Polish Vector in Politics of Vladimir Monomakh and His Heirs: from the Lyubech Congress to the “Pereyaslavl Crisis”

Abstract

The question of the system of Russian-Polish interaction during the period of temporary stabilization of political relations in Russia - from the Lyubech Congress (1097) to the end of the Kiev reign of Mstislav the Great (1125-1132) is considered in the article. The authors show that the 12th century is presented in historiography as a time of gradual growth of contradictions between two Christian civilizations, as a transitional period between the Great Schism of 1054 and the IV Crusade (1202- 1204). An attempt is made to consider the relationship between Russia and Poland of the indicated period outside the teleological approach. The authors provide evidence that the thesis of the religious factor as decisive in Russian-Polish relations does not correspond to the political realities of the 10- 30s of the XII century. It is shown that it was the ideological orientation of Vladimir Monomakh towards the crusading movement and the Holy Roman Empire that made it impossible for allied relations between Kiev and Krakow in the first quarter of the 12th century. It has been proved that there was no single policy of Rus towards Poland; the actions of the two sides were situational. The authors come to the conclusion that in Russia and Poland, competing political groups sought to implement their own strategies in relation to the neighboring state.