Yuri Dolgorukiy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yuri Dolgorukiy
Prince of Rostov and Suzdal
Reign	c. 1108 or 1125 – 1157
Predecessor	First
Successor	Andrey Bogolyubsky
Grand Prince of Kiev (first)
Reign	1149–1151
Predecessor	Iziaslav II Mstislavich
Successor	Iziaslav II Mstislavich
Grand Prince of Kiev (second)
Reign	1155–1157
Predecessor	Iziaslav III Davidovich
Successor	Iziaslav III Davidovich
Born	1099
Died	15 May 1157 (aged 57)
Burial	Church of the Saviour at Berestove
Spouse	Agiorovna of Cumans Helena of Constantinople
Issue	Rostislav Andrei I Bogolyubsky Gleb of Kiev Mikhail of Vladimir Davyd Yuryevich Vsevolod the Big Nest
Full name Yuri "Dolgorukiy" Vladimirovich Yuri of Rostov-Suzdal
Dynasty	Monomakhovichi Yurievichi (founder)
Father	Vladimir II Monomakh
Mother	Eufemia of Constantinople

Yuri I Vladimirovich (born around 1099, died May 15, 1157), often called Yuri Dolgorukiy, was a powerful prince. His nickname, "Dolgorukiy," means "Far-Reaching" or "Long Arm." This name suited him because he was always trying to expand his power.

Yuri was a prince of Vladimir-Suzdal, a region in what is now Russia. He helped this area become a strong, independent power. He also started a new branch of his family, called the Yurievichi.

Yuri spent much of his life fighting with other princes. He wanted to rule over all of Kievan Rus', a large medieval state. His father, Vladimir II Monomakh, and older brother had been the Grand Princes of Kiev before him. Yuri managed to rule Kiev twice, but only for short periods. People in Kiev didn't like his strict rule. He died unexpectedly in 1157, possibly from poison. His death marked the end of Kievan Rus' as a single, united state.

Life of Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy

Early Life and Birth

Yuri was the sixth son of Vladimir Monomakh, a very important ruler. We don't know his exact birth year. One story says his older brother, Viacheslav, joked that he already had a beard when Yuri was born. Since Viacheslav was born in 1083, this would mean Yuri was born around 1099 or 1100. However, records show Yuri got married in 1108, so he must have been born earlier than that.

Ruling Rostov and Suzdal

In 1108, Yuri's father, Vladimir Monomakh, sent young Yuri to govern the large Vladimir-Suzdal region. This area was in the northeast of Kievan Rus'.

In 1121, Yuri had a disagreement with the important landowners, called boyars, in Rostov. He decided to move the capital of his lands from Rostov to Suzdal.

Since the Suzdal area didn't have many people, Yuri built many fortresses there. He founded several towns, including Ksniatin (in 1134), Pereslavl-Zalesski and Yuriev-Polski (in 1152), and Dmitrov (in 1154). People also believe he founded the cities of Tver, Kostroma, and Vologda.

Yuri Dolgorukiy and Moscow

In 1147, Yuri Dolgorukiy met with another prince, Sviatoslav Olgovich, in a place called Moscow. This is the first time Moscow is mentioned in historical records.

Later, in 1156, Yuri made Moscow stronger. He built wooden walls and a ditch around it. Even though a settlement probably existed there before, Yuri Dolgorukiy is often called "the Founder of Moscow" because he helped it grow into an important place.

Fighting for Kiev's Throne

Even though Yuri was busy building up his northern lands, he still wanted to rule Kiev. This desire to expand his power is why he got the nickname "Dolgorukiy," or "the far-reaching."

When his older brother, Mstislav of Kiev, died in 1132, the Rus' lands started to break apart. Yuri immediately began fighting with other princes for control. He managed to capture Kiev in 1149. However, his nephew, Iziaslav, drove him out in 1151.

Yuri didn't give up. In 1155, he took Kiev again. But he died unexpectedly in 1157, possibly after a feast with a Kievan nobleman. After his death, people in Kiev rebelled against his family. Yuri Dolgorukiy was buried in the Saviour Church in Berestovo in Kiev, but his tomb is now empty.

Family Life

Yuri Dolgorukiy was married twice. His first marriage was in 1108 to a daughter of Aepa Osenevich, a leader of the Cumans. The Cumans were a group of warriors from Central Asia.

His second wife, Helena, moved to Constantinople after Yuri died. Some historians think she might have been from the Komnenos family, who ruled the Byzantine Empire.

Yuri had at least fifteen children. We don't know for sure which mother gave birth to each child, but here are some of them:

• Rostislav, Prince of Pereyaslavl
• Ivan, Prince of Kursk
• Olga, who married Yaroslav Osmomysl
• Andrei I Bogolyubsky, who became a very important prince
• Maria
• Sviatoslav
• Yaroslav
• Gleb of Kiev
• Boris, Prince of Belgorod and Turov
• Mstislav, Prince of Novgorod
• Vasilko, Prince of Suzdal
• Mikhail of Vladimir
• Vsevolod the Big Nest, another very important prince
• Yaropolk

Remembering Yuri Dolgorukiy

Yuri Dolgorukiy on a 1997 Russian coin, celebrating Moscow's 850th anniversary.

Yuri Dolgorukiy is remembered as the person who founded Moscow. His special saint, Saint George, is shown on the coat of arms of Moscow fighting a dragon.

In 1954, a large monument to him was put up in Moscow. It stands on Tverskaya Street, one of the city's main roads, in front of the Moscow city hall.

Yuri Dolgorukiy's picture was also on a special medal. This medal was made in 1947 to celebrate Moscow's 800th anniversary.

You can find other monuments to Yuri Dolgorukiy in the cities of Dmitrov and Kostroma.

A modern nuclear submarine, the RFS Yury Dolgoruky, is also named after him.

See also

In Spanish: Yuri Dolgoruki para niños