Galicia Volyn principality years of existence. Galicia-Volyn principality: the history of the Russian outskirts. The state system of the Galicia-Volyn principality

SAINT PETERSBURG UNIVERSITY

Department: Stories

Subject: Domestic history

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Theme: "Galicia-Volyn principality"

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Chernyavsky Dmitry Yurievich

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Introduction

Conclusion

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Introduction

The history of the Fatherland, the history of Russia, sets itself the goal of showing the place and role of its peoples in world development, helping us to comprehend our special place in a long line of human generations. Who we are, where are our historical roots, what place our people occupy in the history of Europe and Asia, what are their relations with other countries and peoples. What did the people of Russia give to the world and what did they receive from it.

History should give us precise guidelines for our own people. It should cause our respect and admiration for his worthy deeds and feelings of regret and condemnation of his bad and shameful deeds. History must and can give a calm and honest answer to the question - what constitutes pride and glory in the life path of peoples, and what constitutes dishonor and disgrace. Past generations invisibly stretch out their hands to us. They pass on to us not only their labor skills, experience, achievements, their acquisitions, successes - material and spiritual, cultural, but also their mistakes, miscalculations, failures, misfortunes and sorrows. All this left its mark in history and was inherited by people living today. And we, having accepted something of their past and rejected something, we ourselves leave as a legacy to future generations our achievements, our mistakes and shortcomings.

The history of Russia gives us the opportunity to know the process of creating human society on the territory of our Fatherland, to identify the stages of development of this process over the centuries, to compare this development with the entire course of human movement, to enrich our memory, our mind with knowledge of the laws of this development.

To know the past means in many respects to understand the present and to foresee the future. Truly, as the ancient Romans said, "history is the teacher of life."

1. Grand dukes of the Galicia-Volyn principality

In the second half of the 12th century, the most notable figures on the political horizon of Galicia-Volyn Rus were the descendants of Rostislav and Monomakh. Let's name five princes here: the princes of Galicia - the grandson of Rostislav Vladimir Volodarevich, his son, Yaroslav Osmomysl, famous for the Tale of Igor's Campaign, Yaroslav's cousin - Ivan Berladnik, as well as the Volyn princes of the descendants of Monomakh - his great-great-grandson Roman Mstislavich of Volyn and his son Daniil .

Thanks to the exceptionally fertile chernozem soil, feudal landownership arose relatively early and flourished here. It is precisely for Southwestern Russia that the powerful boyars, often opposing themselves to the princes, are especially characteristic. Numerous forestry and fishing industries were developed here, and skilled artisans worked. Slate spindle whorls from the local city of Ovruch dispersed throughout the country. Salt deposits were also important for the region.

In the middle of the 12th century, in the Galician principality, which by that time had become independent and separated from Volhynia, the first great princely turmoil began, behind which the interests of both boyar groups and urban strata were visible. The townspeople of Galich, taking advantage of the departure of their prince Vladimir Volodarevich for hunting, invited him to the city in 1144 to reign his nephew from the younger branch of the same Rostislavichs, Ivan Rostislavich, who reigned in the small town of Zvenigorod. Judging by the later affairs of this prince, he proved himself to be a ruler close to the broad urban strata, and his invitation instead of the eccentric and pugnacious Vladimir Volodarevich was quite natural. Vladimir besieged Galich, but the townspeople stood up for their chosen one, and only the inequality of forces and the lack of military experience among the townspeople tilted the cup in favor of the Galician prince. Ivan fled to the Danube, where he settled in the Berlady region, which is why he received the nickname Berladnik. Vladimir occupied Galich and brutally cracked down on the rebellious townspeople.

After long wanderings, Ivan Berladnik once again tried to return to Galich. The chronicle reports that the smerds openly went over to his side, but he faced strong princely opposition. By this time, his opponent Vladimir Volodarevich had already died, but the throne of Galicia passed to his son - the energetic, intelligent and militant Yaroslav Osmomysl, who was married to the daughter of Yuri Dolgoruky Olga. About Yaroslav Osmomysl, the Slovo says that he "supported with his iron regiments" the Ugrian (Carpathian) mountains. The rulers of Hungary and Poland rose up against Ivan, and the princes of Chernigov also harassed his head. And he received support from the Kiev prince, who in those years sought to weaken his opponent Yaroslav Osmomysl, who was supported by Yuri Dolgoruky.

Under Yaroslav, the Principality of Galicia reached its peak, was famous for its wealth, developed international relations, especially with Hungary, Poland, Byzantium. True, this was not easy for Yaroslav Osmomysl, and the author of The Tale of Igor's Campaign, talking about his successes and power, omits the political difficulties that this prince had to experience in the fight against the boyar clans. At first he fought with Ivan Berladnik. Later, his son Vladimir rebelled against him, who, together with his mother, the daughter of Yuri Dolgoruky and prominent Galician boyars, fled to Poland. Behind this rebellion one can clearly read the confrontation of the self-willed Galician boyars against the policy of Yaroslav Osmomysl, who sought to centralize power based on the "junior squad" and the townspeople, who suffered from the willfulness of the boyars.

The Galician boyars, who remained in the city, persuaded Vladimir to return and promised help in the fight against his father. And indeed, during the boyar conspiracy, Yaroslav Osmomysl was taken into custody and released only after he "kissed the cross" on the fact that he would show loyalty to his wife and son. However, the struggle between Yaroslav and Vladimir continued for a long time. Vladimir fled, ended up in Novgorod - Seversky with his sister Efrosinya Yaroslavna, Igor's wife, participated in the unsuccessful Polovtsian campaign of the Seversky prince. He returned to Galich only after the death of his father in 1187, but was soon expelled from there by the boyars.

If the Galician principality was firmly in the hands of the Rostislavichs, then the descendants of Monomakh were firmly seated in the Volyn principality. Monomakh's grandson Izyaslav Mstislavich ruled here. Then the Monomakhovichi divided the Volyn principality into several smaller principalities that were part of the Volyn principality.

By the end of the 12th century, in this principality, as in other large principalities - states, the desire for unification, for the centralization of power, began to be seen. This line manifested itself especially clearly under Prince Roman Mstislavich. Relying on the townspeople, on small landowners, he resisted the willfulness of the boyar clans, subjugated the specific princes with an imperious hand. Under him, the Volyn principality turned into a strong and relatively unified state. Now Roman Mstislavich began to lay claim to the whole of Western Russia. He took advantage of the strife among the rulers of Galich after the death of Yaroslav Osmomysl and tried to reunite the Galician and Volhynian principalities under his rule. At first, he succeeded, but the Hungarian king joined the internecine struggle, who managed to capture Galich and expelled Roman from there. His rival, Osmomysl's son Vladimir, was captured, exiled to Hungary, and imprisoned there in a tower. But soon the enterprising prince escaped from captivity, descending the ropes to his friends waiting with horses. He appeared in Germany under Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and, with the support of German and Polish troops, again reigned in Galicia. And only after his death in 1199, Roman Mstislavich again united and now for a long time Volyn and Galich. In the future, he became the Grand Duke of Kiev, turning into the owner of a vast territory equal to the German Empire.

Roman, like Yaroslav Osmomysl, continued the policy of centralization of power, suppressed boyar separatism, and promoted the development of cities. Similar aspirations were visible in the policy of the emerging centralized power in France, England, and other European countries. The rulers of large Russian principalities in this sense followed the same path as other countries, relying on growing cities and small landowners dependent on them. It was this layer that became in Europe, and later in Russia, the basis of the nobility - the support of the central government. But if in Europe this process went naturally, then in Russia it was interrupted at the very beginning by the devastating Tatar-Mongol invasion.

The policy of Roman Mstislavich was continued by his son Monomakhovich in the fifth generation Daniil Romanovich. He lost his father in 1205 when he was only four years old. The Galician-Volyn boyars immediately raised their heads. The princess with a minor heir fled the principality, leaving her palace through an underground passage, and found shelter in Poland. And the boyars invited the sons of Igor Seversky to Galich, which has now become the capital city of the united principality. During the civil strife, the principality again split into a number of destinies, which allowed Hungary to conquer it. The princes Igorevich continued their struggle for power, in the fire of which many boyar families, townspeople, peasants died, and two of the Igorevichs were also hanged.

