Armenian-Byzantine Princess Anna - Grand Duchess of Kievan Rus. Prince Vladimir and Anna of Byzantium

1055 years ago, on March 13, 963, a girl of high birth and tragic, according to compatriots, fate was born. She was given in marriage against her will, but that's not so bad. Anna, namely the name of the newborn, in 25 years she will become the wife of a Russian Prince Vladimir.

The fact that the marriage between the Russian prince and the Byzantine princess became a big event is probably known to everyone. In the end, the charming cartoon "Prince Vladimir" ends with a touching scene of absentee matchmaking. The stately tall Anna Byzantine receives a pitiful pipe from her Russian fiance and is imbued with the lyricism of the melody. Brown eyes the curtains twitch, a strand of raven-colored hair gracefully leans back ... Everything is very beautiful, but it does not correspond to the truth in any way.

Red-red - a dangerous person?

The first question that gossip-hungry gossips ask as soon as they hear about the wedding is: “Well, is the bride at least beautiful?” Let's ask this question too.

And immediately you have to tighten up. The fact is that the description of the appearance of Anna of Byzantium did not reach us. However, something can still be found out. Anna was the sister of the reigning emperor Basil II Bulgar-slayers and his co-ruler brother Constantine VIII. It is very well known how these representatives of the Armenian dynasty looked like.

Height is below average, but the physique is harmonious and graceful. The eyes are gray or blue. The hair is blond, but not whitish, but with a thick golden sheen. Very white skin. It is possible that with freckles, as is often the case with fair-haired people with a slight reddish bias. Most likely, Anna just had freckles - the only more or less accurate indication of her appearance is the nickname given to the princess by her compatriots. Rufa. That is, "Red".

"Anna of Byzantium". The series has 12 episodes. The main character is in the center of intrigues, wars, redistribution of territories pic.twitter.com/jmiUMuL1bH

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In crimson and gold

In addition to appearance, as a rule, the bride's family is also interested. Anna was fine with that. Belonging to the Byzantine imperial dynasty is the highest standard of generosity for the Middle Ages. You simply cannot find it higher - any representative of any royal house in Europe was, compared with the Byzantine dynasty, not even a commoner, but yesterday's monkey, which barely got off the tree.

However, Anna stood out even in her family. She was purple. This is a special category of representatives ruling house Roman Empire.

Porphyrogenites - the so-called children of the emperor, born during his reign. All of them were born only and exclusively in the Porphyry (Crimson) Hall of the Grand or Holy Imperial Palace, which was founded by Constantine the Great. During the first year of life, they were swaddled in diapers of the appropriate purple color. For 1 kg of fabric for such diapers, it was necessary to spend 200 gr. purple dye. That is, 30 thousand purple mollusks, from which this rarest paint was extracted. Whom this figure does not convince, we will translate into money. 1 silk diaper, dyed purple, cost up to 30 thousand solidi. Or, if you like, about 6 thousand current dollars. Truly golden children.

But the main thing is not even that. And the fact that such a child was considered blessed. Simply for the reason that his parents were the bearers of divine, sacred power.

To whom and the mare is the bride

Of course, such children were protected more than the eyes. There was no question of giving the purple-born princess in marriage to some barbarian.

In any case, this is what the grandfather of our heroine, the emperor, ordered Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus: “If ever the people of any of these unfaithful and impious northern tribes ask for kinship through marriage with the basileus of the Romans, that is, either get his daughter as a wife, or give his daughter, whether to basileus as a wife or to the son of basileus, you should reject this unreasonable request of theirs."

There were exceptions, but extremely rare. More or less people from all Europeans in Byzantium considered the family of the emperor of the Franks and the house of the Bulgarian kings. You could still be related to them. The rulers of these states were called in diplomatic correspondence "bright archon", which was significantly higher than just "archon" - something like a "tribal leader".

But marriages were not always concluded with them. Married to the same Anna founder of the French Capet dynasty Hugh Capet- he wanted to marry his son to a Byzantine princess. And got rejected. We do not give Porphyrogenitus in Europe.

Russian variant

This elite club of European rulers also included Russian princes. Which, of course, is surprising. Both the Franks and the Bulgarians were by that time at least Christians, but Russia remained thoroughly pagan. Nevertheless, the "bright archon" was also called Oleg. The very one who, according to legend, "approved the shield on the gates of Constantinople."

