Boris Vyacheslavich (russian: Борис Вячеславич) was Prince of Chernigov for eight days in 1077. He was the son of Vyacheslav Yaroslavich, Prince of Smolensk. Following his father's death in 1057, the child Boris was debarred from his inheritance. He died fighting against his uncles

Vsevolod Yaroslavich Vsevolod I Yaroslavich (Russian: Всеволод I Ярославич, Ukrainian: Всеволод I Ярославич, Old Norse: Vissivald) (c. 1030 – 13 April 1093), ruled as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1078 until his death. Early lif ...

, Prince of Chernigov and

Izyaslav Yaroslavich Iziaslav Yaroslavich ( orv, Изѧславь Ѩрославичь; russian: Изяслав Ярославич; uk, Ізяслав Ярославич; 1024 – 3 October 1078, baptized as ''Demetrius'') was a Kniaz' ( Prince) of Turov and Grand ...

Grand Prince of Kiev The Grand Prince of Kiev (sometimes grand duke) was the title of the ruler of Kiev and the ruler of Kievan Rus' from the 10th to 13th centuries. In the 13th century, Kiev became an appanage principality first of the grand prince of Vladimir a ...

on 3 October 1078.

Early life

Boris was the son of Vyacheslav Yaroslavich, Prince of Smolensk, a younger son of Yaroslav the Wise,

. According to the historian Martin Dimnik, Boris was a child when his father died in 1057. Boris became an ''

izgoi Izgoi is a term that is found in medieval Kievan Rus'. In primary documents, it indicated orphans who were protected by the church. In historiographic writing on the period, the term was meant as a prince in Kievan Rus' who was excluded from succe ...

''a member of the Rurik dynasty debarred from rulingafter his father's death, because his uncle, Igor Yaroslavich succeeded his father in Smolensk. Boris's allegedly close relationship with his cousins, Oleg Svyatoslavich and Roman Svyatoslavich implies that their father, Sviatoslav Iaroslavich, Prince of Chernigov appeased Boris "in some manner, undoubtedly, by giving him a town", according to Martin.

In Chernigov

Principalities of Kievan Rus' (1054-1132)

Upon the death of Sviatoslav Yaroslavich in 1077, his brothers

and

started a bitter rivalry over the

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 ...

an throne. Vsevolod left Chernigov and headed towards Izyaslav, who had set out on a military campaign against Kiev. Boris took advantage of his uncle's absence and seized control of Chernigov. He only managed to remain in power for eight days and then had to flee to Tmutarakan upon hearing the news of Vsevolod's return.

In Tmutarakan

In Tmutarakan, Boris was accepted by his cousin, Prince Roman Svyatoslavich. The two were soon joined by Roman's brother, Oleg, who had been banished by his uncles from the

Principality of Vladimir Vladimir-Suzdal (russian: Владимирско-Су́здальская, ''Vladimirsko-Suzdal'skaya''), also Vladimir-Suzdalian Rus', formally known as the Grand Duchy of Vladimir (1157–1331) (russian: Владимиро-Су́здальс ...

. Boris and Oleg allied themselves with the Cumans and attacked Vsevolod on the Sozh River, defeating his army in a bloody battle and capturing Chernigov on 25 August 1078. Soon, Vsevolod and Izyaslav were able to muster a new army with the help of their sons and headed for Chernigov. Boris and Oleg had already left the city by the time Vsevolod and Izyaslav approached it, but the citizens of Chernigov closed the gates and prepared for the siege. The attackers burned the outer parts of the city and wanted to proceed further, but received the news on Oleg and Boris coming to Chernigov's rescue. Oleg tried to convince his cousin Boris not to seek direct confrontation with the four princes, but Boris decided to take them on. Boris died in a fierce battle "at a place near a village on the meadow of Nezhata"''Russian Primary Chronicle'' (year 6586), p. 166. on 3 October, according to the ''Russian Primary Chronicle''.

References

Sources

* * *''The Russian Primary Chronicle: Laurentian Text'' (Translated and edited by Samuel Hazzard Cross and Olgerd P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor) (1953). Medieval Academy of America. .

External links

Profile at hrono.ru
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vyacheslavich, Boris 1078 deaths Military personnel killed in action 11th-century princes in Kievan Rus' Princes of Chernigov Rurikids Rurik dynasty Year of birth unknown