Andrei Yurievich Bogoliubsky (ca 1120–30.06.1174, vil. Bogoliubovo, now the urban type settlement in Vladimir Oblast, Russian Federation) – Prince of Vyshgorod, Peresopnytsia, and Vladimir-Suzdal Principality (1155–1174).
Was the second or third son of Yuri Dolgoruky and a daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa Osenevich, grandson of the Grand Prince Volodymyr Monomakh of Kyiv. His first wife is unidentified, the second was an Ossetian Princess. In the political scene Andrei Bogoliubsky appeared in the mid 1140 s. In 1147, together with his brother Rostislav by order of their father waged a campaign against Ryazan (olden Ryazan – now an archaeological monument near the contemporary town of Spassk-Ryazansky, Ryazan Oblast, Russian Federation). During the war for Kyiv between Yuri Dolgoruky and his nephew Iziaslav Mstyslavych in 1148–1151 Andrei Bogoliubsky supported his father. When the father took the Kyivan throne, he endowed his sons with lands in Southern Rus. In 1149 Andrei Bogoliubsky received Vyshgorod from his father, and in 1150, instead of it Turov, Pinsk (now a town in Belarus), Dorohobuzh, and Peresopnytsia. But when in 1151 Yuri became the Grand Prince of Kyiv for the second time, he again gave Andrei Bogoliubsky Vyshgorod, where always reigned eldest sons of Kyivan rulers, first candidates for the Kyivan throne. However, Andrei Bogoliubsky saw no near-term perspective in Kyiv, so in 1155 he left Vyshgorod without the consent of his father and moved to Vladimir-on-the-Kliazma (now the city of Vladimir, Russian Federation). After the death of his father in 1157, Andrei Bogoliubsky forced out from Rostov (now the town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russian Federation) and Suzdal (now the town in Vladimir Oblast, Russian Federation) his younger brothers Mikhalko and Vsevolod and united under his control northeastern Rus lands, thus becoming the Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal Principality. He made Vladimir his capital, fortified and decorated the town, building a new citadel, the main gate of which was patterned after the Kyivan Golden Gate and got the same name, and a majestic Dormition Cathedral. Andrei Bogoliubsky lived in the castle near Vladimir, in the village of Bogoliubovo.
Andrei Bogoliubsky continued the policy of his father, trying to subdue Novgorod the Great and rule in Southern Rus. He drove out his four brothers and their mother, the second wife of Yuri Dolgoruky, to Byzantium. After the death of Prince Rostislav Mstyslavych of Kyiv, Andrei Bogoliubsky charged his son Mstislav to capture Kyiv, who did this with the Olhovychi Princes of Chernihiv and other South Rus Princes on March 12, 1169. Andrei Bogoliubsky put his brother Gleb on the Kyiv throne. In 1173 he unsuccessfully fought against the Rostyslavychi Princes of Smolensk for Kyiv and Kyiv lands. The authoritarian methods of government, a violent temper, and cruelty even to his relatives led to the conspiracy against Andrei Bogoliubsky and he was killed by boyars on the night of June 30, 1174.
Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Portrait (imaginary) of Andrei Bogoliubsky
