Svyatogor is older than many gods. Many are familiar with this mighty giant from the epic, where he meets Ilya Muromets and hides him, along with his horse, in his pocket.
There is a lot of mystery in the image of Svyatogor. Why, for example, does he live in a mountainous place, get stuck in the ground, as if in a swampy swamp, and cannot lift a bag where all the "earthly thrust" is hidden? Why doesn’t he guard the borders of Holy Russia, like Ilya and other heroes, doesn’t plow the land, like Mikula Selyaninovich? For what reason does he live alone, and not together with other giants - Gorynya, Dubynya and Usynya? What does the mention in one of the versions of the epic about his "dark" father mean? And how did it happen that he, mighty and invincible, at once loses his strength in a stone coffin he accidentally found?
Svyatogor, in Slavic mythology, the son of Rod, the brother of Svarog, and the Svarozhichs were his nephews.
His father is called "dark", that is, blind, erroneously: Rod is primordial, omnipresent, all-seeing. Svyatogor was born in order to guard the world of Reveal and not let dark monsters from Navi come here. The entrance was at the foot of the pillar on which the sky rested. The pillar itself (or the World Tree) was located in the holy mountains, from where the name of the giant comes. This is not an easy task - to stand on the border of Light and Darkness. Other giants, Gorynychi - Gorynya, Dubynya and Usynya - were born by the dark, blind lord Viy out of envy and in opposition to Svyatogor. Viy, partly familiar to us from the story of Gogol, put his three sons to guard the exit from Navi, so that the souls of the dead could not escape from there. So, standing on the other side of the border, they were enemies of Svyatogor.
The enormous weight of Svyatogor prevented him from leaving his post and moving to other places. Yet one day, according to Makosh's prediction, he was forced to leave the Holy Mountains. The goddess predicted to the giant that he would marry the serpent. The giant was upset, but decided to find his betrothed - maybe she’s not so scary? Went to distant seas, moved from one island to another. And finally I saw a snake. Svyatogor decided that it would be better to die a bachelor than to marry such a monster. He turned away and stabbed her with his sword. Then he threw a golden altyn in atonement for his deed and, bursting into burning tears, wandered away.
Meanwhile, the blow of Svyatogor had a magical effect on the snake: she freed herself from the spell cast on her and became, as before, the beautiful girl Plenka. The beauty raised the golden altyn. He turned out to be inexchangeable, and she gave him to the townspeople. They put the coin into circulation and soon became unspeakably rich. They did not forget their benefactor either - they generously endowed Plenka, and she equipped a caravan with the money received and went in search of a savior. How long, how short she wandered, but she found Svyatogor and told him her story. The giant did not immediately believe that this beauty of the girl is the very snake that he hacked to death. Then he waved his hand: you never know what miracles happen in the world! He married Plenka, as Mokosh predicted, and soon their daughters were born - Plenkini.
This story also became known in Greece: either the Aryan people of the Dorians brought it there, or the Balkan Slavs. Only the Greeks began to call Svyatogor in their own way Atlant (or Atlas). His wife Plenka was considered the Oceanid Pleione. Their daughters were called the Pleiades. These girls became stars, and Perseus, showing their father the head of the Gorgon Medusa, turned Atlanta into a rock. These mountains in Africa are still called Atlas.
There are many more stories about Svyatogor, and you can’t retell them all. Let us recall only one of them. The giant was tired of defending the gods, which he did not really see, and he decided to build a stone staircase to the sky and look at them himself. Rod did not deprive him of his strength and Svyatogor coped with the work: he reached the very throne of the Most High in heaven.
God did not scold him for arbitrariness, praised him for his work and said that he would fulfill any desire of the giant. Svyatogor asked for unmeasured strength and more wisdom than any of the gods. Oh, if I knew that any desire also has a downside, so, probably, I would beware of asking for intelligence and strength. “You will be stronger than the Svarozhichs, but the stone will overpower you yourself,” the Most High answered him. “You will become wiser than the gods, and a man will deceive you!” Only the giant grinned in response, did not believe what was said. Is he, who built a stairway to heaven out of rocks, afraid of some kind of pebble! Well, what about the small human race, what are the bugs under their feet, what can they do to him?
And everything happened according to the word of the Almighty. And the stone coffin, in which Svyatogor jokingly lay down, became his last refuge, and the hero Ilya Muromets outwitted the giant. Or maybe it's for the best: the time of the giants has passed, the era of people has come. Yes, and Svyatogor was tired of eternal life, it was time for him to rest. He managed only with his last breath to transfer part of his strength to his hero.
