Kiev Expedition
Encyclopedia
The intervention in the Kievan succession crisis of 1015–1019 by the Polish ruler Bolesław Chrobry was an episode in the struggle between Sviatopolk I Vladimirovich
("the Accursed") and his brother Yaroslav
("the Wise") for the rulership of Kiev and Kievan Rus'. It occurred when Sviatopolk's father-in-law Bolesław, ruler of Poland, intervened on Sviatopolk's behalf.
The intervention was initially successful as Bolesław defeated Yaroslav's armies, and temporarily secured the throne for Sviatopolk. But when Bolesław withdraw himself and his army from Kiev, Sviatopolk was unable to retain his position, being defeated by Yaroslav in the following year. Chronicles of the expedition include legendary accounts as well as factual history and have been subject to varied interpretations.
, had previously fought over the Cherven towns (in what was later called Red Russia
) in a conflict that ended favorably for Vladimir. Furthermore, Bolesław, who already had two wives, wanted to marry Predslava, one of Vladimir's daughters
, in order to cement ties between the two families. Despite Bolesław's best efforts, the offer was refused and instead he had to accept a less prestigious connection to the house of Vladimir through the marriage of Bolesław's daughter to Vladimir's son, Sviatopolk. Between 1005 and 1013, Vladimir arranged Sviatopolk's marriage to Bolesław's daughter, whose name has not survived in sources.
It is possible that Vladimir decided that neither Sviatopolk nor Yaroslav would succeed to the Kievan throne after his death, as both Sviatopolk and Yaroslav revolted against their father. Vladimir perhaps intended that Sviatopolk would only receive the remote town of Turov
(Turaŭ) after his death, and perhaps choosing his younger sons, Boris and Gleb
, as successors despite Sviatopolk being older. Although Sviatopolk is known to have been older than Boris and Gleb, the exact birth order of Vladimir's sons is not known and Sviatopolk is alleged in some sources to have been a bastard. Perhaps unhappy by his rule being restricted to only a small appanage
, Sviatopolk plotted to overthrow his father. Those theories, however, are based on very little evidence, and in the words of two historians, the origins of their "quarrels with their father are obscure". According to Thietmar of Merseburg
, Bolesław encouraged Sviatopolk's revolt through his daughter and the latter's wife, though he does not specify the goal of the revolt. Sviatopolk's conspiracy was, in the event, thwarted by Vladimir, who called Sviatopolk and his entourage to Kiev and jailed them in 1013.
The planned overthrow, if it existed, may have been supported by Bishop Reinbern
of Kolberg, who had traveled with Bolesław's daughter. According to the same chronicler, Reinbern actively took part in converting pagans in and around the Rus lands, but was imprisoned with Sviatopolk and the latter's wife. Reinbern, who might have acted in the interest of Catholic Rome
, died shortly after being imprisoned. According to the Primary Chronicle, Sviatopolk seized Kiev while those of Vladimir's retainers who were with Boris on campaign encouraged Boris to take power, an offer Boris refused apparently stating "Be it not for me to raise my hand against my elder brother". In the confusion resulting from the death of Vladimir Sviatopolk was able to seize power in Kiev, as Yaroslav was in the north, Mstislav in the south, Sviatoslav in the Derevlian land, Gleb in Murom
and Boris on the aforementioned expedition against the Pechenegs. As Franklin and Shepard put it, Sviatopolk's "previous arrest turned to his advantage, for it ensured that he was already ... closest to the center of power". According to the Primary Chronicle, Sviatopolk successfully arranged the murder of three of his brothers, Boris of Rostov, Gleb of Murom and Sviatoslav of the Derevlian lands.
When news of the fratricide
s reached Vladimir's fourth son, Yaroslav the Wise in Novgorod, he came to Kiev from the north with Novgorodians and Varangians
. Sviatopolk's reign in Kiev was threatened. After a 3 month stand-off near Lyubech, Sviatopolk was defeated and "fled to the Poles". Bolesław, who had recently agreed a peace with the German Kingdom
(the Treaty of Bautzen), agreed to support his son-in-law through military intervention.
