Lyubech Congress of Russian Princes: date, decisions, significance. Lyubech Congress of Russian Princes: date, decisions, significance The sad result of perjury

The world is large to satisfy human needs, but too small to satisfy human greed.

Mahatma Gandhi

Rus', torn apart by internecine wars and endless brutal raids by the Polovtsians, needed a truce, at least within the country, in order to get rid of all the contradictions between the princes. It was for this purpose that it was convened Congress of Princes in Lyubech, on the banks of the Dnieper River, in 1097. 6 princes took part in it.

Lyubechsky Congress of Princes - goal

The ideological inspirer of this congress was Vladimir Monomakh. He gave a speech to his brothers, calling on them to forget their enmity, reconcile and together rid Rus' of their common enemy - the Polovtsians. The Lyubech Congress of Princes was successful and they managed to agree on the most important thing: everyone should rule only in their own lands. The spheres of influence were determined, who would govern which cities. An example was set for everyone by Vladimir Monomakh himself, who voluntarily gave the city of Chernigov to Oleg Svyatoslavich, a city that he himself ruled, but which in ancient times belonged to Oleg’s parents. The rest was decided as follows:

• The congress of princes in Lyubech transferred Kyiv to Svyatopolk, and with it the title of the Grand Duke.
• Vladimir Monomakh became the ruler of Smolensk. Beloozersk, Pereyaslyavl and Suzdal-Rostov lands.
• Oleg and Davit Svyatoslavich, by common decision, received Chernigov, Murom, Razan and Tmutarakan as their inheritance.
• David Igorevich secured his right to rule Vladimir-Volynsky.
• Vasilko Rostislavich received Terebovl, Przemysl, and also Cherven to rule.

Thus, the main task of the congress of Russian princes in Lyubech was to resolve the issue of spheres of influence in Kievan Rus. This is a thorny issue that has given rise to many wars. As a result, all participants in the congress recognized the rights of others to the cities, which were assigned to them as a result of an oral agreement. The congress ended with the kissing of the cross and the oath of all participants to eternal peace and friendship.

Congress of Princes in Lyubech - results

The results that the congress achieved should become the basis, a solid foundation, for the construction of a new, powerful state. And this could have been achieved if not for the treachery of David Igorevich, the ruler of the city of Vladimir-Volynsky. He secretly informed Svyatopolk that Monomakh and Vasilko Rostislavich were planning to seize the Kiev throne and had secretly conspired behind the backs of others. Svyatopolk believed and invited Vasilko to Kyiv. Vasilko went to Kyiv. Entering Kiev, he was informed about David’s treachery, but Vasilko did not believe it, saying: “ We kissed the cross, Svyatopolk could not suspect me of betrayal". "In Kiev, Vasilko was met by David, who put him in prison by force, and his servants gouged out Vasilko's eyes. Thus began a new internecine war in Rus'. And the loving congress of princes from a good undertaking turned into murder.

The Second Congress - the end of civil strife

Seeing the need to stop David Igorevich in order to stop the internecine war in Rus', Vladimir Monomakh decided to convene a new congress of princes. It was attended by Monomakh himself, Svyatopolk, Oleg and David Svyatoslavich, as well as David Igorevich himself. This congress took place on June 30, 1110 near Kyiv. Monomakh, after consulting with other participants, announced that they were asking for David Igorevich and did not want to take revenge on him. They assured him that he could live peacefully on Russian land. As a sign of his friendship, Svyatopolk gave David Igorevich the cities of Chertorizhsk and Dubna. Vladimir Monomakh, Oleg Svyatoslavi and David Svyatoslavich provided 200 hryvnia of gold each. This ended the internecine war.

  Lyubech Congress (1097)- a congress of Russian princes, held in the city of Lyubech (on the Dnieper River) with the goal of agreeing to end inter-princely feuds over inheritances and to rally against the Polovtsians who were ravaging Rus'. The immediate reason for the congress was the need to conclude peace with Oleg Svyatoslavich, against whom Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Monomakh had been fighting since 1094.

