| Michael of Chernigov | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fresco of Saint Michael of Chernigov fromFerapontov Monastery, 1502 | |||||
| Prince of Chernigov | |||||
| Reign | 1223–1235; 1242–1246 | ||||
| Predecessor | Mstislav II Svyatoslavich Mstislav III Glebovich | ||||
| Successor | Mstislav III Glebovich Roman Mikhailovich | ||||
| Grand Prince of Kiev | |||||
| Reign | 1238–1239; 1241–1243 | ||||
| Predecessor | Yaroslav II of Vladimir Daniel of Galicia | ||||
| Successor | Daniel of Galicia Yaroslav II of Vladimir | ||||
| Born | c. 1185 | ||||
| Died | (1246-09-20)20 September 1246 (age 60-61) | ||||
| Spouse | Elena Romanovna | ||||
| Issue | Feodula Rostislav of Macsó Maria Roman of Chernigov and Bryansk Mstislav of Karachev and Zvenigorod Simeon of Glukhov and Novosil Yury of Torusa and Bryansk | ||||
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| House | Olgovichi | ||||
| Father | Vsevolod IV of Kiev | ||||
| Mother | Anastasia of Poland | ||||
| Seal |  | ||||
Mikhail Vsevolodovich[1][a] (c. 1185 – 20 September 1246), known asMichael orMikhail of Chernigov,[2][3][b] wasGrand Prince of Kiev (1236–1239; 1241–1243); he was alsoPrince of Pereyaslavl (1206),Novgorod-Seversk (1219–1226),Chernigov (1223–1235; 1242–1246),Novgorod (1225–1226; 1229–1230), andGalicia (1235–1236).[1]
Archaeological evidence reveals that Chernigov towns enjoyed an unprecedented degree of prosperity during his period which suggests that promotingtrade was a priority for him.[1] Commercial interests, in part, also motivated him to seize control ofHalych andKiev because they were channels through which goods from theRhine valley andHungary passed to Chernigov.[1] He also negotiated commercial treaties and political alliances with thePoles and theHungarians.[1] He alleviated thetax burden of theNovgorodians and granted theirboyars greater political freedom from the prince.[1]
During theMongol invasion of Kievan Rus' (1237–1242), Mikhail was defeated and had to flee;[4] in 1246, he was executed byBatu Khan.[5]
Ahagiographyvita of Michael of Chernigov was written some time after his death, describing his life in detail, and framing his execution asmartyrdom.[2] It is unclear when this account was written (at least after the Mongol census in Suzdalia and Novgorod in 1257–59[6]), and how historically reliable it is.[2] Mikhail's death is briefly mentioned in the Older Recension ofNovgorod First Chronicle (compiledc. 1275), in theLaurentian Codex (compiled 1377), and in theHypatian Codex (compiledc. 1425), but the full text of thevita is not found in these manuscripts.[2] It is not until the Younger Recension of theNovgorod First Chronicle (compiledc. 1450) that an extensive narrative of his demise appears,[2] stating that the bodies of Mikhail and Fedor were thrown to the dogs; but as a sign of divine favor, their bodies remained unmolested and pillars of fire hovered over them.[1] TheNikon Chronicle (compiledc. 1550) added even more text to Mikhail'svita, including claims that the Mongols already established a system of military governors and tax collectors in all cities of Kievan Rus' in 1237–1240, which is historically very unlikely.[7]
Giovanni da Pian del Carpine, an Italianpapal legate who travelled through the lands of former Kievan Rus' in the late 1240s, wrote the following account of his death in theYstoria Mongalorum:
(…) when Michael, one of the princes of Russia, came to submit to Bati, the Tartars first tried to make him pass between two fires. After this they said that he should bow south to Chingis Khan, but he replied that he would gladly bow to Bati and his servants but not to the image of a dead man because this is improper for a Christian. When he was repeatedly told through his son Yaroslav that he must bow, and yet he refused, Bati ordered Prince Michael killed if he would not bow. Prince Michael of Chernigov was passed between fires in accordance with ancient Turco-Mongol tradition. Batu Khan sent to stab him to death for his refusal to do obeisance to Chingis Khaan's shrine in the pagan ritual imposed by the conqueror. The prince replied that he "preferred to die rather than do what was wrong". Bati sent Michael to one of his followers who trampled on his chest with his boots until the prince died. Meanwhile the prince comforted one of his soldiers who stood near by him by saying: 'Be strong because your punishment will not last long and then at once eternal joy will follow.' After this his head was cut off quickly with a knife. The soldier, to tell the truth, also had his head cut off with a knife.[8]
Michael married once and had several children.
| Ancestors of Michael of Chernigov | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The laterUpper Oka Principalities of the 14th and 15th centuries were reigned by the "upper princes", each of which descended from Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov.[9]
In the second half of the 19th century, many family branches stemming from Mikhail flourished: the Baryatinsky, theGorchakovy, theDolgorukie, the Eletskie, the Zvenigorodskie, the Koltsovy-Mosalskie, theObolenskie, the Odoevskie, and the Shcherbatovy.[1]
Michael of Chernigov Olgovichi family Born:c. 1185 Died: 20 September 1246 | ||
| Preceded by | Prince of Pereyaslavl 1206 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prince of Novgorod-Seversk 1219–1226 | Succeeded by Oleg Svyatoslavich |
| Preceded by | Prince of Chernigov 1223–1235 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Vsevolod Yuryevich | Prince of Novgorod 1225–1226 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Fedor Yaroslavich andAleksandr Yaroslavich | Prince of Novgorod 1229–1230 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prince of Halych 1235–1236 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Grand Prince of Kiev 1238–1239 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by (Tatar officials appointed byBatu Khan) | Grand Prince of Kiev 1241–1243 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prince of Chernigov 1242–1246 | Succeeded by |
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