Igor Svyatoslavich

Prince Svyatoslav Olgovich was married twice. The first time he married in 1108, the daughter of the Polovtsian khan Aepa Girgenevich ^[4] . In baptism, she may have received the name of Anna ^{[K 2]} . The second time, Svyatoslav Olgovich married in 1136 in Novgorod , and his marriage caused a scandal. Novgorod Archbishop Nifont refused to marry him, another priest entered into a marriage. VN Tatishchev , referring to the not preserved " Rostov Chronicle ", indicated that the wife of Svyatoslav was the daughter of the Novgorod posad Petrila ^[6] , and the fact that the bride’s first husband had recently died was the cause of the conflict with the archbishop ^[7] . However, the “Rostov Chronicle” is most likely the source of the 16th – 17th centuries, when spaces in the annals were often added on the basis of speculation and legends, therefore there is reason to not trust this source. Another explanation for the conflict is that by the time of Svyatoslav’s second marriage, his first wife could still be alive ^[5] .

A number of historians and publicists suggested that Igor's mother was Polovtsa. However, judging by the date of marriage at the time of Igor’s birth, she was about 50 years old, and she could not be his mother. In addition, there is no news that Svyatoslav returned to his first wife after his second marriage. Thus, the mother of Igor, most likely, was the second wife of Svyatoslav Olgovich, who, perhaps, was called Catherine. Probably, she came from the Novgorod boyar clan ^[5] .

In 1169, Igor Svyatoslavich participated in the campaign of eleven Russian princes under the banners of Andrei Bogolyubsky against Mstislav Izyaslavich , the Grand Duke of Kiev.

In 1171, he walked with the Seversky squads across the Vorskla River and won the famous victory over the Polovtsian khans Kobyak and Konchak , freeing the prisoners and taking away the booty.

After the death of Roman Rostislavich Smolensky in 1180, during the northern campaign of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, Igor, along with Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, guarded Chernihiv, then they and the Polovtsy took part in the campaign against Davyd Rostislavich Smolensky near Drutsk , and after the return of their troops to the south, Rurik Rostislavich managed to defeat the Polovtsians and Konchak and Igor, as a result of which the so-called. "Duumvirate" Svyatoslav and Rurik.

Before the battle on Orel, Igor and Vladimir Glebovich Pereyaslavsky were sent by Svyatoslav and Rurik against the Polovtsy. Igor denied Vladimir the right to drive ahead (the front squads usually got a lot of booty), Vladimir unfolded the regiments and robbed the Novgorod-Seversky principality, but Igor continued his campaign and defeated the Polovtsy on the Khiriya River. After the battle of Orel (in which the Chernigov-Seversky princes did not participate) Igor, together with other Seversky princes, made a successful trip to the Polovtsian nomads along the Merlu River.

Campaign Against Polovtsians in 1185

In the spring of 1185, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich went to his northeastern possessions to collect soldiers to go to the Don Polovtsy for the whole summer , and Igor, together with his brother Vsevolod , prince of Kursk and Trubchevsky , and nephew Svyatoslav Olgovich , prince of Rylsky , embarked on a new campaign. Together with the Kovuy squad (the nomadic population of the left bank of the Dnieper , dependent on the Chernigov princes, akin to the right-bank black hoods , dependent on the Kiev princes) they moved to the banks of the Donets .

On the shores of the Kayala, the Russian army encountered the main forces of the Polovtsy. Sources indicate the participation in the clash of almost all the famous Polovtsian tribal groups of southeastern Europe. After a 3-day battle, Igor was captured, like the rest of the princes. Many warriors died.

Igor escaped from captivity, leaving there his son Vladimir , who returned later, marrying Konchak's daughter.

This campaign of Igor Svyatoslavich against the Polovtsy served as a canvas for the famous “Words about Igor's Regiment” .

Subsequent years

In 1191, Igor and his brother Vsevolod conducted a successful campaign against the Polovtsy and went on a second campaign after receiving reinforcements from Svyatoslav of Kiev and Yaroslav Chernigovsky led by five princes, reached Oskol , but the Polovtsy were able to prepare for the battle in time, and Igor sent troops to Russia .

In 1198, Igor, after the death of Prince Chernigov Yaroslav Vsevolodovich , took the Chernigov throne.

According to A.P. Pyatnov, the exact date of the death of Prince Igor Svyatoslavich (December 29) is the result of a misunderstanding and an unsuccessful compilation by V.N. Tatishchev of the Radzivilov annals. Indication of the year 1202, as the year of his death, is associated with ignoring the use of the ultramart style by the chronicler. The most real date of the death of the prince should be considered the first half of 1201 ^{[1] [2]} . He was buried, like his uncle, Saint Igor , in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the city ​​of Chernigov .