, who obtained detailed information from Saxon knights fighting for Bolesław.
The Primary Chronicle attributed to Nestor the Chronicler
is another sources giving a detailed account of events, its reliability being variable, depending event-by-event on the sources from which it was compiled. Nestor's writing reflects the typical Rus' admiration of Saint Vladimir, while Bishop Thietmar's account, despite a generally positive attitude towards the Rus', paints both Bolesław and Vladimir exclusively in a negative light.
A third source is the Chronicle of Polish Dukes
, a semi-legendary ode to the early Polish dukes written in the 1110s by the Benedictine monk Gallus'
. This account portrays Bolesław in a very positive light.
According to Thietmar, the army of Bolesław crossed the border in 1018 and reached Kiev later that same year. Little is known about the armies. Thietmar relates:
Polish historian Rafał Jaworski states that the estimates of the size of Bolesław's army range between 2,000–5,000 Polish warriors, in addition to Thietmar's reported 1,000 Pechenegs, 300 German knight
s, and 500 Hungarian mercenaries. Less is known about Yaroslav's army, but it is assumed that he managed to collect a force of similar size. It is also believed that he was aware of Bolesław's intentions and had time to make defensive preparations.
The narrative of Bolesław's invasion is almost entirely dependent upon the account of Thietmar:
River, near one of the settlements of the Volhynia
region. In the meantime, Bolesław's Pecheneg allies approached Kiev, forcing Yaroslav to detach a part of his forces to ensure the safety of his capital. According to Jaworski, Yaroslav, in turn, wanted to prevent Bolesław from uniting with the Pechenegs, defeat Bolesław's main force and then take care of the less organized Pechenegs.
The two armies met on opposite banks of the River Bug. Yaroslav's forces may have take position with archers covering the crossing points. Bolesław seems to have taken his time, allowing his army to rest, and started work on makeshift bridges. The Battle at Bug River finally occurred around July 23.
Thietmar's near-contemporary account offered the following:
According to the later Chronicle of Polish Dukes by Gallus, the battle occurred by accident: When Bolesław decided to throw a feast to boost his army's morale, Yaroslav's archers and scouts decided to create trouble for the Polish servants who were gutting the animals and preparing them near the river. However, they only annoyed them enough that the servants themselves crossed the relatively shallow river and chased away Yaroslav's surprised troops, who had been guarding the river. Bolesław learned of the skirmish sooner than Yaroslav, and managed to move most of his army across the river, defeating the surprised Yaroslav.
The Russian Primary Chronicle gives a different version of events, in which both armies were combat ready and separated by the river before Bolesław, enraged by insults from across the river, charged with his army, surprising Yaroslav and scattering his forces. All accounts agree that the Polish prince was victorious in the battle. Yaroslav retreated north to Novgorod, rather than to Kiev - likely suspecting that he lacked enough strength to defend Kiev, which was besieged by the Pechenegs and had a significant pro-Sviatopolk faction within its walls. Nestor notes that after reaching Novgorod, Yaroslav attempted to flee "overseas" in hopes of coming back with a Varangian force, but according to the Primary Chronicle, the citizens of Novgorod pressured him to lead the fight back to Bolesław and Sviatopolk.
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Bolesław's victory opened the road to Kiev, already under harassment from his Pecheneg allies.
The city, which suffered from fires caused by the Pecheneg siege, surrendered upon seeing the main Polish army on August 14. The entering forces, led by Bolesław, were ceremonially welcomed by the local archbishop
and Vladimir's family
:
A later popular Polish legend related to the history of the Polish coronation weapon
, the Szczerbiec
sword, is the tale of the Golden Gate of Kiev
, upon which the Szczerbiec was supposedly notched when Bolesław's entered the city. This legend has no historical basis, however, and the gate was only built approximately 20 years later, while the sword itself was not forged until 200 years later. It is of course possible, however unlikely, that Bolesław notched another gate with another sword, thus giving rise to the legend.