However, Anna Porphyrogenitus, according to contemporaries, having barely learned that the kind brothers-emperors had married her to the Russian “bright archon” Vladimir, was, to put it mildly, dissatisfied: “I’m going to Russia, as if I’m full, it would be better for me to die here” .

Which immediately brought Russia to the first place in Europe. The purple-born princess went to the Russian, who yesterday was a pagan and was baptized only for marriage - this is unthinkable. This is an insult to all European ruling houses, proud of their origins.

Unfortunately, Vladimir could not extract full benefits from this marriage. He and Anna had only one common child a daughter who died in infancy. If there were more children in this marriage, things would have gone differently. Each child born from Porphyrogenitus could, with a successful set of circumstances, claim the throne of Byzantium. Since the Armenian dynasty ended in the 11th century, the only legitimate contenders for the throne of Constantinople would have been the descendants of Vladimir and Anna. Now imagine a united Orthodox power from the Baltic to the Mediterranean.

Anna Byzantine

Russian chronicles keep a rare silence about the life of this woman. Perhaps only two facts are mentioned. The first - among the numerous wives of the Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, Anna, undoubtedly, stood out for her nobility, since she came from the family of Byzantine emperors who once claimed the role of rulers of the world. The second - in many ways, it was under her influence that Christianity was strengthened in Russia at that time, and a unique style arose. Orthodox churches and temples. So, the role played by Anna Romanovna in history is truly grandiose. And, go and know what the world would have looked like if she had not set foot on Kievan land at the end of the 10th century. However, first things first.

The Byzantine princess Anna was born on March 13, 963. Moreover, its birth was preceded by a very dramatic story. Her father, Emperor Roman II, who ruled for only four years, became famous, among other things, for marrying a completely noble girl - the daughter of an innkeeper named Anastasia. Having thus turned into Empress Anastasia, she changed her name to Theophano (meaning “chosen by God”), seized all the existing levers of power and gave birth to her husband first two sons - Vasily and Konstantin, and a few days before his death - daughter Anna. It gave Roman great pleasure to ride furiously on thoroughbred trotters, and this was precisely the reason for his tragic death. The death of her husband greatly disappointed Theophano. Not wanting to miss out on the blessings that had befallen her, this power-hungry woman immediately married the prominent commander Nikephoros Foku, who, under her pressure, was soon proclaimed emperor.

At first, this situation suited both of them - Theophano still ruled, and Foka enjoyed the benefits assigned to him by status and fought to his heart's content. But a little time passed, and the temperamental woman became disappointed in her middle-aged wife, who always disappears in military campaigns. In addition, the wars so beloved by Phocas drained the treasury. Realizing that it could not continue like this, Theophano chose a new object of passion - the commander John Tzimisces, who was Fok's nephew. Having skillfully organized a palace coup in 969, she dealt with her annoying husband with one blow and elevated John to the throne. He showed rare ingratitude and, following the lead of the clergy, not only refused to marry, but also expelled Theophano from the capital. Anna, who at that time was only six years old, followed her mother into exile.

When, after seven years, power passed to the eldest son of Theophano Vasily, the disgraced woman, along with her daughter, was able to return to the imperial palace. Since that time, the grown-up Anna began to be considered one of the most enviable brides. She was distinguished not only by nobility, the best education by the standards of that time, a rich dowry, but also by the beauty that she inherited from her mother. Although no documentary source describes the appearance of the Byzantine princess, it can be assumed that Anna looked like brothers: she was a short, blue-eyed, fair-haired and beautifully built girl. Contemporaries gave her the nickname Rufa, which means "redhead".

Vasily and Konstantin were in no hurry to marry Anna off, looking, obviously, for the best match for her. The feelings of the girl in this case did not decide anything. Given the great interest of European monarchs in marriage with Byzantine princesses, the brothers considered their sister only as a major trump card in the political game and, regardless of the costs, spread information about her virtues everywhere.

These rumors also reached the court of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, who already had many wives. different nationalities. It is likely that the Russian ruler, oversaturated with feminine charms, wanted to become the husband of the most famous and enviable bride in Europe. It is possible that Vladimir more than once wooed Anna, but each time he was refused under the pretext that he was not a Christian.

