People need heroes, or rather, not so much themselves as legends about them. After all, when life real person overgrown with myths, it is so easy to love and admire him. Or better yet, set an example. Such people are not humanly ideal - they are honest and selfless, and they do not die out of stupidity in a drunken fight, but only by performing a great feat, in the name of the common good. And although these are all fairy tales, they help those who believe in them to become better and work on themselves in the hope of reaching the level of their hero. Let's learn about one of the varieties of such ideals - about the heroes and knights of the Russian land. After all, although over the past centuries it is hardly possible to establish the truth about their lives, they were great people, since the memory of them has been preserved to this day.

Who are the heroes, and where did this word come from?

From time immemorial, this noun has been used to refer to warriors with superhuman abilities, usually physical strength and endurance. Most often, these valiant knights were heroes of folk medieval Slavic epics and legends. The main occupation of the heroes of the Russian land was to protect it from enemies, as well as measure strength and demonstrate prowess by performing feats.

Most linguists agree on the Turkic origin of the term “hero” (“brave”, “brave hero”). Probably, especially distinguished warriors began to be called this way with the beginning of raids on the lands of Rus' by steppe nomads. And among them, the word Bahādor meant a hereditary title, which was given to especially distinguished fighters, an analogue of the European knightly title. This noun was first mentioned in this meaning in a Chinese chronicle of the 8th century.

There are mentions of Mongolian knight-heroes in Italian chronicles of the 13th century, as well as in the famous Slavic document of the 13th-14th centuries. - Ipatiev Chronicle.

It is not known exactly when and why the Slavic knights, who specialized in protecting themselves from the steppe “heroes,” began to be called a foreign word. But already in the chronicles of the XV-XVI centuries. this term is used precisely in the sense of a Slavic hero-defender.

There is an opinion that, when faced with valiant Russians, the Mongols called them knights, that is, “heroes.” The Slavs liked this name because of its similarity with the word “God,” and they themselves began to call their own heroes this way, as if hinting at godlikeness. Moreover, some heroes of the Russian land were identified with ancient deities, for example Svyatogor. And although at the time this concept arose, Rus' had already been baptized, the process of full Christianization itself took several centuries, and Orthodoxy took root only because it absorbed a good half pagan rituals and beliefs.

The question of the cultural affiliation of the epic knights

Almost all legends, tales and epics about the heroes of the Russian land relate to the period of Kievan Rus, namely the time of Vladimir the Great. Because of this, disputes about the nationality of the knights do not subside. After all, they are claimed by Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians at the same time.

To understand why this happened, it is worth remembering where the Old Russian state was located. Under Prince Vladimir, it included the lands of modern Ukraine (except for its steppe part), Belarus and a small piece of Poland and the Russian Federation. Please note, according to the chronicles, during the times of Kievan Rus, the lands of Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan, Rostov and Galich were not considered Russian.

The spread of Christianity is closely intertwined with the concept of "Rus". By the 14th century In the chronicles, the lands where Orthodoxy was widespread began to be called Russian. And all of the above cities also began to be called as such. This is evidenced by the chronicle document “List of Russian cities far and near”, which lists these great Slavic trading cities, in addition to them, there are Bulgarian and Lithuanian ones. This is precisely what, according to historians, indicates that the concept of “Russian” was synonymous with “Orthodox” in the minds of people of that time.

In this way, this name spread to the inhabitants of other Slavic territories, which were not initially considered as such. And after the final collapse of Kievan Rus, it was Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan and Rostov that were able to strengthen their influence in this region and took responsibility for protecting it from the steppe inhabitants. They became the core on the basis of which in the future arose and strengthened Muscovy, which years later turned into Russia. And its indigenous inhabitants, according to tradition, began to call themselves Russians. This name has stuck with them to this day.

This version is supported by the fact that the main occupation of the classical heroes of the Russian land, according to epics and legends, was not just the defense of borders from the Mongols and other steppe inhabitants, but also the defense of the Christian faith. This feature of them is emphasized more than once in legends.

Therefore, when talking about the heroes of the Russian land during the existence of the Kyiv state, Ukrainians and Belarusians have every right to classify them as their own culture. After all, in those centuries it was these peoples who left Rus'.

On the other hand, the popularization of most epic heroes occurred in a later era precisely through the efforts of the inhabitants future Russia, who not only sang the exploits of the legendary knights of Rus', but also added many of their own to their pantheon. So its people also have the right to Slavic defenders from the steppes. Moreover, it was this literature that gave the world numerous beautiful poems about the heroes of the Russian land.

Disputes about the cultural affiliation of the legendary knights between the three nations are unlikely to ever cease. But they bring some benefit. The fact is that Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians have their own views on the interpretation of the biography and the very image of the hero. The defenders of the Russian land in the epic of each nation are endowed with special features characteristic specifically of its mentality. It gives a lot interesting material for research by historians and linguists. And who said that truth is not born in disputes?

What categories are epic heroes and knights of the Russian land divided into?

Scientists also argue about how to classify the heroes of tales and legends. The most famous are 3 theories:

• Knights are divided into older and younger generations.
• There are 3 heroic eras: pre-Tatar, Tatar and post-Tatar.
• The heroes of the Russian land are divided into those who lived in the pre-Christian and Christian periods. It is worth noting that pre-Christian knights are few in number. Their images are often close to ancient pagan deities.

While the heroes of the era after the baptism of Rus' are often more humane. Most of them accomplished their feats during the reign of Vladimir the Great. This is probably because this period was considered the most successful in the history of the Kyiv state. And although highest point development were the years of Yaroslav's reign; almost all events from the life of classical Christian heroes are associated with the era of the Red Sun. Perhaps, in order to more successfully spread the new religion among the Slavs, the exploits of all the heroes they respected began to be associated with the era of its implementer. By the way, he himself was declared a saint, and yet he was a rapist and murderer, as mentioned in the chronicles.

Some historians believe that in fact there were fewer knights themselves. There were simply wandering stories about nameless heroes. In each locality, special names and biographies were invented for these nameless heroes of the Russian land in order to tie them to own history. That is why their exploits are often similar: to woo a bride, kill a snake, fight a horde, suffer from boasting.

Pagan heroes

The most famous hero of this period is Svyatogor. He is described as a knight of gigantic proportions, who, by the way, lived outside of Rus' - in the Holy Mountains.

This character hardly had one prototype and is a composite one, and, moreover, borrowed. Tales about him usually describe 3 fragments from his life:

• Death due to boasting of one's own strength.
• Finding the predicted spouse.
• Betrayal of his wife and acquaintance with Ilya Muromets, to whom Svyatogor transferred his sword and part of his power before his death.