In 1211, Daniel returned to Galich, but not for long - the boyars again drove him out of the city with his mother. The boyars put a protege from their councils at the head of the principality, which caused discontent among all the Rurikoviches. Only in 1221, Daniil of Galicia first regained the throne of Volhynia, and a few years before the Tatar-Mongol invasion, in 1234, he established himself in Galich. Only in 1238, Daniel Romanovich established his authority over the Galicia-Volyn land. In 1240, having occupied Kiev, Daniel managed to unite South-Western Russia and Kiev land. He was known as a brave and talented commander. His personal bravery was legendary.

During these years of struggle against the willful and wealthy Galician boyars, Daniel relied on the townspeople, the "junior squad", like other Russian princes - centralizers. One of his assistants advised Daniil: “Lord, if you don’t crush the bees, don’t eat honey,” that is, you can’t hold on to power without cracking down on the boyars.

But even after the approval of Daniel in the principality, the boyars continued to fight against his policy of centralization of power, entered into an agreement with either Hungary or Poland, and undermined the political and military might of the principality.

2. Galicia-Volyn land in the XII - XIII centuries.

In the extreme South-West of Ancient Russia, there were Galician and Volyn lands: Galician - in the Carpathian region, and Volyn - in its neighborhood along the banks of the Bug. And Galicia, and Volyn, and sometimes only the Galician land was often called Chervonnaya (i.e. Red) Rus, after the city of Cherven in Galich. The Galicia-Volyn principality was formed on the basis of the lands of the former Vladimir-Volyn principality, which was located on the western and southwestern borders of Russia. In the XI - XII centuries. in Vladimir-Volynsky, minor princes ruled, sent here by the great Kievan princes.

Galicia-Volyn land was located in places exceptionally favorable for economy, trade, political contracts with the outside world. Its borders approached on one side the foothills of the Carpathians and rested on the course of the Danube. From here it was a stone's throw to Hungary, Bulgaria, to the trade route along the Danube to the Center of Europe, to the Balkan countries and Byzantium. From the north, northeast and east, these lands embraced the possessions of the Kiev principality, which protected it from the onslaught of the mighty Rostov-Suzdal princes.

There were rich black soils in wide river valleys, as well as vast forests fertile for commercial activities, and significant deposits of rock salt, which was exported to neighboring countries. On the territory of the Galicia-Volyn land, large cities arose and flourished. This is Vladimir - Volynsky, named after Vladimir 1. For many years it was the residence of the grand ducal governors. Galich, who grew up on the salt trade, was also located here, where in the middle of the 12th century a powerful and independent boyars and active urban strata were formed. The centers of local specific principalities grew noticeably, where the descendants of Rostislav, the son of the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise Vladimir, who died early, "sat". Rostislav Vladimirovich was given the insignificant Vladimir-Volynsky for life. And now the Rostislavichs owned Przemysl, Dorogobuzh, Terebovl, Buzhesk, Turiysk, Cherven, Lutsk, Kholm. These cities were rich and beautiful, they had a lot of stone buildings, almost all of them were well fortified, had powerful citadels - fortresses. Once upon a time, many of these cities were conquered from Poland, first by Vladimir, and then by Yaroslav the Wise. Convenient geographical position (neighborhood with Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic) allowed for active foreign trade. In addition, the lands of the principality were relatively safe from nomads. As in Vladimir-Suzdal Rus, there was a significant economic upswing.

Volyn land, with its center in Volodymyr Volynsky, began to separate itself before anyone else. The Vladimir-Volyn principality for a long time passed from the power of one prince to another, until in 1134 the grandson of Vladimir Monomakh Izyaslav Mstislavich reigned here. He became the founder of the local princely dynasty.

Later, the Galician land with its center in Galicia became isolated. Initially, it was only part of the possessions of the father, son of Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir, who died during his lifetime, and the son of the latter, Rostislav. Only in the XII century. under Vladimir Volodarevich (1141 - 1152) the Galician lands became independent from Kiev, and this principality achieved special power under the son of Vladimir Yaroslav Osmomysl. However, it was under this prince that feudal strife began to tear the land apart. To fight against Yaroslav Osmomysl, who was trying to establish a strong power, the boyars took advantage of his complicated family affairs. The boyars managed to arrest Yaroslav, and his mistress Nastasya was burned at the stake. In the end, Yaroslav nevertheless won this fight, and appointed Oleg "Nastasyich" as his heir. However, after Yaroslav's death, the boyars succeeded in expelling Oleg and proclaiming Yaroslav's lawful son Vladimir a prince. But they did not get along with Vladimir either, since the prince, according to the chronicle, "does not like thoughts with his husbands." Foreign forces also intervened in the internecine struggle. The Hungarian king placed his son Andrei on the Galician throne, and took Vladimir away to prison in Hungary. However, Vladimir managed to escape to the court of the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and, having returned, reigned again.

Already during these internecine strife, many of the boyars were thinking about a new ruler: Vladimir-Volyn Prince Roman Mstislavich. After the death of Vladimir (1199), Roman Mstislavich was proclaimed Prince of Galicia. Thus, the unification of the Vladimir-Volyn and Galician principalities into a single Galician-Volyn principality, one of the largest principalities of the Russian land, took place.

The outstanding commander Roman Mstislavich managed to stop the boyar strife for a while, he occupied Kiev and assumed the title of Grand Duke, maintained peaceful relations with Byzantium and established peace with Hungary. However, pursuing an active foreign policy, he intervened in the civil strife of the Polish princes (of whom he was a relative) and in 1205 he died in a battle with his cousin, Prince Leshk Bely of Krakow. A new strife began in the Galicia-Volyn principality: after all, the heir to the princely throne, Daniel, was only 4 years old. The boyars seized power.

One of the boyars, Volodislav Kormilichich, even became a prince for some time, which was a complete violation of all the customs that existed then in the Russian land. This is the only case of the reign of a boyar.

The strife led to the actual fragmentation of the Galicia-Volyn principality into a number of separate small destinies, constantly at war with each other. Polovtsian, Polish, Hungarian troops helped rivals, robbing, taking into slavery, and even killing the local population. Intervened in Galicia-Volyn affairs and the princes of other lands of Russia. And yet, by 1238, Daniel managed to crack down on the boyar opposition. He became one of the most powerful princes of Russia. Kiev also obeyed his will. In 1245, Daniel Romanovich defeated the combined forces of Hungary, Poland, the Galician boyars and the Chernigov principality, thereby completing the struggle to restore the unity of the principality. The boyars were weakened, many boyars were exterminated, and their lands passed to the Grand Duke. However, the Batu invasion, and then the Horde yoke, disrupted the economic and political development of this land.

Conclusion

Galicia-Volyn Rus was in special climatic conditions. The mild climate and fertile lands have always attracted a mass of agricultural population here. At the same time, this flourishing land was constantly subjected to raids by neighbors - Poles, Hungarians, steppe dwellers - nomads. In addition, an extremely strong boyars formed early here, which not only oppressed the farmers, but also fiercely fought for power with the local princes. Only in 1199, with great difficulty, Roman Mstislavich managed to unite Galicia and Volhynia under his rule. After his death in 1205, the boyars seized power in the principality, for a long time turning it into a series of small, hostile destinies. Only in 1238, after a fierce struggle, Roman's son and heir Daniel returned power and became one of the most powerful Russian princes. In 1240, Daniel managed to unite southwestern Russia and Kiev land. However, in the same year, the Galicia-Volyn principality was ravaged by the Mongol-Tatars, and 100 years later these lands became part of Lithuania (Volyn) and Poland (Galych).

Galician Volyn principality prince

Used Books

1.History of Russia from ancient times to 1861, Pavlenko N.I., Moscow, 2001

2.Formation of the state territory of North-Eastern Russia in the X-XIX centuries. Kuchkin V.A., Moscow, 1984

.Kievan Rus and Russian principalities of the 12th - 13th centuries, Rybakov B.A., Moscow, 1982

.History of Russia, Orlov A.S., Moscow, 2004

.Old Russian principalities of the 10th - 13th centuries, Moscow, 1975

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After the collapse of Kievan Rus in the XII century. on regional formations, the Galicia-Volyn principality took over the state traditions of Russia. Despite the devastating wars, these lands also did not bypass; stabilization of economic and political development was observed on the territory of the principality. In the Galician and Volyn lands, the population increased, the economic potential increased, and economic relations developed. In 1199, the principalities with similar economic and cultural conditions, political and economic relations united into the Galicia-Volyn state under the leadership of the Galician prince Roman Mstislavich, a descendant of Vladimir Monomakh and the last representative of the Rostislavich dynasty. Prince Roman was the first in the history of the Old Russian state to introduce special appeals to the ruler - "Grand Duke" and "ruler of all Russia."

