Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich
Encyclopedia
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich (Kiev, 1139–1198) was a Rus’
prince (a member of the Rurik dynasty
). He was prince of Ropesk (c. 1146–1166), of Starodub (1166–1176), and of Chernigov (1176–1198). When he became monk before his death, he took the name Vasily.
of Chernigov (who later became Grand Prince of Kiev) by his wife Maria Mstislavna (a daughter of grand prince Mstislav I Vladimirovich
of Kiev). His father died on August 1, 1146; and he probably became the prince of Ropesk (a town, located southwest of Starodub, which lay on the river Irpa, a tributary
of the Snov River
).
When the wife of grand prince Izyaslav III Davidovich of Kiev
(whose husband had been expelled from Kiev
by prince Yaroslav Volodimerovich of Halych
on December 22, 1158) came to Ropesk, Yaroslav showed every courtesy, although Izyaslav III Davidovich had declared war on the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov).
In 1162, the younger brother of grand prince Rostislav I Mstislavich of Kiev
, Vladimir Mstislavich
seized Sluchesk which was the domain of the Olgovichi. By capturing the town, he transgressed against prince Svyatoslav II Olgovich of Chernigov (Yaroslav’s paternal uncle) whose right Rostislav Mstilavich had pledged to defend. The grand prince of Kiev therefore sent a number of junior princes, including Yaroslav, to expel his brother; on seeing their large force Vladimir Mstislavich sued for peace and went to his brother in Kiev.
On February 15, 1164, Svyatoslav II Olgovich died, and Yaroslav’s brother, Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich
assumed control of Chernigov. The latter relinquished Novgorod-Seversk (today Novhorod-Siverskyi in Ukraine
) to their cousin Oleg Svyatoslavich; in doing so, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich bypassed Yaroslav who, as Oleg Svyatoslavich’s genealogical senior, had prior claim to the town.
Sometime in the spring in 1166, prince Svyatislav Vladimirovich of Vshchizh died, and he evidently had no sons. Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich as the senior prince
of the Olgovichi held the authority to allocate the dead prince’s domains, and he gave Starodub to Yaroslav. However, their cousin, prince Oleg Svyatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversk challenged the senior prince’s preferential treatment of his own family. The citizens of Starudob also invited Oleg Svyatoslavich to rule them which shows that they preferred him to Yaroslav. The latter sent troops to Starodub which were commanded by the posadnik
appointed by him to administer the town, and his troops arrived ahead of Oleg Svyatoslavich. Meanwhile, Oleg Svyatoslavich fell ill and he had to sue for peace; Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich therefore gave him four unidentified towns, which implies that these did not include Starodub.
On seeing how the Olgovichi were living in strife, the nomad
s attacked merchant
s coming from the Greeks
. That winter the Olgovichi led more campaigns against the nomads: Yaroslav, for his part, destroyed the camp of Khan Beglyuk. At the beginning of 1168, grand prince Mstislav II Izyaslavich of Kiev
summoned the princes of Rus'
to join him against the Cumans
; the Olgovichi sent Yaroslav, his brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, as well as their cousins Oleg and Vsevolod Svyatoslavich. On March 11, the princes reached the Cuman camps on the rivers Ugla and Samara
, but the tribesmen had fled abandoning their wives, children, and possessions. The grand prince of Kiev, however, alienated all the princes because, without informing them, he allowed his men to plunder the camps secretly at night.
During the remainder of the year animosity towards Mstislav II Izyaslavich grew; that winter prince Andrey I Yurevich of Suzdalia sent his son Mstislav Andreyevich with troops from Suzdalia
to attack him in Kiev. Andrey Yurevichi’s alliance was made up of eleven princes including two Olgovichi, but Yaroslav and his brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich remained loyal to Mstislav Izyaslavich. Unfortunately for the latter, no allies came to his aid when Andrey Yurevich’s alliance attacked. On March 8, 1169 the strong army of Andrey Yurevich took “the mother of Russian cities”, as Kiev was known, and sacked it mercilessly. Mstislav Andreyevich appointed his uncle Gleb Yurevich
to Kiev. Nevertheless, when the dethroned grand prince attacked Kiev in February 1170, Yaroslav and his brother sent troops to him. Finally, Mstislav Izyaslavich died on August 19, and his death terminated the political alliance that had been centered on him.