Vladimir Monomakh, who was his father’s right-hand man in Chernigov during his father’s lifetime, participated in the Battle of Stugna (1093), which was devastating for the Russians, and in 1094 Oleg Svyatoslavich, with the support of the Polovtsians, drove Vladimir out of Chernigov. Svyatopolk Izyaslavich of Kiev came to the aid of Vladimir, but the Polovtsians attacked the southern borders of Rus'. In 1096-1097, Mstislav Vladimirovich with the Novgorodians and Vyacheslav Vladimirovich with the Polovtsy fought with Oleg beyond Mur, Ryazan, Suzdal and Rostov, defeating him at Koloksha. Mstislav, as Oleg's godson, petitioned his father not to deprive him of the Russian land and called him to make peace.

At the Lyubech Congress (according to the Tale of Bygone Years) 6 princes were present and the decision was made: “ Everyone should keep their privacy«.
- Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, as the eldest, was left Kyiv with Turov and Pinsk and the title of Grand Duke;
- Vladimir Monomakh - Pereyaslavl Principality, Suzdal-Rostov land, Smolensk and Beloozero;
— Oleg and Davyd Svyatoslavich - Chernigov and Seversk land, Ryazan, Murom and Tmutarakan;
— Davyd Igorevich - Vladimir-Volynsky with Lutsk;
— Vasilko Rostislavich (with his brother) - Terebovl, Cherven, Przemysl.

In fact, the decision only sharply redistributed possessions between Vladimir Vsevolodovich and the Svyatoslavichs in favor of the latter.

The congress proclaimed the principle of princes inheriting the lands of their fathers, that is, the rights to inherit each of the several principalities that had emerged at that time were limited to a certain branch of the Rurik dynasty. This confirmed the existence of a new political system in Rus', the basis of which was the established large feudal landownership. According to the BRE, the Svyatoslavichs, who received the vast Chernigov principality according to the decisions of the congress, were excluded from the heirs of Kyiv.

Immediately after the Lyubech Congress, which stopped civil strife on the left bank of the Dnieper, the war for the southwestern volosts (1097-1100) began - with the blinding of Rurikovich (Vasilko Rostislavich by Davyd Igorevich), unprecedented at that time. During the war, Davyd tried to take possession of the principality of Vasilka, and Svyatopolk - Volyn, Przemysl and Terebovl. As a result, the Rostislavichs managed to defend their possessions, and Volyn passed from David to Svyatopolk by decision of the new

The history of any country is full of ups and downs, times of peace and times of bloody wars, eras of culture and enlightenment, as well as Troubled Times, during which internecine wars unfolded for the right to lead the country. The end of the 11th and beginning of the 12th centuries is rightfully considered one of the eras of the Time of Troubles in Rus', when the personal ambitions of the heirs of Yaroslav the Wise and regular raids of nomads on the border territories greatly weakened the Russian state.

In contact with

The prerequisites for internecine wars were the staircase order of transfer of the throne, which consisted in the fact that power is transferred from brother to brother, and if the sons of Yaroslav the Wise were satisfied with everything, then his grandchildren were not satisfied with this state of affairs at all. The very division of the country into separate governorships did not bode well for the sons of Yaroslav the Wise.

In order to stop the bloodshed and devastation in 1097, a general gathering of the grand dukes was organized in the city of Lyubech.

The purpose of the Lyubech Congress and its participants

Lyubech was a developed city of that time, located on the banks of the Dnieper. This place was not chosen by chance. It was in Lyubech that the native lands of Vladimir Monomakh, the initiator of the congress, were located. The Lyubech Congress was convened in order to solve a number of problems, two of which (the internecine fratricidal war and the need for a unified army to confront external enemies) were especially acute.

Its participants were the direct descendants of Yaroslav the Wise, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Each of them will be discussed further in this article.

