Vsevolod III Yuryevich, or Vsevolod the Big Nest ( rus, Все́волод III Ю́рьевич Большо́е Гнездо́, Vsévolod III Yúr'yevich Bol'shóye Gnezdó) (1154–1212), was
Grand Prince
Grand prince or great prince (feminine: grand princess or great princess) ( la, magnus princeps; Greek: ''megas archon''; russian: великий князь, velikiy knyaz) is a title of nobility ranked in honour below emperor, equal of king or ...
of
Vladimir
Vladimir may refer to:
Names
* Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name
* Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name
* Volodymyr for the Ukr ...
from 1176 to 1212. During his long reign the city reached the zenith of its glory.
Family
Vsevolod was the tenth or eleventh son of
Yuri Dolgoruky
Yuri I Vladimirovich ( rus, Юрий Владимирович, Yuriy Vladimirovich), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy or the Long Arm ( rus, Юрий Долгорукий, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, meaning "Far-Reaching", c. 109915 May 1157) was a Ru ...
(c. 1099 – 1157), who founded the town
Dmitrov
Dmitrov ( rus, Дмитров, p=ˈdmʲitrəf) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Dmitrovsky District, Moscow Oblast, Dmitrovsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located to the north of Mosco ...
to commemorate the site of Vsevolod's birth.
Nikolai Karamzin
Nikolay Mikhailovich Karamzin (russian: Николай Михайлович Карамзин, p=nʲɪkɐˈlaj mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ kərɐmˈzʲin; ) was a Russian Imperial historian, romantic writer, poet and critic. He is best remembered for ...
(1766 – 1826) initiated the speculation identifying Vsevolod's mother Helene as a
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
princess, because after her husband's death she took Vsevolod with her to
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
.
Vsevolod spent his youth at the chivalric court of the
Komnenoi
Komnenos ( gr, Κομνηνός; Latinized Comnenus; plural Komnenoi or Comneni (Κομνηνοί, )) was a Byzantine Greek noble family who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 1081 to 1185, and later, as the Grand Komnenoi (Μεγαλοκομνην ...
. On his return from the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
to Rus' in 1170, Vsevolod supposedly visited
Tbilisi
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the Capital city, capital and the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia, lying on the ...
, as a local chronicle records that that year the
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
king entertained his nephew from Constantinople and married him to his relative, an
Ossetia
Ossetia ( , ; os, Ирыстон or , or ; russian: Осетия, Osetiya; ka, ოსეთი, translit. ''Oseti'') is an ethnolinguistic region located on both sides of the Greater Caucasus Mountains, largely inhabited by the Ossetians. ...
n princess.
Reign
In 1173 two
Smolensk
Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest c ...
princes captured Kiev (
Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
), captured Vsevolod and briefly installed him on the throne. Ransomed a year later, Vsevolod took his brother
Mikhalko's side in his struggle against the powerful
boyar
A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Russian nobility, Russia, Boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia, Wallachia and ...
s of
Rostov
Rostov ( rus, Росто́в, p=rɐˈstof) is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:
While t ...
and
Suzdal
Suzdal ( rus, Суздаль, p=ˈsuzdəlʲ) is a town that serves as the administrative center of Suzdalsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which is located on the Kamenka River, north of the city of Vladimir. Vladimir is the admin ...
. Upon Mikhalko's death in 1176, Vsevolod succeeded him in
Vladimir
Vladimir may refer to:
Names
* Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name
* Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name
* Volodymyr for the Ukr ...
. He promptly subjugated the boyars and systematically raided the Volga peoples, notably
Volga Bulgaria
Volga Bulgaria or Volga–Kama Bulgaria, was a historic Bulgar state that existed between the 7th and 13th centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama River, in what is now European Russia. Volga Bulgaria was a multi-ethnic state wi ...
. He installed puppet rulers on the throne of
Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...
and married his daughters to princes of
Chernigov
Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative ...
and
Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
.
![Saint Demetrios de Thessalonique](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Saint_Demetrios_de_Thessalonique.jpg)
Vsevolod showed little mercy to those who disobeyed his commands. In 1180 and 1187 he punished the princes of
Ryazan
Ryazan ( rus, Рязань, p=rʲɪˈzanʲ, a=ru-Ryazan.ogg) is the largest city and administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. The city is located on the banks of the Oka River in Central Russia, southeast of Moscow. As of the 2010 Census ...
by ousting them from their lands. In 1207 he burnt to the ground both Ryazan and
Belgorod
Belgorod ( rus, Белгород, p=ˈbʲeɫɡərət) is a city and the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River north of the border with Ukraine. Population: Demographics
The population of Be ...