Svyatogor, who is identified with a certain pagan deity, exists outside of the Kyiv or Novgorod epic cycles. While Mikula Selyaninovich and Ilya Muromets are among their brightest representatives. Therefore, probably, the legends about their meetings with Svyatogor are later (especially judging by the names) and were invented in order to show the continuity of these characters.

The bogatyr-plowman Mikula Selyaninovich also belongs to the pagan heroes from the Novgorod cycle. Judging by the structure of the name, to which a nickname was added, indicating its origin, this is an image later than Svyatogor.

All legends about Mikul emphasize his connection with the land and labor on it. She was the source of his strength. Subsequently, this plot element was borrowed from epics about other heroes.

It is noteworthy that there is no information about Mikula’s wife, but we know about two glorious daughters.

By the way, with the advent of Christianity, the character of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as the holidays associated with him, were “borrowed” from Mikula.

The third cult superhero, that is, the legendary hero of the pagan era, is Volga Svyatoslavich (Volkh Vseslavyevich).

He was not only strong, but also knew how to understand the language of animals, birds and fish, and also transform into some of them.

It is believed that he was the son of Princess Marfa Vseslavyevna and the snake. Hence the werewolf abilities. If Svyatogor is considered a deity, then Volga is a demigod. In epics he is spoken of as a hero of noble birth, leading a squad by right of birth. At the same time, he takes the commoner Mikula Selyaninovich as his assistant for his valor and courage.

As for the nobility of the soul, Volga is hardly worth holding up as an example. The story of meeting Mikula describes the hero as a mediocre ruler who stifles the people with taxes.

The epics about Svyatoslavich's campaign against the Indian kingdom describe the hero not as a valiant warrior, but as a cunning and far-sighted commander who, turning into various animals, successfully led his soldiers through all difficulties and led to victory. On the conquered land, he raped the wife of the defeated ruler and, taking her as his wife, reigned there. He gave local girls to be torn to pieces by his own soldiers. So Volga is more of an anti-hero, especially in comparison with the noble plowman Mikula.

Some identify this character with the Prophetic Oleg. There are also those who compare him with Prince Vladimir. Agree, their destinies have a lot in common. In addition to the same patronymic, in Vladimir’s life there was an episode with the rape of the daughter of the Polotsk prince, who became the mother of Yaroslav the Wise. True, the mother of the future baptist of Rus' was a slave, and not a princess, like Volga’s.

Golden Trinity

Most of the remaining epic knights belong to the Christian period.

First of all, you should pay attention to the trio from Vasnetsov’s painting. Everyone can easily say the names of the heroes of the Russian land. These are Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.

Many epics, often contradicting each other, tell about the biography of the first. They agree only in a few aspects. So, Ilya could not walk until he was 33 years old (perhaps this date is given as an analogy with Christ), but then wandering magicians heal him and punish him to go to Vladimir’s squad, where Muromets performs most of his feats. At the same time, the hero’s relationship with the ruler himself was not the best.

It is also known that the hero was married, which did not prevent him from often having fun on the side.

According to legend, in his old age, Ilya Muromets took monastic vows at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, where he spent the last years of his life. After his death he was canonized. The declaration of Elijah as a saint contributed to the preservation of his remains to this day. Thanks to this, they were explored in the 80s. Scientists have confirmed that their owner suffered from leg paralysis in his youth, and died at the age of 40-55 due to a wound in the heart area.

Dobrynya Nikitich is the second most popular character. It is generally accepted that he existed during the same historical period as Ilya. Unlike him, he was close to Vladimir. The hero is identified with his maternal uncle.

Unlike Muromets, Nikitich is known not only for his strength, but also for his intelligence. He is well educated and even plays several musical instruments.

It is worth saying that in future centuries some features of pagan and Christian deities were attributed to the heroes of Vladimir’s era. Ilya Muromets is identified with the biblical prophet Elijah and the pagan god of thunder. Rumor equates Dobrynya with St. George the Victorious, who slayed the Serpent. This is reflected in the legends about the victory over the serpent who kidnapped the beautiful Zabava.

Unlike Ilya Muromets, this hero was a faithful husband. In later centuries, in order to link the image of Dobrynya and Alyosha Popovich, a story was spread about the latter’s attempt to deceive himself into marrying the knight’s wife.

ABOUT recent years little is known about his life. According to legend, he died in the battle of Kalka. At the site of his grave, a mound was built, which still bears the name “Dobrynin”.

The positioning of Alyosha Popovich as younger arose not because of his age or physical characteristics, but because of the later period of his appearance. Thanks to Vasnetsov’s masterpiece, as well as modern cartoons, we get the impression that these heroes of the Russian land acted together. But they lived in different time, and the difference between Dobrynya and Ilya and Alyosha Popovich is 200 years. Despite this, the image of the latter has deeply penetrated most epics about heroes. In them he often plays a completely negative role and is distinguished by boastfulness and cunning, rather than daring. In this way he is close to Volga and, perhaps, “borrowed” several stories from him.

What do we know about his life from epics? He was the son of a priest and from childhood was distinguished by his intelligence and strength, although his lameness is sometimes mentioned. Like Dobrynya, he was a good musician.

Very few independent feats are attributed to him. The most striking is the fight with Tugarin on the road to Kyiv.

As for his heartfelt preferences, in addition to trying to deceive Nikitich’s wife, there are many stories about his relationship with Zbrodovich’s sister Alena. According to one version, because Popovich disgraced the girl, her brothers cut off his head. In other versions of this story, the hero manages to avoid death.

The real prototype of Alyosha is considered to be the Rostov boyar Olesha Popovich.

Seven popular knights with unusual stories

It is not only the heroes of Vasnetsov’s painting that folk epics are alive with. They often feature other characters. Let's look at the most famous of them and find out the names of the heroes of the Russian land who became famous in later periods.

Danube Ivanovich. This knight is known not for his exploits, but for his sad love story. Together with Dobrynya, he went to the Lithuanian prince to marry his daughter to Vladimir the Great. In a foreign land, he meets her sister Nastasya, and love arises between them. The girl helps Danube escape from death by ransoming him from the executioners and releasing him to Kyiv.

During his next visit to Lithuania, the hero no longer pays attention to his savior. Taking offense, the girl changed into a man’s dress and, catching up with the Danube in the field, started a battle with him. The hero did not recognize her and, having won, almost killed her. However, old feelings prevailed, and the knight took her as his wife.

