| “ | Krivzha, remember the deal. You open The gates of Kiev for me first. I done my task, your villages are burned. | „ |
| ~ Kuyra when meeting with Krivzha talking about their deal and showing him the burned villages. |
Kurya is the secondary antagonist of the 2006 animated Russian movie Prince Vladimir.
He was voiced by Yuriy Berkun.
Biography[]
Kurya is the leader of the Pechenegs, a nomadic, Turkic tribal confederation who invade the kingdom of Rus to conquer it. He has a large number of men at his disposal and also a son named Giyar.
At some time, he conspired and made a deal with the evil priest Krivzha. Seeing him, he gives him a necklace he has robbed from an inhabitant of a village he plundered. Krivzha remains hidden so as not to be seen by his family, but Kurya assures him that there were only old men. Aleksha, a young boy who was not in the village, thinks of his grandfather and runs towards the village. Aleksha is captured and given to Giyar as his slave. Krivzha asks for the boy to be given to him but Kurya refuses and reminds him of his agrement to open the doors of Kiev for him and to pit the brothers Vladimir, Yaropolk, and Oleg against each other.
Returned to his city composed of yurts, he receives his servant who announces that Prince Yaropolk is dead. However, he also tells him that his brother Vladimir is gathering tribes to face him. This new angers him and he takes the cross-bow, aiming at his servant but Giyar prevents his father to kill him. Kurya then patiently tells his son that power is based upon fear.
He and the Pechenegs are led by Krivzha to another priest's home, where Vladimir is resting after being wounded. He takes three arrows from his quiver, ignites them, and shoots at the house of the gentle priest, with the army does the same. Fortunately, the priest succeeds in destroying them thanks to a golden halo, which he emits while sticking to a tree. Vladimir then challenges Kurya to a fair duel, to which Krivzha's give him aid by enveloping him in a dark shroud using magic. The two competitors fight with the sword in the fog generated by the evil priest. However, the benevolent priest succeeds in undoing Krivzha's spell, with this making Vladimir and Kurya equally matched. Kurya draws a second sword and continues to fight against Vladimir. With the two enemies on horseback, they fight while their horses run in the same direction. Vladimir manages to defeat Kurya, who falls to the ground unconscious. He is rescued by Giyar, who decides the fight is over as the Pechenegs then retreat. It is unknown if Kurya died of his wounds or recovered.
Personality[]
Kurya is fearsome, commanding authority over his army. He doesn't hesitate to abuse his men if they displease him, such as his son's servant. He also has a greedy side, wanting to steal all the gold of the Rus kingdom for the Pechenegs and himself. This is the reason of his attacks in the kingdom.
Despite all of this, he has a soft spot for his son, clearly loving him despite his opposition to his methods and teaching him how to rule for his future as the Pechnenegs' leader.
Trivia[]
- Kurya is based on Kurya, a Pecheneg Khan who was the ally of the sovereign of the Rus of Kiev and accompanied the latter in his campaigns in the Balkans. Later, after the sovereign was defeated by the Byzantine Empire, Kurya ambushed him and killed him. Kurya made a drinking cup out of his skull, according to the fashion of the peoples of the steppe.