At the peak of his power, Sviatoslav was the dominant political figure in Rus'. In addition to enjoying the loyalty of all the princes, he also maintained diplomatic and commercial relations with the Hungarians, the Poles and the imperial family in Constantinople.[135] Moreover, he was one of the most avid builders of his day. In Kiev he erected a new court, the church of St Vasilii, and restored the damaged St Sophia. In Chernigov, he built a second prince's court and the churches of St Michael and the Annunciation. Vsevolod Big Nest of Vladimir-Suzdal', David Rostislavich of Smolensk and Iaroslav Osmomysl of Galich used the Annunciation as the model for expanding their existing cathedrals and for building new ones.[136] During his reign, it seems, Chernigov grew to its maximum area to match if not to surpass Kiev in size.[137] Sviatoslav died in 1194 during the last week of July and was succeeded, according to their agreement, by Riurik.[138]
Riurik Rostislavich
The following year, Riurik invited David from Smolensk to help him distribute Kievan towns to their relatives. He demonstrated this deference towards his elder brother because, even as prince of Kiev, he was subordinate to David, the senior prince of the Rostislavichi. To his regret, in allocating the towns Riurik neglected Vsevolod Big Nest, whom the Rostislavichi had acknowledged as their senior prince. After Vsevolod threatened Riurik, he gave Vsevolod the towns that he had allotted to his son-in-law Roman Mstislavich of Volyn'. The latter was furious at the turn of events and formed a pact with Iaroslav Vsevolodovich of Chernigov.
Riurik, fearing that Iaroslav would depose him, asked Vsevolod to make Iaroslav pledge not to seize Kiev. What is more, he demanded that the Ol'govichi renounce the claims of their descendants. Iaroslav, proclaiming it to be a preposterous demand, refused to renounce the rights of future Ol'govichi to Kiev. He and Riurik therefore waged war until Vsevolod and David invaded the Chernigov lands. In 1197, Vsevolod, David and Iaroslav reached a settlement. The latter promised not to usurp Kiev from Riurik, but refused to forswear the future claims of his dynasty. While negotiating their agreement, the three senior princes also affirmed the Novgorodians' right to select a prince from whichever dynasty they chose. Moreover, they evidently granted the princes of Riazan' permission to create an autonomous eparchy independent of Chernigov. Riurik was not present at the deliberations and his demands, in particular that Iaroslav sever his pact with Roman, were largely ignored. Vsevolod's objective was to keep the Rostislavichi dependent on him for military assistance. After Iaroslav Vsevolodovich died in 1198,[139] however, Riurik formed an alliance with his successor Oleg Sviatoslavich.
The following year Roman seized Galich with Polish help. He therewith became one of the most powerful princes in the land. In 1202, he demonstrated his might by inflicting a crushing defeat on the Polovtsy and by evicting his father-in-law Riurik from Kiev. He gave it to his cousin Ingvar' Iaroslavich of Lutsk, whose father had ruled the town.[140] Roman himself was not a rightful claimant, even though he was of Mstislav's line, because he belonged to a younger generation than Riurik and Vsevolod Big Nest. The latter, however, learning from the fate of his father Iurii and the example of his brother Andrei, did not occupy Kiev. The Rostislavichi of Smolensk therefore remained the only claimants from the House of Monomakh. Nevertheless, Vsevolod, Roman and their sons would keep a watchful eye on the princes of Kiev and at times try to manipulate their appointments.
In 1203 Riurik, with Oleg of Chernigov and the Polovtsy, retaliated by attacking Kiev. Although he would capture it later on several more occasions, his sack of the town is of special significance. The chronicler claims it was the most horrendous devastation that Kiev had experienced since the Christiani- sation of Rus'.[141] That is, contrary to the views of many historians, it was greater than the havoc inflicted by Andrei Bogoliubskii's coalition. The following year, however, Roman gained the upper hand once again by forcing Riurik to enter a monastery.[142] Then, in 1205, after Roman was killed fighting with the Poles, Riurik reinstated himself in Kiev. [143]
Roman had maintained close ties with the Poles (his mother was a Pole) and Byzantium. After repudiating his first wife Predslava, Riurik's daughter, he married Anna, probably the daughter of Emperor Isaac II Angelus.[144] He also pursued an aggressive policy towards Galich, where he was the first prince to depose the sons of Iaroslav Osmomysl. This gave his own sons, Daniil and Vasil'ko, a claim to Galich because they had the right to sit on the throne of their father.[145] Significantly, he captured Galich with the help of boyars many of whom transferred their loyalties to his sons after his death. Unfortunately for the boys, however, they were still minors so that their father's untimely death created a political vacuum in south-western Rus'. They were challenged by princes from Volyn', Smolensk, Chernigov and by the Hungarians.
Vsevolod Big Nest and Vsevolod the Red
When Roman died Vsevolod Big Nest was at the zenith of his power. He avoided meddling in southern affairs and devoted his energies to consolidating his rule over the north-east. He was determined to subjugate the princes of Riazan' who, if allowed to join forces with their relatives in Chernigov, could pose a serious threat to his authority. To secure control of the trade coming from the Caspian Sea, he waged war against the Volga-Kama Bulgars and the Mordva tribes. He destroyed Polovtsian camps along the River Don and strengthened his defences along the middle Volga and the Northern Dvina rivers. Although he seized Novgorodian lands along the upper Volga, he failed to occupy Novgorod itself, where Mstislav Mstislavich 'the Bold' (Udaloi), a Rostislavich, was ensconced. Like Andrei, he pursued a centralising policy in his patrimony by stifling local opposition and by fortifying towns. He also built churches. One of the most striking was that of St Dmitrii in Vladimir, famous for its relief decorations. Finally, the existence of chronicle compilations, like those of his father Iurii and brother Andrei, testifies to flourishing literary activity during his reign.[146]
In 1204, the year before Roman's death, Oleg Sviatoslavich of Chernigov died and was succeeded by his brother Vsevolod 'the Red' (Chermnyi). Unlike most senior princes of Chernigov before him, he tried to seize Galich, but a family from the cadet branch foiled his plan. Igor' Sviatoslavich's sons (the Igorevichi), whose mother was the daughter of Iaroslav Osmomysl, accepted the Galicians' invitation to be their princes. After failing to seize Galich for his own family, but content that his relatives ruled it, Vsevolod expelled Riurik from Kiev. Later, he also evicted Iaroslav, the son of Vsevolod Big Nest, from Pereiaslavl'.[147] For the first time, therefore, an Ol'govich controlled, even if fleetingly, Chernigov, Kiev, Galich and Pereiaslavl'.
136
B. A. Rybakov, 'Drevnosti Chernigova', in N. N. Voronin (ed.),
137
Specialists have estimated that, at its zenith in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, Chernigov covered an area of some 400 to 450 hectares and was arguably the largest town in Rus'. Kiev encompassed some 360-80 hectares; see Volodymyr I. Mezentsev 'The Territorial and Demographic Development of Medieval Kiev and Other Major Cities of Rus': A Comparative Analysis Based on Recent Archaeological Research', RR 48 (1989): 161-9.
138
139
146
For Vsevolod, see Fennell,