The reign of Prince Svyatoslav falls on. Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich - short biography. Birth and youth

Svyatoslav Igorevich (942-March 972) - Grand Duke of Kiev from 945 to 972, became famous as a commander.
Svyatoslav went down in the history of Ancient Rus' as a shining example of military valor. His speech before the last decisive battle with the Byzantines near Dorostol is evidence of a high understanding of the importance of military honor in ancient Russian society:
“We will not disgrace the Russian Land, we will lie here as bones. The dead have no shame. If we run, we will disgrace ourselves. Let's stand strong. If my head falls, look after yourself.”
The warriors answered him: “Where your head lies, there we will lay our heads.”

B. Olshansky. Legend about Svyatoslav

In Byzantine synchronous sources he was called Sfendoslav.

Russian historian N.M. Karamzin called him “Alexander (Macedonian) of our ancient history.” According to Academician B. A. Rybakov: “Svyatoslav’s campaigns of 965-968 are like a single saber strike, drawing a wide semicircle on the map of Europe from the Middle Volga region to the Caspian Sea and further along the North Caucasus and the Black Sea region to the Balkan lands of Byzantium.”

Svyatoslav Igorevich

Formally, Svyatoslav became the Grand Duke at the age of 3 after the death of his father, Grand Duke Igor, in 945, but he ruled independently from about 960. Under Svyatoslav, the Kyiv state was largely ruled by his mother, Princess Olga, first because of Svyatoslav’s childhood, then because of his constant presence on military campaigns. When returning from a campaign against Bulgaria, Svyatoslav was killed by the Pechenegs in 972 on the Dnieper rapids.

Olga Mudraya. Drawing by V.P. Vereshchagin.

According to ancient Russian chronicles, Svyatoslav was the only son of the great Kyiv prince Igor and the daughter of the Varangian Olga. The year of his birth is not known exactly. According to the Ipatiev list, Svyatoslav was born in 942, but in other lists, for example the Laurentian list, there is no such entry. Researchers are alarmed by the omission of such important information by census takers, although it does not contradict other messages.

The literature also mentions 920 as the year of birth of Svyatoslav, but this contradicts the known information about the reign of Svyatoslav.

Svyatoslav is the first reliably known Kiev prince with a Slavic name, although his parents bear names with recognized Scandinavian etymology.

Unknown author. “The First Rurikovichs” Igor I, Rurik, Svyatoslav Igorevich

In Byzantine sources of the 10th century his name is written as Sfendoslavos.
It was noted that the first part of Svyatoslav’s name corresponds in meaning to the Scandinavian names of his mother Olga and Prince Oleg the Prophet (“holy, holy”), and the second part to the name of Rurik (“mighty with glory”), which corresponds to the early medieval tradition of taking into account the names of other members of the princely family when naming . However, some researchers question the possibility of such a translation of names from one language to another.

The very first mention of Svyatoslav in a synchronous historical document is contained in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of Prince Igor of 944.

Prince Igor Rurikovich was killed (945) by the Drevlyans for exacting an exorbitant tribute from them. His widow Olga, who became regent for her 3-year-old son, went the next year with an army to the land of the Drevlyans. The battle was opened by four-year-old Svyatoslav, throwing

“a spear at the Drevlyans, and the spear flew between the horse’s ears and hit the horse’s legs, for Svyatoslav was still a child. And Sveneld [the commander] and Asmud [the breadwinner] said:
“The prince has already begun; Let us follow, squad, the prince."

Igor’s squad defeated the Drevlyans, Olga forced them to submit, and then traveled around Rus', building a system of government.

According to the chronicle, Svyatoslav spent his entire childhood with his mother in Kyiv, which contradicts the remark of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus (about 949): “The monoxyls coming from external Russia to Constantinople are some of the Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, the son of Ingor, the Archon of Russia, sat.”
In Nemogarda, Constantine is usually seen as Novgorod, which the sons of the Kyiv princes traditionally owned subsequently. Constantine also mentions Svyatoslav's name without a title when describing Olga's visit to Constantinople (957).

Princess Olga converted to Christianity in 955-957 and tried to convert her son. But Svyatoslav remained a pagan to the end, explaining that a Christian would not enjoy authority among the squad. The chronicler quotes the Apostle Paul: “To those who do not believe, the Christian faith is foolishness.”

The Western European chronicle of the Successor Reginon reports in 959 about the ambassadors of Olga, “Queen of the Rugs,” to the King of Germany Otto I the Great on the issue of the baptism of Rus'. However, in 962, the mission sent by Otto I to Kyiv failed due to the resistance of Svyatoslav and Olga’s reluctance to change the Byzantine rite she had previously adopted.

Military Council of Svyatoslav. Chorikov B.

The Tale of Bygone Years reports about Svyatoslav’s first independent steps in 964:

“When Svyatoslav grew up and matured, he began to gather many brave warriors, and he was fast, like a pardus, and he fought a lot. On campaigns, he did not carry carts or cauldrons with him, did not cook meat, but thinly sliced ​​horse meat, or animal meat, or beef and fried it over coals, and ate it like that; He did not have a tent, but slept on a sweatcloth with a saddle in his head - all his other warriors were the same. And he sent them to other lands with the words: “I’m coming to you!”

Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. ""I'm coming!" Artist Leo Hao

Khazar campaign of Svyatoslav

The Tale of Bygone Years reports that in 964 Svyatoslav “went to the Oka River and the Volga, and met the Vyatichi.” It is possible that at this time, when Svyatoslav’s main goal was to strike at the Khazars, he did not subjugate the Vyatichi, that is, he had not yet imposed tribute on them.

In 965 Svyatoslav attacked Khazaria:

“In the year 6473 (965) Svyatoslav went against the Khazars. Having heard it, the Khazars came out to meet him with their prince Kagan and agreed to fight, and in the battle Svyatoslav defeated the Khazars, and took their capital and the White Vezha.
And he defeated the Yases and Kasogs.”

Roerich "Slavs on the Dnieper"

A contemporary of the events, Ibn-Haukal, dates the campaign to a later time and also reports about the war with Volga Bulgaria, news of which is not confirmed by other sources:

“Bulgar is a small city, it does not have numerous districts, and was known for being a port for the states mentioned above, and the Rus devastated it and came to Khazaran, Samandar and Itil in the year 358 (968/969) and set off immediately after to the country of Rum and Andalus...
And al-Khazar is a side, and there is a city in it called Samandar, and it is in the space between it and Bab al-Abwab, and there were numerous gardens in it... but then the Russians came there, and not a single grape remained in that city , not a raisin."

