| Prince of Novgorod |
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Mstislav Rostislavich(in baptism - George or Fedor; mind. June 13, 1180) - Prince of Novgorod, son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Rostislav Mstislavich, a saint of the Russian Church. The title Brave was not used during the lifetime of the prince. It first appears in the Novgorod First Chronicle of the junior edition.
Biography
In 1179, the Novgorodians called him to reign. In 1179, Mstislav made a successful campaign against Chud at the head of a 20,000-strong army. In the spring of 1180, Mstislav wanted to move to Polotsk, but was stopped by his elder brother Roman Smolensky, who sent his son Mstislav to help Polotsk. The trip was cancelled. June 13, 1180 Mstislav died of a sudden illness. According to the chronicle, before his death he lost weight, and his tongue began to be taken away. Novgorodians buried Mstislav in the tomb of Vladimir Yaroslavich in the Novgorod Sophia Cathedral in the chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin. His memory is celebrated locally on June 14 (27), as well as on the days of Russian and Novgorod saints: on the 2nd and 3rd week after Pentecost, respectively.
Family and Children
- 1st marriage- daughter of Yaroslav Osmomysl.
- 2nd marriage(after 1176) - Theodosia - daughter of Gleb Rostislavich of Ryazan.
Children
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An excerpt characterizing Mstislav Rostislavich the Brave
In front of the Cathars, the same little man, Hugues de Arcy. Impatiently marking time, apparently wanting to finish as soon as possible, he began the selection in a hoarse, cracked voice...- What is your name?
“Esclarmonde de Pereille,” came the reply.
“Hugues de Arcy, acting on behalf of the King of France. You are accused of heresy Cathar. You know, in accordance with our agreement, which you accepted 15 days ago, in order to be free and save your life, you must renounce your faith and sincerely swear allegiance to the faith of the Roman Catholic Church. You have to say: "I renounce my religion and accept the Catholic religion!".
– I believe in my religion and will never renounce it... – the answer sounded firmly.
"Throw her into the fire!" - the little man shouted contentedly.
OK it's all over Now. Her fragile and short life came to its terrible end. Two people grabbed her and threw her onto a wooden tower, on which a gloomy, insensitive "executor" was waiting, holding thick ropes in his hands. A fire was burning there... Esclarmonde was badly hurt, but then she smiled bitterly to herself - very soon she would have much more pain...
- What is your name? Arcee's poll continued.
Corba de Pereil...
In a short moment, her poor mother was just as roughly tossed beside her.
So, one by one, the Cathars went through a “selection”, and the number of those sentenced was increasing ... All of them could save their lives. You had to “just” lie and deny what you believed in. But no one agreed to pay such a price ...
The flames of the fire cracked and hissed - the damp tree did not want to burn at full power. But the wind grew stronger and from time to time brought burning tongues of fire to one of the convicts. The clothes on the unfortunate person flared up, turning the person into a burning torch... There were screams - apparently, not everyone could endure such pain.
Esclarmonde trembled with cold and fear... No matter how brave she was, the sight of burning friends caused her a real shock... She was completely exhausted and unhappy. She really wanted to call someone for help... But she knew for sure that no one would help or come.
Little Vidomir appeared before my eyes. She will never see him grow... never know if his life will be happy. She was a mother, only once, embracing her child for a moment... And she will never give birth to Svetozar other children, because her life was ending right now, on this fire... next to others.
Esclarmonde took a deep breath, ignoring the freezing cold. What a pity that there was no sun!.. She so loved to bask under its gentle rays!.. But that day the sky was gloomy, gray and heavy. It said goodbye to them...
Somehow holding back the bitter tears ready to pour, Esclarmonde raised her head high. She will never show how really bad she was! .. No way!!! She'll get through it somehow. The wait wasn't that long...
The mother was nearby. And just about ready to explode...
Father stood like a stone statue, looking at both of them, and there was not a drop of blood in his frozen face ... It seemed that life had left him, carried away to where they would soon go too.