In 1171, prince Oleg Svyatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversk (Yaroslav’s cousin) summoned his brothers-in-law, the Rostislavichi of Smolensk
, to help him wage war against the Chernigov lands. Oleg Svyatoslavich and his brothers attacked Starodub (Yaroslav's town), while prince Yaroslav Izyaslavich of Lutsk
and the Rostislavichi were plundering the towns of Yaroslav's brother. However, Oleg Svyatoslavich and his brothers failed to take Starodub, and they concluded peace.
On January 16, 1180, Oleg Svyatoslavich (Yaroslav's cousin) died; soon after his death, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich summoned Yaroslav and their cousins Igor
and Vsevolod Svyatoslavich (the dead prince’s brothers) to Lyubech and concluded an agreement. The evidence that the Olgovichi parted amicably bespeaks their unity of purpose.
At the beginning of 1181, Yaroslav's brother, who had been expelled from Kiev, launched a campaign against prince Vsevolod III Yurevich of Suzdalia. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich commanded Yaroslav and Igor Svyatoslavich to remain behind and defend Chernigov against the Rostislavichi.
On February 23, 1184, Khan Konchak with his Donets
Cumans pillaged the Pereyaslavl lands
. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich (who had regained Kiev) and prince Rurik Rostislavich of Belgorod
rode against the raiders. Yaroslav advised them not to pursue the nomads but to organize a summer campaign; they heeded his counsel and returned home. That summer Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich launched a major campaign against the Cumans, but Yaroslav absented himself from the campaign; it is difficult to know whether Yaroslav was shirking his military obligations or dutifully remaining behind to defend Chernigov.
In 1185, Khan Konchak, who was about attacking Rus’, sent envoys to Yaroslav proposing peace. Yaroslav sent a certain Olstin Oleksich to negotiate, and consequently refused to join the new campaign of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and Ryurik Rostislavich, because he did not want to endanger his boyar
.
On April 1185, Igor Svyatoslavich invited Yaroslav to a campaign against the Cumans, but Yaroslav did not go in person or send his sons; instead, he dispatched Olstin Oleksich along with the Kovui (the pagan
auxiliaries
fighting in the service of the Olgovichi) of the Chernigov lands. After learning of his cousin’s defeat at the Kayala River, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich asked Yaroslav for troops. On this occasion, Yaroslav seemingly complied even though his druzhina
or part of it, had been massacred at the river Kayala. Yaroslav assembled a contingent and waited at Chernigov but we are not told if he joined his brother - the chronicler’s silence suggests that he did not. After Igor Svyatoslavich had escaped from captivity, he visited Yaroslav and Chernigov and asked for military aid. Yaroslav, we are told, was delighted to see Igor and promised to send reinforcements.
In 1186 (probably on March 25), grand prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich consecrated the Church of the Annunciation that he himself had built in Chernigov. Since a prince had to obtain the approval of the local ruler to build a church in his domain, Yaroslav had obviously granted his brother that permission.
In the winter of 1187, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich himself traveled to Chernigov to assemble the dynasty’s troops in order to lead a campaign against the Cumans who had pillaged the district of Tatinets, a ford on the Dnieper River
. Although Yaroslav joined the expedition and he went as far as the river Samara, but after reaching the river and fulfilling his promise, Yaroslav insisted on returning home.
His brother died during the last week of July, 1194. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich’s last official act was to summon Rurik Rostislavich which confirms that he had pledged to designate him as his successor. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich’s death changed the order of seniority among the Olgovichi: Yaroslav became the new senior prince of the dynasty, and his nephews became answerable to him. Yaroslav asserted his authority over the Olgovichi by demanding the usual oaths of allegiance
from them.
In 1195, prince Roman Mstislavich of Volodymyr-Volynskyi
commenced to conspire against his father-in-law, grand prince Rurik Rostislavich. Roman Mstislavich turned to Yaroslav who agreed to join him. When Rurik Rostislavich learnt how his son-in-law had persuaded Yaroslav to seize Kiev, he informed prince Vsevolod III Yurevich of Suzdalia that they were planning to wage war on all the Monomashichi (the descendants of grand prince Vladimir II Monomakh
). Rurik Rostislavich also denounced Roman Mstislavich who rode to the Poles
, and asked the grand prince of Kiev for clemency. As a result, Yaroslav found himself on a war footing against an allegedly united House of Monomakh.
