Addressing all the Russian princes in turn, the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” very restrainedly and somewhat mysteriously expresses his appeal to to the Smolensk princes, two brothers Rostislavich:
You, buoy Rurich and Davyda!
Do I not howl with golden helmets over the blood of the floating man?
Aren't you a brave squad?
Are they roaring like Turi, wounded by red-hot sabers, unknown on the field?
Enter, sir, into the golden stirrup
For the insult of this time, for the Russian land,
For the wounds of Igor, dear Svyatoslavlich!
Rurik at this time was, as we know, a co-ruler and potential rival Prince of Kyiv. The singer kept silent about both, he simply classified Rurik in the same category as the Smolensk prince, the treacherous, selfish Davyd. Without going into all the intricacies of the inter-princely enmity, which sometimes erupted with unbridled rage, as was the case in 1180, sometimes hidden, as in 1185, the author of the Lay reminds the Smolensk princes that they both once suffered heavily from Polovtsian steel sabers.
In the summer of 1177, “on Rusal week,” that is, in June, the Polovtsians broke into Rus'; Rurik and Davyd were sent against them, but “Davyd was no longer a force and was in conflict among his brothers,” that’s when their spears began to “sing separately.” The Polovtsians inflicted a terrible defeat on all Russian troops. Svyatoslav Vsevolodich demanded a trial of David and deprivation of his principality. The author of the Lay reminded Prince Davyd, and at the same time Rurik, about these distant and not very pleasant events, as if making him responsible for his brother.
The ten-year enmity of Svyatoslav and Davyd made the lines of the Lay dedicated to the Smolensk prince too stingy and politely hostile. From them it is very difficult to find out what Smolensk was like at that time.
Smolensk Principality - ancient land Krivichi - occupied a middle position, surrounded on all sides by Russian regions. Important main roads passed through Smolensk Western Europe and Byzantium: the path up the Dnieper ended at Smolensk; further, through a system of portages, he could lead to the Western Dvina (to Polotsk and the Baltic), and to Lovat, and then to Novgorod.
The trade importance of Smolensk is reflected in the treaty between Smolensk and Riga and Gotland in 1229.
The Smolensk principality, which was allocated from time to time as an appanage back in the 11th century, became isolated from Rus' under Rostislav Mstislavich (1127-1159), the grandson of Monomakh and the father of the above-mentioned Rurik and Davyd.
Smolensk had a very convenient connection with Kiev - a flotilla of any size could be launched down the Dnieper, and in just eight days it was already under the walls of the capital. The only obstacle on this path was Lyubech, which belonged to Chernigov princes, but it was also eliminated. In 1147, Rostislav, taking advantage of the absence of the Chernigov troops, burned Lyubech and, as he himself wrote to his brother, “he did a lot of evil to the Olgovichs.” After this, only “hunters and Polovtsians” lived in Lyubech, and Smolensk boats could sail to Kyiv without hindrance.
Perhaps this important strategic proximity to Kyiv (combined with the complete safety of the Smolensk principality itself from the Polovtsians) was the reason that almost all the Smolensk princes visited the Kiev throne: Rostislav Mstislavich and his sons Roman and Rurik, grandson Mstislav Romanovich and son Mstislava - Novel.
From the time of Rostislav, a most interesting document has reached us, introducing us in detail to the princely feudal economy. This is a letter from Rostislav Msti-slavich to Bishop Manuil, given on the occasion of the establishment of a diocese in Smolensk around 1137. Here are listed the items of princely income from different cities of the Smolensk principality, a tenth of which (tithe) was transferred to the church. At 36 points various collections amounted to 4 thousand hryvnia; there were virs, and sales, and polyudye, trade duties, myt (customs duties), guest fees, etc. The bishop received, in addition, land holdings with the feudally dependent population (outcasts, beekeepers, etc.) and income from church courts according to special types crimes.
At that time, in all the crystallized principalities, independent dioceses were established and the property rights of bishops were formalized. This happened on the initiative of princes who established themselves in certain lands and wanted to strengthen their positions with the support of the church.