At the wedding, Danube boasted of his prowess, and his wife - of her accuracy. The newly-made husband decided to shame his wife and demanded to show her skills. Nastasya displays accuracy that would make even William Tell and Robin Hood cry in the corner with envy - she hits the mark three times silver ring on the head of the Danube hero. The disgraced husband decides to repeat her feat, but turns out to be not so good and accidentally kills his wife with an arrow. Before her death, he realizes that she was pregnant, so he also killed his child. In despair, the knight commits suicide.

Sukhman Odikhmantievich. This name, so unusual for the inhabitants of Rus', belongs to a hero who became famous for his fight against the Tatars. Perhaps he himself was a native of the steppes, but then went into the service of Prince Vladimir, who again played a bad role in this story. He ordered the knight to deliver him a white swan, either for the zoo, or this is an allegorical name for the bride.

Sukhman was unable to complete the assignment because he was seriously wounded in the battle with the Tatars. Overcoming the pain, he returned to Kyiv empty-handed, but spoke about his victories. The prince did not believe him and sent him to prison.

Dobrynya goes to foreign lands in order to find out the truth, and finds confirmation of the hero’s words. Vladimir is going to reward him, but the proud hero chooses death.

By the way, the prince’s distrust and the knight’s resentment testify in favor of the version that Sukhman was a stranger.

Another hero of the period of Vladimir the Great is Nikita (Kirill) Kozhemyaka, mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. According to it, this knight defeated the Pecheneg hero in a duel, and afterward popular rumor attributed to him the victory over the snake.

Perhaps the legends about him are partially borrowed from the Bible. Thus, the duel with the enemy is a clear reference to the story of David and Goliath. And victory over the serpent makes him similar to St. George the Victorious. Although, perhaps, a snake is a metaphorical description of the Pecheneg.

Duke Stepanovich. This is another hero from the time of Prince Vladimir. However, he can only be called a hero of the Russian land only reluctantly. Since he was originally from Galich, which, as we remember, did not belong to Vladimir’s Rus'. It is difficult to understand why this character is called a hero, because apart from wealth and boasting, there are no other special “feats” listed for him. According to legend, he comes to Kyiv and begins to actively criticize it and all its inhabitants. To prove that he is right, he has to take part in a marathon of boasting, in which he wins and, proud of his “achievement,” leaves the princely city.

Khoten Bludovich, a hero whose name bears an overt sexual context, became famous for his desire to get married. The epics say that, despite his strength and glory, he was very poor. Because of this, the mother of his beloved China Chasovaya (another “Slavic” name in this story) refused the noble knight. This did not stop the brave hero, who systematically dealt with all the relatives of his beloved, and at the same time destroyed the army of the local prince. In the finale, he married his charming lady, and at the same time took the wealth left behind by those killed.

However, not all heroes were associated by rumor with the period of Vladimir’s reign. After the collapse of Kievan Rus, other heroes of folk epics began to appear. For example, the defender of Ryazan is Evpatiy Kolovrat. Unlike the classical heroes, he was not a composite image, but was a real historical figure, who risked giving an unequal battle to the Mongol-Tatar army in revenge for the destruction of the city. Unfortunately, he died, but his courage earned respect even from his enemies.

Also among the heroes is the monk-warrior Alexander Peresvet, who participated in the Battle of Kulikovo. Although he is positioned more as a monk and then a warrior. However, combat skills do not appear out of thin air, and, therefore, before taking monastic vows, Peresvet had its own heroic history. He, too, was canonized.

Belarusian asilki

Such epic heroes as velets or asilks stand apart from other heroes. The most common stories about them are in Belarusian folklore.

Asilkas are the name given to pre-Christian giant heroes. They not only fought with snakes and other enemies, but created rivers and mountains. It is believed that for their pride they were cursed by God and turned to stone or went into the ground alive. Mounds appeared on the site of their graves.

Some researchers include Svyatogor in this category. Other scientists correlate the Velets with the ancient Greek titans or biblical giants (children of angels who rebelled against God).

Women knights

At all times, the Russian land was famous for its heroes. But these were not always men. People's memory has also retained mention of several heroes, who were usually called “polenitsy”.

These women were able to withstand not only their enemies, but also seriously compete with the epic heroes, and sometimes even surpass them.

The most famous Polenitsa are the two daughters of Mikula Selyaninovich, Vasilisa and Nastasya.

The first became the wife of the Chernigov boyar Stavr Godinovich, whom she saved from prison by dressing in a man's outfit and winning a competition.

The second married Dobrynya, having previously defeated the knight in a duel.

The aforementioned wife of the Danube hero Nastasya also belongs to the Polenitsa.

Many stories about heroes are associated with Ilya Muromets. Apparently, before taking monastic vows, he loved a lot strong women. Polenitsa is considered to be his wife Savishna (who saved Kyiv from Tugarin), as well as his temporary lover Zlatygorka, who gave birth to his mighty son Sokolnik. Also a hero was the nameless daughter of Muromets - another accidental fruit of love, seeking revenge for her mother.

Marya Morevna stands apart from the others. She is considered one of the most popular female characters and is the prototype of Vasilisa the Wise and Marya the Princess. According to legend, this steppe warrior defeated Koshchei the Immortal. So modern feminists have some Russian heroines to look up to.

Children-heroes

The glorification of heroes and their exploits was done not only in order to preserve the memory of them, but also in order to set them as an example for others. That is why the epic knights and their exploits were embellished and magnified. This was done especially actively when it was necessary to tell children about the heroes of the Russian land. Then these characters were turned into moral ideals to be equaled.

Often the adult characters and their problems were too difficult to understand. Therefore, stories about the exploits of children were told especially for them. Such characters were called seven-year-old heroes.

Epics and tales about them were more often typical specifically for Ukrainian literature, but were also found among other peoples.

The characters could be either boys or girls, as well as twins.

One of the first stories about the youth knight concerns the period of Vladimir’s father, Prince Svyatoslav. In those days, a nameless boy got out of Kyiv, which was surrounded by the Pechenegs, and managed to bring help to his hometown.

So the tradition of setting examples of the heroes of the Russian land for preschoolers and schoolchildren has very deep roots.

Interesting facts

Worth paying attention:

• In Mikhail Lermontov’s poem “Borodino,” his hero-narrator compares the classic generation with the epic knights, not in favor of the former (“Yes, there were people in our time, Not like the current tribe: Bogatyrs - not you!"). But if we talk about physical data, the average height of the legendary heroes-defenders of the Russian land was 160-165 cm (except for Ilya Muromets, who was a real giant at that time and was 180 cm tall), while under Mikhail Yuryevich, such growth was clearly not heroic.
• According to legends, the father of Svyatogor is considered to be a supernatural creature that kills with its gaze. Many identify him with Gogol's Viy.
• Budenovka hat, which for a long time was part of the compulsory uniform of a Red Army soldier; in appearance it was a bit reminiscent of the erikhonka helmet, in which artists often depicted knights. Therefore, among the soldiers she was often called the “hero.”

Most Russians can name only the three most famous ancient Russian heroes (Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich), although in fact there were many more. This post will help correct this state of affairs, which will introduce us to unfair forgotten heroes epics and legends.

Svyatogor

One of the most ancient heroes of the Russian epic epic. Svyatogor is a giant hero so big and strong that even Mother Earth could not withstand him. However, Svyatogor himself, according to the epic, could not overcome the “earthly pull” contained in the bag: trying to lift the bag, he sank with his feet into the ground.

Mikula Selyaninovich

The legendary plowman-hero, with whom you cannot fight, because “the whole Mikulov family loves Mother - Cheese Earth.” According to one of the epics, it was Mikula Selyaninovich who asked the giant Svyatogor to pick up a bag that had fallen to the ground. Svyatogor could not do this.
Then Mikula Selyaninovich raised the bag with one hand and said that it contained “all the burdens of earth.” Folklore says that Mikula Selyaninovich had two daughters: Vasilisa and Nastasya. And they became the wives of Stavr and Dobrynya Nikitich, respectively.

Volga Svyatoslavich

Volga is one of the most ancient heroes in Russian epics. His distinctive features were the ability to shapeshift and the ability to understand the language of birds and animals. According to legends, Volga is the son of a snake and Princess Marfa Vseslavyevna, who miraculously conceived him by accidentally stepping on a snake. When he saw the light, the earth shook and terrible fear gripped all living creatures.
An interesting episode of the meeting between Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich is described by epics. While collecting taxes from the cities of Gurchevets and Orekhovets, Volga met the plowman Mikula Selyaninovich. Seeing a mighty hero in Mikul, Volga invited him to join his squad to collect taxes.
Having driven away, Mikula remembered that he had forgotten the plow in the ground. Twice Volga sent his warriors to pull out that plow, but the third time he and his entire squad did not overcome it. Mikula pulled out that plow with one hand.

Sukhman Odikhmantievich

Hero of the Kyiv epic cycle. According to legend, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir. During the trip, he sees that the Nepra River is fighting the Tatar power, which is building Kalinov bridges on it to go to Kyiv. Sukhman beats the Tatar forces, but during the battle he receives wounds, which he covers with leaves.
Sukhman returns to Kyiv without the swan. Prince Vladimir does not believe him and orders him to be imprisoned in a cellar for his boasting, and sends Dobrynya Nikitich to find out whether Sukhman told the truth, and when it turns out that he was telling the truth, Vladimir wants to reward Sukhman; but he removes the leaves from the wounds and bleeds. The Sukhman River flowed from his blood.

Danube Ivanovich

One of the most popular heroic images in Russian epics. Unlike the three main characters of the epic (Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich), Danube Ivanovich is a tragic character.
According to legend, during the wedding, Danube and Nastasya Korolevichna, who was also a hero, begin to boast, Danube about her courage, and Nastasya about her accuracy. They arrange a duel and Nastasya shoots the silver ring lying on the head of the Danube three times.
Unable to recognize his wife’s superiority, Danube orders her to repeat the dangerous test in the opposite way: the ring is now on Nastasya’s head, and Danube shoots. The Danube's arrow hits Nastasya.
She dies, and the Danube finds out, “spreading her womb,” that she was pregnant with a wonderful baby: “knee-deep legs in silver, elbow-deep arms in gold, frequent braids on the head.” Danube throws himself on his saber and dies next to his wife; the Danube River originates from his blood.

Mikhailo Potyk

One of the minor heroes. He is known only in northern Russian epics as a handsome man and a snake fighter. There are several legends about him. According to one of them, Mikhailo met a swan while hunting, who turned into a girl - Avdotya Swan White. They got married and swore an oath that if someone died first, the survivor would be buried with the deceased in the same grave.
When Avdotya died, Potyka, along with her corpse, was lowered into the grave, on horseback in full armor. A serpent appeared in the grave, which the hero killed, and with his blood he resurrected his wife. According to other epics, the wife drugged Potyk and turned him to stone, and she fled with Tsar Koshchei.
The hero's comrades - Ilya, Alyosha and others, save Potyk and avenge him by killing Koshchei and quartering the unfaithful White Swan.

Hoten Bludovich

A hero in Russian epics, acting in one epic as a matchmaker and groom. The story of Khoten and his bride is practically the ancient Russian story of Romeo and Juliet. According to legend, Khoten’s Mother, a widow, wooed her son to the beautiful China Sentinel at one feast. But the girl’s mother answered her with an insulting refusal, which was heard by all those feasting.
When Khoten found out about this, he went to his bride and she agreed to marry him. But the girl’s mother was categorically against it. Then Khoten demanded a duel and beat his bride's nine brothers. China's mother asks the prince for an army to defeat the hero, but Khoten defeats him too. After this, Khoten marries the girl, taking a rich dowry.

Nikita Kozhemyaka

Formally, he does not belong to the heroes, but he is a hero-snake fighter. According to legend, the daughter of the Kyiv prince was carried away by a snake and kept captive by him. Having learned from the serpent himself that he is afraid of only one person in the world - Nikita Kozhemyak, she and the dove send a letter to her father asking him to find this hero and encourage him to fight the serpent.
When the prince's envoys entered Kozhemyaka's hut, busy with his usual business, he was surprised to tear through 12 skins. Nikita refuses the prince’s first request to fight the snake. Then the prince sends the elders to him, who also could not persuade Nikita. For the third time, the prince sends children to the hero, and their crying touches Nikita, he agrees.
Wrapping himself in hemp and smearing himself with resin to become invulnerable, the hero fights with the snake and frees the prince’s daughter. Further, as the legend says, the serpent, defeated by Nikita, begs him for mercy and offers to share the land equally with him. Nikita forges a plow weighing 300 pounds, harnesses a snake to it and draws a furrow from Kyiv to the Black Sea; then, having begun to divide the sea, the serpent drowns.

Vasily Buslaev

Also not formally a hero, but a very strong hero, representing the ideal of valiant and boundless prowess. Since childhood, Vasily was a daredevil, knew no restrictions and did everything only as he pleased. At one of the feasts, Vasily bets that he will fight at the head of his squad on the Volkhov Bridge with all the Novgorod men.
The fight begins, and Vasily's threat to beat every last one of his opponents is close to coming true; Only the intervention of Vasily’s mother saves the Novgorodians. In the next epic, feeling the severity of his sins, Vasily goes to Jerusalem to pray for them. But the pilgrimage to holy places does not change the character of the hero: he defiantly violates all prohibitions and on the way back he dies in the most ridiculous way, trying to prove his youth.

Duke Stepanovich

One of the most original heroes of the Kyiv epic epic. According to legend, Duke arrives in Kyiv from “Rich India,” which, apparently, was the name of the Galicia-Volyn land. Upon arrival, Duke begins to boast about the luxury of his city, his own wealth, his clothes, which his horse brings daily from India, and finds the wine and rolls of the Prince of Kyiv tasteless.
Vladimir, in order to check Duke’s boasting, sends an embassy to Duke’s mother. As a result, the embassy admits that if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy paper for an inventory of Dyukov’s wealth, then there won’t be enough paper.

Russian heroes are not just history. They reflect the essence of the Russian person, his attitude towards the Motherland. Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich, Gorynya, Dobrynya Nikitich and many others dedicated their lives to serving Rus'. They fought against countless enemies of our people, protecting and protecting ordinary people. The exploits of Russian heroes will forever remain in memory - in the form of epics, songs and legends, as well as other epics written by eyewitnesses of those events. They are the ones who make us proud of our people and the land that raised such giants.

History of heroes in Rus'

Probably each of us at school or on TV heard stories about powerful and invincible heroes. Their exploits inspire, inspire hope and make us proud of our own people, their strength, dedication and wisdom.

Many historians divide Russian heroes into older and younger ones. If you follow the epics and epics, then you can clearly draw a line between Old Slavic demigods and Christian heroes. Russian ancient heroes are the all-powerful Svyatogor, the mighty Verni-Gora, Mikula Selyaninovich, the Danube and others.

They are distinguished by their unbridled natural power. These heroes are the personification of the deified forces of nature and its invincibility. In later sources they are given a somewhat negative connotation. They become heroes who cannot and do not want to use their own power for good. Most often, these are simply destroyers, showing off their power to other heroes and ordinary people.

This was done in order to push people towards a new world - a Christian one. The heroic destroyers are being replaced by the heroic creators, the defenders of the Russian Orthodox land. These are Dobrynya Nikitich, Nikita Kozhemyaka, Peresvet and many, many others. One cannot help but recall the exploits of the Russian hero Ilya Muromets. This is a favorite image for many writers and artists. Having recovered from a serious illness, the knight went to defend his own land, and then retired to become a monk.

The most famous Russian heroes and their exploits

Our history contains many famous names. Probably everyone knows the phrase: “And both glorious and strong heroes in the Russian land.” Although our people for the most part are not warlike and prefer to work on the land, from ancient times mighty heroes and defenders of the Fatherland have emerged from among them. These are Svyatogor, Mikula Selyaninovich, Danube Ivanovich, Peresvet, Sadko and many, many others. These heroes shed their own blood for their native land and stood up to protect peaceful people in the most troubled times.

It was about them that epics and songs were written. At the same time, over time, they corresponded many times. More and more facts and details were added to them. Even the character of the heroes underwent significant changes.

This process was especially influenced by acceptance. It divided our history and led to the denial and condemnation of everything old. Therefore, in the images of more ancient heroes one can now see negative features. We are talking about Svyatogor, Peresvet, Danube Ivanovich.

They were replaced by heroes of a new generation. And almost all of them served the princes, not the people. The most famous heroes of the Russian land are Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. It was they who were praised in songs and epics. They show off in the famous painting by Vasnetsov. They are the ones children know best, thanks to numerous cartoons and fairy tales. What did they do? And why are they always depicted together?

According to many historians, these three famous Russian heroes never met. According to some sources, Dobrynya lived in the 15th century, Ilya in the 12th century, and Alyosha, the youngest of the heroes, in the 13th century.

Viktor Mikhailovich depicted them all together as a symbol of the invincibility and indestructibility of the Russian people. The exploits of the 3 heroes were accomplished at different times, but historians agree that most of them are quite real. For example, the same Nightingale the Robber, the war with the Pechenegs, the Tatar prince Tugarin actually took place. This means that it is logical to assume that great deeds were also performed.

Alyosha Popovich and his exploits

In Vasnetsov’s painting, this young man is depicted with a bow and arrows, and near the saddle you can see a harp, which speaks of his cheerful disposition. Sometimes he is reckless, like any young guy, and sometimes he is cunning and wise, like a seasoned warrior. Like many heroes of the Russian land, this is rather a collective image. But this character also has a real prototype.

According to some reports, this is the son of the Rostov Orthodox priest Leonty. But the residents (Ukraine) also consider him a fellow countryman. Local legends say that he often visited local fairs and helped people.

According to another version, this is the famous Rostov hero Alexander. He lived in the 12th and 13th centuries and was a prominent historical figure. Often his image is intertwined with another, no less noticeable character in epics, Volga Svyatoslavich.

The glorious exploits of Russian heroes will be incomplete without stories about how Alyosha fought with Tugarin himself in battle. This Polovtsian khan is a real historical person, Tugorkan. And in some epics Alyosha Popovich fought with him several times. This hero also earned fame in numerous internecine wars of that time. And he died in the famous Battle of Kalka (1223).

Ilya Muromets

This is perhaps the most famous and revered hero in Rus'. He embodies all the positive traits. There is very little confirmed information about him, but it is reliably known that he was canonized

This man spent his childhood and adolescence practically without movement, as he suffered from a serious paralytic disease. However, at the age of 30, Ilya was healed and fully returned to his feet. This fact was confirmed by many serious scientists who conducted research on the remains of the saint. Therefore, the exploits of the Russian hero Ilya Muromets begin at a fairly mature age.

This character became best known to all adults and children thanks to the epic, which tells about his battle with the Nightingale the Robber. This criminal controlled one of the main routes to Kyiv - the capital ancient Rus'. Prince Mstislav, who ruled at that time, instructed the warrior Ilya Muromets to accompany the next trade convoy. Having met the robber, the hero defeated him and cleared the road. This fact is documented.

In addition to this, other victories of the Russian hero Ilya Muromets are known. The epics tell about the battle of the knight with the Poganous Idol. This may have been the name given to a nomadic rapist. There is also a story about the struggle with Baba Gorynka and her own son.

In his declining years, Ilya, having received a serious wound and tired of such a military life, retired to a monastery. But even there he could not find peace. Researchers note that the hero-monk died in battle at the age of 40-55.

Great Svyatogor

This is one of the most famous and mysterious heroes. Even the victories of the Russian hero Ilya Muromets pale before his glory. His name fully matches his appearance. He is usually represented as a mighty giant.

We can say that there are quite a few reliable epics about this hero. And they are all connected with death. However, Svyatogor says goodbye to life not in an unequal battle with numerous enemies, but in a dispute with an irresistible and unknown force.