Rurik Rostislavich conferred with Vsevolod Yurevich and prince David Rostislavich of Smolensk, and they commanded Yaroslav to promise not to seize their patrimonies of Kiev and Smolensk from them, their children, or any other member of the House of Monomashichi. Yaroslav agreed to honor the first demand: the Olgovichi would not attempt taking Kiev from Rurik Rostislavich or Vsevolod Yurevich; he refused, however, to abjure the claims of future generations of Olgovichi. He sent Igumen Dionisy to ask for peace; and his messenger persuaded Vsevolod Yurevich to cancel his attack.
While Igumen Dionisy was negotiating with the prince of Suzdalia, Yaroslav arranged a separate pact: he asked Rurik Rostislavich not to attack the Chernigov lands before they decided with Vsevolod Yurevich and David Rostislavich. It appears that the grand prince of Kiev also promised to give Yaroslav Vitebsk
, a domain that the Rostislavichi controlled. Even so, it was David Rostislavich and not Rurik Rostislavich who had the authority to allocate Vitebsk and the former refused to approve the latter’s allocation. Therefore, Yaroslav and his brothers sent troops to attack prince Vasilko Bryacheslavich of Vitebsk who was David Rostislavich’s son-in-law. Yaroslav appointed Oleg Svyatoslavich
(his nephew) as commander-in-chief.
Before reaching Vitebsk, the Olgovichi pillaged the lands of Smolensk. David Rostislavich retaliated by sending his nephew Mstislav Romanovich
to confront the invaders. The two sides clashed on March 12, and Mstislav Romanovich defeated Oleg Svyatoslavich’s troops; however, the princes of Polotsk who had come to Oleg Svyatoslavich’s assistance defeated Mstislav Romanovich’s men and took him captive. Oleg Svyatoslavich informed his uncle that vanquished Smolensk militiamen told him that the people of Smolensk were unhappy with David Rostislavich. He, therefore, also advised Yaroslav to come to win the honor
for the dynasty. The Olgovichi immediately set out for Smolensk, but Rurik Rostislavich sent messengers to intercept Yaroslav. After hearing Rurik Rostislavich’s threat, Yaroslav returned to Chernigov.
Shortly afterwards, Vsevolod Yurevich instructed Rurik Rostislavich to initiate attacks against Chernigov and promised to bring reinforcements. The grand prince of Kiev therefore led raids against the Chernigov lands, but waited in vain all summer for the prince of Suzdalia. Yaroslav sent envoys to Rurik Rostislavich and offered to release Mstislav Rostislavich and underscored his good will by waiving the ransom
usually demanded for a captive’s release. However, nothing came of Yaroslav’s offer because the two princes mistrusted each other; Yaroslav even blocked the roads when the messengers of Ryurik Rostislavich wanted to travel through Chernigov lands to Vsevolod Yurevich.
In the autumn of 1196, prince Roman Mstislavich of Volodymyr-Volynskyi came to Yaroslav’s aid raiding the domains belonging to David Rostislavich and Rostislav Rurikovich (respectively the brother and son of Rurik Rostislavich). In the meantime, Vsevolod Yurevich accompanied by the princes of Ryazan
, Murom
, and the Cumans, worked his way south towards Chernigov. Yaroslav placed his nephews Oleg and Gleb Svyatoslavich
in charge of defending Chernigov against the grand prince of Kiev, but ordered his remaining two nephews, Vsevolod
and Mstislav Svyatoslavich, to accompany him against the princes of Suzdalia and Smolensk.
Yaroslav sent messengers to Vsevolod Yurevich proposing peace, and the latter also sent envoys to negotiate with Yaroslav. Vsevolod Yurevich modified the terms of the Rostislavichi: he demanded that Yaroslav release Mstislav Romanovich and break his alliance with the prince of Volodymyr-Volynskyi. Moreover, Vsevolod Yurevich also demanded that the Olgovichi expel his nephew Yaropolk Rostislavich from Chernigov. Yaroslav refused to break his pact with Roman Mstislavich, but he agreed to release Mstislav Romanovich and to evict Yaropolk Rostislavich. Content with Yaroslav’s reply, the prince of Suzdalia sent his men to seal the agreement.
In 1196, Vsevolod Yurevich refused to grant the Novgorodians
their request to replace his appointee Yaroslav Vladimirovich with his son or some other prince. The Novgorodians evicted Vsevolod Yurevich’s man on November 26 and sent a delegation to Yaroslav in Chernigov, who promised to give them his younger son Yaropolk Yaroslavich. The latter arrived in Novgorod at the end of March 1197; however, after six months the Novgorodians expelled Yaropolk Yaroslavich and recalled Yaroslav Vladimirovich.