The peculiarity of the internal political situation of the Galicia-Volyn principality was increased in comparison with most other Russian lands, dependence on external factors. This followed from the geographical location of the state, bordering on European state entities (Poland, Lithuania and Hungary). This circumstance, on the one hand, increased the vulnerability of the state to an external threat, and on the other hand, it made it possible to actively participate in the political processes of Central and Eastern Europe, and also influenced the development of the Galicia-Volyn state. Territorial proximity contributed to intensive comparison with other principalities, the assimilation of the spiritual values ​​of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

Roman Mstislavovich led an active foreign policy through wars with the Polovtsians and Lithuanians. On the way to Saxony, he died in an accidental skirmish with the troops of the Krakow prince Leshka the White near Zavihost on the Vistula (1205).

After the death of Roman, boyar groups did not allow the widow Anna and his young sons Daniil and Vasilko to power. They invited foreign conquerors - Poles and Hungarians. In 1214, the Hungarians and their allies proclaimed Koloman, a young Hungarian prince, who married the two-year-old Polish princess Salome, the ruler of the Galicia-Volyn principality.

The descendants of Roman did not accept the loss of the throne and began to fight against the conquerors, relying on the support of friendly Russian princes, part of the boyars and the urban strata of the population (merchants and artisans). Help was provided by the Novgorod prince Mstislav Udaloy, who, together with Daniil Romanovich (married to his daughter), successfully repelled the offensive of the Hungarian and Polish troops. However, later Mstislav transferred the reign not to Daniil, but to the younger Hungarian prince Andrei, who was married to Mstislav's second daughter. After persistent efforts, in 1229 Daniel united the Volyn principality, from where he launched an offensive against the Galician land.

1230 Daniil Romanovich managed to oust the Hungarians from Galich, but he could not stay in the city. A new attempt was made in 1233. The Hungarian king Bela recognized the reign in Galicia of the protege of the boyars of the Chernigov prince Rostislav Mikhailovich. In the end, as a result of a long struggle, Daniel of Galicia managed to defeat the groups of Galician and Przemysl boyars who supported the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1238, Daniel finally conquered Galich. He left Volyn to his younger brother Vasilkov, in all important matters he acted together with Daniel. Shortly before the destruction of Kiev by Batu, Daniel fortified himself in the city. In general, this war can be considered a liberation war for the revival of the independence and territorial unity of the Galicia-Volyn principality.

In the early 40s of the XIII century. the main threat to the Galician-Volyn state was the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. Prince Daniel tried to reduce the threat using a combination of military and diplomatic means. At the end of the 30s of the XIII century. Daniel of Galicia managed to establish peaceful relations with his neighbors by marrying his son to the daughter of Bela IX, King of Hungary. The prince made considerable efforts to protect the country's borders from the Mongol invasion. Stone fortresses, strong castles, which were built immediately after the invasion of the Mongols, contributed to a decrease in the number of robberies compared to other principalities.

The Galicia-Volyn principality suffered from the Mongol invasion relatively less than other principalities, although the Mongols managed to capture Galich and Zvenigorod, while Danilov and Kremenets survived. To strengthen security, the prince moved the capital to the west to Kholm, then to Lvov. 1245 the army of Daniel of Galicia won a battle with the army of the Hungarian king and his allies near the city of Yaroslav on the river. Sanya. The Battle of Yaroslavl stopped the aggression of the Kingdom of Hungary north of the Carpathians for a long time and contributed to the rapprochement of former enemies. Around 1250, friendly relations were established between Daniel and the Hungarian king Bela I, which were cemented by the marriage of Danilov's son Leo with Bela's daughter Constance. Daniel counted on the help of the Hungarians, but this was not enough and the prince was forced to show obedience to the Golden Horde. So, after the 1259 Horde commander Burundai moved to Volyn with a huge army, Daniil and Vasilko were defeated and forced to submit to the Mongols, agreeing to destroy the fortifications of the largest cities as proof that they submitted to the Horde. Only the capital Hill did not submit and retained its fortifications.

Daniil Galitsky's domestic and foreign policy contributed to his popularity in the eyes of the world community. The courtiers of the European crowned persons considered it an honor to have connections with the Galicia-Volyn prince. After the death of the last Austrian duke from the Babenberg dynasty, Daniel's son Roman married Gertrude Babenberg and, with the help of the Hungarian king, tried to seize the ducal throne of Austria. However, this attempt was unsuccessful; after a long struggle, the Habsburg dynasty established itself here in 1282.

In 1254, a significant event took place in the history of Ukrainian statehood: Pope Innocent IX crowned Daniel in the town of Dorogochin in Podlachie. This act confirmed the recognition of the Galicia-Volyn principality as a subject of international law and part of the Western world. Western European chronicles called the Principality of Galicia-Volyn a kingdom long before Dorogochin's coronation, therefore, by sending Danila a crown as a gift, the Pope simply recognized the existing realities. The relationship of the Kholmsky court with Rome was predominantly political in nature. However, the Pope could not provide concrete assistance against the Horde, so Daniel's relationship with Rome did not lead to a stable alliance.

After the death of Daniel of Galicia (1264), his son Shvarno Danilovich united the Galician principality with Lithuania for a short time. Lev Danilovich (died 1301), who inherited Lvov and Przemysl, and after the death of Shvarn - Kholm and Galich, significantly expanded his possessions, adding to them the Lublin land and part of Transcarpathia with Mukachevo. In Vladimir, Vladimir Vasilkovich (1271 - 1289 pp.) ruled at that time, in Lutsk - Mstislav Danilovich, and from 1289 in Vladimir.

At the beginning of the XIV century. The Volyn and Galician principalities again united under the head of the prince, the son of Leo - Yuri I. Taking advantage of the internal rebellions in the Golden Horde, the Galicia-Volyn principality was able for some time to again move the southern borders of its possessions to the lower reaches of the Dniester and the Southern Bug. Evidence of the power of Yuri I was that he, like Daniel, took the royal title, calling himself the king of Russia (that is, the Galician land) and Prince Vladimir (Volhynia). He obtained from the Patriarch of Constantinople the establishment of the Galician Metropolis, in which several dioceses belonged - Vladimir, Lutsk, Przemysl, Kholm, Turov-Pinsk (earlier, Russia was part of one metropolis - Kiev). The formation of the Galician Metropolis contributed to the development of traditional culture and helped to protect the political independence of the united principality. The first Galician Metropolitan Peter Ratensky subsequently became the first Metropolitan of Moscow.

In 1308-1323 pp. in the Galicia-Volyn principality, the sons of Yuri, Leo II and Andrei, ruled. In the international arena, the Galicia-Volyn principality was oriented towards an alliance with the Teutonic Order. This was useful both to ensure trade with the Baltics, and in a situation where Lithuanian pressure on the northern outskirts of the principality was becoming more and more tangible. A letter of Andrei and Leo 1316 has been preserved confirming the alliance with the Order, to which the Galician-Volyn princes promised protection from the Golden Horde. So, although the Galicia-Volyn principality should recognize the formal dependence on the Horde, in fact it conducted an independent foreign policy. The Polish king Vladislav Loketka called his eastern neighbors princes Andrei and Leo "an insurmountable shield against the cruel tribe of Tatars." However, blocking the Horde's access to the lands of its western neighbors, the Galicia-Volyn principality suffered from the devastating campaigns of the Horde. An exhausting struggle with external enemies, acute internal conflicts between princes and boyars, and internecine wars weakened the Galicia-Volyn principality. Neighboring states took advantage of this, they suffered much less from the Horde hard times. After the death of the last Galician-Volyn prince Yuri II (April 7, 1340, he was poisoned in Vladimir Volynsky), the Polish king Casimir III attacked Lvov, robbed the prince's palace, but was soon forced to retreat. The boyar Dmitry Dedko became the ruler of the Galician land, and the prince of Lithuanian origin Lubart (Dmitry) Gediminovich, who adopted the language and customs of the local population, strengthened in Volhynia.

