Mstislav I of Kiev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mstislav I Monomakh |
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Portrait in the Tsarsky titulyarnik (1672)
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| Grand Prince of Kiev | |
| Reign | 1125–1132 |
| Predecessor | Vladimir II |
| Successor | Yaropolk II |
| Born | February 1076 Turov |
| Died | 14 April 1132 (aged 55) Kiev |
| Spouse | Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden Liubava Dmitrievna Zavidich |
| Issue | Ingeborg of Kiev Malmfred of Kiev Dobrodeia of Kiev Vsevolod of Pskov Maria Mstislavna of Kiev Iziaslav II of Kiev Rostislav of Kiev Sviatopolk of Pskov Rogneda Xenia Vladimir III of Kiev Euphrosyne of Kiev |
| Dynasty | Rurik |
| Father | Vladimir II Monomakh |
| Mother | Gytha of Wessex |
Mstislav I Vladimirovich Monomakh (born February 1076, died April 14, 1132) was a very important ruler in Kievan Rus'. He was also known as Mstislav the Great. He served as the Grand Prince of Kiev from 1125 until he passed away in 1132. After his death, the large state of Kievan Rus' started to break apart into smaller areas.
Mstislav was the oldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh and Gytha of Wessex. He is even mentioned in old Norse Sagas, where he is called Harald. This name was a nod to his famous grandfather, Harold II of England.
Mstislav's Life and Rule
Mstislav was born in a place called Turov. As he was expected to take over from his father, he ruled in Novgorod for many years, from 1088 to 1093 and then again from 1095 to 1117. After that, he was a co-ruler with his father in Belgorod Kievsky. When his father died, Mstislav became the Grand Prince of Kiev.
He was known for building many churches. In Novgorod, he built the St. Nicholas Cathedral in 1113 and the cathedral of St. Anthony Cloister in 1117. Both of these churches are still standing today. Later, he also built important churches in Kiev, including a family burial place at Berestovo and the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God in Podol.
Mstislav's time as a ruler was full of battles. He fought against groups like the Cumans, Estonians, Lithuanians, and the princedom of Polotsk. In 1096, he defeated his uncle, Oleg of Chernigov. This battle started a long rivalry between their families that lasted for centuries.
Mstislav was the last ruler of a united Rus' state. When he died at the age of 55 in Kiev, a writer at the time said that "the land of Rus was torn apart." He is considered a saint in the Orthodox Church, known as St. Mstislav Theodore, Prince of Kiev. His feast day is April 15.
After Mstislav's death, the state quickly began to fall apart. Before him, there were mainly two big family groups of princes. But as the family grew, it split into many smaller local groups. This made the state weaker and harder to keep together.
Mstislav's Family Life
In 1095, Mstislav married Princess Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden. She was the daughter of King Inge I of Sweden. They had many children together:
- Ingeborg of Kiev: She married Canute Lavard and was the mother of Valdemar I of Denmark.
- Malmfred: She married two kings, first Sigurd I of Norway and then Eric II of Denmark.
- Eupraxia: She married Alexius Comnenus, who was the son of John II Comnenus.
- Vsevolod of Novgorod and Pskov
- Maria Mstislavna of Kiev: She married Vsevolod II of Kiev.
- Iziaslav II of Kiev
- Rostislav of Kiev
- Sviatopolk of Pskov
- Rogneda: She married Yaroslav of Volhynia.
- Xenia: She married Briachislav of Izyaslavl.
Princess Christina died on January 18, 1122. Later that same year, Mstislav married again. His second wife was Liubava Dmitrievna Zavidich. She was the daughter of a nobleman from Novgorod named Dmitry Saviditsch. Their children were:
- Vladimir III Mstislavich (1132–1171)
- Euphrosyne of Kiev (born around 1130, died around 1193): She married King Géza II of Hungary in 1146.
Through his daughter Euphrosyne, Mstislav is an ancestor of many important people, including Philippa of Hainault and King Edward III of England. This means he is also an ancestor of all the kings and queens of England and Britain who came after Edward III.
See also
In Spanish: Mstislav I de Kiev para niños
