Home > Vladimir I, Prince of Kiev
Vladimir I, Prince of Kiev (c. 958– 1015) (Russian name; Володимир, Volodymyr in Ukrainian; Volodymer in Old Ruthenian; Valdimar in German), known as Saint Vladimir or Vladimir the Great, was the illegitimate son of Sviatoslav I and the grandson of Olga of Kiev. Varangian ruler of Kiev from 980, he converted to Christianity in 988, reversing Sviatoslav's adherence to the pagan tradition (which was probably a mix of Norse and Slavic elements). Transferring his capital to Pereyaslavets in 969, Sviatoslav designated Vladimir ruler of Novgorod but gave Kiev to his legitimate son Yaropolk. After Sviatoslav's death (972), civil war erupted (976) between Yaropolk and his younger brother Oleg, ruler of Dereva. As he belonged to the Norse elite, Vladimir fled (977) to his kinsmen in ScandinaviaScandinavia is the cultural and historic region of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The Scandinavian countries are Norway, Sweden and Denmark, which mutually recognize each other as parts of Scandinavia. The collective label "Scandinavia" reflects the cultural, and Novgorod fell to Yaropolk.
Returning in 978 with a large force of VikingViking refers in a loose sense to the North Germanic (ethnically Scandinavian) population of Northern Europe in the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th centuries, which during this time colonized, raided and traded the lengths of the coasts, rivers and islands of Eur warriors (see leidangThe institution known as leidangr ( Old Norse), leidang leding ( Norwegian), leding ( Danish), ledung ( Swedish), expeditio ( Latin) or sometimes lething (in English language), was a public fleet levy of free farmers typical for the Scandinavian Vikings.), Vladimir recaptured Novgorod the following year. He slew the Varangian prince Ragnvald of Polotsk and married his daughter RagnhildRogneda of Polotsk Ragnhild Ragnilda Rahneda Rahnieda ( 962- 1002) ( Belarusian: ), Princess, was a daughter of Ragnvald (Rogvolod (Russian), Rahvalod (Belarusian)) of Polotsk, a wife of Vladimir the Great of Kiev, and mother of Yaroslav I the Wise and Iz, who was engaged to Yaropolk. Yaropolk fled as Vladimir besieged Kiev, but was killed (980) after surrendering to Vladimir, who now ruled all his father's domains.
Though Christianity had won many converts since Olga's rule, Vladimir had remained pagan, taking several wives and erecting pagan statues and shrines to gods, such as ThorThor or (ON), Thunor (OE), Donar or Donner (German) is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder and lightning in Germanic and Norse Mythology, the son of Odin and Jord. While Odin is the god of the powerful and aristocratic, Thor is much more the god of and OdinWotan Wodan Woden Oden Odin or dinn is usually considered the supreme god of Germanic and Norse mythology. His role, like many of the Norse pantheon, is complex: he is god of both wisdom and war, roles not necessarily conceived of as being mutually sympat. He continued his efforts to extend his territories, fighting in Galicia in 981, against the Yatvingians on the Baltic coast in 983, against the Bulgars in 985 and against the Byzantine Empire successfully in the Crimea in 987.
In 988 he negotiated for the hand of the Byzantine emperor Basil II's sister, Anna. At Basil's insistence, Vladimir was baptized at Kherson, married Anna and gave up his other wives. In baptism, he received the Christian name Basil. Handing over Kherson to the Greeks, he destroyed pagan monuments and established many churches. Later, Vladimir sent ambassadors to Rome and other Christian capitals in the 11th century. Later he helped to found Ruthenian monasteries on Mt. Athos.
Yaroslav, Vladimir's son by an earlier marriage, rebelled against him and refused to render him service or tribute for Novgorod. Vladimir prepared to take Novgorod by force, but died before the attack could begin.
Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate the feast day of St. Vladimir on 15 July.
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