Having defeated the armies of both states and ravaged their cities, Svyatoslav defeated the Yasses and Kasogs, took and destroyed Semender in Dagestan. According to one version, Svyatoslav first took Sarkel on the Don (in 965), then moved east, and in 968 or 969 he conquered Itil and Semender. M.I. Artamonov believed that the Russian army was moving down the Volga and the capture of Itil preceded the capture of Sarkel.

Svyatoslav not only crushed the Khazar Kaganate, but also tried to secure the conquered territories for himself. In place of Sarkel, the Russian settlement of Belaya Vezha appears, Tmutarakan comes under the rule of Kyiv, there is information that Russian troops were in Itil and Semender until the 990s, although their status is not clear.

In 966, after the defeat of the Khazars, the Tale of Bygone Years reports the victory over the Vyatichi and the imposition of tribute on them.

Greek sources remain silent about events in Rus'. Byzantium was interested in the destruction of Khazaria, and its allied relations with the prince of Kyiv are confirmed by the participation of Russian troops in the campaign of the Greek emperor Nikephoros Phocas to Crete.

Yu. Lazarev

Conquest of the Bulgarian Kingdom. 968-969

In 967, a conflict broke out between Byzantium and the Bulgarian kingdom, the cause of which is stated differently in sources.
In 967/968, the Byzantine emperor Nicephorus Phocas sent an embassy to Svyatoslav.
The head of the embassy, ​​Kalokir, was given 15 centinarii of gold (approx. 455 kg) to direct the Rus to raid Bulgaria. According to the most common version, Byzantium wanted to crush the Bulgarian kingdom with the wrong hands, and at the same time weaken Kievan Rus, which, after the victory over Khazaria, could turn its gaze to the Crimean possessions of Byzantium.

Kalokir agreed with Svyatoslav on an anti-Bulgarian alliance, but at the same time asked to help him take the Byzantine throne from Nikephoros Phocas. For this, according to the Byzantine chroniclers John Skilitsa and Leo the Deacon, Kalokir promised “great, countless treasures from the state treasury” and the right to all conquered Bulgarian lands.

In 968, Svyatoslav invaded Bulgaria and, after the war with the Bulgarians, settled at the mouth of the Danube, in Pereyaslavets, where “tribute from the Greeks” was sent to him.
During this period, relations between Rus' and Byzantium were most likely friendly, since the Italian ambassador Liutprand in July 968 saw Russian ships as part of the Byzantine fleet.

Chorikov B.

By 968-969. refers to the attack on Kyiv by the Pechenegs. Svyatoslav and his cavalry returned to defend the capital and drove the Pechenegs into the steppe. Historians A.P. Novoseltsev and T.M. Kalinina suggest that the Khazars contributed to the Pechenegs’ attack on Rus', and in response, Svyatoslav organized a second campaign against them, during which Itil was captured and the Kaganate was finally defeated.

Grand Duke Svyatoslav kissing his mother and children upon returning from the Danube to Kyiv. I. A. Akimov, 1773
Ivan Akimov. Svyatoslav's return from the Danube to his family in Kiev (1773).

During the prince's stay in Kyiv, his mother, Princess Olga, who actually ruled Russia in the absence of her son, died. Svyatoslav arranges the government of the state: he places his son Yaropolk in the Kiev reign, Oleg in the Drevlyansk reign, Vladimir in the Novgorod reign. After this, Svyatoslav again went to Bulgaria with an army in the fall of 969. The Tale of Bygone Years reports his words:

“I don’t like to sit in Kyiv, I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube - for there is the middle of my land, all the good things flow there: from the Greek land - gold, grass, wine, various fruits, from the Czech Republic and from Hungary, silver and horses, from Rus' and furs and wax, honey and slaves.”

The chronicle of Pereyaslavets on the Danube is not precisely identified. Sometimes it is identified with Preslav, or referred to the river port on the Danube Preslav Maly. According to a version from unknown sources (as presented by Tatishchev V.N.), in the absence of Svyatoslav in Pereyaslavets, his governor, Voivode Volk, was forced to withstand a siege from the Bulgarians. Byzantine sources sparingly describe Svyatoslav's war with the Bulgarians. His army on boats approached the Bulgarian Dorostol on the Danube and after the battle captured it from the Bulgarians. Later, the capital of the Bulgarian kingdom, Preslav the Great, was captured, after which the Bulgarian king entered into a forced alliance with Svyatoslav.

Svyatoslav and the pagan warriors

War with Byzantium 970-971

Faced with Svyatoslav's attack, the Bulgarians asked Byzantium for help. Emperor Nikifor Phokas was greatly concerned about the Rus' invasion; he decided to consolidate the alliance with the Bulgarian kingdom through a dynastic marriage. Brides from the royal Bulgarian family had already arrived in Constantinople when, as a result of the coup on December 11, 969, Nicephorus Phokas was killed, and John Tzimiskes was on the Byzantine throne (the marriage plans never came to fruition).

In the same year 969, the Bulgarian Tsar Peter I abdicated the throne in favor of his son Boris, and the Western counties came out from under the authority of Preslav. While Byzantium hesitated to provide direct armed assistance to the Bulgarians, their longtime enemies, they entered into an alliance with Svyatoslav and subsequently fought against Byzantium on the side of the Rus.

John tried to convince Svyatoslav to leave Bulgaria, promising tribute, but to no avail. Svyatoslav decided to firmly establish himself on the Danube, thus expanding the possessions of Rus'. Byzantium hastily transferred troops from Asia Minor to the borders of Bulgaria, placing them in fortresses.

Pursuit of the retreating Russian army by the Byzantines.
Miniature from the Madrid copy of the “History” of John Skylitzes

In the spring of 970, Svyatoslav, in alliance with the Bulgarians, Pechenegs and Hungarians, attacked the Byzantine possessions in Thrace. The Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon estimates the number of allies at more than 30 thousand soldiers, while the Greek commander Vardas Skleros had from 10 to 12 thousand soldiers at hand.
Varda Sklir avoided battle in the open field, conserving his forces in fortresses. Svyatoslav's army reached Arcadiopolis (120 km from Constantinople), where a general battle took place.
According to Byzantine sources, all the Pechenegs were surrounded and killed, and then the main forces of Svyatoslav were defeated.
The Old Russian chronicle describes events differently; according to the chronicler, Svyatoslav came close to Constantinople, but retreated only after taking a large tribute, including for the dead soldiers.

