Daniil Romanovich's son Leo was the Prince of Galicia and Volhynia. He had to fight with many opponents: Poles, Lithuanians and Tatars. This ruler was one of the last independent princes of Western Russia.
Early years
Galician and Volyn Prince Lev Danilovich was born around 1228. Little is known about his childhood. He was the second of four sons of Daniil Romanovich. The first mention of a child dates back to 1240. Then he and his father visited Hungary. Daniel wanted to marry his son to the daughter of the king of this country, Bela, and thus secure a political alliance with a neighbor. However, the Hungarian monarch refused the offer. And only ten years later, when Daniel visited the Horde and won the favor of the khan, Bela IV changed his mind. So Leo married Constance of Hungary.
Growing up, the heir participated in several of his father's military campaigns. In 1254, Lev Danilovich helped his father-in-law in his conflict with the Czechs. Also, the son of the Galician-Volyn prince led a squad in a campaign against the Yotvingians. Lev Danilovich even killed their ruler Steikint, bringing their weapons to his father. At the same time, the Russian principalities depended on the Tatars, and Rurikovich had topersonally tear down Volyn fortresses.
Fight for the Galician throne
Daniil Romanovich died in 1264. He divided his power among his sons, giving each his own inheritance. Leo got Przemysl. His older brother Shvarn, thanks to a successful dynastic marriage, became the prince of Lithuania and, in addition, received Galich and Kholm from his father. In parallel with them, their uncle Vasilko Romanovich ruled in Volhynia. Leo was terribly jealous of Schwarn and because of this he committed a real crime.
In Lithuania, Daniel's eldest son reigned together with his Lithuanian wife's brother Voyshelok. The lion invited him to a feast. At first Voyshelk hesitated, but finally agreed to come after Vasilko's friendly assurances. After a long feast, the ruler of Przemysl killed the Lithuanian. This is what an insidious act Lev Danilovich did. Schwarn did not long outlive his brother-in-law. He died in 1269. There is no evidence of the nature of his death in the chronicles. Since Shvarn was childless, all his inheritances were inherited by his brother Leo, who became a full-fledged Galician prince.
Lithuanian politics
At the beginning of his reign, Lev supported the Polish king Boleslav in his internal feudal struggle against the Vorotislav prince. Then the ruler of Galich turned his attention to the Lithuanians and Yotvingians. He sent an army against this tribe, which captured the city of Zlina. The Yatvingians did not give a general battle, being afraid of a strong Russian squad.
Soon the Prince of Galicia made peace withLithuanian ruler Troyden, began to regularly exchange embassies and gifts with him. In such behavior, an important character trait of this person was clearly manifested, and the characterization of Lev Danilovich without mentioning it would be incomplete: he often changed friends and enemies, focusing only on the interests of his principality.
However, this pragmatic policy had its flaws. In 1274 the fragile alliance with Troiden collapsed. The Lithuanian prince sent an army to Drogichin. The city was captured, and many inhabitants were killed. The lion began to ask for help from the Tatars. Khan Mengu-Timur not only gave him an army, but also ordered the rest of the princes of Western Russia to help their relative.
The squads headed for the city of Novogrudok, intending to take an important Lithuanian fortress. Each army went its own way. The army of the Lion was one of the first to approach the city. Together with him was a Tatar detachment. Leo decided to capture the fortress without waiting for his allies. The idea was carried out at night. The prince did not notify the allies of his intentions, despite earlier agreements. When the squads of Roman Bryansky and Gleb Smolensky approached Novogrudok, they and other Rurikovichs became angry with Lev. The princes did not like that he did not consider them equal, and went home. After this episode, the trip ended.
Wars with Poland
In 1280, after the death of Boleslav V the Shameful, Lev Danilovich tried to seize the Polish throne. However, the local nobility refused to recognize his rights to the throne and elected the nephew of the deceased, Leshka, as the monarch. Black. Then Prince Lev Danilovich went to the Golden Horde to Nogai, hoping for help from the Tatars in the war with the Poles. Khan really supported the prince. In addition, the eastern despot forced other Rurikovichs to join Lev.
Krakow campaign ended in nothing. Lev boasted that he was going to reach the capital of Poland, but instead his army began to rob and loot in roadside villages, becoming vulnerable to enemy troops. After a serious defeat, Leo had to return to his homeland empty-handed. The following year, Leszek the Black attacked Galicia, captured the city of Perevoresk and exterminated its inhabitants.
Relations with Tatars
In 1283, the Tatars came to the possession of Leo, who were going to fight with Poland. They did not go west, but they began to rob Volyn and Galician cities. The hordes of Khan Tula-Buga and Nogai killed and took into captivity about 25 thousand people. Many residents of Lviv died of starvation.
A few years later, in 1287, the Russian princes again had to go with the Tatars to Poland. Lev Danilovich Galitsky, like his other relatives, could not fight the hordes of nomads, so he dutifully followed the orders of the khans, hoping in this way to save his lands from even greater destruction.
Prince of Galicia and Volhynia
At the end of 1288 Volyn Prince Vladimir Vasilkovich, who was a cousin of Leo, died. According to the will, his throne passed to another son of Daniel - Mstislav. The lion was unhappyby the fact that his younger brother, bypassing him, received a rich and important principality. The prince's son Yuri even captured Brest. Not wanting an open confrontation with Mstislav, Leo gave his offspring the order to leave the city. However, time again played into the hands of the latter.
In 1292, Mstislav died, and his elder brother inherited the Volyn principality, thus uniting the two western Russian lands - Galicia and Volyn. Without resorting to war, Prince Lev Danilovich Galitsky was able to restore the power of his ancestors. He died in 1301. Dying, the ruler ordered to make a burial without any celebrations. The monks dressed the body in a simple shroud and placed a cross in their hand.