. His military fame spread quickly. ''
The Tale of Igor's Campaign
''The Tale of Igor's Campaign'' ( orv, Слово о пълкѹ Игоревѣ, translit=Slovo o pŭlku Igorevě) is an anonymous epic poem written in the Old East Slavic language.
The title is occasionally translated as ''The Tale of the Campaig ...
'', thought to be written during Vsevolod's reign, addresses him thus: ''"Great prince Vsevolod! Don't you think of flying here from afar to safeguard the paternal golden throne of Kiev? For you can with your oars scatter in drops the Volga, and with your helmets scoop dry the Don."''
But Kievan matters concerned Vsevolod little in the latter part of his reign. He concentrated on building up his own capital,
Vladimir
Vladimir may refer to:
Names
* Vladimir (name) for the Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Macedonian, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Slovenian spellings of a Slavic name
* Uladzimir for the Belarusian version of the name
* Volodymyr for the Ukr ...
. His
Ossetian wife,
Maria Shvarnovna Maria Shvarnovna (c. 1158 - 19 March/19 May 1205/1206) was the first wife of Vsevolod III Big Nest, and gave birth to at least 14 children (hence Vsevolod's sobriquet of "Big Nest"). Four of her sons, Konstantin, George, Yaroslav and Sviatoslav, ...
, who devoted herself to works of piety and founded several convents, was glorified by the
Russian church as a saint. By her Vsevolod had no fewer than fourteen children, thus earning for himself the
sobriquet
A sobriquet ( ), or soubriquet, is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another, that is descriptive. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym, as it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name, without the need of expla ...
''Big Nest''. Four of them,
Konstantin
The first name Konstantin () is a derivation from the Latin name ''Constantinus'' (Constantine) in some European languages, such as Russian and German. As a Christian given name, it refers to the memory of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. ...
,
George
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
,
Yaroslav and
Sviatoslav
Sviatoslav (russian: Святосла́в, Svjatosláv, ; uk, Святосла́в, Svjatosláv, ) is a Russian and Ukrainian given name of Slavic origin. Cognates include Svetoslav, Svatoslav, , Svetislav. It has a Pre-Christian pagan charact ...
, succeeded him as Grand Dukes of Vladimir. He died on 12 April 1212 and was buried at the
Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir
The Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir (sometimes translated Assumption Cathedral) (russian: Собор Успения Пресвятой Богородицы, ''Sobor Uspeniya Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy'') was a mother church of Medieval Russia in t ...
.
Marriage and children
Vsevolod married first
Maria
Maria may refer to:
People
* Mary, mother of Jesus
* Maria (given name), a popular given name in many languages
Place names Extraterrestrial
* 170 Maria, a Main belt S-type asteroid discovered in 1877
* Lunar maria (plural of ''mare''), large, ...
, whose origins are disputed. She has been variously identified as
Ossetian,
Alan
Alan may refer to:
People
*Alan (surname), an English and Turkish surname
* Alan (given name), an English given name
**List of people with given name Alan
''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.''
*A ...
and
Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The me ...
n. They had at least fourteen children:
*Sbyslava (Pelaghea) Vsevolodovna (born 26 October 1178).
*Vseslava Vsevolodovna. Married
Rostislav Yaroslavich, Prince of
Snovsk
Snovsk ( uk, Сновськ ) is a city in Koriukivka Raion, Chernihiv Oblast (oblast, province) of Ukraine. Population: It hosts the administration of Snovsk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The population was 12,315 in 2001.
Name ...
. He was a son of
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich (Kiev, 1139–1198) was a Rus’ prince (a member of the Rurik dynasty). He was prince of Ropesk (c. 1146–1166), of Starodub (1166–1176), and of Chernigov (1176–1198).
His early life
He was the second son of princ ...
, Prince of
Chernigov
Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative ...