One way or another, in the summer of 970, major military operations on the territory of Byzantium ceased, Bardas Sklerus and his army urgently recalled to Asia Minor to suppress the uprising of Bardas Phocas.
The Rus' raids on Byzantium continued, so that after the successful suppression of the Vardas uprising, Sklir was again transferred to the borders of Bulgaria in November 970.

In April 971, Emperor John I Tzimiskes personally opposed Svyatoslav at the head of a land army, sending a fleet of 300 ships to the Danube to cut off the Russians' retreat.
On April 13, 971, the Bulgarian capital Preslav was captured, where the Bulgarian Tsar Boris II was captured. Part of the Russian soldiers, led by governor Sfenkel, managed to break through to the north to Dorostol, where Svyatoslav was located with the main forces.

On April 23, 971, Tzimiskes approached Dorostol. In the battle, the Rus were driven back into the fortress, and a 3-month siege began. The parties suffered losses in continuous skirmishes, the Russian leaders Ikmor and Sfenkel were killed, and the Byzantines' military leader John Kurkuas fell.
On July 21, another general battle took place, in which Svyatoslav, according to the Byzantines, was wounded. The battle ended without result for both sides, but after it Svyatoslav entered into peace negotiations.

Meeting of Svyatoslav with John Tzimiskes. K. Lebedev, 1916

John Tzimiskes unconditionally accepted the conditions of the Rus. Svyatoslav and his army had to leave Bulgaria; the Byzantines provided his soldiers (22 thousand) with a supply of bread for 2 months.
Svyatoslav also entered into a military alliance with Byzantium, and trade relations were restored.
Under these conditions, Svyatoslav left Bulgaria, which was greatly weakened by the wars on its territory.

The Bulgarian Tsar Boris II laid down the signs of royal power and was elevated to the rank of master by John Tzimiskes. All of eastern Bulgaria was annexed to Byzantium, only the western regions retained independence.

After the conclusion of peace, Svyatoslav safely reached the mouth of the Dnieper and set off on boats to the rapids. Voivode Sveneld told him: “Go around, prince, the rapids on horseback, for the Pechenegs are standing at the rapids.” Svyatoslav's attempt in 971 to climb the Dnieper failed, he had to spend the winter at the mouth of the Dnieper, and try again in the spring of 972. However, the Pechenegs still guarded the Rus. Svyatoslav died in the battle:

“When spring came, Svyatoslav went to the rapids. And Kurya, the prince of Pecheneg, attacked him, and they killed Svyatoslav, and took his head, and made a cup from the skull, bound it, and drank from it. Sveneld came to Kyiv to Yaropolk.”

Chorikov B.

The death of Svyatoslav in the battle with the Pechenegs is confirmed by Leo the Deacon:

“Sfendoslav left Doristol, returned the prisoners according to the agreement and sailed with his remaining comrades, heading his way to his homeland. On the way, they were ambushed by the Patsinaki - a large nomadic tribe that eats lice, carries dwellings with them and spends most of their lives in carts. They killed almost all the [Ross], killing Sfendoslav along with the others, so that only a few of the huge army of the Ros returned unharmed to their native places.”

Some historians suggest that it was Byzantine diplomacy that convinced the Pechenegs to attack Svyatoslav. The book “On the Administration of the Empire” by Constantine Porphyrogenitus reports on the need for an alliance with the Pechenegs for protection from the Russians and Hungarians, and also that the Pechenegs pose a serious danger to the Russians crossing the rapids.
Based on this, it is emphasized that the use of the Pechenegs to eliminate the hostile prince occurred in accordance with the Byzantine foreign policy guidelines of that time. Although the Tale of Bygone Years names not the Greeks, but the Pereyaslavl people (Bulgarians) as the organizers of the ambush, and John Skylitsa reports that the Byzantine embassy, ​​on the contrary, asked the Pechenegs to let the Russians through.

About Svyatoslav's appearance

New York Public Library (NYPL) digital gallery. Slav warrior, russian knyaz Svyatoslav. Illustration from russian book: F.G. Solntsev, “Odezhdy Russkago gosudarstva. Risunki istoricheskie i freski.” Published in 1869.

The Byzantine historian Leo the Deacon left a colorful description of Svyatoslav’s appearance during his meeting with Emperor Tzimiskes after the conclusion of peace:
“Sfendoslav also appeared, sailing along the river on a Scythian boat; he sat on the oars and rowed along with his entourage, no different from them. This is what his appearance was: of moderate height, not too tall and not very short, with thick eyebrows and light blue eyes, snub nose, beardless, with thick, excessively long hair above his upper lip. His head was completely naked, but a tuft of hair hung from one side of it - a sign of the nobility of the family; the strong back of his head, broad chest and all other parts of his body were quite proportionate, but he looked gloomy and stern. He had a gold earring in one ear; it was decorated with a carbuncle framed by two pearls. His robe was white and differed from the clothing of his entourage only in its noticeable cleanliness.

Sons.

* Yaropolk Svyatoslavich, Prince of Kyiv
* Oleg Svyatoslavich, Prince of Drevlyansky
* Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Prince of Novgorod, Prince of Kiev, Baptist of Rus'

History has not preserved the name of the mother of Yaropolk and Oleg, unlike the mother of Vladimir Malushi.

John Skylitzes also mentions "brother Vladimir, son-in-law of the basileus" Sfeng, who in 1016 helped the Byzantines suppress the uprising of George Tsul in Chersonese.
The name Sfeng does not appear in ancient Russian chronicles and other sources.
According to the hypothesis of A.V. Solovyov, this does not mean a brother, but the son of Vladimir and the grandson of Svyatoslav Mstislav.

Diorama from the Museum of the History of the Zaporozhye Cossacks
"The Last Battle of Svyatoslav." Author - Nikolay Ovechkin

Battle near the Chorna Skeli

The sorcerer seems to be saying: “How can I help you, prince?”

Fragments

Uneven fight

A sorcerer with a sword near a chur pierced by an arrow, possibly defending

Adversary Khan Kurya

Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich killing a Khazar Jew.
Monument by sculptor V.M. Klykova.

Mikeshin M. Svyatoslav Igorevich

Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich.

The era of pre-Christian Rus' has long sunk into oblivion, but the names of the heroes of those distant years and their feats of arms still live in the people's memory. One of the outstanding people of that time and the greatest Russian commander was Svyatoslav Igorevich, Grand Duke of Kiev.