However, time passed, and the position of Byzantium changed. A rebellion rose up against the emperors Basil and Constantine, and in September 987 there was even a threat of the rebels capturing the capital. Since the brothers could not cope with the rebels on their own, they had to turn to neighboring countries for military assistance. One of the first, apparently, responded Vladimir, interested in rapprochement with the Byzantine emperors. But he offered help not free of charge, and as a payment he demanded consent to marry Anna.

Delicate negotiations ended with the signing of an agreement, according to which the Russian prince would first be baptized, then receive Anna's hand, marry her according to the Christian rite, and immediately provide military assistance to new relatives in the fight against the rebels. The baptism itself and the wedding were supposed to take place in Chersonese, so Vladimir went to this city with a large squadron of ships full of well-armed warriors. However, for some reason, the bride was late. And when the prince's patience snapped in order to push the emperor to the speedy implementation of the treaty, he captured Chersonese without much difficulty. In this In a difficult situation, Vasily and Konstantin had to urgently put their sister on a ship and send them to the groom with a large retinue of clergy.

Anna, at first, categorically refused to marry the barbarian, believing that she would be captured by him. But the brothers said that God entrusted her with a great mission - to convert an entire pagan country to the true faith. At the same time, she will save her relatives from a cruel enemy.

The Russian prince, after learning about the departure of the bride, ordered to rebuild special chambers for her, amazing with the luxury of decoration. And when the Byzantine ships arrived at the city, all the locals came out to meet the princess and honorably took her to the mansions.

Preparations for the baptism of Vladimir and the wedding took place without any special incidents. At the beginning of the summer of 988, the barbarian fulfilled his promises and accepted the religion offered by Byzantium. During the wedding feast on the streets of Khersonesad, vessels with wine and honey, vats of meat, fish and vegetables were taken out for ordinary people. Then the newlyweds distributed money to the beggars and widows.

At the time of her marriage to Vladimir, Anna was 25 years old. She was considered quite grown woman with established views, tastes and worldview, therefore it is not surprising that Vladimir, who was inferior in education and culture, began to listen to the advice of his wife. Byzantine chronicles report that Anna built many churches in the Russian state. After all, she perfectly understood that without the construction of churches and the training of priests, it would not be possible to carry out the Christianization of a large state. At first, the clergy and craftsmen who came with her built small churches in various places, including in Khersones and Kyiv. When Anna saw that the local population liked the architectural innovations, she thought about building a grandiose cathedral in her princely residence in Kyiv.

It must be said that although in the time of Vladimir and Anna Kyiv did not surpass Novgorod in its grandeur, it was undoubtedly more convenient for a heat-loving Byzantine princess to live in it than in northern capital. In Kyiv, she was attracted by the mild climate and the opportunity fast communication with Byzantium, because along the Dnieper there was a direct waterway to Anna's homeland, and merchants could deliver her usual things: clothes, jewelry, fruits, vegetables. Anna's Khersones, which belonged to Anna, was also relatively close, from which significant funds came to her treasury. From the Crimea, they probably delivered the necessary for the temples and the palace construction material especially marble.

Anna decided to build a majestic cathedral in Kyiv in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin. Later it was called the Church of the Tithes, since it existed on a tenth of the princely income. The dedication of the Kyiv Cathedral to the Virgin indicates that the initiator of its construction was a woman who was well acquainted with similar buildings in Byzantium. The fact is that the main court temple of the Byzantine emperors was dedicated to the Mother of God, and the Church of the Tithes, in its essence, was also a court church. Some connoisseurs of the history of architecture even expressed the opinion that the Kyiv temple was built on the model of the Pharos Church at the Grand Imperial Palace in Constantinople. And although neither the Pharos nor the Tithe Church have survived to our time (the latter collapsed during the invasion of Batu in 1240), archaeologists managed to reconstruct them appearance. In particular, the Church of the Tithes was an imposing structure 27 meters long and 18 meters wide, crowned with five large domes. Its appearance subsequently became a model for the construction of cathedrals in many Russian cities, but the interior of the Kyiv church was distinguished by its special splendor. Frescoes and mosaics were used for decoration. colored glass, as well as jasper. Due to the abundance of marble, which covered the floor with large slabs and ascended upwards in the form of columns, contemporaries called the Church of the Tithes “marble”.

