Oleg I of Chernigov
Encyclopedia
Oleg Svyatoslavich of Chernigiv , sometimes also styled as of Tmutarakan
, was a Rurikid prince whose equivocal adventures ignited political unrest in Kievan Rus at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries.
One of the sons of Sviatoslav II of Kiev
, Oleg was named after his grand uncle. In the 1070s, he ruled the towns of Rostov
and Lutsk
, whence he made a raid into Bohemia
in 1076. The same year his father died in Kiev
and was succeeded by his brother Vsevolod. Failing to get along with him, Oleg had to flee to a distant Chernigovian domain on the Black Sea
shore, called Tmutarakan
. There, in 1078, he made an alliance with the Kipchaks
, and with their support returned to his father's patrimony, Chernigov (modern Chernihiv
). It was the first time when Slavic princes
, in order to achieve their ends, brought pagan hordes to the walls of Russian cities.
On October 3, 1078 Oleg's forces clashed with Vsevolod of Kiev at the Nezhatinnaya Niva (or Nezhatina Niva, today's Nizhyn
). He was defeated and escaped to Tmutarakan, where the Khazars
had him imprisoned and sent in chains to Constantinople
. The emperor, who was a relative and ally of Vsevolod, exiled him to Rhodes
. There he married a noble lady, Theophano Mouzalonissa, who bore him several children.
Four years later, we again find him active in Tmutarakan, where he adopted the title "archon
of Khazaria". In 1094, he returned with the Kipchaks
to Rus and captured Chernigov. There ensued a prolonged internecine struggle with his cousins Sviatopolk
and Vladimir Monomakh. One of the most prominent princes of Kievan period who never attained the Kievan throne, he died on August 1, 1115 and was buried in Chernigov.
The Tale of Igor's Campaign
styles him Gorislavich, poetically deriving his patronymic from the Russian word for sorrow. His descendants, known as Olgovichi, were archrivals of Vladimir's descendants (known as Monomakhovichi) in their struggle for supremacy in Rus.
His son was Igor II of Kiev
.
Tmutarakan
Tmutarakan was a Mediaeval Russian principality and trading town that controlled the Cimmerian Bosporus, the passage from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov. Its site was the ancient Greek colony of Hermonassa . It was situated on the Taman peninsula, in the present-day Krasnodar Krai of Russia,...
, was a Rurikid prince whose equivocal adventures ignited political unrest in Kievan Rus at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries.
One of the sons of Sviatoslav II of Kiev
Sviatoslav II of Kiev
Sviatoslav Iaroslavich was the Prince of Chernihiv from 1054 to 1073 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 1073 until his death...
, Oleg was named after his grand uncle. In the 1070s, he ruled the towns of Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
and Lutsk
Lutsk
Lutsk is a city located by the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
, whence he made a raid into Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
in 1076. The same year his father died in 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....
and was succeeded by his brother Vsevolod. Failing to get along with him, Oleg had to flee to a distant Chernigovian domain on the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
shore, called Tmutarakan
Tmutarakan
Tmutarakan was a Mediaeval Russian principality and trading town that controlled the Cimmerian Bosporus, the passage from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov. Its site was the ancient Greek colony of Hermonassa . It was situated on the Taman peninsula, in the present-day Krasnodar Krai of Russia,...
. There, in 1078, he made an alliance with the Kipchaks
Kipchaks
Kipchaks were a Turkic tribal confederation...
, and with their support returned to his father's patrimony, Chernigov (modern Chernihiv
Chernihiv
Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast , as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion within the oblast...
). It was the first time when Slavic princes
Rulers of Kievan Rus'
Grand Prince of Kiev was the title of the Kievan prince and the ruler of Kievan Rus' in the 9th–12th centuries....
, in order to achieve their ends, brought pagan hordes to the walls of Russian cities.
On October 3, 1078 Oleg's forces clashed with Vsevolod of Kiev at the Nezhatinnaya Niva (or Nezhatina Niva, today's Nizhyn
Nizhyn
Nizhyn is a city located in the Chernihiv Oblast of northern Ukraine, along the Oster River, north-east of the nation's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative center of the Nizhynsky Raion, though the city itself is also designated as a district in the oblast...
). He was defeated and escaped to Tmutarakan, where the Khazars
Khazars
The Khazars were semi-nomadic Turkic people who established one of the largest polities of medieval Eurasia, with the capital of Atil and territory comprising much of modern-day European Russia, western Kazakhstan, eastern Ukraine, Azerbaijan, large portions of the northern Caucasus , parts of...
had him imprisoned and sent in chains to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. The emperor, who was a relative and ally of Vsevolod, exiled him to Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
. There he married a noble lady, Theophano Mouzalonissa, who bore him several children.
Four years later, we again find him active in Tmutarakan, where he adopted the title "archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
of Khazaria". In 1094, he returned with the Kipchaks
Kipchaks
Kipchaks were a Turkic tribal confederation...
to Rus and captured Chernigov. There ensued a prolonged internecine struggle with his cousins Sviatopolk
Sviatopolk II of Kiev
Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich was supreme ruler of the Kievan Rus for 20 years, from 1093 to 1113. He was not a popular prince, and his reign was marked by incessant rivalry with his cousin Vladimir Monomakh...
and Vladimir Monomakh. One of the most prominent princes of Kievan period who never attained the Kievan throne, he died on August 1, 1115 and was buried in Chernigov.
The Tale of Igor's Campaign
The Tale of Igor's Campaign
The Tale of Igor's Campaign is an anonymous epic poem written in the Old East Slavic language.The title is occasionally translated as The Song of Igor's Campaign, The Lay of Igor's Campaign, and The Lay of...
styles him Gorislavich, poetically deriving his patronymic from the Russian word for sorrow. His descendants, known as Olgovichi, were archrivals of Vladimir's descendants (known as Monomakhovichi) in their struggle for supremacy in Rus.
His son was Igor II of Kiev
Igor II of Kiev
Igor II Olgovich , Prince of Chernigov and Grand Prince of Kiev . Son of Oleg Svyatoslavich of Chernigov . Saint - feast day: 5 June....
.