Bolesław sent his German and Hungarian mercenaries home after Sviatopolk was re-established on the Kievan throne, "the populace" having "flocked to him" and having "appeared loyal". It is not known how long Bolesław remained in and around Kiev. The 10 months given by the unreliable account of Gallus is fanciful. Bolesław in fact departed within a few months and, as Thietmar died on December 1, 1018, Bolesław must have been back in Poland a good time before December.
The Primary Chronicle alleges that as the result of Polish plunderings, Sviatopolk ordered "that any Lyakhs
[i.e. Poles] found in the city should be killed". The resulting unrest, according to the same source, forced Bolesław to leave Kiev, whereupon Sviatopolk was left to fend for himself. This negative turn of events is omitted in the only contemporary source, Thietmar of Merseberg's Chronikon. By contrast, his summary of the expedition, written in a part of the Chronikon not devoted to the expedition, recounts that:
According to Thietmar, Bolesław asked Yaroslav to return his daughter, whom Yaroslav had taken prisoner. As Yaroslav refused, Bolesław took members of Yaroslav's family to Poland as prisoners when he returned to his country in September. His captives included Vladimir's widow and Yaroslav's sister, Predslava, whose hand Bolesław had sought earlier. Having been rebuffed, Bolesław now took her as a concubine. The Polish duke also took some commoners as well as much of the treasury of Kiev. Among the notable commoners was the venerated Saint Moses the Hungarian
.
In the past some historians (such as Zhylenko and Kostomarov) have conjectured that Bolesław decided to rule Kievan lands himself, though Bolesław had no power base there and no Rurikid blood. Bolesław's main motivation, according to the interpretations of modern historians, was to regain the Cherven towns for his patrimony, while at the same time aiding his kinsman, to whom he had an obligation. The expedition also furnished an occasion to enrich his followers from Kiev's famous wealth. Bolesław, soon after his arrival, sent a significant force to quarter in Kiev and nearby towns, forcing Kievans to sustain them, and collected significant tributes that he divided among his allies. It was related by Thietmar that before departing, Bolesław
On many later occasions in the Kievan period the rulers of Poland, as well as Hungarians or Pechenegs, were paid to intervene in Rus succession disputes; in the case of Bolesław II, the Polish monarch took the money without making any expedition.
Henry II
, he did not intervene on behalf of his son-in-law when he was deposed and instead signed a pact with Yaroslav, who had successfully regained the throne. Although he lost control of Kiev, Bolesław succeeded in keeping the Cherven Towns captured by Vladimir the Great in 981; he was crowned King of Poland in 1025. Yaroslav outlived Bolesław and contributed greatly to the strengthening of Kievan Rus'
.
Sviatopolk I of Kiev
Sviatopolk I Vladimirovich was the Kniaz' of Turov and Velikii Kniaz of Kiev whose paternity and guilt in the murder of brothers are disputed.-Early life:Sviatopolk's mother was a Greek nun captured by Sviatoslav I in Bulgaria and married to his lawful heir...
("the Accursed") and his brother Yaroslav
Yaroslav I the Wise
Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise Yaroslav I, Grand Prince of Rus, known as Yaroslav the Wise (Old Norse: Jarizleifr; ; Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Ukrainian: Ярослав Мудрий; c...
("the Wise") for the rulership of Kiev and Kievan Rus'. It occurred when Sviatopolk's father-in-law Bolesław, ruler of Poland, intervened on Sviatopolk's behalf.
The intervention was initially successful as Bolesław defeated Yaroslav's armies, and temporarily secured the throne for Sviatopolk. But when Bolesław withdraw himself and his army from Kiev, Sviatopolk was unable to retain his position, being defeated by Yaroslav in the following year. Chronicles of the expedition include legendary accounts as well as factual history and have been subject to varied interpretations.
Background
The ruler of Poland, Bolesław I, and the ruler of Kiev, Vladimir IVladimir I of Kiev
Vladimir Sviatoslavich the Great Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь Old Norse as Valdamarr Sveinaldsson, , Vladimir, , Volodymyr, was a grand prince of Kiev, ruler of Kievan Rus' in .Vladimir's father was the prince Sviatoslav of the Rurik dynasty...