The end of the 1st millennium AD, to some extent, can be called a turning point for the Russian land. The spread of Christianity had already begun from the west, while Rus' until that time still remained pagan; in the east and south, the Russian state was constantly under the threat of Khazar and Pecheneg raids. It was in such turbulent times that Prince Svyatoslav was born. His father was Igor, Grand Duke of Kiev and Novgorod, the son of the founder of the Rurik dynasty, his mother was Princess Olga. According to the Ipatiev List, the birth of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich dates back to 942, but other chronicle sources call the year 930.

Today, the memory of Grand Duke Svyatoslav is immortalized not only in artistic images and sculptures, but also in drawings on various items of clothing and souvenirs, in particular, in our online military store Voenpro you can depict the Grand Duke Svyatoslav.

In 945, the Drevlyans killed Prince Svyatoslav’s father, Igor, and formally Svyatoslav became the Grand Duke, but due to Prince Svyatoslav’s minority, his mother, Princess Olga, became the de facto ruler of Rus'. However, she continued to govern the state even after he came of age due to Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich’s complete lack of interest in economic and administrative activities.

From an early age, the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich began to comprehend the basics of military art. His teachers were the Varangian Asmud, who, according to some chroniclers, was the uncle of the young prince Svyatoslav, and the governor of Kyiv Sveneld. Together with Asmud, as a child, Prince Svyatoslav participated in expeditions to the Estonians, Samoyeds, and Finns, and probably also took part in the sea voyages of the Russians. Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich studied the strategy and tactics of warfare under the guidance of governor Sveneld.

Campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav

Having barely matured, Prince Svyatoslav begins to assemble a squad. At the same time, Prince Svyatoslav’s mother, Princess Olga, converts to Christianity and tries to persuade her son, who categorically refuses baptism, to accept the Orthodox faith. Until the end of his life, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich worshiped pagan gods, in particular Perun, the patron saint of the prince and the princely squad, and Khors, the personification of the Sun. In view of this, we bring to your attention the Great One against the background of a symbolic image of the Sun.

By the age of twenty, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich became an experienced and skillful warrior, his squad matched him, and from that moment Prince Svyatoslav’s independent campaigns began, and their goal was by no means profit, which was a rare case for that time.

The Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich became a successful “gatherer of lands,” significantly expanding the borders of the Old Russian state, which during the reign of Prince Svyatoslav became the largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world. Russian historian N. Karamzin described Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich as “Alexander the Great of ancient Russian history.”

Khazar campaign of Svyatoslav

In 964, the squad of Prince Svyatoslav set out in an eastern direction with the aim of weakening the influence of the Khazar Kaganate. The defeat of the Khazar Kaganate began in 964, on July 3. Subsequently, this date began to be considered the Day of Remembrance of Prince Svyatoslav the Brave.

However, it should be noted here that the above data described in the “Tale of Bygone Years” differs somewhat from other chronicle sources, the authors of which attribute Svyatoslav’s Khazar campaign to a later time (965 or 966).

When preparing an attack on the Khazars, Svyatoslav abandoned a frontal attack across the Volga and Don rivers; instead, he undertook a grandiose for that time outflanking maneuver. To begin with, Prince Svyatoslav conquered the Slavic tribes of the Vyatichi, dependent on the Khazars. In his next move, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich defeated the Burtases and Volga Bulgars, who were also subordinate to the Khazar Kaganate, thereby ensuring the safety of the northern flank of his army. Not expecting an attack from the north by Prince Svyatoslav, the Khazars were completely disorganized, which gave Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich the opportunity to take their capital, Itil.

Further advancing on the Khazars, Svyatoslav defeated their most important stronghold - the Semender fortress and installed the Russian outpost Belaya Vezha in its place. Also during the campaign, Prince Svyatoslav conquered the Kasog tribes, after which he founded the Tmutarakan principality on the Taman Peninsula.

The defeat of the Khazar Khaganate by Svyatoslav marked the beginning of the dominance of Kievan Rus in eastern Europe. The significance of Svyatoslav’s victory over the Khazars is also due to the fact that the most important trade route, the Great Silk Road, passed through the lands of the Khazars and Volga Bulgars at that time, and after Svyatoslav’s defeat of the Khazar Kaganate, Russian merchants were able to trade duty-free with the eastern states, which had a beneficial effect on the economy of Kievan Rus .

However, the military activity of Prince Svyatoslav did not end there. After consolidating in the eastern direction, the aspirations of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich turned to the West, towards the Danube. Chronicles say that from that time on, before the start of the attack, the prince’s rivals received a message from Svyatoslav: “I’m coming at you!”

On the website of our online military store you can buy various items with the image of Prince Stanislav the Great against the background of his amulet - the symbol of the Sun, in particular, and with the saying “The Sun is for us!”

Bulgarian campaigns of Prince Svyatoslav

In 967, the Byzantine Empire concluded an anti-Bulgarian treaty with Kiev, and the squad of Prince Svyatoslav set out on a campaign to the Danube shores. However, it was not only the union treaty that spurred Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich’s aspirations to the west. During the Khazar campaign of Svyatoslav, many Khazars took refuge with the Bulgarians, who were their allies, thus the Khazar factor played a significant role in the Bulgarian campaign of Prince Svyatoslav the Great.

In one battle, Prince Svyatoslav achieved dominance over Eastern Bulgaria and settled in Pereyaslavets. It should be noted here that, according to the chroniclers, after the defeat of the Bulgarian army, the further relations of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich with the Bulgarians were the most friendly, apparently due to the fact that Christianity was not yet widespread in Bulgaria at that time and Prince Svyatoslav’s squad saw Bulgarians of their co-religionists and blood brothers.

However, the peaceful life of Prince Svyatoslav the Great did not last long. Soon, Svyatoslav received news from Kievan Rus about the Pechenegs attacking Kyiv. At that time, Princess Olga and the sons of Prince Svyatoslav remained in the capital of Rus', whose upbringing she was involved in.

Having received news of the Pecheneg invasion, Svyatoslav and his personal squad hurried to the aid of Kyiv, leaving Voivode Volk in Pereyaslavets. On the way, a large number of “warriors” joined Prince Svyatoslav’s squad (as in the times of Kievan Rus they called all persons who owned weapons). When Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich approached Kyiv, the Pechenegs fled, but they managed to get away not far.

After a thorough beating given to them by Svyatoslav, the Pechenegs apologized and asked for peace.

At the same time, Prince Svyatoslav the Brave learns from the Pechenegs that the instigator of this raid was the already badly battered Khazar Khaganate, and then he goes on a campaign against the Khazars for the second time. The second Khazar campaign of Prince Svyatoslav ended with the complete defeat of the Kaganate, its capital was destroyed.

