Davyd Sviatoslavich was the ruler of

Murom Murom (, ) is a historical types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which sprawls along the west bank of the Oka River. It borders Nizhny Novgorod Oblast and is situated from the administrative center Vladimir, ...

and

Chernigov Chernihiv (, ; , ) is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within the oblast. Chernihiv's population is The city was designated as a Hero City of Ukrain ...

. The date of his birth is uncertain. Before his father's death was appointed to the Pereyaslav Principality, however in 1076 he ran to Murom which was located as far away as possible from

Kiev Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

. In 1093 Davyd was appointed a prince of

Smolensk Smolensk 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 cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...

. During the war of his brother

Oleg I of Chernigov Oleg Svyatoslavich (Russian language, Russian and Ukrainian language, Ukrainian: Олег Святославич; 1052 – 1 August 1115), nicknamed Gorislavich (Гориславич, literally "of famous woe") was a prince from Kievan Ru ...

against

Sviatopolk II of Kiev Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich (; 8 November 1050 – 16 April 1113) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1093 to 1113. He was not a popular prince, and his reign was marked by incessant rivalry with his cousin Vladimir Monomakh. Early life Sviatopolk was ...

and

Vladimir II Monomakh Vladimir II Monomakh (; Christian name: ''Vasily''; 26 May 1053 – 19 May 1125) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1113 to 1125. He is considered a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and is celebrated on May 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics), May 6 ...

he went up against the Vladimir's son Izyaslav of Murom. Oleg and Davyd in the united coalition of Sviatoslavichi managed to recover Smolensk and defeated Izyaslav at Murom where the last one perished. On the

Council of Liubech The Council of Liubech (sometimes referred to as the Liubech Conference) (, ) was one of the best documented princely meetings in Kievan Rus' that took place in Liubech (today in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine) on October 19, 1097. The council ended the ...

in 1097 Davyd was appointed to

, while Oleg was given

Novhorod-Siverskyi Novhorod-Siverskyi (, , , ''Novgorod-Severskiy''), historically known as Novhorod-Siversk () or Novgorod-Seversk (), is a historic city in Chernihiv Oblast, northern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Novhorod-Siverskyi Raion, alth ...

. Protested against the rule of Sviatopolk who after the council together with

Davyd Igorevich David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the Kings of Israel and Judah, third king of the Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy), United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stel ...

took Vasylko Rostyslavich a hostage and blinded him. The last two were in the constant warfare in the western areas of the Grand Duchy. Under pressure from Monomakh and Sviatoslavichi, Sviatopolk outcast Davyd Igorevich to

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. Later supported Sviatopolk in the war against Rostislavichi (one of whom was Vasylko). Davyd sent along his son Sviatoslav, but after an unsuccessful campaign the last one came back to his father and upon the death of his wife became a monk. At the

Council of Witchew A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nation ...

between the Sviatoslavichi, Monomakh, and Sviatopolk agreed to peace, stop the civil war, and consolidated their forces against the foreign enemies. At the council it was decided to cast Davyd Igorevich away from government duties, yet leaving him with some estates in Volyn. Davyd sometimes together with his brother, but more often with Vladimir Monomakh raided the

Cuman The Cumans or Kumans were a Turkic nomadic people from Central Asia comprising the western branch of the Cuman–Kipchak confederation who spoke the Cuman language. They are referred to as Polovtsians (''Polovtsy'') in Rus' chronicles, as " ...

lands from 1103 to 1111. Among numerous battles the most important one were at the Suteni river and Salnitsa river (March 27, 1111). During that campaign they managed to occupy the Cuman cities of Sharukan which is believed to be located somewhere between

Chuhuiv Chuhuiv () or Chuguev () is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. The city is the Capital (political), administrative center of Chuhuiv Raion (district). It hosts the administration of Chuhuiv urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Population ...

and

Zmiiv Zmiiv or Zmiyiv () from 1976 to 1990, is a city in Chuhuiv Raion, Kharkiv, Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Zmiiv urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The population in 2001 was 17,063, falling to The town is located from Khar ...

, and Sugrov. Davyd also greatly assisted Monomakh in the war against Polatsk Prince and Prince of Volyn in 1115–1118, while their sons continued to raid the

Cumania The name Cumania originated as the Latin exonym for the Cuman–Kipchak confederation, which was a tribal confederation in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe, between the 10th and 13th centuries. The confederation was dominated by two Turk ...

Family

His son Sviatoslav Davydovich is also known as Saint Nicholas / Nikola Sviatosha, wonderworker of the Kiev Caves.[ https://stjohndc.org/en/list-of-relics/nikola-sviatosha-svyatoslav-davidovich-prince-chernigov-and-wonderworker-kiev-caves Nikola Sviatosha (Svyatoslav Davidovich), prince of Chernigov and wonderworker of the Kiev Caves, venerable (Near Caves)]. Russian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist. Accessed 4 February 2025.

References

Sources

Profile at hrono.ru

Family history
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sviatoslavich, Davyd 11th-century births 1123 deaths Princes of Chernigov Sviatoslavichi family 11th-century princes from Kievan Rus' 12th-century princes from Kievan Rus'