Igor Svyatoslavich - Prince of Novgorod-Seversky and Chernigov, is a representative of the Olgovich family. He received his name in honor of his uncle - the brother of the great Svyatoslav.
Origin
The father of the protagonist of the poem "The Tale of Igor's Campaign", Prince Svyatoslav, was married twice. His first wife was the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa, who received the name Anna at baptism. The second time Svyatoslav Olgovich went down the aisle in 1136. This marriage caused a scandal. Archbishop Nifont of Novgorod refused to conduct the wedding ceremony, citing the fact that the first husband of the bride, the daughter of the mayor Petrila, died recently. Therefore, another priest crowned Prince Svyatoslav. In this marriage, the future Prince of Chernigov was born, although some historians and publicists believe that it was the Polovtsian Anna who was born Igor Svyatoslavich.
Short biography
The father of the prince - a faithful companion and friend of Yuri Dolgoruky Svyatoslav Olgovich was the very person whom the ruler called to Moscow to discuss joint affairs. Igor's grandfather was Oleg Svyatoslavich -ancestor of the Olgovichi dynasty. During the baptism, the boy was named George, however, as is often the case, his Christian name was practically not used. And in history Igor Svyatoslavich became known by his pagan Russian name.
Already a seven-year-old child, the boy began to participate in campaigns with his father, defending the rights of his cousin uncle Izyaslav Davydovich, who claims to the throne of Kyiv. And at seventeen, he already went on a grandiose campaign organized by Andrei Bogolyubsky, which ended in March 1169 with a three-day sack of the city of Kyiv. From the time of his turbulent youth, Igor Svyatoslavich, whose biography is the biography of a warrior who began his military career very early, realized that strength gives the right not to justify one's actions.
The future hero of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" had more than one victorious campaign against the Polovtsians. In 1171, he first felt glory when he defeated Khan Kobyak in a battle on the Vorskla River. This triumph showed that twenty-year-old Igor Svyatoslavich was a talented military leader. The young man also had diplomatic skills. He presented the obtained trophies to Roman Rostislavich, who ruled in Kyiv.
In 1180, being twenty-nine years old, the young commander inherited the principality of Novgorod-Seversk from his elder brother. This gave him the opportunity to start making his own plans.
Authority
Some historians are sure that Prince Igor Svyatoslavich was an insignificant, minor figure, but many do not agree with this statement, it is reasonablearguing that even the geographical position of his principality, bordering on the endless steppe, always predetermined the importance of his actions.
When the princes of Southern Russia undertook a joint campaign directed against the Polovtsy, then by order of the great Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, it was Igor who was appointed senior over the troops. As a result, another glorious victory was won over the steppe nomads near the Khorol River. Inspired by this success, Prince Igor undertook another campaign in the same year. This expedition once again gave him the laurels of the winner over the Polovtsians.
Main failure
It was against the backdrop of such success that Prince Igor decided to go on another trip to the steppe. It was about him that the poem was written. Then Igor was thirty-four years old, he was at the age of mature courage and knew how to make informed decisions.
Together with Prince Novgorod-Seversky, his son Vladimir, brother Vsevolod and nephew Svyatoslav Olegovich participated in the battle with the Polovtsy.
The purpose of this campaign, according to many historians, was not to save the Russian land from the constant raids of the cruel steppes. Prince Igor went with the wrong forces and the wrong route. His main goal, most likely, was trophies - herds, weapons, jewelry and, of course, the capture of slaves. A year earlier, in the Polovtsian lands, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich received a fairly rich booty. Envy and greed pushed Igor to the military adventure. He was not even stopped by the fact that the Polovtsian Khan Konchak had huge crossbows, pulledat the same time by five dozen warriors, as well as "live fire", as gunpowder was called in those days.
Defeat
On the banks of the Kayala River, Russian troops clashed with the main forces of the steppes. Almost all Polovtsian tribes from the southeast of Europe participated in the clash. Their numerical superiority was so great that the Russian troops were surrounded very soon. Chroniclers report that Prince Igor behaved with dignity: even having received a serious wound, he continued to fight. At dawn, after a day of continuous fighting, the troops, having gone to the lake, began to go around it.
Igor, changing the direction of his regiment's retreat, went to help his brother Vsevolod. However, his soldiers, unable to stand it, began to flee, trying to get out of the encirclement. Igor tried to return them, but in vain. Prince Novgorod-Seversky was taken prisoner. Many of his troops died. The chroniclers speak of three days of fighting with the Polovtsy, after which Igor's banners fell. The prince escaped from captivity, leaving his son Vladimir, who later married the daughter of Khan Konchak.
Family and children
The wife of Igor Svyatoslavich - the daughter of the Galician ruler Yaroslav Vladimirovich, bore him six children - five heirs and a daughter. Her name is not mentioned in the annals, but historians call her Yaroslavna. In some sources, she is mentioned as the second wife of Igor, but most experts consider this version to be erroneous.
The eldest son of Igor and Yaroslavna, Prince Vladimir of Putivl, Novgorod-Seversky and Galitsky, born in 1171, married the daughter of the one who captured him and his fatherKhan Konchak.
In 1191, Prince Igor, together with his brother Vsevolod, undertook another campaign against the Polovtsy, this time successful, after which, having received reinforcements from Yaroslav of Chernigov and Svyatoslav of Kyiv, he reached Oskol. However, the steppes managed to prepare for this battle in time. Igor had no choice but to withdraw the troops back to Russia. In 1198, after the death of the ruler Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, the son of Svyatoslav took the throne of Chernigov.
The exact year of the death of Prince Igor Svyatoslavich is unknown, although some chronicles indicate December 1202, although many consider the version that he died in the first half of 1201 to be more realistic. Like his uncle, he was buried in Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, located in the city of Chernihiv.