In the struggle for the Galician lands, which went on with varying success, the sympathies of the majority of the Galicians were on the side of Lubart. Yet the forces were too unequal. 1349 Poland again captured Galicia-Kholmsk and the Przemysl principalities, and the Polish king Casimir proclaimed himself the ruler of the Kingdom of Russia, that is, Galicia. The Grand Duke of Lithuania Algirdas (Olgerd Gediminovich), taking advantage of the weakening of the Golden Horde, in the 60s of the XIV century. subjugated other Ukrainian lands - Podolia, Kiev, Pereyaslavshchina. Galician principality from 1370 was under the rule of the Kingdom of Hungary, but in 1372 - 1378 and 1385 - 1387 pp. here ruled as a vassal of the Hungarian king, the Germanized prince from Silesia Vladislav of Opolsky. He strove for independence from Hungary and even began to mint a coin in Lvov with the coat of arms of Galicia and his own name. During the reign of Vladislav Opolsky, state power belonged to foreigners, and the local boyars were relegated to secondary positions. A different situation developed in Volyn under the rule of Dmitry-Lubart Gediminovich, where the traditions of the previous day were largely preserved. 1387 Galician land and the western part of ancient Volhynia (Kholmshchyna) were captured by Poland for a long time. The lands between the Dniester and the Prut, the former Principality of Galicia-Volyn, as well as the territory of modern Bukovina, were part of the Moldavian Principality, formed precisely at that time.

In general, the successors of Daniil Romanovich managed not only to maintain state independence, but also to obtain a number of lands.

However, the constant exhausting struggle with internal and external enemies eventually weakened the Galicia-Volyn state, which its enemies immediately took advantage of. At the end of the XIV century. the lands of the principality were divided among themselves by Poland, Lithuania, Hungary and Moldova.

So, the Kiev-Galician historical era of the development of Ukrainian statehood grew into the Galicia-Volyn XIII century. (and not in Vladimir-Moscow) and the next - Lithuanian-Russian-Polish XIV-XVI centuries. statehood. "Vladimir Muscovite state was neither the heir nor the successor of Kiev, it grew on its own roots, and Kiev's relationship to it could rather be equated with the relationship of the Roman state to its Gallic provinces, rather than accepting two periods in the political and cultural life of France. Kiev government transplanted into the Great Russian lands forms of socio-political structure, law, culture, developed by historical life in Kiev, but on this basis it is still impossible to include the Kiev state in the history of the Great Russian people.The ethnographic and historical proximity of the Ukrainian-Russian people to the Great Russian should not be a reason for their mixing - they lived their lives for their historical abilities and meet, "wrote M. Grushevsky.

In Soviet times, such an opinion was crushingly criticized by Soviet historiography. It is criticized even now by Moscow scientists, some of whom call this concept "Galician" or even "American" (?). It is clear that such pseudoscientific labels are far from objective realities and historical justification.

Now in Ukrainian historical science, the first sprouts of new approaches to this global problem of the history of the East Slavic world have appeared: it was proposed to single out in it in the first centuries of the second millennium AD. e. four parts: Kiev

Russia (actually the southern Russian principalities), the Novgorod Republic, the Russian North and the central Russian principalities - the Volga region.

• Grushevsky M. The usual scheme of "Russian" history and the matter of the rational way of the history of the Eastern Slavs // Articles on Slavic Studies (Edited by Academician V.I. Lamansky). - St. Petersburg, 1904. - S.299-300.

Galicia-Volyn principality. In Southwestern Russia, on the border with Poland and Hungary in the foothills of the Carpathians, near Byzantium, the Balkans, the Danube trade route, the Galicia-Volyn principality was formed.

Here, since the time of the unified Old Russian state, large and rich cities have appeared: Vladimir-Volynsky, Galich, Przemysl, Lutsk, Kholm, Dorogobuzh, Nerven, Buzhesk and others. These were well-fortified centers with powerful citadel, stone buildings and temples. In these cities, a layer of wealthy citizens has formed. In the Galicia-Volyn land, a wealthy boyars also developed, which had vast lands. The boyars relied on their numerous combatants and eventually began to compete with the princes. It was not easy for the princes to manage such a region. At first, Rostislav Vladimirovich, the grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, and his children, the Rostislavichs, reigned here. Then other grandchildren joined them, and among them the young Vladimir Monomakh.

Vladimir Monomakh, having already become the Grand Duke, held the Volyn land behind him with an imperious hand, preventing the Rostislavichs from becoming its full masters. Later, a struggle began between the descendants of Monomakh and the Rostislavichs.
In the middle of the XII century. the Principality of Galicia separated from the Principality of Volhynia with its center in Galich, a young, rich commercial and industrial city. The rich tops of the city and the boyars had especially great power here. The struggle of the princes among themselves, as well as the confrontation between the princely power and the boyar groups, in which the urban population took an active part, led to long and severe unrest in the Galician land.

And yet, it was the Galicia-Volyn land, earlier than other Russian principalities, that began to emerge from a state of political confusion, and the princely government, relying on the support of the urban population, tried to appease the self-will of the boyar groups.

Galician principality reached great power in the 60-80s. XII century, during the time of the great-grandson of Rostislav Yaroslav, who had the nickname Osmomysl.

He was married to the daughter of Yuri Dolgoruky, and therefore always had the support of the mighty Rostov-Suzdal princes. Yaroslav Osmomysl, relying on the younger squad, fought desperately with the masterful boyars. He experienced considerable difficulties along the way, went into exile and even ended up in prison. But in the end he managed to crush opponents and strengthen the authority of princely power. Under him, the centralization of the principality and the cessation of internal strife began. The Principality was famous for its wealth, developed international relations, especially with Hungary, Poland, Byzantium. About Yaroslav Osmomysl, the author of The Tale of Igor's Campaign says that he "propped up with his iron regiments" the Ugrian mountains, that is, the Carpathians.

In the Volyn principality, power was firmly in the hands of the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh. Over time, the principality was fragmented into separate small possessions - destinies. But by the end of the XII century. in this principality, as in other large principalities, the desire to unite the lands, to centralize power in one hand, began to be seen.

This was especially pronounced under Prince Roman Mstislavich, the great-great-grandson of Vladimir Monomakh. Relying, like Yaroslav Osmomysl, on the townspeople, the younger squad, he opposed the willfulness of the boyar groups, subjugated the specific princelings with an imperious hand. Under him, the Volyn principality turned into a strong and relatively unified state. Now Roman Mstislavich began to claim power in all of Southern Russia.

Roman Mstislavich took advantage of the turmoil in Galich after the death of Yaroslav Osmomysl in 1187 and tried to take possession of it. At first, he succeeded, and he defeated the son of Osmomysl, but Hungary intervened in the internecine struggle, capturing Galich. And only at the very end of the XII century. Roman Mstislavich finally united Galich and Volyn under his rule and formed united Galicia-Volyn principality.

A few years later, he also took possession of the Kiev throne and annexed the Kiev principality to his possessions. So a new huge state grew up, equal in territory to the German Empire.

After the death of Roman Mstislavich in 1205, his son Daniel Romanovich continued his policy. But he had to go through a lot before he established himself on the throne of his father.

When Roman Mstislavich died, Daniil was only four years old. The boyars took advantage of this and expelled him and his mother from Galich. The internecine struggle lasted for several years, the principality was again divided into destinies, Hungary again captured Galich. And only having matured and gathered a powerful squad, Daniel was able to fend for himself. In 1221, he managed to seize the throne in Volhynia, and in 1234 he became a Galician prince.

Again Galicia-Volyn land turned into a strong and united European state. Daniil Galitsky was a prominent and experienced statesman. He was known as a brave and talented commander. His personal bravery in battle was legendary. Other rulers of Europe reckoned with his opinion, the Pope sent embassies to him, offering the royal crown for converting to Catholicism. But the dangerous neighbors of Galicia-Volyn Russia, Hungary and Poland, in collusion with the local boyars, constantly tried to weaken the power of Daniel and prevent the centralization of South-Western Russia.

Galicia-Volyn principality
	Galich (1199-1340) Vladimir (1340-1392)
	Old Russian
	Orthodoxy
Form of government:	Monarchy
Dynasty:	Rurikovichi
	Creation of the Principality
	Reunion
	Coronation of Daniel
	Creation of the metropolis
	Loss of Galicia
	Loss of Volyn, cessation of existence

Galicia-Volyn principality(lat. Regnum Rusiae - kingdom of Russia; 1199-1392) - the southwestern Old Russian principality of the Rurik dynasty, created as a result of the unification of the Volyn and Galician principalities by Roman

Mstislavich. After in 1254 Daniil Galitsky accepted the title of "King of Russia" from Pope Innocent IV in Dorogochin, he and his descendants used the royal title.