It is known about Ilya that he accomplished many feats for the glory of Holy Russia, and in his old age he came to the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery and became a monk there. He spent days and nights in his cell, atoning for his sins, voluntary and involuntary. Therefore, he did not notice how the killer crept up to him and inflicted a treacherous stab in the back. However, there is not a word about this in the epics. Anthropologists who studied the remains of Ilya Muromets learned about this. They also determined that since childhood, the hero’s left leg was shorter than his right one - that’s why he lay “thirty years and three years” on the stove, until the wandering sorcerers breathed mighty power into him.
People need heroes, more precisely, not so much themselves as legends about them. After all, when the life of a real person is overgrown with myths, it is so easy to love and admire him. And even better - set an example. Such people are not humanly ideal - they are honest and disinterested, and they do not die out of stupidity in a drunken fight, but only by accomplishing a great feat, in the name of the common good. And although all these are fairy tales, they help those who believe in them to become better and work on themselves in the hope of reaching the level of their hero. Let's learn about one of the varieties of such ideals - about the heroes and knights of the Russian land. Indeed, although over the past centuries it is hardly possible to establish the truth about their lives, they were great people, since the memory of them has been preserved to this day.
Who are the heroes, and where did this word come from?
From time immemorial, this noun has been called warriors with superhuman abilities, as a rule, physical strength and endurance. Most often, these valiant knights were the heroes of folk medieval Slavic epics and legends. The main occupation of the heroes of the Russian land was to protect it from enemies, as well as measure strength and demonstrate prowess by performing feats.
Most linguists agree on the Turkic origin of the term "bogatyr" ("brave", "brave hero"). Probably, especially distinguished warriors began to be called that with the beginning of raids on the lands of Russia by the steppe nomads. And among them, the word Bahādor meant a hereditary title, which went to especially distinguished fighters, an analogue of the European knightly title. In this sense, this noun was first mentioned in the Chinese chronicle of the 8th century.
There are also mentions of the Mongol knights-bogatyrs in the Italian chronicles of the 13th century, as well as in the famous Slavic document of the 13th-14th centuries. - Ipatiev Chronicle.
It is not known exactly when and why the foreign word began to be called the Slavic knights, who just specialized in protection from the steppe "heroes". But already in the annals of the XV-XVI centuries. this term is used precisely in the meaning of the Slavic hero-defender.
There is an opinion that, faced with the valiant Russians, the Mongols called them knights, that is, "heroes". The Slavs liked this name because of the similarity with the word "God", and they themselves began to call their own heroes that way, as if hinting at godlikeness. Moreover, some heroes of the Russian land were identified with ancient deities, such as Svyatogor. And although at the time of the emergence of this concept, Russia had already been baptized, the process of full-fledged Christianization itself took several centuries, and Orthodoxy took root only because it absorbed a good half of pagan rituals and beliefs.
The question of the cultural affiliation of the epic knights
Almost all legends, tales and epics about the heroes of the Russian land relate to the period of Kievan Rus, namely the times of Vladimir the Great. Because of this, disputes about the nationality of the knights do not subside. After all, they are simultaneously claimed by Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians.
To understand why this happened, it is worth remembering where the Old Russian state was located. Under Prince Vladimir, it included the lands of modern Ukraine (except for its steppe part), Belarus and a small piece of Poland and the Russian Federation. Pay attention, according to the chronicles, during the time of Kievan Rus, the lands of Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan, Rostov and Galich were not considered Russian.
The spread of Christianity is tightly intertwined with the concept of "Rus". By the XIV century. in the annals, it was precisely the lands where Orthodoxy was spread that began to be called Russian. And all of the above cities also began to be referred to as such. This is evidenced by the chronicle document "List of Russian cities near and far", which lists these great Slavic trading cities, in addition to them, there are Bulgarian and Lithuanian ones. This, according to historians, indicates that the concept of "Russian" was a synonym for "Orthodox" in the minds of the people of that time.
In this way, this name spread to the inhabitants of other Slavic territories, which were not originally considered as such. And after the final collapse of Kievan Rus, it was Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan and Rostov who were able to increase their influence in this region and took responsibility for protecting it from the steppes. They became the core on the basis of which the Moscow principality arose and strengthened in the future, which turned into Russia years later. And its indigenous inhabitants, according to tradition, began to call themselves Russians. This name stuck with them to this day.
This version is supported by the fact that the main occupation of the classical heroes of the Russian land, according to epics and legends, was not just the defense of the borders from the Mongols and other steppe dwellers, but also the defense of the Christian faith. This feature of theirs is repeatedly emphasized in legends.