One of the legends says that the hero found a “saddle bag.” The hero tried to move it, but died without moving the thing from its place. As it turned out, this bag contained all the “heaviness of the earth.”

Another legend tells about the journey of Svyatogor with Ilya Muromets. This shows the change of “generations” of heroes. One day, friends find an empty coffin. The prophecy on it said: whoever is destined by fate will fall into it. It turned out to be great for Ilya. And when Svyatogor lay down in the coffin, the lid covered him, and he was never able to escape. Despite all the power of the giant, the tree did not succumb to him. The main feat of Svyatogor the hero is that he transferred all his power to Ilya Muromets.

Nikitich

This hero, depicted together with Ilya Muromets and Alyosha Popovich, is one of the most revered and famous in Rus'. In almost all epics he is inextricably linked with Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich. At the same time, there is an opinion that the latter is his uncle. In history, Dobrynya is a prominent statesman, whose advice was listened to by many nobles.

However, in epics this is rather a collective image, which has the features of a mighty Russian knight. The exploits of the hero Dobrynya Nikitich consisted of fighting numerous enemy troops. But his main act is the battle with the Serpent Gorynych. The famous painting by Vasnetsov depicts the battle of the defender of the Russian land with a 7-headed dragon, but the plot was based on a real basis. The enemy used to be called “snake”. And the nickname “Gorynych” indicates his origin or habitat - the mountains.

There were also tales telling how Dobrynya found himself a wife. Historians note that she was a foreigner. Nastasya Nikulichna (in other versions - Mikulishna) had good physical characteristics. They began to measure their strength, and after the knight’s victory the girl became his wife.

Like all the exploits of epic heroes, the activities of Dobrynya Nikitich are connected with serving the Prince and the People. That is why they hold him up as an example, they compose fairy tales, songs and epics, portraying him as a hero and liberator.

Volkh Vseslavyevich: Prince-Wizard

This hero is known more as a sorcerer and a werewolf. He was the Prince of Kyiv. And the legends about him are like a fairy tale. Even the birth of the Magus is shrouded in mysticism. They say that his mother conceived him from Veles, who appeared to her in the form of an ordinary snake. The birth of the hero was accompanied by thunder and lightning. His childhood toys were a golden helmet and a damask club.

Like many Russian folk heroes, he often spent time with his squad. They say that at night he turned into a wild wolf and got food for the warriors in the forest.

The most famous legend about Volkhv Vseslavyevich is the story of the victory over the Indian king. One day the hero heard that evil was being planned against his Motherland. He used witchcraft and defeated the foreign army.

The real prototype of this hero is Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. He was also considered a sorcerer and a werewolf, he also took cities by cunning and mercilessly killed the inhabitants. And the snake played an important role in the life of the prince.

Historical facts and legends are mixed into one. And the feat of Volkhv Vseslavyevich began to be praised in epics, like other glorious feats of Russian heroes.

Mikula Selyaninovich - a simple peasant

This hero is one of the representatives of the heroes. His image is a reflection of the legends about the god-plowman, protector and patron of the Russian land and peasants. It was he who gave us the opportunity to cultivate fields and use the gifts of nature. He drove out the Destroying Giants.

According to legend, a hero lived on the Drevlyansky land. Unlike other ancient knights who came from princes, Mikula Selyaninovich represented the peasant class. He devoted his entire life to working in the fields. While other heroes and defenders of the Russian land fought with a sword in their hands. This makes sense, because all the benefits of the state and people come precisely from hard and daily work.

The most famous works that describe the character and life of Mikula Selyaninovich are the epics about Volga and Mikula, as well as about Svyatogor.

For example, in the story of the werewolf prince, the hero enlists in a squad assembled to resist the Varangian invasion. But before that, he laughs at Volga and his warriors: they can’t even pull out his plow, which is stuck in the ground.

The exploits of Russian heroes have always been sung by the people. But one can also find disdain for heroes who, having enormous power, cannot use it correctly. An example of such an attitude can be called the epic “Svyatogor and Mikula Selyaninovich.” Here two principles are contrasted - creative and destructive.

Svyatogor wanders around the world and does not know where to use his own strength. One day he meets Mikula with a bag that the warrior warrior cannot lift and breaks down. All the “heaviness of the earth” appears there. In this plot one can see the superiority of ordinary labor over military force.

Vasily Buslaev

This hero is not like the others. He is a rebel, always goes against the general opinion and order. Despite superstitions ordinary people, he does not believe in omens and predictions. At the same time, this is the image of a heroic protector.

Vasily Buslaev is from Veliky Novgorod. That is why there is so much local color in the epics about him. There are two stories about him: “Vasily Buslaevich in Novgorod” and “Vasily Buslaevich went to pray.”

His mischief and lack of control can be seen everywhere. For example, when choosing his squad, he arranges several extraordinary tasks. As a result, there are 30 young people who support Vasily in everything.

Buslaev’s deeds are not the exploits of Russian heroes, who followed the rules and obeyed the prince in everything, respecting the traditions and beliefs of ordinary people. He revered only strength. Therefore, his activity is a riotous life and fights with local men.

Peresvet

The name of this hero is closely connected with the Battle of Kulikovo Field. This legendary battle, in which countless glorious warriors and boyars perished. And Peresvet, like many other heroes, defenders of the Russian land, stood up to the enemy.

Scientists are still arguing whether it really happened. After all, according to legend, together with his brother Andrei, he was sent to help Dmitry Donskoy by Sergius of Radonezh himself. The feat of this hero was that it was he who inspired the Russian army to fight. He was the first to enter into battle with the representative of Mamaev’s horde, Chelubey. Practically without weapons or armor, Peresvet defeated the enemy, but fell dead along with him.

A study of earlier sources suggests the unreality of this character. In the Trinity Monastery, where Peresvet, according to history, was a novice, there are no records of such a person. In addition, it is known that Sergius of Radonezh could not meet with Prince Dmitry immediately before the battle.

But almost all the exploits of Russian heroes - one way or another - are partially invented or exaggerated by storytellers. Such stories raised morale, educated

There is probably no person in Russia who has not heard of heroes. Heroes who came to us from ancient Russian songs and tales - epics - have always been popular among writers, artists, and filmmakers. The next round of popularity of the heroes is associated with the release of a series of animated films dedicated to their somewhat modernized adventures.

At the same time, most Russians know only about a very narrow circle of heroes. In fact, the number of heroic epics that have survived to our time is in the hundreds, and the heroes themselves are divided by scientists into several categories. The heroes of the pagan and Christian eras, pre-Tatar, Tatar and post-Tatar are distinguished...

