Theme 2. Appanage Principalities in Ukraine-Rus between the 11th and the 13th Centuries. The Establishment of Galicia-Volyn State. Roman Mstyslavych

The purpose of this theme is to give a clear undestanding of the second stage of history of Kyivan Rus, the feudal disunity, and the role, which Galicia-Volyn State took in the history of Ukraine.

This theme covers the following main topics: the Triumvirate of Yarosla- vyches; the third internecine war; the Princes Iziaslav and Vsevolod Yarosla- vyches; the Princes Rostyslavyches; the Prince dynasties; Volodymyr Mono­makh and outcasts; the reign of Sviatopolk Iziaslavych in Kyiv; the Prince Congress of Liubech; the reign of Volodymyr Monomakh in Kyiv; the reign of Mstyslav the Great in Kyiv; the fourth internal war; the five principalities in Ukraine; Galician principality; the reign of Yaroslav Osmomysl in Galician principality; Volodymyr Galician and the Hungarians; Volyn principality and the Prince Roman Mstyslavych; the association of Volyn and Galician princi­palities.

The Triumvirate of Yaroslavyches. In 1054, when Yaroslav had died, three his elder sons Iziaslav, Sviatoslav and Vsevolod - all known as Yaroslavyches - made the Triumvirate (the ruling of three). They imprisoned the Polotsk Prince Vseslav with his sons in Kyiv dungeon for the attempt to revolt against Iziaslav, before proclaimed by Yaroslav’s Will the Kyivan Grand Prince. In 1062 the Polovtsians, the new nomads, firstly appeared at the eastern borders of Rus. In 1062 they gained a victory over Vsevolods’ troops and plundered Pereiaslav principality. In 1068 in the battle at the Alta River the Polovtsians defeated the joint forces of Yaroslavyches. When the enemies had been approaching to Kyiv one of the townsmen asked Iziaslav to give them arms and horses for the defense. The following refusal provoked the strong revolt, forcing Iziaslav to run away from the city. The rebels released the prisoner Vseslav and proclaimed him the Grand Prince of Kyiv. Meanwhile, the Polovtsians retreated to the southern steppes.

In 1072 all brothers took part in the translation of the relics of Saint Borys and Saint Hlib to the new church of the town of Vyshhorod, in the western part of Rus. There they adopted the new collection of laws Yaroslavychis Truth ("Pravda Yaroslavychiv"), which was added to the Ruska Pravda. The new Pravda had to strengthen the accordance among the Princes. However, in 1073 the internal war was broken out again [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The third internecine war. Sviatoslav and Vsevolod together forced Iziaslav to flee to Poland. When they both were dividing the lands of their eldest brother, the latter unfortunately besought for the help of the new King of Poland Boleslaw II. After the failure at the Polish court Iziaslav went to the court of the German Emperor Henry IV, but the latter also rejected having previously got the large bribe from Sviatoslav. The attempt to get support of the Pope was unsuccessful, too [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The Princes Iziaslav and Vsevolod Yaroslavyches. In 1077 Sviato­slav died of a disease and at once Vsevolod proclaimed himself the Grand Prince. Chernihiv was granted by him to his son Volodymyr Monomakh and Volhynia was given to Oleh, the son of Sviatoslav. By this time Iziaslav had got the support of the Polish King Boleslaw II. At the head of Poles Iziaslav had been steering to Kyiv, when Vsevolod with army met him at the coasts of the Buh River. There the brothers reconciled, then Vsevolod refused the title of the Grand Prince in favour of the eldest Iziaslav. Thus, the last ruling of this Yaroslav’s son started. Shortly after, the internal war was broken out by Oleh Sviatoslavych and the Prince Borys, the son of the youngest of Yaroslav’s sons Viacheslav, who had ruled the town of Smolensk.

