The extinction of the dynasty of the Galician-Volyn princes as the cause of the death of the state. The fate of the heritage of Galicia-Volyn principality. A brief history of the Galicia-Volyn principality and the policy of its rulers "Pillars of Gediminas" - coat of arms of the Gediminids

The unification of the Galician and Volyn principalities took place in 1199. It was accomplished by the Volyn prince Roman Mstislavich the Great. That's how it was created Galicia-Volyn principality, which immediately took a leading place in the political life of Russia. He was able to overcome the boyar opposition, strengthen western borders Grand Duchy, to carry out successful campaigns against the Polovtsians. Such measures contributed to strengthening the authority of Roman. He became the most powerful of the southern Russian princes, because he extended his power over a vast territory - Volhynia, Galicia, Podolia, Bukovina and the Lower - almost half of modern Ukraine. In 1203 Kyiv opened its gates to him. The fame of Prince Roman spread not only throughout Ukraine, but also reached neighboring states. He was called the head of all Russian lands, "Grand Duke", "Tsar", "Autocrat of All Russia".
Under the rule of Roman Mstislavich were all, with the exception of Chernigov, Ukrainian principalities. New strong state, having received the Kiev heritage, relied on a solid economic foundation - a significant part of the Baltic-Black Sea trade on the Bug-Dniester route, which replaced the fallen Dnieper artery. He went on internal politics Yaroslav Osmomysl, directed against the hostile part of the Galician boyars, which contributed to the growth of his popularity.
The capital of the state of Roman Mstislavich is not Kyiv, traditionally associated with Byzantium, and not Vladimir-Volynsky, but Galich, which has always maintained close relations with the countries of the West, therefore the direction of the political life of Southwestern Russia is significantly shifting to the west. So, Roman participated in a sharp struggle between the German dynasties of the Genstaufeniv and the Welfs on the side of the former. During one of the military campaigns on the territory of Poland (1205 p.), Associated, according to historians, with obligations under the Göhenstaufeniv, Roman died in the battle of Zawihvost.
The creation of the Galicia-Volyn principality headed by the "autocrat of all Russia" Roman Mstislavych became an important stage in the history of Ukrainian statehood, because, unlike the multi-ethnic Kyiv state, Galicia-Volyn was based on a single Ukrainian basis. This gave grounds for Ukrainian historians to call Roman "the creator of the first national Ukrainian state", which, as a separate political organism, existed until late XIV in.
Historians associate the day of the highest rise of the Galicia-Volyn principality with the name of King Daniel of Galicia.
Daniel of Galicia began to reign in Volhynia (20th pp. XIII century), A 1238 p. established himself in Galicia, overcoming the internecine strife that broke out after the death of Roman on the initiative of the Galician boyars. During his reign, he had to simultaneously overcome the resistance of several rivals: the Mongols threatened from the east, Lithuania, Poland and Hungary claimed Ukrainian lands from the west. Thus, in 1238 Daniel put an end to the advance of the Teutonic Order, defeating the crusader troops in the battle near Dorohichyn. At the same time, they had to fight with the recalcitrant boyars, who leaned towards Rostislav Mikhailovich from the Chernigov dynasty and his allies. In 1245, the army of Daniel of Galicia won a brilliant victory in the battle with the army of the Hungarian king brought by Rostislav and his allies near the city of Yaroslav on the river. Xiang. As a result of the Battle of Yaroslavl, Daniel broke the resistance of the boyar opposition, finally established himself in Galich and stopped the expansion of the Hungarian kingdom north of the Carpathians for a long time. At the same time, the prince carried out successful campaigns against the Lithuanians and Yotvingians, in 1243 he took Lublin and the Lublin land. Helping his son Roman, married to the sister of the Austrian Duke Friedrich II Babenberg Gertrude, to get the Austrian crown, Daniel of Galicia went to the Czech Republic and Silesia. None of the Russian princes went so far to the west. However, the activity of Daniel's foreign policy was manifested not only by armed campaigns. The dynastic marriages of his children were also evidence of it. So, Lev Danilovich was married to the daughter of the Hungarian king Bela IV. The younger son, Shvarno, married the daughter of the Lithuanian prince Mindovg. Daniil's daughter Pereyaslava was given in marriage to the Duke of Mazovia Zemovit.
An important direction in the foreign policy of Daniil Galitsky was relations with the Mongol rulers. The prince intended to unite the efforts of the Western states in the fight against the Horde. However, the first attempt at a joint anti-Mongolian action was not successful. Therefore, Daniel was forced to go to negotiate with Batu Khan. Khan received the prince with honors, but contemporaries understood that this trip meant recognition of dependence on the Horde. However, Daniel did not abandon the search for allies to fight the Horde. He made a new attempt to organize an anti-Mongolian alliance in 1254-1255 pp. Then the troops of Daniel, his brother Vasilko and son Leo received the cities that were subjected to the Mongols - Bolokhov cities in the region of the Sluch and Teterev rivers. However, after the arrival in 1258 of the huge army of Burundai, Daniil and Vasilko were forced to dismantle the fortifications. largest cities(Lviv, Lutsk, Kremenets, etc.). Only the capital Hill did not submit and retained its fortifications.
