Based on written sources and archaeological data, a historical reconstruction of the events associated with the Christianization of the Finno-Ugric Merya people at the end of the 10th – beginning of the 11th centuries were carried out. The adoption of Orthodoxy by the Meryans was a turning point in its history. A detailed analysis of the processes of Christianization of the Meryans makes it possible to not only more deeply explore the fate of this Finno-Ugric people, but also clarify many details about the history of the Slavic colonization in North-Eastern Rus’. The article emphasizes that Russian researchers have not focused their attention on events directly related to the baptism of Merya people. In the process of historical research, the author drew on the texts of ancient Russian chronicles from the 12th–17th centuries, the “Life” of the enlighteners of the Rostov Land, and materials from archaeological research on Meryan settlements and burial grounds from the 10th–11th centuries. The study used historical-analytical and problem-chronological methods of historical research. When comparing different theoretical views on analyzed problems, comparative and retrospective analysis methods were also used. The author concludes that the Christianization of Mary went through several stages. Its first stage coincided with the period of the reign of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Cities with Christian churches and military garrisons were built on the Meryan lands, becoming outposts for the grand duchy's power. Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich and Bishop Fedor did not achieve large-scale baptisms, but all the conditions were created for the subsequent Christianization of the Meryans. The second stage of Christianization occurred at the beginning of the 11th century. During the reign of Prince Boris Vladimirovich, Meryan people were forced to leave their traditional settlements and villages and move to Slavic ones. In parallel with the resettlement of Meryans, their forced Christianization took place.
Key words: Christianization of Meryans, Bishop Fedor, Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich, Prince Boris Vladimirovich, Meryan settlements, Meryan burial grounds
DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662-2024-4-25-35
About the author
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Mikhail N. Kozlov – Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of General History and World Culture, Institute of Social Sciences and International Relations, Sevastopol State University; 33 Universitetskaya st., Sevastopol, 299053, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |