Mariya Shvarnovna of Ossetia (1155-1205)

Maria Shvarnovna (as Maria Vsevolzhaya ) (c. 1158 - On March 19 1205 / 1206, Vladimir ) - the first wife of Grand Duke Vladimir Vsevolod the Big Nest. Canonized.

Contents [ hide ] 1	Biography 2	Children 3	See also 4	References Biography [ edit | edit source ] According to the chronicle, Maria Vsevolzhaya was born on Spasov day, that is, during the Assumption fast [1], but the existence of such a post in pre-Mongol Rus is being questioned. There were doubts that the whole story about the birth of Mary - the latest insert [2]. Karamzin In The History he mentions that in the Assumption Monastery in Vladimir there was a tombstone named Marfa Shvarnovna [3]. It was said that this name was taken by Mary, with tonsure, and also that it is probably the grave of the sister of Maria Vsevolozh.

Father Maria had three daughters, two of them are regularly called the daughters of the Czech. According to the Ipatiev Chronicle, Maria's younger sister, who married Mstislav Svyatoslavich, is called "yasyne". A number of researchers conclude that the other two sisters also have a clearorigin. However, this version contradicts the many sources about the Czech origin of Maria Vsevolozh. In the work of Litvina and Ouspensky, it is suggested that these sisters could have been born from different marriages, and the younger one received the nickname "ash" from the second wife of Father Maria Vsevolozh. Chronicle sources name the patronymic of Maria Vsevolozhy - Shvarnovna. Thus, in the articles that precede the Commission's list of the Novgorod First Annals, it says: "Maria Vsevolzhya Shvarnovna, Prince of Cheshsky's Dchys" [4]. In the Lavrenyevka and Nikon chronicles two Shvarna - uncle (the Kiev governor) and a nephew are mentioned, which, apparently, are the only candidates for the role of Maria Vsevolozh's father, mentioned in the sources [5].

Vsevolod entered the Vladimir throne (in 1176) already married, and the first child of the prince's couple was born approximately in 1178. In marriage, Mary gave birth to twelve children, including eight sons (four of whom were later, at different times, grand dukes of Vladimir) and four daughters. The Grand Duchess patronized books, sciences and the arts, was distinguished by piety and wisdom, richly decorated churches, later hagiographers compared her with Princess Olga and Theodora.

After the birth of the youngest son of Ivan the Duchess gravely ill and vowed to found a monastery, and in 1200 at the insistence of her in Vladimir was built Uspensky Monastery, which was renamed later in her honor the Princess. Thanks to the efforts of the princess and patronage, the monastery was quickly built and developed. Maria herself, eighteen days before her death, took the monastic vows, in monasticism she received the name Mary, and in the schema of Martha. The Grand Duke, son George, the daughter of Vseslav, Bishop John, her confessor, hegumen Simon, boyars and boyars and all the inhabitants of Vladimir escorted the princess to the monastery.

Before her death, Maria Shvarnovna called her sons and conjured them to live in love, to be pious, sober and affable, not to conceive of strife. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin wrote:

Preparing to die, she summoned the sons and conjured them to live in love, reminding them of the wise words of the Great Yaroslav, that the princes and the fatherland, exalted by the labors of their ancestors, were destroying internecine strife; advised children to be pious, sober, generally friendly, and especially respect the elders. Maria Shvarnovna was buried in the church of St. Theotokos of the Assumption Cathedral of the Monastery. Later, before the transfer of the Grand Duke's throne to Moscow, the monastery served as the family burial vault of the princesses and princess of the Vladimir Grand Duke's house. Vsevolod the Big Nest after the death of his first wife, in 1209, married the daughter of Prince Polotsky.

Children [ edit | edit source ] Sbyslava (b. 1178) Verhuslava (born 1181), from 1188 the wife of her second cousin Rostislav Rurikovich, the future prince of Tork , the Grand Duke of Kiev , Vyshgorodsky , Galitsky. The mother of his daughter Izmaragda-Euphrosyne Constantine (1186-1218), Prince of Novgorod, Prince of Rostov , Grand Duke of Vladimir. He is married to Agafya Smolenskaya, the daughter of Mstislav Romanovich the Old ; Vseslav (died after 1206), married to Rostislav Yaroslavich Snovsky Boris (died 1188) Gleb (died 1189) Yuri (1188-1238), the Grand Duke of Vladimir, Prince Gorodetsky, Prince of Suzdal. He is married to Chernigov princess Agafia Vsevolodovna Elena (died 1203/1205) Yaroslav (1191-1246), Prince Pereyaslavsky, Prince Pereyaslavl-Zalessky , Grand Duke of Kiev, Grand Duke of Vladimir, Prince of Novgorod. Twice married. Vladimir (1192-1227), the prince Pereyaslavsky, Starodubsky Svyatoslav (1196-1252), Grand Duke Vladimir, Prince of Novgorod, Prince Yuryev-Polsky. His wife - Evdokia Myromskaya, the daughter of Davyd Yurievich Muromsky Ivan (1197-1247), the prince Starodubsky. The son is Michael.