, had previously fought over the Cherven towns (in what was later called Red Russia
Red Ruthenia
Red Ruthenia is the name used since medieval times to refer to the area known as Eastern Galicia prior to World War I; first mentioned in Polish historic chronicles in the 1321, as Ruthenia Rubra or Ruthenian Voivodeship .Ethnographers explain that the term was applied from the...
) in a conflict that ended favorably for Vladimir. Furthermore, Bolesław, who already had two wives, wanted to marry Predslava, one of Vladimir's daughters
Family life and children of Vladimir I
Until his baptism, Vladimir I of Kiev was described by Thietmar of Merseburg as a great profligate . He had a few hundred concubines in Kiev and in the country residence of Berestovo. He also had official pagan wives, the most famous being Rogneda of Polotsk...
, in order to cement ties between the two families. Despite Bolesław's best efforts, the offer was refused and instead he had to accept a less prestigious connection to the house of Vladimir through the marriage of Bolesław's daughter to Vladimir's son, Sviatopolk. Between 1005 and 1013, Vladimir arranged Sviatopolk's marriage to Bolesław's daughter, whose name has not survived in sources.
It is possible that Vladimir decided that neither Sviatopolk nor Yaroslav would succeed to the Kievan throne after his death, as both Sviatopolk and Yaroslav revolted against their father. Vladimir perhaps intended that Sviatopolk would only receive the remote town of Turov
Principality of Turov and Pinsk
The Duchy of Turov and Pinsk was a medieval principality and state on the territory of modern southern Belarus and northern Ukraine. The principality's capital was Turov or Pinsk, other important cities were Mazyr and Slutsk, Lutsk, Brest, and Volodymyr-Volynskyi...
(Turaŭ) after his death, and perhaps choosing his younger sons, Boris and Gleb
Boris and Gleb
Boris and Gleb , Christian names Roman and David, respectively, were the first saints canonized in Kievan Rus' after the Christianization of the country....
, as successors despite Sviatopolk being older. Although Sviatopolk is known to have been older than Boris and Gleb, the exact birth order of Vladimir's sons is not known and Sviatopolk is alleged in some sources to have been a bastard. Perhaps unhappy by his rule being restricted to only a small 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...
, Sviatopolk plotted to overthrow his father. Those theories, however, are based on very little evidence, and in the words of two historians, the origins of their "quarrels with their father are obscure". According to Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...
, Bolesław encouraged Sviatopolk's revolt through his daughter and the latter's wife, though he does not specify the goal of the revolt. Sviatopolk's conspiracy was, in the event, thwarted by Vladimir, who called Sviatopolk and his entourage to Kiev and jailed them in 1013.
The planned overthrow, if it existed, may have been supported by Bishop Reinbern
Reinbern
Reinbern was the only bishop of the short-lived Diocese of Kolberg) .Reinbern was born in the Hassegau area of the medieval Duchy of Saxony. When Holy Roman Emperor Otto III met with his friend, the Polish duke Boleslaw I in the Congress of Gniezno , the Archbishopric of Gniezno was founded...
of Kolberg, who had traveled with Bolesław's daughter. According to the same chronicler, Reinbern actively took part in converting pagans in and around the Rus lands, but was imprisoned with Sviatopolk and the latter's wife. Reinbern, who might have acted in the interest of Catholic Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, died shortly after being imprisoned. According to the Primary Chronicle, Sviatopolk seized Kiev while those of Vladimir's retainers who were with Boris on campaign encouraged Boris to take power, an offer Boris refused apparently stating "Be it not for me to raise my hand against my elder brother". In the confusion resulting from the death of Vladimir Sviatopolk was able to seize power in Kiev, as Yaroslav was in the north, Mstislav in the south, Sviatoslav in the Derevlian land, Gleb in Murom
Murom
Murom is a historic city in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which sprawls along the left bank of Oka River. Population: -History:In the 9th century CE, the city marked the easternmost settlement of the Eastern Slavs in the land of the Finno-Ugric people called Muromians. The Russian Primary Chronicle...
and Boris on the aforementioned expedition against the Pechenegs. As Franklin and Shepard put it, Sviatopolk's "previous arrest turned to his advantage, for it ensured that he was already ... closest to the center of power". According to the Primary Chronicle, Sviatopolk successfully arranged the murder of three of his brothers, Boris of Rostov, Gleb of Murom and Sviatoslav of the Derevlian lands.