A heart-rending cry was heard nearby - it was my mother who broke out ...
- Korba! Korba, I'm sorry!!! It was the father's cry.
Suddenly Esclarmonde felt a tender, caressing touch... She knew it was the Light of her Dawn. Svetozar... It was he who extended his hand from afar to say the last goodbye... To say that he is with her, that he knows how scared and hurt she will be... He asked her to be strong...
Wild, sharp pain slashed the body - that's it! It's here!!! Burning, roaring flames touched his face. Hair broke out... In a second, the body was on fire with might and main... A sweet, bright girl, almost a child, accepted her death in silence. For a while, she still heard her father screaming wildly, calling her name. Then everything disappeared... Her pure soul went to a kind and right world. Not giving up and not breaking. Exactly the way she wanted.
Suddenly, completely out of place, singing was heard ... It was the churchmen present at the execution who began to sing in order to drown out the screams of the "convicted" who were burning. With voices hoarse from the cold, they sang psalms about the forgiveness and kindness of the Lord...
Finally, at the walls of Montsegur, evening came.
The terrible fire was dying down, sometimes still flashing in the wind with dying, red coals. During the day, the wind had intensified and was now raging at full speed, carrying black clouds of soot and burning along the valley, seasoned with the sweetish smell of burnt human flesh...
By the funeral pyre, bumping into those nearby, a strange, aloof man wandered lostly ... From time to time, crying out someone's name, he suddenly clutched his head and began to sob loudly, heartbreakingly. The crowd around him parted, respecting someone else's grief. And the man again slowly wandered, not seeing or noticing anything ... He was gray-haired, hunched and tired. Sharp gusts of wind fluttered his long White hair, tore thin dark clothes from the body ... For a moment the man turned around and - oh, gods! .. He was still quite young !!! His emaciated, thin face breathed pain... And his wide-open gray eyes looked in surprise, seemingly not understanding where and why he was. Suddenly, the man screamed wildly and... rushed straight into the fire!.. Or rather, into what was left of him... The people standing nearby tried to grab his hand, but did not have time. The man collapsed on his face on the burning red coals, clutching something colored to his chest...
This prince of Nov-go-rod-sky Msti-slav, the grandson of the great prince-zya Ki-ev-sko-go Avenge-slav-va († 1132) and the son of Smolensk prince-zya Rosti-slav-va. Prince Avengers-Slav earned the name Brave-ro-go among the modern-men-ni-kov, someone saved him in summer-time-pi-syah in his own way to my manhood in battles and according to the special-ben-no-mu-bla-go-kinship of ha-rak-te-ra, since he always takes the right stand ro-well, when you-no-ka-whether the prince-zey didn’t agree, and stood up for the weak-bo-go against the strong-no-go, despite the many the sameness of enemies. In the Church, he received the consolation-shi-tel-noe-name of a saint according to his deep-bo-to-mu-go-honour and de la mi- lo-ser-diya, some-rye did not give in-pa-whether in the motion of his in-ing dob-le-sti.
In 1168, he took part in the be-de-south-Russian princes over the fishing grounds. The holy prince also took part in other princely walks, in some he was glorified by an unusual property.