It should be understood that the gathering of princes in those days can be equated to a modern political forum and, in addition to the princes, the entire political elite of that time participated in it, although only the princes made decisions (unlike the Dolob Congress).

The main decisions of the Lyubech Congress of Princes:

• Finally assign lands to each of the rulers.
• Form a squad to fight common enemies.
• Securing the right of inheritance from father to son.

Results of the Lyubech Congress

As a result, the disputed lands were divided between the participants. Agreements were also reached regarding the boundaries of the territories of influence, the basis was prepared for the formation of a unified army to resist foreign invaders, in particular, to resist the Polovtsians (the Polovtsians are a nomadic people of Turkic origin who were at war with Russia in those days).

The participants of the Lyubech Congress, as a sign of compliance with the decisions, kissed the cross and swore that they would not encroach on someone else’s land, and whoever encroaches and breaks the oath will be punished by the rest of the princes. Also at the congress, the principles of inheritance of divided lands from father to son were discussed and enshrined.

The political significance of the Lyubech Congress of Princes

Simply put, Rus' ceased to be a single state and broke up into several principalities, the decisions of which were made by a single ruler. Thus began the era of feudal fragmentation in Rus', it was of great importance and continued until the end of the 15th century, ending under Ivan III (Under whom the famous Code of Laws was adopted).

Subsequent events

Sadly, the peace between the princes did not last long. David Igorevich brought confusion into the relationship between Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich and Vasilko Rostislavich by sending a messenger to the former with a message about the impending capture of Kyiv by the latter. Svyatopolk, who believed the slander, called Vasilko to Kyiv, where he first took him into custody and then blinded him. Meanwhile, David Igorevich invaded the Terebovel principality (the estate of Vasilko Rostislavich) and captured the main fortress of Terebovel and nearby lands.

Having heard about the blatant violation of the oaths given by the princes, Vladimir Monomakh gathers an army and goes to Kyiv. Having besieged the city, Vladimir Monomakh seeks from Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich the release of Vasilko Rostislavich, as well as his consent to go on a joint campaign against David Igorevich. The internecine war broke out with renewed vigor and lasted until 1110.

At least two congresses are associated with this period:

• Congress in Uvetichi. It took place in August 1110 near the city of Uvetichi. The goal is the example of princes and the trial of the apostate David Igorevich. He lost his principality, however, he was not executed; on the contrary, Svyatopolk gave him Dubna and Chertorizhsk to reign, and the Svyatoslavichs allocated a large sum of money. The wise decision of the princes made it possible to avoid a new round of bloody war and allowed the war to stop for a while.
• Dolob Congress. The congress of princes, which took place in 1103 at Dolob Lake near Kyiv. A distinctive feature of this congress was that not only the grand dukes, but also representatives of the squad participated in the decisions. The Dolob congress made it possible to unite the squads and make several successful campaigns against the Polovtsians.

And although each congress called for unification and an end to strife and civil strife, the effectiveness of the agreements was quite low and, in the end, as we see from history, a stronger and more developed principality absorbed a smaller and weaker one until only one remained - Moscow, which again united Rus' together.

Congress of Princes in Lyubech (Lyubech Congress) - a meeting between Russian princes during the first internecine war with the aim of concluding an agreement and dividing possessions. The congress of princes in Lyubech took place in 1097.

Reasons for the Lyubech Congress

The end of the 11th century turned out to be very difficult for Rus'. The country was in a state of constant war - on the one hand, the Polovtsians were constantly raiding the border territories, on the other hand, there were constant internecine wars between the princes for the right to rule in Rus'. In order to get rid of the raids of foreign invaders, the warring princes had to establish peace and create a single army. It was this desire that served as the main reason for convening the Lyubech Congress of Princes.

