The figure of Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolovich is one of the most striking and interesting among the princes of Russia of the XII century. At different times, he ruled Turov, Vladimir-Volynsky, Novgorod-Seversky, Chernigov and Kiev. In military campaigns, Svyatoslav went around the whole of Russia, traveled to the distant southern steppes and became a storm of nomadic Polovtsy.
early years
The future prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was born around 1123 in the family of Vsevolod Olgovich, who ruled in Chernigov and then in Kiev. The fact was that in the first half of the XII century, before the united Old Russian state finally broke up into a dozen destinies. Each of them was controlled by a certain branch of the Rurikovich.
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich belonged to the Olgovichi - so generically called the clan that ruled in Chernigov. In his era, Kiev was still nominally considered the main city of Russia, and each large feudal family tried to establish control over it. Father Svyatoslav Vsevolod did this in 1139. He sent his son as governor, first to Turov, and then to Vladimir-Volynsky. So the lad received the first princely experience.
Participation in feuds
Vsevolod Olgovich died in 1139. After his death, an armed struggle began for the Kiev throne. The previous order, when the eldest son inherited his father, was destroyed, and now several princes immediately claimed the main Russian princedom. Vsevolod's successor was his brother Igor Olgovich. However, Izyaslav Mstislavovich, whose father also once ruled Kiev, was dissatisfied with this.
Who is Igor Prince of Kiev Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich? He was his uncle, so his nephew supported his relative. However, just a few months after accession to the throne, Igor was overthrown by Izyaslav, who sent him to the monastery. After some time, the monk was completely killed during the unrest in Kiev.
Yuri Dolgoruky from the Rostov-Suzdal Principality declared war on Izyaslav Mstislavovich, who began to rule in the city. He was also not averse to establish control over Kiev. Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich in that conflict supported Izyaslav, who was his maternal uncle, and gave him several Volyn cities as his inheritance.
In Chernihiv
In the years 1157-1164. Svyatoslav ruled Novgorod-Seversky, and after the death of his uncle Svyatoslav Olgovich received Chernigov - the main inheritance of his family. The prince has always been independent. In 1169, he did not support Andrei Bogolyubsky (from Vladimir) in his war against Kiev. The result of that campaign was the unprecedented plunder of an ancient and wealthy city.
A whole coalition of princes united against Kiev (where Mstislav Izyaslavovich ruled). It included the closest relatives of Svyatoslav - cousins Igor and Oleg Seversky, and only one Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich refused to participate in the feud.
After the ruin, Kiev no longer played a dominant role in Russia (it passed to the cities of Rostov and Vladimir), however, it remained an apple of discord for numerous southern princes. In 1173, Yaroslav Izyaslavovich began to claim the city. Svyatoslav did not support him, and he briefly occupied the city. In response to this, with a war, a cousin Oleg went to him, besieging Starodub fortress.
Svyatoslav also did not sit idle and besieged Novgorod-Seversky. Only at the very last moment did the conflict not develop into a large-scale internecine war. Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich left Kiev, nevertheless losing him to Yaroslav Izyaslavovich, returned to Chernigov and reconciled with his cousin.
Conflict with Rostislavichi
Like other southern princes, Svyatoslav was in a state of constant war with the Polovtsy, who organized devastating raids on the border towns and villages. In 1176, a coalition of several Rurikovich was defeated by the steppes, which led to new destructive robberies. Svyatoslav, who did not participate in that campaign, demanded that the next Kiev prince Roman Rostislavovich deprive the lot of his younger brother Davyd, who was responsible for the unsuccessful outcome of the battle against the nomads.
The ruler of the ancient capital refused to punish his next of kin. Instead, Roman himself was forced to give Svyatoslav Kiev. Soon, the Chernigov prince really moved to the banks of the Dnieper. However, in a new place, he was in an extremely uncomfortable position. Although Svyatoslav owned Kiev, the rest of Kiev land with many fortresses and towns belonged to several brothers Rostislavich, who also owned Smolensky.
Temporary loss of Kiev
In 1180, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich of Kiev launched a war against the Rostislavichs. He attacked the cities of Davyd, but for a while he lost Kiev, where Rurik (also Rostislavich) drove into his absence. Although Svyatoslav ruled on the banks of the Dnieper for several years, he focused primarily on the interests of his native Chernigov principality. That is why the loss of Kiev did not hit hard on the monarch.
Returning to Chernigov, the prince began to prepare for the continuation of the war with the Rostislavichs. However, unexpectedly, he had a new adversary - Vsevolod the Great Nest, who ruled in Vladimir. This prince declared war on the Ryazan ruler Roman Glebovich, an ally and son-in-law of Svyatoslav.
