About author
Abstract: The article consideres the representation of the Grand Prince of Kiev Vladimir Monomakh in the historical memory of East Slavs, the ways of genesis and evolution of notions about him in Russian and Ukrainian national historiographies. The article demonstrates that for the Russian historical memory Vladimir Monomakh was more significant figure than for the Ukrainian. While the monarchical myth of Monomakh was formed and for a long time functioned in Russia, its reminiscence in the Western Russian lands gradually erased after their annexation by the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. For Ukrainian scholars Vladimir Monomakh had turned to be associated with Muscovite tsars. The beginning of “Ukrainization” of his image became noticeable only in the second half of the 19th century, when formation of the “long” Ukrainian history on the “national awakening” wave begins. Although the Ukrainian myth of Vladimir Monomakh had not been drown in its complete form, it appeared to be closer to its original construct, namely to the image constructed by Monomakh himself and by his committed chroniclers.
Keywords: Vladimir Monomakh, Kievan Rus’, historical memory, myth, national identity, rethinking history.