordered his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on wheels. And when a favorable wind blew, they raised sails in the field and went to the city. The Greeks, seeing this, were frightened and said, sending to Oleg: “Do not destroy the city, we will give you whatever tribute you want.” And Oleg stopped the soldiers, and brought him food and wine, but did not accept it, since it was poisoned. And the Greeks were frightened, and said: "This is not Oleg, but St. Dmitry, sent to us by God." And Oleg ordered to give tribute to 2000 ships: 12 hryvnia per person, and there were 40 husbands in each ship.

And the Greeks agreed to this, and the Greeks began to ask for peace, so that the Greek land would not fight. Oleg, having moved a little away from the capital, began negotiations on peace with the Greek kings Leon and Alexander and sent Charles, Farlaf, Vermud, Rulav and Stemid to them in the capital with the words: “Pay tribute to me.” And the Greeks said: "Whatever you want, we will give you." And Oleg ordered to give his soldiers 12 hryvnias per oarlock for 2000 ships, and then pay tribute to Russian cities: first of all, for Kiev, then for Chernigov, for Pereyaslavl, for Polotsk, for Rostov, for Lyubech and for other cities: for according to to these cities sit the great princes, subject to Oleg. “When the Russians come, let them take the content for the ambassadors as much as they want; and if merchants come, let them take monthly for 6 months: bread, wine, meat, fish and fruits. And let them arrange a bath for them - as much as they want. When the Russians go home, let them take food from the tsar for the road, anchors, ropes, sails, and whatever they need.” And the Greeks pledged themselves, and the tsars and all the boyars said: “If the Russians do not come for trade, then let them not take a monthly allowance; let the Russian prince by his decree forbid the Russians who come here to commit excesses in the villages and in our country. Let the Russians who come here live near the Church of St. Mammoth, and send them from our kingdom, and rewrite their names, then they will take the month due to them - first those who came from Kiev, then from Chernigov, and from Pereyaslavl, and from other cities . And let them enter the city only through one gate, accompanied by the royal husband, without weapons, 50 people each, and trade as much as they need, without paying any fees.

The calling of the Varangians. Hood. V. M. Vasnetsov

Tsars Leon and Alexander made peace with Oleg, pledged to pay tribute and swore allegiance to each other: they themselves kissed the cross, and Oleg and his husbands were led to swear allegiance according to Russian law, and they swore by their weapons and Perun, their god, and Volos, the god of cattle, and made peace. And Oleg said: “Sew sails for Rus' from curtains, and for the Slavs they are kopriny,” and it was so. And he hung his shield on the gates as a sign of victory, and went from Constantinople. And Rus raised the sails from the curtains, and the Slavs were koprinny, and the wind tore them apart; and the Slavs said: "Let's take our thick ones, the sails from the curtains are not given to the Slavs." And Oleg returned to Kyiv, carrying gold, and curtains, and fruits, and wine, and all sorts of patterns. And they called Oleg the Prophet, because the people were pagans and unenlightened.

Historians believe that the number of ships (2000) is clearly overestimated by the chronicler. The boat of the Rus, also called “monoxyl” (odnoderevka) in Greek chronicles due to the fact that its keel was hewn out of one trunk, was a ship that took on board up to 40 soldiers. Consequently, Oleg's army was about 80,000 people. It is unlikely that the prince could gather such an army. If we take the information from the First Novgorod Chronicle about the campaign against Constantinople, then it refers this event to 6430 from the creation of the world (i.e., to 922 from the birth of Christ), speaks of a maximum of 200 ships, i.e., about 8 thousand soldiers, and the description of the campaign itself resembles the story of the PVL about Igor's campaign against the Greeks in 941. As we can see, the historian's interpretation of the source reports in this case can fluctuate in the question of the number of Russian troops from 8 to 80 thousand participants in the campaign.

The position of the historian here depends on what real, and not conditional chronicle time (according to Novgorod or PVL - it doesn’t matter) he will connect Oleg’s campaign. The vast majority of historians - both Russianists and Byzantologists - have no doubt that Oleg's campaign itself really took place. The question is when?

Miniature of the Radziwill Chronicle

Byzantine historical chronicles do not know such a grandiose campaign in 907. On the other hand, Byzantine historical science described the grandiose invasion of the Rus in 860 (The works of Patriarch Photius, a contemporary of the campaign; “The Life of Patriarch Ignatius” by Nikita Paflogonyanin, written at the beginning of the 10th century; ”(so named because it was discovered by the Belgian historian Franz Cumont and published in Brussels in 1894), etc.). Know this campaign and Western European sources, in particular the "Venetian Chronicle", which was written by the ambassador of Venice to Byzantium, John the Deacon. All these foreign sources characterize the campaign as extremely destructive and unexpected for Constantinople. The Russians guessed the time for their campaign exceptionally competently from the point of view of military strategy. Emperor Michael III with an army, including even part of the garrison of Constantinople, went to fight with the Arabs. He was at the time of the Russian raid 500 km east of Constantinople, near a certain Black River. According to the “Venetian Chronicle”, the raid of the Rus ended exceptionally well for them: “At that time, the people of the Normans (John the Deacon considers the Rus to come from Scandinavia, just as Nestor calls them Varangians, putting them in a number of other North Germanic tribes) on 360 ships dared to approach to Constantinople. But since they could in no way damage the impregnable city, they boldly devastated the surroundings, killing a large number of people there, and so returned home in triumph.

The Byzantine Patriarch Photius described the initial success of the Rus and the huge booty they captured, but stated that in the end the Byzantines managed to fight off the "northern Scythians". “Michael, the son of Theophilus [ruled] with his mother Theodora for four years and one for ten years, and with Basil for one year and four months. In his reign on June 18, in the 8th indiction, in the summer of 6368, in the 5th year of his reign, dews came on two hundred ships, which, through the intercession of the most glorious Mother of God, were defeated by Christians, completely defeated and destroyed. However, the same Photius was forced to admit: “Oh, how upset everything was then, and the city was hardly, so to speak, not raised on a spear! When it was easy to take it, and it was impossible for the inhabitants to defend themselves, then, obviously, it depended on the will of the enemy - to suffer or not to suffer ... The salvation of the city was in the hands of the enemies and its preservation depended on their generosity ... the city was not taken by their grace, and attached to suffering, dishonor from this generosity intensifies the painful feeling of captivity.

It is interesting that Photius, reflecting the knowledge of the Byzantines of the time about the attackers, did not exactly know their origin. He called them "Scythians" (that is, barbarians) and "Rosses", a people of northern origin who came from the Black Sea. With the campaign of 860, Photius associated the growth of strength, power and glory of the Russians. In 867 Photius wrote to the eastern patriarchs that after the Rus raid on Constantinople ambassadors came from them and an agreement was concluded. Photius did not pass on its content, but noted that the ambassadors were baptized at their request.

The well-known Russian historian B. A. Rybakov at one time put forward a version that the events of Prince Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople described in the PVL actually refer to the war of 860. Some other researchers, for example, L. N. Gumilyov, tend to share this opinion .

from the book of the series "Great generals of Russia" (2014)