In order to attract the Western European states to the anti-Mongol struggle, Daniel accepted the royal crown. The coronation of the Ukrainian prince took place in 1253 in Dorohychyn in Podlachia. True, the pope could not and did not want to provide real assistance in the fight against the Horde of the Galician-Volyn princes. Therefore, Daniel's ties with Rome soon broke off. Therefore, the efforts of Daniel, together with the European owners, to get rid of the Horde yoke were in vain.
The inability to fully implement the foreign policy program did not at all indicate the political defeat of Daniel. After all, he was able to raise the authority of his state - and then in the most unfavorable times, when all of Eastern Europe suffered from Mongolian yoke. Daniel's coronation had an enduring significance in this connection. She showed the recognition of the Ukrainian state by European countries, it was the Galicia-Volyn kingdom that was considered the state of the Russian people, Rus, the heiress Kievan Rus. Daniil united under his rule almost all of the modern Right Bank of Ukraine, including Kyiv. When it was developed the city of Lviv, the capital of the Hill.
After the death of Prince Daniel in 1264, the Galicia-Volyn kingdom broke up into several parts. Western Volyn was kept in his hands by Daniil's brother Vasilko Romanovich, bequeathing these lands to his only son Vladimir. The Galician, Przemysl and Belz principalities were retained by the eldest son of Daniil Romanovich - Lev. Eastern Volhynia with Lutsk was given to Mstislav Danilovich. Kholmsk principality went to the younger Danilovich - Shvarn.
Leo undertook to unite the lands of his father under one hand. He annexed the Lublin land, part of Transcarpathia with m. Mukachevo, to his possessions. After Shvarn's death, he occupied the Kholm principality, and in 1272 moved his capital to Lvov. Unsuccessfully claimed the Lithuanian throne. In foreign policy Lev Danilovich sought the closest relations with Poland. He also maintained extensive diplomatic relations with the Czech Republic and the Teutonic Order. As for relations with the Horde, Leo somewhat changed his father's tactics: he did not resist the Mongols, but reckoned with their will. In particular, he had, even against his own interests, to go to war with Poland and Lithuania. However, despite such loyalty, Leo still failed to ensure calm in the state, because the Mongol-Tatars used the Galician-Volyn lands as a springboard for their attacks on neighboring countries. Frank harassment of Leo Vladimirova's heritage was not successful either. They eventually led to the transfer of the entire Volhynia to Mstislav Danilovich. The latter died without heirs, and the lands of the kingdom of Daniil Romanovich were still united - by Daniil's grandson King Yuri I Lvovich, whose reign (1302-1308) was a time of prosperity, tranquility and economic prosperity of the kingdom. Yuri I chose Vladimir-Volynsky as his capital.
Under his rule in 1303 in the Galicia-Volyn state, with the consent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, a separate Ukrainian Orthodox metropolis was formed - Galicia. This event showed the continuity of the church tradition of Ukraine-Rus, the independence of the Ukrainian Church and helped to defend the independence of the united principality. Yuri I had good relations with neighboring countries, in particular, the Kuyavskaya line of Polish princes, and he even entered into an alliance with the Teutonic Order.
The legacy of Yuri I went to his sons - Andrei and Leo II, who ruled together. They called themselves "princes of all Russia", thus expressing their claims to the continuity of the state traditions of Kievan Rus. The leading direction of the foreign policy activities of Andrei and Leo was the orientation towards an alliance with the Teutonic Order and Poland. Thus, the princes tried to weaken their dependence on the Horde. There is an assumption that the brothers Andrei and Leo II were actively fighting the Tatars and, perhaps, they died in this struggle. Since none of the brothers had children, with their death in 1323 the Danilovich dynasty was interrupted.
For almost two years, the Galician-Volyn throne remained vacant, although there were enough applicants. 1325 Galician-Volyn boyars elected Prince Boleslav, son of Mary, sister of the last rulers Andrei and Leo II, as head of state, adopted Orthodoxy and the name of Yuri II Boleslav (1325-1340). In foreign policy, Yuri II Boleslav kept an alliance with the Teutonic Order, thus finding a counterbalance to Poland, with which relations were hostile. In 1337, together with the Tatars, he even tried to return Lublin, but failed. Yuri set up friendly relations with Lithuania, strengthening them by marriage with the daughter of Prince Gediminas. This prince had to pay with his life from the conspirators: 1340 was poisoned. The death of Yuri II Boleslav had negative consequences for the Galicia-Volyn state. Since his death, Western neighbors have taken advantage, who sought to increase their own territories at the expense of Ukrainian lands. The states that took advantage of the weakening of the Russian lands were Lithuania, Poland and Hungary. As a result of a long war (1340-1349), which was unleashed against the Galician state (Volyn was peacefully incorporated by Lithuania) Poland and Hungary, the last independent state of Rus-Ukraine ceased to exist in 1349 p., And its lands were divided among the winners. Later, Galicia is assigned to Poland.
And no matter how adverse the consequences of the decline of the Galicia-Volyn principality were, they by no means diminish its significance in Ukrainian history. As the prominent Ukrainian historian Mikhail Grushevsky noted, Galician and Volyn principality were the direct heirs of the political and cultural tradition of princely Kyiv. The Principality of Galicia-Volhynia is the first proper Ukrainian state, since in the XIII century, in the era of its power, it covered 90% of the population, lived within the current borders of Ukraine.