The growth of church wealth and estates in the 1130s attracted harsh criticism. Kliment Smolyatich, famous writer of the middle of the 12th century, who became a metropolitan by the will of the Kiev prince, wrote that he, Clement, is not one of those “the people add house to house and villages to villages, the outcasts and the siabrs and the borti and the reapers, and the ladies and the old.” It is possible that Clement, responding to the Smolensk priest, had in mind primarily the Smolensk bishop, his political enemy, Manuel. Clement himself was charged with the curious accusation that he, a Christian, was too carried away by such pagan “philosophers” as Homer, Aristotle and Plato.
During the reign of Davyd Rostislavich (1180-1197), already known to us for his inglorious deeds in the south, conflicts occurred between the prince and the townspeople of Smolensk. Even in his youth, Prince Davyd had a lot of troubles with the Novgorodians, who more than once “showed the way” to him. In 1186, shortly after returning from Trepol, “Smolensk quickly rose up between Prince David and Smolnyany. And many heads fell.” The chronicle does not say what the contradictions between the prince and the boyars were.
The Smolensk principality was no exception - the struggle between the boyars and the princes took place in a very sharp form in other lands.
TO beginning of XIII century dates back to most interesting event in Smolensk, partially lifting the veil over the internal socio-ideological life of Russians medieval cities: abbots and priests staged a nationwide trial of a certain priest Abraham. Some wanted to imprison him, others wanted to “nail him to the wall and set him on fire,” and still others wanted to drown him. The abbots and priests, “like roaring oxen,” wanted “to devour him alive, even more powerfully.”
Why did Abraham so infuriate the Smolensk churchmen? It turns out that while in one of the outlying monasteries of Smolensk, Abraham read books to the population and “interpreted” them to everyone – “small and great, slaves, both free and handicraft.” In Smolensk they said everywhere that “he has already turned the whole city to himself.” He was accused of reading “deep books,” one of which is mentioned in his life. This is the so-called " Golden chain", a collection of sayings and words, sometimes directed against “bad shepherds” - priests and monks. In such collections anti-clerical ideas appeared, close to the teachings of the Western European Waldenses, who were persecuted Catholic Church. Under similar conditions in Rus', similar ideas arose.
The open preaching of such dangerous ideas for the church, the sermon addressed to slaves and handicrafts, aroused the hatred of the clergy. The prince saved Abraham from execution, but the church attached such importance to the heretic preacher that along all the roads leading to Smolensk, soldiers (obviously, lords, bishops) were stationed to block the path of Abraham's supporters; They acted so decisively that some people going to Abraham were “plundered.”
The Principality of Smolensk, hidden inside the Russian lands from everyone external enemies, remained independent for a long time, until the beginning of the 15th century. During the campaign of 1237-1238, Batu headed towards Smolensk, but then bypassed it. Obviously, the rich trading city, decorated with dozens of magnificent buildings and surrounded by strong walls, presented an insurmountable barrier to the army, exhausted by the resistance of Russian cities, and the bloodthirsty conqueror did not dare to appear under its walls.
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The Smolensk principality continued to be governed by the princes of the Rostislavich branch. The change of princes on the Smolensk table in the second half of the 11th century still corresponds to the principle of clan eldership. In 1239 Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodich of Vladimir imprisons Vsevolod Mstislavich in Smolensk, younger brother the former prince Svyatoslav71. Later, the Smolensk table is owned by his younger second cousin Rostislav Mstislavich (son of Mstislav Davydovich, Smolensk prince of the 20s of the 13th century). After the death of Rostislav, his sons reigned successively in Smolensk: Gleb (previously 1269-1277), Mikhail (1277-1279) and Fedor (1280-1297). In 1297, Alexander Glebovich, the eldest nephew of Fyodor (who reigned at the same time in Yaroslavl - see below), in violation of the “eldership”, seized the Smolensk table. Alexander was succeeded in 1313 by his son Ivan, and in 1358 by his son Svyatoslav72. Both last prince at the time of the death of their fathers, they were the oldest among the Rostislavichs (they had no living uncles), so there is no reason to believe that their inheritance of the Smolensk table meant a transition from the patrimonial principle of inheritance (from the elder brother to the younger and from the youngest of the brothers to the eldest nephew) to the patrimonial principle (from father to son).