There is a large group of heroes associated with Kiev and Prince Vladimir, but there are also those who have no relation to the “central government” at all, remaining “regional heroes” of individual cities.

The adventures of some heroes are intertwined with each other, while others act independently.

Svyatogor

Svyatogor is so huge that it is “higher than a standing forest, lower than a walking cloud.” The hero lived on the Holy Mountains; during his journey, Mother Cheese shook the Earth, forests swayed and rivers overflowed their banks.

The hero’s father was called “dark,” that is, blind, which in East Slavic mythology was a sign of creatures from another world.

Svyatogor does not perform any service, although he intersects with other heroes. So, in one of the epics, Svyatogor travels with Ilya Muromets, and they meet a stone coffin on the way. Deciding to try it on, Svyatogor turns out to be his prisoner and dies, transferring part of his powers to Ilya Muromets. In another epic, the story of the coffin is preceded by intimate adventures - Ilya Muromets is seduced by Svyatogor’s wife. Having learned about this, Svyatogor kills the fallen woman, and with Ilya, who cuckolded him, he enters into a brotherhood.

In another epic, Svyatogor compares his heroic strength with another “colleague” - Mikula Selyaninovich. A cunning opponent throws a bag on the ground, in which “all the earthly burdens” were contained, inviting Svyatogor to pick it up. This attempt ends with the death of the hero.

In epics, Svyatogor dies more often than other heroes. Scientists attribute this to the fact that this image personifies the primitive forces of nature, an element that does not serve man.

Mikula Selyaninovich

Mikula Selyaninovich, like Svyatogor, is not in any service with the prince and is not a warrior. But, unlike Svyatogor, Mikula Selyaninovich is busy with socially useful work - he is a hero-plowman.

It is impossible to fight Mikula Selyaninovich, because Mother Cheese Earth is behind him. That is why Mikula Selyaninovich is able to lift the bag with “all the burdens of the earth,” unlike Svyatogor, whom this attempt destroys.

Scientists find in the image of Mikula Selyaninovich much in common with the Slavic god Perun. According to one version, the popularity of Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia is rooted in the veneration of Mikula Selyaninovich.
If we take into account that the image of St. Nicholas served to create the story of the Christmas wizard, who in our area is persistently associated with Father Frost, then we can build a chain according to which Father Frost is the retired hero Mikula Selyaninovich.

Unlike Svyatogor, who in epics has only an unfaithful wife, Mikula Selyaninovich has daughters - Vasilisa and Nastasya. Nastasya became the wife of Dobrynya Nikitich, and as for Vasilisa, she is well known to fans of Soviet cartoons - this is the same Vasilisa Mikulishna who, pretending to be an ambassador from the Golden Horde, freed her husband Stavr Godinovich from prison.

Ilya Muromets

Ilya Muromets, the first in the line of the so-called “younger heroes”, heroic warriors, is perhaps best known to the general public.

After staying at home for up to 33 years, unable to use his arms and legs, he was healed by the elders and set off to perform heroic deeds. It is curious that the epics told about Ilya’s service to the Kyiv prince Vladimir only in part of the Russian lands - in other regions the hero’s exploits were exclusively his personal matter.

The most common and classic feat of Ilya Muromets is the victory over the Nightingale the Robber. At the same time, Muromets is perhaps the most popular hero; more than a dozen original epics are dedicated to his exploits. Among those whom Ilya defeated were the Foul Idol, a certain snake, Tsar Kalin and many others.

Ilya’s life is quite stormy: he has a wife Zlatygorka, a son Sokolnik (in another version - a daughter), he actively interacts with other Russian heroes. Moreover, if relations with Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich are more often friendly, then meetings with Svyatogor end in tears for the latter.

If Svyatogor and Mikula Selyaninovich do not have a real prototype, then Ilya Muromets has several of them.
Most often he is associated with Elijah of Pechersk, a monk of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, who lived in the 12th century. The strongman, born in Murom, bore the nickname “Chobotok”. The hero received this nickname because he once fought off enemies with a “chobot,” that is, a boot.

According to one version, the hero became a monk after being seriously wounded in battle. An examination of the relics of Elijah of Pechersk showed that he actually died from the consequences of a blow to the chest with a sharp weapon. The prototype of Muromets could have died in 1204 during the capture of Kyiv by Prince Rurik Rostislavich, when the Kiev Pechersk Lavra was destroyed by the Polovtsians.

Nikitich

Unlike Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich is a person close to the Kyiv prince, carrying out his instructions. Dobrynya does not hesitate to collect and transport tribute, takes on tasks that her colleagues refuse for some reason, and has a penchant for diplomacy.

Dobrynya’s most famous opponent is the Serpent, better known as the Serpent-Gorynych, from whose captivity the hero frees the prince’s niece Zabava Putyatishna.

Dobrynya is the most creative person among the heroes. He plays tavlei (ancient Russian checkers) well, sings well and plays the harp.

Dobrynya Nikitich has extensive connections - in addition to being close to the prince, he is married to Nastasya Mikulishna, the daughter of Mikula Selyaninovich.

According to epics, Dobrynya is the son of the Ryazan governor. The most likely prototype of the hero is Dobrynya, the governor of Prince Vladimir the Saint. Dobrynya was an extremely influential person, since he was the prince’s uncle - he was the brother of his mother Malusha. For a certain time, Dobrynya was a mentor and senior comrade for the prince.

Alesha Popovich Alyosha Popovich is the most dubious character of the “classic troika” of heroes. The son of a Rostov priest, Alyosha is boastful, arrogant, crafty, and sometimes allows himself unacceptable jokes, for which he is reproached by his comrades.

So, for example, in one of the epics Alyosha harasses Dobrynya’s wife Nastasya Mikulishna, spreading false rumors about the death of a comrade.

In another epic, Alyosha is beheaded by the angry brothers of Elena or Alena, who was seduced by him. True, in the more famous version, Alyosha Popovich had to marry Alyonushka in order to avoid the worst.

Alyosha’s main opponent is Tugarin, an evil hero, behind whom one can discern the image of a nomad, with whom the Russians have been fighting for a long time.

The main historical prototype of Alyosha Popovich is the Rostov boyar Olesha (Alexander) Popovich. An excellent warrior, Olesha served Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest, and then participated in the internecine wars of his sons. Subsequently, Olesha Popovich went into the service of Prince Mstislav the Old and died with him in 1223 in the Battle of Kalka, which became the first meeting between the Russians and the Tatar-Mongols. In the same battle, Dobrynya Ryazan Zlat Belt, another candidate for the prototype of the epic Dobrynya Nikitich, also died.

