Introduction. Generals of ancient Rus' Mstislav Tmutarakansky Vladimir Monomakh Mstislav Udatny Daniil Galitsky Famous Russian prince commander of the era of ancient Rus'

The history of Rus' is closely connected with the names of such famous military leaders as Svyatoslav Igorevich, Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy and many other princes. Some of them defended themselves, others conducted successful military operations. But they have one thing in common: they fought not for their own interests, but for the Motherland, worried about its future, tried to give the Fatherland only the best, and used the experience of their ancestors. This is why this topic is relevant these days, since these days the influence of cosmopolitanism has reached a very high point. Let us remember the beginning of the 17th - 19th centuries, when Russian nobility spoke too many words in French - in those days this was considered a sign of nobility.

I will give a current example of the harmful influence of cosmopolitanism - it has intensified to the point that in the country that defeated fascism, many so-called “skinheads” appeared.

These groups arose, most likely, with the participation of wealthy individuals from the West, who in this way weaken a foreign country, because they are afraid of her. But skinheads do not know the past of their homeland, and therefore easily succumb to foreign ideology. The purpose of this work is to tell about the great commanders of Rus', of whom there are many in its history. Tasks: consider foreign policy princes, their characters and abilities.

Prince Oleg began the unification of Rus', annexing several tribes, some of which were hostile, captured Kyiv and took a huge tribute from the Byzantines. Prince Svyatoslav continued the unification of Rus', defeated dangerous neighbors who were undermining its still weak economy, and also greatly increased the authority of the state, so much so that the mighty Byzantium began to urgently look for ways to eliminate the dangerous enemy. And, unfortunately, she found it, although some historians believe that the ambush on Svyatoslav was possibly an initiative of the Pechenegs.

Vladimir introduced Christianity to Rus' and successfully fought with the Poles. V.N. Tatishchev in his “Russian History,” relying on unknown chronicle sources, argued that Vladimir predicted a great reign for Boris, but, unfortunately, this was not destined to come true; A warning system for approaching enemies has appeared.

Yaroslav the Wise proved himself not only as a great statesman, but also as a good commander - he repelled the Pecheneg invasion in 1036, from which they were never able to recover, and peacefully ended the civil strife.

200 years have passed. In 1240 (the forces were simply unequal) the center fell Ancient Rus'- Kyiv. The residents fought bravely, and the governor Dmitry became especially famous, whom Batu left alive for his valor, although he was pretty wounded. Prince Mikhail fled the city shortly before the siege. When the walls at the eastern Lyadsky Gate were destroyed, the Horde burst into the city and began to carry out massacres. But the people of Kiev still did not give up and defended themselves for another whole day. The remnants of the troops and residents gathered in the Tithe Church, the vaults of which could not withstand so many people, and collapsed; And it all started with a devastating defeat on the Kalka River in 1223, mainly due to insane stupidity Prince of Kyiv Mstislav, who, having set up camp on a hill, did not participate in the battle. There was still a chance of salvation in the 37th, perhaps even in the 38th (Batu took his bloodless tumens to the lower reaches of the Volga), but the separatism of the princes turned out to be stronger than patriotism.

The Russian princes did not learn the terrible lesson of Kalka, and in 1237, from Ryazan, the victorious march began Mongol Khan Batu, who captured more and more cities every day, and eventually left almost all of Rus' in ruins. The legend about the Ryazan nobleman Evpatiy Kolovrat evokes admiration. He returned from Chernigov and saw his native lands devastated. He was overwhelmed by rage, he assembled a regiment of 1,700 brave men, and overtook the Horde on Suzdal soil. Evpatiy’s troops fearlessly attacked the enemies, gave the Horde a hard time, but everyone died. Batu's military leaders were surprised at their courage.

An interesting fact is that some inconspicuous towns pretty much frayed the nerves of the Mongols (Kozelsk - the “evil city”, defended itself for seven whole weeks. After its capture, the enraged Mongols massacred absolutely all the inhabitants, including babies; Smolensk and Kholm managed to repel the attack of the Horde troops. Kamenets turned out to be them also too tough. An interesting question: either there were few Mongols besieging these fortresses: for example, one of the tumens had the task of capturing the city. Having met fierce resistance from these fortresses, they left, since the latter were not so important strategic points, and it was not profitable to spend energy on them. Or, after all, the city’s defensive structures were built by wise engineers who foresaw all the nuances of a possible siege (Mycenaean citadels of the 16-15th centuries BC).

