Like all the princes of Ancient Russia, Yaroslav Osmomysl is Rurikovich. His grandfather - Volodar Rostislavovich, Prince of Zvenigorod (ruled from 1085 to 1092) - was the great-grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. His father, Vladimir Volodarevich (youngest son of Volodar Rostislavovich), also known by the nickname Vladimirko (years of life - 1104-1153), became the creator of a single Galician principality and the founder of the first Galician dynasty.
Roots of the Prince
Yaroslav Osmomysl himself (c. 1130-1187) successfully continued his father's work of gathering all Galician lands into a single state. Vladimirko was married (by assumption) to Sophia of Hungary, daughter of Kalman I, or Colomon I the Scribe (1070-1116). As can be judged by the nickname, the Hungarian king from the Ariad dynasty was a wise ruler and a well-read person. The son-in-law came to the court, since the nickname "Osmomysl", according to one version of the versions, means "having eight minds", and according to another - "knowing eight languages", that is, not stupid at all. In 1149, Vladimirko Volodarevich concludes an alliance with the Moscow prince Yuri Dolgoruky, directed against the Kyiv prince Izyaslav Mstislavovich (the first of the Russian princes, whom the Ipatiev Chronicle calls "king"),because the Galician princes tried to achieve independence from Kyiv. In support of the union, the children of the princes are getting married - Yaroslav Osmomysl takes Olga Yuryevna as his wife.
Ascension to the throne
In 1153, at the very peak of the war with Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, when Vladimirk had already captured the cities along the Goryn River, the prince suddenly dies, and the Galician boyars put Yaroslav Vladimirkovich on the throne, who verbally tried to assure the great Kyiv prince Izyaslav in his filial love and obedience. In fact, either he himself or his boyars tried only to gain time and did not think of returning the conquered cities. And Izyaslav Mstislavovich again goes to war against the recalcitrant Galich. Near Terebovl (February 16, 1154), in a bloody battle that lasted all day and ended late at night, no one achieved a decisive victory, and the troops were withdrawn. Izyaslav did not regain the captured cities, and soon, in the same 1154, he died. Yaroslav's father-in-law Yuri Dolgoruky, who was a long-time ally of the Galicians, sits on the throne of Kyiv. However, peace and good relations between Galich and Kyiv did not last long, because Yuri Dolgoruky went to another world in 1157, and Izyaslav III Davydovich sat down to reign.
Competitor to the Galician throne
Yaroslav Osmomysl had a sworn enemy in the person of his cousin, the exiled Galician prince Ivan Rostislavovich Berladnik (at his seat in the city of Berlad). The years of life of the applicant forGalician throne of Ivan Rostislavovich - 1112-1162. Izyaslav III, who sat on the great reign, patronized Berladnik in the hope that, having taken the Galician throne, he would return to Kyiv all the cities captured by Vladimir. In the future, Prince Yaroslav Osmomysl pursues a smart and subtle policy, making alliances with former enemies, for example, with the son of Izyaslav II, Mstislav Izyaslavovich. As a result of his reign, the principality of Kiev fell into decay, ruined by the eternal internecine wars of numerous heirs, and Galicia grew stronger and richer, growing with new territories.
Expelling the enemy within
Izyaslav III, incited by Berladnik, having made an alliance with the Polovtsians, Turks and Berendeys, attacked Mstislav, who had settled in Belgorod. But after the betrayal of the Berendeys, he was forced to flee, leaving the Kyiv throne. Ivan Berladnik, who fled to a foreign land, died in exile. Allies Yaroslav and Mstislav Izyaslavovich give the throne of Kyiv to Rostislav Mstislavovich. As a result, Yaroslav Osmomysl had no opponents left, and external enemies did not dare to attack a strong state capable of fighting back.
Increased Power
Yaroslav Osmomysl, whose years of rule strengthened and enriched the Galician land, constantly undertook campaigns against the Polovtsy and intimidated them completely. Having given shelter to the exiled Byzantine prince Andronicus Komnenos, the far-sighted Yaroslav, after the reconciliation of the prince with the Byzantine emperor Manuel, concluded an alliance with the latter against the Hungarians. There were no wars on the Galician land, and it did not go bankrupt. The power that Yaroslav is gaining is also mentioned in the Tale of Igor's Campaign.
Feud with boyars
However, at the beginning of his reign, and even then, Yaroslav always overcame the opposition of the boyars. According to historical evidence, nowhere in Russia the boyars were as strong as in the western outskirts. Their self-will reached the point that they publicly and solemnly burned Anastasia alive at the stake, the beloved woman of Yaroslav, who gave birth to his no less beloved son Oleg. Yaroslav himself and his son were kept in captivity until he swore an oath to reunite with his wife Olga, who was in Poland, and to bequeath the throne to Vladimir, her son. Olga solemnly returned to Galich at the invitation of the boyars, but Yaroslav, who was released a year later, restored his power over the powerful aristocratic elite, reconciled with his son Vladimir, but still bequeathed the throne to Oleg.
Prosperity of the principality and the death of Yaroslav
Defending his principality from external and internal enemies, Yaroslav gave all his strength for the economic development of Galicia. Under him, crafts flourished, sensible foreigners were taken into service. All trade along the Danube depended on Yaroslav Osmomysl, since he owned the port of Maly Galich. The principality was especially active in trade with Bulgaria and Byzantium. Yaroslav Osmomysl, whose biography ended in Galich in 1187, was buried there. Shortly after the beginning of the reign, Oleg was poisoned, and Vladimir, whom his father sent to Przemysl, also took possession of the Galician throne. In 1939 the archaeologistYaroslav Pasternak discovered the grave of Yaroslav Osmomysl.
Results of the Board
The reign of Yaroslav Osmomysl falls on the era of the rapid flourishing of feudalism in the Carpathian states. During the years of sitting on the Galician throne, Yaroslav Osmomysl managed to stop the troubles in the entire principality. Twice he conquered Kyiv and planted princes loyal to him on the great reign. He strengthened external ties - with the Polish princes, the Hungarian king and Byzantium. With the Moscow principality, he traditionally maintained friendly relations. For his wise rule from the people under his rule, Yaroslav received the nickname Osmomysl.
