Rostislav I of Kiev

Rostislav Mstislavich (c. 1110 – 1167) was Prince of Smolensk (1125–1160), Novgorod (1154) and Grand Prince of Kiev (1154–1155; 1159–1161; 1161–1167). He is the founder of the Rostislavichi branch of Rurikid princes in Smolensk. He was the son of Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden.

Reign

After Yaroslav II of Kiev was driven out of Novgorod, Rostislav was invited to become the ruler of Novgorod. He accepted, and became the prince on April 17, 1154. Then, learning that Iziaslav II had died, Rostislav left Novgorod to take the Kievan throne. Indignant that their prince had abandoned them and angered that "he did not make order among them, but tore them more apart", the citizens of Novgorod drove out Rostislav's son, Davyd, who was their governor. They replaced him with Mstislav Yurievich, the son of Yury Dolgoruky.

Rostislav ruled Kiev for one week before Iziaslav III of Kiev forced him to flee to Chernigov .

Issue

Rostislav had four sons:

• Davyd Rostislavich, prince of Smolensk (1180–1197);
• Mstislav Rostislavich, prince of Smolensk (1175–1177);
• Roman I of Kiev, prince of Smolensk (1160–1172; 1177–1180), prince of Kiev (1171–1173; 1175–1177); and
• Rurik Rostislavich, prince of Belgorod (1173–1194), intermittently prince of Kiev.

He also had two daughters:

• Elena Rostislavna of Kiev-Smolensk (died 1204); and
• Agrafena Rostislavna (died 1237).

Bibliography

• Martin, Janet (2007). Medieval Russia: 980–1584. Second Edition. E-book. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-511-36800-4.