In the second half of the 13th century, as part of Smolensk land The Vyazemsky principality was formed. In the chronicles of the North Eastern Rus' the strife of 1299 is described: the Smolensk prince Alexander Glebovich besieged the city of Dorogobuzh, but Prince Andrei Mikhailovich Vyazemsky (son of Mikhail Rostislavich) came to the aid of the Dorogobuzh residents; as a result, the attack was repulsed73. Later, Fyodor Svyatoslavich, Andrei’s cousin (and Alexander Glebovich’s relative), reigned in Vyazma: it is known that in the 40s of the 14th century. he left this reign, went to serve the Moscow prince Semyon Ivanovich (his son-in-law) and received Volok from him. In the letter of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd to the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1371, Prince Ivan Vyazemsky is mentioned, who made the cross kiss to Olgerd and went over to the side of Dmitry Ivanovich of Moscow75. This is Prince Ivan Vasilyevich “Smolensky”, who participated under Dmitry in the campaign against Tver in 137576: in the genealogical books it is written that Ivan Vasilyevich (the son of Vasily Ivanovich, the nephew of the Smolensk prince Svyatoslav Ivanovich), having been expelled by Olgerd, went to Dmitry Moskovsky77. Ivan Vasilyevich was the former Vyazemsk prince Fyodor Svyatoslavich’s grand-nephew. In the agreement between the Smolensk prince Yuri Svyatoslavich and Polish king Jagiello and his brother Skirgaila dated September 16, 1386, mentions Prince Mikhail Ivanovich Vyazemsky78. Obviously, this is the son of Ivan Vasilyevich (i.e., the cousin of Yuri Svyatoslavich)79. In 1403, when Vyazma was captured by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas, princes Ivan Svyatoslavich (brother of Yuri Svyatoslavich of Smolensk) and Alexander Mikhailovich (son of Mikhail Ivanovich)80 were there. Thus, for more than 100 years of its existence, the Vyazemsky principality was assigned to a certain “subbranch” of the Rostislavichs: representatives of no less than three such subbranches reigned there *1.
The situation was similar in the Principality of Bryansk, which passed, as stated above, tody II. ъ "rukl smyankietyazga. nadaey. Here the first reliably known prince from the Rostislavichs was Vasily Alexandrovich, the second son of Alexander Glebovich (until 1314, with a break of 1309-1310, when Bryansk was captured by his uncle Svyatoslav Glebovich); later Dmitry reigned in Bryansk Romanovich, the son of Alexander Glebovich's younger brother Roman (with a break of 1339-1340, when the Bryansk table with the help of Moscow was occupied by the son of Svyatoslav Glebovich Gleb)82 GT "the last Bryansk prince from the Smolensk branch was (1357) the son of Alexander Glebovich's eldest son Ivan - Vasily Ivanovich83 (whose son and grandson were Vyazemsky princes).
Apparently, in the second half of the 13th century. as part of the Smolensk land, on its eastern outskirts, the Mozhaisk Principality arose. The first famous Mozhaisk prince was Fyodor Rostislavich, who then became (c. 1260) the prince of Yaroslavl, and from 1280 - at the same time the prince of Smolensk84. At the end of XIII - early XIV V. (finally in 1303) the territory of the Mozhaisk principality came under the rule of the Moscow princes85.
Under 1314-1315 the chronicles mention Prince Fyodor Rzhevsky, who was the governor of Yuri Danilovich of Moscow in Novgorod86. Apparently, this is Fyodor Svyatoslavich, later known as Prince Vyazemsky: the Rzhev principality adjoined Vyazemsky from the north; Obviously, having switched to reign in Vyazma, Fedor united the Vyazemsky and Rzhev principalities under his rule and lost Rzhev along with Vyazma, leaving in the 40s to serve the Moscow prince87.