Another merit of the newly-born princess was the annual celebration of the day of the Assumption of the Mother of God. This happened for the first time in the fall of 996, immediately after the completion of construction. tithe church. Assumption of the Mother of God has become a favorite for Russian people. At the same time, no one remembered that the Byzantine princess Anna Romanovna was the first to install it in Russia.

Under Anna, not only the Church of the Tithes was erected, the construction of the palace complex next to it can also be associated with her name. The palace looked very beautiful and resembled similar buildings in Byzantium. Its walls were decorated with fabulous frescoes and bright mosaics, the bottom was covered with slate slabs with bas-reliefs, doors and round glazed windows - carved marble architraves. On the square in front of the palace stood copper statues of horses taken from Chersonese. Greek-style patios may have been decorated ornamental plants and flowers. Before in Russia, nothing like this was built. They say that Prince Vladimir liked to walk around the territory of the palace and did not get tired of praising himself for the perseverance shown in the conquest of the Byzantine princess.

Anna Romanovna also had a considerable influence on the fashion world. It was thanks to her example that Russian women learned and fell in love with glass decorations. At first, Byzantine glassmakers were engaged only in the manufacture of mosaics and window panes for the Church of the Tithes. But then they began to leave their shops different forms and sizes of multi-colored glass drops, which local jewelers set in a frame, sometimes gold. This is how amazing in their beauty and relatively cheap earrings, rings, monista were obtained. Russian artisans learned the art of colored glassmaking, and the manufacture of various glass products became a mass phenomenon in pre-Mongolian Russia. Unfortunately, after the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars, the Russians lost the glass-making technology.

Anna also took care of the development of brick construction. It was during the reign of her husband that the custom appeared to decorate temples and palaces with wall paintings, mosaics, carved stone, and inlaid floors with multi-colored tiles. Byzantine luxury and sophistication more and more actively penetrated into the life of the nobility, this especially affected clothes and jewelry.

As for the main mission Anna Romanovna, then, undoubtedly, she fulfilled the covenant of the emperor brothers and became the first enlightener of Russia. The representatives of the clergy surrounding her taught Russian priests, for which special schools were created. The icons and church utensils brought by the princess turned into a standard for copying by local painters and artisans. They were sent to newly built churches in all cities. Anna herself was engaged in educational activities in the grand ducal family and among the nobility. It is known that all the numerous children of Prince Vladimir readily accepted Christianity and spread it in their possessions. Even ex-wives Kyiv ruler turned into zealous Christians, especially Rogneda. Following the example of Anna, she brought a new religion to the Polotsk land. Then she founded the first convent and took the vows.

But the historical chronicles keep complete silence about the personal relationship between Vladimir and Anna. There is not even any mention of their children, although they lived for 22 years in marriage.

Anna died quite early - in 1011, at the age of 48. Perhaps she was the victim of some epidemic. However, judging by the burial, Vladimir Svyatoslavovich passionately loved his Byzantine wife, despite the fact that, in fact, he was a polygamist. This last shelter great woman found in a luxurious sarcophagus created by Greek masters, decorated with beautiful carvings and installed in the aisle of the Church of the Tithes. It should be noted: in Byzantium, even the emperors, the vicars of God on earth, were not awarded such an honor. They were buried outside churches. Only in countries Western Europe there was a custom to install the tombs of rulers inside the temples. Thus, they were equated with saints. It is possible that Anna, immediately after her death, was elevated to the rank of a locally revered saint because, together with her husband, she baptized and enlightened the Russian people.

ANNA (born March 13, 963; d. 1011/1012), Byzantine princess, porphyrogenite, daughter of Emperor Roman II, sister of Emperors Basil II and Constantine VIII, wife of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich of Kyiv, the Baptist of Russia.

Anna was born two days before the death of her father, Emperor Roman (according to the Byzantine chronicler John Skylitsa); therefore, her birth took place in the so-called. Porphyry - a special room in the Constantinople Palace, where only the children of the ruling emperors were born. Apparently, it was her hand that the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Otto I sought for his son, the future Emperor Otto II, in 967 (data from Liutprand, Bishop of Cremona, who, however, did not name the alleged bride).

