Period of Statehood (879 - 1360), Детальна інформація

The Ukrainian princes continued to struggle on against Polovtsi.

One particular battle led by Prince Ehor in 1185 was enshrined in a poem

"Slovo o Polku Ehorevim" (The Tale of Ehor's Regiment).

Western parts of Ukraine - Halych (Galicia) and Volynj (Volhynia) -

free from Polovetsian raids, gradually emerged as leading

principalities. Prince Roman ruled there in 1199. His sons succeeded

in uniting both principalities into one rich and powerful state.

About year 1220, when a new horde of Mongols and Tatars invaded

Ukraine, the princes have reached some sort of accommodation with

Polovtsi and fought together to expel this new horde. They succeeded at

first but, toward the end of year 1240, Tatars returned and besieged

Kyiv. On 16th December 1240 they conquered, plundered and ruined the

city. Afterward they moved westward, plundered Halych, Poland and

Hungary then in 1245 they returned and occupied eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Prince Danylo (son of Prince Roman) established himself

in Halych and his brother Vasylko in Volynj. Together they managed to

keep Tatars away from their principalities. Danylo founded city Lviv in

1250 as a defense site against Tatars. In 1253 he accepted the royal

crown from the pope and effected a short-lived church union with Rome.

After Danylo died in 1264, his sons continued to rule in peaceful

coexistence with Tatars. In 1303 they created a separate archbishopric

office in Halych, responsible to Byzantine, because in 1299 Kyivan

archbishopric seat was moved to Moscow.

The dominant prince was Danylo's son Lev; he died about year 1300.

His son Yuriy again united Halych and Volynj principalities with Lviv as

capital. He was a mighty and just ruler; the country was rich and

peaceful under his rule.

After Yuriy, his two sons ruled till about 1320. They both died

without leaving male successors. This created unstable situation and

internal power struggle, which was exploited by neighboring countries -