Taking advantage of internal strife and the principality, the Hungarian king Andrei proclaimed the Galician land his property. For several years, clashes, chaos and devastation continued, until, finally, Vladimir regained the Galician throne. Unfortunately, such cases, which gave foreigners a reason to interfere in the internal affairs of the country, have occurred repeatedly in the history of Ukrainian statehood.

Unlike the Galicians, the boyars of the Volyn principality were mostly from the princely squads. They received land allotments in the service of the prince and were entirely dependent on his generosity. Therefore, the Volyn nobility showed devotion and support to the princely power. For this reason, it was the Volyn ruler Roman Mstislavich who was able to unite both principalities. Soon he annexed Kyiv and Pereyaslavl to the newly created state. Then, almost all Ukrainian lands fell under the authority of a single prince. Thus, a huge state was created, headed by an energetic, active and talented ruler. No wonder his contemporaries called him "Great" and "Lord of All Russia." In domestic policy, Roman focused on strengthening princely power. His favorite expression was: "If you don't kill the bees, you won't eat honey." Many boyars were executed or sent into exile.

To protect the Ukrainian lands from nomad attacks, the prince carried out several successful campaigns against the Polovtsians. But, seeking to expand the limits of his already vast possessions, he went far north into the Polish and Lithuanian lands. During the last campaign, the prince was ambushed and killed.

After the death of Roman in the Galicia-Volyn principality, irreconcilable strife continued between the princes and boyars for forty years. Power passed from hand to hand, while Poland and Hungary constantly interfered in the affairs of the principality.

Meanwhile, the sons of Roman grew up - Daniil (Danilo) and Vasily (Vasilko). The constant appeals of the boyars for help to foreigners served as a cause of popular indignation. Urban artisans, communal peasants, for whom strong princely power was a guarantee of stability, supported the struggle of the princes for the parental throne.

Thanks to this, in 1238 Daniel Romanovich finally entrenched himself in Galicia, and his brother Vasily - in Volhynia. At the same time, the Galicia-Volyn principality remained a single state. Daniel chose the city of Holm (now Polish Helm) as his capital.

Here he built a well-fortified fortress, churches, laid a large park. Inheriting the military traditions of his father, Daniel created an excellent cavalry squad and a foot army. He fortified existing cities and founded new ones, including Lvov A256), named after his son Leo.