In 1197, the princes of Ryazan resolved to create an autonomous eparchy, although Ryazan
had been under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Chernigov. Consequently, the Olgovichi lost their last formal hold on their distant relatives in Ryazan.
According to the Lyubetkiy sinodik, Yaroslav became a monk
before his death. His body was laid to rest in the Cathedral of St. Saviour.
Rus' (people)
The Rus' were a group of Varangians . According to the Primary Chronicle of Rus, compiled in about 1113 AD, the Rus had relocated from the Baltic region , first to Northeastern Europe, creating an early polity which finally came under the leadership of Rurik...
prince (a member of the Rurik dynasty
Rurik Dynasty
The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD...
). He was prince of Ropesk (c. 1146–1166), of Starodub (1166–1176), and of Chernigov (1176–1198). When he became monk before his death, he took the name Vasily.
His early life
He was the second son of prince Vsevolod II OlgovichVsevolod II of Kiev
Vsevolod II Olgovich was the Prince of Chernigov and Grand Prince of Kiev , son of Oleg Svyatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov....
of Chernigov (who later became Grand Prince of Kiev) by his wife Maria Mstislavna (a daughter of grand prince Mstislav I Vladimirovich
Mstislav I of Kiev
Mstislav I Vladimirovich the Great was the Grand Prince of Kiev , the eldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh by Gytha of Wessex...
of Kiev). His father died on August 1, 1146; and he probably became the prince of Ropesk (a town, located southwest of Starodub, which lay on the river Irpa, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Snov River
Snov River
Snov River is a river in Bryansk Oblast in Russia and Chernihiv Oblast in Ukraine, right tributary of the Desna River . The length of the river is 253 km. The area of its drainage basin is 8,700 km². The Snov freezes up in November - late January and stays icebound until March - early April....
).
When the wife of grand prince Izyaslav III Davidovich of Kiev
Iziaslav III of Kiev
Izyaslav III Davidovich , Prince of Chernigov and Grand Prince of Kiev . He was the son of Davyd Sviatoslavich of Chernigov....
(whose husband had been expelled from 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....
by prince Yaroslav Volodimerovich of Halych
Yaroslav Osmomysl
Yaroslav Osmomysl was the most famous Prince of Halych from the first dynasty of its rulers, which descended from Yaroslav I's eldest son. His sobriquet, meaning "Eight-Minded" in Old East Slavic, was granted to him in recognition of his wisdom...
on December 22, 1158) came to Ropesk, Yaroslav showed every courtesy, although Izyaslav III Davidovich had declared war on the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov).
In 1162, the younger brother of grand prince Rostislav I Mstislavich of Kiev
Rostislav I of Kiev
Rostislav Mstislavich , Kniaz' of Smolensk , Novgorod and Velikiy Kniaz of Kiev . He was the son of Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden....
, Vladimir Mstislavich
Vladimir II Mstislavich
Vladimir III Mstislavich , Prince of: Dorogobuzh , Vladimir and Volyn , Slutsk , Tripolye and Grand Prince of Kiev . He was the son of Mstislav I Vladimirovich, grandson of Vladimir Monomakh...
seized Sluchesk which was the domain of the Olgovichi. By capturing the town, he transgressed against prince Svyatoslav II Olgovich of Chernigov (Yaroslav’s paternal uncle) whose right Rostislav Mstilavich had pledged to defend. The grand prince of Kiev therefore sent a number of junior princes, including Yaroslav, to expel his brother; on seeing their large force Vladimir Mstislavich sued for peace and went to his brother in Kiev.
On February 15, 1164, Svyatoslav II Olgovich died, and Yaroslav’s brother, Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich
Sviatoslav III of Kiev
Sviatoslav III Vsevolodovich , Prince of Turov , Vladimir and Volyn , Pinsk , Novgorod-Seversky , Chernigov , Grand Prince of Kiev...
assumed control of Chernigov. The latter relinquished Novgorod-Seversk (today Novhorod-Siverskyi in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
) to their cousin Oleg Svyatoslavich; in doing so, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich bypassed Yaroslav who, as Oleg Svyatoslavich’s genealogical senior, had prior claim to the town.