It turns out that Kiev, as the capital (albeit already formal) of Rus', had a much greater chance of repelling the Horde than Kozelsk, for example. Perhaps Kyiv was not preparing for a major siege, and the hastily made fortifications did not affect the course of the battle.

One way or another, in the end most of Rus' was destroyed. The mission to restore the former power of Rus' initially went to Alexander Yaroslavich, who, unlike many others, understood that now it was too late to fight the Horde - he should have thought about it much earlier! Now we must gradually, without interfering with the Horde, accumulate strength for future revenge. Nevsky's contemporaries, chroniclers, praised him in their lives as a defender of the lands. The Church canonized him as a “blessed saint.” N.I. Kostomarov in “Russian history in the biographies of its most important figures” assigns him the role of a person who solved a difficult task - “to put Rus', if possible, in such relations with various enemies that it could maintain its existence.” And he calls him “a true representative of his age.”

N.M. Karamzin assesses Nevsky's policy positively. But he mistakenly believes that the Horde helped Rus' by preventing civil strife.

CM. Solovyov, in his “History of Russia since Ancient Times,” devoted little space to the Mongol-Tatar yoke and its consequences. He downplays its consequences in historical development Rus'. He portrays Nevsky as the leader of the fight against the aggression of German and Swedish feudal lords.

An interesting look at the history of that period of time, set out in the book by L.N. Gumilyov "From Rus' to Russia". He describes the main events quite concisely. Gumilyov focused his main attention on Alexander’s services to the Russian people, which, according to the author’s vision, are expressed in the fact that the smart and subtle, knowledgeable and educated, and at the same time, not understood by anyone, not even his own brothers, the prince “realized the scale of the Catholic threat and managed to oppose it with the alliance of Rus' and the Mongols.”

There is also the point of view of Pashuto V.T., who calls Nevsky’s position anti-Russian. At the same time, this researcher also opposes the article by G.V. Vernadsky “Two exploits of Alexander Nevsky,” written in 1925, calling it obscurantism. Pashuto believes that Nevsky should have fought the Mongols, and not obeyed them. Some historians even consider Nevsky a coward and a traitor, but wouldn’t a coward and a traitor, understanding the outcome of his last trip to the Horde (he would share the fate of his father, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, who was poisoned), run away somewhere abroad? He sacrificed himself to save Rus' from new punitive expeditions; A short quote from Karl Marx is also given: “... the scoundrels were finally thrown back from the Russian border.”

The results of Nevsky's policy may have played the most important role in the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, in which our next hero, Dmitry Donskoy, participated. He adopted the experience of his ancestor (which Genghis Khan used) and used it against the Mongols themselves: “their spear turned against them.”

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Generals of Ancient Rus'

Mstislav Tmutarakansky

Vladimir Monomakh

Mstislav Udatny

Daniil Galitsky

Mstislav Vladimirovich Tmutarakansky

In the X - first half of the XI century. there was a heroic period ancient Russian history. It was a time of formation and flourishing Kievan Rus. Under Vladimir I (980 - 1015), nicknamed in epics the Red Sun and the Affectionate Prince, all lands inhabited by East Slavic tribes came under the hand of the Grand Duke of Kiev. At the same time, there was a process of merging of a conglomerate of East Slavic tribes and the Finno-Ugric, Letto-Lithuanian, North Iranian and other populations of the East European Plain and the Middle Dnieper region, assimilated by the Slavs. The adoption of Christianity under Vladimir in 988 greatly contributed to the unity of the people around the new faith and the formation of a special ancient Russian spiritual culture.

Vladimir's son Yaroslav, called the Wise by the chroniclers, during the years of his great reign (1016–1054) expanded the borders of Rus', patronized the spread of literacy and books, and laid the foundation for written legislation.

Rus' in the 11th century (1015–1113)

Vladimir and Yaroslav were such outstanding rulers that other ancient Russian princes - their contemporaries - are lost against their background. Meanwhile, among the latter there were also many talented people, brave and successful commanders, endowed with personal charisma. One of these princes was Mstislav of Tmutarakan. There are fragmentary reports from Russian chronicles and other sources about the life and activities of Mstislav. This material does not allow us to completely reconstruct the biography of the prince, but we can talk about the most noticeable, and therefore memorable, deeds of the prince.

