Svyatoslav

9 hrs. 17 min.

Romance & Prose

Language Russian

Author Vadim Kargalov

Narrator Alexander Andrianov

Description

A novel by the well-known historian V. V. Kargalov is devoted to the life and activities of Prince Sviatoslav—the famous Russian commander. He became famous not only for brilliant victories over the Byzantines and the Khazars, but also for nobility toward his enemies. “I’ll go at you!” Sviatoslav warned his enemies before entering battle with them. The tenth century in Russian history, academician B. A. Rybakov called “the epic time.” East Slavic tribes united into a mighty ancient Russian state (Kievan Rus), which in an unrelenting struggle with external enemies defended its independence and provided the ancient Rus people with conditions for independent historical development.

“Epic time” brought forward major figures of commanders and statesmen who led the all-people struggle against foreign enemies. This includes Oleg, who victoriously sailed on his boats across the Rus’ Sea to Tsargrad (Constantinople), and the great Kievan prince Vladimir, who, according to the chronicler, “began to build cities” along border rivers, gathering warriors from all corners of the Russian land and stopping the onslaught of the Pechenegs, and Vladimir Monomakh, famed for his campaigns against the Polovtsians.

But pride of place belongs to Prince-warrior Sviatoslav, whose name is linked both to the defeat of the Khazar Khaganate and to victories over well-known Byzantine commanders. His military activity left a noticeable mark in the history of the art of war.