Therefore, when talking about the heroes of the Russian land during the existence of the Kyiv state, Ukrainians and Belarusians have every right to rank them as part of their own culture. Indeed, in those centuries, it was these peoples who left Russia.
On the other hand, the popularization of most epic heroes occurred in a later era precisely through the efforts of the inhabitants of the future Russia, who not only sang the exploits of the legendary knights of Russia, but also added many of their own to their pantheon. So her people also have rights to Slavic defenders from the steppes. Moreover, it was this literature that gave the world numerous beautiful poems about the heroes of the Russian land.
Disputes about the cultural affiliation of the legendary knights between the three peoples are unlikely to ever stop. But they do provide some benefit. The fact is that Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians have their own view on the interpretation of the biography and the very image of the hero. The defenders of the Russian land in the epic of each nation are endowed with special features that are characteristic of its mentality. This provides a lot of interesting material for research by historians and linguists. And who said that truth is not born in disputes?
What categories are the epic heroes and knights of the Russian land
Scientists also argue about how to classify the heroes of legends and legends. The most famous 3 theories:
- Knights are divided into older and younger generations.
- There are 3 heroic eras: pre-Tatar, Tatar and post-Tatar.
- The heroes of the Russian land are divided into those who lived in the pre-Christian and Christian periods. It is worth noting that pre-Christian knights are few in number. Their images are often close to the ancient pagan deities.
While the heroes of the era after the baptism of Russia are often more humane. Most of them accomplished their exploits during the reign of Vladimir the Great. This is probably because this period was considered the most successful in the history of the Kievan state. And although the years of the reign of Yaroslav were the highest point of development, almost all events from the life of classical Christian heroes are associated with the era of the Red Sun. Perhaps, in order to more successfully spread the new religion among the Slavs, the exploits of all the heroes respected by them began to be associated with the era of its implementer. By the way, he himself was declared a saint, but meanwhile he was a rapist and murderer, as mentioned in the annals.
Some historians believe that in fact there were fewer knights themselves. There were simply wandering stories about nameless heroes. In each locality, special names and biographies were invented for these nameless heroes of the Russian land in order to tie them to their own history. That is why their exploits are often similar: to woo a bride, kill a snake, fight a horde, suffer from boasting.
Pagan heroes
The most famous hero of this period is Svyatogor. He is described as a knight of gigantic proportions, who, by the way, lived outside Russia - in the Holy Mountains.
This character is unlikely to have had one prototype and is prefabricated, and besides, borrowed. Legends about him describe, as a rule, 3 fragments from life:
- Death due to boasting of one's own strength.
- Finding the predicted spouse.
- The betrayal of his wife and acquaintance with Ilya Muromets, to whom Svyatogor before his death gave his sword and part of his strength.
Svyatogor, who is identified with some pagan deity, exists outside the Kyiv or Novgorod epic cycles. While Mikula Selyaninovich and Ilya Muromets are one of their brightest representatives. Therefore, probably, the legends about their meetings with Svyatogor are later (especially judging by the names) and were invented in order to show the continuity of these characters.
The hero-plowman Mikula Selyaninovich also belongs to the pagan heroes from the Novgorod cycle. Judging by the structure of the name, to which a nickname was added, indicating the origin, this image is later than Svyatogor.
All legends about Mikul emphasize his connection with the land and labor on it. She was the source of his strength. Subsequently, this plot element was borrowed by epics about other heroes.
It is noteworthy that there is no information about Mikula's wife, but two glorious daughters are known.
By the way, when Christianity appeared, the character of Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as the holidays associated with him, were "borrowed" from Mikula.
The third cult superhero, that is, the legendary hero of the pagan era, is Volga Svyatoslavich (Volkh Vseslavievich).
He was not only strong, but also able to understand the language of animals, birds and fish, and also turn into some of them.
It is believed that he was the son of Princess Marfa Vseslavievna and a snake. Hence the werewolf abilities. If Svyatogor is considered a deity, then Volga is a demigod. In epics, he is spoken of as a hero of noble birth, leading a squad by birthright. At the same time, he takes the commoner Mikula Selyaninovich as his assistant for his valor and courage.
As for the nobility of the soul, then Volga is hardly worth setting as an example. The story of meeting Mikula describes the bogatyr as a mediocre ruler, strangling the people with taxes.
Epics about Svyatoslavich's campaign against the Indian kingdom describe the hero not as a valiant warrior, but as a cunning and far-sighted commander who, turning into different animals, successfully led his soldiers through all difficulties and led to victory. On the conquered land, he raped the wife of the defeated ruler and, taking her as his wife, reigned there. He gave local girls to his soldiers to be torn to pieces. So Volga is more of an anti-hero, especially in comparison with the noble plowman Mikula.
