Principality of Pereyaslavl | |
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988–1239/1323 | |
Capital | Pereyaslavl |
Common languages | Old East Slavic |
Religion | Eastern Orthodoxy |
Government | Monarchy |
Prince | |
• 988–1010 | Yaroslav I the Wise (first) |
• 1206–1239 | Vladimir IV Rurikovich (last) |
History | |
• Established | 988 |
• Disestablished | 1239/1323 |
Currency | Grivna |
Today part of |
History of Ukraine |
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The Principality of Pereyaslavl (Ukrainian: Переяславське князівство; Russian: Переяславское княжество) was a regional principality of Kievan Rus' from the end of 9th century until 1323, based in the city of Pereyaslavl[a] (now Pereiaslav) on the river Trubizh.[b][1]
The Principality of Pereyaslavl was usually administered by younger sons of the Grand Prince of Kiev. It stretched over the extensive territory from the left banks of the middle Dnieper river on the west to its eastern frontier that laid not far west from the Seversky Donets, where the legendary Cuman city of Sharuk(h)an was presumably situated.
The Primary Chronicle dates the foundation of the city of Pereyaslavl' to 992; the archaeological evidence suggests it was founded not long after this date.[2] In its early days Pereyaslavl' was one of the important cities in Kievan Rus' behind the Principality of Chernigov and Kiev. The city was located at a ford where Vladimir the Great fought a battle against the nomad Pechenegs.[3]
The principality can be traced as a semi-independent dominion from the inheritance of the sons of Yaroslav the Wise, with Sviatoslav receiving Chernigov, Vsevolod getting Pereyaslavl, Smolensk going to Viacheslav, and Vladimir-in-Volhynia going to Igor.[4] The Primary Chronicle records that in 988 Vladimir assigned the northern lands (later associated with Pereyaslavl) to Yaroslav.[5]
Pereyaslavl was conquered and devastated by the Mongols in March 1239.[6] It is unclear what happened after that, although it evidently became a tributary of the Golden Horde.[7] Early on during the Great Troubles, around 1360, grand duke Algirdas (Olgerd) of Lithuania acquired the core principalities of former Kievan Rus': Chernigov, Pereyaslavl, and Kiev.[7][8]