Battles and victories

Legendary ancient Russian commander of the 10th–11th centuries, awarded the nicknames Brave and Daring. Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich Tmutarakansky resembled his grandfather Svyatoslav Igorevich, the military leader of the times of military democracy and the great migration of peoples. Always in the saddle, always in pursuit of military victories, glory and booty.

Origin of Mstislav

Mstislav was the son of Vladimir I from the Polotsk princess Rogneda. (Another version is that his mother was “Czech”). The year of his birth is unknown. Historians most often assume the 983rd and consider Mstislav the third son of Rogneda. His older siblings were Izyaslav (later the Prince of Polotsk, the founder of the local Rurik dynasty - the Rogvolozh grandchildren) and Yaroslav (at the end of his father's life - the Prince of Novgorod). However, there is also an opinion in historical literature that Mstislav was older than Yaroslav.

Mstislav's paternal grandfather was the famous warrior prince Svyatoslav (years of the great reign in Kyiv - 945 - 972). His paternal great-grandmother was Princess Olga, known for her wisdom. Mstislav’s maternal grandfather was the independent Polotsk ruler Rogvolod, who, obviously, came from those husbands of Rurik whom, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, he “imprisoned” in Slavic cities. Rogvolod and his daughter Rogneda were most likely of Varangian (Scandinavian) family.

In addition to his siblings, Mstislav also had 9 half-brothers, because Vladimir, before his baptism, had 8 wives and a countless “staff” of concubines. Most East Slavic tribes, before the adoption of Christianity, preferred polygamy, and an extensive harem was a status thing that emphasized the greatness and wealth of the monarch.

Coins of the Tmutarakan Principality

Under Vladimir, local princes, assistants to the Grand Duke of Kyiv, gradually became a thing of the past. In various volosts, governors began to rule instead on behalf of the Grand Duke. At first these were “men” (boyars), representatives of the senior princely squad. However, Vladimir early began to appoint his many sons as governors. Most of them became prince-deputies in childhood. Of course, they were helped to rule by “breadwinners”, boyar educators and advisers. Thus, from a young age, the Rurikovichs learned to carry their princely burden.

Mstislav and the Principality of Tmutarakan

It is unknown when Mstislav became the prince-governor of the Tmutarakan principality on Taman Peninsula between the Azov and Black Seas. Some historians believe that this happened around 987 - 988, when the prince was 4–5 years old. In the chronicles, the name Mstislav is strongly associated with Tmutarakan, which indicates the prince’s long stay in this autonomous possession of Rus'. Other researchers begin the Tmutarakan period of the prince’s life from 990 - 1010.

Here, in Tmutarakan, the prince started a family. The name of his wife is known - Maria; most likely, she was from a local noble Alan family. In addition to the prefix “Tmutarakansky”, Mstislav acquired other nicknames recorded in the sources - Brave and Daring. In general, he was in many ways similar to his grandfather Svyatoslav Igorevich. Military campaigns, battles and personal duels were the passion of the prince. Like Svyatoslav, Mstislav Tmutarakansky often resembled not so much a prince from the era of the development of ancient Russian statehood, but rather a military leader from the times of military democracy and the great migration of peoples, who was always in the saddle - in pursuit of military victories, glory and booty. Legends about those hoary times portrayed the ideal prince-leader as also magnanimous. Mstislav, brought up in their atmosphere, clearly aspired to be like this. The latter was rarely seen among monarchs of the 11th century, although some generosity was not alien to Mstislav’s father, the Affectionate Prince Vladimir.

Mstislav Tmutarakansky went down in history not for his state achievements, but for his military exploits.

However, before we talk about them, we will explain what the Tmutarakan principality was like at the beginning of the reign of Mstislav Vladimirovich there.

It was located on the Taman Peninsula, near two seas - the Black and Azov and the Kerch Strait connecting them.

In ancient times, the Scythians lived here. In ancient times, Taman was part of the Bosporan kingdom, whose population, in addition to the Scythians, included their relatives in the northern Iranian family of peoples - the Sarmatians, as well as Greeks, Jews and some other ethnic groups. The city of Tamatarkha on Taman, which the Russians later called Tmutarakanya, was founded as a Greek colony. During the great migration of peoples in the 4th century. n. e. The Turkic Huns appeared here.