Bogatyrs are the epic defenders of the Russian Land, “superheroes” of the Russian people for many centuries. Let's remember the main ones.

1. Ilya Muromets. Holy hero

Ilya Muromets is canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church; he is the main Russian hero. Ilya Muromets is the main character not only of Russian epics, but also, for example, of German epic poems of the 13th century. In them he is also called Ilya, he is also a hero, yearning for his homeland. Ilya Muromets also appears in the Scandinavian sagas, in them he is, no less, the blood brother of Prince Vladimir.

2. Bova Korolevich. Lubok hero

Bova Korolevich was the most popular hero among the people for a long time. Popular folk tales about the “precious hero” were published in hundreds of editions from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Pushkin wrote “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, partially borrowing the plot and names of the heroes of the fairy tales about the Boy Korolevich, which his nanny read to him. Moreover, he even made sketches of the poem “Bova,” but death would prevent him from finishing the work.

The prototype of this knight was the French knight Bovo de Anton from the famous chronicle poem Reali di Francia, written in the 14th century. In this respect, Bova is a completely unique hero - a visiting hero.

3. Alyosha Popovich. Junior

“The youngest of the younger” heroes, and therefore his set of qualities is not so “Superman”. He is not even a stranger to vice: cunning, selfishness, greed. That is, on the one hand, he is distinguished by courage, but on the other hand, he is proud, arrogant, abusive, perky and rude.

4. Svyatogor. Mega-hero

Mega-hero. But a hero of the “old world.” The giant, the elder hero the size of a mountain, whom even the earth cannot support, lies on the mountain in inaction. The epics tell of his meeting with earthly cravings and death in a magical grave.

Many features of the biblical hero Samson were transferred to Svyatogor. It's hard to pinpoint it exactly ancient origins. In the legends of the people, the veteran hero transfers his strength to Ilya Muromets, the hero of the Christian century.

5. Dobrynya Nikitich. A well-connected hero

Dobrynya Nikitich is often correlated with the chronicle Dobrynya, the uncle of Prince Vladimir (according to another version, nephew). His name personifies the essence of the “heroic kindness.” Dobrynya has the nickname “young”, with enormous physical strength “he wouldn’t hurt a fly”, he is the protector of “widows and orphans, unfortunate wives.” Dobrynya is also “an artist at heart: a master of singing and playing the harp.”

6. Duke Stepanovich. Bogatyr Major

Duke Stepanovich comes to Kyiv from conventional India, which, according to folklorists, is followed by in this case The Galicia-Volyn land hides, and organizes a marathon of boasting in Kyiv, passes tests from the prince, and continues to boast. As a result, Vladimir finds out that Duke is indeed very rich and offers him citizenship. But Duke refuses, because “if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy paper for an inventory of Dyukov’s wealth, there won’t be enough paper.”

7. Mikula Selyaninovich. Bogatyr Plowman

Mikula Selyaninovich is a bogatyr agrarian. Found in two epics: about Svyatogor and about Volga Svyatoslavich. Mikula is the first representative of agricultural life, a powerful peasant plowman.
He is strong and resilient, but homely. He puts all his strength into farming and family.

8. Volga Svyatoslavovich. Bogatyr magician

Supporters of the “historical school” in the study of epics believe that the prototype of the epic Volga was Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. Volga was also correlated with Prophetic Oleg, and his campaign in India - with Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople. Volga is a difficult hero; he has the ability to become a werewolf and can understand the language of animals and birds.

9. Sukhman Odikhmantievich. Insulted hero

According to Vsevolod Miller, the prototype of the hero was the Pskov prince Dovmont, who ruled from 1266 to 1299.

In the epic of the Kyiv cycle, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir, but on the way he comes into conflict with the Tatar horde, who are building Kalinov bridges on the Nepra River. Sukhman defeats the Tatars, but in the battle he receives wounds, which he covers with leaves. Returning to Kyiv without the white swan, he tells the prince about the battle, but the prince does not believe him and imprisons Sukhman in prison until clarification. Dobrynya goes to Nepra and finds out that Sukhman did not lie. But it's' too late. Sukhman feels disgraced, peels off the leaves and bleeds. The Sukhman River begins from his blood.

10. Danube Ivanovich. Tragic hero

According to epics about the Danube, it was from the blood of the hero that the river of the same name began. The Danube is a tragic hero. He loses to his wife Nastasya in an archery competition, accidentally hits her while trying to get even, finds out that Nastasya was pregnant and stumbles upon a saber.

11. Mikhailo Potyk. Faithful husband

Folklorists disagree on who should be associated with Mikhailo Potyk (or Potok). The roots of his image are also found in Bulgarian heroic epic, and in Western European fairy tales, and even in the Mongolian epic “Geser”.
According to one of the epics, Potok and his wife Avdotya Lebed Belaya make a vow that whichever of them dies first, the second one will be buried alive next to him in the grave. When Avdotya dies, Potok is buried nearby in full armor and on horseback, fights the dragon and revives his wife with his blood. When he himself dies, Avdotya is buried with him.

12. Khoten Bludovich. Bogatyr-groom

The hero Khoten Bludovich, for the sake of his wedding with the enviable bride Chaina Chasovaya, first beats her nine brothers, then an entire army hired by his future mother-in-law. As a result, the hero receives a rich dowry and appears in the epic as the hero “who married well.”

13. Vasily Buslaev. Zealous hero

The most daring hero of the Novgorod epic cycle. His unbridled temper leads to conflict with the Novgorodians and he desperately rages, bets that he will beat all the Novgorod men on the Volkhov Bridge and almost fulfills his promise - until his mother stops him.
In another epic, he is already mature and goes to Jerusalem to atone for his sins. But Buslaev is incorrigible - he again takes up his old ways and dies absurdly, proving his youth.

14. Anika warrior. Bogatyr in words

Anika warrior is still called today a person who likes to show off his strength far from danger. Unusual for a Russian epic hero, the name of the hero was most likely taken from the Byzantine legend about the hero Digenis, who is mentioned there with a constant epithet anikitos.
Anika the warrior in the verse boasts of strength and offends the weak, death itself shames him for this, Anika challenges her and dies.

15. Nikita Kozhemyaka. Wyrm Fighter

Nikita Kozhemyaka in Russian fairy tales is one of the main characters-snake fighters. Before entering into battle with the Serpent, he tears 12 skins, thereby proving his legendary strength. Kozhemyaka not only defeats the Snake, but also harnesses him to a plow and plows the land from Kyiv to the Black Sea. The defensive ramparts near Kiev got their name (Zmievs) precisely because of the actions of Nikita Kozhemyaka.