Prince Avenge-Slav, someone, according to the modern-men-ni-kov, feared only one God, showed his courage against ve-is-ko-prince-zya Vla-di-mir-sky Andrey Yurye-vi-cha Bo-go-loving-go, when he, giving first hundred to the face of southern Kiev, his brother Ro-ma-nu, prince-zyu Smol-len-sko-mu, wanted to take away this worth again from Rosti- glory-vi-whose and commanded Ro-ma-well to leave Ki-e-wa. In a vi-no-val-sya, the meek prince, but the brothers stood up for him - Ryu-rik, Da-vid and Avenge-slav Smolen-skie. The brave Avenge-Slav took especially-ben-but to his heart the injustice-of-the-world-prince and, having mastered the maiden Ki-e-vom, from- gave it to his second brother, Ryu-ri-ku. Then the great prince of Vla-di-mir-sky declared war on Ros-ti-sla-vi-cham. Prince Msti-Slav with the demon sent his ambassador with such a word to his own sovereign: be like a father, but when you speak with us as with servants and simple people, we go to the judgment of God. Prince An-drey sent 50 thousand northern troops. To this stormy militia, in-not-in-le, half of some southern princes came together. Brothers Ro-stis-la-vi-chi left-vi-li Ki-ev, bu-duchi not able to keep against such a half-chi-scha, but Revenge -Slav the Brave-ry sat down with a small friend in the neighboring fortress - you-sh-go-ro-de, no-nothing walls -ro-go, ka-za-elk, it would be possible to disassemble ru-ka-mi. Exalted-boo-da-la surprising-le-no-thing-fortress, over-ro-nya-e-may with a mountain of people, but in it there is vigor-vo-val v-tyaz, and in the os-waiting-y-shchih there was no agreement. Some of the princes feared I could-gu-shest-va An-dre-eva, others - the co-vars of St. la-va, prince Cher-ni-gov -so-go, and all tai-but b-go-pri-yat-stvo-va-li Ro-sti-sla-vi-cham. And the brave Msti-Slav almost every day de-lal from-important you-laz-ki against An-dre-eva’s howl. When Prince Yaroslav of Lutsk arrived with Volyn-ski-mi howls and united with Avenge-slav, fear fell on the siege-waiting yu-shchih. They rushed to run, whoever could. Revenge-Slav looked from the side and did not believe his eyes. Finally, raising his hands to the sky, he glorified for-shield-no-kov you-sh-go-ro-yes - St. prince-zey Bo-ri-sa and Gle-ba. Then, jumping on a horse, rushing with a friend for a run-le-tsa-mi. The hostile camp, convoys, many captives became to-whose revenge.
Prince Msti-Slav was not proud of happiness. He reconciled with prince An-dre-em and issued Ki-ev for brother Ro-man. Ro-man, having poisoned himself in Ki-ev, left in Smolensk sy-on his own. Smo-lyans rose-mu-ti-lissed against the mo-lo-to-th prince-zya and pre-lo-zhi-whether Avenge-glory Smolensk. Revenge-slav accepted (1175) an offer. Meanwhile, the Holy Glory of Cher-ni-gov-sky drove Ro-ma-na out of Ki-e-va. Revenge-slav returned Smolensk brother. “Be-re-gi him,” he said to Ro-ma-nu, “I took it only for the sake of saving you.” He didn’t want to get into the bloody quarrels of the princes anymore.
Blessed-faithful prince Avenge-glory from-whether-chall-bearing-tya-zha-tel-no-stu, generously ras-to-chal mi-lo-sta-nu, in-mo- gal obi-te-lam. He did not enter into a race with other princes, and in the inter-ri-od between-before-civilities, he strove for the world, for the freedom being small.
Soon, a new-go-rod-about-ra-ti-elk to the strong-no-mu-mu-mu-mu of the princes of the Smolensk and began to call the brave-ro- go Revenge-glory-va. For a long time, the prince did not agree to go to the prince to live where his two older brothers, Ryu-rik and Roman, did not get along before. Allowing himself to be the shield of the ro-to-howl of his own region and to-ro-mother by what God gave him, he, a stranger to everything -lu-biya, answered the new-go-rod-tsam: “Do not go from the brothers and from your own here.” “Are we not your vo-chi-na?” - raise-ra-zi-whether the new-go-rod-sky words and mind-whether he should come to the prince. Ra-dignified but for-shu-chalked a free city, when Msti-Slav appeared to them (1179). We met him with the crosses and icon-on-mi and with reverence heeded his presence in the So-fiy temple: blu-sti ve -li-ki New-go-rod. Soon, the voice of Prince Revenge-glory-wa at the ve-che was heard, and friends gathered together, 20 thousand in-and-new became under ho- Rugv prince-zya. Then he went out against the predatory Estonians, who, before that, were besieging Pskov and did not re-sta-va-whether rob -border places. Revenge-glory went with a hundred-she-ni-em country to the sea, taking a lot of captives and livestock.
