History of Russia, from the foundation of the monarchy by Rurik to the accession of Catherine the Second, etc

Preface

. For gratifying a laudable curiosity concerning the history of a people become so famous as the Ruffians, nothing satisfactory or systematical has been hitherto attempted in our language ; a few hasty compilations excepted, extracted from the publications of prejudiced or ignorant travellers, and consequently abounding in misconcep tions and errors, in which the -very names of the persons and places cannot possibly be distinguished. Nor is this at ass to be wondered at ; as certainty it would have required no small de gree of presumption in any one to sit down to compose a history for which he had no mate rials : however thus it has happened that, when our celebrated writers have had occasion to speak of Russia, they have been obliged to do it in a cursory manner, and are then mistaken ki almost all they have said of it.

A foreigner, who soould have even gone to .Russia thirty or forty years ago for the express purpose of studying the history of the country, vol. i. a would VI

PREFACE.

. would have been much surprised at finding no assistance, unless he could have had access to the archives and the libraries where records are preserved ; as at that time nothing had been printed on the subject of history, excepting a very succinct compendium, which had no other merit than in being the first attempt of the kind, and was generally read because a better was not to be had. Since that time the sources of ruffian history have been greatly multiplied. Not that the Ruffians are in possession even now of a regular history of their nation ; but they can trace the various events of it down to the reign of tzar Alexey Mikhailovitch, father of Peter I : these being recorded in the several chronicles that have been publisoed within some years past, and in the works of several modern Ruffians and a few learned Germans, who, being settled in Russia, devoted their leisure to illustrate and methodize its history.

The history of Russia has, however, one grand defect beyond that of most other countries, consisting in the difficulty too often met with in following the thread of it. This defect arises from the successive appearance, as actors, of sovereigns who owe their feeble dominion to the partitions that were made by their fathers of the different parts of their territory among 6 their

PREFACE.

. VII their children : dominions soon to be subdivided farther, if they who possess them have a numerous offspring ; or to be reunited to the body of the state, if their princes die without male descendants : a confusion which is frequently increased, as many of these petty sovereigns, already but indistinctly known, bear the fame name. It is true, they are distinguisoed in the chronicles by the name of their fathers ; but it often happens that these very fathers are still more unknown than their children : and the history of them is rendered the more obscure, since the authors of the chronicles have usually either neglected it as indifferent, or only speak of it when it has had an influence on the main history of Russia. They appear upon the scene ; we know not who they are : as soon as we are acquainted with them, they disappear at once, and are as quickly forgotten.

If some of their descendants cqme in turn on the stage, we are at a loss to recollect their fathers. Attempts to digest the jarring interests, and petty, though cruel contests of the several princes, as so many distinct transactions of their particular reigns, would be a futile affectation ; of no more consequence to the essential purposes pf history, than tedious details of the politics a 2 by

PREFACE.

. by which the african chiefs are actuated in their hostilities against each other, or pompous accounts of the exploits by which our colonies are furnisoed with slaves. To conclude: the ancient history of Russia only excites any interest when a sovereign unites under his dominion nearly all the parts of the state, as during the reign of the first Vladimir, and that of Yaroslaf his son ; or when he alone attracts the whole attention to himself, as in the case of Andrew, son of Yury ; or, finally, when that attention is drawn to the country itself, as at the time of the invasion of the Tartars. But this interest only becomes regularly continued from the reign of Dmitri Donsoi, because he was the first who humbled for ever the power of the apanaged princes. After all, if the ancient history of Russia presents us with few lively features, no one perhaps lies under less suspicion of falsehood.

It derives this advantage from the discretion of Nestor, the first of her historians. The simplicity of his style, which however is not everywhere destitute of eloquence, bears the striking character of truth. If he have been occasionally misled by false traditions, concerning the times preceding the reign of Vladimir the great ; it appears from his agreement with the greek historians, that at least

PREFACE.