Vsevolod became the Grand Kyivan Prince. Kyiv, Chernihiv, Smolensk, Pereiaslav, Volga region were under his authority. He sought to renew the former unity of Kyivan Rus. The authority of Vsevolod did not extend over the Polotsk principality, where Vseslav reigned. In towns of Volodymyr, Turiv and Pinsk Yaropolk Iziaslavych ruled. Novgorod was in possession of Sviatopolk Iziaslavych [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The Princes Rostyslavyches. Halychyna was ruled by three Princes Rostyslavyches, the brothers Riuryk (in the town of Peremyshl), Volodar (in the town of Terebovl), Vasylko (in the town of Zvenyhorod). Rostyslavyches often waged wars with Hungary, Poland and the Princes of Volhynia. In 1084 Volodar and Vasylko seized the town of Volodymyr-Volynskyi, which previously had belonged to Yaropolk. Later on, the town was seized by Volodymyr Monomakh, the son of the Kyivan Grand Prince Vsevolod. Monomakh returned the town of Volodymyr to Yaropolk Iziaslavych. In 1087 Yaropolk was killed by the assassin hired by Rostyslavyches. Shortly after, the Kyivan Prince gave the town of Volodymyr to David Ihorovych, one of the "outcasts", the son of Yaroslav’s son Ihor.

The Prince dynasties. By 1087 the Prince dynasties had been formed. There were Vsevolodovyches (Kyiv, Chernihiv and Pereiaslav), Iziaslavyches (Turiv and Pinsk, in Belarus), Ihorovyches (Volhynia) and Rostyslavyches (Halytska zemlia). The majority of Sviatoslavyches had become outcasts, but only Yaroslav Sviatoslavych ruled the town of Murom [23].

Volodymyr Monomakh and outcasts. Often the outcasts used to take support of the nomads Polovtsians, who for booty helped them to retake lands from other Princes. In his memoirs Volodymyr Monomakh recollected that he had fought in nearly 80 battles with outcasts and the Polovtsians. Monomakh defended his possessions in Pereiaslav land. In the meantime these nomads periodically plundered and robbed the whole territory of Rus, the modern Ukraine [6; 7; 23].

The reign of Sviatopolk Iziaslavych in Kyiv. The ruling of the Grand Prince Vsevolod ended by his death in 1093. His son Volodymyr Monomakh placed Sviatopolk Iziaslavych on the Kyivan throne and possessed Chernihiv himself. Pereiaslav was taken by his brother Rostyslav Vsevolodovych, but shortly after Rostyslav had drowned in the Dnieper River Volodymyr added Pereiaslav to his own lands.

When Sviatopolk ascended the Kyivan throne as the Grand Prince, the nomads Polovtsians had been robbing the south-eastern Rus. In this period Oleh Sviatoslavych, one of the outcasts, having made alliance with the Polovtsian hordes, captured Chernihiv. In 1095 Sviatopolk and Volodymyr Monomakh joining their armies retook this city and forced Oleh to flee to the town of Starodub. The Polovtsian hordes in turn robbed people near Kyiv [6; 7; 23].

The Prince Congress of Liubech. In 1097 in order to defend their lands the Princes under the insisting of Volodymyr Monomakh resolved to gather the Congress in the town of Liubech, near Kyiv.

In 1103 joined forces of seven Princes crushed hordes of 20 Polovtsian khans at the river Samara. In 1107 Sviatopolk and Volodymyr Monomakh defeated the Polovtsians at the town of Lubny and in 1113 - at the river Donets [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The reign of Volodymyr Monomakh in Kyiv. After the death of Sviato- polk Volodymyr Monomakh (1113 - 1125) became the Kyivan Grand Prince. He ruled Kyiv, Volhynia land, Turiv and Pinsk, Pereiaslav, Smolensk, Novgorod, Minsk, and Volga region. Volodymyr Monomakh collected ¾ of the Russian lands, actually renewing the unity of Kyivan Rus. Halychyna was under the authority of Rostyslavyches (the Princes Vasylko and Volodar).

The wife of Volodymyr Monomakh was the Princess Hita, the daughter of the King of England Harold II. She gave birth to the Prince Mstyslav In 1095 Mstyslav married Christina, the daughter of the Swedish King Ingvar. Volodymyr’s daughter Yefimiya was married to Koloman, the King of Hungary.

Volodymyr adopted Ustav (Statute), which was added to the old Code "Ruska Pravda", which had been implemented by Yaroslav the Wise in the 11^th century. Ustav regulated a range of credits, defining a percentage (no more than 20 per cent a year for one credit).