The first congress of princes in Lyubech

Six princes took part in the congress. The meeting was convened on the initiative of Vladimir Monomakh, who made a speech to those gathered about the need to create a unified army to defeat the Cumans. In order to resolve all the issues that arose between the princes, Vladimir Monomakh proposed re-dividing the territories and spheres of influence so that everyone gets what they want. After long conversations, the goal of the congress of princes in Lyubech was achieved - the territories were divided, and the state was ready to form a unified army to confront the Polovtsians.

Results of the Lyubech Congress of Princes:

• Svyatopolk Izyaslavich - Kyiv with Turov and Pinsk and the title of Grand Duke;
• Vladimir Monomakh - Pereyaslavl Principality, Suzdal-Rostov land, Smolensk and Beloozero;
• Oleg and Davyd Svyatoslavich - Chernigov and Seversk land, Ryazan, Murom and Tmutarakan;
• Davyd Igorevich - Vladimir-Volynsky with Lutsk;
• Vasilko Rostislavich (with brother) - Terebovl, Cherven, Przemysl.

Consequences and significance of the Lyubech Congress

The Congress of Princes in Lyubech was the first such meeting in Kievan Rus and its decisions were supposed to create a solid foundation for a new, united and more powerful state that could repel the attack of the invaders. However, this was prevented by betrayal. Prince Davyd Igorevich became a traitor.

Immediately after the end of the meeting, Davyd Igorevich secretly met with the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk and informed him of the conspiracy - that Vladimir Monomakh and Vasilko Rostislavich decided to secretly seize the throne, bypassing other princes. Svyatopolk believed and invited Vasilko to his place in Kyiv, where the latter was immediately accused of treason by Davyd and imprisoned. As a result of this betrayal, a new internecine war broke out.

The main decisions of the first Lyubech Congress of Princes were supposed to stop the war, but due to betrayal, the situation only worsened.

Seeing that the princes began to fight again, Vladimir Monomakh decided to convene another congress, which took place in 1110 near Kyiv. During the meeting, the princes decided that they forgive Davyd’s act and are not going to take revenge on him. In confirmation of this, Svyatopolk presented Davyd with the cities of Chertorizhsk and Dubna, and other princes allocated significant sums of money.

The civil strife was stopped, and the state could finally follow the decisions of the first Lubech Congress, which proclaimed peace between the princes and a unified state.

What was the significance of the Lyubech Congress of Princes? and got the best answer

