Prince Volodymyr the Radiant Sun

Prince Volodymyr (ruled 980-1015) was the youngest son of prince Sviatoslav the Brave and the grandson of princess Olga the Wise. When he assumed power, Kyivan Rus was suffering from never ending fightings and internal conflicts. By the time of his death Rus was a mighty and prosperous state with which all the European countries had to reckon.

After Volodymyr learnt about his brother Yaropolk's march against Oleh (his second brother) and the death of Oleh, Volodymyr fled to Scandinavia to reinforce his troops with Varangians, leaving Novgorod to Yaropolk. In 980 Volodymyr recaptured Novgorod, seized Kyiv and became the autocratic ruler of the huge Kyivan state. Later he conducted policy of unifying the Slav lands against the Yatvingians, Viatichians and Croats.

The real headache of Volodymyr was the Pechenegs — a semi-savage nomadic people of Turkic origin who would often approach Kyiv. To stop attacks of the Pechenegs, Volodymyr began to build towns and fortifications on the river banks. Thanks to these fortification measures, Volodymyr waged a more effective struggle against the Pechenegs.

The Pecheneg wars brought military glory to the Kyivan prince and found its reflection in bylinas.

Agree or disagree:

1. Firstly Volodymyr was a prince of Novgorod.

2. His brothers Yaropolk and Oleh ruled Kyiv.

3. Volodymyr left Novgorod because his army was weak against the army of Yaropolk.

4. Volodymyr hoped that fortifications on the river banks would prevent Kyiv from the Pecheneg invasions.

5. Bylinas were stories about prince Volodymyr.

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