When news of the fratricide
Fratricide
Fratricide is the act of a person killing his or her brother....
s reached Vladimir's fourth son, Yaroslav the Wise in Novgorod, he came to Kiev from the north with Novgorodians and Varangians
Varangians
The Varangians or Varyags , sometimes referred to as Variagians, were people from the Baltic region, most often associated with Vikings, who from the 9th to 11th centuries ventured eastwards and southwards along the rivers of Eastern Europe, through what is now Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.According...
. Sviatopolk's reign in Kiev was threatened. After a 3 month stand-off near Lyubech, Sviatopolk was defeated and "fled to the Poles". Bolesław, who had recently agreed a peace with the German Kingdom
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
(the Treaty of Bautzen), agreed to support his son-in-law through military intervention.
Sources
There are three main sources that provide historians with evidence for these events. The best and most reliable account is from a chronicle by Bishop Thietmar of MerseburgThietmar of Merseburg
Thietmar of Merseburg was a German chronicler who was also bishop of Merseburg.-Life:...
, who obtained detailed information from Saxon knights fighting for Bolesław.
The Primary Chronicle attributed to Nestor the Chronicler
Nestor the Chronicler
Saint Nestor the Chronicler was the reputed author of the Primary Chronicle, , Life of the Venerable Theodosius of the Kiev Caves, Life of the Holy Passion Bearers, Boris and Gleb, and of the so-called Reading.Nestor was a monk of the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev from 1073...
is another sources giving a detailed account of events, its reliability being variable, depending event-by-event on the sources from which it was compiled. Nestor's writing reflects the typical Rus' admiration of Saint Vladimir, while Bishop Thietmar's account, despite a generally positive attitude towards the Rus', paints both Bolesław and Vladimir exclusively in a negative light.
A third source is the Chronicle of Polish Dukes
Cronicae et gesta ducum sive principum Polonorum
The Gesta principum Polonorum is a medieval gesta, or deeds narrative, concerned with Duke Boleslaw III Wrymouth, his ancestors, and the Polish principality during and before his reign. Probably completed between 1112 and 1118, the extant text is present in three manuscripts with two distinct...
, a semi-legendary ode to the early Polish dukes written in the 1110s by the Benedictine monk Gallus'
Gallus Anonymus
Gallus Anonymus is the name traditionally given to the anonymous author of Gesta principum Polonorum , composed in Latin about 1115....
. This account portrays Bolesław in a very positive light.
Expedition to Kiev
"Among those rendering assistance to the aforesaid duke, were three hundred of our [German] warriors, five hundred Hungarians, and one thousand Pechenegs".
Polish historian Rafał Jaworski states that the estimates of the size of Bolesław's army range between 2,000–5,000 Polish warriors, in addition to Thietmar's reported 1,000 Pechenegs, 300 German knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s, and 500 Hungarian mercenaries. Less is known about Yaroslav's army, but it is assumed that he managed to collect a force of similar size. It is also believed that he was aware of Bolesław's intentions and had time to make defensive preparations.
The narrative of Bolesław's invasion is almost entirely dependent upon the account of Thietmar:
"We may not keep silent regarding the sad and harmful events that occurred in Russia. For, on our [German] advice, Boleslav attacked it with a large army and caused much destruction. On July 22, the duke [Boleslav] came up to a certain river, where he ordered his army to set up camp and separate the necessary bridges. Also camped near the river, along with his army, was [Yaroslav] the king of the Russians."Probably after concentrating his forces during June, in July Bolesław led his troops to the border - the banks of the 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, near one of the settlements of the Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
region. In the meantime, Bolesław's Pecheneg allies approached Kiev, forcing Yaroslav to detach a part of his forces to ensure the safety of his capital. According to Jaworski, Yaroslav, in turn, wanted to prevent Bolesław from uniting with the Pechenegs, defeat Bolesław's main force and then take care of the less organized Pechenegs.