But there are already a few days left for him to have a temporary life. In the strength of masculinity, out-of-the-way, but smashed his same ailment and attached to the same bed. Feeling the approach of death, the prince ordered to carry himself to the church, communed with the Divine Ta-in and on the same day -Chat-sya. It would have been June 14, 1180.
The whole Ve-li-kiy New-go-rod cried out over him: “Why didn’t we die with that battle, the glorious prince, co-creating something of his own -bo-du We-li-ko-mu New-go-ro-du. Pla-ka-la on him and the whole Russian land, and, according to the testimony of le-to-pi-si, not only his friends, but also foreign-tribe-men-no-ki for a long time could not-be-for-be-do-le-sti him. And he adds-la-et-to-pi-sets more about the b-go-faithful prince of Avenge-glory: “He was a ro-hundred of the middle, the face of the sa-vets, and his soul would be even better. He generously ras-to-chal he mi-lo-sta-nu, helped-mo-gal obi-te-lyam. He was brave and courageous; he wanted to die for the Russian land. When it came to liberate captives from the Gentiles, he said: “Brothers, if we die for Christ, clean stim-sya from sins”. He didn’t collect either gold or silver, but he gave it to his retinue, then to the church for your soul. ”
The Holy Prince Msti-Slav was greeted in the Nov-go-rod-sky So-fisky so-bo-re, in the pri-de-le in honor of the Nativity of the Pre-Holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsy. According to the description of 1634, “his relics are imperishable, and hand him the right one.”
Having lived wisely in your reign / in this great Novgorod, / faithful prince Mstislav, / you were the good fruit of God in this life, / ever-blooming with virtues, / for this you received eternal life in Heaven, / your body incorruptibility was glorified on earth. / But we, coming to your icon, cry out to you with love // Rejoice, affirmation of our city.
Translation: Having lived with much wisdom in your reign in Veliky Novgorod, noble prince Mstislav, you were a good fruit to God in this life, always blooming, therefore you received eternal life in Heaven, while your body was glorified by incorruption on earth. We, standing before your icon, cry out to you with love: "Rejoice, fortress of our city."
MSTISLAV ROSTISLAVICH NOVGORODSKY(George the Brave) (sk. 06/14/1180), earned the name of the Brave among his contemporaries, which was preserved for him in the annals, by his courage in battles and by his special nobility of character, since he always took the right side when disagreements of the princes arose, and stood up for the weak against the strong, despite the many enemies. In the Church, however, the consoling title of a saint was adopted for him because of his deep piety and deeds of mercy, which were not inferior to the exploits of his military prowess. In 1168 he participated in the victory of the South Russian princes over the Polovtsians.
Book. Mstislav showed his courage against led. book. Vladimir Andrey Yurievich Bogolyubsky, when he, having first given the southern capital, Kyiv, to his brother Roman, the prince of Smolensk, wanted to again take away this property from the Rostislavichs and ordered Roman to leave Kiev. The brave Mstislav took especially to heart the injustice of the prince of Vladimir and, having mastered Kiev, gave it to his second brother Rurik. Then led. Prince Vladimir declared war on the Rostislavichs. Prince Mstislav, with dishonor, sent his ambassador, with such a word to his lord: “Up to now we have respected you as a father, but when you speak to us, as to servants and simple people, we go to the judgment of God.” Book. Andrew sent 50,000 northern troops.