Answer from Lyudmilka[guru]
Princely congresses, as a unique form of government, a means of making important decisions and resolving controversial issues, began to gather in the second half of the 11th century. At the congresses, issues of the feudal structure of the lands, relations between the princes, and the organization of consolidated resistance to the threat from the Steppe were discussed.
The Lyubech Congress of 1097 is considered by historians to be the most important in terms of its relevance and the significance of the decisions taken at it. At that time, princely feuds, like rust, were corroding the once great state from within - Kievan Rus. Feudal divisions prevailed. Each prince wanted to seize the wealth of his neighbor by force, and all together sought to sit on the grand ducal table in Kyiv.
Seeing these strife, the further, the more active the Polovtsians began to act, attacking not only the lands bordering the steppe, but also conducting raids far into the Russian lands. Cities and villages burned, people died, unable to adequately repel the attackers. And some princes began to “invite” the Polovtsians as allies, going to rob their neighbors.
In connection with the growing Polovtsian danger, an urgent need arose to unite all the forces of Rus'-Ukraine to repel the nomads, to stop princely feuds at any cost. In 1097, the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Pereyaslavl (at that time) Prince Vladimir Monomakh, Smolensk Prince David Svyatoslavich, his brother Chernigov Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, Vladimir-Volyn Prince David Igorevich and Terebovl Prince Vasilko Rostislavich, together with small squads gathered in the city of Lyubech , at the Lyubech Castle at the congress. The initiative to convene the congress of princes belonged to Vladimir Monomakh, who shortly before voluntarily ceded the principality of Chernigov to the Svyatoslavichs, and himself sat down in Pereyaslav.
The goal of the Lyubech Congress was to end the hostility between the Svyatoslavichs and other princes, to stop internecine wars and stand together against the threat from the Steppe, against the Polovtsians. The princes said: “Why are we destroying the Russian land, creating discord among ourselves? And the Polovtsians are tearing our land to shreds and rejoicing that we are waging wars among ourselves. From now on, let us unite with one heart and cherish and honor the Russian land.”
One of the immediate causes of princely strife was the lack of direct inheritance of lands. Estates and inheritances were inherited not by the son after the father, but by the elder brother. The sons were left without land, which caused endless disputes and attempts to resolve them with the help of weapons.
Direct inheritance was proposed by Yaroslav and his supporters and was introduced at the congress in Lyubech. Each prince was given those lands that belonged to his father, the principle was proclaimed: “Let each one maintain his fatherland.” The prince was now supposed to own the inherited lands and was obliged not to encroach on the lands of his neighbors.
Svyatopolk received Kyiv along with the lands that had always belonged to his family - Turov. Vladimir received all the lands of Vsevolod - Pereyaslav, Smolensk, Suzdal, Rostov and Beloozero. Novgorod went to his son Mstislav. Chernigov land, Ryazan and Murom were assigned to Oleg, David and Yaroslav Svyatoslavich. David Igorevich got the Vladimir-Volyn land, Volodar Rostislavich - Przemysl, Vasilko Rostislavich - Terebovl. “And on that they kissed the cross: If from now on anyone goes against anyone, we will all be against him and the cross is honorable. They all said: Let there be an honorable cross against him and the whole Russian land!” , - it is said in the chronicle.
The significance of the first Lyubech Congress of 1097 primarily lay in the fact that it was the first largely successful attempt to stop the process of disintegration of the Kiev state into small appanage principalities by changing the principles of inheritance and setting a common goal for the princes - providing proper armed resistance to Polovtsian attacks on Rus' -Ukraine. The First Lyubech Congress stopped the struggle for the Chernigov lands for a certain time and allowed the forces of the border principalities to unite against the Polovtsian threat.

Answer from Beatiful lady[guru]
Confirmation of the fragmentation of Rus'.

Answer from Maria Pikalova[newbie]
The Lyubech Congress of Russian Princes took place in 1097, in the city of Lyubech, on the Dnieper. The princes, at the congress, were able to agree on the recognition of the rights of each of the princes who belonged to the Rurik family to their patrimony. But the seizure of someone else's land belonging to a brother or relative was considered a crime. Participants of the Lyubech Congress kissed the cross as a sign that they would abide by its decisions. The former princes agreed at the Lyubech congress that if someone encroaches on someone else's land, then the other princes will take up arms against him.
At the Lyubchesky Congress, it was possible to agree on joint actions to protect Russian land from raids by nomads. The main event of the Lyubech Congress was the proclamation of the principles of inheritance by the princes of the lands of their fathers. This decision meant the emergence of a new political system in Rus', the basis of which was large feudal land ownership. Unfortunately, immediately after the Lyubech Congress, strife began again. David Igorevich and Svyatopolk blinded Vasilko Rostislavich, thereby starting a new wave of strife.
It is necessary to highlight the main decisions of the Lyubech Congress and emphasize its significance as a conscious attempt by the princes to come to an agreement and unite in the face of a common - Polovtsian - danger. Special emphasis should be placed on Vladimir Monomakh’s proposals that a) each prince “sit in his homeland”; b) so as not to call on nomads as allies in internecine struggle. In fact, this meant the formalization of the feudal fragmentation of the state.
The second attempt to preserve the unity of Kievan Rus was the congress of princes on Lake Dolob. At the congress, decisions were made according to which the princes united to fight the Polovtsians. As a result, the Polovtsians were successfully beaten by Vladimir Monomakh and his allies, but the unity of Rus' was never preserved.