The prince populated the new cities with artisans and merchants from Germany, Poland and other countries. To protect the peasantry and the middle class from boyar arbitrariness, he appointed conscripts, formed military detachments from the peasants. But the greatest merit of Daniil Romanovich is the defense of the borders of the Galicia-Volyn principality from the Mongol-Tatar conquerors. The system of fortifications built by the prince shortly before their attack reduced the number of devastating invasions and the consequences of destruction. However, she was unable to ensure complete independence from the Mongol-Tatars. After a long resistance, Daniel was forced to recognize the authority of the Golden Horde. With a heavy heart, he went in 1246 to Batu Khan for a "label" for reigning.

Despite the fact that the khan received him well and, more importantly, let him go home alive, Daniel never forgot this humiliating fact and did not stop fighting against Mongol domination until the end of his life. The Galician prince constantly pondered plans for the formation of a strong alliance with other rulers of Russia and countries Western Europe to fight against the Mongols. He turned to Pope Innocent IV with a proposal to declare crusade against the Golden Horde. But military assistance never came.

At the same time, recognizing Daniil Galitsky as one of the greatest statesmen and wishing to encourage him to move into the bosom of the Roman Church, the Pope sent the Prince a royal crown. In 1253 Daniel of Galicia was crowned in Dorogochin (now Drogichin, Belarus). He became the firstUkrainian king. The royal title after Daniil Galitsky was inherited by his son Leo and grandson Yuri, so the latter, like his grandfather once, signed: “King Russky, Grand Duke Kyiv, Vladimir-Volynsky, Galitsky, Lutsky Dorogochinsky. No longer relying on the help of his neighbors, Daniel, during the years 1254-1255, single-handedly opposed the enemy. He managed to win several victories over the Horde troops and even push them beyond the borders of Ukraine. However, the prince soon paid dearly for this. In 1259, a large Mongol-Tatar army unexpectedly invaded the territory of Galicia and Volyn. Under the threat of immediate destruction, Daniel was forced to fulfill the Khan's demand - to dismantle the walls of all fortified cities. With a heavy heart, he watched as the walls he had so carefully erected were destroyed, and the cities were left completely defenseless. The most offensive was that after this the Mongols repeatedly attracted the troops of the Galicia-Volyn principality to fight against the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland. In other words, Daniel was forced to show support to the conquerors. But in this way he minimized the pressure of the Mongol-Tatars on Ukraine. Daniel of Galicia died in 1264.

It should be noted that the basis of his policy was rather skillful maneuvering, the search for compromises between the Catholic West and the Mongols. His political model of communication with neighboring states eventually became typical of Ukrainian self-consciousness. During the reign of the descendants of Daniel of Galicia, the state never got rid of its dependence on the Golden Horde.

The son of Daniel Leo (1264-1301) fought with the Poles to take the Krakow royal throne, but unsuccessfully. Then he fought the Hungarians, defeated them and ruled Hungary for some time. The reign of Lev Daniilovich's son Prince Yuri (1301 - 1308) was more successful.

He again managed to unite all the Galician and Volyn lands. During his reign, Ukrainian culture flourished. There appeared their own craftsmen and artists who not only copied Byzantine masters, but also created their own original works of art. Particularly interesting from an artistic point of view are miniature drawings of that time, and the Ukrainian school of jewelry making was considered the best in Europe. At the princely court for relations with Europe, the "Latin office" was founded.

Scientists wrote books not only in ancient Ukrainian, but also in Latin, which contributed to the spread of Ukrainian culture around the world. However, the enmity between the boyars and the princes, which had temporarily subsided, flared up again in the first quarter of the 14th century. The consequence of this was the weakening of the principality, which in 1349 again divided: Volhynia was ruled by the Lithuanian prince Lubart, and Galicia was captured by Poland.

In 1308, the sons of Yuriy received power in the Galicia-Volyn principality. Andrei and Lev Yurievich (1308-1323 pp.). Having established ties with Poland and the Teutonic Order of the Crusaders, the princes begin to fight the Horde. According to their reigns, Galicia and Volhynia actually come out from under the influence of the Horde. Also, Andrei and Lev Yuryevich waged wars with the Lithuanian princes, who at that time attacked Volhynia and Podlachie and around 1320 conquered Kyiv and Pereyaslavshchina. In the war with the Lithuanians, a part of Volhynia was also lost. In 1323, both princes died at the same time, probably in a battle with the Mongols and Tatars. The Polish king at that time wrote to the Pope: "The last two princes, who were a solid shield for Poland from the Tatars, left this world." The death of princes Andrei and Lev Yurievich resulted in a catastrophe for the Galicia-Volyn state. The princes left no direct descendants. This gave grounds to many foreign kings and princes, to whom the Galician-Volyn princes had family relations, to claim the lands of Galicia and Volhynia. Many states during the Middle Ages were born or perished only because their ruling dynasty was reborn or extinguished.