Some identify this character with Prophetic Oleg. There are those who compare him with Prince Vladimir. Agree, there is a lot in common between their destinies. In addition to the same patronymic, in the life of Vladimir there was an episode with the rape of the daughter of the Polotsk prince, who became the mother of Yaroslav the Wise. True, the mother of the future baptist of Russia was a slave, and not a princess, like Volga.
golden trinity
Most of the other epic knights belong to the Christian period.
First of all, you should pay attention to the trio from Vasnetsov's painting. Everyone can easily say what the names of the heroes of the Russian land were. These are Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.
Many epics, often contradicting each other, tell about the biography of the first. They agree only in a few aspects. So, Ilya could not walk until the age of 33 (perhaps this date is given as an analogy with Christ), but then the wandering magicians heal him and punish him to go to Vladimir's squad, where Muromets performs most of the feats. At the same time, the hero’s attitude towards the ruler himself was not the best.
It is also known that the hero was married, which did not prevent him from often having fun on the side.
According to legend, in his old age, Ilya Muromets was tonsured in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where he spent the last years of his life. After his death, he was canonized. The announcement of Elijah as a saint contributed to the preservation of his remains to our times. Thanks to this, in the 80s they were investigated. Scientists have confirmed that their owner suffered from paralysis of the legs in his youth, and died at the age of 40-55 due to a wound in the heart area.
Dobrynya Nikitich is the second most popular character. It is generally accepted that he existed in the same historical period as Ilya. Unlike him, he was close to Vladimir. The hero is identified with his maternal uncle.
Unlike Muromets, Nikitich is known not only for strength, but also for his intelligence. He is well educated and even plays several musical instruments.
It is worth saying that in future centuries, some features of pagan and Christian deities were attributed to the heroes of the era of Vladimir. Ilya Muromets is identified with the biblical prophet Elijah and the pagan god of thunder. Rumor equates Dobrynya with George the Victorious, who slew the Serpent. This is reflected in the legends about the victory over the snake that kidnapped the beautiful Zabava.
Unlike Ilya Muromets, this hero was a faithful husband. In later centuries, in order to link the image of Dobrynya and Alyosha Popovich, a story was spread about the latter's attempt to deceive him into marrying the knight's wife.
Little is known about the last years of his life. According to legend, he died in the battle of Kalka. On the site of his grave, a mound was poured, which still bears the name "Dobrynin".
The positioning of Alyosha Popovich as the youngest arose not because of age or physical data, but because of the later period of his appearance. Thanks to the masterpiece of Vasnetsov, as well as modern cartoons, we get the impression that these heroes of the Russian land acted together. But they lived at different times, and the difference between Dobrynya, Ilya and Alyosha Popovich is 200 years. Despite this, the image of the latter penetrated tightly into most epics about heroes. In them, he often plays a completely negative role and is distinguished by boasting and cunning, and not daring. In this he is close to Volga and, perhaps, "borrowed" several plots from him.
What do we know about his life from epics? He was the son of a priest and from childhood he was distinguished by intelligence and strength, although his lameness is sometimes mentioned. Like Dobrynya, he was a good musician.
Very few independent feats are attributed to him. The most striking is the battle with Tugarin on the way to Kyiv.
As for his heartfelt preferences, in addition to trying to deceive him into marrying Nikitich's wife, there are many stories about his relationship with his sister Alena Zbrodovich. According to one version, due to the fact that Popovich disgraced the girl, her brothers cut off his head. In other versions of this story, the hero manages to avoid death.
The Rostov boyar Olesha Popovich is considered the real prototype of Alyosha.
Seven popular heroes with unusual stories
Folk epics are alive not only with the heroes of Vasnetsov's painting. They often feature other characters as well. Let's look at the most famous of them and find out the names of the heroes of the Russian land, who became famous in later periods.
Dunay Ivanovich. This knight is known not for exploits, but for a sad love story. Together with Dobrynya, he went to the Lithuanian prince to marry his daughter to Vladimir the Great. In a foreign land, he meets her sister Nastasya, and love arises between them. The girl helps the Danube escape from death by ransoming him from the executioners and letting him go to Kyiv.
During the next visit to Lithuania, the hero no longer pays attention to his savior. Offended, the girl changed into a man's dress and, catching up with the Danube in the field, started a battle with him. The hero did not recognize her and, having won, almost killed her. However, past feelings prevailed, and the knight took her as his wife.
