Drevlyans
Encyclopedia
The Drevlians were a tribe
of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 10th century, which inhabited the territories of Polesia
, Right-bank Ukraine
west of Polans
, down the stream of the rivers Teteriv
, Uzh, Ubort, and Stviga. On the West, Drevlians’ territories reached the Sluch River
, where the Volynians (related to the territory of Volynia) and Buzhans
(related to the name of Southern Bug
river) lived. On the North, Drevlians’ neighbors were the Dregovichs
.
The name of the tribe derives from the Slavic word древо or дерево (drevo, or derevo), which means "tree", because the Drevlians used to live in thick woods.
The Drevlians left many archaeological traces, such as agricultural settlements with semi-dugout
s (or earth-houses), moundless burial grounds and barrow
s, fortified towns like Vruchiy (today's Ovruch
), Gorodsk, site of an ancient settlement near Malyn
(supposedly, a residence of the Drevlian prince
Mal) and others. The principal city of the Drevlians was Iskorosten (today’s Korosten
), where one can still see a group of compact ancient settlements. After they were conquered by the Kievan Rus'
, Iskorosten was burned to the ground and the capital was transferred to Ovruch. By the end of the first millennium, the Drevlians already had well-developed farming and handicraft
s.
The Drevlians opposed fervently any attempts by outsiders to include them in Kievan Rus. According to a number of chronicle
s, in the times of Kyi, Schek and Khoriv
(supposedly, founders of Kiev
) the Drevlians had their own princely rule and were frequently at war with the Polans. In 883, Prince Oleg of Novgorod
made the Drevlians pay tribute to Kiev. In 907, the Drevlians took part in the Kievan military campaign
against the Byzantine Empire
.
After Oleg’s death in 912, the Drevlians stopped paying tribute. The Varangian warlord Sveneld
made them pay tribute to himself. Oleg's successor Igor attempted to levy the tribute after Sveneld, but the Drevlians revolted and killed him in 945. Igor’s widow Olga
avenged her husband’s death in an extremely harsh manner, killing Drevlianian ambassador
s and nobility
, burning their capital of Iskorosten to the ground and leveling other towns. After having subjugated the Drevlians, Olga transformed their territories into a Kievan appanage
with the center in Vruchiy.
The last mention of the Drevlians was in a chronicle of 1136, when their lands were given as a gift to the Church of the Tithes
by Yaropolk Vladimirovich.
In the 19th century there were still people designated as Drevlyans. Almost 200,000 were counted in the 1861 census. However since then they have become totally merged into the greater Ukrainian population.
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 10th century, which inhabited the territories of Polesia
Polesia
Polesia is one of the largest European swampy areas, located in the south-western part of the Eastern-European Lowland, mainly within Belarus and Ukraine but also partly within Poland and Russia...
, Right-bank Ukraine
Right-bank Ukraine
Right-bank Ukraine , a historical name of a part of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding with modern-day oblasts of Volyn, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Kiev, as well as part of Cherkasy and Ternopil...
west of Polans
Polans (eastern)
The Polans ; also Polianians; were a Slavic tribe between the 6th and the 9th century, which inhabited both sides of the Dnieper river from Liubech to Rodnia and also down the lower streams of the rivers Ros', Sula, Stuhna, Teteriv, Irpin', Desna and Pripyat...
, down the stream of the rivers Teteriv
Teteriv River
The Teteriv River is a right tributary of the Dnieper River in Ukraine. It has a length of 365 km and a drainage basin of 15,100 km²....
, Uzh, Ubort, and Stviga. On the West, Drevlians’ territories reached the Sluch River
Sluch River
Sluch River may refer to:* Sluch River * Sluch River...
, where the Volynians (related to the territory of Volynia) and Buzhans
Buzhans
The Buzhans or Buzhane were one of the tribal unions of Early East Slavs. They are mentioned as Buzhane in the Primary Chronicle. It appears that the name of the tribe derives from the Southern Bug River, where they chose to settle down. According to the Bavarian Geographer, the Buzhans had 230...