The Galicia-Volyn principality was one of the largest principalities of the period of feudal fragmentation of Russia. It included the Galician, Przemysl, Zvenigorod, Terebovlyan, Volyn, Lutsk, Belz, Polissya and Kholm lands, as well as the territories of modern Podlasie, Podolia, Transcarpathia and Moldova.

The Principality pursued an active foreign policy in Eastern and Central Europe. Its main neighbors and competitors were the Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary and the Cumans, and from the middle of the 13th century, also the Golden Horde and the Principality of Lithuania. To protect against them, the Galicia-Volyn principality repeatedly signed agreements with Catholic Rome, the Holy Roman Empire and the Teutonic Order.

The Galicia-Volyn principality fell into decay under the influence of a number of factors. Among them were aggravated relations with the Golden Horde, in vassal relations to which the principality continued to be, during the period of its unification and subsequent strengthening at the beginning of the XIV century. After the simultaneous death of Leo and Andrei Yurievich (1323), the lands of the principality began to be seized by its neighbors - the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The dependence of the rulers on the boyar aristocracy increased, the Romanovich dynasty was cut short. The principality ceased to exist after the complete division of its territories following the war for the Galician-Volyn inheritance (1392).

Territory and demographics

Borders

The Galicia-Volyn principality was created at the end of the XII century, by combining the Galician and Volyn principalities. Its lands stretched in the basins of the San, Upper Dniester and Western Bug rivers. The principality bordered in the east on the Russian Turov-Pinsk and Kiev principalities, in the south - on Berlady, and eventually the Golden Horde, in the southwest - on the Kingdom of Hungary, in the west - on the Kingdom of Poland, and in the north - on the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Teutonic Order and Polotsk Principality.

The Carpathian Mountains in the northwest served as the natural border of the Galicia-Volyn principality, separating it from Hungary. In the 20s of the XIV century, this border was pushed to the south in connection with the connection of a certain part of Transcarpathia by the Galician princes. The western border with Poland passed along the rivers Jaselka, Wislok, San, and also 25-30 km west of the Vepsh river. Despite the temporary captures of Nadsanya by the Poles and the annexation of Lublin by Rus, this part of the border was quite stable. The northern border of the principality ran along the Narew and Yaselda rivers, in the north of the Berestey land, but often changed due to wars with the Lithuanians. The eastern border with the Turov-Pinsk and Kiev principalities ran along the rivers Pripyat, Styr and along the right bank of the Goryn River. The southern border of the Galicia-Volyn principality began in the upper reaches of the Southern Bug and reached the upper reaches of the Prut and Siret. It is likely that from the 12th to the 13th centuries Bessarabia and the Lower Danube were dependent on the Galician princes.

Administrative division

Since 1199, the border between the Galician and Volyn principalities passed between the Galician cities of Lyubachev, Naked Mountains, Plesensk, and the Volyn Belz, Busk, Kremenets, Zbrazh and Tikhoml. The territory of both principalities was divided into separate lands or principalities.

Volyn was a single Vladimir principality with its capital in Vladimir. Over time, the principality was divided into smaller specific principalities, among them were the principality of Lutsk with a center in Lutsk, the principality of Dorogobuzh with a center in Dorogobuzh, the principality of Peresopnitsa with a center in Peresopnitsa, the principality of Belz with a center in Belz, the principality of Cherven with a center in Cherven, Kholmsky a principality with a center in Kholm and a Beresteisky principality with a center in the city of Brest.

Galicia consisted of four main principalities, which were either liquidated under strong princely power, or reappeared due to its weakening. These principalities were the Principality of Galicia with its center in Galich, the Principality of Lvov with its center in Lvov, the Principality of Zvenigorod with its center in Zvenigorod, the Principality of Przemysl with its center in Przemysl, and the Principality of Terebovlya with its center in Terebovlya. Later, the principalities were united under the rule of Galicia. An integral part of these lands were also the territories above the middle Dniester, which were then called Ponysia, and now - Podolia.

The division into smaller principalities persisted until the 13th century, later there are references only to the Galician and Volyn principalities as constituents of the Galicia-Volyn principality.

Population

Sources by which it is possible to accurately calculate the population of the Galicia-Volyn principality have not been preserved. In the Galicia-Volyn Chronicle, there are references to the fact that the princes conducted censuses and compiled lists of villages and cities under their control, but these documents have not reached us or are incomplete. It is known that the Galician-Volyn princes often resettled inhabitants from the conquered lands to their territories, which gave rise to population growth. It is also known that the inhabitants of the Ukrainian steppes fled to the principality from the Mongol-Tatars, where they settled.

On the basis of historical documents and topographic names, it can be established that at least a third of the settlements of Volyn and Galicia arose no later than the appearance of the Galicia-Volyn principality, and their inhabitants were mainly Eastern Slavs. In addition to them, there were a few settlements founded by Poles, Prussians, Yatvingians, Lithuanians, as well as Tatars and representatives of other nomadic peoples. In the cities there were craft-merchant colonies inhabited by Germans, Armenians, Sourozhians, and Jews.

Political history

Western lands of Russia

In the VI-VII centuries, powerful tribal unions existed on the territory of modern Galicia and Volhynia. At the beginning of the 7th century, Dulebs are mentioned, and at the end of the same century, Buzhans, Chervyans, Ulichs and White Croats, whose lands included 200-300 settlements each. Fortified "castles" were the centers of tribal political associations. It is known that the Croats and Dulebs acted as "talkers", that is, allies of the Rusyns in Oleg's campaign against Byzantium in 907.

Historians admit that in the early 60s of the 10th century, the lands of Galicia and Volyn were annexed to Kievan Rus by Svyatoslav Igorevich, but after his death in 972 they were annexed by the neighboring Kingdom of Poland. In 981, his son, Vladimir Svyatoslavich, again occupied these lands, including Przemysl and Cherven. In 992, he conquered the White Croats and finally subjugated Subcarpathia to Russia. In 1018, the Polish king Boleslav the Brave took advantage of the civil strife of the Russian princes and captured the cities of Cherven. They remained under his rule for 12 years, until Yaroslav the Wise returned them in the campaigns of 1030-1031. Further, peace was concluded with Poland, which secured Cherven, Belz and Przemysl for Russia.

Principalities of Galicia and Volhynia

By the middle of the 11th century, the lands of Galicia and Volyn were finally entrenched in Kievan Rus. Among them, the main place was occupied by Volyn - a populous land with developed cities and a trade route to the west. The capital of all Western Russian lands was the city of Vladimir (Volynsky), where the princely throne was located. The Kievan monarchs held these strategically important territories for a long time, saving them from fragmentation into specific principalities.

In 1084, the Rostislavichs, princes Rurik Rostislavich, Volodar Rostislavich and Vasilko Rostislavich came to power in the lands of Galicia. As a result of wars with the Volyn and Kiev princes at the end of the 11th century, they achieved separate principalities for themselves. In 1141, these principalities were united by Vladimir Volodarevich, the son of Volodar Rostislavich, into a single Galician principality with its capital in Galich. It maintained contact with the princes of Kiev and Suzdal, as well as the Polovtsy to confront the Polish, Volyn and Hungarian rulers. Under Yaroslav Osmomysl, son of Vladimir Volodarevich, the Principality of Galicia gained control over the lands of modern Moldavia and the Danube region. After the death of Osmomysl in 1187, the boyars did not accept the illegitimate son Oleg declared by him as heir, and therefore “a great conspiracy happened in the Galician land”, as a result of which it was occupied by the Hungarian troops of Bela III. Only with the help of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and Poland, Galich was returned to the last prince from the Rostislavic branch, Vladimir Yaroslavich.

In contrast to the imminent transformation of Galicia into a separate principality, Volhynia, strategically important for Kiev, remained dependent on it until the 50s of the XII century. Its isolation from Kiev was started by the Kiev prince Izyaslav Mstislavich, the grandson of Vladimir Monomakh, during the Kiev rule of Yuri Dolgoruky. The son of Izyaslav Mstislav managed to leave Volyn to his offspring, and since that time the Volyn land developed as a separate principality.

The formation of a single principality

The unification of Galicia and Volhynia was accomplished by the Volyn prince Roman Mstislavich, the son of Mstislav Izyaslavich. Taking advantage of the unrest in Galicia, he first occupied it in 1188, but could not keep the Hungarians under pressure, who also invaded Galician land at the request of local boyars. For the second time, Roman annexed Galicia to Volhynia in 1199, after the death of the last Galician prince Vladimir Yaroslavich of the Rostislavich family. He severely suppressed the local boyar opposition, which resisted his attempts to centralize government, and this laid the foundation for the creation of a single Galicia-Volyn principality.