In the extreme north-east of the Smolensk land in the 14th century there also existed two tiny principalities - Fominskoye and Berezuyskoye (with centers in the Fomin town and Berezuya near Rzhev, near the border Tver Principality). The Fominsk princes are mentioned in chronicles in 1339 and 1387, and they are also known from genealogical books*8. Prince Vasily Ivanovich Berezuisky is mentioned in 1370.89 Both the Fominsk and Berezuisky princes apparently traced their origins to Konstantin, brother of Mstislav Davydovich (prince of Smolensk in the 20s of the 13th century)90.
In general, although one can talk about the increasing fragmentation of the Smolensk land in the second half of the 13th-14th centuries, it did not become characterized by consolidation appanage principalities behind certain princely lines (as was the case in Chernigov land).
The central part of the land constantly remained in the hands of the Smolensk prince. Nothing is known about the inheritance of the eldest sons of the Smolensk princes Alexander Glebovich (1297-1313) and Ivan Alexandrovich (1313-1358) - Ivan and Svyatoslav, respectively. Apparently, in order not to aggravate the fragmentation of the territory, the Smolensk princes in the 14th century did not allocate inheritances (at least large ones) to their eldest sons91.
In the 14th century, the Smolensk princes began to be called “great”: this is how Ivan Alexandrovich was titled (in the treaty with Riga around 134092), his successors Svyatoslav Ivanovich (in the Moscow-Lithuanian treaty of 1372, in the Moscow-Tver treaty of 1375 and in the chronicle93) and Yuri Svyatoslavich (in an agreement with Jagiello in 1386) m. Apparently, the grand ducal title was accepted by Ivan Alexandrovich (between 1313-1340) and was recognized by the neighbors of the Smolensk principality.
There is information (though fragmentary and separated by significant periods of time), from which we can conclude that in the period after Batu’s invasion, the Smolensk princes recognized the political eldership of the great princes of Vladimir. In 1239, Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodich drove the Lithuanians out of the Smolensk land and “having settled the Smolnyans, put Prince Vsevolod on the table”95, i.e., he elevated his protege to reign in Smolensk. In 1269, the Smolensk prince Gleb Rostislavich took part in the campaign against Novgorod of the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yaroslav Yaroslavich96. In 1294, the third of the Smolensk princes of Roman Glebovich at that time, Grand Duke Andrei Alexandrovich “ambassador” (!) to fight with the Novgorodians Swedish fortress in Korelia land97. It can be assumed that Roman was Andrei’s governor in Novgorod98. In 1311, Prince Dmitry Romanovich headed Novgorod troops on a trip to Em99: Novgorod prince at that time Mikhail Yaroslavich was there and Dmitry, apparently, served as his governor in Novgorod.
Even in the first half - middle of the 11th century. the onslaught on the Smolensk lands of Lithuania1*® began. At the end of the 30s. XIV century Smolensk Prince Ivan Alexandrovich recognized the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas as his “eldest brother”1®*. The offensive of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania on the sovereignty of the Smolensk Principality encountered resistance from those who occupied it from the second quarter of the 14th century. the grand-ducal table in Vladimir of the Moscow princes (who apparently did not want to lose their own suzerainty over Smolensk). In 1352, after the military campaign of Grand Duke Semyon Ivanovich, Smolensk returned under the suzerainty of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir102. In the second half of the 50s, the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd made several campaigns against the Smolensk lands, capturing Rzhev, Belaya, Mstislavl103. In 1360, when the Moscow princes temporarily lost the grand-ducal table in Vladimir, the Smolensk prince Svyatoslav Ivanovich was forced to again admit his dependence on Lithuania, at the same time Olgerd took possession of Bryansk104.
But already in 1365 the Smolensk-Lithuanian war took place105. Apparently, at the beginning of 1368, the Smolensk prince entered into an alliance with Dmitry Ivanovich of Moscow, but then Smolensk again found itself dependent on Lithuania. Smolensk troops participate in Olgerd’s campaigns against Moscow in 1368, 1370 and 1372.10® By the mid-70s, Smolensk breaks with dependence on Olgerd and again enters into an alliance with Moscow107. In response, Olgerd in 1375 “made war on the Smolensk volost”108.