At the wedding, Danube boasted of his prowess, and his wife - of accuracy. The newly-made husband decided to shame his wife and demanded to show his skill. Nastasya shows accuracy, from which even William Tell and Robin Hood would cry in the corner with envy - she hits a thin silver ring on the head of the Danube hero three times. The disgraced husband decides to repeat her feat, but turns out to be not so good and accidentally kills his wife with an arrow. Before her death, he realizes that she was pregnant, so he also killed his child. In despair, the knight commits suicide.
Sukhman Odikhmantievich. Such an unusual name for the inhabitants of Russia belongs to the hero, who became famous for fighting the Tatars. Perhaps he himself was from the steppes, but then he went to the service of Prince Vladimir, who again played a bad role in this story. He ordered the knight to deliver a white swan to him, either for the zoo, or this is an allegorical name for the bride.
Sukhman could not fulfill the order because he was badly wounded in battle with the Tatars. Overcoming the pain, he returned to Kyiv empty-handed, but spoke about his victories. The prince did not believe him and sent him to prison.
Dobrynya goes to foreign lands in order to find out the truth, and finds confirmation of the words of the hero. Vladimir is going to reward him, but the proud hero chooses death.
By the way, the distrust of the prince and the resentment of the knight testify in favor of the version that Sukhman was a stranger.
Another hero of the period of Vladimir the Great is Nikita (Cyril) Kozhemyak, mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. According to her, this knight defeated the Pecheneg hero in a duel, and after the popular rumor attributed to him the victory over the serpent.
Perhaps the legends about him are partially borrowed from the Bible. So, the duel with the enemy is a clear reference to the story of David and Goliath. And the victory over the serpent makes him similar to George the Victorious. Although, maybe the snake is a metaphorical description of the Pecheneg.
Duke Stepanovich. This is another hero of the time of Prince Vladimir. However, he can be called a hero of the Russian land only reluctantly. Since he was originally from Galich, which, as we remember, did not belong to the Russia of Vladimir. It is difficult to understand why this character is called a hero, because apart from wealth and bragging, there are no other special "feats" behind him. According to legend, he comes to Kyiv and begins to actively criticize it and all its inhabitants. To prove his case, he has to participate in a boasting marathon, in which he wins, and proud of his "achievement", leaves the princely city.
Khoten Bludovich - the hero, whose name bears an undisguised sexual context, became famous for his desire to marry. Epics tell that, despite his strength and glory, he was very poor. Because of this, the mother of his beloved China Sentry (another "Slavic" name in this story) refused the noble knight. This did not stop the brave hero, who systematically finished off all the relatives of his beloved, and at the same time laid down the army of the local prince. In the finale, he combined the bonds of marriage with his charmer, and at the same time took away the wealth left after the dead.
However, not all heroes were associated by rumor with the period of Vladimir's reign. After the collapse of Kievan Rus, other heroes of folk epics began to appear. For example, the defender of Ryazan is Evpatiy Kolovrat. Unlike the classic heroes, he was not a composite image, but was a real historical figure who risked giving an unequal battle to the Mongol-Tatar army in retaliation for the destruction of the city. Unfortunately, he died, but his courage earned respect even from his enemies.
The warrior monk Alexander Peresvet, who participated in the Battle of Kulikovo, also belongs to the heroes. Although he is more positioned as a monk, and then a warrior. However, combat skills do not arise out of thin air, and, therefore, before taking the tonsure, Peresvet had its heroic history. He, too, was numbered among the saints.
Belarusian asilki
Standing apart from other heroes are such epic heroes as velets or asilki. The most common stories about them are in Belarusian folklore.
Asilks are called pre-Christian giant heroes. They not only fought snakes and other enemies, but created rivers and mountains. It is believed that for pride they were cursed by God and turned to stone or left alive in the ground. Mounds arose on the site of their graves.
Some researchers attribute Svyatogor to this category. Other scholars correlate velets with ancient Greek titans or biblical giants (children of angels who rebelled against God).
Women-knights
At all times, the Russian land was glorious for heroes. But they were not always men. The people's memory has preserved the mention of several heroes, who were usually called "logs".
These women were able to resist not only enemies, but also seriously compete with the epic heroes, and sometimes even surpass them.
The most famous raspberries are the two daughters of Mikula Selyaninovich, Vasilisa and Nastasya.
The first became the wife of the Chernigov boyar Stavr Godinovich, whom she saved from prison by dressing in men's clothes and winning the competition.
The second went for Dobrynya, having previously defeated the knight in a duel.