(related to the name of Southern Bug
Southern Bug
The Southern Bug, also called Southern Buh), is a river located in Ukraine. The source of the river is in the west of Ukraine, in the Volyn-Podillia Upland, about 145 km from the Polish border, and flows southeasterly into the Bug Estuary through the southern steppes...
river) lived. On the North, Drevlians’ neighbors were the Dregovichs
Dregovichs
The Dregoviches were one of the tribal unions of Early East Slavs, and inhabited the territories down the stream of the Pripyat River and northern parts of the right bank of the Dnieper river...
.
The Drevlians left many archaeological traces, such as agricultural settlements with semi-dugout
Dugout (shelter)
A dugout or dug-out, also known as a pithouse, pit-house, earth lodge, mud hut, is a shelter for humans or domesticated animals and livestock based on a hole or depression dug into the ground. These structures are one of the most ancient types of human housing known to archeologists...
s (or earth-houses), moundless burial grounds and barrow
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
s, fortified towns like Vruchiy (today's Ovruch
Ovruch
Ovruch is a city in the Zhytomyr Oblast of northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Ovruch Raion . The current estimated population is around 17,000 . It is home to Ovruch air base....
), Gorodsk, site of an ancient settlement near Malyn
Malyn
Malyn is a city in Zhytomyr Oblast of Ukraine located about 65 miles northwest of Kiev. Population is 28,113 ....
(supposedly, a residence of the Drevlian prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
Mal) and others. The principal city of the Drevlians was Iskorosten (today’s Korosten
Korosten
Korosten is a historic city and a large railway node in the Zhytomyr Oblast of northern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Korosten Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on the Uzh River.The city was founded over a...
), where one can still see a group of compact ancient settlements. After they were conquered by the Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
, Iskorosten was burned to the ground and the capital was transferred to Ovruch. By the end of the first millennium, the Drevlians already had well-developed farming and handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
s.
The Drevlians opposed fervently any attempts by outsiders to include them in Kievan Rus. According to a number of chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
s, in the times of Kyi, Schek and Khoriv
Kyi, Schek and Khoriv
Kyi , Shchek and Khoryv are the three legendary brothers, sometimes mentioned along with their sister Lybid , who, according to the Primary Chronicle, were the founders of Kiev city - now the capital of Ukraine...
(supposedly, founders of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
) the Drevlians had their own princely rule and were frequently at war with the Polans. In 883, Prince Oleg of Novgorod
Oleg of Novgorod
Oleg of Novgorod was a Varangian prince who ruled all or part of the Rus' people during the early 10th century....
made the Drevlians pay tribute to Kiev. In 907, the Drevlians took part in the Kievan military campaign
Rus'-Byzantine War (907)
The Rus'–Byzantine War of 907 is associated in the Primary Chronicle with the name of Oleg of Novgorod. The chronicle implies that it was the most successful military operation of the Kievan Rus' against the Byzantine Empire. Paradoxically, Greek sources do not mention it at all.- Primary Chronicle...
against the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
After Oleg’s death in 912, the Drevlians stopped paying tribute. The Varangian warlord Sveneld
Sveneld
Sveneld was a 10th-century Varangian warlord in the service of Svyatoslav I of Kiev and his family...
made them pay tribute to himself. Oleg's successor Igor attempted to levy the tribute after Sveneld, but the Drevlians revolted and killed him in 945. Igor’s widow Olga
Olga of Kiev
Saint Olga , or Olga the Beauty, hypothetically Old Norse: Helga In some Scandinavian sources she was called other name. born c. 890 died 11 July 969, Kiev) was a ruler of Kievan Rus' as regent Saint Olga , or Olga the Beauty, hypothetically Old Norse: Helga In some Scandinavian sources she was...
avenged her husband’s death in an extremely harsh manner, killing Drevlianian ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s and nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, burning their capital of Iskorosten to the ground and leveling other towns. After having subjugated the Drevlians, Olga transformed their territories into a Kievan appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
with the center in Vruchiy.
Church of the Tithes
The Church of the Tithes or Church of the Dormition of the Virgin was the first stone church in Kiev. It was built by the order of Grand Prince Vladimir the Great between 989 and 996 by Byzantine and local workers to commemorate the Baptism of Kievan Rus' and was originally named the "Church of...
by Yaropolk Vladimirovich.
In the 19th century there were still people designated as Drevlyans. Almost 200,000 were counted in the 1861 census. However since then they have become totally merged into the greater Ukrainian population.