Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, Prince of Kiev: image and characteristics

The figure of Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolovich - one of the most vivid and interesting among the princes of Russia XII century. At various times he ruled Turov, Vladimir-Volynsky, Novgorod-Seversky, Chernigov and Kiev. In military campaigns Svyatoslav bypassed all of Rus, visited the distant southern steppes and became a threat of nomadic Polovtsians.

early years

The future prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was born about 1123 in the family of Vsevolod Olgovich, who ruled in Chernigov, and then in Kiev. The point was that in the first half of the 12th century the former Old Russian state had finally disintegrated into a dozen of fortunes. Each of them was governed by a certain branch of the Rurik.

Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich belonged to the Olgovichi - the generic name that ruled in Chernigov so generalized. In his era, Kiev was still nominally considered the main city of Russia, and every major feudal family tried to establish control over it. Father Svyatoslav Vsevolod did it in 1139. He sent his son as governor first to Turov, and then to Vladimir-Volynsky. So the boy received the first princely experience.

Participation in civil strifes

Vsevolod Olgovich died in 1139. After his death, the armed struggle for the Kiev throne began. The former order, when the eldest son succeeded his father, was destroyed, and now several princes claimed the main Russian princedom. Vsevolod's successor was his brother Igor Olgovich. However, Izyaslav Mstislavovich, whose father also once ruled Kiev, was dissatisfied with this.

Who is Igor Kievan prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich? He was his uncle, so the nephew supported his relative. However, just a few months after his accession to the throne, Igor was deposed by Izyaslav, who sent him to the monastery. After some time, the monk was killed at the time of the popular unrest in Kiev.

Beginning to rule in the city Izyaslav Mstislavovich declared war Yuri Dolgoruky from Rostov-Suzdal principality. He also was not averse to establishing control over Kiev. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich in that conflict supported Izyaslav, who was his uncle by the maternal line, and gave him a lot of Volyn towns for his lot.

In Chernihiv

In the years 1157-1164. Svyatoslav ruled Novgorod-Seversky, and after the death of his uncle Svyatoslav Olgovich got Chernigov - the main destiny of his kind. The prince always was distinguished by an independent policy. In 1169, he did not support Andrei Bogolyubsky (from Vladimir) in his war against Kiev. The result of that campaign was the unprecedented plundering of an ancient and rich city.

Against Kiev (where Mstislav Izyaslavovich ruled), a whole coalition of princes united. It included the closest relatives of Svyatoslav - cousins Igor and Oleg Seversky, and only one Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich refused to participate in civil strife.

After the devastation, Kiev no longer played the leading role in Russia (it passed to the cities of Rostov and Vladimir), but remained an apple of discord for the numerous southern princes. In 1173, the city began to claim Jaroslav Iziaslavovich. Svyatoslav did not support him, and he took the town for a short while. In response to this, Oleg's cousin, who besieged Starodub fortress, went to war with him.

Svyatoslav also did not sit idly by and seized Novgorod-Seversky. Only at the very last moment the conflict did not turn into a large-scale internecine war. Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich left Kiev, still yielding to his Yaroslav Izyaslavovich, returned to Chernigov and reconciled with his cousin.

Conflict with Rostislavich

Like other southern princes, Svyatoslav was in a state of constant war with the Polovtsi, arranging devastating raids on the border towns and villages. In 1176 the coalition of several Rurik people was defeated by the steppe people, which led to new destructive robberies. Svyatoslav, who did not participate in that campaign, demanded that the next Kiev prince Roman Rostislavovich deprive his younger brother Davydov of the fate of the unfortunate outcome of the battle against the nomads.

The ruler of the ancient capital refused to punish his closest relative. Instead, Roman himself was forced to give Svyatoslav Kiev. Soon Chernigov prince really moved to the banks of the Dnieper. However, in a new place, he was in an extremely uncomfortable position. Although Svyatoslav and owned Kiev, the rest of the Kiev land with many fortresses and towns belonged to several brothers Rostislavichi, who owned, in addition, also Smolensk.

Temporary loss of Kyiv

In 1180, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Kiev began the war against Rostislavich. He attacked the city of David, but he himself for a time lost Kiev, where in his absence Rurik rode (also Rostislavich). Although Svyatoslav ruled the banks of the Dnieper for several years, he was guided primarily by the interests of his native Chernigov princedom. That is why the loss of Kiev did not hit hard on the possibilities of the monarch.

Returning to Chernigov, the prince began to prepare for the continuation of the war with Rostislavich. However, unexpectedly, he had a new opponent - Vsevolod the Big Nest, who ruled in Vladimir. This prince declared war against Ryazan ruler Roman Glebovich - ally and son-in-law of Svyatoslav.

