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Principality of Kiev

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by OlegGerdiy (talk | contribs) at 17:10, 22 November 2014 ("Kyiv" is the proper name. It's the actual Ukrainian name of the city. It was confirmed by Ukrainian government and used by British, USA authorities. See "Etymology" section in article on Kyiv.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Principality of Kyiv
Київське князівство
1132–1471
CapitalKiev
Common languagesOld East Slavic
Religion
Eastern Orthodox
GovernmentMonarchy
History 
• Established
1132
• Disestablished
1471
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Kyivan Rus'
Kyiv Voivodeship Grand Duchy of Lithuania
For the predecessor state of the Kievan Rus', see Kievan Rus'.
The Rus' principalities in 1237. Kiev is shown in light blue.

The Principality of Kyiv (Ukrainian: Київське князівство) was a Ruthenian state in the regions of central Ukraine around the city of Kyiv that existed after the fragmentation of the Kyivan Rus' in the early 12th century.

Territory

The Principality of Kyiv occupied land areas on both banks of the Dnieper River, bordering the Principality of Polotsk to the north-west, Principality of Chernigov to the north-east, Poland to the west, Principality of Galicja to the south-west and Cumania to the south-east. Later, Kyiv would be bordered by the separated Principality of Turov-Pinsk to the north and the joined Principality of Galicja-Volhynia to the west.

History

The region of the Kyivan Rus' fragmented in the early 12th century and a number of semi-autonomous successor states arose. Kyiv remained the core of the country and was the center of the spiritual life with the office of the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kyiv.

Reconstructed Orthodox church in Kyiv

Following the death of Mstislav I of Kyiv in 1132, the semi-autonomous states were de facto independent and so forth brought the emergence of the Principality of Kyiv as a separate principality.

The importance of the Kyivan Principality began to decline. In the years of 1150-1180 saw many of its cities such as Vyshhorod, Kaniv and Belgorod seek independence as individual principalities. The emergence of the principalities of Vladimir-Suzdal and Galicia-Volhynia resulted in the transition of the political and cultural center of Ruthenia as well as the migration of citizens to cities like Vladimir and Halych.

The Mongol Invasion left the Principality of Kyiv in a severely ruined state. Following the invasions, it was now under a formal suzerainty of the Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal, Alexander Nevsky, whom in turn was a vassal to the Mongols. After the Battle of Irpen in 1321, Kyiv was the object of desire among the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and it was incorporated to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1362. The duchy formally existed as a distinct entity until 1471 when it was converted into the Kyiv Voivodeship

Rulers

See also: Grand Prince of Kiev

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