The two armies met on opposite banks of the River Bug. Yaroslav's forces may have take position with archers covering the crossing points. Bolesław seems to have taken his time, allowing his army to rest, and started work on makeshift bridges. The Battle at Bug River finally occurred around July 23.
Thietmar's near-contemporary account offered the following:
The Poles provoked the enemy into fighting and, with unexpected success, drove them from the river bank which they [the Rus] were supposed to defend. Elated by this news, Boleslav hastily notified his companions and quickly cross the river although not without effort. In contrast, the hostile army, drawn up in battle formation, vainly attempted to defend its homeland. It collapsed at the first attack, however, and failed to mount any effective resistance. Among those who fled, many were killed, but only a few of the victors were lost. On our side, the dead included Erich, an illustrious knight whom our emperor had long held in chains. From that day on, with every success, Boleslav drove the scattered enemies before him; and the whole populace received and honoured him with many gifts.
According to the later Chronicle of Polish Dukes by Gallus, the battle occurred by accident: When Bolesław decided to throw a feast to boost his army's morale, Yaroslav's archers and scouts decided to create trouble for the Polish servants who were gutting the animals and preparing them near the river. However, they only annoyed them enough that the servants themselves crossed the relatively shallow river and chased away Yaroslav's surprised troops, who had been guarding the river. Bolesław learned of the skirmish sooner than Yaroslav, and managed to move most of his army across the river, defeating the surprised Yaroslav.
The Russian Primary Chronicle gives a different version of events, in which both armies were combat ready and separated by the river before Bolesław, enraged by insults from across the river, charged with his army, surprising Yaroslav and scattering his forces. All accounts agree that the Polish prince was victorious in the battle. Yaroslav retreated north to Novgorod, rather than to Kiev - likely suspecting that he lacked enough strength to defend Kiev, which was besieged by the Pechenegs and had a significant pro-Sviatopolk faction within its walls. Nestor notes that after reaching Novgorod, Yaroslav attempted to flee "overseas" in hopes of coming back with a Varangian force, but according to the Primary Chronicle, the citizens of Novgorod pressured him to lead the fight back to Bolesław and Sviatopolk.
Fall and occupation of Kiev
At Boleslav's instigation, the very strong city of Kiev was disturbed by the constant attacks of hostile Pechenegs and severely weakened by fire. It was defended by the inhabitants, but quickly surrendered to the foreign warriors, after its king [Yaroslav] fled and abandoned it.
The city, which suffered from fires caused by the Pecheneg siege, surrendered upon seeing the main Polish army on August 14. The entering forces, led by Bolesław, were ceremonially welcomed by the local archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
and Vladimir's family
Family life and children of Vladimir I
Until his baptism, Vladimir I of Kiev was described by Thietmar of Merseburg as a great profligate . He had a few hundred concubines in Kiev and in the country residence of Berestovo. He also had official pagan wives, the most famous being Rogneda of Polotsk...
:
On 14 August, the city received Boleslav and Sventipolk [i.e. Sviatopolk], its long-absent lord. Thereafter, through his favour, and from fear of us, the whole region was brought into submission. When they arrived, the archbishop of that city received them, at the church of St SophiaSaint Sophia Cathedral in KievSaint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev is an outstanding architectural monument of Kievan Rus'. Today, it is one of the city's best known landmarks and the first Ukrainian patrimony to be inscribed on the World Heritage List along with the Kiev Cave Monastery complex...
, with relics of the saints and other kinds of ceremonial apparatus.
A later popular Polish legend related to the history of the Polish coronation weapon
Polish Crown Jewels
The only surviving original piece of the Polish Crown Jewels from the time of the Piast dynasty is the ceremonial sword - Szczerbiec. It is currently on display along with other preserved royal items in the Wawel Royal Castle Museum, Kraków....