In 1386, after imprisonment Krevo Union The Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Kingdom of Poland, the brother of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagaila Skirgailo Olgerdovich, who became the Polish king, defeated Prince Svyatoslav Ivanovich, who acted in alliance with Jagaila's elder brother and rival Andrei Olgerdovich and tried to recapture Mstislavl. Prince Svyatoslav died in battle, the Lithuanian army came to Smolensk, and Skirgailo placed Svyatoslav’s son Yuri in the reign of Smolensk109, who concluded an unequal peace treaty with Skirgailo and Jagiello110 in the fall of the same year.
The final decline of Smolensk's independence occurred under Vytautas. In 1395, “Prince Vytautas of Lithuania took the city of Smolnesk and planted his governors”111. However, in 1401, “the Smolnyans accepted their prince Yury Svyatoslalich to reign, and the prince of Vytautas’ governor, Prince Roman of Bryansk, was killed. And Prince Vitovt came with all the strength of Lithuania to Smolnensk, and stood under the city for 4 weeks, and beat the city with cannons, and departed from the city, with Prince Yuri we made peace according to the old times; and the Smolnyans and Prince Yury killed their boyars, who were kept in the hands of Prince Vitovt”112. But the restoration of independence of the Smolensk principality turned out to be short-lived. In 1403, Lithuanian troops captured Vyazma - the last of the fiefs remaining under the rule of Smolensk113. In 1404, Vytautas approached Smolensk and besieged the city for 7 weeks - unsuccessfully114. But the forces were clearly unequal, and Prince Yuri in the same year went “to Moscow to bow to Prince Vasily in order to defend him from the Grand Duke Vitovt; and at that time the revetnitsa handed over the city of Smolnesk to Prince Vytautas of Lithuania”115.
I found interesting material on Wiki.
Smolensk Grand Duchy - public education in the upper reaches of the Dnieper River in the XII-XV centuries. (known as an inheritance in Kievan Rus since the 10th century). The capital is the city of Smolensk. The territory of the principality in its heyday (XII century) - 92.8 thousand square meters. km. (which roughly corresponds to the territory of modern Hungary), population - approx. 1 million people
The principality included many famous cities, including: Bely, Bryansk, Vyazma, Dorogobuzh, Yelnya, Zhizhets, Zubtsov, Izyaslavl, Krasny, Krichev, Medyn, Mozhaisk, Mstislavl, Orsha, Rzhev, Rostislavl, Rudnya, Slavgorod, Toropets.
The Smolensk principality reached particular power under Rostislav Mstislavich and Roman Rostislavich (1161-1180).
The new strengthening of Smolensk occurred during the reign of Mstislav Davidovich. It was connected with the situation in the Principality of Polotsk. Lithuania's attack on it began in the 12th century. The constant raids were supplemented by defeats from German knights Order of the Swordsmen ( Livonian Order). As a result, Polotsk loses a number of lands in the northeast of the principality. At the same time, the influence and authority of the Smolensk princes, also at war with Lithuania, is growing. After the death of Vladimir of Polotsk in 1216, his principality weakened, discord began between appanage princes. The weakening of Polotsk was unprofitable for its neighbors - Novgorod and Smolensk. And then, in order to end the unrest in the Polotsk Land, in 1222 Mstislav Davidovich introduced the troops of Smolensk into Polotsk Land, takes Polotsk and places Svyatoslav Mstislavich on the princely table there. Thus, during the reign of Mstislav Davidovich, Smolensk again strengthened its position and expanded its borders.
The Battle of the Kalka River undermined the military capabilities of the Smolensk princes, and in subsequent decades the importance of the Smolensk principality fell; for successful defense against Lithuania, it was forced to resort to the help of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. In 1230, an earthquake occurs, then famine lasts for two years. The consequence of the famine was a pestilence that took away very a large number of lives in all towns of the parish. But worse than all the natural disasters were the political unrest associated with the death of Mstislav. There is a struggle for the grand ducal table. Victory in it is ultimately won by Svyatoslav Mstislavich of Polotsk, who took Smolensk in 1232 and killed many townspeople hostile to him. However, the unrest continued, since the predominance of Polotsk was unusual for the Smolensk people. As a result, due to the discontent of the people and the weakening central government, Polotsk is separated again. IN mid-XIII century, Lithuanian raids began on Smolensk, then the principality, increasingly weakened, began to gradually lose its lands (in 1303, for example, Mozhaisk went to Moscow).