In Galicia, a temporary way out of the situation was found. The dead princes had a sister, Maria, married to the Polish Mazovian prince Troiden. From marriage they had a son - prince Boleslav. At the request of the Galician boyars, this prince converted from Catholicism to Orthodoxy and became the Galician-Volyn prince under the name Yuri II Troidenovich (1325-1340 pp.). His reign was affected by attempts to take away the Lublin land from Poland and an alliance with Lithuania and the Teutonic Order against Poland and Hungary. But the order instituted by the prince, in particular, support for the settlement of German colonists in Galician cities, such as it was encouraged by the Polish kings in Poland, neglect of the traditional Galician aristocracy, as well as the rise of Catholics to the detriment of the Orthodox, brought out the Galician boyars, who eventually poisoned prince. Thus, the Galician-Volyn dynasty in its direct line was cut off along the female line. "Dynastic catastrophe" from the partial has become final. Since Yuri II Troydenovich was married to the daughter of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas and married his daughter to the Lithuanian prince Lubart, the son of Gediminas, Lithuania, in addition to Poland, also begins to claim the lands of Galicia and Volhynia.

Galician boyars proclaimed Prince Lubart, quickly, as the rightful owner, was allowed into the cities of Volhynia. Lubart called himself a Galician-Volyn prince, although his power did not extend to Galicia. He was opposed by the Polish king Casimir III, who tried to legitimize the Polish claims to Galicia by the history of the reign of Yuri II in it, despite the fact that this prince himself fought with Poland.

A long Polish-Lithuanian war began for the inheritance of the Galicia-Volyn state.

The real power in Galicia at that time was exercised by the Galician boyars, headed by Dmitry Uncle, who proclaimed himself the "starosta" of the Russian land. His official title sounded like "pharmacist and manager of the Russian land." However, during the Middle Ages, only monarchical power, headed by a well-born monarch from a princely family, could be legitimate in the eyes of the international community.

Soon, the Polish king Casimir III launched an offensive against Galicia and occupied Przemysl land, and later Lviv. A long Polish-Lithuanian war began for the inheritance of the Galicia-Volyn principality, which lasted intermittently for half a century.

The Galician boyars insisted on the reign of Lubart. The Galician army, led by Dmitry Uncle, even made a trip to Poland. In 1344, all of Galicia came under the rule of Lubart, with the exception of Przemysl and Syanotsky lands. A truce was concluded on the condition of recognizing this "status quo *. However, already in 1349 Poland, having entered into an alliance with the Horde and the Teutonic Order, violated the truce, and the military campaign of this and next years led to the spread of the Poles' conquests to the entire Galician principality. The Lithuanian prince was able to keep the whole of Volyn, as well as the cities of Belz, Kholm and Brest.

U1350, the Hungarian king Ludwik (Lajos) and concluded an agreement with the Polish king Casimir III, needed help in the fight against Lithuania, that in the future Galicia and Kholmshchina would go to the power of the Hungarian king if there was no male in Casimir III offspring and if the Hungarian king becomes at the same time the king of Poland. If Casimir III has a son, then Hungary can take Galicia for itself only by paying a ransom - 100,000 florins. Thus, there were already three contenders for the inheritance of the Galicia-Volyn principality.

In 1366, Poland again violated the truce concluded with Lithuania and captured most of Volhynia. Lubart was left with only Lutsk volost and part of Vladimir. However, in 1370 the Lithuanian princes, dissatisfied with the imposed treaty, attacked the Vladimir, Belzka and Kholmsk lands and expelled the Polish garrisons from there.

Meanwhile, Poland suffered the same dynastic problems, and the Galician-Volyn state. After the death of King Casimir III, he had no direct descendants. Polish royal power was inherited by his nephew - the Hungarian king Ludwik I. After his death, Polish royal power was transferred to his daughter Jadwiga. Thus, in the face of extinction royal dynasty Poland managed to overcome this problem with non-standard solutions for the Middle Ages.

