Andrey II Yaroslavich (Russian:Андрей Ярославич;c. 1222 – 1264) was the third son ofYaroslav II who succeeded his uncleSviatoslav III asGrand Prince of Vladimir in 1249. Three years later, he challenged the Mongols and was ousted by them.

The house ofNizhny Novgorod-Suzdal, which has been known since the 14th century as theHouse of Shuysky, descends from Andrey II.^{[citation needed]}

According to theNovgorod First Chronicle (NPL), theNovgorodians expelled his brotherAlexander Nevsky from the city in the winter of 1240–1241, and asked their fatherYaroslav II to send them another commander.^[1] Andrey was sent to the wayward republic in Alexander's stead.^[1] In 1241, Andrey joined his Suzdalian forces with Alexander's, and they jointlyretook Pskov, raided the Estonian (Chud') countryside, and saw action in theBattle on the Ice.^[1]

Rus' chronicles preserve different versions of when and how Andrey became prince of Vladimir.^[2] In one version, when their father Yaroslav Vsevolodovich died in 1247, Andrey and Alexander went toKarakorum inMongolia, where Andrey was appointed the nextgrand prince of Vladimir byjarlig of the great khanGüyük.^[3] On their return toVladimir two years later (1249),^[4] they found that the capital had been seized by their young brotherMikhail Khorobrit.^{[citation needed]} The latter, however, was killed in battle withLithuanians several months later.^{[citation needed]} Another version of events has Andrey seize the throne of Vladimir from his uncleSviatoslav Vsevolodovich (who initially laterally succeeded their father in 1247) in 1248.^[2][5] A year later, his uncle Sviatoslav, offended by his ousting from Vladimir, went to the Horde to secure the throne for himself; how his trip ended is unknown, but he died in February 1253 without retrieving Vladimir.^[4]

In the winter of 1250–1251, some time after taking the throne of Vladimir, Andrey married Ustynia, a daughter ofDanylo of Halych,^[6][7] who had submitted toBatu Khan in 1245^[8] and was well-received in Sarai, but by 1251 appears to have attempted forming an anti-Mongol coalition.^[6][7] Aside from his marriage alliance with Andrey of Vladimir, the recently-widowed Danylo himself married the niece of Lithuanian kingMindaugas in the same year.^[6] However, when great khan Güyuk also died in 1251, and Andrey was expected to go back to Sarai and receive a renewal of his jarlig as grand prince of Vladimir from Batu in the name the new great khanMöngke, Andrey defiantly refused,^[9] even though his brother Alexander Nevsky complied.^[4] The Golden Horde interpreted his refusal as a challenge to Mongol authority, and Batu Khan's son Sartak ordered apunitive expedition against Vladimir, while another punitive campaign was sent against Danylo of Halych–Volyn.^[9] Andrey was defeated in battle (near Pereslavl'^{[citation needed]}) and fled via Novgorod to Sweden.^[9] With his brother Andrey exiled, Alexander Nevsky submitted to Möngke Khan, and as a reward for his loyalty to the Golden Horde, he received the throne of Vladimir from the Mongols (1252).^[10]

Modern scholars have interpreted these events described in the earliest sources as showing a rivalry between brothers Andrey and Alexander, with Andrey trying to form an anti-Mongol alliance with Danylo, while Alexander was happy to 'collaborate with the Mongols against his own people.'^[7] The later hagiographicLife of Alexander Nevsky is almost completely silent on the relations of Andrey, Alexander and Yaroslav, limiting itself to a single sentence in which the Mongols launch a punitive expedition against Andrey, who escapes:^[7]

"LaterTsar Baty became angry with Aleksandr’s younger brother, Andrey, and sent his general, Nevruy, to sack the land of Suzdal."^[7]

In 1255, Andrey returned from exile^[4] and travelled toSarai to ask pardon for his former infidelity.^{[citation needed]} He receivedSuzdal.^[4] On his return to Vladimir, he received from Alexander the easternmost lands of Vladimir, including the towns ofNizhny Novgorod andGorodets on theVolga.^{[citation needed]} After Alexander died in 1263, Andrey aspired to add Vladimir to his possessions, but was thwarted in his designs by his younger brotherYaroslav of Tver.^{[citation needed]}

He married in 1250/51 to Ustynia, daughter ofDaniel of Galicia and had issue:

• Vasily
  • Konstantin
    • Dmitri of Suzdal. His descendant of 8th generation wasTsarVasily IV of Russia.

• Family tree of Russian monarchs

• Isoaho, Mari (2006).The Image of Aleksandr Nevskiy in Medieval Russia: Warrior and Saint. Leiden: Brill. p. 428.ISBN 9789047409496. Retrieved13 December 2024.
• Martin, Janet (2007).Medieval Russia: 980–1584. Second Edition. E-book. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN 978-0-511-36800-4.