Sometime in the spring in 1166, prince Svyatislav Vladimirovich of Vshchizh died, and he evidently had no sons. Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich as the senior prince
Rota System
The rota system, from the Old Church Slavic word for "ladder" or "staircase", was a system of collateral succession practiced in Kievan Rus' and later Appanage and early Muscovite Russia, in which the throne passed not linearly from father to son, but laterally from brother to brother and then to...
of the Olgovichi held the authority to allocate the dead prince’s domains, and he gave Starodub to Yaroslav. However, their cousin, prince Oleg Svyatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversk challenged the senior prince’s preferential treatment of his own family. The citizens of Starudob also invited Oleg Svyatoslavich to rule them which shows that they preferred him to Yaroslav. The latter sent troops to Starodub which were commanded by the posadnik
Posadnik
Posadnik was the mayor in some East Slavic cities or towns. Most notably, the posadnik was the mayor of Novgorod and Pskov...
appointed by him to administer the town, and his troops arrived ahead of Oleg Svyatoslavich. Meanwhile, Oleg Svyatoslavich fell ill and he had to sue for peace; Svyatoslav III Vsevolodovich therefore gave him four unidentified towns, which implies that these did not include Starodub.
On seeing how the Olgovichi were living in strife, the nomad
Nomad
Nomadic people , commonly known as itinerants in modern-day contexts, are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but...
s attacked merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s coming from the Greeks
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...
. That winter the Olgovichi led more campaigns against the nomads: Yaroslav, for his part, destroyed the camp of Khan Beglyuk. At the beginning of 1168, grand prince Mstislav II Izyaslavich of Kiev
Mstislav II of Kiev
Mstislav II Izyaslavich , Kniaz' of Pereyaslav, Volodymyr-Volynsky and Velikiy Kniaz of Kiev . Son of Izyaslav Mstislavich, Velikiy Kniaz' of Kiev....
summoned the princes of 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....
to join him against the Cumans
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
; the Olgovichi sent Yaroslav, his brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, as well as their cousins Oleg and Vsevolod Svyatoslavich. On March 11, the princes reached the Cuman camps on the rivers Ugla and Samara
Samara River (Dnieper)
The Samara is a river in Ukraine, a left tributary of the river Dnieper. The city of Dnipropetrovsk is located near the confluence of Dnieper and Samara....
, but the tribesmen had fled abandoning their wives, children, and possessions. The grand prince of Kiev, however, alienated all the princes because, without informing them, he allowed his men to plunder the camps secretly at night.
During the remainder of the year animosity towards Mstislav II Izyaslavich grew; that winter prince Andrey I Yurevich of Suzdalia sent his son Mstislav Andreyevich with troops from Suzdalia
Vladimir-Suzdal
The Vladimir-Suzdal Principality or Vladimir-Suzdal Rus’ was one of the major principalities which succeeded Kievan Rus' in the late 12th century and lasted until the late 14th century. For a long time the Principality was a vassal of the Mongolian Golden Horde...
to attack him in Kiev. Andrey Yurevichi’s alliance was made up of eleven princes including two Olgovichi, but Yaroslav and his brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich remained loyal to Mstislav Izyaslavich. Unfortunately for the latter, no allies came to his aid when Andrey Yurevich’s alliance attacked. On March 8, 1169 the strong army of Andrey Yurevich took “the mother of Russian cities”, as Kiev was known, and sacked it mercilessly. Mstislav Andreyevich appointed his uncle Gleb Yurevich
Gleb of Kiev
Gleb Yuryevich , Prince of Kursk , Kanev , Pereyaslavl and Grand Prince of Kiev . Son of Yuri Dolgoruky....
to Kiev. Nevertheless, when the dethroned grand prince attacked Kiev in February 1170, Yaroslav and his brother sent troops to him. Finally, Mstislav Izyaslavich died on August 19, and his death terminated the political alliance that had been centered on him.
In 1171, prince Oleg Svyatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversk (Yaroslav’s cousin) summoned his brothers-in-law, the Rostislavichi of Smolensk
Principality of Smolensk
The Principality of Smolensk was a Kievan Rus' lordship from the eleventh to the fifteenth century...
, to help him wage war against the Chernigov lands. Oleg Svyatoslavich and his brothers attacked Starodub (Yaroslav's town), while prince Yaroslav Izyaslavich of Lutsk
Yaroslav II of Kiev
Yaroslav II Iziaslavich , Prince of Turov , Novgorod , Lutsk and Grand Prince of Kiev . He was the son of Iziaslav II of Kiev and the brother of Mstislav II of Kiev....
and the Rostislavichi were plundering the towns of Yaroslav's brother. However, Oleg Svyatoslavich and his brothers failed to take Starodub, and they concluded peace.
