Vsevolod the Big Nest is the son of Yuri Dolgoruky and grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, Grand Duke Vladimir. He possessed the outstanding qualities of a diplomat and politician. He is considered one of the founders of the idea of autocracy. He received his honorary nickname for having many children, Vsevolod had 8 sons and 4 daughters.
Instructions
Step 1
Vsevolod was born in 1154 from the second wife of Yuri Dolgoruky. In 1157, Yuri Dolgoruky died, his place on the throne of the Rostov-Suzdal principality was taken by his son from his first marriage, Andrei, nicknamed Bogolyubsky. In 1162, Andrei expelled his half-brother Vsevolod from Vladimir, to which he transferred the capital of his possessions. So he got rid of one of the contenders for the title of Vladimir Prince. Together with his mother and two younger brothers, Vsevolod fled to Constantinople, where he lived for 7 years at the court of the Byzantine emperor Manuel. There he studied with curiosity the military art of the Byzantine army, at that time the best in the world. And also adopted the subtleties of the unsurpassed Byzantine diplomacy. All these skills were very useful to him in the future.
Step 2
In 1169 Vsevolod made peace with his brother Andrey and returned to Russia. Russia in the XII century was engulfed in civil strife, the principalities were constantly at war with each other. In 1174, Andrei Bogolyubsky was killed, and a serious struggle broke out for his place at the head of the Vladimir principality. Vsevolod won this struggle, capturing his own nephews and defeating their troops.
Step 3
On the Vladimir throne, Vsevolod quickly gained the authority of a skilled politician. It was during the years of his reign that Vladimir became the de facto capital of Rus, displacing Kiev from this place. Vsevolod masterfully pitted the southern principalities against each other, promising military support to one or the other. Thus, he weakened the influence of the princes of Southern Russia, increasing his own individual influence. Vsevolod was the first of the Russian princes to independently appoint a bishop to his principality. Prior to that, only the Kiev Metropolitan had the right to appoint the heads of all dioceses. Vsevolod added the prefix Great to his princely title; before him, only princes who occupied the Kiev throne could be called Grand Dukes.
Step 4
As a politician, Vsevolod the Big Nest did what others had previously failed to do - he subordinated Novgorod to Vladimir. Novgorod has always been in a special position, the supreme body of power there was the veche, at which the Novgorod prince was elected. But Prince Vsevolod managed to ensure that the Novgorodians themselves turned to him with a request to appoint princes to their city. Moreover, Vsevolod did not use his military force. Acting as a skillful diplomat, he managed to convey to the Novgorod boyars the idea that calm submission to the Vladimir principality was very beneficial for them in the field of trade.
Step 5
In foreign policy, the efforts of Vsevolod the Big Nest were directed at the Polovtsians and the Volga Bulgars. Vsevolod undertook two campaigns against the Bulgars. By his order, the rest of the principalities sent their regiments in support. This testifies to the strong influence of the Grand Duke of Vladimir. The result of the campaigns was a significant expansion of the territory of the Vladimir principality and the opening of new trade routes
Step 6
In 1199, Vsevolod went on a campaign against the Polovtsians, who for many centuries harassed the borders of Russia with their raids. To protect the territory, at the call of Vsevolod, the armies of the Suzdal, Ryazan and Chernigov principalities united. This once again demonstrates the political foresight of Vsevolod, who saw the future of Russia in the unity of the principalities.