Smolensk differs significantly from other principalities in that during the fragmentation it managed to reduce fragmentation into appanages and even expand the borders of the principality. Thus, in the second half of the 13th century, Bryansk, previously part of Chernigov land and formerly a very important city. However, throughout the entire time there was a strong sentiment of “having your own prince” and being autonomous from Smolensk. The chronicle even reports that in 1341 the inhabitants of Bryansk killed their unloved Prince Gleb, who came from Smolensk. Eventually Bryansk was captured Lithuanian prince Olgerd in 1356, who took advantage of the city's turmoil.
At the end of the 13th century, Vyazma was separated from the principality, and appanage tables appeared in Bryansk, Mozhaisk, Fominsky town, Vyazma and other cities. All of them sought, if not complete separation, then at least internal autonomy, which further weakened Smolensk. Under the Smolensk prince Svyatoslav Ivanovich and his successors, despite all efforts to delay the collapse of the principality, ties with Kiev ceased, influence on Polotsk and Novgorod was lost, and Smolensk increasingly found itself sandwiched between Moscow and Lithuania. Some of the Smolensk princes began to move to the service of the strong Moscow prince, for example, Fyodor Konstantinovich Fominsky.
Apparently, Ivan Alexandrovich, trying in every possible way to avoid political collapse, entered into close relations with Lithuania, since in 1345 Olgerd moved to liberate Mozhaisk, but failed. In 1351 Semyon Ivanovich Proud moved to Smolensk with the Moscow army; he forced the Smolensk people to “stand aside” from the union with Lithuania. In 1355, Olgerd captured Rzhev, after which all relations between Smolensk and Lithuania were broken, and the Smolensk rulers declared themselves “helpers” of Moscow (in 1375 they, together with Dmitry Donskoy, went to Tver).
In 1386, in a battle near Mstislavl, Vitovt defeated the Smolensk regiments and began to plant princes he liked in Smolensk. In 1395, Vytautas besieged Smolensk, took it by storm, captured the local prince and installed his governors in the city.
In 1401, the Smolensk princes managed to return the appanage table, but not for long - in 1404 Vitovt reoccupied Smolensk and finally annexed it to Lithuania. From that time on, the independence of the Smolensk principality was ended forever, and its lands were included in Lithuania.
Smolensk princes:
* 1010-1015 Stanislav Vladimirovich
* 1054-1057 Vyacheslav Yaroslavich
* 1057-1060 Igor Yaroslavich Volynsky
* 1073-1078 Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh
* 1093-1094 Izyaslav Vladimirovich Kursk
* 1094-1094 Davyd Svyatoslavich of Chernigov
* 1094-1095 Mstislav Vladimirovich the Great of Kyiv
* 1095-1097 Davyd Svyatoslavich Chernigov (repeatedly)
* 1097-1113 Svyatoslav Vladimirovich Pereyaslavsky
* 1113-1125 Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Kyiv
* 1125-1160 Rostislav Mstislavich of Kyiv
* 1160-1172 Roman Rostislavich Kyiv
* 1172-1174 Yaropolk Romanovich
* 1174-1175 Roman Rostislavich Kiev (repeatedly)
* 1175-1177 Mstislav Rostislavich Brave of Novgorod
* 1177-1180 Roman Rostislavich Kiev (repeatedly)
* 1180-1197 David Rostislavich
* 1197-1213 Mstislav Romanovich Old Kiev
* 1213-1219 Vladimir Rurikovich of Kyiv
* 1219-1230 Mstislav-Fyodor Davidovich
* 1230-1232 Rostislav Mstislavich of Smolensk
* 1232-1239 Svyatoslav Mstislavich
* 1239-1249 Vsevolod Mstislavich Smolensky
* 1249-1278 Gleb Rostislavich Smolensk
* 1278-1279 Mikhail Rostislavich
* 1280-1297 Fyodor Rostislavich Black of Yaroslavl