In 1377 King Ludwig I of Poland and Hungary organized new campaign to the Lithuanians. The Volyn prince Lubart was forced to recognize himself as a vassal of Ludwik, thanks to which he secured the Vladimir and Lutsk lands. Ludwik himself planted Prince Vladislav of Opolsky to rule in Galicia and the conquered Volyn lands, but the actual power on these lands was transferred to the Hungarian administration. After the death of Ludwik, Lubart returned his lands to Volyn without a war, simply by buying them from local Hungarian managers.

In 1385 Poland and Lithuania concluded Kreva union, which formed state federation through the marriage of the Polish queen Jadwiga and the Lithuanian prince Jagiello. As a result of the conclusion of the union in Poland, the system of co-government of Jadwiga and Jagiello, named Vladislav II, was established. Jadwiga was entrusted with the duty to ensure the hereditary nature of the Polish crown. The queen retained real power and participation in solving state issues. This union ended the wars of both states, however, it required the removal of the Hungarians from Galicia. In 1387 Jadwiga organized a special campaign against Galicia for this purpose.

Territorial changes secured the division of the Galician-Volyn lands into "Polish" Galicia and "Lithuanian" Volyn, the Ostrov agreement of 1392 was approved, signed from the Polish side by King Jagiello and from the Lithuanian side by Prince Vytautas.

In the Polish-Lithuanian conflict, the sympathies of the population of Galicia and Volyn, subject to the loss of their own monarchs, were on the side of the Lithuanian princes. The main slogan of the Lithuanian princes was "preservation of antiquity", that is, local management customs, contrasted favorably with the kings of the young Polish state, who carried out energetic reforms in the occupied lands, regardless of local traditions. Lithuanians, who at that time stood at the lowest level social development than the Rusyns, they quickly assimilated Ukrainian culture, including the Orthodox faith. This reduced the cultural distance between Ukrainians and Lithuanians. The population logically expected that the Lithuanian princes would go in the wake of the culture of Russia, much better than if the Polish kings tried to rebuild it to their own preferences. Lithuanian princes showed themselves well in the fight against the Mongols-Tatars. In the end, there were simply physically fewer Lithuanians than Poles, and therefore, the threat from them seemed less: most of the territory Principality of Lithuania at that time already constituted the Slavic lands. Finally, the fact that the rest of the Ukrainian lands had already passed under the supreme power of Lithuania testified in favor of the Lithuanian princes. Meanwhile, Lithuania, in order to emphasize the "local character", began to be called the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia.

However, during the Middle Ages, the opinion of people other than kings and princes meant little. Foreign owners took advantage of the fact that the dynasty of their own monarchs died out in Galicia and Volyn, and did not ask about the political preferences of the population.

As a result of a half-century war, the lands of the Galicia-Volyn principality were occupied and divided between its neighbors - the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia. Poland captured the whole of Galicia and part of the Volyn lands with the cities of Belz and Holm, and Lithuania - most of Volhynia with the cities of Vladimir and Lutsk.

History of the Galicia-Volyn principality - component history of Russia period feudal fragmentation, which was a natural stage in the development of the country.

Feudal mode of production under subsistence farming, weaknesses economic ties led to the disintegration of the territory of Russia into separate lands and principalities. Among them were Galicia and Volyn, which at the end of the 12th century united as part of the Galicia-Volyn principality. In the southwestern part of Russia, the Galicia-Volyn principality was the direct heir of Kievan Rus, the successor of its traditions. The period under study is characterized by a number of important socio-economic phenomena. This is primarily the growth of feudal property due to the development Agriculture by enslaving the masses of the peasantry. There is also a process of separation of handicrafts from agriculture, the growth of cities as centers of the handicraft population and trade exchange, covering wide areas. Social relations are aggravated, the struggle of the oppressed working masses against the exploiters is unfolding.

A characteristic feature of this period is the struggle of the princes against the boyars for the strengthening of the monarchical power and for the stable unification of the Galicia-Volyn lands into one principality. Such a "unification of more significant areas into feudal kingdoms" counteracted the process of fragmentation of Russia and was undoubtedly a progressive phenomenon. The struggle for the unity of actions of the Russian principalities, for their unification to repel the aggression of foreign feudal lords, was also of great importance.