Around 987, negotiations began on the marriage of Anna and the Russian prince Vladimir. This marriage played an exceptional role in the history of Russia and had a significant impact on the history of Byzantium; it is not surprising that a number of sources report on him - both Russian (chronicles, various editions of the Life of Prince Vladimir) and foreign (Yahya of Antioch, Abu-Shoja al-Rudraveri, Ibn al-Athir; Skilitsa; Titmar of Merseburg, etc.) .

The circumstances of the unprecedented courtship of the Russian prince to the purple-born princess are known. The Byzantine Emperor Basil II, who found himself in an extremely difficult situation after the defeat from the Bulgarians (August 986) and the beginning of the rebellion of Barda Sklir (February 987), and then Varda Foki (August or September 987), turned for help to Russian prince Vladimir. Vladimir promised to help, but demanded Vasily Anna's hand in return. Despite the fact that the marriage of a porphyry-born princess with a "barbarian" was considered blasphemous and unacceptable (which was specifically written about in the middle of the 10th century by the grandfather of Basil and Anna, Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in his essay "On the Administration of the Empire"), Basil agreed on the condition of baptism Vladimir (no later than October 987). Vladimir was probably baptized, but the marriage was delayed by almost two years. During this time, Vladimir managed to provide assistance to Vasily (which became saving for him), and then began military operations in the Crimea against the Byzantine city of Chersonese (Korsun). Only after the fall of Chersonese (probably between April 7 and July 27, 989) were negotiations between Basil and Vladimir resumed. Anna opposed the marriage in every possible way (as according to Russian and Eastern sources), but she had to submit to the will of her brother. Together with the priests and close associates, she went to Chersonesus, where her marriage to Vladimir took place. In addition to the "Tale of Bygone Years", Anna's stay in Chersonese is evidenced by microtoponymic data: in the second half of the 11th century. in Korsun, "the queen's chambers" were known (annalistic article of 988). This is probably evidenced by the Life of St. Stefan of Surozh (known in Russian translation, in lists not earlier than the 15th century), namely "Miracle 4" (the last of the posthumous miracles of the saint). It contains a story about an illness that happened to "Queen Anna" on the way from Chersonese to Kerch: Anna fell ill when she was on the "Black Water" (Greek Mavropotam; probably the current river Biyuk-Karasu), near Surozh (modern Sudak); she was healed by a prayer to Saint Stephen.

Anna is the only Byzantine queen whose stay in the Crimea (and, moreover, in Chersonese) is known to us for certain. This makes the identification of Anna's Life with Anna, the wife of Prince Vladimir, very likely. (Russian sources always call Anna "the queen", but not the princess; in addition, we note that the authors of the Life do not make such an identification at all, therefore, her name could not appear in the text of the Life by guesswork.)

According to The Tale of Bygone Years, as well as the Life of Prince Vladimir, it was Anna who finally convinced Vladimir to accept Christianity: soon after her arrival in Korsun, the prince fell ill with his eyes and was baptized only after Anna promised him healing. However, this episode can also be regarded as a hagiographic stamp, a cliché, since, as one might assume, Vladimir had already been baptized by the time of his marriage to Anna. Nevertheless, the role of Anna in the Christianization of Russia was very significant. According to the Arab chronicler of the XI century. Yahya of Antioch, Anna built many churches in her new homeland. Anna's name is read in the text of the so-called. Charter of Prince Vladimir about church courts(a monument of the 13th century, which is probably based on a genuine charter of Prince Vladimir).

Anna's daughters, apparently, were Maria Dobronega, who later became the wife of the Polish prince Casimir I the Restorer, and also, possibly, Feofan, the wife of the Novgorod posadnik Ostromir (A. Poppe's assumption). The repeated assumption that Anna was also the mother of princes Boris and Gleb does not seem reasonable and directly contradicts the sources.

The Tale of Bygone Years reports the death of Anna under 6519 (1011/1012). This news, most likely taken from the commemoration book of the Kyiv Tithes Church (where the princess was buried), should certainly be preferred to the testimony of the Byzantine chronicler Skylitsa, according to which Anna she died after her husband, i.e., after 1015. The German chronicler Titmar of Merseburg (who erroneously called Princess Elena) reports about Anna's tomb, located next to her husband's tomb.

LITERATURE:
Schreiner P. Miscellania Byzantino-Russica // Byzantine Timepiece. T. 52.M., 1991. S. 157-158; Poppe A. Theophan of Novgorod // Novgorod Historical Collection. Issue. 6 (16). SPb., 1997. S. 102-120; Karpov A. Yu. Vladimir Saint. M., 1997.

