Principality of Ryazan

Grand Principality (Duchy) of Ryazan Великое княжество Рязанское
Until 1097 part of Principality of Chernigov
← 1097–1521 →
Capital	Ryazan, (Murom until 1161)
Language(s)	Old East Slavic
Religion	Eastern Orthodox Church
Government	Principality
Grand Prince of Ryazan	Yaroslav Sviatoslavich
Legislature	Veche
History
- Established	1097
- Incorporation into Moscovy	1521

The Grand Duchy of Ryazan existed from 1078 when it was separated from the Chernigov Principality as the provincial Murom Principality.

Prior to the invasion of Batu Khan

Sometime between 1097 to 1155 the principality became a sovereign state and until 1161, according to the Hypatian Codex, the official name was the Muromo-Ryazan Principality. The first ruler of Ryazan was supposedly Yaroslav Sviatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov (a city of Kievan Rus'), later Prince of Murom-Ryzan. The capital of the Grand Duchy became Ryazan, however the present-day city of Ryazan is located 40 miles north from the original site of the capital today known as Ryazan Staraya (Old Ryazan). By the end of 12th century the Principality waged wars with the neighboring Grand Duchy of Vladimir-Suzdal. In a course of that stand-off the city of Riazan was burned twice in a span of twenty years from 1186 to 1208. In 1217 there was a culminate point in history of Riazan when during the civil war inside the Duchy six leaders of the state were killed by Gleb Vladimirovich who later defected to Cumans. Sometime around that time the Duchy came under a great influence from the Vladimir-Suzdal which was a factor in the fight of Riazan to resume its sovereignty. In 1217 Gleb Vladimirovich with the support of Cumans tried to take Riazan back out of the influence of neighboring northern principality of Vladimir, but he was defeated by another Riazan prince Ingvar Igorevich who in turn became a sole ruler of the state.

In December of 1237 the Duchy became the first out of all other former states of Kyivan Rus that suffered from the Mongol invasion. The Duchy was completely overrun with almost the whole prince family killed and the capital completely destroyed and later moved to another location. In 1238 some of the armed forces of Riazan withdrew to unite with the Vladimir-Suzdal army and meeting the forces of Batu Khan near Kolomna.

Golden Horde period

In 1301 Prince Daniel of Moscow took Ryazan due the Boyars' betrayal and confined Prince Konstantin to prison. In 1305 Daniel's son Prince Yury of Moscow was ordered to kill him. The two next successors of Konstantin were killed in the Golden Horde. In 1380 Prince Oleg Ivanovich, as an ally of Mamai, took part in the Battle of Kulikovo.

During almost all the its history, Ryazan Principality was in conflict with its provincial Pronsk Principality until the latter was completely annexed to Ryazan in 1483 during the regency of Anna of Ryazan.

Annexation of Ryazan

In 1520 Grand Prince Vasili III of Russia was captured and imprisoned in Moscow the last Grand Prince of Ryazan because of his relations with the Crimean Khan Mehmed I Giray. In 1521 Prince Ivan Ivanovich fled into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. After that, in 1521 the Ryazan Principality was merged with the Muscovy.

List of Princes of Ryazan

• 1097–1129 Yaroslav Sviatoslavich
• 1129–1143 Sviatoslav Yaroslavich (d. 1145)
• 1143–1145 Rostislav Yaroslavich (d. 1155)
• 1145–1178 Gleb Rostislavich (d. 1178)
• 1178–1207 Roman Glebovich (d. ca. 1210)
• 1213–1217 Roman Igorevich (d. 1217)
• 1217–1235 Ingvar Igorevich (d. 1235)
• 1235–1237 Yury Igorevich (d. 1237)
• 1237–1252 Ingvar Ingvarevich (d. 1252)
• 1252–1258 Oleg Ingvarevich the Red (1230–1258)
• 1258–1270 Roman Olegovich (d. 1270), the Saint
• 1270–1294 Fyodor Romanovich (d. 1294)
• 1294–1299 Yaroslav Romanovich (d. 1299)
• 1299–1301 Konstantin Romanovich (d. 1305)
• 1301–1308 Vasily Konstantinovich (d. 1308)
• 1308–1327 Ivan Yaroslavich (d. 1327)
• 1327–1342 Ivan Ivanovich Korotopol (d. 1343)
• 1342–1344 Yaroslav Aleksandrovich (d. 1344)
• 1344–1350 Vasily Aleksandrovich (d. 1350)
• 1350–1402 Oleg Ivanovich (d. 1402)
• 1402–1427 Fyodor Olegovich (d. 1427)
• 1427–1456 Ivan Fyodorovich (d. 1456)
• 1456–1483 Vasily Ivanovich Tretnoy (d. 1483)
• 1483–1500 Ivan Vasilievich (d. 1500)
• 1500–1521 Ivan Ivanovich (1496–1534)

External links

• (Russian) Ryazan Principality
• (Russian) Map of Ryazan Principality
• (Russian) Genealogy of Princes of Ryazan