Principality of Smolensk

This article is about the specific polity Principality of Smolensk and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics

Was one of the major Principalities that succeeded to the Kievan Rus'. It was centered on Smolensk, in Russia. It was a Mongol vassal from 1243, and from 1261 a vassal of the successor state of the Mongol Empire in the region, the Golden Horde.

Establishment

January 1133: Following the death of Mstislav I of Kiev in 1132, the semi-autonomous states of the Kievan Rus' were de facto independent.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. Fragmentation of the Kievan Rus´

Following the death of Mstislav I of Kiev in 1132, the semi-autonomous states of the Kievan Rus' were de facto independent.

2. Mongol invasions and conquests

Were a series of military campaigny by the Mongols that created the largest contiguous Empire in history, the Mongol Empire, which controlled most of Eurasia.

2.1.Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'

The Mongol Empire invaded and conquered the Kievan Rus' in the mid-13th century.

January 1243: The Principality of Kiev and surrounding communities became vassal states of the Golden Horde Khanate.

3. Further events (Unrelated to Any War)

January 1157: Vshchizh principality was an appanage principality within the Chernigov principality which existed from 1156 to 1239.

January 1166: In 1165-1167 due to the feudal strife, the principality of Vitebsk was shortly acquired by the princes of Smolensk.

January 1166: The first reliably known prince of Kolomna was Gleb Svyatoslavich.

January 1168: The principality of Vitebsk becomes independent from the princes of Smolensk.

January 1168: The Principality of Toropets existed from 1167.

January 1181: Mstislav the first prince of the Mstislavl Principality in 1180. The principality controlled the lands of present-day Mstislavsky, Cherikovsky and Chaussky regions with the cities of Radoml and Ryasno.

January 1187: In 1186, the principality of Vitebsk again fell under the influence of Smolensk.

January 1196: The princes of Polotsk and Chernigov in 1195 marched against the prince of Smolensk. As a result of this campaign, Vitebsk again fell under the rule of Polotsk.

January 1198: After the death of Prince Davyd Rostislavich of Smolensk in 1197, uncle of Mstislav Romanovich, the latter was recognized as a prince of Smolensk and re-annexed the Mstislav principality to Smolensk.

January 1207: Establishment of the Fominsk-Berezuisk Principality by a branche of the Rurik dynasty.

January 1236: Establishment of the Lubutsk Principality.

January 1236: Establishment of the Kozelsk Principality.

January 1240: The Vyazemsky Principality separated from the Smolensk principality in 1239.