Valentin Ivanov is primarily known to readers as the author of epochal historical novels, focused on the past of Ancient Russia: "Original Rus", "Tales of Bygone Years", "Great Russia". This publication presents the concluding cycle of the novel "Great Russia". In commencing work on the book, the author defined his concept: "I want to be in the 11th century. This is - our Vladimir Monomakh, in Europe - the conquest of England by the Normans, the First Crusade. In Asia, nomads are swirling around the Great Wall. In the Roman Empire - Heinrich, who had a Russian princess as his wife... And the whole world is restless, the whole world is bubbling no less than it is now, although there were far fewer people in it..." Indeed, the writer did not limit himself to describing Great Russia in the book; he moves "across countries and continents through the 11th century", from the shores of America to the Mongolian steppes, from Russia to Byzantium. And each chapter is a separate tale. At the same time, all parts form a single novel, the main theme of which is the emergence of a powerful Russian...