The territory of both Volhynia and Galicia was divided into separate lands, or principalities. Volyn until the middle of the XII century. formed one Vladimir principality. Later, as a result of princely strife and hereditary division of possessions, small volosts began to appear, which eventually turned into principalities.

The Galicia-Volyn principality arose as a result of the unification of the Galician principality with Volyn, which was carried out by Roman Mstislavich in 1199.

The origin and development of the Galicia-Volyn principality - the heir to Kievan Rus

Unification of Volyn and Galicia

Despite internecine wars between individual princes, Volhynia and Galicia have long maintained close economic and cultural relations. These relationships became a prerequisite for the unification of Volhynia and Galicia in one principality, which later played extremely well for almost 150 years. important role in the life of the Eastern Slavs. further history should be considered in the context of the formation of three centers of consolidation, new state formations based on mono-ethnic soil - Ukrainian in the south, Belarusian in the northwest and Russian in the northeast.

The emergence and rise of the Galicia-Volyn state was facilitated by:
1. Good geographical position.
2. The need for a (joint) struggle between the two principalities against aggression from Poland, Hungary, and later the Mongol-Tatar yoke.
3. The policy of princes Roman (1199-1205) and Daniel (1238-1264) united vigorously.
4. The existence of rich salt deposits on the territory of the principality, and this contributed to economic growth and intensification of trade.

The state development of the Galicia-Volyn principality took place in several stages.

Shortly after the death of Yaroslav Osmomysl, Prince of Volyn Roman Mstislavich, at the invitation of the Galician boyars, occupied Galich, but could not establish himself there. Only in 1199, after the death of Vladimir Yaroslavich, the last representative of the Rostislavich dynasty, did Roman Mstislavich succeed in combining Volyn and Galicia under his rule into one principality.

The formation of the united Galicia-Volyn state was an event of great historical importance. No wonder the chronicler called Roman the Grand Duke, "the king in Russia", "the autocrat of all Russia." Having mastered a significant part of the Kyiv heritage. The Galicia-Volyn principality at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries was not inferior to the Holy Roman Empire in terms of the size of its possessions. Its strengthening against the background of the progressive decline of the principalities of the Middle Dnieper testified to the fact that the center of political and economic life is gradually moving to the west.

Roman chose Kyiv as the center of his state, not oriented towards Byzantium, but Galich, close to the borders of the Western states.
Over time, Roman becomes a political figure on the European historical scene, as evidenced by the offer of the Pope in 1204 in exchange and acceptance by the prince of Catholicism to crown him. The Galicia-Volyn principality is drawn into a fierce struggle between the Hohenstaufen and the Welfs, which escalated in what was then Catholic Europe. However, not only with the sword did Roman gain fame. AT last years life, he proposed a model for supporting the "good order" in Russia. According to this project, it was planned to end the princely civil strife, the consolidation of forces for the appearance of an external enemy. However, the Galician-Volyn prince failed to unite Russia. In 1205, he tragically died near the town of Zawichost during a fight with the soldiers of the Krakow prince Leshka the White.

Temporary collapse of a single state (1205-1238)

With the death of Roman, an almost 30-year period of struggle for the Galician table begins. characteristic features public life at this time were:
- the progressive self-will of the boyars, which reached an unprecedented violation of the norms of feudal law - the announcement of the prince of the boyar Vladislav Kormilchich (1213-1214);
- continuous interference in the internal affairs of the Western European lands of neighboring states - Hungary and Poland, the consequence and manifestation of which was the proclamation of the “King of Galicia” and Volodymyriya Kolman (Koloman), married to the two-year-old Polish princess Salome (the military occupation began after that lasted from 1214 to 1219 .);
- the growing Mongol threat, which first manifested itself in 1223 on the banks of the Kalka River (Galician and Volyn formations were part of the coalition of Russian princes);
- energetic struggle for the restoration of the state unity of Daniel of Galicia, successfully ended in 1238.

Galicia-Volyn principality in the reign of Daniel of Galicia (1238 - 1264).

Having restored unity, the Galicia-Volyn principality is gaining strength and regaining lost positions. In the spring of 1238, Daniel defeated the Teutonic knights of the Dobzhinsky Order near Dorogochin.

Soon he again extends his influence to Kyiv, in which he leaves his governor Dmitry to manage.

Feeling the reality of a constant threat from the West and East, he brings together a number of castle towns (Danilov, Kremenets, Ugrovesk, etc.).
During the period of the Mongol invasion, Daniel of Galicia was not in the principality: he was in Hungary and Poland.

