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The inner Principality of Kiev[a] was a medieval principality centered on the city of Kiev.
Principality of Kiev
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| 1132–1471 | |||||||||
Left: Coin issued by Prince Vladimir Olgerdovich of Kiev (1388–1392) | |||||||||
Attributed arms in the Western heraldry: | |||||||||
Principality of Kiev (light blue) in 1237
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| Status | Part of the Grand Principality of Vladimir (1243–1271) Part of the Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia (1271–1301) Vassal of the Golden Horde (1301–1362) Part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1362–1471) | ||||||||
| Capital | Kiev | ||||||||
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1132 | ||||||||
• Destruction of Kiev by Batu Khan | 1240 | ||||||||
• Death of Semen Olelkovich | 1471 | ||||||||
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The principality was formed during the process of political fragmentation of the Kievan Rus' in the early 12th century. As a result of that process, the effective rule of the grand princes of Kiev was gradually reduced to central regions of Kievan Rus' around its capital city Kiev, thus forming a reduced princely domain, known as the inner Principality of Kiev. It existed as a polity until the middle of the 14th century, when it was annexed by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
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During the era of Kievan Rus', the princely clan was assumed to maintain the unity of the state under the reign of their senior who held the grand princely throne of Kiev; however, the state disintegrated due to rivalry between the clans.[1]
The region of the Kievan Rus' fragmented in the early 12th century and several semi-autonomous successor states arose. Kiev remained the core of the country and was the centre of spiritual life with the office of the Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church in Kiev.
Following the death of Mstislav I of Kiev in 1132, the semi-autonomous states were de facto independent and so led to the emergence of the Principality of Kiev as a separate state.
The importance of the Kievan Principality began to decline. In the years 1150–1180 many of its cities such as Vyshhorod, Kaniv, and Belgorod sought independence as individual principalities. The emergence of the principalities of Vladimir-Suzdal and Galicia-Volhynia resulted in the transition of the political and cultural centre of Rus' as well as the migration of citizens to cities like Vladimir and Halych.
The Mongol invasion of Rus' left the Principality of Kiev in a severely ruined state. Following the invasion, it was now under the formal suzerainty of the Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal, Alexander Nevsky, who in turn was a vassal to the Mongols. After the Battle of Irpen in 1321, Kiev was the object of desire for the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, and it was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1362. The Principality formally existed as a distinct entity until 1471, when it was converted into the Kiev Voivodeship.
The inner Principality of Kiev occupied land areas on both banks of the Dnieper River, bordering the Principality of Polotsk to the north-west, the Principality of Chernigov to the north-east, Poland to the west, the Principality of Galicia to the south-west and Cumania to the south-east. Later, Kiev would be bordered by the separated Principality of Turov-Pinsk to the north and the joined Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia to the west.
Principality did not have its own ruler and was ruled by viceroys (voivodes).
The principality was ruled by princes of Olshanski and Olgovichi.
The principality was ruled by princes of Olshanski and Olelkovichi.