* 1297-1313 Alexander Glebovich
* 1313-1356 Vasily Alexandrovich (Prince of Smolensk)
* 1356-1359 Ivan Alexandrovich
* 1359-1386 Svyatoslav Ivanovich
* 1386-1392 Yuri Svyatoslavich
* 1392-1399 Gleb Svyatoslavich of Smolensk
* 1401-1405 Yuri Svyatoslavich (repeatedly)
Smolensk Principality, an ancient Russian principality that occupied territories along the upper reaches of the Dnieper. From cities in the Smolensk Principality, in addition to Smolensk , Toropets, Orsha, and later Mstislavl and Mozhaisk were of great importance. The political isolation of Smolensk began in the 1030s. The Smolensk principality became independent under Prince. Rostislav Mstislavich (1127 - 59), grandson Vladimir Monomakh. Under him, it expanded significantly and reached its greatest prosperity and power. In 1136, a diocese was established in the Smolensk principality, which later received lands and privileges. Under the successors of Roman Rostislavich (1160 - 80), the fragmentation of the Smolensk principality into appanages and a decrease in its influence on all-Russian affairs began. At the same time, the Principality of Smolensk was attacked by German crusaders and Lithuanian princes. In the 2nd half. XIII century Mozhaisk and Vyazemsky appanages were separated from the Smolensk principality. This weakened the Smolensk principality in the fight against the Lithuanian princes. Book Svyatoslav Ivanovich (1358 - 86) led an energetic struggle with Lithuania for the independence of the Smolensk principality, but was defeated and died in the battle on the river. Vehre. The Principality of Smolensk was captured by the Lithuanian prince. Vitovt. In 1401, an uprising against the power of the Lithuanians took place in the Principality of Smolensk. The Smolensk people put Yuri Svyatoslavich on the Smolensk table. But in 1404 Smolensk was again taken by Vitovt. The Smolensk principality lost its political independence. It became part of the Polish-Lithuanian state. The Smolensk land was returned to Russia in 1514, captured by Poland in 1618 and returned again in 1667.
G. Gorelov
Ruling princes
The so-called Rostislavich dynasty was established on the table in the Smolensk principality, the founder of which was Rostislav Mstislavich (1128-1160), the son of the eldest son of Vladimir Monomakh, Mstislav the Great.
Vyacheslav Yaroslavich 1054-1057
Igor Yaroslavich 1057-1060
Izyaslav Yaroslavich division of land 1060-1073
Svyatoslav Yaroslavich division of land 1060-1073
Vsevolod Yaroslavich division of land 1060-1073
Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh 1073-1095
Davyd Svyatoslavich 1095-1097
Svyatoslav Vladimirovich 1097-1113
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich 1113-1116
Board of mayors of Vladimir Monomakh... 1116-1128
Rostislav Mstislavich 1128-1160
Roman Rostislavich 1160-1173
Yaropolk Romanovich 1173-1174
Roman Rostislavich (secondary) 1174-1175
Mstislav Rostislavich the Brave 1175-1177
Roman Rostislavich (for the third time) 1177-1180
Davyd Rostislavich 1180-1197
Mstislav-Boris Romanovich Old 1197-1214
Vladimir-Dmitry Rurikovich 1214-1219
Mstislav-Fyodor Davydovich 1219-1230
Svyatoslav Mstislavich-Borisovich 1232-1238
Vsevolod Mstislavich-Borisovich 1239-1249
Gleb Rostislavich 1249- 1278
Mikhail Rostislavich 1278-1279
Fyodor Rostislavich Black 1280-1297
Alexander Glebovich 1297-1313
Ivan Alexandrovich 1313-1358
Svyatoslav Ivanovich 1358-1386
Yuri Svyatoslavich 1386-1391
Gleb Svyatoslavich 1392-1395
1395-1401 - Lithuanian occupation.
Yuri Svyatoslavich (secondary) 1401-1405
Book materials used: Sychev N.V. Book of Dynasties. M., 2008. p. 106-131.