КРУШЕНИЕ МЕЧТЫ О ВЛАДИМИРСКОЙ МИТРОПОЛИИ (О ПРИЧИНАХ ЦЕРКОВНО-ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ НЕУДАЧИ АНДРЕЯ БОГОЛЮБСКОГО)

Abstract

The second half of the XII century in the history of Russian Christianity was marked by an important event that was of great importance for the development of the ancient Russian state. Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky made an attempt to create his own metropolis in his possessions with a center in Vladimir-on-Klyazma. The noted event can be considered in the context of the processes associated with the election in 1147 in Kiev to the Metropolitanate of Clement Smolyatich. The growth of political independence of individual princely branches and individual lands found expression in the processes of political autonomy. Apparently, Andrew did not set himself the goal of separating from Constantinople. His decision to establish a metropolitanate in Vladimir most likely was caused by the prince’s desire to declare his independence from Kiev. Despite all the efforts made, the project of Andrei Bogolyubsky failed. The patriarch refused to support the prince, and the Byzantine emperor did not even answer the prince's request. Soon in Kiev, Vladimir Bishop Theodore was brutally executed. While Andrei’s political motives were investigated, the church side of the issue is not adequately covered in the scientific literature. Meanwhile, the norms of church law quite clearly regulate the conditions and procedure for the establishment of metropolises. This right belonged to the patriarch and emperor. From a formal point of view, Andrei had the right to create his own metropolis. However, the prince was refused. The motives for this failure are not entirely clear. The article presents an attempt to consider the claims of Andrei Bogolyubsky in the context of church law.

Keywords

• kievan rus
• ancient russia
• church law
• andrey bogolyubsky
• church-state relations in kievan rus
• russian-byzantine relations
• church policy of russian princes