And, as after any of his victories, Prince Svyatoslav and his retinue thanked their gods, who brought them good luck, and on our website, among various products with the image of Prince Svyatoslav the Great, you can purchase.

Upon Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich’s return to Kyiv, his mother, Olga, who was the de facto ruler of Kievan Rus during her son’s absence, dies. Prince Svyatoslav decided to rule the state in a new way: he put his son Yarpolk to reign in Kyiv, Svyatoslav’s son Oleg was put in the Drevlyan reign, and Vladimir was put in the Novgorod reign. Prince Svyatoslav the Brave himself in 969 again went with an army to Bulgaria, from where alarming news came. The Bulgarian Tsar Peter, who concluded a truce with Svyatoslav the Great, abdicated the throne, the new Tsar Boris II broke the peace agreement with the Rus and began military operations against the Russian garrisons remaining in Bulgaria. Voivode Volk, who remained in Pereyaslavets, could not resist the superior enemy and went down the Danube in boats, where he united with the army of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich, who was coming to his aid. Pereyaslavets was taken a second time, but this time the battle was bloody.

After the capture of Pereyaslavts, Prince Svyatoslav the Great moved deep into Bulgaria and, encountering virtually no resistance, entered its capital - Preslav, where the Bulgarian Tsar Boris recognized himself as a vassal of Prince Svyatoslav the Great.

At the same time, in Byzantium, which was previously an ally of Prince Svyatoslav the Great, a change of power occurs, and a new big war becomes inevitable.

For those who are interested in the history of the Russian land, our military trader Voenpro has prepared a large number of souvenirs, including ones with the image of Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. In particular, you can purchase from us with a portrait of Svyatoslav the Great against the backdrop of sunny Kolovrat.

War of Prince Svyatoslav with Byzantium

In the spring of 970, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich, having concluded an alliance with the Bulgarians, Hungarians and Pechenegs, began an attack on the Byzantine possessions in Thrace. The general battle took place 120 km from the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople. In this battle, Prince Svyatoslav suffered heavy losses, but he managed to get close to the city, after which Svyatoslav the Great retreated, taking a large tribute. After this, for a year no military action was taken by either side, until in 971, in April, John I Tzimiskes, who had shortly before become the Byzantine emperor, began military operations against Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich. Almost immediately, the Byzantines managed to capture the Bulgarian capital Preslav, after which John I began the siege of Dorostol, where the main forces of the Russian army led by Prince Svyatoslav were located.

During the three months of the siege, continuous skirmishes continued until another general battle took place on July 21, in which Svyatoslav the Brave was seriously wounded. During the battle, neither side achieved the desired results, but after it, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich entered into peace negotiations with the Byzantines.

As a result, an honorable peace was concluded between Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich and the Byzantine emperor, according to which the Russians received huge repatriations on the condition of renouncing Bulgarian possessions.

After the conclusion of peace, Svyatoslav the Great and his army left Bulgaria. Having safely reached the mouth of the Dnieper, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich attempted to ascend to the rapids on boats, but he failed, and Prince Svyatoslav’s army was left to winter at the mouth of the river. In the spring of 972, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich set off again, but his former allies, the Pechenegs, were waiting for him near the Dnieper rapids. A battle ensued, during which Svyatoslav the Great died.

Old Russian prince Svyatoslav Igorevich

For many centuries, historians have been studying the personality of Svyatoslav the Great, and it must be said that opinions about him are ambiguous, but the contribution of this talented commander to the history of the development of the Russian state is undoubted, and it is not for nothing that Svyatoslav the Brave is included in the top ten great commanders of the world.

Research continues to this day - in 2011, an ancient sword was found at the bottom of the Dnieper; it is even suggested that the owner of the sword was Prince Svyatoslav himself. This assumption is supported by the richly decorated hilt of the sword. After restoration, the “sword of Svyatoslav” is kept in the museum in Khortytsia.

However, the personality of Svyatoslav the Great is of interest not only to learned men; the memory of Prince Svyatoslav also lives in the hearts of ordinary people, as evidenced by the monuments to Svyatoslav the Brave. There are several of them - a monument to Prince Svyatoslav was erected in Kyiv, and on the territory of Russia, a sculptural image of Svyatoslav the Brave can be seen on a bas-relief in Veliky Novgorod, and near Belgorod, in memory of Svyatoslav the Great, on the 1040th anniversary of the victory over the Khazars, an equestrian statue of Prince Svyatoslav by the sculptor Klykov was installed .

Many artistic canvases are dedicated to the life and exploits of Prince Svyatoslav the Great, the last pagan prince of Rus', films are made about him and songs are written about him.

Our online military store Voenpro offers you original souvenirs with the image of the legendary prince, among which there is “Prince Svyatoslav”.

You can familiarize yourself with the full range of products on the theme of Ancient Rus, Slavs, Rodnoverie and sunny Kolovrat by clicking on.

AND Princess Olga, born in 942 in Kyiv. At the age of three he had already become a formal Grand Duke due to the death of his father, but the rule was actually exercised by his mother. Princess Olga ruled the state later because Prince Svyatoslav He was constantly on military campaigns. Thanks to the latter, Svyatoslav became famous as a commander.

If you believe ancient Russian chronicles Svyatoslav was the only child of Prince Igor and Princess Olga. He became the first famous prince Old Russian state with a Slavic name, there were still names of Scandinavian origin. Although there is a version that the name Svyatoslav is a Slavic adaptation of Scandinavian names: Olga (Helga - mother of Svyatoslav) is translated from Old Scandinavian as “saint”, and Rurik (Hrorek - grandfather of Svyatoslav) is translated as “great, glorious” - in the early Middle Ages in northern Europe it was normal to name a child after its mother. The Greeks called Svyatoslav Sfendoslavos. Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII wrote about Sfendoslavos, the son of Ingor, sitting in Nemogard (that is, Novgorod), which, by the way, contradicts the Russian chronicles, which say that Svyatoslav spent his entire childhood and youth in Kyiv.

It is also doubtful that four-year-old Svyatoslav began Princess Olga’s battle against the Drevlyans in 946 by throwing a spear at them.

Princess Olga had many plans for her son - she especially wanted to baptize him, marry him to a Byzantine princess (according to Doctor of Historical Sciences Alexander Nazarenko), and then begin Baptism of Rus' .

All these plans failed, Svyatoslav remained a convinced pagan until his death. He argued that his squad would not respect a Christian ruler. In addition, the war interested the young prince much more than politics. The chronicles mentioned a “working visit” of Olga and Svyatoslav to Constantinople in 955, as well as an embassy to the King of Germany Otto I on the issues of the baptism of Rus'.

All three of these points of the princess’s plans were later realized by her grandson - Vladimir Svyatoslavovich(Great).

Campaigns of Svyatoslav.

In 964, Svyatoslav and his army went east towards the Volga and Oka rivers. In 965 he defeated Khazars and the Volga Bulgars, thus crushing Khazar Khaganate and subjugating the lands of present-day Dagestan and the surrounding area. At the same time, Tmutarakan with the surrounding lands (the present-day Rostov region) and Itil (the present-day Astrakhan region) also came under the authority of Kyiv.

In 966, Svyatoslav defeated the Vyatichi tribes, who then inhabited vast territories on the site of modern Moscow, Kaluga, Oryol, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tula, Lipetsk and Voronezh regions.

In 967, a conflict broke out between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Kingdom. The Byzantine emperor sent an envoy with almost half a ton of gold to Svyatoslav and a request for military assistance. The emperor's geopolitical plans were as follows:

• by proxy, seize the Bulgarian kingdom, which was located at the intersection of profitable trade routes in the Danube region;
• weaken Rus' as a direct competitor and contender for control of trade in Eastern Europe (Rus, by the way, was already weakened by the war with the Vyatichi and the Khazar Khaganate);
• to distract Svyatoslav from a possible attack on the Crimean possessions of Byzantium (Chersonese).

The money did its job, and Svyatoslav went to Bulgaria in 968. He successfully conquered most of its possessions, and settled at the mouth of the Danube (the very intersection of trade routes), but at that moment the Pechenegs attacked Kyiv (did someone send them?), and the prince had to return to the capital.

By 969, Svyatoslav finally threw the Pechenegs back into the steppe, beyond the lands of the defeated Khazar Kaganate. Thus, he almost completely destroyed his enemies in the east.

In 971, the Byzantine emperor John Tzimiskes attacked the capital of Bulgaria by land and water and captured it. Then his troops surrounded Svyatoslav in the Dorostol fortress and besieged him. The siege lasted 3 months, both sides suffered significant losses, and Svyatoslav entered into peace negotiations.

As a result, the prince of Kyiv and his army left Bulgaria without hindrance, received a supply of provisions for 2 months, the trade alliance between Rus' and Byzantium was restored, but Bulgaria completely ceded to the Byzantine Empire.

On the way home, Svyatoslav spent the winter at the mouth of the Dnieper, and in the spring of 972 he went upstream. While passing the rapids, he was ambushed by the Pechenegs and was killed.

Finally, it is worth noting that, according to the chronicles, Svyatoslav had a non-standard appearance - bald with a forelock, as well as a long mustache and an earring in his ear. Some historians believe that it was from him that the Zaporozhye Cossacks adopted the style.

Svyatoslav the Brave is known from chronicles as the ruler of Rus' in the years 945-972. He distinguished himself as a brave commander. Svyatoslav’s biography is full of interesting facts, which we will consider.

Origin

Old Russian chronicles tell that Svyatoslav the Brave is the son of Princess Olga and Prince Igor. There is no exact information about his date of birth. Some sources indicate the year 942, others - 920.

In the history of Ancient Rus', Svyatoslav the Brave is considered the first leader with a Slavic name. His grandparents are of Scandinavian origin.

In some sources the prince's name is mentioned as Sfendoslavos. Experts suggest that the Scandinavian name Sven merged with the Slavic ending -slav. But not all scientists agree with this interpretation, because many Slavic names have the prefix Svent-, which, after the loss of sounds, gives the Slavic syllable “svyat”, which means “holy”.

Childhood

In historical chronicles, the first mention of Svyatoslav is in 944. This is an agreement between Prince Igor and Byzantium. According to chronicle documents, Prince Igor was killed in 945 for collecting a huge tribute. Olga, who had a young child, opposed the Drevlyans.

The campaign was successful, and Olga, having won, conquered the Drevlyans and began to rule them.

Chronicles inform that Svyatoslav spent his entire childhood with his mother in Kyiv. Olga became a Christian in 955-957 and tried to baptize her son. His mother told him about the happiness of being a Christian. Svyatoslav did not prevent others from converting, but he himself treated Christianity with disrespect and believed that the squad would not understand him.

Having matured, the prince was inflamed with the desire to distinguish himself as a commander. He was truly noble and always first declared war on nations, then attacked.

Some experts believe that Olga's delegation to Constantinople was undertaken with the aim of negotiating the marriage of Svyatoslav and the princess from Greece. Having been refused, the man was offended and firmly decided to remain a pagan.

Adulthood

The chronicle speaks about the adult life of Svyatoslav from 964. At this time the young man matured. The reign of Svyatoslav Igorevich began with the fact that he expelled all the Christian priests who came at the insistence of Olga’s mother. For Svyatoslav, who did not want to accept Christianity, this was a fundamental step.

The Kiev prince gathered a squad of warriors and actively participated in campaigns. The Tale of Bygone Years says that he did not take cauldrons or carts with him, but cut pieces of meat and cooked on coals, and slept in the open air, putting a saddle under his head.

Svyatoslav the Brave began his campaigns in 964, first he went against the Vyatichi living on the Oka and Volga, then against Khazaria. He managed to defeat the Khazars.

Historical sources provide various information about the capture of Khazaria. Some say that first Svyatoslav managed to take the city of Sarkel, then Itil. Others believe that during a large military campaign, Svyatoslav managed to conquer Itil, and then Sarkel.

Prince Svyatoslav was able to destroy the Khazar Khaganate, and later he secured the conquered lands for himself. Instead of Sarkel, the White Vezha was formed.

After the capture of Khazaria in 966, Svyatoslav gained the upper hand over the Vyatichi for the second time and imposed tribute on them.

Anti-Bulgarian Union

In 967, Byzantium and Bulgaria came into conflict. The Byzantine ruler sent delegates to Svyatoslav with a request to go to Bulgaria. This is exactly how Byzantium wanted to take Bulgaria and weaken Rus'. Kalokir, the head of the delegation, signed an anti-Bulgarian alliance with Svyatoslav and expressed a desire to take the throne in Byzantium. In return, he promised the Russian prince untold riches.

In 968, Svyatoslav went to Bulgaria, and after military operations he remained at the mouth of the Danube, where Greek tribute was sent to him.

