The Religious Foundations of Vladimir Monomakh''s Political Attitudes and the Cases of Deviation from them
The article analyzes the religious foundations of political views that influenced the motivation and actions character of an outstanding figure in pre-Mongol Rus. The conceptual provisions of the Monomakh program that were formulated by the Old Russian ruler in his "Instruction", in the second (1116) and the third (1118) editions of the "Tale of the Time Years", as well as in the "Tale of Boris Gleb" are reconstructed. Based on these materials strategic aspirations of the authorities and their ideological basis are characterized. Particular attention is paid to how religious attitudes were implemented in the foreign and domestic Vladimir Monomakh’s policies. Monomakh declared that he strictly follows the principles of the Christian doctrine. In his understanding, in all endeavors, one should strive to avoid sin, to have a mortal memory and to keep in his heart the God fear. In a such paradigm actions imposed significant restrictions on the rulers, as they limited their choice of means. The analysis of events shows that in real political practice the Old Russian prince retreated from the moral credo and it was manifested not only in relation to the Gentiles, but also to the one-sided rivals. For the sake of political conjecture, the prince retreated from the strict execution of religious installations.