Prince of Chernigov
On July 22, 1176, Yaroslav’s brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich occupied Kiev and promoted Yaroslav to Chernigov. On November 8, Yaroslav gave his daughter as wife to prince Vladimir Glebovich of Pereyaslavl; their marriage was an alliance which the senior branch of the Olgovichi formed with the dynasty of Suzdalia.On January 16, 1180, Oleg Svyatoslavich (Yaroslav's cousin) died; soon after his death, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich summoned Yaroslav and their cousins Igor
Igor Svyatoslavich
Igor Svyatoslavich the Brave was a Rus’ prince...
and Vsevolod Svyatoslavich (the dead prince’s brothers) to Lyubech and concluded an agreement. The evidence that the Olgovichi parted amicably bespeaks their unity of purpose.
At the beginning of 1181, Yaroslav's brother, who had been expelled from Kiev, launched a campaign against prince Vsevolod III Yurevich of Suzdalia. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich commanded Yaroslav and Igor Svyatoslavich to remain behind and defend Chernigov against the Rostislavichi.
On February 23, 1184, Khan Konchak with his Donets
Seversky Donets
Seversky Donets is a river on the south of the East European Plain. It originates in the Central Russian Upland, north of Belgorod, flows south-east through Ukraine and then again through Russia to join the Don River, about from the Sea of Azov...
Cumans pillaged the Pereyaslavl lands
Principality of Pereyaslavl
The Principality of Pereslavl was a regional principality of Kievan Rus from the end of 9th to 1302 based on the city of Pereyaslavl on the Trubezh river. It was usually administrated by younger sons of the Grand Prince of Kiev...
. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich (who had regained Kiev) and prince Rurik Rostislavich of Belgorod
Rurik Rostislavich
Ruryk Rostislavich , Prince of Novgorod , Belgorod Kievsky, presently Bilohorodka , Grand Prince of Kiev , Prince of Chernigov...
rode against the raiders. Yaroslav advised them not to pursue the nomads but to organize a summer campaign; they heeded his counsel and returned home. That summer Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich launched a major campaign against the Cumans, but Yaroslav absented himself from the campaign; it is difficult to know whether Yaroslav was shirking his military obligations or dutifully remaining behind to defend Chernigov.
In 1185, Khan Konchak, who was about attacking Rus’, sent envoys to Yaroslav proposing peace. Yaroslav sent a certain Olstin Oleksich to negotiate, and consequently refused to join the new campaign of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and Ryurik Rostislavich, because he did not want to endanger his boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
.
On April 1185, Igor Svyatoslavich invited Yaroslav to a campaign against the Cumans, but Yaroslav did not go in person or send his sons; instead, he dispatched Olstin Oleksich along with the Kovui (the pagan
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
auxiliaries
Auxiliaries
An auxiliary force is a group affiliated with, but not part of, a military or police organization. In some cases, auxiliaries are armed forces operating in the same manner as regular soldiers...
fighting in the service of the Olgovichi) of the Chernigov lands. After learning of his cousin’s defeat at the Kayala River, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich asked Yaroslav for troops. On this occasion, Yaroslav seemingly complied even though his druzhina
Druzhina
Druzhina, Drużyna or Družyna in the medieval history of Slavic Europe was a retinue in service of a chieftain, also called knyaz. The name is derived from the Slavic word drug with the meaning of "companion, friend". -Early Rus:...
or part of it, had been massacred at the river Kayala. Yaroslav assembled a contingent and waited at Chernigov but we are not told if he joined his brother - the chronicler’s silence suggests that he did not. After Igor Svyatoslavich had escaped from captivity, he visited Yaroslav and Chernigov and asked for military aid. Yaroslav, we are told, was delighted to see Igor and promised to send reinforcements.
In 1186 (probably on March 25), grand prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich consecrated the Church of the Annunciation that he himself had built in Chernigov. Since a prince had to obtain the approval of the local ruler to build a church in his domain, Yaroslav had obviously granted his brother that permission.
In the winter of 1187, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich himself traveled to Chernigov to assemble the dynasty’s troops in order to lead a campaign against the Cumans who had pillaged the district of Tatinets, a ford on the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
. Although Yaroslav joined the expedition and he went as far as the river Samara, but after reaching the river and fulfilling his promise, Yaroslav insisted on returning home.
