Vladimir-Suzdal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Principality of Vladimir (1157–1169)
Grand Principality of Vladimir (1169–1331) Владимиро-Су́здальское кня́жество
Vladimiro-Suzdal'skoye knyazhestvo |
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| 1157–1331 | |||||||||
 Seal of Alexander Nevsky
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Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal (Rostov-Suzdal) within Kievan Rus' in the 11th century
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| Status | Vassal state of the Golden Horde (from 1238) | ||||||||
| Capital | Vladimir | ||||||||
| Common languages | Old East Slavic | ||||||||
| Religion | Russian Orthodox | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy (Principality) | ||||||||
| Grand Prince | |||||||||
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• 1157–1175 (first)
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Andrey Bogolyubsky | ||||||||
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• 1328–1331 (last)
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Alexander of Suzdal | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
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• Established
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1157 | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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1331 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Russia | ||||||||
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Vladimir-Suzdal was a very important principality in Eastern Europe. It existed from 1157 to 1331. This state was one of the main ones that took over after Kievan Rus' started to decline. Its main city was Vladimir-on-Klyazma.
Over time, Vladimir-Suzdal grew into a large principality. It was later divided into smaller areas. After being taken over by the Mongol Empire, it became a self-governing state. However, its rulers were chosen by the Khan of the Golden Horde.
Contents
How Vladimir-Suzdal Began
Early Rostov Principality
The Rostov region was one of the first areas to be settled. Important early rulers included the sons of Vladimir the Great, Boris and Gleb. Later, Yaroslav the Wise also governed this area. This principality covered a large land in the northeast of Kievan Rus'. It was located near the Volga, Oka, and Northern Dvina rivers.
In the 10th century, a church center was set up in Rostov. Rostov was a major center for Eastern Orthodox Christianity. This was important because many people in the region still followed pagan beliefs. Until the 11th century, Rostov was often linked with Novgorod. Rostov was the main city, but Suzdal, Yaroslavl, and Belozersk were also important towns.
Rostov-Suzdal: A New Capital
Vladimir Monomakh inherited the rights to the principality in 1093. He was the Grand Prince of Kiev. Monomakh appointed his son, George I (Yuri Dolgoruky), to rule the northeastern lands. In 1125, George moved the capital from Rostov to Suzdal. After this, the principality became known as Rostov-Suzdal.
During the 11th and 12th centuries, people from southern Rus' moved north. This happened because Turkic nomads often attacked the southern areas. Many new towns were built in the wooded areas called Zalesye. George I is credited with founding many of these towns. These include Pereslavl, Kostroma, Dmitrov, Moscow, and Yuriev-Polsky. George also strengthened the town of Vladimir in 1108. Under George, the principality became very strong. It even conquered the Ryazan Principality in 1146. George also took Kiev a few times in the 1150s. From then on, the northeastern lands of Rus' became very important.
Vladimir's Growing Power
George's son, Andrew the Pious, made Vladimir even more powerful. He did this by taking power from nearby princely states. In 1169, he burned down Kiev, which was then the main city of Rus'. He then put his younger brother on the throne there. Andrew cared more about his own capital, Vladimir. He decorated it with beautiful white stone churches and monasteries. In 1174, Prince Andrew was killed by powerful nobles called boyars.
After a short period without a clear ruler, Andrew's brother Vsevolod III became prince. He continued many of Andrew's policies. He also took control of Kiev again in 1203. Vsevolod's main enemies were the Southern Ryazan Principality and the strong Turkic state of Volga Bulgaria. After several wars, Ryazan was destroyed. The Bulgars were forced to pay tribute.
Vsevolod died in 1212, which led to a big fight among his sons. His oldest son, Konstantin, got support from powerful nobles. He forced his brother George out of Vladimir. George returned to the capital six years later, after Konstantin died. George was a smart ruler. He defeated Volga Bulgaria and placed his brother Yaroslav in Novgorod. However, his rule ended when the Mongol armies, led by Batu Khan, attacked. They burned Vladimir in 1238. They then destroyed other major cities in Vladimir-Suzdal during the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'.
Culture and Art in Vladimir-Suzdal
Suzdal's Artistic Period
As part of the Christian world, Rus' principalities could connect with other countries. They had ties with Byzantium and European nations. By the late 11th century, Rus' began to be influenced by Roman architecture. White stone cathedrals with sculptures appeared in Vladimir-Suzdal. This happened because Andrei Bogolyubsky invited architects from "all over the world."
