Principality of Smolensk

History

Located on the upper Dnieper river, Smolensk emerged as a centre of the Krivichi people, controlling access from Veliky Novgorod and Polotsk to the Dnieper downstream towards Kiev (modern Kyiv).

Kievan Rus'

Descendants of prince Yaroslav I of Kiev (died 1054) governed the principality until 1125, starting with Vyacheslav Yaroslavich. Following the death of prince Volodimer' II Monomakh of Kiev, his son Mstislav I Vladimirovich became prince of Kiev. Mstislav's son Rostislav Mstislavich became prince of Smolensk () and prince of Kiev (). He would be the progenitor of the Rostislavichi of Smolensk, one of the four major clans in Kievan Rus'. Smolensk gained its own Orthodox bishopric under the Bishop of Smolensk in 1136. The principality contained a number of other important cities that usually possessed subordinate status, notable among them Bryansk, Vyazma and Mozhaysk. The Rostislavichi were very active in the struggles for dynastic succession in Kiev and other Rus' principalities, managing to dominate western Rus' from Novgorod in the northwest to Galicia in the southwest by the 1210s. Mstislav Romanovich and Vladimir Riurikovich sat on the Kievan throne from 1212 to 1235, a few years before the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'.

Golden Horde, Lithuania and Muscovy

Rostislav's descendants ruled the principality until 1404. Around 1339, the principality came under the influence of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

In 1386, Prince was killed in the Battle of the Vikhra River against the Lithuanians when he supported Andrei of Polotsk and his rebellion against his younger half-brother Jogaila. However, Skirgaila, the leader of the Lithuanian forces in battle, wedded to Sviatoslav's niece, and granting permission to Yury of Smolensk was in command, to succeed his father. In 1395, Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania took Smolensk and installed his governor there. Four years later, Vytautas was routed by the Tatars in the Battle of the Vorskla River. In 1401, Yury and Oleg Korotopol of Ryazan made use of his plight to retake Smolensk and Bryansk. Vytautas attempted to retake Smolensk in 1401 and 1403. In 1404, boyars of Smolensk opened the city gates to Vytautas and surrendered the city in 1404.

The Principality of Moscow under Vasili III captured Smolensk in 1514, but lost it again 1611 during the Polish–Muscovite War of 1605–1618 as a result of the Siege of Smolensk (1609–1611). The area was incorporated into the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as the resurrected Smolensk Voivodeship. In the 17th century, the Rus' under Russian control attempted to bring the city into their expanding state again, and despite defeat in the "Smolensk War" (1632–1634) the Tsardom of Russia captured the city in 1654 at a time when the revolt of the Dnieper Cossacks in the Khmelnytsky Uprising (1648–1657) partially distracted the Commonwealth.

Economy

The famous trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks passed through the principality and was an important source of income for its rulers. The trade with Riga and Visby developed in the second half of 12th and 13th centuries. Wax was the main export followed by honey and furs; the main imports from Europe were textiles and later, salt, delicacies and wine.

List of rulers

Main article: Prince of Smolensk

Military history

Main article: List of wars and battles involving the Principality of Smolensk

Gallery

File:Kievan-rus-1015-1113-(en).png||alt=Principality of Smolensk in c. 1100 File:Principalities of Kievan Rus' (1054-1132) en.svg||alt=Principality of Smolensk (1132)

References

Bibliography

• Franklin, Simon, and Shepard, Jonathan, The Emergence of Rus, 750–1200, (Longman History of Russia, Harlow, 1996).
• (e-book).

References

1. Baranauskienė, Inga. (February 2012). "Onos Vytautienės kilmė ir giminė". Kultūros barai.
2. Алексеев. Л. В.. (1980). Наука