Volodymyr Vasylkovych (died 1289) was a son of
Vasylko Romanovych, prince of
Volhynia
Volhynia (also spelled Volynia) ( ; uk, Воли́нь, Volyn' pl, Wołyń, russian: Волы́нь, Volýnʹ, ), is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between south-eastern Poland, south-western Belarus, and western Ukraine. The ...
, now part of
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. He succeeded his father when the latter died in 1269, and was famous for numerous constructions and reconstructions of town fortifications in Volhynia.
In the 1270s (1276, according to most sources) he founded a castle that included a
keep now famous as the
Tower of Kamyanets, and around which sprang up the town of
Kamyanets, now in
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
; he also authored the construction of a similar tower in the re-built castle of
Berestye (modern Brest, Belarus). He died in 1289 in
Luboml (or Liuboml), which is now in Ukraine. Summing up his life, the "old chronicle" presented him as a booklover and philosopher, whose like in the world had never before been seen, and would never be seen again.
Vasylkovych was renowned for his favorable treatment of the region's Jewish population, which had erewhile been severely maligned and ill-treated. According to an annalist who describes the funeral of the grand duke Volodymyr Vasylkovych in the city of
Volodymyr Volodymyr ( uk, Володи́мир, Volodýmyr, , orv, Володимѣръ) is a Ukrainian given name of Old East Slavic origin. The related Ancient Slavic, such as Czech, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, etc. form of the name is Володимѣръ ...
, "the Jews wept at his funeral as at the fall of Jerusalem, or when being led into the Babylonian captivity."
[Isidore Singer & Cyrus Adler, eds., ''The Jewish Encyclopedia: Leon-Moravia'' (New York & London: Funk & Wagnalls, 1904), 119.]
References
Rurikids
1289 deaths
Year of birth unknown
Princes of Volhynia
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