The aforementioned wife of the Danube hero Nastasya also belongs to the logs.
Many stories about heroes are associated with Ilya Muromets. Apparently, before taking the tonsure, he loved a lot of strong women. His wife Savishna (she saved Kyiv from Tugarin), as well as her temporary beloved Zlatygorka, who gave birth to his mighty son Sokolnik, is considered a woodpile. Also, the nameless daughter of Muromets was a hero - another random fruit of love, seeking to avenge her mother.
Marya Morevna stands apart from the others. She is considered one of the most popular female characters and is the prototype for Vasilisa the Wise and Princess Marya. According to legend, this steppe warrior defeated Koshchei the Immortal. So modern feminists have someone to look up to from domestic heroines.
Children-heroes
The chanting of heroes and their deeds was done not only in order to preserve the memory of them, but also in order to set them as an example for others. That is why the epic knights and their exploits were embellished and multiplied. This was done especially actively when it was necessary to tell children about the heroes of the Russian land. Then these characters were turned into moral ideals that you need to be equal to.
Often adult characters with their problems were too difficult to understand. Therefore, stories about the exploits of children were told especially for them. Such characters were called seven-year-old heroes.
Epics and legends about them were more often characters for Ukrainian literature, but they were also found among other peoples.
Heroes could be both boys and girls, as well as twins.
One of the first stories about the boy-knight concerns the period of Vladimir's father, Prince Svyatoslav. In those days, a nameless boy got out of Kyiv, surrounded by the Pechenegs, and managed to bring help to his native city.
So the tradition to set as an example the heroes of the Russian land for preschoolers and schoolchildren has very deep roots.
Interesting facts
Worth noting:
- In Mikhail Lermontov's poem "Borodino", his hero-narrator compares the generation of the classic with the epic knights, not in favor of the first ("Yes, there were people in our time, Not like the current tribe: Heroes - not you!"). But if we talk about physical data, then the average height of the legendary heroes-defenders of the Russian land was 160-165 cm (except for Ilya Muromets, who was a real giant at that time and was 180 cm tall), while under Mikhail Yurievich, such growth was clearly not heroic.
- According to legend, the father of Svyatogor is considered to be a certain supernatural creature that kills with a glance. Many identify him with Gogol's Viy.
- The Budyonovka hat, which for a long time was part of the mandatory uniform of a Red Army fighter, outwardly looked a bit like a erihonka helmet, in which artists often depicted knights. Therefore, among the soldiers, she was often called the "hero".
Great warriors, heroes, occupy an important place in Russian folk art. Dozens of works are devoted to their exploits. The image of the heroes has not faded even after many centuries, and today they are a model of fortitude and patriotism.
5. Vasilisa Mikulishna
Attributing the daughter of Mikula Selyaninovich to the most powerful Russian heroes can, of course, be very conditional. Nevertheless, even as a woman, Vasilisa Mikulishna can compete with the best Russian epic warriors in dexterity and cunning.
When her husband Stavr Godinovich landed in a prison in Kyiv, Vasilisa went to save him, disguised as a Tatar ambassador. She passed all the prepared tests with honor, defeating the best heroes of the prince in a fight and beating him himself in chess.
Fifth place in the list of the most powerful Russian heroes in advance is occupied by the true daughter of her legendary father, Vasilisa Mikulishna.
4. Dobrynya Nikitich
Dobrynya is one of the three most famous Russian heroes, who for the entire time of the existence of the epic had to be content with the status of "the second hero in Russia."
By the way, you can evaluate the strength of Dobrynya at least relative to Ilya Muromets. In a full-time duel, the peasant son turned out to be stronger, laying the boyar offspring on both shoulder blades.
Despite the fact that Dobrynya Nikitich comes from a noble family, he is considered one of the main defenders of the common people. Among his exploits, for example, is the rescue of the prince's niece from the Serpent Gorynych, with whom the warrior fought for three whole days.
The fourth line behind the second most popular hero of Russia.
3. Volga Svyatoslavich
Volga is considered one of the oldest heroes in the Russian epic. It is customary to identify his image with the names of the Prophetic Oleg and Vseslav Polotsky.
Volga was a werewolf and could turn into a wolf or a falcon, which helped him more than once during his adventures and wanderings. The hero inherited his ability to turn into animals from his father, who, according to legend, was a serpent.
The most famous epic about the Volga is his campaign in India. For his expedition, the hero recruited a detachment of the best warriors from all over the Old Russian state. During the campaign, the squad often encountered various problems. To solve them, Volga constantly had to turn into animals: a wolf, a falcon, an ermine, etc.