These cathedrals were a mix of styles. They combined the Byzantine cross-shaped design with Roman white stone building methods. This blend of Greek and Western European traditions was unique to Russia. A famous example is the Church of Pokrova na Nerli in Vladimir. It is a symbol of medieval Russian culture.
In the early Middle Ages, Rus' principalities were similar to other European countries. But later, Russia and Europe grew apart. The East-West Schism in 1054 was one reason for this. This split between Eastern and Western Christianity became very clear later on. By the mid-12th century, the strong influence of Kievan Rus' began to fade. In 1155, Andrei Bogolyubsky moved the main seat of the Grand Prince from Kiev to Vladimir. He also brought the famous Theotokos of Vladimir icon with him. From this time, almost every principality started its own art and architecture styles.
The invasion by Batu Khan and the rule of the Golden Horde changed Russian culture and statehood. Mongol rule brought new ideas about how a state should be run. These ideas were different from those in Western Europe. For example, Russia adopted a system of everyone being under one strong ruler.
Moscow's Rise and Cultural Impact
Rus' began to recover from the Mongol invasion by the late 13th century. Novgorod and Pskov were the first to recover. They had not been raided by the Tatars. These city-states had a parliamentary rule. They developed their own unique culture, influenced by their western neighbors.
In the early 14th century, leadership in the northeastern lands moved from Vladimir to Moscow. Moscow then fought with Tver for leadership for another century. Moscow was part of the Vladimir lands. It was a border fortress in northeastern Russia. In 1324, Metropolitan Peter left Vladimir and settled in Moscow. This made Moscow the new center of the Russian Orthodox Church. The important Theotokos of Vladimir icon was also moved to Moscow later. Vladimir became a model for Muscovy.
Muscovite princes respected Vladimir's holy places. In the early 15th century, Andrei Rublev and Prokhor of Gorodets painted the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. The architecture of Moscow in the 14th and early 15th centuries copied Vladimir's white stone buildings. However, art experts also see influences from the Balkans and European Gothic architecture.
Russian painting in the late 14th and early 15th centuries had two main influences. These were the Byzantine artist Feofan Grek and the Russian icon-painter Andrei Rublev. Feofan's style used few colors and was very expressive. Rublev's icons used soft colors.
The late 14th century saw a very important event. In 1380, Dmitry Donskoy and his army dealt a big blow to the Golden Horde. Sergii Radonezhsky, a holy man, played a huge role in this victory. Saint Sergii became a protector of Muscovy. He and his followers founded many monasteries. These monasteries helped settle the northern lands. Andrei Rublev painted his famous Trinity icon for Sergii's monastery.
In the mid-15th century, Russia had bloody wars for the Moscow throne. Ivan III finally united the Russian lands around Moscow by the end of the 15th century. He ended Russia's control by the Golden Horde after the Great standing on the Ugra river in 1480. This event marked the birth of the independent Russian state. It was led by the Grand Prince of Moscow.
Life Under Mongol Rule
The Mongol invasions caused a lot of damage to Vladimir-Suzdal. People had to pay heavy tributes. However, being under Mongol rule also brought some benefits. Vladimir could access the Mongols' profitable trade routes to the East.
None of the cities in the principality regained their former power after the Mongol invasion. Vladimir became a state that had to obey the Mongol Empire. Later, it obeyed the Golden Horde. The Grand Prince was chosen by the Great Khan. Even the famous Alexander Nevsky had to travel to the Khan's capital to be made Grand Prince in Vladimir.
Many groups wanted power, so the principality quickly broke into eleven smaller states. These included Moscow, Tver, Pereslavl, Rostov, and Yaroslavl. All these smaller states officially recognized the Grand Prince of Vladimir as their ruler. But his real power became weaker and weaker.
By the end of the century, only three cities were still fighting for the title of Grand Prince of Vladimir: Moscow, Tver, and Nizhny Novgorod. Once they became Grand Prince, they chose to stay in their own cities instead of moving to Vladimir. The Grand Duchy of Moscow slowly became more powerful than its rivals. When the metropolitan of Kievan Rus' moved his church seat from Vladimir to Moscow in 1325, it was clear. Moscow had become the main center of power in the northeastern part of what was once Kievan Rus'.
See also
In Spanish: Principado de Vladímir-Súzdal para niños
- Darughachi
- Grand Prince of Vladimir
- List of early East Slavic states
- Zalesye
