At the beginning of Princess Izyaslav we see the Principality of Turov under the rule of Yuri Yaroslavich, the grandson of Svyatopolk P. It is unknown where this prince was the prince before this time, but he took possession of the Principality of Turov, obviously against the wishes of the new Grand Duke. One can guess that this prince ruled Brest and the upper reaches of Pripyat and from there captured Turov during the death of Yuri, expelling the latter’s son Boris from there. Izyaelavi Davidovich communicated Turov to the grandson of Monomakh Vladimir Metislavich and therefore, having gathered troops, he went to expel Yuri Yaroslavich. With him
49) Ip., 338. 50) Ip., 329, 381. 51) Inp., 380. 52) In., 382. 53) Ip., 336.
120 M. DOVNART-ZAPOLSKTI.
Allied troops also departed: Yaroslav Lutsy, Yaropolk Andreevich, Rurik Rostislavich from Smolensk, also the princes of Polotsve and the Berendichs. This huge militia besieged Turov and stood near it for 10 weeks. During the siege, the Berendich steppe inhabitants burned and plundered the outskirts of Pinsk and the entire coastline of the upper Pripyat. Seeing the impossibility of long-term resistance to such forces, Prince Yur Yaroslavich began to ask for peace. Izyaslav did not agree and demanded the return of Turov and Pinsk; In the wake of the horse pestilence, the allies had to stop the siege, and Izyaslav did not make peace with the Prince of Turov, 5%)
With the death of the last Monomashich, Yury, Rostislav, as undoubtedly the elder in the Monomakh family, had the right to the Yuevsyu table; Moreover, Rostislav undoubtedly won a strong party in Yuev, where he was already known and where the descendants of Monomakh were generally preferred to the Olgovichs. That's why Rostislav occupied Kyuev at the first opportunity. He had already entered into intercourse with his nephews Izyaslavich, the sons of his brother, and when Izyaslav Davidovich was relieved last day, they invited Rostislav to occupy Yuev. He agreed and joined No. on April 12, 1160. Izyaslav Davidovich had to give in; however, in revenge for his expulsion, in the same year he launched an attack on the Smolensk volost, and joined forces with the Polovtsians, burning and plundering many villages. 55)
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Considering the participation of Smolensk in the struggle over the World Table, we have already had occasion to note more than once that Rostislav’s policy throughout this struggle was mainly inclined towards avoiding attacks on his own volost. Rostislav is the first to strive to attack the Chernihiv lands and thereby warns of an attack on his own. But the most important significance of this struggle is that this prince managed to establish the independence of his volost, increase its prosperity, so it is not for nothing that the chronicle calls the Smolensk principality at the end of the 18th century.
54) Itz., 337. 55) Ip., 344, 348. %) Novg. lit., 131.
ESSAY LO BEGINNING. HIG ST. 12]
"great". But besides establishing independence, Rostislav’s policy extended further: he sought to further expand his principality territorially, or at least establish his position in the weaker neighboring principalities. In this regard, his policy in relations with Novgorod and the Polotsk princes is remarkable. |
The relations of Rostislav Mstislavich with Novgorod and his attempt to form a party there date back to the beginning of his princess in Smolensk®. In the coalition of 1137, formed against the Novgorodians, due to the fact that they did not want to accept Prince Svyatopolk Mstislavich, who reigned after the death of his brother Vsevolod in Pskov, they participated together with the Yuevlans, Polochans, Suzdalians and Smolnyans 56); It was natural for Rostislav to support the Monomashich party in Novgorod. The Novgorodians, as is known, were forced to expel Svyatoslav Olgovich the following year, 1138. Then, the Smolnyans captured him on the way and kept him in custody for some time in the Smyadynsky monastery, near Smolensk. 57) It is known that at this time there was a strong struggle between parties in Novgorod, until Svyatopolk Metislavich, 58) brother of Rostislav (in 11429), finally established himself in it, when the Metislavich party gained the upper hand.