. His paternal grandfather was
Vsevolod II of Kiev
Vsevolod II Olgovich (Cyrillic: Всеволод II Ольгович) (died August 1, 1146) was the Prince (Knyaz) of Chernigov (1127–1139) and Grand Prince of Kiev (Velikiy Knyaz), 1139–1146), son of Oleg Svyatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov.
...
.
*
Verchoslava Vsevolodovna. Married
Rostislav II of Kiev
Rostislav Rurikovich () (1173 - before 1214), Prince of Torchesk (1195–1205), Grand Prince of Kiev (Kyiv, 1204–1206), Prince of Vyshhorod (1205–1210), Prince of Halych (1207).Енциклопедія українознавства : Слов ...
.
*
Konstantin of Rostov
Konstantin Vsevolodovich (russian: Константи́н Все́володович) (18 May 1186 in Rostov – 2 February 1218) was the eldest son of Vsevolod the Big Nest and Maria Shvarnovna.
In 1206 and 1207, he was the prince of Novgoro ...
(18 May 1186 – 2 February 1218).
*Boris Vsevolodovich. (c. 1187–1238).
*Gleb Vsevolodovich (d. 29 September 1189).
*
Yuri II of Vladimir
Yuri II (russian: Ю́рий–II), also known as George II of Vladimir or Georgy II Vsevolodovich (26 November 11884 March 1238), was the fourth Grand Prince of Vladimir (1212–1216, 1218–1238) who presided over Vladimir-Suzdal ...
(1189 – 4 March 1238).
*
Yaroslav II of Vladimir
Yaroslav II (), Christian name ''Theodor'' () (8 February 1191 – 30 September 1246) was the Grand Prince of Vladimir (1238–1246) who helped to restore his country and capital after the Mongol invasion of Rus'.
Prince of Pereyaslav
Yaroslav ...
(8 February 1191 – 30 September 1246).
*Helena Vsevolodovna (d. 1204).
*Vladimir Vsevolodovich, Prince of
Yuryev-Polsky (25 October 1192 – 6 January 1227).
*
Sviatoslav III of Vladimir
Sviatoslav III Vsevolodovich of Vladimir (Russian: Святослав III Всеволодович) (27 March 1196 – 3 February 1252) was the Prince of Novgorod (1200–1205, 1207–1210) and Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal (1246–1248).
Sviat ...
(27 March 1196 – 3 February 1252).
*Ivan Vsevolodovich, Prince of
Starodub
Starodub ( rus, links=no, Староду́б, p=stərɐˈdup, ''old oak'') is a town in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, on the Babinets River (the Dnieper basin), southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 (1975).
History
Starodub has been known ...
(28 November 1197 – after 1247).
*Anna Vsevolodovna. Married Vladimir, Prince of
Belgorod
Belgorod ( rus, Белгород, p=ˈbʲeɫɡərət) is a city and the administrative center of Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Seversky Donets River north of the border with Ukraine. Population: Demographics
The population of Be ...
(d. 1239).
Maria died in 1205 or 1206. Vsevolod married Liubov Vasilkovna in 1209. She was a daughter of Vasilko Bryacheslavich, Prince of
Vitebsk
Vitebsk or Viciebsk (russian: Витебск, ; be, Ві́цебск, ; , ''Vitebsk'', lt, Vitebskas, pl, Witebsk), is a city in Belarus. The capital of the Vitebsk Region, it has 366,299 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-largest ci ...
. They had no known children.
Further reading
*
Bibliography of the history of the Early Slavs and Rus'
Bibliography (from and ), as a discipline, is traditionally the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology (from ). English author and bibliographer John Carter describes ''bibliography ...
*
Bibliography of Russian history (1223–1613)
This is a select bibliography of post World War II English language books (including translations) and journal articles about the history of Russia and its borderlands from the Mongol invasions until 1613. Book entries may have references to rev ...
*
List of Slavic studies journals
This is a list of notable and independent English language peer-reviewed academic journals related to Slavic studies. Journals should be published by major universities, professional associations, national or regional historical societies, or n ...
External links
His listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vsevolod III
1154 births
1212 deaths
Grand Princes of Vladimir
Rurik dynasty
Rurikids
12th-century princes in Kievan Rus'
13th-century princes in Kievan Rus'
Burials at Dormition Cathedral, Vladimir
Eastern Orthodox monarchs
Grand Princes of Kiev