Thus, the Smolensk land lost almost nothing from the Chernigov princes. But Rostislav, both himself and in alliance with Izyaslav, marched with his army many times through the Cherninigov land, devastating and plundering, ruining its completely northern cities. So, in the same year he already made an effort to set fire to the neighboring Chernigov city of Lyubech (now a small town of the Chernigov province of Gorodnitsky district), a rich and important city. At the same time, in his own words, he fought a lot, that is, he greatly devastated the neighboring lands and did a lot of evil to the Olgovichs. After ruining Lyubech, he sent to his brother Izyaslav, who was devastating the outskirts of Chernigov itself, with information about his forces and with a request to wait for him, so that both could unite and think about the further course of the military action. force the Oltovichs to fight. But they failed. Meanwhile, they tried to destroy several cities: Vsevolozh, Byeluvzha, Unenezh, Bokhmach and take their inhabitants prisoner. On the occasion of the coming spring, the princes were forced to stop the military campaign and retreat to No. After meeting Izyaslav, Rostielav went to his place in Smolensk, so that, in alliance with the Novtorodtsy, he would meet Yuri if he decided to attack. However, the attack did not happen: Yuri passed by the Smolensk land.
We will not follow the progress of the struggle between Izyaslav and Yurem over Yuev, in which our princes Rostislav and Vyacheslav participated. All of Rus' took part in this struggle, and therefore the study of this time is the subject of all-Russian history. We have already seen the reasons why Rostislav turned out to be a loyal ally of Izyaslav. The Smolensk region was not entirely interested in this struggle and therefore suffered almost no damage. We will now only pay attention to the personal relations of the two brothers-allies in the first period of this struggle, that is, before the first expulsion of Izyaslav from Eve. E
Rostislaz was the most prominent and strongest ally of Izyaslav; in addition, they were brothers, owners of lands, who were closely linked by economic status; These circumstances determine the fact that they closely stuck to each other throughout the continuation of the struggle and, moreover, stood as equal allies. Contrary to what usually happened then, when the Grand Duke imflnf which vshyanany on udflny, when the first did not send for advice to the last day, we see in the relations of Rostislav and Izaslav complete equality and respect for each other. In military actions, the princes cooperate with each other; “We’ll see what God gives us,” they say, and gather for a general council. In everything they act as equals: “idost”, “hearing”, “poslasta” - says the photoscript about them 23).
Izyaslav asks Rostislav every time before he starts t5 or other actions. Izyaslav “began to think with his brother.”) So, when the Overseas princes sent Izyaslav to ask for peace, he answered them: “I will send to my brother Rostislav and with him I will agree with him and then I will send you my ambassadors.” Rostislav advised his brother to make peace and he accepted the agreement *°). Brothers inform each other about all their successes. The nature of the relationship is the most sincere: informing about his struggles near Chernigov, Izyaslav asks about his brother’s health: “And I ask you, brother, are you in health and how can God help you there?” *). Rostislav's ambassador begins to shout to Izyaslav: “brother! I bow to you, you are less old than me, and no matter how you guess, there is a language in that” 7). The meeting of brothers in Smolensk is especially typical. Izyaslav and Rostislav “praised God, having seen their brother in health and with great love and in joy with their husbands and with Smolnyany.” The brothers gave each other - Izyaslav with the works of the Russian land (Noevskaya) and the royal lands, Rostislav - from the Upper Lands and from the Varangians *).
23) Ip., 252. 21) Ip., 267. 25) Ip., 256. 26) Ip., 255. 27) Ip., 256. 35) Inp., 259.
This position of the Prince of Smolensk is very important: it indicates and recognizes the complete independence of his land and its strength. By their attitude towards Rostislav as a blood ally, Izyaslav, and with him the princes and other princes, established in the eyes of the entire Russian world of that time the complete independence of the Smolensk land.
It is clear that the first period of the struggle of the Monomakhovichs for Vev ended when Yur settled in Noev, and Izyaslav was expelled and went to Volyn, to Vladimir, Rostislav went to Smolensk.