From Chernigov to Vsevolod, ambassadors arrived who tried to settle the conflict. The delegation was led by the son of Svyatoslav Gleb. Vsevolod captured the prince, which was actually a declaration of war. In the events that followed, the characteristic of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was clearly manifested. He was not afraid of a war with several principalities at once and decided to be the first to take the initiative into his own hands.
Trekking in Northeast Russia
Vsevolod could be punished only by attacking his own lands. So Svyatoslav did, starting in 1181 his famous Northern campaign, during which he led the army overcame a path of 2 thousand kilometers. The campaign was attended by all the closest relatives, whom only Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich had. Prince Trubchevsky, Prince Seversky, Prince Kursky and the rest of the Olgovichi stood under the same banner.
Svyatoslav left part of the combined army in Chernigov in the event of an attack by Rurik Rostislavich. The main forces moved towards Vladimir. The troops of Vsevolod and Svyatoslav met on the opposite banks of Vienna. The battle never happened. The Prince of Vladimir was fortified in the mountains, where it was extremely inconvenient to attack him. Vsevolod himself did not take any action. As a result, Svyatoslav, due to the onset of spring, turned in the opposite direction, on the way he put on fire the small town of Dmitrov.
Again in Kiev
Having left Northeast Russia, the Chernigov army went to the city of Drutsk, where Davyd Rostislavich was under siege. The prince managed to escape, but after this Svyatoslav without any struggle entered Kiev, where this time he became prince and ruled until his death. He gave Chernigov to his brother Yaroslav.
The last event of that internecine war was the battle between the squads of Svyatoslav and Rurik. Rostislavich won. Thus, the status quo was restored. Rurik admitted that Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich is the prince of Kiev, however, he retained all of Kiev land, except the capital itself. With Vsevolod the Big Nest, peace was also made. In 1183, the army of Svyatoslav participated in the campaign of the Vladimir prince in the Volga Bulgaria.
War with the Polovtsy
Having finally become the Kiev prince, Svyatoslav focused on the fight against the main threat to the peaceful life of Russia - the Polovtsy. Civil wars only aggravated the situation - nomads gladly participated in conflicts as mercenaries or attacked defenseless lands while the Rurikovich were busy clarifying their relationship. At that time, the strongest Polovtsian khans were Kobyak and Konchak. Svyatoslav declared war on them. In 1184, he led a coalition of several princes (which included Rurik Rostislavich, among others) defeated the steppes on the banks of the Khorol River. At the head of the hordes of Polovtsy was Konchak. He only miraculously managed to escape and avoid death.
Khan Kobyak was less fortunate. His horde was also defeated in that successful campaign of the Russian squad. Svyatoslav won the second victory on the Orel river. Kobyak was captured and later executed in Kiev. After the events of 1185, the Polovtsy no longer invaded the princely lands. Their hordes appeared in Russia only if they were recruited as mercenaries participating in the feuds of Rurikovich.
Despite the victory of Svyatoslav, soon the sad news arrived in Kiev. His cousin Igor, who ruled in Novgorod-Seversky, decided to keep up with his relative and went on an independent campaign in the steppe. In 1185, the Polovtsy defeated this squad, and captured the prince himself. Soon Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich learned about the fate of his cousin. The “Word about Igor’s Regiment” (the main work of Old Russian literature) tells of the events of that unsuccessful campaign. Svyatoslav, as the opposite of an unlucky relative, is depicted in the poem as the wise ruler and patriarch of all the southern princes.
Last years
In 1187, the Galician prince Yaroslav Osmomysl died . After his death, the struggle for the inheritance of Southwest Russia intensified. The conflict was complicated by the fact that the Hungarian king Bela III intervened in it. He occupied Galich and proposed to transfer this rich city to the son of Svyatoslav Gleb.
The Kiev prince was going to give his consent, but Rurik Rostislavich did not like this development of events. The friction between him and Svyatoslav led to the fact that in Galich, the son of Yaroslav Osmomysl, Vladimir, who considered Vsevolod the Big Nest as his protector, was established for a short time.
Shortly before his death, Svyatoslav came into conflict with the Ryazan princes, with whom the border disputes arose between the Olgovichi. War, however, did not happen. Ryazan was in the sphere of influence of Vsevolod the Big Nest. He refused to give Svyatoslav consent to the emergence of his squad near his borders. As a result, in 1194, the Kiev prince canceled the planned campaign and soon died. The death of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, which was the key to stability and tranquility of Southern Russia, led to another internecine war between the Olgovich and Rostislavich.