St. Vladimir

Dublin Core

Title

St. Vladimir

Description

Vladimir I, born in 956, was a grand prince of Kiev, and was to become Kievan Rus’ first Christian ruler (“Vladimir I”). Vladimir was great-grandson to St. Olga, a princess considered to be one of the first converts to Christianity in Russia. Before his conversion to Christianity, Vladimir was husband to several wives and engaged in human sacrifice. He was approached by the Byzantine Emperor, Basil II, for military support at a time when the Byzantine Empire was weakened by rebellion. This decision would come back to haunt Basil. Vladimir agreed to provide soldiers, on the condition that he would be awarded with marriage to Basil’s sister. Military service completed, Basil reneged on his agreement, but Vladimir would not accept the refusal. He attacked Kherson, a Byzantine stronghold in Crimea, and Basil sent his sister north (Sevcenko, 50). Vladimir was baptized prior to the wedding, and many of his nobles followed suit. He remains a popular figure in Russia today, and his feast day is July 15 (“Vladimir I”).

Creator

Nancy O'Neil

Source

Britannica Online Encyclopedia. “Vladimir I (grand Prince of Kiev).” Encyclopaedia Britannica 2014. Web. 3 May 2014. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition.

Sevcenko, Ihor. “The Christianization of Kievan Rus’.” The Polish Review 5.4 (1960): 29–35. Print.

Vasnetsov, Viktor M. Крещение Князя Владимира. Фрагмент Росписи Владимирского Собора В Киеве. N. p., 1885. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 4 May 2014.

Date

958-1015

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