When the hordes of Batu moved to Hungary, Daniil returned to his native lands, where he was expected not only by significant demographic losses, but also by another clash with the arbitrariness of the Galician boyars, who invited the Chernigov prince Rostislav to the throne. But in 1245 Daniel defeated the troops of Rostislav.

In the same 1245, the prince was forced to go to the Golden Horde in order to receive a label to manage the lands. Formally recognizing dependence on the khan, Daniel thereby tried to buy time to gather forces and prepare a decisive blow.
Old cities were actively fortified and fortresses of a new type were built, located on hills with stone walls, and the army was reorganized: the infantry was formed, the cavalry was re-equipped.

Daniil Galitsky was not able to realize the plans before the creation of the anti-Horde coalition. Taking advantage of Daniel's predicament, Pope Innocent IV promised the Galician-Volyn prince real help in the fight against the Golden Horde and the royal crown, subject to the conclusion of a union of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Catholic Church under the auspices of the pope.

In 1253 Danil's coronation takes place in the city of Dorogochin.

But not feeling real help from the papal curia, Daniel terminates the agreement with the Vatican and enters into an open armed struggle with the Golden Horde. At the end of 1254, Daniil of Galicia went on the offensive against the troops of Kuremsa, who was trying to occupy the Galician Lower. As a result of successful and decisive actions, the prince managed to win back the lands along the Southern Bug, Sluch and Teterev from the nomads.

In 1258, the Horde launched a new massive offensive led by Burundai. Having no strength to resist, Daniel of Galicia was forced to order the destruction of the fortifications of Vladimir, Lutsk, Kremenets, Danilov and other cities. Only the fortifications of impregnable Hill, where Daniel died in 1264, after a serious illness, survived.

Stability and rise (1264 - 1323)

After the death of Daniel of Galicia, the principality again loses its unity: its lands were divided among the three descendants of the prince - Lev, Mstislav and Shvarno.

Lev Danilovich (1264 - 1301) continued the state policy of his father most consistently. Although he was forced to admit his dependence on Nogai, it was this prince who annexed Transcarpathia and Lublin land to his possessions. Thanks to him, the territory of the Galicia-Volyn state became the largest in its history.

At the turn of the XIII - XIV centuries. the unity of the Galicia-Volyn state was restored under the rule of Leo's successor, Prince Yuri I (1301 - 1315). This was the period when Golden Horde, which, torn apart by internal strife and strife, gradually lost power over the conquered territories.
Yuri, like Daniel, took the royal title. During his reign, stabilized community development, cities flourished, trade ascended, economic growth grew.

Yuri I's successors were his sons - Andrei and Leo II (1315 - 1323). They divided the territory of the principality into spheres of influence, but ruled jointly, duumvirate, and therefore the collapse of a single state did not occur. The struggle with the Horde ended tragically for them: in 1323, in the battle with the troops of Khan Uzbek, the young princes died.

The value of the Galicia-Volyn state for the Ukrainian people.

In fact, the Galicia-Volyn state on Ukrainian soil was built by Ukrainian hands, who managed to unite around themselves most of the Ukrainian ethnographic theory of their time, in fact, in the middle of the 14th century. ceased to exist. But a century and a half of its existence did not pass without a trace for the future fate of the Ukrainian people.

In the culture of the Galician-Volynian day, even more clearly than before, there is an original combination of the Slavic heritage and new features due to ties with Byzantium, Western and Central Europe, and the countries of the East. The principality has an honorable place in the formation of Ukrainian culture, in strengthening its ties with the cultures of others peoples. Through the ages in the hard times of dominion foreign countries Ukrainian figures of literature, art, education turned to the heritage of past eras, including the times of the Galicia-Volyn principality. The memory of its former greatness supported the spirit of the Ukrainian liberation struggle.

The state traditions of the era of Kievan Rus and the Galicia-Volyn principality had great importance to preserve and strengthen the historical identity of the Ukrainian people.

Consequently, the development of culture in the Galicia-Volyn principality contributed to the consolidation of the historical traditions of Kievan Rus. For many centuries, these traditions have been preserved in architecture, fine arts, literature, chronicles and historical works. The heritage of Kievan Rus was one of the essential factors in the unification of the cultures of the Eastern European peoples.