A little later they were replaced by the Bulgar Turks. Taman was even the center of Great Bulgaria. But this state collapsed under the blows of the Khazar Turks, and from the 7th century. power over Taman passed to them. The Khazars created their own state in the Caspian and Black Sea steppes - the Khazar Kaganate. Although the Khazars were nomads, the Khaganate flourished by serving the international transit trade that passed through its domain.

Excavations at the site of Tmutarakan, near the modern village of Taman

Therefore, experts in trade - Jewish merchants - gained enormous influence in it. From them the Kagan and the entire Khazar elite adopted Judaism, while ordinary Khazars remained pagans. The Kaganate was a trade competitor of the Roman Empire (Byzantium) and the Arabs, and waged wars with them. From the east, Khazaria was under pressure from the primitive Turkic nomads, the Pechenegs. From the 7th century Bulgaria, located in the Middle Volga, also made attempts to free itself from Khazar dependence. All this undermined the forces of the Kaganate, and the final blow was dealt to it by the Kiev prince Svyatoslav Igorevich.

...

Reviewers - Doctor of Historical Sciences A. Kuzmin, Candidate of Historical Sciences O. Rapov

Vadim Kargalov
Svyatoslav

Part one
Olga, Princess of Kyiv

1

Coniferous forests- gloomy, gloomy green, turning through thickets into blackness, dense, immeasurable, almost untouched by the ax of the smerd-farmer, frozen in the eternal stern peace.

Unshakable stones and boulders, covered with gray moss.

Bottomless swamps, covered with swamp rust, with deceptively cheerful green grass windows hiding treacherous bogs.

Gray-blue, shimmering with icy silver, flat bowls of lakes.

Saber bends of wide and leisurely rivers.

Chains of sand dunes, bleached by the sun, crashed into the shaggy body of the forest and sank into it, unable to overcome an immense thickness.

The indifferently serene northern sky, blue and bottomless in summer, leaden-heavy in winter...

This is a bizarre mixture of gloomy black-green, ghostly gray-blue and elegant sandy-yellow colors, this sky is sometimes unimaginably high and inaccessible, sometimes as if falling on the prickly stubble of spruce trees, this strange coexistence of the calm stillness of the forest thicket and the eternal haste of the sea winds, howling this, taken together, is the Pskov land, an original Russian possession.

The appearance of people always resembles the appearance of the earth that gave birth and raised them, because people are the children of the earth, flesh of its flesh. The gray and blue eyes of the Pskovites seemed to have absorbed the transparent cold of the northern sky, their blond hair was reminiscent of the whiteness of the sand dunes, and their stern and calm disposition matched the centuries-old immutability and steadfastness of forests and granite. There was something resilient, reliable, and unbending about the people of the Pskov land, for which their enemies feared them and their friends valued them. They trusted the brother from Pskov as they trusted themselves: he would not succumb to shameful weakness, would not lie out of cowardice, would not betray. In Rus', taking a wife from Pskov was considered great happiness: with such a wife the house is strong.

good fame she walked about the Pskov people through the neighboring lands, and they were proud of their glory and jealously guarded it.

This is probably why few people were surprised in Pskov when the ambassadors of the mighty Kyiv prince, the noble husband Asmud and the boyars, came to the city to pick a bride for their master. Another thing that seemed surprising was the choice of the princely bride.

The Pskov land is generous with beautiful brides, daughters of city elders, deliberate children, elders and other sculpted people, and everyone would be glad to become related to the prince. But the ambassadors, having gone through many, for some reason settled on the young woman Olga, who had not even had time to get married yet: Olga was only ten years old that spring. There seemed to be nothing remarkable about her: thin, like a willow twig; the braids are white, as if scorched by the sun; There are freckles on his round face, as if someone had splashed rust. Except that Olga’s eyes were extraordinary: large, deep, blue-blue, like the sky in August. But who chooses a bride with their eyes alone?

Father Holguin was a simple, inconspicuous man, he did not rise higher than a foreman in the city militia, he did not perform great feats, and only his relatives, friends and neighbors on Goncharnaya Street knew him by name. Look how you got up!