Shortly before his death Volodymyr had written the "Instructions", which combined four separate literary works: the "Instructions for Children", the biography of Monomakh, the letter to the Prince Oleh Sviatoslavych (alias Horyslavych) and the Prayer. Today historians suggest the Prayer was written by another author, not Monomakh.

The "Instructions for Children" was the moral guidance for Volodymyr Monomakh’s children. He instructed them to look after the poor, to respect old persons, not to kill people etc. The time of Volodymyr Monomakh’s death was 1125. On the Kyiv throne Monomakh was succeeded by his son Mstyslav Volodymyrovych [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The reign of Mstyslav the Great in Kyiv. By the time Mstyslav reig­ned, the struggle had been between Rostyslavyches in Halychyna. In 1124 Vasylko and Volodar died. The internal war for the inheritance was broken out by Volodymyr and Rostyslav, the sons of Volodar. The Grand Kyivan Prince Mstyslav and two sons of Vasylko supported Rostyslav.

In 1130, waging internal war Mstyslav the Great annexed the Polotsk land (the part of Belarus) and exiled into Greece the local Princes (descendants of Vseslav, the grandson of Iziaslav Yaroslavych). He also continued the successful warfare against the nomads Polovtsians.

The four daughters of Mstyslav were married to the European Kings and Princes. The daughter Ingeborga was the wife of the Danish Prince Kanut II, the daughter Malfrid was the wife of the Norwegian King Sigurd II, the daughter Irina was the wife of the Greek Prince Andronik, the daughter Yevfrosinya was the wife of the Hungarian King Geiza II.

Mstyslav's eldest son Iziaslav married the Polish Princess. The youngest son Sviatopolk married a daughter of the German King Otton II. Obviously under the reign of Mstyslav Volodymyrovych Rus was one of the significant states in the system of European ones.

Mstyslav the Great was the last Grand Kyiv Prince, who kept Rus in the unity. He died in 1132 [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The fourth internal war. In two days the title of Grand Prince was given by Kyiv people to Mstyslav's brother Yaropolk, who previously ruled in Pereiaslav. Yaropolk had to wage wars defending against Yurii Dolgorukiy (the Prince of Rostov and Suzdal principality) and Iziaslav Mstyslavych (the Prince of Polotsk and Turiv principality), Olhovyches (the Princes of Chernihiv principality). All the Princes used the Polovtsian hordes, which plundered Russian people. Throughout this internal war Polotsk, Minsk and Novgorod separated from Kyiv. After Yaropolk's ruling Viacheslav reigned (in 1139). Having been on the Kyiv throne for only 11 days he yielded it to Vsevolod Olhovych, the Prince of Chernihiv. Vsevolod Olhovych ruled Kyiv from 1139 to 1146. In 1146 he gave Kyiv to his brother Ihor Olhovych. The unpopular policy of Ihor led to the uprising of Kyiv people. Ihor was imprisoned in the same year. The rebels welcomed the Prince Iziaslav Mstyslavych. For the time of his ruling Iziaslav Mstyslavych had been defending Kyiv from the Princes Olhovyches, Volodymyrko of Halychyna and Yurii Dolgorukiy. The latter is known as the founder of the town of Moscow. These enemies of Iziaslav were supported by the Polovtsians. In 1154 Iziaslav died being in the age of 60 years. At once Kyiv was taken by Yurii Dolgorukiy, who would rule there by his own death in 1157 [6; 7; 23].

The historian N. Polonska-Vasylenko calculated that in the period between 1146 and 1246 Kyiv had 47 different rulings of 24 princes of three dynasties. Among them one and the same Prince ruled Kyiv for seven times, five Princes ruled for three times, and eight Princes ruled for two times [23].