His brother died during the last week of July, 1194. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich’s last official act was to summon Rurik Rostislavich which confirms that he had pledged to designate him as his successor. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich’s death changed the order of seniority among the Olgovichi: Yaroslav became the new senior prince of the dynasty, and his nephews became answerable to him. Yaroslav asserted his authority over the Olgovichi by demanding the usual oaths of allegiance
Oath of allegiance
An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to monarch or country. In republics, modern oaths specify allegiance to the country's constitution. For example, officials in the United States, a republic, take an oath of office that...
from them.
In 1195, prince Roman Mstislavich of Volodymyr-Volynskyi
Roman the Great
Roman Mstislavich , also Roman Mstyslavych or Roman the Great, was a Rus’ prince, Grand Prince of Kiev ....
commenced to conspire against his father-in-law, grand prince Rurik Rostislavich. Roman Mstislavich turned to Yaroslav who agreed to join him. When Rurik Rostislavich learnt how his son-in-law had persuaded Yaroslav to seize Kiev, he informed prince Vsevolod III Yurevich of Suzdalia that they were planning to wage war on all the Monomashichi (the descendants of grand prince Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh |Basileios]]) was a Velikiy Kniaz of Kievan Rus'.- Family :He was the son of Vsevolod I and Anastasia of Byzantium Vladimir II Monomakh |Basileios]]) (1053 – May 19, 1125) was a Velikiy Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kievan Rus'.- Family :He was the son of Vsevolod I (married in...
). Rurik Rostislavich also denounced Roman Mstislavich who rode to the Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, and asked the grand prince of Kiev for clemency. As a result, Yaroslav found himself on a war footing against an allegedly united House of Monomakh.
Rurik Rostislavich conferred with Vsevolod Yurevich and prince David Rostislavich of Smolensk, and they commanded Yaroslav to promise not to seize their patrimonies of Kiev and Smolensk from them, their children, or any other member of the House of Monomashichi. Yaroslav agreed to honor the first demand: the Olgovichi would not attempt taking Kiev from Rurik Rostislavich or Vsevolod Yurevich; he refused, however, to abjure the claims of future generations of Olgovichi. He sent Igumen Dionisy to ask for peace; and his messenger persuaded Vsevolod Yurevich to cancel his attack.
While Igumen Dionisy was negotiating with the prince of Suzdalia, Yaroslav arranged a separate pact: he asked Rurik Rostislavich not to attack the Chernigov lands before they decided with Vsevolod Yurevich and David Rostislavich. It appears that the grand prince of Kiev also promised to give Yaroslav Vitebsk
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
, a domain that the Rostislavichi controlled. Even so, it was David Rostislavich and not Rurik Rostislavich who had the authority to allocate Vitebsk and the former refused to approve the latter’s allocation. Therefore, Yaroslav and his brothers sent troops to attack prince Vasilko Bryacheslavich of Vitebsk who was David Rostislavich’s son-in-law. Yaroslav appointed Oleg Svyatoslavich
Oleg III Svyatoslavich (Prince of Chernigov)
Oleg III Svyatoslavich was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Feodosy. He was prince of Vshchizh , of Novgorod-Seversk , and of Chernigov .-His life:...
(his nephew) as commander-in-chief.
Before reaching Vitebsk, the Olgovichi pillaged the lands of Smolensk. David Rostislavich retaliated by sending his nephew Mstislav Romanovich
Mstislav III of Kiev
Mstislav Romanovich the Old , Prince of Pskov , Smolensk , Belgorod , Halych and Grand Prince of Kiev...
to confront the invaders. The two sides clashed on March 12, and Mstislav Romanovich defeated Oleg Svyatoslavich’s troops; however, the princes of Polotsk who had come to Oleg Svyatoslavich’s assistance defeated Mstislav Romanovich’s men and took him captive. Oleg Svyatoslavich informed his uncle that vanquished Smolensk militiamen told him that the people of Smolensk were unhappy with David Rostislavich. He, therefore, also advised Yaroslav to come to win the honor
Honour (land)
In medieval England, an honour could consist of a great lordship, comprising dozens or hundreds of manors. Holders of honours often attempted to preserve the integrity of an honour over time, administering its properties as a unit, maintaining inheritances together, etc.The typical honour had...
for the dynasty. The Olgovichi immediately set out for Smolensk, but Rurik Rostislavich sent messengers to intercept Yaroslav. After hearing Rurik Rostislavich’s threat, Yaroslav returned to Chernigov.
