General Notes

His baptism made Orthodox Christianity the official religion of
Russia. Vladimir was a pagan at the beginning of his reign, which was
at first devoted to consolidating his territories into a unified
Russian state. In exchange for helping the Byzantine emperor Basil II
suppress a rebellion, Vladimir was allowed to marry the emperor's
sister, Anne, at which time he accepted Christianity. Allied to
Byzantium by religious and family ties, Vladimir introduced Byzantine
civilization into Russia by building churches, suppressing paganism,
and making social reforms. Nonetheless, he remained open to Western
influences, which are reflected in his legislation.