, the Szczerbiec
Szczerbiec
Szczerbiec is the coronation sword that was used in crowning ceremonies of most kings of Poland from 1320 to 1764. It is currently on display in the treasure vault of the Royal Wawel Castle in Kraków as the only preserved piece of Polish Crown Jewels...
sword, is the tale of the Golden Gate of Kiev
Golden Gate (Kiev)
The Golden Gates of Kiev is a major landmark of the Ancient Kiev and historic gateway in the ancient city fortress, located in the capital of Ukraine. Currently it serves as a museum and can be found on the corner of Volodymyr street and Yaroslaviv Val Street...
, upon which the Szczerbiec was supposedly notched when Bolesław's entered the city. This legend has no historical basis, however, and the gate was only built approximately 20 years later, while the sword itself was not forged until 200 years later. It is of course possible, however unlikely, that Bolesław notched another gate with another sword, thus giving rise to the legend.
Bolesław sent his German and Hungarian mercenaries home after Sviatopolk was re-established on the Kievan throne, "the populace" having "flocked to him" and having "appeared loyal". It is not known how long Bolesław remained in and around Kiev. The 10 months given by the unreliable account of Gallus is fanciful. Bolesław in fact departed within a few months and, as Thietmar died on December 1, 1018, Bolesław must have been back in Poland a good time before December.
The Primary Chronicle alleges that as the result of Polish plunderings, Sviatopolk ordered "that any Lyakhs
Name of Poland
The ethnonyms for the Poles and Poland include endonyms and exonyms...
[i.e. Poles] found in the city should be killed". The resulting unrest, according to the same source, forced Bolesław to leave Kiev, whereupon Sviatopolk was left to fend for himself. This negative turn of events is omitted in the only contemporary source, Thietmar of Merseberg's Chronikon. By contrast, his summary of the expedition, written in a part of the Chronikon not devoted to the expedition, recounts that:
Duke Boleslav invaded the Russian king's realm with his army. After placing his long-exiled brother-in-law, the Russian's brother, on the throne, he returned in high spirits.
According to Thietmar, Bolesław asked Yaroslav to return his daughter, whom Yaroslav had taken prisoner. As Yaroslav refused, Bolesław took members of Yaroslav's family to Poland as prisoners when he returned to his country in September. His captives included Vladimir's widow and Yaroslav's sister, Predslava, whose hand Bolesław had sought earlier. Having been rebuffed, Bolesław now took her as a concubine. The Polish duke also took some commoners as well as much of the treasury of Kiev. Among the notable commoners was the venerated Saint Moses the Hungarian
Moses the Hungarian
Moses the Hungarian was a Kievan Russian monk of Hungarian origin. He is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Orthodox Church.Moses was born around 990-995. He probably left Transylvania to serve the princely family in Kiev...
.
In the past some historians (such as Zhylenko and Kostomarov) have conjectured that Bolesław decided to rule Kievan lands himself, though Bolesław had no power base there and no Rurikid blood. Bolesław's main motivation, according to the interpretations of modern historians, was to regain the Cherven towns for his patrimony, while at the same time aiding his kinsman, to whom he had an obligation. The expedition also furnished an occasion to enrich his followers from Kiev's famous wealth. Bolesław, soon after his arrival, sent a significant force to quarter in Kiev and nearby towns, forcing Kievans to sustain them, and collected significant tributes that he divided among his allies. It was related by Thietmar that before departing, Bolesław
was shown an unspeakable amount of treasure, most of which he distributed among his friends and supporters.
On many later occasions in the Kievan period the rulers of Poland, as well as Hungarians or Pechenegs, were paid to intervene in Rus succession disputes; in the case of Bolesław II, the Polish monarch took the money without making any expedition.
Aftermath
Sviatopolk lost the throne soon afterwards and lost his life the following year. As Bolesław was involved in a conflict with Holy Roman EmperorHoly Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Henry II
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
, he did not intervene on behalf of his son-in-law when he was deposed and instead signed a pact with Yaroslav, who had successfully regained the throne. Although he lost control of Kiev, Bolesław succeeded in keeping the Cherven Towns captured by Vladimir the Great in 981; he was crowned King of Poland in 1025. Yaroslav outlived Bolesław and contributed greatly to the strengthening of 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....
.