At the same time, Roman intervened in the struggle for Kiev, which he received in 1201, and took the title of Grand Duke of Kiev. In 1202 and 1204, he made several successful campaigns against the Polovtsians, thereby gaining popularity among the common population. In the lists of annals and letters, he bears the title of "Grand Duke", "Autocrat of All Russia" and is also called "Tsar in the Russian Land". He died at the Battle of Zavikhost in 1205 during his Polish campaign.

Civil strife

Due to the death of Roman during the early childhood of his sons Daniil and Vasilko, a vacuum of power arose in the Galicia-Volyn principality. Galicia and Volhynia were seized by a series of ongoing civil strife and foreign interventions.

In the first year after Roman's death, his widow and children managed to keep Galich with the help of the Hungarian garrison, but in 1206 the boyar group of the Kormilichichs, who returned to Galich from exile, contributed to the invitation to the Galicia-Volyn principality of the sons of the Novgorod-Seversky prince sung in the Tale of Igor's Campaign Igor Svyatoslavich. Vladimir Igorevich and Roman Igorevich reigned in Galicia in total from 1206 to 1211.

After the death of Roman, Volhynia broke up into small specific principalities, and its western lands were captured by Polish troops. Svyatoslav Igorevich failed to establish himself in Volyn, and she returned under the control of the local dynasty. The legitimate heirs of the Galicia-Volyn principality, the young Daniel and Vasilko Romanovich, retained only minor territories of the principality.

Having deployed repressions against the Galician boyar opposition, the Igorevichs gave Poland and Hungary a pretext for intervention. In 1211, the Romanovichs and their mother returned to Galich, the Igorevichs were defeated, captured and hanged. However, conflict soon arose between widow Romanova and the boyars, and the Romanovichs again had to leave the capital. Princely power in Galich was usurped by the boyar Vladislav Kormilichich, who was expelled in 1214 by the Hungarians and Poles. Andras II, King of Hungary, and Leszek the White, Prince of Krakow, divided Galicia among themselves. Andrew II planted his son Koloman in Galicia. Soon the Hungarians quarreled with the Poles and took possession of all of Galicia, as a result of which Leszek called for help the Novgorod prince Mstislav Udatny, who shortly before that had participated in the triumphal capture of Vyshgorod and Kiev from the Olgovichi and, according to one version, was the grandson of Yaroslav Osmomysl. In 1215, with the Polish help, the Romanoviches regained Vladimir, and in 1219 they conquered the lands along the Western Bug from Poland.

For several years, Mstislav Udatny fought for Galich against the Hungarians with varying success, until in 1221 he finally established himself in the Galician reign, concluding peace with the king and marrying his daughter to Prince Andrei. To strengthen his power, Mstislav entered into an alliance with the young princes, married his daughter to Daniel. However, soon after the Battle of Kalka (1223), a conflict arose between Leshek and Daniel, on the one hand, and Mstislav and the specific Belz prince Alexander Vsevolodovich, on the other. Causing discontent of the boyars and not having the strength to stay in power, Mstislav, during his lifetime, transferred the Galician reign to Prince Andrei. In 1227, Daniel and his brother defeated the specific Volyn princes and by 1230 united Volyn in their hands. Thus, Daniil and Vasilko regained half of the lands that belonged to their father. For the next eight years they waged war for Galicia, first against the Hungarians, then against Mikhail of Chernigov. In 1238, Daniel finally occupied Galich and recreated the Galicia-Volyn principality.

The reign of Daniel Romanovich

Having united the fragmented possessions of Father Roman, the brothers Daniil and Vasilko peacefully distributed power. The first sat in Galich, and the second in Vladimir. The leadership in this duumvirate belonged to Daniel, since he was the eldest son of Roman Mstislavich.

Before the Mongol invasion of Russia, the Galicia-Volyn principality managed to expand its borders. In 1238, Konrad of Mazovia presented the Russian city of Dorogochin to the Dobzhin Order of the Crusaders, and Daniil Romanovich occupied it and the northwestern lands of Beresteyshchyna. In the spring of 1238, Mindovg, an ally of Daniel, made a raid on Mazovia. In 1239, Daniel annexed the Turov-Pinsk principality to his lands and the following winter took possession of Kiev.

With the arrival of the Mongols, the positions of the Galician-Volyn princes were shaken. In 1240 the Mongols took Kiev, and in 1241 they invaded Galicia and Volyn, where they sacked and burned many cities, including Galich and Vladimir. Taking advantage of the departure of the princes to Hungary and Poland, the boyar elite revolted. The weakness of the principality took advantage of its neighbors, who tried to capture Galich. In response, the Galicians captured Polish Lublin in 1244, and in 1245 defeated the Hungarians, Poles and rebel boyars in the battle of Yaroslav. The boyar opposition was finally destroyed, and Daniel was able to centralize the administration of the principality.

The Golden Horde was dissatisfied with the strengthening of the positions of the Galicia-Volyn lands, which delivered an ultimatum to the principality demanding that Galicia be transferred to it. Not having the strength to resist the Mongols, Daniel was forced to recognize the suzerainty of the Golden Horde Khan in 1245, but retained the rights to the Galicia-Volyn principality. Having become dependent on the Golden Horde, the prince directed his foreign policy towards the creation of an anti-Horde coalition of states. To this end, he entered into an alliance with Poland, Hungary, Mazovia and the Teutonic Order, and also captured the Yatvingian lands and Black Russia in 1250-1253, thereby eliminating the threat of Lithuanian attacks on Volhynia.

In 1254, Daniel took the title of King of Russia in Dorogochin from Pope Innocent IV. The Pope promised to organize a crusade against the Mongols, and indeed called for it the Christians of Central Europe, and then the Baltics.

But Daniel did not go for the catholization of the subject lands, therefore he had to not only fight against the Mongols himself, but instead of expelling the Horde Baskaks from Kiev, repel the attack on Lutsk by the Lithuanians, whom the pope had already allowed in 1255 fight the Russian land. The rupture of allied relations occurred after the independent capture of Vozvyagl by the Galician-Volyn troops in Kiev land before the approach of the Lithuanians. The first war (1254-1257) against the troops of Kuremsa was victorious, but in 1258 the Mongol troops were led by Burundai, who in the next two years, together with Vasilko Romanovich, conducted military campaigns against Lithuania and Poland, and also forced the fortifications of several Volyn cities to be demolished.

In 1264, Daniel died without having liberated the Galicia-Volyn principality from the Horde yoke.

Galicia-Volyn principality at the end of the XIII-XIV centuries

In the second half of the 13th century, after the death of Daniil Romanovich, seniority in the dynasty passed to Vasilko, but he continued to reign in Vladimir. Leo, the successor of his father, got Galich, Przemysl and Belz, Mstislav - Lutsk, Shvarn, married to the daughter of Mindovg - Kholm with Dorogochin.

In the mid-1260s, a contender for the Lithuanian throne, Voyshelk, the son of Mindovg, turned to Vasilko for help. Vasilko and Schwarn helped Voyshelka establish himself in Lithuania. In 1267 Voyshelk retired to a monastery and handed over his principality to Shvarn, who was his son-in-law. The reign of Shvarn on the Lithuanian table was shaky, because it was based on the order of Voyshelka. And when the Galician prince Lev in 1268 during a feast killed Voyshelka, Shvarn's position in the Lithuanian land became completely unattractive. Soon, Schwarn himself died. Troyden sat on the Lithuanian reign, and Lev Danilovich took the parish of Shvarna in Russia.

In 1269, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Vasilko Romanovich died. Vasilko's vast possessions were inherited by his son, Vladimir. In the 70s, Vladimir and Lev fought with the Yotvingians; at this time, the Galician-Volyn princes also begin border conflicts with the "Poles". Together with the Tatars, the squads of Leo and Vladimir in 1277 went to the Lithuanian land, in 1285 - "to the Ugry", in 1286 they devastated the Krakow and Sandomierz lands. In 1288-89, Lev Danilovich actively supported the contender for the Krakow table - Prince Boleslav Zemovitovich of Plotsk, his nephew - in his struggle with Henry of Wratslav. In this campaign, Leo managed to capture the Lublin land. In 1288 Volhynia prince Vladimir Vasilkovich died. Vladimir had no children, and he bequeathed all his lands to Mstislav Danilovich. Shortly before his death, Leo made a raid on Poland, from where he returned with a lot of booty and full. The news about the double defeat of Leo by Gediminas, and about the conquest of Volhynia by the latter, taken by the compiler of the Gustynskaya chronicle from the annals of Bykhovets, are recognized as unreliable.