In 968-696, Kyiv was attacked by the Pechenegs, and Svyatoslav returned there. At the same time, Olga died, Svyatoslav distributed the reins of power between his sons. Then he went on a campaign against Bulgaria and crushed it. The Bulgarians had to ask for protection from Byzantium, which was slow to provide assistance. As a result, the Bulgarian king signed an alliance with Svyatoslav, and later Bulgaria already fought together with the Rus against Byzantium.

Attack on Byzantium

After establishing a partnership with the Bulgarians, Svyatoslav remained on the Danube. So he expanded his own lands.

In 970, Svyatoslav attacked Byzantine territories in Thrace. He and his army reached the outskirts of Constantinople, where the final battle took place. Historians interpret its results differently. Some documents say that Svyatoslav’s allied troops were crushed, and then his forces. Others report that Svyatoslav managed to win, but he retreated after collecting tribute.

In any case, the fighting in Byzantium ended by the summer of 970, although the Rus' raids did not end.

Crush of Bulgaria

In 971, Emperor John I Tzimiskes opposed Svyatoslav and sent a fleet to the Danube to cut off the Rus.

Soon the Bulgarian capital Preslav was taken and the king was taken prisoner. Russian soldiers break through to Dorostol, where Svyatoslav is also located. Svyatoslav's courage grows along with dangers. According to Byzantine historians, the Rus behaved bravely. When they could not escape, they stabbed themselves in the heart. Their wives behaved like real Amazons when participating in battles. When captured, the Russians maintained their composure, burned their dead brothers at night and tempered the captives over them, and let the babies into the waters of the Danube.

John approaches Dorostol, the Russians leave the fortress, besieged for three months. Luck leaves the Russians. Their fatherland is very far away, the neighboring peoples are on the side of the Greeks. Svyatoslav's army weakened from wounds and hunger, while the Greeks had no need for anything.

Svyatoslav gathers a squad. Some want to escape at night, others offer peace. But the prince decides to try his luck so as not to fall into contempt among neighboring peoples. The army enters the battle. The prince encourages the soldiers and gives the order to lock the city gates so that no one escapes.

The battle begins in the morning, by noon the Greeks are exhausted and begin to retreat. Soon the battle resumed. Tzimiskes was amazed at the courage of the enemy and decided to end the war. After this, the battle continues. The Greeks really wanted the death of Svyatoslav. Knight Anemas crushed the prince and threw him off his horse, but the helmet did not allow Svyatoslav to die.

Svyatoslav, having lost much of his strength and being seriously wounded in the final battle, decides to demand peace. John Tzimiskes is delighted and accepts the terms of the Rus, in turn Svyatoslav leaves Bulgaria and enters into an alliance with Byzantium. After peace is approved, the emperor provides the Russians with food supplies and sees them off. After the battles, Svyatoslav's military resources were sharply reduced, and the army weakened.

Historians of those times analyze the war as successful for the Greeks, but Svyatoslav did not demand anything for Russia. Eastern Bulgaria joins Byzantium, only the western territories manage to maintain independence.

The friendship of Svyatoslav and Tzimiskes can be assessed in different ways. Svyatoslav with a small army retreated to his fatherland. And Tzimiskes sent envoys to the Pechenegs, who were dissatisfied with the reconciliation of the Russians and Greeks. Perhaps the Greeks themselves notified the Pechenegs about the return of the weakened Russian army. The Pechenegs were waiting for the Russians at the rapids of the Dnieper.

Death

After the declaration of peace, Svyatoslav approached the Dnieper. The governor warned him that the Pechenegs were nearby. But Svyatoslav was not afraid and decided to spend the winter on the Dnieper. Exhausting hunger and need accompany the Rus at this time.

In the spring, Svyatoslav the Brave sets off on a dangerous journey home. In the next battle he was mortally wounded. The Pecheneg prince Kurya attacked him, cut off his head and drank from Svyatoslav’s skull. Only a few Russians managed to escape. This is how the courageous commander, who possessed amazing generosity, died. At the site of his death in Zaporozhye (Ukraine), a monument to Svyatoslav Igorevich was erected. The monument depicts a warrior with a sword.

Historians believe that the Pecheneg soldiers stormed Svyatoslav at the insistence of the Byzantines. Byzantium sought friendship with the Pecheneg peoples for protection from the Rus and Hungarians. The Greeks needed the destruction of Svyatoslav. Although the chronicle names the Bulgarians, not the Greeks, as the initiators of the ambush.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” indicates the reasons for Svyatoslav’s death in that he did not obey his mother, who dreamed of making her son a Christian. In any case, the example of Sfendoslav is the image of a brilliant commander and an example of the great sovereign of the Russian land, who captivated many of his contemporaries with the strength of his character. Svyatoslav Igorevich, whose biography we have examined, terrified neighboring peoples with his image for a long time even after his death.

About appearance

The Greek writer of that time, Leo the Deacon, vividly depicts the Kyiv prince. Sfendoslav was of moderate stature, had thick eyebrows and blue eyes, a mustache, and a tuft of hair curled on his bald head, which indicated a noble origin. The prince's expression was stern. There was a gold earring with stones in her ear. The clothes were white and clean.

Some sources call the prince beardless, others - with a sparse beard. Sometimes he is described with one tuft of hair, and also with two braids. According to descriptions of that time, the prince’s nose was either snub-nosed or flat.

Descendants

History knows the children of Svyatoslav Igorevich, these are:

• Yaropolk, who ruled Kyiv;
• Oleg, prince of the Drevlyans;
• Vladimir, who baptized Rus'.

Sometimes Sfeng is mentioned, whom A.V. Solovyov considers not the son, but the grandson of Sfendoslav.

So, the policy of Svyatoslav Igorevich differed sharply from the reign of his mother Olga. The ruler paid more attention to external wars. He defeated the Khazar Khaganate and launched several successful campaigns against the Bulgarians.

The Russian state has a fairly rich and unique history of its formation.

The position that Russia currently occupies in the world, its internal structure, is dictated precisely by the original history of the formation of our state, the events that took place throughout the development of Russia, and most importantly by the people, great personalities who stood at the origins of every important transformation in the life of Russian society .

However, many of them in modern historical textbooks are given only general phrases about their lives. One of such personalities is Svyatoslav Igorevich, the Grand Duke of Kiev, popularly known as Svyatoslav the Brave.

Let's look at the main milestones in the prince's life:

• Birth, youth;
• First military steps. Khazar Khaganate;
• Bulgarian campaigns;
• Homecoming. Death of the Grand Duke.