Reluctantly, regiments of some southern princes joined this formidable militia. The Rostislavich brothers left Kiev, unable to hold out against such a horde, but Mstislav the Brave sat down, with a small retinue, in the neighboring fortress - Vyshgorod, whose insignificant walls, it seemed, could be dismantled by hand. The insignificant fortress, defended by a handful of people, aroused surprise, but the knight was awake in it, and there was no agreement in the besiegers. Almost every day Mstislav made brave sorties against Andreev's troops. When Prince Yaroslav of Lutsk arrived with Volhynian troops and united with Mstislav, fear fell on the besiegers. They rushed to run wherever they could. Mstislav looked from the side and did not believe his eyes. Finally, raising his hands to the sky, he glorified the defenders of Vyshgorod - St. princes Boris And Gleb. Then, jumping on a horse, he rushed with his squad after the fugitives. The enemy camp, carts, many prisoners became the prey of Mstislav.
Mstislav was not proud of happiness. He reconciled with Prince. Andrey and begged for Kyiv for his brother Roman. Roman, going to Kyiv, left his son in Smolensk. The Smolensk people rebelled against the young prince and offered Smolensk to Mstislav. Mstislav accepted (1175) the offer, but later returned Smolensk to his brother. “Take care of it,” he said to Roman, “I only took it to keep you.” He no longer wanted to intervene in the bloody quarrels of the princes.
Blgv. book. Mstislav was distinguished by his non-possessiveness, he generously lavished alms, and helped the monasteries. He did not enter into quarrels with other princes and, during the period of civil strife, strove for peace, being content with little.
Soon veche Novgorod turned to the strong house of the princes of Smolensk and began to call on the brave Mstislav. For a long time the knight did not agree to go to reign where two older brothers, Rurik and Roman, did not get along before him. Content to be the shield of his tribal region and cherishing what God gave him, he, a stranger to any ambition, answered the Novgorodians: "I will not leave my brothers and my fatherland." - “Are we not your father?” - the Novgorod ambassadors objected and begged him to come to reign. The free city roared joyfully when Mstislav (1179) appeared to them. He was greeted with crosses and icons and enthusiastically listened to his oath in the temple Sofia: guard Veliky Novgorod. Soon the voice of the prince boomed. Mstislav at the veche, and the squads gathered: twenty thousand soldiers stood under the banner of the prince. Then he went out against the predatory Estonians, who had previously besieged Pskov and did not stop plundering the border places. Mstislav went with the devastation of their country to the sea, taking many prisoners and cattle.
But not many days remained for him of temporary life. Suddenly he was struck by a cruel illness and chained to a bed of illness. Feeling the approach of death, the prince ordered to carry himself to the church, partake of the Divine Mysteries and died the same day.
All Veliky Novgorod wept for him: “Why didn’t we die with you, glorious prince, who created so much freedom for Veliky Novgorod.” The whole Russian land also wept for him, and, according to the chronicle, not only his retinue, but also the foreigners themselves could not forget his valor for a long time. And the chronicler adds more about the noble prince Mstislav: “He was of medium height, handsome in face, and his soul was even better. He generously dispensed alms and helped the monasteries. He was brave and courageous; he wanted to die for the Russian land. When it was necessary to release the captives from the pagans, he said: “Brothers! If we die for Christians, we will be cleansed from sins.” He did not collect either gold or silver, but he distributed it to his retinue, then to the churches for his soul.
St. Prince Mstislav was buried in the Novgorod Sophia Cathedral, in the chapel in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. According to the description of 1634, “his relics are imperishable, and straighten out his right hand.”
Mstislav Rostislavich the Brave(?-) - prince of Belgorod, then Novgorod, son of the Kyiv prince Rostislav Mstislavich. Around 1162 he received the Belgorod volost from his father. In 1167, Roman Rostislavich and Mstislav Rostislavich burned Velikiye Luki. In 1169, they participated in the capture of Kyiv by an army Andrey Bogolyubsky. In 1171, together with his brothers, he helped his uncle, the Dorogobuzh prince, take the Kiev table. Vladimir Mstislavich. In 1173 he captured Vsevolod Yurievich Big Nest in Kyiv and put his brother in his place, Rurik Rostislavich. When Andrey Bogolyubsky sent an ambassador demanding that Rurik leave Kiev, and Mstislav Rostislavich got out of Rus', the latter shaved the ambassador and ordered to tell Andrey that no one had ever done this with the princes in Rus'. The numerous army of Andrei in the autumn of 1173 unsuccessfully besieged Mstislav Rostislavich in Vyshgorod for 9 weeks, and then even had to flee from the city. dropping their baggage. In 1174, the Smolensk people expelled Prince Yaropolk Romanovich and invited Mstislav Rostislavich to reign. In 1176, Roman Rostislavich came from Kyiv and replaced him on the Smolensk table, and Mstislav Rostislavich, apparently, went to Toropets. In 1178, the Novgorodians offered him to become their prince, but Mstislav Rostislavich agreed to go there only at the insistence of the squad. In 1179, he ravaged the cities of the Estonians who were disturbing Pskov. Died in Novgorod.
