Moreover, the 'Life' (Zhitie) of Avramii of Smolensk provides valuable data on the social conditions of the time.[108]
Two genealogical considerations were pivotal for Rostislav's successful occupation of Kiev: after the death of his brother Iziaslav he became the eldest surviving Mstislavich; and after the death of his uncle Iurii he became the eldest prince in the entire House of Monomakh. He was therefore the legitimate claimant from both camps. Since all the princes in the House of Monomakh accepted his candidacy, his reign witnessed fewer internecine wars. The Polovtsy, however, intensified their attacks. They raided caravans travelling by river and by land from the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov regions. Rostislav organised campaigns against the nomads but failed to curb their forays.
He died on 14 March 1167.[109] After that, the Mstislavichi split into two dynasties: the one in Volyn' descended from Iziaslav who had made that region his family possession, and the one in Smolensk descended from Ros- tislav.[110] (See Table 5.4: The House of Volyn', and Table 5.5: The House of Smolensk.) Following the latter's death, his nephew Mstislav Iziaslavich of Vladimir-in-Volynia pre-empted the right of his uncle Vladimir Mstislavich of Dorogobuzh to rule Kiev.[111]
At first, Mstislav had the support of the other Mstislavichi because they expected to manipulate him. They discovered that he was no man's lackey, however, after he refused to grant them the towns they demanded. He also antagonised Andrei Bogoliubskii, who had replaced his father Iurii Dolgorukii in Suzdalia. Andrei saw Mstislav's accession as a violation of the traditional order of succession to Kiev. Moreover, Mstislav appointed his son Roman to Novgorod, where Andrei was seekingto assert his influence. Despite Mstislav's unpopularity, he successfully assembled the princes of Rus' against the Polovtsy. While in the field, however, he antagonised them further. Without informing them, he allowed his men to plunder the camps of the nomads. After that, we are told, the princes plotted against him.[112]
The Rus' principalities (II25-I246) Table 5.4. The House of Volyn'
Iziaslav d. 1154
| Ingvar' d. 1212 |
| Iaroslav d. 1180 |
| Mstislav d. 1172 |
| Roman d. 1205 |
Daniil Vasil'ko
d. 1264 d. 1269
Table 5.5. The House of Smolensk
Rostislav d. 1167
| Roman d. 1180 |
| Riurik d. 1208 |
| David d. 1197 |
| Mstislav d. 1180 |
Mstislav Vladimir Mstislav
d. 1223 d. 1239 the Bold
d. 1228
Andrei Bogoliubskii
In 1169 Andrei Bogoliubskii organised a coalition to evict Mstislav from Kiev. Princes from Suzdalia, Smolensk, Volyn' and Chernigov joined the campaign led by Andrei's son Mstislav.[113] Many tookpart not only because they acknowledged Andrei's prior claim to Kiev, but also because they resented Mstislav for cheating them out of booty. Historians are not agreed on Andrei's objective in attacking Kiev or on the significance of its capture on 8 March. Some claim that his aim was to recover the Kievan throne for the rightful Monomashichi claimants because Kiev was the capital ofthe land. Others, however, argue that Andrei attempted to subordinate it to Vladimir and that its capture signalled its decline. [114]
Perhaps there is an element of truth in each view. In forcing the usurper Mstislav to flee to Volyn', Andrei, the rightful claimant for the House of Suzdalia, was able to seize control of Kiev. Surprisingly, after his forces captured the town, they sacked it.[115] Their action obviously did not penalise Mstislav in any way. Rather, the attackers vented their spleen against the Kievans. They seemingly ransacked the capital out of envy for its prosperity and out of fury at the arrogance of its citizens. Andrei, of course, had his own reason for condoning the pillaging. He wished to see Kiev wane in magnificence because he was striving to build up his capital of Vladimir as its rival. But his scheme failed. The plundering did not lead to Kiev's decline. It recovered and flourished to suffer even more debilitating sacks in 1203 and in 1240. The evidence that the dynasties which were eligible to rule it continued to covet it as the most cherished plum in Rus' testifies to its continued prosperity.
Meanwhile, Novgorod also remained a bone of contention. Since Suzdalia served as the conduit through which Baltic trade passed from Novgorod to the Caspian Sea, Andrei sought to wrest control of the town from the prince of Kiev and assert his jurisdiction over it. Two years after expelling Mstislav from Kiev, he finally forced the Novgorodians to capitulate by laying an embargo on all grain shipments to their town. [116]
Although historians disagree on Andrei's objectives and achievements, it is safe to assert that he defended the order of succession to Kiev championed by his father. Unlike Iurii, however, he chose to live in Suzdalia. The fate of his father was one deterrent. Moreover, if he occupied Kiev he would remove himself dangerously far from his centre of power in Suzdalia. As Iaroslav the Wise had foreseen, a prince whose patrimony abutted on Kiev had the best chance of ruling it successfully because he could summon auxiliary forces quickly from his patrimony. Nevertheless, realising that ruling Kiev gave its prince a great moral advantage, Andrei could not allow it to fall into a rival's hands. Adhering to the system of genealogical seniority, he gave it to his younger brothers, who also had the right to sit on the throne of their father. First, he sent Gleb from Pereiaslavl', but the Kievanspoisoned him, or so Andrei believed. Gleb's alleged murder would have confirmed Andrei's suspicion that the Kievans despised the sons just as vehemently as they had hated Iurii. Next, he appointed Mikhalko. But the latter declined the dubious honour by handing over the town to his brother Vsevolod.[117]
After Mstislav Iziaslavich died in Volyn' in 1170, the Rostislavichi of Smolensk took up the battle for Kiev. They evicted Vsevolod and gave the town to Riurik Rostislavich.[118] Three years later, Andrei formed a coalition with Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich of Chernigov. He was determined to avenge Gleb's death and to punish the Rostislavichi for their insubordination by expelling Riurik. Sviatoslav, for his part, intended to occupy Kiev. Thus, Andrei conceded that Sviatoslav's claim to the capital was as legitimate as his was. He also tacitly admitted his failure to maintain puppets in Kiev. Sviatoslav, the commander-in- chief of the coalition, evicted Riurik and occupied the town. Later, however, Iaroslav Iziaslavich of Lutsk, the younger brother of the deceased Mstislav, brought reinforcements from Volyn', helped Riurik to expel Sviatoslav, and occupied Kiev.[119]
108
On Smolensk, see L. V Alekseev,
111
114
Historians do not agree whether or not Kiev lost its pre-eminence in Rus' after Andrei's alliance sackedit. For the discussions, see P. P. Tolochko,