Shortly afterwards, Vsevolod Yurevich instructed Rurik Rostislavich to initiate attacks against Chernigov and promised to bring reinforcements. The grand prince of Kiev therefore led raids against the Chernigov lands, but waited in vain all summer for the prince of Suzdalia. Yaroslav sent envoys to Rurik Rostislavich and offered to release Mstislav Rostislavich and underscored his good will by waiving the ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
usually demanded for a captive’s release. However, nothing came of Yaroslav’s offer because the two princes mistrusted each other; Yaroslav even blocked the roads when the messengers of Ryurik Rostislavich wanted to travel through Chernigov lands to Vsevolod Yurevich.
In the autumn of 1196, prince Roman Mstislavich of Volodymyr-Volynskyi came to Yaroslav’s aid raiding the domains belonging to David Rostislavich and Rostislav Rurikovich (respectively the brother and son of Rurik Rostislavich). In the meantime, Vsevolod Yurevich accompanied by the princes of Ryazan
Ryazan Principality
The Grand Duchy of Ryazan existed from 1078 when it was separated from the Chernigov Principality as the provincial Murom Principality.-Prior to the invasion of Batu Khan:...
, Murom
Principality of Murom
The Principality of Murom was a medieval Rus' lordship based on the city of Murom, now in Vladimir Oblast, Russia. Murom lay in an area that was strongly Finno-Ugric for much of its medieval history, located in the homeland of the Muromians...
, and the Cumans, worked his way south towards Chernigov. Yaroslav placed his nephews Oleg and Gleb Svyatoslavich
Gleb Svyatoslavich (Prince of Chernigov)
Gleb Svyatoslavich was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Pakhomy. He was prince of Kaniv , of Belgorod , and of Chernigov . He helped to pay for the Church of St...
in charge of defending Chernigov against the grand prince of Kiev, but ordered his remaining two nephews, Vsevolod
Vsevolod IV of Kiev
Vsevolod IV Svyatoslavich the Red was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Daniil...
and Mstislav Svyatoslavich, to accompany him against the princes of Suzdalia and Smolensk.
Yaroslav sent messengers to Vsevolod Yurevich proposing peace, and the latter also sent envoys to negotiate with Yaroslav. Vsevolod Yurevich modified the terms of the Rostislavichi: he demanded that Yaroslav release Mstislav Romanovich and break his alliance with the prince of Volodymyr-Volynskyi. Moreover, Vsevolod Yurevich also demanded that the Olgovichi expel his nephew Yaropolk Rostislavich from Chernigov. Yaroslav refused to break his pact with Roman Mstislavich, but he agreed to release Mstislav Romanovich and to evict Yaropolk Rostislavich. Content with Yaroslav’s reply, the prince of Suzdalia sent his men to seal the agreement.
In 1196, Vsevolod Yurevich refused to grant the Novgorodians
Novgorod Republic
The Novgorod Republic was a large medieval Russian state which stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Ural Mountains between the 12th and 15th centuries, centred on the city of Novgorod...
their request to replace his appointee Yaroslav Vladimirovich with his son or some other prince. The Novgorodians evicted Vsevolod Yurevich’s man on November 26 and sent a delegation to Yaroslav in Chernigov, who promised to give them his younger son Yaropolk Yaroslavich. The latter arrived in Novgorod at the end of March 1197; however, after six months the Novgorodians expelled Yaropolk Yaroslavich and recalled Yaroslav Vladimirovich.
In 1197, the princes of Ryazan resolved to create an autonomous eparchy, although Ryazan
Ryazan
Ryazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
had been under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Chernigov. Consequently, the Olgovichi lost their last formal hold on their distant relatives in Ryazan.
According to the Lyubetkiy sinodik, Yaroslav became a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
before his death. His body was laid to rest in the Cathedral of St. Saviour.
Marriage and children
#before 1171: Irene- Prince Rostislav YaroslavichRostislav YaroslavichRostislav Yaroslavich was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Ivan...
of Snovsk (June 24, 1171 – after 1212 / before 1223); - Prince Yaropolk III YaroslavichYaropolk III YaroslavichYaropolk III Yaroslavich was a Rus' prince . He was prince of Novgorod .- His life :...
of Novgorod (? – after 1214 / before 1223); - Unnamed Yaroslavna, wife of prince Vladimir Glebovich of Pereyaslavl.
Ancestors
Sources
- Dimnik, Martin: The Dynasty of Chernigov - 1146-1246; Cambridge University Press, 2003, Cambridge; ISBN 978-0521-03981-9.
- Vernadsky, George: Kievan Russia; Yale University Press, 1948, New Haven and London; ISBN 0-300-01647-6.