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Yaroslav Vladimirovich
Yaroslav the Wise
Yaroslav
Vladimirovich did many great things to make Ukraine a nation. Throughout his life he earned many different
nicknames, but the one that he is best known as is, Yaroslav the Wise. And in case anyone was wondering, he's also
the guy on the one the Ukrainian two hryvnia bill.
Yaroslav
was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 978 A.D. His father sent him to Novgorod to rule.
Yaroslav married Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden and had four children that I
know of; three daughters and one son. His daughters' names were, Yelysaveta,
Anna and Anastasiia, his son's name was Iziaslav. Yaroslav had his sons and daughters marry
people from many other nations and countries so he could keep peace and make
trading traditions with the countries. This is why one of his other nicknames was 'the Father-In-law of Europe'
because many of his relatives were from many other nations.
Many
important things happened to Yaroslav and his family in the year1015. First, Yaroslav rebelled against his father
by not paying the yearly tribute of 2,000 silver hryvnia. His father died later that year. In this same year, Yaroslav the Wise defeated
his brother, Syiatopolk and his allies and he was given another nickname of
Grand Prince. However, in 1018, Sviatopolk defeated Yaroslav's army and drove
them from Kiev with the help of his father-in-law, Boleslaw, the Duke of
Poland. This battle between the brothers
was still not over. In 1019, at the Alta
River, Yaroslav and his army defeated
Sviatopolk causing him to flee to Poland. Sviatopolk died on his way back to
Poland and Yaroslav got back the Kievian throne.
Yaroslav later founded the Saint Sophia
Cathedral. It was built between 1037 and 1044. Yaroslav built this cathedral to
commemorate his victory conquering Kiev.
The Saint Sophia Cathedral is still in Kiev to this day. Yaroslav also erected many other
magnificent churches and buildings. He encouraged people to learn codified laws
and he established a written code of law that is now in a library in Kiev,
Ukraine.
Here is
an example of why Yaroslav's most famous nickname was Yaroslav the Wise.
Yaroslav said this to his sons on his death bed.
“Love one another because you are brethren from you father
and mother.
If you love one another, then God will be with you and will
submit the enemy under your hands and you will live peacefully. In case,
however, you live hatefully in feuds and dissension then you will destroy
yourself.”
Yaroslav
the Wise died in Vyshhorod on February 20, 1054 at age 76. Although Yaroslav
the Wise did many great things to help Ukraine to be its own nation,Ukraine is
still trying to make its self a free country.
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The Saint Sophia Cathedral
The
Saint Sophia Cathedral is visited by hundreds of visitors each year and can be
seen on the of the backside of the Ukrainian two hryvnia bill. Sophia is the Greek word for wisdom. There are many historical objects
contained in this building, as well as the coffin of the man who built the
cathedral, Prince Yaroslav the Wise.
The
Saint Sophia Cathedral was built in 1037.
After the cathedral was damaged while the Ukainians and the Polish were trying to
unite the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
It was damaged again during the time of the Tatar invasion of Ukraine,
it was also burnt many times after. The
Saint Sophia Cathedral was rebuilt in 1707 by an Italian man named Octaviano
Mancini,but this time it was built with Ukrainian baroque style onion domes.
(Onion domes look like up-side-down onions that top the roofs.) Although the Saint Sophia cathedral was built
for worship and ceremonies, it is now a museum for visitors to look
through. The cathedral has at least two
floors. It has many mosaics including a
very beautiful and large modern one of the virgin Mary which is made out of
many colorful pysanky eggs. Pysanky eggs are a Ukrainian art which are usually
made around Paska. Paska is the
Ukrainian word for Easter.