The Indian campaign ended for Volga in triumph and national glory.
Third place went to Volga Svyatoslavich.
2. Ilya Muromets
Ilya Muromets is the central character of the entire epic epic. This is the most famous and most beloved hero in Russia. Ilya comes from a small village near Murom. He receives his incredibly enormous strength from the traveling elders, who gave him spring water to drink. The strength of Ilya Muromets was limited. He was not as powerful as Svyatogor, but he was not an elm in the ground, as if in a swamp, like the famous giant.
Ilya Muromets accomplished many feats and became famous throughout Russia. He was loved by the common people, but his relationship with the princely court was very tense. Prince Vladimir more than once treated Ilya with disdain, but every time he was forced to ask for the help of the hero.
According to legend, in his declining years, Ilya Muromets took monastic vows, tired of military deeds and numerous wounds received.
The most important Russian hero on this list is number 2.
1. Svyatogor
Along with Volga, Svyatogor is one of the oldest heroes in the Russian epic. He is so strong and so powerful that the earth cannot withstand him, and Svyatogor is forced to live in the mountains, whose firmament is able to hold a warrior.
In ancient pre-Christian legends, Svyatogor is the brother of Svarog and received his power from the gods. Svyatogor is so tall that he easily hides Ilya Muromets with his horse in his pocket.
Unfortunately, stories about the exploits of this legendary warrior have not survived to our time.
In Russian epics, usually practically nothing is said about the death of heroes, but the death of Svyatogor is known for sure. And this is one of the few epics about Svyatogor that has come down to us.
Traveling with Ilya through the mountains, Svyatogor found a stone coffin. The heroes, laughing, jokingly decided to take turns lying in it. The tomb turned out to be large for Ilya, but it came at the time of Svyatogor.
When the giant realized his mistake, he asked Ilya to cut the coffin with his sword and breathed part of his strength into Muromets for this, but the coffin was enchanted, and with each blow of the sword an iron hoop appeared. Thus ended his life the most powerful hero of Russia.
The first line belongs to the giant hero, who was never able to use his strength for good.
Bonus: Mikula Selyaninovich
Russian epics know the names of many heroes. All of them were distinguished by strength and courage and accomplished many feats, but the most powerful in the entire ancient Russian epic was the ordinary plowman Mikula Selyaninovich. It was impossible to fight him, because he was under the protection of Mother Earth herself, which gave him inexhaustible strength.
Russian folklore is very rich and diverse in its history, culture and traditions, which are reflected in songs, epics and legends. The epics, composed by the common people, were distinguished by the beauty and plausibility of their narration, with the presence of a small artistic fiction, which gave them even greater originality inherent in the ancient Russian era. In the center of epics there is always a positive character - a hero who embodied invincible strength and boundless love for Mother Russia, the people's protector. Of course, the image of the hero is collective. The people created the image of a hero, placing their hopes and aspirations on him in order to show the next generations and bring up the ideology of the invincibility of Russia before the enemy force.
The main qualities of Russian heroes were military prowess and efforts to protect their native land. The virtues of the heroes are tested in battle, in an unequal battle, which is connected with the composition of the epic, colorfully saturated with exaggerations.
Who were these demigods endowed with inhuman strength?
The most popular in ancient Russia is the character of Ilya Muromets. This character has absorbed all the features inherent in mythological heroes - miraculous healing and the acquisition of superhuman strength. Ilya comes from a simple peasant family, chained to a bed from childhood, until the passersby Kaliki appear and miraculously heal him. From this episode, the heroic life of Ilya Muromets originates, whose exploits are artistically reflected in epics and legends.
Another, no less important hero is Dobrynya Nikitich, who lived in the same era as Ilya Muromets. The chanting of the irresistible strength and courage of the Russian hero begins with a duel with the serpent Gorynych. In the story about Dobryn Nikitich, there are not only fantastic stories, he also appears as a wise and brave warrior who fulfills all the instructions of Ilya Muromets. Dobrynya became the standard of a warrior of the era of Kievan Rus.
The third famous hero is Alyosha Popovich, who is often represented as a young, brave, savvy and cunning warrior.
One of the most mysterious images of Russian epics is Svyatogor, who has a power that surpasses the great heroes of ancient Russia. The character of Svyatogor was taken from ancient mythology, which absorbed the ideas of the great mountain giants, who embodied the greatness and equanimity of the mountains. Epics about Svyatogor are tragic stories about how a mighty giant dies not in battle for a just cause, but in a dispute with some unknown, irresistible force.
