Vladimir the Saint

After death of prince Svyatoslav in the Kievan Rus ruled three his sons.

In the intestine brother's war younger Vladimir has won. Then he began to rule individual in 980-1015.

At him Rus remained the pagan country.

In 986 embassies from different countries were to Vladimir and began to decline him to accept their religions.

Bulgarians from Volga praised an Islam , Roman Pope's ambassadors praised the Latin Christianity and Khazars praised the Judaism.

Prince has not made decisions and has sent the boyars to all countries once again to test whose religion is better for Rus.

Boyars amazed with beauty of the Greek divine service have reminded Vladimir that else his grandmother Olga has accepted orthodox religion.

In the answer prince has declared that goes a campaign on the Byzantian city Chersonessos (modern Sevastopol) and if will take city will accept Christening.

Chersonessos was taken and Vladimir Christened there in St. Basilius Temple.

He has received in the wife Anna , the sister of Byzantian emperors - brothers. In the answer Vladimir has returned Chersonessos to Byzantium as wedding gift for Anna.

After returning to Kiev in 988 Vladimir ordered to gather all Kievan population at the Dnieper coast and Christened all people.

His commander-voevode Dobrynya Christened all citizen of Novgorod.

Soon the Christianity was distributed on all Kievan Rus.

After these events Vladimir began to mint own gold and silver coins.
Byzantian masters have constructed the Church of the Virgin in Kiev.
Prince ordered to give on its maintenance the tenth part from his incomes why it has received name Desyatinnaya.

The orthodox church has canonized prince Vladimir.