Five principalities in Ukraine. During the 11^th - 12^th centuries five principalities were formed on that territory of Rus, which is now known as Ukraine: Kyiv principality, Pereiaslav principality, Chernihiv-Siversk princi­pality, Galician principality and Volyn principality. The strongest political, economical and cultural centres became the two latter [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

Galician principality. According to the Will of Yaroslav the Wise, in 1054 the Galician principality was given to his youngest son Rostyslav, then since 1084 the land had belonged to Rostyslav's sons Riuryk, Volodar and Vasylko. Their main financial source was the income from the sales of salt, which was mined in Zakarpattia. For salt they broken out the internecine war, which Volodarko (or Volodymyr) Volodarevych won in 1141. He proclaimed the town of Halych the capital of Galician principality. The great towns of Halychyna also were Zvenyhorod, Terebovlia and Peremyshl. The peculiarity of the Galician principality was the strong positions of local boyars (the descendants of the tribal Princes) and communities of towns. The main opponent of Volodarko was his brother Ivan, who previously was the Prince of Zvenyhorod and then became an outcast. After the unfortunate attempt to take Halych in 1144 Ivan fled to the Danube region, to the town of Berlad, through which he got surname Berladnyk [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The reign of Yaroslav Osmomysl in Galician principality. The successor of Volodarko, his son Yaroslav Osmomysl ("osmo" - "eight", "mysΓ - "thinking", i. e. who thinks for eight persons) ruled Galician principality from 1151 to 1187. He established colonies along the Dniester River. Yaroslav made good affairs with Hungary and Germany. On the other hand, Yaroslav was known as the powerful Prince among the all Russian Princes. But his reign was strong restricted by the Galician boyars. In 1170 they even accused his mistress Anastasia to be witch and then burnt her [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

Volodymyr Galician and the Hungarians. When Yaroslav Osmomysl had died in 1187, his son Volodymyr was proclaimed the Prince of Galician principality. After some conflicts with boyars he fled to Hungary to get some help there. In 1188 the Hungarian King Bela with army took the town of Halych. Then he surprisingly proclaimed himself the King of Halychyna, made his son Andrew the governor, and imprisoned Volodymyr.

In these conditions the Prince Rostyslav Berladnyk, the son of Ivan (the enemy of the Volodymyr’s grandfather Volodarko), made an attempt to free the principality, but was hurt in the battle and then poisoned by the Hun­garians.

Meanwhile, Volodymyr ran away from the prison and went to Germany, from whence he got to Poland. The Polish king Casimir II agreed to help. In 1188, under the pressure of the Poles, the Hungarians ceded Halychyna to Volodymyr, who would have been ruling there till his death in 1199 [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

Volyn principality and the Prince Roman Mstyslavych. Volyn principality was the northern neighbour of Galician principality. Among Volyn great towns Volodymyr-Volynskyi, Lutsk, Buzhsk, Dorohobuzh, Belz and Be- restia can be called. By 1173 the Prince Iziaslav II had ruled there, and after his death, his son Mstyslav II reigned. In 1173 Roman Mstyslavych became the Prince of Volyn principality. Before it Roman had been the ruler of Nov­gorod for some years. Roman in his policy was supported by boyars and burghers (town dwellers) [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

The association of Volyn and Galician principalities. In 1199, after the death of Volodymyr II, the last Prince Rostyslavych, Roman I annexed Galician principality and created the joined Galicia-Volyn principality. Roman I used to wage warfare against the Lithuanian tribes, one of the closest western neighbours of the new state. Although in 1201 Roman I took Kyiv, he stayed in Volodymyr-Volynskyi. Roman I made Rostyslav the Kyiv Prince. The latter was the son of the former Kyivan Prince Riuryk, the father of Roman’s former wife Predslava. Riuryk, his wife and daughter had been forced by Roman I to take monastic vows.

The chronicle unclearly evidenced that the Pope Innocent III proposed Roman to take the crown, but Roman rejected this honour. The historian Mykhailo Hrushevskyi suggested it to be the legend.

In 1205 Roman led his army to the West. The purpose of the raid is unclear. In Poland, nearby the town of Zavyhvost, at the Vistula River, Roman I was suddenly shot and killed with an arrow. He left the second wife Anna and two sons Danylo of three years old and Vasylko of one year. Very soon Roman’s death led to the struggle for the power between different boyar parties. This internal war had been waging by boyars for 33 years, from 1205 to 1238 [1; 3; 5; 6; 7; 10; 12; 14; 17; 18; 23; 28; 30; 32; 38].

Questions

1. Describe the domestic policy of Yaroslavyches.

2. What were the reasons of feudal disunity of Kyivan Rus?

3. What repercussions did the feudal disunity have?

4. Why is Galician principality considered to be the boyar state?

5. What role did Roman Mstyslavych play in developing Galicia-Volyn State?