No less mysterious hero in the Russian epic is Volkh Vseslavievich, who was born from a fantastic snake. Volkh is considered a sorcerer and priest of the pagan gods. Volkh is the hero of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign". Despite his fame, the character of Volkh was not a historical person, but only the fruit of the artistic imagination of the people.
Unlike Volkh, Danube Ivanovich is a character with a real-historical basis. The story of the Danube begins with a fight with Dobrynya Nikitich. The Danube is part of the Kyiv bogatyrdom.
Just as fascinating is the story of the Danube and the heroes Nastasya. At his own wedding, as a result of an insane argument, Danube kills Nastasya, having missed when shooting from a bow. Unable to bear the grief of loss, the Danube kills himself.
Russian heroes play a huge role in Russian history. Epics tell about those glorious men who formed Russia, guarded and defended the Russian people from the invasion of enemy forces. Russian heroes in epics embodied the idea of the reunification of the Slavs, the invincibility and inviolability of the ancient Russian state in front of external enemies, being a role model in patriotism and courage for future generations.
Often these people are credited with inhuman abilities. They are described as strong and powerful men riding huge horses. In their hands they always held a spear or other heavy weapon. Epics and songs about heroes were copied more than once. New details and details were added there. Sometimes the character of the hero himself underwent changes. Especially this began to be traced after the adoption of Christianity in Russia.Often these people are credited with inhuman abilities // Photo: pereformat.ru
Although our man was not distinguished by militancy, nevertheless, among the people there were his strong representatives. So, history keeps many names of people with heroic strength: Svyatogor, Peresvet, Mikula Selyaninovich and others. They shed their blood for their native territories and their brethren.
Over time, the heroes have changed. They began to be in the service not of the people, but of the princes. The most famous such heroes were Dobrynya, Ilya and Alyosha. They were the most sung in songs. They were portrayed by famous artists such as Vasnetsov. However, his picture "Three Heroes" is historically incorrect. They all lived in different times. So Dobrynya was born in the 15th century, Alyosha - in the 13th, and Ilya - in the 12th. In addition to them, there were still a large number of strong men on Russian soil.
Great Svyatogor
One of the most mysterious and oldest Russian heroes. His story overshadows the exploits of even Muromets himself. His name completely matches his appearance. In the pictures, he appears as a real giant. However, there are few reliable facts about this crane man. His death is especially incomprehensible. Svyatogor allegedly found a bag with all the "weight of the earth." And he died while trying to move her.
Great Svyatogor // Photo: zoroastrian.ru
There is a legend that describes the joint campaign of Muromets and Svyatogor. She colorfully describes how the younger generation is replacing the old one. The legend says that during the journey of two heroes, a coffin appears on their way, thrown up by fate itself. Nearby was a prophecy that said that only the one who was destined for it would lie in it. Ilya lay down there first, but the coffin seemed too huge for him. Then it was Svyatogor's turn. As soon as the hero lay down in it, the lid immediately slammed shut. The giant could not get out of there. In this legend, the feat of the hero is that the hero transferred all his strength to Muromets.
Mikula Selyaninovich
Mikula was a simple peasant. In epics, he appears as a plowman god, the protector of the peasants and their lands. If you believe the legends, then it is thanks to him that we can use the gifts of the mother earth.
Mikula Selyaninovich // Photo: russkay-literatura.ru
The most famous story that describes the life of the hero is the epic about Volga and Mikul. In it, the hero goes to the service of Prince Volkh in his squad to fight the Varangians. Before that, the epic describes how a man laughs at Volga and his associates, because they cannot pull a peasant's ordinary plow out of the ground.
Volkh Vseslavevich
He is known not only as a hero, but also as a werewolf and magician. Volkh was a prince of Kyiv. And the stories about him are very reminiscent of folk tales. Already the birth of the hero was shrouded in mystical events. Rumor has it that his father is Veles himself, who appeared to the mother of the hero in the form of a snake. Immediately after the future hero was born, there was thunder and lightning flashed.
Volkh Vseslavievich // Photo: zmajsvetovidov.blogspot.com
There are legends that say that Volkh often walked among the squad in his childhood. At night, he turned into a wolf and got food for the warriors. But the most famous epic is the one that tells about the victory of the hero over the Indian king. Noticing that the enemy was plotting evil against the Russian lands, Volkh used his magic and immediately struck all the enemy’s army.
The prototype for the hero is a real person - Vseslav Polotsky. The people were a little afraid of him, because they considered him a sorcerer. In fact, the prince was just very cunning and took cities with his mind and extremely ruthlessly got rid of enemies.