. IX least he was not ignorant of the leading facts, and perhaps no writer of the fame period had so little fondness for relating prodigies. He has handed down to us some erroneous accounts, but he did not designedly invent them. His prudence was imitated by his successors. The historians of the middle ages were more addicted to the marvel lous : but the prodigies they are pleased to relate are generally nothing but superfluous epi sodes in their works, which may be easily set aside ; and though they may perplex, they do not conceal the truth. To all contemplative spectators of Russia amidst the present occurrences of the world, the questions must naturally arise : — What was the beginning of this mighty empire ; what fortunes have befallen it ; and how has it arrived at its present height ? — To answer these questions is the principal aim of this history, in which I have endeavoured to represent the leading events that have had any influence on the empire at large, or some considerable divisions of it, and by their means on the nation itself.

The earlier part of the history will be found much com pressed, as I thought it better to deliver only what stands on credible authority, than to swell the book with idle tales and legendary absurdities only for the fake of refuting them. a 3 I intitle X

PREFACE.

. I intitle it not a history, much less the history, but simply History of Russia, diligently col lected from native chronologists and other primitive sources. In the hope of giving an agreeable variety to the work, I have inserted the preliminary dissertations on the language and religion of the aborigines, the sketch of Mosco, the learned disquisition on the principality of Tmutarakan, with the account of St. Petersourg, and other cities conquered from the Swedes. The medals from which the plates are en graved were struck by order of her majesty Catharine II. for the fake of preserving the like nesses of the sovereigns, as well as they could be completed from the drawings, some of them sufficiently rude, that were found in the mo nasteries and other antient buildings, throughout the empire, which soe caused to be thoroughly ransacked for that purpose. a-awni-EngrarcdVJCtitpmmfiania Serie. afJVfe&ds inthepofte.sion of du-Eev^WTooke londomPublilKd EeT)- l-SOO.TjjMcE.^I.onomanfcRcosPatcrTV'ostfxllow r xi ) SOVEREIGNS OF RUSSIA.

Explanatory of the Plates. PLATE I. FAMILY OF RURIC. The names of the Princes who afterwards succeed to the throne, are distinguished by small capitals. i. Velikii Kniaz Rurik, called in from the Varags, began to reign in 862, and reigned seventeen years. It is thought that he had several wives ; but the name of not one of them is known. He had a son named Igor. 2. Vel. kn. Oleg srodnik Rurikof, the grand prince Oleg, kinsman of Rurik, took upon him the administration in 879, and preserved it thirty-four years. 3. Velikii kniaz Igor Rurikovitch, began to reign in 913, lived sixty-eight years and reigned thirty-two. He is supposed to have had several wives : but only Olga is known. His son was Sviatoslaf. 4. Vel. kniagina Olga sviataia supruga Icoreva. Grand princess Olga, a faint, the spouse of Igor, regent in 945, died iii 969, aged about fourscore. a 4 5.

Velikii EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 5. Velikii kniaz Sviatoslaf I. Igorievitch, [holy glory] or, Svetoslaf [light of glory] . Nothing is known ' either of the year of his birth or of the commencement of his reign. He died in 973. Of his wives and concubines only a greek nun is known whom he took prisoner, whom h.e afterwards gave to Yaro polk, his eldest son, from whom flie devolved on Vladimir, the younger! of his sons ; and Malukha, a waiting woman of his mother Olga. Hissonswere: Yaropolk, Oleg, and Vladimir : the latter was born of Malukha. 6. Vel. kn. Yaropolk Sviatoslavitch. Theyearof his birth is not known. His reign lasted nine years, and began in 973. Of his wives only the greek nun is known who had be longed to his father. 7. Vel. kn. Vladimir Sviatoslavitch. The year of his birth is not known.

He began in 981 a reign of thirty-five years. He had a great number of concubines and six wives: 1. A princess of Bohemia. 2. Rogneda, surnamed aster wards Goriflava, daughter of Rogvolode, prince of Polotzk. 3. The greek nun who had been possessed by Sviatoflaf and Yaropolk. 4. A second princess of Bohemia. 5. A bul o-arian princess. 6. Anna, daughter of Romanus, emperor of Constantinople. His sons were: I. Vycheslaf, by the first princess of Bohemia. 2. Isiaflaf. 3. Yaroslaf. 4. Vfevolode, by Rogneda. 5. Sviatopolk, by the greek nun. 6. Sviatoflaf. 7. Mstiflaf, by the second princess of Bohemia. 8. Boris. 9. Gleb : both by the bulgarian princess. • 10. Stanislas. 11. Pozvizo. 12. Sudislaf. The three last bv different concubines. His His daughters were : I . Predflava, born of Rogneda. She was married to Bbleflas the Valiant, king of Poland. 2.

