The Olgovichi or Olhovychi [a] were one of the four dominant princely clans of Kievan Rus' in the 12th and 13th century. [b] First mentioned in the Hypatian continuation of the Primary Chronicle (PVL) under the year 1116 [c] and literally meaning "the sons of Oleg", they were named after Oleg I Sviatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov (r. 1094–1097) and Principality of Novgorod-Seversk (r. 1097–1115). [5] [6]
The Principality of Chernigov (modern Chernihiv in northern Ukraine) was the main Olgovichi patrimony (hence the term "Olgovichi of Chernigov" [7] ), with the Principality of Novgorod-Seversk (modern Novhorod-Siverskyi) serving as the primary appanage. From 1054 to 1186, the Principality of Murom–Ryazan was subordinate to the Olgovichi of Chernigov; then it sought an independent existence between Chernigov and Suzdalia until Vsevolod the Big Nest destroyed and depopulated Ryazan in 1208. [8]
The Olgovichi frequently managed to put one of their clan members on the grand princely throne of Kiev (modern Kyiv), including Michael of Chernigov, who in the wake of the Mongol invasion was executed by Batu Khan in 1246 and later canonised as an Orthodox saint. [9] There is some uncertainty regarding his descendants, who from the late 13th century appear to have expanded Olgovichi control to Bryansk, Kursk, and the Upper Oka Principalities (in the present-day Russian Federation). From 1301 to 1324, the Olgovichi reigned in Kiev again. [10] In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Olgovichi principalities were gradually divided between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (where the clan was incorporated into the Ruthenian nobility) and the Principality of Moscow. [11]
Slovenian–Canadian Slavistics researcher and priest Martin Dimnik (1941–2020) has published extensive studies on the Olgovichi. [9]
Vsevolod I Yaroslavich was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1078 until his death in 1093.
The Primary Chronicle, shortened from the common Russian Primary Chronicle, is a chronicle of Kievan Rus' from about 850 to 1110. It is believed to have been originally compiled in or near Kiev in the 1110s. Tradition ascribed its compilation to the monk Nestor beginning in the 12th century, but this is no longer believed to have been the case.
The Grand Prince of Kiev was the title of the monarch of Kievan Rus', residing in Kiev from the 10th to 13th centuries. In the 13th century, Kiev became an appanage principality first of the grand prince of Vladimir and the Mongol Golden Horde governors, and later was taken over by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
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.
Andrey Yuryevich Bogolyubsky, was Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal 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, his son led the Sack of Kiev (1169). He was canonized as a saint in the Russian Orthodox Church in 1702.
Sviatoslav Olgovich was Prince of Novgorod (1136–1138); Novgorod-Seversk (1139); Belgorod (1141–1154); and Chernigov (1154–1164).
Mikhail Vsevolodovich, known as Michael or Mikhail of Chernigov, was Grand Prince of Kiev ; he was also Prince of Pereyaslavl (1206), Novgorod-Seversk (1219–1226), Chernigov, Novgorod, and Galicia (1235–1236).
The Galician–Volhynian Chronicle (GVC), also known as Chronicle of Halych–Volhynia and by other names is a prominent work of Old Ruthenian literature and historiography covering 1201–1292 in the history of the Principality of Galicia–Volhynia.
Oleg Svyatoslavich was a prince from Kievan Rus' whose equivocal adventures ignited political unrest in the country at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries. He reigned as Prince of Chernigov from 1094 to 1097, and as Prince of Novgorod-Seversk from 1097 to 1115. He was the progenitor of the Olgovichi family.
Aepa is the name of at least two early 12th-century Cuman (Polovtsi) princes mentioned in Rus' chronicles.
The Prince of Chernigov was the kniaz, the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Chernigov, a lordship which lasted four centuries straddling what are now parts of Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation.
The Council of Liubech was one of the best documented princely meetings in Kievan Rus' that took place in Liubech on October 19, 1097. The council ended the Chernihiv war of succession (1093–1097) between Sviatopolk II of Kiev, Vladimir II Monomakh and Oleg I of Chernigov who fought for the heritage of his father Sviatoslav II of Kiev.
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich was an Olgovichi prince. He was prince of Ropesk, of Starodub (1166–1176), and of Chernigov (1176–1198).
The Principality of Minsk was an appanage principality of the Principality of Polotsk and centered on the city of Minsk. It existed from its founding in 1101 until it was nominally annexed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1242, and then fell under de facto annexation in 1326.
Iaroslav Sviatopolkovich, also known as Iaroslav or Yaroslav Sviatopolchich, was Prince of Volhynia from 1100 to 1118.
The sack of Kiev took place on 8–12 March 1169 when a coalition of 11 princes, assembled by prince Andrey Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal, attacked the Kievan Rus' capital city of Kiev during the 1167–1169 Kievan succession crisis. The conflict, caused by the death of grand prince Rostislav I of Kiev, was between rival branches of the Monomakhovichi clan: the Iziaslavichi of Volhynia on the one hand, and the Rostislavichi of Smolensk, the Yurievichi, and the Olgovichi of Chernigov on the other. Prince Mstislav II of Kiev sought to defend Kiev against the Rostislavichi–Yurievichi–Olgovichi coalition.
The battle and siege of Vyshgorod took place in late 1173, during the 1171–1173 Kievan succession crisis. Commanding another broad coalition army, prince Andrey Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal launched a second campaign against Kiev, capital city of Kievan Rus'. After the conquest and sack of Kiev in March 1169 by an earlier coalition assembled by Andrey, his brother Gleb of Pereyaslavl had been installed as the new grand prince, only to die under suspicious circumstances in January 1171. A series of princes briefly reigned in Kiev thereafter, with Andrey usually managing to put his preferred candidates on its throne, until his brother Vsevolod "the Big Nest" was driven out by the Rostislavichi of Smolensk in April 1172, enthroning Rurik Rostislavich. Andrey was most displeased when he heard about this, and assembled another coalition army under his son Yury to militarily enforce his will on Kiev.
The Suzdalian war of succession of 1174–1177 was a war of succession in Vladimir-Suzdal (Suzdalia), a complex of principalities in the northeast of Kievan Rus'. The casus belli was the assassination of prince Andrey Bogolyubsky on 28 June 1174 by his own boyars. Immediately, his surviving step-brothers, son and nephews started fighting amongst themselves about who had the right to succeed him. The conflict would not be resolved until Vsevolod Yurievich "the Big Nest" had defeated his other brothers and his nephews, and seized power across Suzdalia in 1177.
Catherine, Kateryna or Ekaterina of Chernigov was princess consort of Chernigov as the wife of Sviatoslav Olgovich, and princess regnant of Chernigov for a few days after his death.
The Rostislavichi of Smolensk were one of the four dominant princely clans of Kievan Rus' in the 12th and 13th century. They were one of many branches of the House of Rurik.