Yury Dolgoruky: Founder of Moscow and Shaper of Northeastern Rus’

Yury Vladimirovich Dolgoruky is one of the most controversial figures in ancient Rus’ history. The sixth son of Grand Prince Vladimir Monomakh, he entered history primarily as the founder of Moscow, although his activities covered much broader territories and included the founding of many other cities of Northeastern Rus’.

Origin and Early Years of Rule

The exact date of Yury Dolgoruky’s birth remains a subject of debate among historians. The most widespread version places it between 1095 and 1097. The question of the prince’s mother is also disputed: some scholars consider her to have been the English princess Gytha of Wessex, daughter of the last Anglo-Saxon king Harold II, while others believe that his mother was the second wife of Vladimir Monomakh. Still a boy, Yury, together with his brother Mstislav, was sent to rule in Rostov. From 1117, his independent reign in the Rostov-Suzdal lands began. In 1125, the prince moved the capital of his principality from Rostov to Suzdal, which became an important step in strengthening the northeastern frontiers of Rus’.

Character and Nickname

Chroniclers described Yury as a man who was cunning, ambitious, and brave. The historian Vasily Tatishchev noted that the prince was “a great lover of women, sweet food, and drink,” and cared less about matters of governance than about pleasures, delegating administrative duties to his children and allied princes. The prince received the nickname “Dolgoruky” (Long-Armed) for his unrestrained drive for expansion and his desire to reach power in Kyiv from his northeastern domains. According to historian Mikhail Shcherbatov, this nickname reflected the prince’s greed for acquiring new lands, likening him to the Persian king Artaxerxes.

Urban Development Activities

Moscow — the Prince’s Main Legacy

The most significant contribution of Yury Dolgoruky to Russian history was the founding of Moscow. In 1147, this settlement was mentioned for the first time in chronicles. Returning from a campaign against Novgorod, the prince wrote to his ally, the Chernigov prince Sviatoslav Olgovich, the famous message: “Come to me, brother, to Moscow!” This phrase from the Hypatian Chronicle became the first written evidence of the existence of the future capital of Russia. According to legend, Yury discovered on the site of future Moscow a settlement belonging to the boyar Kuchka, who gave an unfriendly reception to the prince’s retinue. The prince seized this settlement, and in 1156 fortified the city with a deep moat and powerful wooden walls. Supervision of the construction work was carried out by his son Andrei Bogolyubsky.

Other Cities Founded by Dolgoruky

In addition to Moscow, Yury Vladimirovich founded or fortified many other cities of Northeastern Rus’: Pereslavl-Zalessky — founded in the early 1150s. The white-stone Transfiguration Cathedral, laid under Dolgoruky, has been preserved here; it is one of the nine pre-Mongol Rus’ churches that have survived to this day. Yuryev-Polsky — a city named after the prince himself (Yury is the Russian form of the name George). Dmitrov — founded in 1154 and named in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki, the heavenly patron of the prince’s youngest son Vsevolod, who was baptized with the name Dmitry. With varying degrees of reliability, Yury Dolgoruky is also credited with founding Kostroma, Gorodets, Starodub, Zvenigorod, Peremyshl, and Dubna.

Architectural Heritage

The prince preferred building with white stone, continuing the traditions of his ancestors. Several structures from the time of Dolgoruky have survived to the present day: the Transfiguration Cathedral in Pereslavl-Zalessky, the Church of Boris and Gleb in his country residence of Kideksha, and St. George’s Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky. These buildings are among the oldest architectural monuments of Northeastern Rus’.

The Struggle for the Kyivan Throne

Aspiration to Grand Princely Power

The main goal and lifelong dream of Yury Dolgoruky was the Kyivan throne. Despite his successful rule in the Suzdal lands, the prince constantly intervened in inter-princely conflicts in southern Rus’, striving to take the place of his father, Vladimir Monomakh. The dependence of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality on Kyiv finally disappeared only in 1131, after which the northeastern lands became one of the main centers of Rus’.

Three Seizures of Kyiv

Yury Dolgoruky seized the Kyivan throne three times, each time amid fierce struggle: First seizure (1149) — the prince defeated the troops of his nephew Iziaslav Mstislavich and occupied Kyiv, violating the traditional order of succession. The Turov and Pereiaslav thrones also came under his control. However, in 1150–1151, Iziaslav, with the support of Polish and Hungarian allies, regained the city. Second seizure (1153) — having secured the support of Grand Prince of Kyiv Rostislav, Yury once again expelled Iziaslav from the city. Rostislav even ceded the title of Grand Prince to the victor, but once again Yury failed to consolidate power for long. Third seizure (1155) — in March 1155, on Palm Sunday, Yury Dolgoruky together with his longtime ally Sviatoslav Olgovich finally occupied Kyiv. The new prince Iziaslav Davydovich left the city without a fight. This time, the prince retained power until his death, although his reign proved short.

Unpopularity in Kyiv

Despite achieving his cherished goal, Yury Dolgoruky’s rule in Kyiv was extremely unpopular. Kyivans considered him a greedy and cruel ruler. Chroniclers noted that the prince oppressed the local population, which sharply contrasted with his relatively mild rule in the northern lands.