Maria, born of the princess Anna, and married to Ka simir I. king of Poland. She was surnamed in Poland, Dobrognieva. Posterity of Maria. As Boleflas had several wives, the posterity of Predflava is not known. Maria, wife of Kafimit, had Boleflas the Bold, and \ladiflas I. of whom sprung Boleflas III. surnamed Kri voousti, Primiflas, Vladiflas Lostik, and Kasimir the Great, all kings of Poland, and Lewis the Great, king of Hun gary and of Bohemia. From this princess likewise descended Sviatava, wife of Bratiflaf II. king of Bohemia: Hedvig or Helena, wife of Vladiflas Lostik, king of Poland: Rixa wife of Ven ceflas IV. king of Bohemia, who, by her, was at the fame time king of Poland : Elizabeth, wife of Charles Robert, king of Hungary : Maria, wife of Lewis the Great, also king of Hungary : lastly, Maria, heiress of the crown of Hungary, and wife of Sigismond, emperor, and king of Hungary and of Bohemia. 8.

Vel. kn. Sviatopolk somnitelnii svn Vladimirof ili Yaropolicof. Gr. prince Sviatopolk, spurious son of Vladimir or of Yaropolk. He began to reign in 1015, and died three years after. The year of his birth is not known. He married the daughter of Boleflas the Valiant, king of Poland. 9. Veliki kmiaz Yaroslaf Vladimirovitch, began to reign in 1019, and died in 1054, after a reign of thirty-five years, and a life of seventy-fix. He EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. He married Inguerherde, daughter of Olaus I. king of Sweden. His sons were: Vladimir, Isiaslaf, Sviatoslaf, Vsevolode, Igor and Viatcheflaf. His daughters were : I . Elizabeth, married to Harald, king of Norway and Sweden. 2. Anna, named in France Agnes, wife of Henry I. kings of France. 3. Anastasia, married to Andrew I. king of Hungary.

Posterity of Anna. Henry I. had by Anne or Agnes, his wife, three sons : Philip, Hugh, and Robert. Philip succeeded his father, and is the parentstock of twenty-nine kings, to Louis XVI. From Anne are sprung the two houses of Anjou who reigned at Naples. It is from this ruffian princess that the present kings of Naples and Spain are descended. She is an ancestor of that Peter de Courtenay, who was an emperor of Constantinople after the capture of that city by the Latins at the time of the Crusades. From her posterity issued several queens of England : Margaret wife of Edward I. Isabella married to Edward II. another Isabella, wife of Richard II. Catharine queen of Henry V. and Maiy queen of Charles I. In Scotland ; Magdalene, wife of James V. Isabella, wife of Philip IV. king of Spain ; Beatrix, wife of John, king of Bohemia, and Charlotte, wise of John II. king of Cyprus.

In short, solely by this princess Anne, the sovereigns of Russia, descendants of Rurik, were related to almost all the crowned heads of Europe. After the death of Philip I. his widow married Rodolphus, count of Crespy and of Valois. io. Vbl. kniaz Isiaslaf Yaroslavitch, began to reign, for the first time, in 1054, was expelled and restored, and died in 1078, at the age of fifty-three. He He married the daughter of Mieciflas II. king of Poland. Had sons, Mstiflaf, Sviatopolk, Yaropolk. 11. Vel. kn. Sviatoslaf Yaroslavitch, began to reign in 1073, on t'le expulsion of his brother Isiaflaf; and died in 1076, at the age of forty-nine. His wife's name was Oda, who is thought to have been a German princess, sister of an archbishop named Bouchard. Had sons : Oleg, Yaroslaf, Boris, Gleb, Romane, and David. 12.