For many centuries, representatives of the ruling dynasties rarely entered into love marriages. Princesses were seen more as a tool in the political game.

And few people saw them as girls dreaming of personal happiness, especially if family union between monarchs could bring peace and prosperity to the country on long years. So Princess Anna from the Macedonian dynasty in 988 left her native Constantinople to marry Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich. How did the fate of the representative of the Byzantine imperial house, who became the Kyiv princess?

enviable bride

Princess Anna was born on March 13, 963, literally two days before the death of her 24-year-old father, Emperor Roman II. The reason for the tragic event that left the newborn girl an orphan has remained unclear. Most historians believe that the ruler of Byzantium was poisoned.

The mother of the princess, Theophano, was a woman of humble origin, an Armenian by nationality. In addition to her daughter, she had two sons from the emperor: Vasily and Konstantin. After the death of her husband, the widow married the commander Nicephorus Fok, who occupied the Byzantine throne.

Some researchers have an ambiguous attitude towards Queen Theophano. This woman is called an insidious seductress, who first enchanted Emperor Roman II, and then Nicophorus Foka. It is believed that in 969 it was at the suggestion of the queen that a coup d'état took place: Theophano placed her next lover, John I Tzimisces, on the Byzantine throne. However, he did not want to marry the emperor's widow. Apparently, he was afraid of becoming a new victim of her political intrigues.

Theophano with her children was expelled from the capital. However, political game never ends. And seven years later, in 976, after the death of Tzimisces, the representatives of the Macedonian dynasty regained their throne. And Anna's brothers - Vasily II the Bulgar-Slayer and Constantine VIII - became co-rulers. Note that this is a great rarity in the history of mankind when two people occupy the same throne at the same time.

At the age of 13, Anna became an enviable bride, to whom princes and kings from all over Europe began to woo. It is known that the girl received an excellent education. She was one of the most educated women of her era. History has preserved her nickname - Rufa, which means "redhead".

AT different years German and Bulgarian rulers wooed a representative of a noble family, but Anna's most influential and promising fiancé was, according to most historians, the French king Robert II from the Capetian dynasty. Why the courtship of the Franks was not successful, one can only guess.

One way or another, the most enviable bride in Europe remained unmarried for a long time - up to 25 years, which by the standards of the 10th century was already too late for marriage.

Prince's courtship

If Anna was considered by all enlightened Europe of that time to be an exemplary girl: she was noble, rich, and well-read, then Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich could not be called a suitable party. At the time of the matchmaking, he was the ruler of a pagan people, which caused a negative reaction from the Christian powers.

In addition, the Kyiv prince had a whole harem: five official wives and a large number of concubines. Being only three years older than his bride, the Kyiv prince managed to become the father of 13 sons and more than 10 daughters from different women(the exact information about all the children of Vladimir I has not been preserved).

Marriage with Princess Anne was beneficial to the prince for several reasons. Firstly, Byzantium was the most influential and wealthy state of that era, an alliance with such an empire could bring many benefits. Secondly, a dynastic marriage with a representative of such a noble family would contribute to the state formation of Russia as one of the European powers. And thirdly, marriage to a Byzantine princess raised personal status Prince Vladimir I, putting him on the same level with representatives of an influential European house.

There are two main versions of the events that prompted Basil II and Constantine VIII to extradite their younger sister married a prince of Kyiv. "The Tale of Bygone Years" tells about successful campaign Vladimir and his fighting squad to the Crimea, where the Russian army captured the city of Chersonese (Korsun). This strategically important port belonged to Byzantium. In addition to everything, the Kyiv prince sent a letter to Constantinople, in which he threatened that the capital of the empire would become the next point of his conquest campaign. The only way for Basil II and Constantine VIII to avoid this attack was the marriage of Anna and Vladimir I.

So, according to the first version, the reason for the wedding was a direct threat military intervention. By the way, after the marriage, the prince returned Chersonese to Byzantine rule as a gesture of goodwill.

Other sources claim that the courtship of Vladimir I was more peaceful. The co-rulers of Byzantium asked the prince of Kyiv to help them suppress the armed rebellion, which was organized by famous commander Varda Foka. In exchange for support in this struggle, Vasily II, according to some sources, himself promised to give Princess Anna to Vladimir I as his wife, which happened after the successful defeat of the rebels by the Russian squad.