Foreign Policy and Achievements

Development of the Northeastern Lands

Yury Dolgoruky actively encouraged the settlement of his domains, attracting population from Southwestern Rus’. He granted settlers loans and provided them with the status of free farmers, which was rare in the Dnieper region. This policy contributed to the rapid economic development of the region. During the prince’s lifetime, Vladimir-on-the-Klyazma grew and strengthened, later becoming the capital of one of the most powerful Russian principalities.

Diplomatic Successes

Among Yury Dolgoruky’s achievements, historians note: An alliance with the Byzantine Empire, including trade agreements that contributed to the economic development of the northeastern lands. A peace treaty with the Polovtsians, reinforced by marriage to the daughter of a Polovtsian khan, which ensured relative calm on the eastern borders. An economic blockade of Novgorod in 1138–1140, which forced this wealthy city to recognize the authority of the Suzdal prince.

Personal Life and Family

Marriages and Children

Yury Dolgoruky was married twice. His first wife was the daughter of the Polovtsian khan Aepa Osenyevich, who received the name Anna at baptism. This marriage was arranged by Vladimir Monomakh to strengthen peace with the Polovtsians. Eight children were born from this union. After the death of his first wife, the prince married again. Very little information has survived about the second wife; various sources name her Olga or Elena. The historian Nikolai Karamzin suggested that she was Greek and possibly a close relative of the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos. From both marriages, Yury had thirteen children.

Famous Descendants

Among the sons of Yury Dolgoruky, the most renowned were: Andrei Bogolyubsky — strengthened the position of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, which became the core of the future Moscow state. He was later canonized as a saint. Vsevolod “Big Nest” — after the murder of his elder brother Andrei, he took the reins of power in the principality and significantly expanded its territory. The grandson of Vsevolod III — Alexander Nevsky — became one of the greatest Russian military commanders, famous for his victories over the Swedes on the Neva River and over the Livonian knights in the Battle on the Ice.

Death and Burial

On May 15, 1157, Yury Dolgoruky died under mysterious circumstances. On May 10, the prince attended a feast at the home of the Kyivan boyar Osmianik Petrila. That night he fell ill and suffered for five days. Many historians incline toward the version that the ruler hated by the Kyivans was poisoned by the local nobility. The hatred of the Kyivans toward the deceased prince manifested itself fully. On May 16, the day of the funeral, townspeople looted the courtyard of Yury and his son Vasilyko, slaughtered the Suzdal people throughout the city and surrounding villages. Kyiv was once again occupied by a representative of the Chernigov Davydovich dynasty — Iziaslav III. Even the body of the deceased prince was not allowed by the Kyivans to be buried next to his father Vladimir Monomakh. Yury Dolgoruky was interred elsewhere — in the Berestovo Monastery of the Savior on the territory of the present-day Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.

Historical Assessment and Memory

A Contradictory Personality

Historians give an ambiguous assessment of the personality and activities of Yury Dolgoruky. On the one hand, chroniclers note his cunning, greed, and cruelty. On the other, they acknowledge his bravery, skillful military leadership, and significant contribution to the development of Northeastern Rus’. In the north of Rus’, a kind memory of the prince has been preserved. He is regarded as a far-sighted ruler who devoted considerable effort to the development of Russian lands and the construction of cities and churches. In Kyiv, however, he is remembered as an unpopular and harsh ruler.

Monuments and Commemoration

The main monument to Yury Dolgoruky was erected on Tverskaya Square in Moscow in 1954, based on a design by sculptor S. M. Orlov. The monument was personally approved by Joseph Stalin on the eve of the celebration of Moscow’s 800th anniversary. The image of the prince is a composite one, since no exact depictions of Dolgoruky have survived. On the shield in the prince’s hand is depicted St. George the Victorious. Monuments to the founder have also been installed in Kostroma, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Dmitrov, Yuryev-Polsky — practically all cities associated with his name.

Modern Legacy

The memory of Yury Dolgoruky lives on not only in monuments: In 2007, a strategic nuclear submarine “Yury Dolgoruky” was launched in Russia. Asteroid 7223 was named Dolgorukij in honor of the prince. In 1998, a feature film “Prince Yury Dolgoruky” was released, in which the main role was played by Boris Khimichev. The Moscow Automobile Plant produced the M-2141R5 car “Yury Dolgoruky” based on the Moskvich-2141. Commemorative coins dedicated to the prince and the founding of Moscow are regularly issued.

Significance for Russian History

Historians rightly call Yury Dolgoruky a “gatherer of Russian lands”. Despite all the contradictions of his personality, the prince played an outstanding role in the development of Northeastern Rus’. His urban development activities, policy of attracting settlers, and strengthening of borders laid the foundation for the formation of the future center of Russian statehood. The lands that Yury Dolgoruky actively developed in the 12th century would become the core of the centralized Russian state in the 14th–15th centuries. And the Moscow he founded would turn into the capital of a great power, which it remains to this day.