The new Galician prince Yuri I Lvovich, the son of Lev Danilovich, in 1303 obtained from the Patriarch of Constantinople the recognition of a separate Little Russian metropolis. In 1305, wishing to emphasize the power of the Galicia-Volyn state and inheriting his grandfather Daniel of Galicia, he took the title of "King of Little Russia". In foreign policy, Yuri I maintained good relations and made alliances with the Teutonic Order to contain the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Horde, and Mazovia against Poland. After his death in 1308, the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia passed to his sons Andrei Yuryevich and Lev Yuryevich, who began the fight against the Golden Horde, traditionally relying on the Teutonic knights and Mazovian princes. It is believed that the princes died in one of the battles with the Mongols or were poisoned by them (1323). Also, some historians claim that they died defending Podlasie from Gediminas. They were succeeded by Vladimir Lvovich, who became the last representative of the Romanovich dynasty.

After the end of the rule of the Rurik dynasty, Yuriy II Boleslav, the son of Maria Yuryevna, the daughter of Yuri Lvovich, and the Mazovian prince Troyden, became the monarch of Galicia-Volhynia. He settled relations with the Golden Horde khans, recognizing his dependence on them and in 1337 made a joint campaign against Poland with the Mongols. Maintaining peace with Lithuania and the Teutonic Order, Yuri II had bad relations with Hungary and Poland, which were preparing a joint offensive against the Galicia-Volyn principality. In domestic policy, he contributed to the development of cities, granting them the Magdeburg Law, intensified international trade and wished to limit the power of the boyar elite. To implement his plans, Yuri II attracted foreign specialists and helped the Uniate processes between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. These actions of the prince in the end caused dissatisfaction with the boyars, who poisoned him in 1340.

The death of Yuri II put an end to the independence of the Galicia-Volyn principality. A period of struggle for these lands began, which ended with the division of the principality between its neighbors. In Volyn, Lubart-Dmitry Gediminovich, the son of the Lithuanian prince Gedimin, was recognized as a prince, and in Galicia, the noble boyar Dmitry Detko was the governor of the Volyn prince. In 1349, the Polish king Casimir III the Great organized a large campaign against the Galicia-Volyn principality, seized the Galician lands and started a war with the Lithuanians for Volhynia. The war for the Galician-Volyn inheritance between Poland and Lithuania ended in 1392 with the loss of Volyn prince Fyodor Lubartovich of lands in Volhynia. Galicia with the Belz principality and Kholmshchyna became part of the Kingdom of Poland, and Volhynia was ceded to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Galicia-Volyn principality finally ceased to exist.

Socio-economic history

Society

The society of the Galicia-Volyn principality consisted of three layers, belonging to which was determined both by pedigree and by type of occupation. The social elite was formed by princes, boyars, and the clergy. They controlled the lands of the state and its population.

The prince was considered a sacred person, "the ruler given by God", the owner of all the land and cities of the principality, and the head of the army. He had the right to give subordinates allotments for service, as well as to deprive them of lands and privileges for insubordination. In public affairs, the prince relied on the boyars, the local aristocracy. They were divided into "old" and "young", who were also called "the best", "great" or "deliberate". The great senior boyars made up the administrative elite and the “senior squad” of the prince. They owned "Batkovshchinas" or "Fatherhoods", ancient family lands, and new land allotments and cities granted by the prince. Their sons, "lads", or junior boyars, made up the "junior squad" of the prince and served at his court as close "yard servants". The administration of the clergy was represented by six dioceses in Vladimir (Volynsky), Przemysl, Galich and Ugrovsk (later in Kholm), Lutsk and Turovsk. These bishoprics owned vast lands near these cities. In addition to them, there were a number of monasteries that controlled large territories and the population living on them. After the creation in 1303 of the Galician Metropolis, dependent on the Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Galician Metropolitan became the head of the church in the Galician-Volyn lands.

Separately from the princes and boyars, there was a group of city administrators called "bad men" who controlled the life of the city, following the orders of the princes, boyars or clergy to whom this city belonged. From them the urban patriciate was gradually formed. Next to them in the city lived "ordinary people", the so-called "townspeople" or "mestichi". All of them were obliged to pay taxes in favor of princes and boyars.

The most numerous group of the population in the principality were the so-called "simple" villagers - "smerds". Most of them were free, lived in communities and paid taxes in kind to the authorities. Sometimes, due to excessive extortions, smerds left their homes and moved to the virtually uncontrolled lands of Podolia and the Danube region.

Economy

The economy of the Galicia-Volyn principality was mostly natural. It was based on agriculture, which was based on self-sufficient lands - courtyards. These economic units had their own arable lands, hayfields, meadows, forests, places for fishing and hunting. The main agricultural crops were mainly oats and rye, to a lesser extent wheat and barley. In addition, animal husbandry was developed, especially horse breeding, as well as sheep and pig breeding. The important components of the economy were crafts - beekeeping, hunting and fishing.

Among the crafts were blacksmithing, leather, pottery, weapons and jewelry. Since the principality was located in the forest and forest-steppe zones, which were densely covered with forest, woodworking and construction reached a special development. Salt making was one of the leading industries. The Galicia-Volyn principality, together with the Crimea, supplied salt for all of Kievan Rus, as well as for Western Europe. The favorable location of the principality - on the black earth - especially near the rivers Sana, Dniester, Vistula, etc., made it possible for the active development of agriculture. Therefore, Galich was also one of the leaders in the export of bread.

Trade in the Galicia-Volyn lands was not developed properly. Most of the manufactured products went to domestic use. The lack of access to the sea and large rivers prevented the conduct of extensive international trade, and, of course, the replenishment of the treasury. The main trade routes were overland. In the east, they connected Galich and Vladimir with the principalities of Kiev and Polotsk and the Golden Horde, in the south and west with Byzantium, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and the Holy Roman Empire, and in the north with Lithuania and the Teutonic Order. The Galicia-Volyn principality exported mainly salt, furs, wax and weapons to these countries. Imported goods were Kiev art and jewelry, Lithuanian furs, Western European sheep wool, cloth, weapons, glass, marble, gold and silver, as well as Byzantine and Oriental wines, silks and spices.

Trade took place in the cities of the Galicia-Volyn principality, of which there were more than eighty by the end of the 13th century. The largest of them were Galich, Kholm, Lvov, Vladimir (Volynsky), Zvenigorod, Dorogochin, Terebovlya, Belz, Przemysl, Lutsk and Berestye. The princes encouraged international trade by reducing taxes on merchants along trade routes and city squares.

The state treasury was replenished at the expense of tribute, taxes, extortions from the population, wars and confiscation of possessions from objectionable boyars. Russian hryvnias, Czech pennies and Hungarian dinars circulated on the territory of the principality.

Control

The head and highest representative of power in the principality was the prince. He united in his hands the legislative, executive, judicial branches of power, and also had a monopoly on the right to conduct diplomatic relations. Trying to become an absolute "autocrat", the prince was constantly in conflict with the boyar entourage, which sought to maintain its independence and turn the monarch into its own political instrument. The strengthening of princely power was also hampered by the duumvirates of princes, the fragmentation of principalities and the intervention of neighboring states. Although the monarch had the right to make decisions on his own, he sometimes convened boyar "thoughts" to resolve the most important issues and problems. These meetings became permanent from the 14th century, finally blocking the "autocracy" of the prince, which became one of the reasons for the decline of the Galicia-Volyn principality.

The princely central administration consisted of the boyars appointed by the prince and was quite differentiated; had a number of special titles, such as "court", "printer", "scribe", "steward" and others. But these were rather titles than positions, since the persons holding them often performed orders from the prince, not related to their official duties. That is, in the Galicia-Volyn principality there was no effective bureaucracy, and specialization in management had not yet been consistently carried out, which was a characteristic feature for all European states of the Middle Ages.

Until the end of the 13th century, the regional administration was concentrated in the hands of the specific princes, and from the beginning of the 14th century, in connection with the transformation of the specific principalities of the Galicia-Volyn state into volosts, in the hands of princely volost governors. The prince chose most of the governors from the boyars, and sometimes from the clergy. In addition to volosts, princely governors were sent to cities and large urban areas.