One way or another, but Byzantium sought to extend its influence to neighboring lands through missionary activities. Having adopted Orthodoxy, the former pagans became brothers in faith and began to defend the borders of the empire from the raids of other warlike tribes. Therefore, the condition of the bride of Prince Vladimir I to be baptized according to the Greek church canon before marriage was politically justified.

Kyiv prince complied with Princess Anne's demand. They got married in 988. She was 25 years old, he was 28. After the wedding, the newly converted Christian disbanded his large harem.

Baptism of Russia

Prince Vladimir began to be called the Saint and Baptist of Russia only after his marriage to Anna of Byzantium. This woman, who did not have the opportunity to control her own destiny, largely determined further way development of our country. If earlier in each locality they prayed to their own gods, then after the baptism of Russia, initiated by the Kyiv prince, an Orthodox religion common to all appeared, uniting the people.

Anna of Byzantium did a lot to spread Christianity in Russia. Together with her, scientists, theologians, priests, architects and craftsmen came to the country. At the initiative of the princess, several temples were built, including the church Holy Mother of God in Kyiv. This religious building is often called the Church of the Tithes, since one tenth of the treasury of the Kyiv prince was directed to its maintenance. Vladimir the Holy consulted with his wife in dealing with various religious issues.

Byzantine architecture provided big influence to Russian architecture. And the spread of Christianity led to the creation of the famous Cyrillic alphabet, which, albeit in a modified form, we still use. And in all this there is the merit of Princess Anna.

She died in 1011 when she was 48 years old. The cause of death is considered by most historians to be infection, while epidemics claimed thousands of lives. The Kyiv prince died four years later. They were both buried in the Church of the Tithes.

Information about the children of this married couple has not been preserved. Some sources claim that they did not exist at all. Others say that the wife of King Casimir I of Poland - Maria - was the daughter of Vladimir I and Anna of Byzantium.

Private bussiness

Anna of Byzantium (963-1011/1012) was born in Byzantium. She came from the Macedonian dynasty, whose representatives ruled the country for more than two centuries. Her father Emperor Roman II died young, leaving two minor sons Basil and Constantine and a daughter.

The Byzantine historian John Skilitsa wrote that the death of the 24-year-old Roman II was caused by "the exhaustion of the flesh by shameful and voluptuous deeds." There were rumors that he was poisoned.

After the death of Roman, Anna's mother, Queen Theophano, was proclaimed regent for her young sons; but soon the imperial throne was seized by the commander of the troops of the East Nicephorus II Phocas, who immediately married Theophano.

Only six years later, a conspiracy formed against the stern Nicephorus, led by Theophano and her lover, Nicephorus' associate John Tzimisces. Nikephoros was brutally murdered, and Tzimisces took over the throne.

However, contrary to Theophano's expectations, Tzimisces did not marry her, but sent her into exile, where 6-year-old Anna probably followed with her mother.

Only after the death of Tzimisces in 976 did the grown-up brothers of Anna begin to rule themselves, becoming co-emperors, and went down in history as Basil II the Bulgar Slayer and Constantine VIII.

After the accession of her older brothers to the throne, Anna became an enviable bride, whose hand was sought by the rulers of neighboring countries. In particular, historians mention among her suitors the heir to the Holy Roman Empire, Otto III, whom Anna was 17 years older, the son of the French king Hugo Capet - Robert II, and also one of the Bulgarian princes. For various reasons, these unions did not take place.

In 988, after the Russians captured the Greek city of Korsun (Chersonese) in the Crimea, the Russian prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich demanded the hand of their sister from the Byzantine emperors, threatening to take Tsargrad by storm if they refused. Frightened by this demand, Basil and Constantine agreed to the marriage, but on condition that the prince accepted Christianity and provided military support for the empire.

“Let those priests,” answered Grand Duke who will come with your sister and baptize me."

In the oldest chronicles it is described in sufficient detail that at first Anna, who at that time was already 25 years old, categorically refused to marry a barbarian. She begged her brothers to let her die in her homeland. But they said that God entrusted her with a great mission - to convert an entire pagan country to the true faith.