Birth and youth

Svyatoslav Igorevich was the only son of Prince Igor the Old and Princess Olga. The exact year of birth of Grand Duke Svyatoslav is not known.

Most historians, referring to ancient chronicles, indicate the year 942 as such. But, in the Tale of Bygone Years, the name of Svyatoslav Igorevich is first mentioned only in 946, when Princess Olga took her son on a campaign against the Drevlyans, who had killed her husband a year earlier, Prince Igor.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the battle began precisely with Svyatoslav throwing a spear towards the Drevlyans. At that time, according to sources, Prince Svyatoslav was 4 years old. The campaign against the Drevlyans ended in success for the Russian squad.

Svyatoslav’s mentors in his youth were the Varangian Asmud and the main Kiev governor, the Varangian Sveneld. The first taught the boy to hunt, stay firmly in the saddle, swim, and hide from the eyes of enemies in any terrain.

Sveneld taught the young prince the art of military leadership. Thus, Svyatoslav spent the first half of his short life on countless campaigns, while any princely privileges were alien to him.

He spent the night in the open air, sleeping on a horse blanket with a saddle under his head, his clothes were no different from his surroundings, which remained the same throughout his life. It was at this stage that Svyatoslav and his friends gathered their future army.

The 10th century in Rus' is marked by the adoption of Christianity, however, during the years of Svyatoslav’s life, Christianity was still slowly spreading across the country. But his mother, Princess Olga, who converted to Christianity, tried with all possible methods to persuade her son to come to the new faith.

Despite all his mother’s attempts, Svyatoslav firmly stood his ground; he was a pagan, like his squad. Otherwise, if they accepted Christianity, the squad, according to the convictions of the Grand Duke, simply would not respect him.

First military steps. Khazar Khaganate

In 964, Svyatoslav’s squad left Kyiv, and the story of his military glory began. The goal of the prince's campaign was most likely the defeat of the Khazar Kaganate, but on his way, first he meets the Vyatichi, Volga Bulgarians, Burtases, and his squad emerges from each battle victorious.

Only in 965 did the Grand Duke of the Khazar Kaganate attack, defeating his army and destroying the capital, the city of Itil. The campaign continued further, the Russian squad took the well-fortified fortresses of Sarkel on the Don, Semender and others.

Thus, this campaign of Svyatoslav against the Khazar Kaganate expanded Kyiv’s power over all the Eastern Slavs, and, in addition, the borders of the Kyiv kingdom expanded to the North Caucasus.

Bulgarian campaigns

After Prince Svyatoslav returned to Kyiv, almost immediately he and his squad set off on a new military campaign directed against Danube Bulgaria. Historians give different reasons for leaving their lands so quickly.

However, the most common position is based on Byzantium’s interest in resolving the misunderstanding with Bulgaria and, if possible, not with its own hands. And also, the possibility of weakening the Kyiv state.

Thus, having returned from a military campaign against Khazaria, Prince Svyatoslav was met by Greek ambassadors who relied on the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 944, supported by a fairly substantial gold offering.

As a result, the young prince in 968 advanced with his 10,000-strong army to the Bulgarian lands. There, defeating a 30,000-strong Bulgarian army, Svyatoslav captured the city of Pereslav, which he then renamed Pereyaslavets and moved the capital to the newly conquered city.

At the same time, it was during the prince’s next military campaign that the Pechenegs attacked Kyiv. Svyatoslav has to return from the conquered territories and repel the aggressors.

Simultaneously with the offensive of the Pechenegs, Princess Olga, who served as the ruler of the state throughout Svyatoslav’s campaigns, dies.

Svyatoslav, justifying his inability to sit in Kyiv with the desire to live on the Danube, essentially divided government between his sons: he left the eldest son, Yaropolk, in Kyiv, sent the middle son, Oleg, to Ovruch, and the youngest, Vladimir, to Novgorod.

Such an act of the prince will further affect the history of the country in the form of civil strife and the tense situation in the country. Having dealt with the political affairs of the state, Svyatoslav again set out on a campaign against Bulgaria, in which he had already completely mastered the territory of the entire country.

The ruler of Bulgaria, hoping to receive help from Byzantium, turned to its emperor. Nikifor Phokas, the ruler of Byzantium, observing the strengthening of the Russian state and concerned about its strengthening, granted the request of the Bulgarian king.

In addition, the emperor hoped to enter into a marriage with the Bulgarian royal family in order to strengthen their alliance. But as a result of the coup, Nicephorus Phokas was killed and John Tzimiskes ascended the imperial throne.

The marriage contract was never destined to be fulfilled, but Byzantium nevertheless agreed to help the Bulgarian kingdom.

Contrary to its promises, Byzantium was in no hurry to help Bulgaria. As a result, the new Bulgarian king concluded a peace treaty with Prince Svyatoslav, pledging to act with him against the Byzantine Empire.

Homecoming. Death of the Grand Duke

In 970, Grand Duke Svyatoslav with his army, which included Bulgarians, Pechenegs, and Hungarians, led his numerically superior army into the territory of the Byzantine state. Over the course of a year and a half, various battles took place with varying success for both troops.

Ultimately, a decisive battle took place in the spring of 971, which ended in a peace treaty. But, based on the terms of this agreement, neither side could consider itself the winner in the last war.

Svyatoslav undertook to leave the territory of Bulgaria, in turn, the Byzantine side had to provide the Russian squad with food for two months.

In addition, under the terms of the treaty, trade between Kievan Rus and Byzantium was resumed. Having failed in the conquest of the Byzantine kingdom, Prince Svyatoslav headed home.

According to some reports, it was the Greeks who convinced the Pechenegs to attack Svyatoslav’s army in order to avoid a possible repetition of the campaign against Byzantium. In 972, during the spring thaw, the prince tried to walk along the Dnieper again.

However, this time, it was the final battle to the death of Grand Duke Svyatoslav.

According to the customs of the attacking Pechenegs, a cup was made from the prince’s skull, from which the leader of the Pechenegs then drank, uttering the words: “Let our children be like him!”

Thus, the life of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatoslav the Brave ended. It ended in battle, which is what such a glorious warrior as Svyatoslav could hope for, igniting in his warriors faith in victory and in the great kingdom of Kiev.

He is undeservedly classified only as princes of conquerors. After all, if you look at the geography of his campaigns, he purposefully and thoughtfully provided his state with access to the Caspian Sea, to the eastern trade route.

On the other hand, the Danube, the main trading branch of Europe, also as a result of Svyatoslav’s actions, comes under the banner of the Russian kingdom. But the prince’s short life does not allow him to preserve the results of his conquests.