The structure of cities in the XII - XIII centuries was the same as in other Russian lands - with the advantage of the boyar-patrician elite, with a division into taxation units - hundreds and streets, with a city council - veche. During this period, the cities belonged directly to the princes or boyars. In the XIV century, with the penetration of Magdeburg law into the Galicia-Volyn principality, a number of cities, including Vladimir (Volynsky) and Sanok, adopted a new semi-self-governing system.

The judiciary was combined with the administrative. The supreme court was conducted by the prince, and below - by the tivuns. The provisions of Russkaya Pravda remained the basic law. The city court was often based on German law.

Army

The army of the Galicia-Volyn principality was organized following the example of the traditional Russian. It consisted of two main parts - "teams" and "wars".

The squad served as the basis of the prince's army and was formed from the divisions of the boyars. The "great" boyars were obliged to go on a campaign personally with a certain number of cavalry and their subjects, the number of which could reach a thousand people. Ordinary boyars were required to arrive at the positions only accompanied by two soldiers - a heavily armed gunsmith and an archer-archer. The young boyars "youths" made up a kind of guard of the prince, constantly staying with him. In turn, the howls were a people's militia and were formed from "ordinary people" - the townspeople and villagers; they were used only in emergencies. However, due to the constant internal struggle, the prince could not always count on the help of the boyars.

Epochal for the Galicia-Volyn state were the military reforms of Daniil Romanovich, who was the first in the space of the former Kievan Rus to create a princely army independent of the boyar squad, recruited from ordinary people and landless boyars. It was divided into heavily armed gunsmiths and lightly armed archers. The former performed shock functions, both cavalry and infantry, and the latter - the role of the instigator of the battle and cover units. This army did not have unified weapons, but used a modernized Western European arsenal - lightweight iron armor, spears, sulits, horns, swords, lightweight Rozhan bows, slings, crossbows, as well as medieval artillery with "martial and hail vessels". This army was personally commanded by the prince or the voivode loyal to him or the thousandth.

In the 13th century, fortification construction underwent changes. The old Russian fortifications of earth ramparts and wooden walls began to be replaced by castles made of stone and brick. The first newest fortresses were erected in Kholm, Kamenets, Berestye, Chertorysk.

culture

On the territory of the Galicia-Volyn principality, an original culture was formed, which not only inherited the traditions of Kievan Rus, but also absorbed many innovations from neighboring countries. Most of the modern information about this culture has come down to us in the form of written evidence and archaeological artifacts.

The main cultural centers of the principality were large cities and Orthodox monasteries, which at the same time played the role of the main educational centers of the country. Volyn played a leading role in the cultural life of the country. The city of Vladimir itself, the main city of the Volyn principality, was an ancient stronghold of the Rurikovich. The city became famous thanks to Prince Vasily, whom the chronicler recalled as "a great scribe and philosopher, which was not on the whole earth and will not be after him." This prince developed the cities of Berestya and Kamenets, created his own library, built many churches throughout Volyn, to which he gave icons and books. Another significant cultural center was Galich, famous for its Metropolitan Cathedral and the Church of St. Panteleimon. In Galicia, the Galician-Volyn Chronicle was also written and the Galician Gospel was created. Poloninsky, Bogorodichny and Spassky were ranked among the largest and most famous monasteries of the principality.

Little is known about the architecture of the principality. Written sources describe mainly churches, without mentioning the secular houses of princes or boyars. There are also few data from archaeological excavations, and they are not enough for an accurate reconstruction of the then structures. The remains of the temples of the principality and records in the annals make it possible to assert that the traditions of architecture of Kievan Rus remained strong in these lands, but new trends of Western European architectural styles were felt.

The fine arts of the principality were strongly influenced by the Byzantine. Galicia-Volyn icons were especially valued in Western Europe, many of them ended up in Polish churches after the conquest of the principality. The art of icon painting of the Galician-Volyn lands had common features with the Moscow icon painting school of the 14th-15th centuries. Although Orthodox traditions did not encourage the development of sculpture in connection with the fight against idolatry, the pages of the Galicia-Volyn Chronicle mention sculptural masterpieces in Galicia, Przemysl and other cities, which testifies to the Catholic influence on the masters of the principality. Fashion in decorative arts, especially in the processing of weapons and military devices, was dictated by Asian countries, in particular the Golden Horde.

The development of culture in the Galicia-Volyn principality contributed to the consolidation of the historical traditions of Kievan Rus; for many centuries they were preserved in architecture, fine arts, literature, chronicles and historical works. But at the same time, the principality fell under the influence of Western Europe, where the Galician-Volyn princes and the nobility sought protection from aggression from the east.

Russian princely families originating from the Galicia-Volyn principality

The following princes are considered descendants of the Galician-Volyn princes:

• Drutsk
• Drutsky-Sokolinsky
• Drutsky-Sokolinsky-Gurko-Romeiko
• Drutsky-Lyubezhsetsky
• Babichevs
• Putyatins

Sources and historiography

Sources

The main sources for studying the history of the Galicia-Volyn Principality are local and foreign chronicles, descriptions of travels, various letters, data from archaeological excavations.

The initial period of the history of Galicia and Volyn during the period of the first Rostislavichs is described by the Tale of Bygone Years, and the Kiev Chronicle narrates about the events of 1117-1199. The years 1205-1292 are covered by the Galicia-Volyn chronicle, which is conditionally divided into two parts - the reign of Daniil Romanovich and the reign of Vladimir Vasilyevich.

The main sources describing the history of Galicia and Volhynia include the Polish chronicles of Gall Anonymus, the chronicles of Wincenty Kadlubek and the chronicle of Jan Dlugosz, the Czech Chronicle of Kozma of Prague, the German chronicle of Thietmar of Marzeburg and the Hungarian chronicles of Janos Turoczi and the Chronicon Pictum. The last years of the existence of the Galicia-Volyn Principality are narrated by the Polish chronicles of Janko from Czarnkov, Trask, the Lesser Poland Chronicle, as well as the Czech chronicles of Frantisek from Prague and the Hungarian Dubgitskaya chronicle.

Valuable are the letters of Vladimir Vasilyevich of 1287 and Mstislav Daniilovich of 1289, inscribed in the Galicia-Volyn chronicle, and the original letters of Andrei and Lev Yuryevich of 1316-1325 and Yuri II of 1325-1339.

Historiography

The first studies on the history of Galicia and Volhynia appeared at the end of the 18th century. These were the works of the Austrian historians L. A. Gebgard, R. A. Goppe and J. H. Engel. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Polish historian F. Syarchinsky published works on the history of the principalities of Przemysl and Belz, Z. M. Garasevich compiled materials on the history of the church in Galicia.

The first historian who wrote the scientific "History of the ancient Galician-Russian principality" in three parts (1852-1855) was D. Zubritsky. His case was followed by A. Petrushevich, who in 1854 in the article “Review of the most important political and church events in the Galician principality from the half of the 12th to the end of the 13th century” gave a general assessment of the history of Galicia. In 1863, professor of Lviv University I. Sharanevich for the first time on the basis of historical, archaeological and toponymic sources published in Lviv "History of Galicia-Volyn Rus from ancient times to the summer of 1453". His work was continued by historians S. Smirnov, A. Belevsky and A. Levitsky.

In the first half of the 19th century, the history of Volhynia and Kholmshchyna was studied by S. Russov, M. Maksimovich, V. Komashko, L. Perlstein and M. Verbitsky, Yu. T. Stetsky, A. Krushinsky and others. Their works were review-popular in nature. In 1885, a specialized work by A. V. Longinov “Cherven Cities, a historical essay in connection with the ethnography and topography of Chervona Rus”, dedicated to the history of the Kholm region, was published in Warsaw. The ancient history of Volyn was covered in 1887 in the work of O. Andreyashev and in 1895 in the monograph of P. Ivanov.

Most of the works of the 19th century covered mainly the political topics of the Galicia-Volyn principality, without affecting the socio-economic. Also, the history of Galicia and Volhynia was viewed through the prism of the political existence of Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire, legalizing the rights and claims of these states to the aforementioned lands.

After the annexation of Western Ukraine to the USSR in 1939, the topic of the Galicia-Volyn principality was raised by Soviet historiography. Researchers of the 20th century paid attention mainly to the socio-economic situation in the principality. New approaches to the coverage of the history of the principality were presented in the works of B. D. Grekov, V. I. Picheta, V. T. Pashuto. In 1984, the first fundamental monograph on the history of the Galicia-Volyn principality was published under the authorship of I. Kripyakevich.