Velikii kniaz Vsevolod Yaroslavitch, commenced in 1078 a reign of fifteen years. He lived sixtyfour. His wives were : I . A grecian princess, daughter of Constantine Monomachus, emperor of Constantinople. 2. Anna. By the former he had, Vladimir Monomachus ; and by the second, Rostiflaf. His daughters were : 1. Euphraxia, married to Otho I. Margrave of Brandenburg, and after the death of Otho, to the emperor Henry IV. She returned to Ruflia, and took the veil. 2. Catharine. 3. Anastasia, second wife of Boleflas IV. duke of Poland. 13. Vel. kn. Igor brat Vsevolodof, son of Yaroslaf Vladimirovitch. 14. Sviatopolk Mikhail Isiaslavitch. The year of his birth is not known. He began to reign in 1093 and died in 1 113, after a reign of twenty years. He married a daughter of Tugor, khan of the Polovtzes, who received at her baptism the name of Helena.

He had son3, Mstiflaf, Yaroflavetz, and Vriatcheslas. His daughter Sbyslava, was the first consort of Boleflas III. Krivoousti, king of Poland. 15. Vel. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 15. Vel. kn. Vladimir Vsevolodovitch Monomach, succeeded Sviatopolk in n 14, after a short interregnum. He reigned eleven years, and lived seventy-two. His wives were : 1 . Christina, daughter of Ingor IV. king of Poland. 2. Euphemia. He had sons: Mstislaf, Isiaslaf, Sviatoflaf, Yaropolk, Viatcheslaf, Romane, Yury, and Andrey. Hi* daughter Marina died in a convent. THE END OF THE FIRST PLATE. Drawn ÆEngrardtyJ.Cluipmaii -from a Series of Medals in the* po&eijnoii of die Rer1? W^Tooke Lond^m.,fSibHstedFeb^i8ool>jMes«VLQneiiiaii £Reei Fatecnofter Rcnv. PLATE II. 16. Velikii kniaz Mstislaf Vladimirovitch. The year of his birth is uncertain.

He began to reign in 1 125, and died in 1132. He had two wives. Who was the former is not known ; the second was daughter of Dmitri Davidovitch, posadnik os Novgorod. His sons were : Vsevolode, Isiaslaf, Rostiflaf, Sviato polk, Vladimir, Romane. His daughters were : 1 . Sophia, married to Valdemar I. king of Denmark. 2 . The name of the second is not known. She was married to Yaroflavetz, prince of Vladimir, and son of Sviatopolk II. , Posterity of Sophia. From this princess issued Canute VI. and Valdemar II. kings of Denmark : Rixa, wife of Eric X. king of Sweden : Ingeburga, wife of Philip II. king of France. 17. Velikii kniaz Yaropolk brat Mstislavof. Yaropolk brother of Mstiflaf. The date of his birth not known. He began in 1 132 a reign of 6 years. He married a princess named Helena, whose posterity 13 not known. 18.

Vel. kn. Viatcheslaf Vladimirovitch. The year of his birth unknown ; he reigned some days in 1 138, was expelled, and reigned afresh with Ifiaslaf Mstiflavitch* and afterwards with Rostiflaf: died in 1 154. Nothing is known of his maniage : he appears to hava had no offspring. 19. Vel. kniaz Vsevolod^ Olcotitch vnwke Sviatoslaya Yaroslavitch- Vsevolode, son of Oleg, grandson EXPLANATION of THE PLATES. grandson os Sviatoflaf. The year of his birth unknown. He began in 1 138 a reign of 8 years, and died in 1 146. Who was his wife is uncertain. He had a son named -Sviatoflaf. 20. Veltrii kniaz Isiaslaf Mstislavitch ; born in 1096 ; began to reign in 1146, was expelled; restored ; and died in 1154 at the age of 58. The names of his two wives are not known. He had by the former a son named Sviatoflaf.