Princess Anna, with great reluctance, went by sea to Korsun, where the Grand Duke was. According to the legend, at this time his eyes ached badly. Anna advised him to be baptized in order to be healed of his illness. Vladimir fulfilled the desire of his bride and suddenly received his sight.

After baptism, they immediately performed a marriage - already according to the Christian rite. Having returned Korsun to Byzantium, Prince Vladimir and Anna returned to Kyiv, where he began the mass baptism of the people.

According to some historians, it was thanks to Anna that the construction of the first stone church began. Old Russian state- the majestic Kyiv Cathedral in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin, later nicknamed the Church of the Tithes, since it existed on a tenth of the prince's income.

The chronicle says that Princess Anna became the sixth wife of Grand Duke Vladimir and that her daughter Maria was born from her, who later married the Polish King Casimir I.

Anna of Byzantium died in the year 6519 from the creation of the world according to the Byzantine calendar, which corresponds to 1011/1012 AD. Her tomb was located in the Church of the Tithes in Kyiv, next to the tomb of St. Vladimir the Baptist, who died 4 years after the death of his wife.

What is famous

The wife of the Kyiv Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavich, the Baptist of Russia. Many historians claim that she played decisive role that Vladimir agreed to accept Orthodoxy and that it was Anna who convinced Vladimir Svyatoslavich to become a Christian. The Syrian historian of the 11th century, Yahya of Antioch, wrote that Anna diligently participated in the spread of Orthodoxy in Russia, "having built many churches." The church charter of Vladimir says that the prince consulted with his wife in church affairs: "having guessed with my princess Anna."

According to Karamzin, the educated Byzantine princess had to accomplish a feat in the name of her motherland, and also take on the mission of educating the "misguided pagans." As a result, "Anna was an instrument of heavenly grace that brought Russia out of the darkness of idolatry."

What you need to know

The marriage of a Byzantine princess with a "barbarian" was considered blasphemous and unacceptable. As early as the middle of the 10th century, Anna's grandfather, Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus, wrote for his son a treatise "On the Management of the Empire", in which he expressed the attitude of the rulers of Byzantium towards dynastic marriages with barbarian northern peoples, among which he also indicated the Rus: “If ever the people of any of these unfaithful and impious northern tribes ask for kinship through marriage with the basileus of the Romans, that is, either get his daughter as a wife, or give his daughter, whether to the basileus wife or son of Basileus, you must also reject this unreasonable request of theirs [...] Since each nation has different customs, different laws and regulations, it must adhere to its own rules, and make and create alliances to mix lives within the same people.

Constantine Porphyrogenitus made an exception only for the ruling houses of Western Europe, the "Franks". However, circumstances nevertheless forced his grandchildren to become related to their "barbarian" neighbors.

Direct speech:

About marriage:"I'm going as if I'm full, it would be better for me to die here."

Arab historian of the XI century Abu Shoja al-Rudraveri about the role of Anna in the baptism of Russia:“The woman resisted giving herself to someone who disagrees with her in faith. Negotiations began about this, which ended with the entry of the Tsar of the Rus into Christianity.

6 facts about Anna of Byzantium

• Anna was born 2 days before the death of her father, Emperor Roman II. It is for this reason that it is known exact date her birth.
• Anna's mother, Theophano, was of an humble family. According to Leo the Deacon, this “most beautiful, seductive and refined woman of her time, equally distinguished by her beauty, abilities, ambition and depravity,” was the daughter of a Constantinople tavern maker, in whose establishment she worked as a prostitute. Having seduced the young heir to the throne, Roman, she eventually became the queen.
• Anna was called Porphyrogenitus - that is, born in scarlet swaddling clothes. The crimson color was considered imperial, and a child born during the reign of his imperial parents had an undoubted right to the Byzantine throne.
• Contemporaries gave Anna the nickname Rufa (Redhead). Although no descriptions of Anna's appearance or portraits have been preserved, she most likely resembled the half-brothers Vasily and Konstantin. They were blue-eyed, fair-haired, short stature but nice build.
• According to N. N. Nikitenko, the secular frescoes of the two stair towers of St. Sophia of Kyiv, leading to the prince's choirs, tell about the marriage of Prince Vladimir and Princess Anna.
• Anna of Byzantium is one of the notable characters in the historical novel Dove over Pontus (When Chersonese fell) by Antonin Ladinsky.