People in Pskov shook their heads and were perplexed. Envious people whispered that something was dirty here. Not otherwise - divination. The relatives of this Olga averted the eyes of the princely ambassador and entangled him in conspiracies. No wonder there were rumors that Olga’s mother knew the Magi, and that she died somehow not like a human being: she was burned by lightning in the year when the tailed star flew in the sky, prophesying disasters...

But still, there was probably something in a girl named Olga that set her apart from other Pskov brides, that stung the unapproachable heart of the princely husband Asmud. Olga was not ashamed, like other girls, when the ambassador came to her poor courtyard, she did not cover her burning cheeks with her palm, and did not lower her eyes. Directly, firmly, she met Asmud’s appraising gaze. And the prince’s husband shuddered, as if doused with ice water, and without hesitation handed Olga the treasured necklace, burning with semi-precious stones. Apparently, the ambassador was not looking for a loving and gentle girlfriend for the prince, but a mistress who could stand next to him and with his great deeds. I searched and found it in the Pskov girl Olga, who with an unwavering hand placed the princess’s necklace on herself.

But only a few saw all this - the ambassador himself, his retinue and Olga’s relatives, and therefore people in Pskov were perplexed...

Then the Pskovites saw Olga already in the magnificent attire of a princely bride: in a long, toe-length lower dress made of red wool, girded with a gold belt, and on top there was another dress made of purple axamite. Olga, surrounded by boyars in high hats and warriors in light iron chain mail, descended from the gate tower of Krom to the boats.

The lush robe lay deftly and habitually on Olga’s shoulders, as if she had been wearing it since infancy; The heads of lions and birds of prey embroidered on axamite moved menacingly. Olga did not walk, but seemed to float above the road, and there was greatness in her appearance. The face was petrified, frozen blue eyes looked over the crowd somewhere into the distance, beyond the Velikaya River, where the crimson sun hung over the forests. Olga seemed not to notice either the multitude of people noisily greeting the prince’s chosen one, or the boats decorated with festive banners. And now the Pskovites were whispering not about divination or conspiracy, but about the will of the gods...

What was Olga herself thinking about in these solemn moments? And did you think about anything at all? Maybe she simply surrendered to the mighty stream that lifted her and carried her towards the crimson sun?

The deck boards swayed gently underfoot.

For the last time, the copper pipes of the glorious city of Pskov howled, tearing the ears.

The gray-bearded helmsman blew his horn. The oars foamed the muddy hollow water of the Velikaya River.

Asmud carefully touched the girl’s elbow and suggested:

Bow down to the city and the people. Take a bow.

Olga bowed deeply three times.

The crowd on the shore hummed appreciatively.

Goodbye Pskov!

A strong gust of wind unfurled the stern banner. An undulating strip of red silk blocked the receding city from Olga’s view and painted everything crimson and gold.

Vadim Kargalov, Andrei Sakharov

Generals of Ancient Rus'

Reviewers - Doctor of Historical Sciences A. Kuzmin, Candidate of Historical Sciences O. Rapov

Vadim Kargalov

Svyatoslav

Part one

Olga, Princess of Kyiv

Coniferous forests are gloomy, gloomy green, turning thickets into blackness, dense, immeasurable, almost untouched by the ax of the smerd tiller, frozen in the eternal stern peace.

Unshakable stones and boulders, covered with gray moss.

Bottomless swamps, covered with swamp rust, with deceptively cheerful green grass windows hiding treacherous bogs.

Gray-blue, shimmering with icy silver, flat bowls of lakes.

Saber bends of wide and leisurely rivers.

Chains of sand dunes, bleached by the sun, crashed into the shaggy body of the forest and sank into it, unable to overcome an immense thickness.

The indifferently serene northern sky, blue and bottomless in summer, leaden-heavy in winter...

This is a bizarre mixture of gloomy black-green, ghostly gray-blue and elegant sandy-yellow colors, this sky is sometimes unimaginably high and inaccessible, sometimes as if falling on the prickly stubble of spruce trees, this strange coexistence of the calm stillness of the forest thicket and the eternal haste of the sea winds, howling this, taken together, is the Pskov land, an original Russian possession.

