Having fixed himself at Vladimir as the one power, Andrei would not give any brother, or even any son, a bit of land in that region. His brothers and some of his nephews worked with him, but all did what he commanded; they were simply his agents, doing as he directed. And for them, he was the same lord precisely that he was for others. Of course the boyars signified less than the princes, whether the boyars were his own near advisers, or of the “ancient strong, local people,” “proud and powerful high persons,” as men called them. These boyars had been met by his father and conquered. They might have thought of struggling with Yuri Dolgoruki, but not with Andrei. Yuri had battled with one and another of them. When defeated some had fled to neighboring princes, others had been exiled, or imprisoned. But in Andrei’s time it might be said with truth that every question as to the strength of the prince or the boyars was settled. [[97]]
With those who opposed him, Andrei showed still less ceremony than had his father. He spared not his brothers, in the least degree. Those of the “ancient strong people” in Rostoff and in Suzdal who preferred the new order rallied round Andrei, and gave him full support. There were others, and those were in the majority, who warred against him in secret. For the time they threw out merely words like the following: “Rostoff is old, and a great place, and so is Suzdal; Vladimir is only an adjunct.” But these people knew that they were powerless against a prince who had the common men, the land-tillers and craftsmen in full force behind him. Because of this relation of common men to Andrei, and the hostility of most of the boyars and the wielders of weapons who had lost places, there rose reports and explanations quite opposite, the substance of which was expressed by the phrase: “There is a fierce battle in Rostoff and Suzdal.” This was uttered by “proud high people,” and by men thrown out of office. Common men used other phrases: “We love Prince Andrei. We love this grandson of Monomach. This prince never rests from his labor, he keeps his mind and conscience clear. He has love for God and man. He is firm and kind. He is good to the weak and to the ailing.”
Andrei’s wars were waged always to benefit Vladimir and the people. He had no thought for petty quarrels among princes, and never took part in them. A prince in his place needed no special army. Towns and cities in that region were numerous, and ever prompt to send warriors in defense of their interests. Whenever an enemy came, all people were ready to rise. Instead of a chosen legion, led by boyars, who, in the old time, surrounded the prince and curbed freedom immensely, Andrei received into his “courtyard” whomever he wished, people of all sorts, and even all origins. They were not called as in the old days drujina (friends), but dvoryani (court men). They lived in his court and around it in complete acquiescence; they were people of his court. Though the former name of drujina was not abandoned immediately, it lost its old meaning, and soon the prince’s assistants were known as dvoryani, a word translated later as noble. This word, used afterward to denote specially the highest people of Moscow, had its origin in the Vladimir of Andrei.
The wars carried on by Andrei had a definite policy. If he gave aid to some prince who annoyed him by imploring, this aid was [[98]]limited to sending a small detachment. But he defended those who asked assistance against enemies more by a threat than by fighting. If he warred, as happened later, he did so in the interest of his own principality. His problem was to manage freely in Kief and in Novgorod for the benefit of Vladimir. When one or another prince asked his permission to reign in Kief, the mother city, that prince had to take an oath not to meddle with Novgorod. Andrei did not care about Kief, but between Novgorod and Vladimir there were endless dissensions, which rose from the fact that Vladimir and Novgorod were neighbors. Novgorod, rich in commerce, was poor in land, and had to get wheat and rye from Vladimir or regions beyond it. “Vladimir and Novgorod stood face to face as opponents.” And besides the question of grain on one side and of trade on the other was that of the boundless North with its treasures. Novgorod claimed that northern region, claimed all of it. Wherever a foot of land presented itself Novgorod wanted that to be the land of a man in its service. This proud understanding of things was expressed by the phrase: “Who can stand against God and Lord Novgorod?” But into those northern places had entered Rostoff and Suzdal, and now they were dealing with Andrei of Vladimir.
From times before Rurik, Novgorod men had the wish for dominion, but they could not have this unless they could find a man to keep order, and be at the same time their servant. That was why they had summoned Rurik. The Novgorod men had explored the great North and East, and knew that its size was enormous. They counted as theirs that northeastern region, but there was one corner, White Lake, which Vladimir could claim. Of this corner Novgorod might not say beyond doubt: “It is mine,” still the city laid claim to it. In Yuri’s day, Daniel the Hermit was sent by him to take possession of a point north of White Lake, which place lapped over the Novgorod boundary, and caused endless quarrels. But the real origin of the dispute was the water connection between the Neva and the Volga—the so-called Dvina tribute. This was the source of the continual dissension between Novgorod and Vladimir. Of this tribute and other questions we shall hear later.
Andrei made a campaign to Bulgar, a town on the Volga. Possessing already the upper course of that river, he must have [[99]]command of its lower course, at least to the point where the Kama falls into it. Somewhat lower than the entrance of the Kama, which finds its source in the great Ural Mountains, was the city Bulgar. This time Andrei led the army in person. Under him were Ryazan princes. He took the Vladimir Mother of God to arouse the courage and strength of the army. The confidence which this holy image gave to the warriors passed every description. When the Vladimir men entered the country of “unbelievers” the clergy went in front of them bearing the image, and while preparing for battle, they turned to the “Commanderess” with prayers for her blessing.
The Bulgar campaign gave a great victory. Andrei’s forces captured all that they met in that country and seized Bryahimoff, the chief town. Wherever the enemy appeared, they were scattered. Vast booty was seized, and many lands were annexed to Vladimir. The chief encounter took place August 1st, a day famed in the Russian calendar till then as the day of the Maccabees, but thence forward changed to the day of the Merciful Saviour. Andrei, seeing in this victory special favor, conveyed news of it speedily to Manuel, the Greek Emperor. In Tsargrad, on that very day, they were celebrating a victory over Saracens in Asia. On comparing dates it was found that the victory in Asia and that on the Volga coincided. Hence the Orthodox Church in both lands determined that the day should be called ever after the day of the Merciful Saviour.
Andrei’s friendship in Tsargrad was great both with Emperor and Patriarch, and he hoped that this friendship might aid him in giving Vladimir the first place in Russia. He had resolved to raise it, not merely above northern cities, but above Kief, the old capital. The problem was difficult, but he must attempt it. In church matters Vladimir was still under Kief, whose metropolitan had power in all Russia. Vladimir had its bishop, but he lived in Rostoff, a rival city. Now that Andrei had built the great golden-domed church, and had subdued Volga regions, he intended to make his Vladimir the capital of Russia in every sense,—not merely independent as to Kief,—but superior, and resolved that the metropolitan of all Russia should reside there.
Andrei summoned princes, boyars and people to Vladimir, and said to them: “This city was founded by Saint Vladimir, [[100]]the Grand Prince who enlightened all Russia by baptism. I, though unworthy and sinful, have by God’s aid exalted the Christian faith and extended it. I have adorned the church of the glorious and holy Mother. I have given lands to it, and one tenth of my income, I wish Vladimir to be the capital, the head of all cities in Russia.” No man said a word to oppose this.
Russian princes in regard to some things communicated with the Patriarch in Tsargrad directly; on occasions they sent presents, and at times they sent envoys, but when church affairs were discussed they were forced to act through the Kief metropolitan.