Used materials from the book: Boguslavsky V.V., Burminov V.V. Rus of the Ruriks. Illustrated historical dictionary.
Holy noble prince Mstislav, in St. baptism George the Brave.
The holy noble prince Mstislav earned from his contemporaries the name of the Brave, which was preserved for him in the annals for his courage in battles and for his special nobility of character, since he always took the right side when disagreements arose between the princes, and stood up for the weak against the strong, despite the many enemies. In the church, however, he acquired the comforting title of a saint for his deep piety and deeds of mercy, which were not inferior to the exploits of his military prowess.
In 1168 he participated in the victory of the South Russian princes over the Polovtsians. The holy prince took part in other princely campaigns, in which he became famous for his extraordinary courage.
Mstislav, who, according to contemporaries, was afraid of only one God, showed his courage against the Grand Duke of Vladimir Andrey Bogolyubsky, when he, having first given the southern capital, Kiev, to his brother Roman, Prince of Smolensk, wanted to again take away this property from the Rostislavichs and ordered Roman to leave from Kiev. The meek prince obeyed, but the brothers stood up for him: Rurik, David and Mstislav of Smolensk. Brave Mstislav took injustice especially to heart Vladimir prince and, having mastered Kiev, he gave it to his second brother - Rurik. Then Grand Duke Vladimirsky declared war on the Rostislavichs. Prince Mstislav, with dishonor, sent his ambassador with the following word to his lord: “Hitherto we respected you as a father, but if, having forgotten our princely dignity, you want to speak to us as servants and simple people, we are not afraid of threats and go to court God's." Up to fifty thousand warriors of the squads of Suzdal, Ryazan, Novgorod land under the leadership of the son of Bogolyubsky, Dolgoruky, they approached Kyiv. Reluctantly, regiments of some southern princes joined this formidable militia. The Rostislavich brothers left Kyiv, unable to hold out against such a horde, but Mstislav the Brave settled with a small squad in the neighboring fortress - Vyshgorod, and there withstood a nine-week siege. More than twenty allied princes surrounded Vyshgorod, whose insignificant walls, it seemed, could be dismantled by hand. The small fortress, defended by a handful of people, aroused surprise, but the knight was awake in it, and there was no agreement among the besiegers. Some princes were afraid of the power of Andrei Bogolyubsky, while others were afraid of the cunning of Svyatoslav of Chernigov, some were benevolent to the Rostislavichs. And the Brave Mstislav, with a small but courageous squad, was cut on sorties day and night with Andreev's army.
They stood like that until late autumn, suddenly the banners appeared; Mstislav expected the Galicians, but it was the alleged ally of Bogolyubsky, Prince Yaroslav Lutsky, who was looking for Kyiv for himself and secretly communicated with both sides; his arrival sealed the fate of the siege. Seeing his squad from afar, Mstislav left the city and hit the middle regiment, calling on his soldiers: “Brothers! God and the holy martyrs are for us, we will pull. At first, many soldiers surrounded his small squad; there was a groaning and a great cry, and unknown voices, according to the word of the annals; here were heard the sound of weapons and crowbar spears; from a lot of dust it was impossible to recognize either a horseman or a footman; many were injured, but few died. The besiegers suddenly noticed that the Prince of Volhynia had turned towards the Rostislavichs. Then a terrible alarm arose and a general flight began. “We are dying,” the faint-hearted cried out, “the Volhynians have changed, the Galicians are coming.” Darkness fell, and the soldiers rushed in a crowd into the river. Mstislav, seeing the strange flight of numerous hordes, driven as if by a supernatural force, raised his hands to heaven and praised the patrons of Vyshgorod - the holy princes Boris and Gleb. Then, jumping on a horse, he rushed with his squad after the fugitives. The enemy camp, carts, many prisoners became the prey of Mstislav.
