Mstislav III Glebovich (before 1215/1220 – after October 18, 1239) was a Rus'

Rus' (people)

The Rus' were a group of Varangians . According to the Primary Chronicle of Rus, compiled in about 1113 AD, the Rus had relocated from the Baltic region , first to Northeastern Europe, creating an early polity which finally came under the leadership of Rurik...

 prince (a member of the Rurik dynasty

Rurik Dynasty

The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD...

). He was probably prince of Rylsk (1212–1239/1241) and of Chernigov (1235–1239/1241). During his reign, the Tatars

Mongols

Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...

 (the Mongols) invaded and pillaged the towns of the Principality of Chernigov.

Early life

He was the son of Prince Gleb Svyatoslavich of Chernigov

Gleb Svyatoslavich (Prince of Chernigov)

Gleb Svyatoslavich was a Rus' prince . His baptismal name was Pakhomy. He was prince of Kaniv , of Belgorod , and of Chernigov . He helped to pay for the Church of St...

 and Anastasia Ryurikovna, a daughter of Grand Prince Ryurik Rostislavich of Kiev

Rurik Rostislavich

Ruryk Rostislavich , Prince of Novgorod , Belgorod Kievsky, presently Bilohorodka , Grand Prince of Kiev , Prince of Chernigov...

. His father died between 1215 and 1220.

By 1225, Mstislav had already been second in seniority

Seniority

Seniority is the concept of a person or group of people being in charge or in command of another person or group. This control is often granted to the senior person due to experience or length of service in a given position, but it is not uncommon for a senior person to have less experience or...

 among the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov), and therefore during the absence of his cousin, Mikhail Vsevolodovich

Michael of Chernigov

Saint Michael of Chernigov or Mikhail Vsevolodovich was a Rus' prince...

, he commanded them. On April 6, 1231, he attended a snem (a meeting of some leading princes of Rus’

Kievan Rus'

Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....

 organized by Grand Prince Vladimir III Rurikovich

Vladimir III Rurikovich

Vladimir IV Rurikovich , Prince of Pereyaslavl , Smolensk and Grand Prince of Kiev . Son of Rurik Rostislavich....

) in Kiev

Kiev

Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....

, but the reasons for convoking the council are not given. It appears that his domain probably lay west of the Snov

Snov River

Snov River is a river in Bryansk Oblast in Russia and Chernihiv Oblast in Ukraine, right tributary of the Desna River . The length of the river is 253 km. The area of its drainage basin is 8,700 km². The Snov freezes up in November - late January and stays icebound until March - early April....

 and Desna

Desna River

Desna is a river in Russia and Ukraine, left tributary of the Dnieper. The word means "right hand" in the Old East Slavic language. Its length is , and its drainage basin covers ....

 rivers.

Prince of Chernigov

Although the chronicle

Chronicle

Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...

s never tell us that he ruled Chernigov, but his seniority merited him that post. Moreover, the evidence that the onus of defending the town fell on his shoulders supports this.

In the autumn of 1239, the Tatar horde advanced against Chernigov along the northern shore of the river Seym

Seym River

Seym is a river in Russia and Ukraine. Its length is 748 km and its basin area about 27,500 km². It is the largest tributary of the Desna....

. Presumably, the invaders captured Hlukhiv

Hlukhiv

Hlukhiv or Glukhov is a historic town in Sumy region of Ukraine, just south from the Russian border . As of 2001, the city's population is 35,800...

, Kursk

Kursk

Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...

, Rylsk, and Putivl, and on reaching the river Desna, they advanced towards Chernigov. When Mstislav heard that the Tatars were attacking the town, he came with his troops to confront them. The nomads used catapult

Catapult

A catapult is a device used to throw or hurl a projectile a great distance without the aid of explosive devices—particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. Although the catapult has been used since ancient times, it has proven to be one of the most effective mechanisms during...

s that hurled stones the distance of a bowshot

Bow (weapon)

The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...

 and a half. Mstislav barely escaped, but many of his men were killed. After Chernigov fell on October 18, the Tatars pillaged the towns in the surrounding countryside.

Before departing from Chernigov, the Tatars sent messengers to Kiev proposing peace, and they were pacified, we are told, with Mstislav. The chronicler probably made only a passing reference to his capitulation in an effort to underplay the nature of his commitments. He must have submitted to Batu Khan

Batu Khan

Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Ulus of Jochi , the sub-khanate of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. His ulus was the chief state of the Golden Horde , which ruled Rus and the Caucasus for around 250 years, after also destroying the armies...

’s authority and agreed to campaign with him and to pay a tithe

Tithe

A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...

 in everything.

In 1241, his cousin, Mikhail Vsevolodovich, who had returned from Masovia when the Tatars invaded his lands, gave Chernigov to his own son, Rostislav Mikhailovich. Mikhail Vsevolodovich may have repudiated Mstislav because, contrary to his wishes, he had formed a pact with the enemy; or (although the chronicles fail to tell us) Mstislav may have died following his pact with the Tatars. The possibility of his demise is implied by the silence of the chronicles, which never mention him again.

Ancestors

Sources

• Dimnik, Martin: The Dynasty of Chernigov - 1146-1246; Cambridge University Press, 2003, Cambridge; ISBN 978-0521-03981-9.