The son of Daniil Romanovich Leo was the Galician and Volyn prince. He had to fight with many opponents: Poles, Lithuanians and Tatars. This ruler was one of the last independent princes of Western Russia.
early years
The Galician and Volyn Prince Lev Danilovich was born around 1228. Little is known about his childhood. He was the second of four sons of Daniel Romanovich. The first mention of a child dates back to 1240. Then he and his father visited Hungary. Daniel wanted to marry his son to the daughter of the king of this country, Bela, and thus consolidate a political alliance with his neighbor. However, the Hungarian monarch declined the offer. And only ten years later, when Daniel visited the Horde and won the favor of the khan, Bela IV changed his mind. So Leo married Constance of Hungary.
Growing up, the heir participated in several military campaigns of his father. In 1254, Lev Danilovich helped his father-in-law in his conflict with the Czechs. Also, the son of the Galician-Volyn prince led a squad in a campaign against the Yatvyag. Leo Danilovich even killed their ruler Steikint, having brought their father their weapons. At the same time, the Russian principalities depended on the Tatars, and Rurikovich had to personally tear down the Volyn fortresses by order of the khan.
The fight for the throne of Galicia
In 1264, Daniel Romanovich died. He divided his power among his sons, giving each one an inheritance. Leo got Przemysl. Thanks to a successful dynastic marriage, his older brother Schwarn became the Prince of Lithuania and in addition received Galich and Kholm from his father. In parallel with them in Volhynia, their uncle Vasilko Romanovich ruled. Leo was terribly jealous of Shvarna and because of this went on a real crime.
In Lithuania, the eldest son of Daniel reigned together with the brother of his Lithuanian wife Voyshelk. Leo invited him to a feast. At first Voyshelk hesitated, but finally agreed to come after Vasylk’s friendly assurances. After a long feast, the ruler of Przemysl killed the Lithuanian. Here is what an insidious act committed Lev Danilovich. Schwarn briefly outlived his brother-in-law. He died in 1269. In the annals there is no evidence of the nature of his death. Since Schwarn was childless, all his inheritances were inherited by his brother Leo, who became the full-fledged prince of Galicia.
Lithuanian politics
At the beginning of his reign, Leo supported the Polish king Boleslav in his internal feudal struggle against the Prince of Worotislav. Then the governor of Galich turned his eyes to the Lithuanians and the Yatvyag. He sent an army against this tribe, which captured the city of Zlina. The Yotvyagi did not give a general battle, frightened by a strong Russian squad.
Soon the prince of Galicia reconciled with the Lithuanian ruler Troiden, began to regularly exchange embassies and gifts with him. An important character trait of this person was clearly manifested in such behavior, and the characterization of Lev Danilovich without mentioning her would be incomplete: he often changed friends and enemies, focusing only on the interests of his principality.
However, this pragmatic policy also had its flaws. In 1274, the fragile alliance with Troyden collapsed. The prince of Lithuania sent an army to Drogichin. The city was captured, and many residents were killed. The lion began to ask for help from the Tatars. Khan Mengu-Timur not only gave him an army, but also ordered the other princes of Western Russia to help his relative.
The team headed for the city of Novogrudok, intending to take an important Lithuanian fortress. Each army went its own way. The Leo army was one of the first to approach the city. Together with him was a Tatar detachment. Leo decided to seize the fortress without waiting for his allies. The idea was fulfilled at night. The prince did not notify his allies of his intentions, despite early agreements. When the squads of Roman Bryansk and Gleb Smolensky approached Novogrudok, they and the other Rurikovich were angry with Leo. The princes did not like the fact that he did not consider them equal, and went home. After this episode, the campaign ended.
Wars with Poland
In 1280, after the death of Boleslav V Shy, Lev Danilovich tried to take over the Polish throne. However, the local nobility refused to recognize his rights to the throne and elected the nephew of the deceased, Leshky Cherny, as the monarch. Then Prince Lev Danilovich went to the Golden Horde to Nogai, hoping for the help of the Tatars in the war with the Poles. Khan really supported the prince. In addition, the eastern despot forced other Rurikovich to join the Leo.
The Krakow campaign ended in nothing. The lion boasted that it was about to reach the capital of Poland, but instead, his army began to plunder and loot in roadside villages, becoming vulnerable to the enemy army. After a serious defeat, Leo had to return home empty-handed. The next year, Leszek Cherny attacked Galicia, captured the city of Perevoresk and exterminated its inhabitants.
Relations with the Tatars
In 1283, the Tatars came to the possession of Leo, who were going to fight with Poland. They never went west, but they began to plunder the Volyn and Galician cities. The hordes of Khan Tula-Bugi and Nogai killed and captured about 25 thousand people. Many residents of Lviv starved to death.
A few years later, in 1287, the Russian princes again had to go with the Tatars to Poland. Lev Danilovich Galitsky, like his other relatives, could not fight the hordes of nomads, so dutifully carried out the orders of the khans, hoping thus to protect their lands from even greater destruction.
Prince of Galicia and Volhynia
At the end of 1288, Volyn prince Vladimir Vasilkovich, who was a cousin of Leo, died. According to the will, his throne passed to another son of Daniel - Mstislav. Leo was unhappy that his younger brother, bypassing him, received a rich and important principality. The son of Prince Yuri even captured Brest. Not wanting an open confrontation with Mstislav, Leo gave his offspring orders to leave the city. However, time again played into the hands of the latter.
In 1292, Mstislav died, and his older brother inherited the Volyn principality, thus uniting the two western Russian lands - Galitskaya and Volyn. Without resorting to war, Prince Lev Danilovich Galitsky was able to restore the power of his ancestors. He died in 1301. When dying, the ruler commanded that he be buried without any triumph. The monks put the body in a simple shroud and put a cross in their hand.