The appearance of people always resembles the appearance of the earth that gave birth and raised them, because people are the children of the earth, flesh of its flesh. The gray and blue eyes of the Pskovites seemed to have absorbed the transparent cold of the northern sky, their blond hair was reminiscent of the whiteness of the sand dunes, and their stern and calm disposition matched the centuries-old immutability and steadfastness of forests and granite. There was something resilient, reliable, and unbending about the people of the Pskov land, for which their enemies feared them and their friends valued them. They trusted the brother from Pskov as they trusted themselves: he would not succumb to shameful weakness, would not lie out of cowardice, would not betray. In Rus', taking a wife from Pskov was considered great happiness: with such a wife the house is strong.

Good fame spread about the Pskovites throughout the neighboring lands, and they were proud of their glory and jealously guarded it.

This is probably why few people were surprised in Pskov when the ambassadors of the mighty Kyiv prince, the noble husband Asmud and the boyars, came to the city to pick a bride for their master. Another thing that seemed surprising was the choice of the princely bride.

The Pskov land is generous with beautiful brides, daughters of city elders, deliberate children, elders and other sculpted people, and everyone would be glad to become related to the prince. But the ambassadors, having gone through many, for some reason settled on the young woman Olga, who had not even had time to get married yet: Olga was only ten years old that spring. There seemed to be nothing remarkable about her: thin, like a willow twig; the braids are white, as if scorched by the sun; There are freckles on his round face, as if someone had splashed rust. Except that Olga’s eyes were extraordinary: large, deep, blue-blue, like the sky in August. But who chooses a bride with their eyes alone?

Father Holguin was a simple, inconspicuous man, he did not rise higher than a foreman in the city militia, he did not perform great feats, and only his relatives, friends and neighbors on Goncharnaya Street knew him by name. Look how you got up!

People in Pskov shook their heads and were perplexed. Envious people whispered that something was dirty here. Not otherwise - divination. The relatives of this Olga averted the eyes of the princely ambassador and entangled him in conspiracies. No wonder there were rumors that Olga’s mother knew the Magi, and that she died somehow not like a human being: she was burned by lightning in the year when the tailed star flew in the sky, prophesying disasters...

But still, there was probably something in a girl named Olga that set her apart from other Pskov brides, that stung the unapproachable heart of the princely husband Asmud. Olga was not ashamed, like other girls, when the ambassador came to her poor courtyard, she did not cover her burning cheeks with her palm, and did not lower her eyes. Directly, firmly, she met Asmud’s appraising gaze. And the prince’s husband shuddered, as if doused with ice water, and without hesitation handed Olga the treasured necklace, burning with semi-precious stones. Apparently, the ambassador was not looking for a loving and gentle girlfriend for the prince, but a mistress who could stand next to him and with his great deeds. I searched and found it in the Pskov girl Olga, who with an unwavering hand placed the princess’s necklace on herself.

But only a few saw all this - the ambassador himself, his retinue and Olga’s relatives, and therefore people in Pskov were perplexed...

Then the Pskovites saw Olga already in the magnificent attire of a princely bride: in a long, toe-length lower dress made of red wool, girded with a gold belt, and on top there was another dress made of purple axamite. Olga, surrounded by boyars in high hats and warriors in light iron chain mail, descended from the gate tower of Krom to the boats.

The lush robe lay deftly and habitually on Olga’s shoulders, as if she had been wearing it since infancy; The heads of lions and birds of prey embroidered on axamite moved menacingly. Olga did not walk, but seemed to float above the road, and there was greatness in her appearance. The face was petrified, frozen blue eyes looked over the crowd somewhere into the distance, beyond the Velikaya River, where the crimson sun hung over the forests. Olga seemed not to notice either the multitude of people noisily greeting the prince’s chosen one, or the boats decorated with festive banners. And now the Pskovites were whispering not about divination or conspiracy, but about the will of the gods...

What was Olga herself thinking about in these solemn moments? And did you think about anything at all? Maybe she simply surrendered to the mighty stream that lifted her and carried her towards the crimson sun?

The deck boards swayed gently underfoot.

For the last time, the copper pipes of the glorious city of Pskov howled, tearing the ears.

The gray-bearded helmsman blew his horn. The oars foamed the muddy hollow water of the Velikaya River.

Asmud carefully touched the girl’s elbow and suggested:

Bow down to the city and the people. Take a bow.

Olga bowed deeply three times.

The crowd on the shore hummed appreciatively.

Goodbye Pskov!

A strong gust of wind unfurled the stern banner. An undulating strip of red silk blocked the receding city from Olga’s view and painted everything crimson and gold.

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