But, having remained the winner in a wonderful battle, the brave Mstislav did not look for Kyiv anymore and gave it to Prince Yaroslav of Volyn. “You are the eldest in the Monomakh family,” he said, “go to reign in Kyiv.” And he himself returned with his brothers to his destinies. This feat forever sealed him with the name of the Brave. Not proud, however, of his victory and not trusting Svyatoslav of Chernigov, who robbed Kyiv, Mstislav reconciled with Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and asked him for Kiev to his brother Roman. His brother Roman, going to reign in Kyiv, gave his fatherland of Smolensk to his son; the Smolensk people rebelled against the young ruler and offered Mstislav to be their prince. Mstislav took the city, but waited for his brother Roman and gave him Smolensk with the following word: "Take care of it, I took it in order to save it."
He no longer wanted to enter into princely strife and strove for peace, being content with little. But he himself, who did not think about inheritances, was invited by the Novgorodians, for they were looking for a brave prince who could protect them. First, they took in another Mstislav, also from the Monomakhov clan, who was blinded along with his brother Yaroslav in Vladimir due to the cruelty of the Grand Duke Vsevolod; Both unfortunate blind men miraculously received their sight near Smolensk after fervent prayer in the Church of the Holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb, at the place where Saint Gleb suffered. Word of the miracle spread everywhere; the people looked at them as saints of God, and the Novgorodians, hostile to the Grand Duke, took them in. Soon, however, Mstislav died, and Novgorod needed a shield against the powerful Vsevolod. Veche Novgorod turned to the strong house of the princes of Smolensk and began to call the brave Mstislav. For a long time the knight did not agree to go to reign where his two older brothers had not got along before him: Rurik and Roman.
Content to be the shield of his tribal region and cherishing what God gave him, he, a stranger to any ambition, answered the Novgorodians: "I will not leave my brothers and my fatherland." “Are we not your father? Go, prince, bow to St. Sophia, serve her faithfully, as your grandfather and great-grandfather served, ”the Novgorodians objected and begged him to come to reign. The free city roared joyfully when Mstislav (1179) appeared to them. He was greeted with crosses and icons and enthusiastically listened to his oath in the St. Sophia Church: to observe the great Novgorod. Soon the voice of Mstislav thundered at the veche, and the squads gathered: twenty thousand soldiers stood under the banner of the prince. Vsevolod did not dare to do anything. Mstislav, in order to revive the spirit of the Novgorodians with a preparatory war, led them to the Chudsky lands, which the inhabitants had previously besieged by Pskov and did not stop plundering the border areas. Mstislav went with the devastation of their country to the sea, taking many prisoners and cattle. Chud fled from him or submitted. Stopping in Pskov, Mstislav installed his nephew Boris Romanovich as governor there and spent the rest of the winter and spring in Novgorod, thinking with the men of Novgorod about the benefits of his new fatherland. In the spring, he wanted to go on a campaign to Polotsk, against Prince Vseslav, whose grandfather had once stolen the church vessels of St. Sophia. Jealous of the honor of Novgorod, Mstislav wanted to return this shrine, but his brother, Prince Roman of Smolensk, restrained him, and Mstislav respected the word of his elder brother.
