978-1015 Grand Prince of Kiev.
Saint Vladimir was the founder of the Russian Orthodox Church. He unified his people under Christianity, thereby laying the foundations of Russian identity.
Background
Lived: 958-1015.
Vladimir I was the bastard son of Svyatoslav I and his housekeeper Malusha. He grew up with his grandmother Olga, who was a great influence on him.
He first had to fight his two brothers Yaropolk and Oleg for the crown of the Grand Prince of Kiev. He won the crown by murdering Yaropolk with the help of the Varangians.
Reign
Vladimir waged successful wars against the Lithuanians, Bulgarians and the Byzantine Empire. He needed support against the threat of his fellow princes, and he began looking for a way to unite his people under a single strong religion.
Christianity
As Vladimir made his search for the ideal religion for Russians, he looked in turn at Judaism, Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy.
He found Orthodoxy best suited and had himself Christianized. All the people of Russia were then forced to be baptized as well.
Greek Orthodoxy gave Russia a strong ally in the form of Byzantine Empire and also enabled him marry princess Anna, sister of the Byzantine emperor Basil II.
Family
Vladimir’s two sons Boris and Gleb were murdered by their brother Svyatopolk in a bloody civil war in 1015 that followed Vladimir’s death.
Vladimir I
978-1015 Grand Prince of Kiev.
Saint Vladimir was the founder of the Russian Orthodox Church. He unified his people under Christianity, thereby laying the foundations of Russian identity.
Background
Lived: 958-1015.
Vladimir I was the bastard son of Svyatoslav I and his housekeeper Malusha. He grew up with his grandmother Olga, who was a great influence on him.
He first had to fight his two brothers Yaropolk and Oleg for the crown of the Grand Prince of Kiev. He won the crown by murdering Yaropolk with the help of the Varangians.
Reign
Vladimir waged successful wars against the Lithuanians, Bulgarians and the Byzantine Empire. He needed support against the threat of his fellow princes, and he began looking for a way to unite his people under a single strong religion.
Christianity
As Vladimir made his search for the ideal religion for Russians, he looked in turn at Judaism, Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy.
He found Orthodoxy best suited and had himself Christianized. All the people of Russia were then forced to be baptized as well.
Greek Orthodoxy gave Russia a strong ally in the form of Byzantine Empire and also enabled him marry princess Anna, sister of the Byzantine emperor Basil II.
Family
Vladimir’s two sons Boris and Gleb were murdered by their brother Svyatopolk in a bloody civil war in 1015 that followed Vladimir’s death.
Christianization