Ambassadors arrived from Chernigov to Vsevolod, who tried to settle the conflict. At the head of the delegation was the son of Svyatoslav Gleb. Vsevolod captured the prince's prisoner, which in fact was a declaration of war. In the subsequent events, the characteristic of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was clearly manifested. He was not afraid of war with several principalities at once, and decided to take the initiative first.

Trekking in North-Eastern Russia

Vsevolod could only be punished by attacking his own lands. So Svyatoslav did, starting in 1181 his famous Northern Expedition, during which he led the army overcame the path of 2 thousand kilometers. The campaign was attended by all of the next of kin, which only had Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. Prince Trubchevsky, Prince Seversky, Prince Kursky and the rest of the Olgovichi rose under the same banner.

Part of the united army Svyatoslav left in Chernigov in case of an attack by Rurik Rostislavich. The main forces moved toward Vladimir. The troops of Vsevolod and Svyatoslav met on the opposite banks of Vleni. Battles never happened. The Prince of Vladimir fortified himself in the mountains, where it was extremely inconvenient to attack him. Vsevolod himself did not take any active measures. As a result, due to the onset of spring Svyatoslav turned in the opposite direction, on the road after betraying the fire to a small town of Dmitrov.

Again in Kiev

After leaving the North-East Russia, the Chernigov army went to the city of Drutsk, where Davyd Rostislavich was besieged. The prince managed to escape, but after that Svyatoslav entered the city without any struggle, where he became the prince and was ruled until his death. He gave Chernigov to his brother Yaroslav.

The last event of that internecine war was the battle between the squads of Svyatoslav and Rurik. Rostislavich won. Thus, the status quo was restored. Rurik acknowledged that Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was Prince of Kiev, but he retained the whole of Kiev land, except for the capital itself. With Vsevolod the Big Nest was also concluded peace. In 1183 the army of Svyatoslav participated in the campaign of the Vladimir prince in Volga Bulgaria.

War with the Polovtsians

Finally becoming the prince of Kiev, Svyatoslav focused on combating the main threat to the peaceful life of Rus - the Polovtsians. The internecine wars only aggravated the situation - the nomads gladly participated in conflicts as mercenaries or attacked defenseless lands while the Rurikovichs were busy clarifying their relationship. At that time the strongest Polovtsian khans were Kobyak and Konchak. Svyatoslav declared war on them. In 1184, he led a coalition of several princes (which included, among others, Rurik Rostislavich) defeated the steppe on the bank of the river Khorol. At the head of the hordes of Polovtsians was Konchak. He only miraculously managed to escape and avoid death.

Less fortunate Khan Kobyak. His horde was also defeated in that successful campaign of the Russian squad. The second victory Svyatoslav won on the river Oreli. Kobyak was captured and later executed in Kiev. After the events of 1185 the Polovtsy no longer invaded the prince's lands. Their hordes appeared in Russia only if they were recruited by the Rurikovichi who took part in the internecine strife.

Despite Svyatoslav's victory, sad news soon arrived in Kiev. His cousin Igor, who ruled in Novgorod-Seversky, decided to keep up with his relative and set out on his own independent campaign in the steppe. In 1185, the Polovtsy broke this squad, and the prince himself was taken prisoner. Soon Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich learned about the fate of his cousin. "The Lay of Igor's Regiment" (the main work of ancient Russian literature) tells about the events of that unsuccessful campaign. Svyatoslav, as the opposite of an unlucky relative, is depicted in the poem as a wise ruler and patriarch of all the southern princes.

Last years

In 1187, the Galician prince Yaroslav Osmomysl died . After his death, the struggle for the destinies of South-Western Russia became acute. The conflict was complicated by the fact that Hungarian King Bel III interfered with it. He took Galich and offered to transfer this rich city to the son of Svyatoslav Gleb.

The Prince of Kiev was about to give his consent, but Rurik Rostislavich did not like this development. The friction between him and Svyatoslav led to the fact that the son of Yaroslav Osmomysl Vladimir, who considered Vsevolod the Big Nest as his defender, was temporarily established in Halych.

Shortly before his death, Svyatoslav came into conflict with the Ryazan princes, with whom the Ol'govichi had border disputes. Wars, however, did not happen. Ryazanshchina was in the sphere of influence of Vsevolod the Big Nest. He refused to give Svyatoslav his consent to the appearance of his squad near their borders. As a result, in 1194 the prince of Kiev abolished the planned campaign and soon died. The death of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, which was the guarantee of the stability and tranquility of Southern Russia, led to another internecine war between the Olgovichi and Rostislavichi.