Wife: from approx. 1169 ^[8] Efrosinya Yaroslavna , daughter of the Galician prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich Osmomysl from marriage to the Suzdal princess Olga Yurievna . Children: ^[6]

• Vladimir Igorevich (October 8, 1170 - after 1211), Prince Putivl in 1185–1198 and 1208–1210, Prince Novgorod-Seversky in 1198–1206, Prince Galitsky in 1206–1208 and 1210–1211
• Oleg Igorevich (1175-1205)
• Svyatoslav Igorevich (1176 - September 1211), Prince Vladimir-Volynsky in 1205-1206, Prince Peremyshlsky in 1209 and 1210-1211
• Roman Igorevich (died September 1211), Prince Zvenigorod in 1206–1208 and 1210–1211, Prince Galitsky in 1208–1210
• Rostislav Igorevich (?) (W. September 1211), Prince Terebovlsky in 1210-1211
• daughter husband: since 1190, Davyd Olgovich , prince Starodubsky

The name of Igor’s wife is not mentioned in the annals. In the “Genealogy” of Empress Catherine II ^[9] , Igor’s wife is named Efrosinya. According to the version of A. V. Solovyov, the name Euphrosyne goes back to the Lyubetsk Synod ^{[10] [11]} . R. V. Zotov, a researcher at the Lyubetsky Synodik, believed that the name of Igor’s wife was Efrosinya, although he doubted the identification of Prince Theodosius mentioned there with Igor Svyatoslavich ^[12] . The Christian name of Igor was George, Theodosius was probably the Christian name of Prince Vsevolod Svyatoslavich , Igor’s younger brother ^[11] .

OV V. Tvorogov suggested that Yaroslavna was mistakenly credited with the monastic name of her mother, Olga Yuryevna ^[13] . But the name Euphrosyne was fixed in the literature for the princess ^[14] .

In some sources, Efrosinya is indicated by the second wife of Igor, the date of marriage is attributed to 1184. For the first time, this date appeared in the “Genealogy” of Empress Catherine II. According to modern scholars, this date of marriage arose as a result of an inaccurate reading of the “ History of Russia ” by V. N. Tatishchev . The historian A.V. Solovyov proved that the mother of all the children of Igor was Yaroslavna. Since the eldest son of Igor and Yaroslavna, Vladimir, was born in 1171, the marriage could not be concluded in 1184 ^{[10] [13] [11]} .

In Old Russian Literature

It was written at the end of the 12th century (dated 1185). The manuscript of the "Word" is preserved in only one list of Count Musin-Pushkin .

In the literature

• V. Porotnikov. Historical novel "Igor Svyatoslavich". Publisher: AST, Astrel, 2001. ISBN 5-17-010530-4 , ISBN 5-271-02951-4
• Sergey Zagraevsky . The historical novel "The Eunuch of the Sultan's Harem" (Moscow: OGI, 2014) . ISBN 978-5-94282-713-7 .

In music

Igor Svyatoslavich is the protagonist of A.P. Borodin’s opera Prince Igor . The plan of the script and the libretto of the opera were written by the composer on the monument of literature of Ancient Russia, “The Word of Igor's Campaign,” with the participation of V. V. Stasov . The central image of the hero is captured in the famous baritone aria "Oh, give, give me freedom!".

In Fine Art

• I. S. Glazunov . Painting "Prince Igor".
• K.A. Vasiliev . The painting "Prince Igor" (1969).

In the cinema

The film-opera "Prince Igor". Musical drama based on the opera of the same name by Alexander Borodin, 1969. Starring - B. Khmelnitsky .

• Igorevichi

• Berezhkov M.N. Blessed Igor Olgovich, Prince of Novgorodsevere and Grand Duke of Kiev. / M.N. Berezhkov - M .: Book on Demand, 2012 .-- 46 p. ISBN 978-5-458-14984-6
• Rybakov B.A. Pyotr Borislavich. Search for the author "The Word of Igor's Campaign". M .: Publishing house "Young Guard", 1991. - 286 p. ISBN 5-235-00500-7
• A word about Igor's regiment. 800 years: Collection. - M.: Soviet writer, 1986. - 576 p.
• Instances of A. V. Chernigov, princes // Russian Biographical Dictionary : in 25 volumes. - SPb. - M. , 1896-1918.

• Alekseev S.V. Igor Svyatoslavich. - M .: Young Guard, 2014. - (The life of wonderful people : Small series: ser. Biogr .; issue 55). - 4000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-235-03664-2 .
• Voitovich L.V. Olgovichі. Chernigiv і Sіverskі princes // Princes ’ dynasties of Europe (Kinets IX - the cob of the sixteenth century): the warehouse, the role is political. History-genealogical research . - Lviv: Institute of Ukrainian Studies im. I. Krip'yakevicha, 2000 .-- 649 p. - ISBN 966-02-1683-1 . (Ukrainian)
• Ipatiev Chronicle
• Uzhankov A.N. March of 1185 Igor Svyatoslavovich to Polovtsy in the context of scripture and Old Russian tradition // Ancient Russia. Questions of Medieval Studies . 2009. No. 2 (36). S. 64-71
• Igor Svyatoslavich, Prince of Novgorod-Seversky // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.