Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych, given the epithet "the Great", was Prince of Novgorod from 970 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 978 until his death in 1015. The Eastern Orthodox Church canonised him as Saint Vladimir.
The Mongol Empire invaded and conquered much of Kievan Rus' in the mid-13th century, sacking numerous cities including the largest such as Kiev and Chernigov. The Mongol siege and sack of Kiev in 1240 is generally held to mark the end of Kievan Rus' as a distinct, singular polity. Many other Rus' principalities and urban centres in the northwest and southwest escaped destruction or suffered little to no damage from the Mongol invasion, including Galicia-Volhynia, Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, Polotsk, Vitebsk, and probably Rostov and Uglich.
The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, was originally a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the division of the Mongol Empire after 1259, it became a functionally separate khanate. It is also known as the Kipchak Khanate or as the Ulus of Jochi, and it replaced the earlier, less organized Cuman–Kipchak confederation.
Ivan I Danilovich Kalita was Prince of Moscow from 1325 to at least 1340, and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1332 until at least 1340.
Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky was Prince of Novgorod, Grand Prince of Kiev (1246–1263) and Grand Prince of Vladimir (1252–1263).
Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Golden Horde, a constituent of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi, thus a grandson of Genghis Khan. His ulus ruled over the Kievan Rus', Volga Bulgaria, Cumania, and the Caucasus for around 250 years.
Vladimir-Suzdal, formally known as the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal or Grand Principality of Vladimir (1157–1331), also as Suzdalia or Vladimir-Suzdalian Rus', was one of the major principalities emerging from Kievan Rus' in the late 12th century, centered in Vladimir-on-Klyazma. With time the principality grew into a grand principality divided into several smaller principalities. After being conquered by the Mongol Empire, the principality became a self-governed state headed by its own nobility. A governorship of the principality, however, was prescribed by a jarlig issued from the Golden Horde to a Rurikid sovereign.
Vladimir II Monomakh was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1113 to 1125. He is considered a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and is celebrated on May 6.
Yuri I Vladimirovich, commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy or the Long Arm, was a Monomakhovichi prince of Rostov and Suzdal, acquiring the name Suzdalia during his reign. Noted for successfully curbing the privileges of the landowning boyar class in Rostov-Suzdal and his ambitious building programme, Yuri transformed this principality into the independent power that would evolve into early modern Muscovy. Yuri Dolgorukiy was the founder of the Yurievichi dynasty, a branch of the Monomakhovichi.
The Principality or, from 1253, Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, historically known as the Kingdom of Ruthenia, was a medieval state in Eastern Europe which existed from 1199 to 1349. Its territory was predominantly located in modern-day Ukraine, with parts in Belarus, Poland, Moldova, and Lithuania. Along with Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal, it was one of the three most important powers to emerge from the collapse of Kievan Rus'. The main language was Old East Slavic, the predecessor of the modern East Slavic languages, and the official religion was Eastern Orthodoxy.
Andrey Bogolyubsky, was Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1157 until his death. During repeated internecine wars between the princely clans, Andrey accompanied his father Yuri Dolgorukiy during a brief capture of Kiev in 1149; 20 years later, he led the Sack of Kiev (1169), and made efforts to elevate Vladimir on the Klyazma as the new capital of Kievan Rus'. He was canonized as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church in 1702.
Mikhail Vsevolodovich, known as Michael or Mikhail of Chernigov, was Grand Prince of Kiev ; he was also Prince of Pereyaslavl (1206), Prince of Novgorod-Seversk (1219–1226), Prince of Chernigov, Prince of Novgorod, and Prince of Galicia (1235–1236).
The modern Veliki Preslav or Great Preslav, former Preslav, is a city and the seat of government of the Veliki Preslav Municipality, which in turn is part of Shumen Province, Bulgaria. Veliki Preslav is situated at an altitude of 132 m.
Igor Svyatoslavich, nicknamed the Brave, was Prince of Novgorod-Seversk (1180–1198) and Prince of Chernigov (1198–1201/1202).
Alexander or Aleksandr Mikhailovich was Prince of Tver and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1326 to 1327 and Grand Prince of Tver from 1338 to 1339. His rule was marked by the Tver Uprising in 1327. He was executed in Sarai by the Mongols, together with his son Fyodor.
Kurya was the name of a Pecheneg prince and khan who allied with Svyatoslav I of Kiev in his campaigns in the Balkans. Later, after Svyatoslav's defeat by the Byzantine Empire, Kurya ambushed and killed the Kievan grand prince at Khortytsia. According to the Chronicle of Bygone Years, Kurya had Svyatoslav's skull made into a goblet, and gilded. Dates of his rule are unknown, but he was no longer khan somewhere around 988 CE, being succeeded by Metiga. It is also possible that he was the leader of the Pechenegs in the 968 siege of Kiev, but since a starting date is unknown, it is almost impossible to tell. Kurya appears as a villain in the 2006 animated film Prince Vladimir.
Metiga was a Pecheneg ruler who allied himself with Vladimir I of Kiev around the year 988 CE. Metiga assisted with the capture of Cherson by Vladimir, who converted to Christianity shortly after the town's fall to his forces. He was preceded as Pecheneg khan by Kurya, and succeeded by Kuchug; Metiga's rule was over by 991.
The siege of Kiev by the Mongols took place between 28 November and 6 December 1240, and resulted in a Mongol victory. It was a heavy morale and military blow to the Principality of Galicia–Volhynia, which was forced to submit to Mongol suzerainty, and allowed Batu Khan to proceed westward into Central Europe.
Jovan Vladimir or John Vladimir was the ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from around 1000 to 1016. He ruled during the protracted war between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire. Vladimir was acknowledged as a pious, just, and peaceful ruler. He is recognized as a martyr and saint, with his feast day being celebrated on 22 May.
Kirill II or Cyril II was the metropolitan of Kiev from 1242 until his death. He was close to the khan of the Golden Horde, Mengu-Timur.
