Читать книгу 100 Key Ukrainian Personalities - Юрий Сорока - Страница 5

Ihor is known as the first Kyivan prince of Rurik’s dynasty. Having appeared in Kyiv in the company of Oleh the Prophet, Ihor began to reign only after Oleh’s death, that is, in 912 or 913. The Tale of Bygone Years informs us-

“In the year of 6421 (913) Ihor started to reign after Oleh. At the same time Constantine, Leo’s son and Roman’s son-in-law, began to reign in Tsargorod. The Drevlians unleashed the war against Ihor after Oleh’s death”.

Ihor levies duty from the Drevlians (Radziwiłł Chronicle)

It should be noted that Ihor’s reign succeeded and followed Oleh the Prophet’s development of Kyivan Rus’. Just before his death, Oleh managed to marry his ward. Some historians believe that his marriage to Olha took place in 903. But there are no proves to that and the version causes some doubt, if only because of the fact that Sviatoslav, a son of Ihor by Olha, was born in 942. Ihor was baptized by fire in 914 during the military campaign against the tribes of the Drevlians. Though the Drevlians had been conquered by Ihor’s predecessor, they persistently did not recognize the supremacy of Kyivan princes. The campaign against Iskorosten, the Drevlians’ capital, turned to be a success for Ihor. He won a victory and, as a result, the tribute of the Drevlians set by Oleh was considerably increased. The next year, in 915, Kyiv troops headed by Ihor started fighting against the Pechenegs. Owing to a successful campaign against those nomads, a peace treaty was signed and for the next five years, Kyivan lands were safe from the Pechenegs’ attacks. Eastern historical sources mention Ihor’s campaigns as well. For instance, in his works, Nisami Gyangevi, a Persian poet, scholar and thinker, described looting and destruction of the city of Berdaa, situated in today’s Azerbaijan, by the Rusiches headed by Ihor.

As to the relations with the Byzantine Empire, Ihor, Rurik’s son, led the policy traditional for his predecessors. It is known that in 941 he went on a military campaign against Tsargorod. But the military fortune turned away from the prince – his fleet was burnt down with the fire of the Greeks and his troops were defeated. The Tale of Bygone Years describes the event in the following way-

“…But Theophanes met them with fire from his ships. He began sent fire by pipes to the Rus’ ships. It was an awful sight. The Rus’ fighters saw the flame and began to dive into the sea water…”

In spite of the defeat, prince Ihor organized a still larger scale campaign against Tsargorod and finally achieved his goal. As a result, after the Rusiches’ victory, a peace treaty beneficial for Kyiv was concluded.

Ihor died in 945 being killed by the Drevlians. It is believed that his death resulted from the ill-conceived policy of taxing. Though Iskorosten paid everything according to the previous agreement, Prince Ihor tried to tax his vassals once again. It provoked a rebellion of the Drevlians headed by Prince Mal. They defeated Ihor’s detachment, captured Prince Ihor a prisoner and, as Leo Deacon, a chronicler, tells, executed him by tying to trees.

Prince Ihor’s Execution. Illustration by F. Bruni