But he had few days of temporary life left. In the strength of courage, a cruel illness suddenly struck him and chained him to a bed of illness. Feeling the approach of death, the prince ordered to carry himself to the church and partake of the Divine Mysteries. The squad of the brave surrounded him; the tongue of their glorious prince has already stagnated; he then called on his inconsolable wife and three young children, looked at them and, sighing heavily, shed a tear: “I entrust them to my good brothers,” he said to Rurik and David, “take care of my young Vladimir first of all.” And, turning to the former posadnik, he added: “To you, Boris Zakhariev, I will hand him over.” Then his powerful hands rested crosswise on his high chest, powerfully wielding a sword for St. Sophia, and the great Mstislav of June rested on the 14th day, 1180. Great Novgorod sobbed over him: “Why didn’t you and I die, glorious prince,” the citizens cried out, “who created so much freedom for great Novgorod! Now we don’t have to go to fight the filthy lands with your spear, but how many times have you said about how we should go against the infidels. Alas for us, for our sun has set! The whole Russian land also wept for him, and, according to the chronicle, not only his squad, but also the foreigners themselves could not forget his valor for a long time.
And the chronicler adds more about the noble prince Mstislav: “He was of medium height, handsome in face, and his soul was even better. He generously dispensed alms and helped the monasteries. He was brave and courageous; he wanted to die for the Russian land. When it was necessary to release the captives from the pagans, he said: “Brothers! If we die for Christians, we will be cleansed from sins and God will count our blood with martyrdom ... He did not collect either gold or silver, but distributed it to his retinue or churches and the poor. There was no land in Rus' that did not love him and did not want to have him as his prince.
Saint Prince Mstislav was buried in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, in the chapel in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
based on site materials
Participation in wars:
Internecine wars. Campaigns against the Polovtsy. Campaigns against Estonians.
Participation in battles:
(Mstislav Rostislavich) Prince of Belgorod (1161, 1171 - 1173), Prince of Smolensk (1174 - 1176), Prince of Toropetsky (1176 - 1178), Prince of Novgorod (1178 - 1180)
In 1161, Prince Mstislav went to reign in Belgorod, which he received from his father.
In 1167, together with his brother novel went on a campaign against the city of Velikiye Luki, which they burned to the ground.
In 1168 he took part in a campaign against the Polovtsians, and in 1169 he went on a campaign against Kyiv, together with the militia Andrey Bogolyubsky.
In 1171, after another partition, Mstislav, together with his brothers, first put his uncle on the Kiev table Vladimir, and after the eldest of the brothers, Roman. Other brothers went to reign in nearby cities. Prince Mstislav again got Belgorod.
In 1173 the prince Andrey Bogolyubsky reported that two years earlier, the Rostislavichi brothers had killed his brother, Gleb. Andrey told Roman to leave Kyiv. He, although reluctantly, obeyed, but the Rostislavichi decided to attack the patrimony of Prince Andrei. But the Grand Duke of Vladimir was ahead of them, and the combined army of fifty thousand of the prince and his allies besieged the city of Vyshgorod, where Prince Mstislav Rostislavovich took refuge with a small squad.
Prince Mstislav was not embarrassed by the numerical superiority of the enemy, and he not only bravely defended himself, but also repeatedly made desperate sorties against the besiegers. But soon discord began among his opponents, which ended with the betrayal of the prince. Yaroslav Lutsky, who secretly assisted Msislav in lifting the siege.
In 1175, after the death of Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky, Mstislav's brother, Roman Rostislavich, again took the princely table in Kyiv, and gave Smolensk to one of his sons - Yaropolk. But the Smolensk people drove the young prince away, inviting Mstislav to reign over them. However, he returned the city to Roman, he himself left with a squad to reign in Toropets.
In 1178, the Novgorod veche turned to Mstislav, as one of the most authoritative princes of Rus', with a request to come to rule them. In 1179, the squad of Mstislav, together with the Novgorod army, went on a campaign against the Estonians, driving them away from Pskov and devastating their lands. However, the very next year, Mstislav fell seriously ill. On June 14, 1480, he ordered himself carried to the church, received communion from the priest, and died.
Mstislav was very popular among the people for his courage and generosity and was revered by the Novgorod church as a local saint.
