Maria of Chernigov

Maria Mikhailovna of Chernigov (1212-1271), was a historian, a Princess of Rostov by marriage to Prince Vasilko Konstantinovich of Rostov, and regent of Rostov during the minority of her son Prince Boris Vasilkovich of Rostov. ^[1]

Both her father and her husband were killed by the forces of Batu Khan. ^{[1] [2]} She was the daughter of Prince Saint Michael of Chernigov. ^[2] In 1238, her spouse died in the Battle of the River Sit against Batu Khan during the Mongol invasion. ^[3] She became regent and guardian of her son Boris during his minority. She is described as well educated and a wise regent. ^[1]

She is best known for her work as an author and historian, who commissioned - and possibly assisted in writing - works chronicling contemporary events and people. Her chronicle is an invaluable source about 13th-century Rostov and Rus' as a whole. ^[1]

Based on subject and time alignment, the section of the Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles Mikhailovna most likely led was the Suzdalian Chronicle, also known as the Moscow Academic Chronicle. Specifically, she was involved in creating the first part of the Rostov collection (c. 1238–1418), written at the Savior-on-the-Sands Monastery in Rostov, a key city within Vladimir-Suzdal. These sections are found in Volume I of the Laurentian Codex. ^[4]

References

1. Pushkareva, Natalia (1997-03-03). Women in Russian History: From the Tenth to the Twentieth Century. M.E. Sharpe. ISBN   978-0-7656-3270-8.
2. Riha, Thomas (2009-02-15). Readings in Russian Civilization Volume I: Russia before Peter the Great, 900-1700. University of Chicago Press. ISBN   978-0-226-71843-9.
3. Solovʹev, Sergeĭ Mikhaĭlovich (1976). History of Russia: Russian society, 1389-1425. Academic International Press. ISBN   978-0-87569-066-7.
4. Lurye, Ya.S. (2015) [1305]. "Volume 1. Laurentian Chronicle". Complete Collection of Russian Chronicles (Полное собрание русских летописей) (in Russian). Leningrad (St. Petersburg), USSR: Academy of Science of the USSR.