He had also a daughter who was married to Rigvald, prince of Polotsk. 21. Vel. kn. Yuria Vladimirovitch Dqlgorouku, j born in 1 09 1, reigned for the first time in 1 149, dethroned in 1 150, restored in 1 154, and died in 1 157, aged 66. Married first the daughter of Ac'pa, prince of the Polovtzes. 2. Olga, who became a nun under the name of Euphrofyne. His sons were: Rostiflaf, Andrey, Ivan, Boris, Gleb, Mstiflaf, Vaffilly, Yaroslaf, Mikhai'la, Sviatoslaf, and VSEVOLQDE. 22. Vel. kn. Andrei Yuritch Bogoliube, beloved of God, began to reign in 1 158, was murdered in 11 75, after reigning 17 years. Neither his wife nor his progeny are known. 23. Vel. kniaz Vsevolode Yurievitch, born in 1149, reigned in 1175, was expelled ; restored in 1177; died in 12 12, at the age of 63. He had two wives : 1 .

Mary princess of Bohemia, who took the veil under the name of Marpha. 2. Anne, daugh ter of Vaffilly prince of Vitepik. His sons were Constantine, Boris, Yury, Yaroslaf, Vladimir, SviatOSi,af, and Ivan. His His daughters: I. Vseflava, married to Rostiflaf Yaro flavitch, prince of Chernigof. 2. Verkhoflava, married to Rostiflaf Rurikovitch, prince of Bielgorod. 24. Vel. kn. Konstantine Vsevolodovitch, began to reign in 12 16, and died in 12 18 at the age of 32. His wives were: 1. Agaphia, princess of Smolensk. 2. a sister of the princes of Murom. His sons : Vaffilly, Vsevolode, and Vladimir. 25. Velikii kniaz yurie Vsevolodovitch, born in 1188, began to reign in 1212, dethroned in 1217, restored in 1218, killed 1237 by the Tartars, at the age of 49. His wife was daughter of Vsevolode, prince of Kief : she was burnt in a church at Vladimir by the Tartars.

His sons : Vladimir, Vsevolode, and Mstiflaf, were all killed by the Tartars. He had a daughter, named Pheodora. 26. Vel. kn. Yaroslaf Vsevolodovitch, born in 1 189, began to reign in 1238, and died in 1246, aged 57. He married Pheodosia, daughter of the brave Mstiflaf Mstiflavitch, prince of Novgorod. This princess after wards entered the convent under the name of Euphrosyne. His sons were: Pheodore, Alexander, Andrew, Con stantine, Aphanasy, Daniela, MikhaTla, Yaroslaf, and Vassilly. His daughter was Gremiflava, married to Leiko the White, duke of Poland. Of this princess was born Solo monia, wife of Solomon, prince of Hungary, who was for some time king of southern Russia. 27. Vel. kn. Alexander Yaroslavitch Nevskii, born in 1220, began to reign in 1252, and died 1264. He married a daughter of Vriatcheflaf, prince of Folotsk.

She brought him: Vaffilly, Dmitri, Andrew, Daniel whom the generality of historians number among the princes who XX £XFLANATION OF THE PLATES. who reigned in the principal sovereignty of Russia. This* Daniel had four sons : Yury, Alexander, Boris, Ivan, Aphanasy, Feodor. 28. Vel. kn. Yaroslaf Yaroslavitch Tverskii, i.e. of Tver, began to reign in 1264, and died 1271. All that is known of his wife is, that she was called Xenia. He had a son, Mikhail a. He had also a daughter, who became a nun. 29. Velikii kniaz Vasilii Yaroslavitch, began to reign in 1271, and died in 1276. It is known that his life was short 1 the exact duration of it is uncertain. Whether he were married or not is unknown. 30. Vel. kn. Dimitri Alexandrovitch, began to reign in 1276, was expelled in 1293, restored in 1294 and died the fame year.

His wife is not known ; it only appears that he had a son named Ivan. THE END OF THE SECOND PLATE. ERRATA. Vol. 1. p. -so. lir.es 18, it), dele 'vas transferred to p. 277. — II. for out read on Vol. ii. p. 17 f . — 3. for ii read ar.d 1S5. — 17. for -zuasread being — l3. after ebarncler read/o 209. — 3. (orjhottld bring sai should not bring 217. — 4. dele again 272. first line of the note, foe prisoners read soldiers 301. line 4. from the botcom, for and read that 363. — 7. tor reign iczi p tried HIS-