chapter 6 Livonia and Rus’, 1260–1330

6.1 Prince Dovmont’s Seizure of Power in Pskov

Lithuanian rulers came to play an increasingly important role in the affairs of Livonia and the Russian territories in the last third of the 13th century. The area controlled by Lithuania began to expand rapidly towards the east and the south, where the small Russian principalities were forced one after the other to recognize their dependency on the emerging new power. The Lithuanian ruler renounced his cooperation with the c. 1262.1 Shortly afterwards his wife Martha died. The Hypatian Chronicle says the king then wished to marry Martha’s sister, who was the wife of Duke Dovmont of Nalsen. When Dovmont learned of this, he decided to join Duke ’s plot to assassinate the king. When Mindaugas sent his army with Dovmont against Prince Roman of Briansk in 1263, Dovmont unexpectedly turned back and killed Mindaugas and his two sons on 5 August 1263.2 Dovmont was one of the leading dukes in Nalsen, the region located in the north-east of Lithuania on the border with Polotsk.3 Treniota’s nephew Tautvila, who was also prince of Polotsk, was also involved in this conspiracy. It appears that Dovmont with- drew from the ensuing succession struggle after having taken his revenge, for it was Treniota and Tautvila who came into conflict over Mindaugas’ inheri- tance. Treniota killed Tautvila in the winter of 1263–64. Rule in Polotsk was secured by Dovmont’s rival Duke Gerdenis of Nalsen, who had also taken over in Nalsen, or one of the dukes dependent on him.4 Mindaugas’ retinue itself then killed Treniota, and in 1264 Mindaugas’ Orthodox son Vaišelga, who was

1 Ivinskis, “Mindaugas,” pp. 371–73; Gudavičius, Mindaugas, p. 339. 2 Ипатьевская летопись, pp. 859–60; NL1, pp. 84, 313; LR, lines 7121–32. Cf. Летописи белорусско-литовские, ed. Nikolai N. Ulashchik (Moscow, 1980) (PSRL 35), pp. 93–94, 150–51, 198–99; Хроники, pp. 32–33, 135. 3 On Nalsen, see Berkholz, “Vermischte Bemerkungen,” pp. 33–36; Johansen, “Riga-Wisby- Urkunde,” p. 102; Gudavichius, “Литва”, pp. 219–25. 4 Ипатьевская летопись, pp. 860–61; NL1, pp. 84, 313; Pickhan, Gospodin Pskov, pp. 133–34; Michał Giedroyć, “The Rulers of Thirteenth-Century Lithuania: a Search for the Origins of Grand Duke and his Kin,” OSP, New Series 17 (1984), 16–20; Giedroyć, “Arrival of Christianity in Lithuania: Early Contacts,” pp. 12, 16; Rowell, “Between Lithuania and Ruś,” pp. 4–6; Liubov V. Stoliarova, “Мария Дмитриевна—жена Псковского князя Довмонта,” in Средневековая Русь 1 (1996), pp. 58–75, at p. 65. On the chronology, see Hrushevskyi,

© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ���5 | doi ��.��63/9789004284753_008 Livonia and Rus’, 1260–1330 235 dependent on the princes of Volhynia, came to power in Lithuania. In the Livonian Rhymed Chronicle Vaišelga is described as a friend of the Teutonic Order and as a virtuous helper of Christians; after returning home from Rus’ after the death of his father he asked the master of the for help against his father’s murderers and urged them to remember “that he too is a Christian”.5 With the backing of troops from Galicia-Volhynia, Vaišelga advanced to Nalsen, so that Dovmont and his retinue were forced to flee to Pskov. Around 1267 Vaišelga handed over power to the Christian Shvarn, the son of Daniil Romanovich who was married to a daughter of Mindaugas. Vaišelga then retired to a monastery, where he was murdered shortly afterwards by Daniil’s second son Lev. It is not known to what extent Shvarn was actually able to secure his power in Lithuania; he died c. 1268–69. The pagan Traidenis (d. 1281/82) from the rival dynasty was able to impose himself as grand duke of Lithuania.6 In November 1263 Grand Prince Aleksandr Iaroslavich died in Gorodets on the river Volga while on his way back from his fourth journey to the Horde. The following year his son Prince Iurii was driven from Novgorod “because he was still young” and replaced by Prince Iaroslav Iaroslavich of Tver. There was perhaps concern among the people of Novgorod that the internal conflict in Lithuania would spill over into the north-west of Rus’, which was why they would prefer an experienced warrior as their ruler.7 Iaroslav (d. 1271/72) there- after secured the position of grand prince of Vladimir. Pskov was at this time also allied to Grand Prince Iaroslav, whose son Sviatoslav represented him there. When Dovmont together with his retinue and their families arrived in Pskov in 1265, they were received by Sviatoslav and baptized.8 Only due to the grand prince’s intervention was it possible to pre- vent an expedition planned in Novgorod to slay the Lithuanians in Pskov. The fact that Sviatoslav recognized the Lithuanians as auxiliary troops strength- ened the position of Iaroslav Iaroslavich, whose role as all-powerful prince

“Хронольоґія,” pp. 43–44. See also Edvardas Gudavičius, “Ar Treniota Žemaičių kunigaikštis?,” Lietuvos TSR Mokslų Akademijos darbai A serija 1982, 4 (81), 63–70. 5 LR, lines 7133–7209. Cf. Hermanni Chronicon, p. 45. 6  Ипатьевская летопись, pp. 861, 869; NL1, pp. 84–85, 313–14. See also Nikžentaitis, “Die litauische Gesellschaft,” p. 120; Artūras Dubonis, Traidenis. Monarcho valdžios atkūrimas Lietuvoje 1268–1282 (Vilnius, 2009). 7 NL1, pp. 84, 313; Klug, “Fürstentum Tver’,” p. 49. 8 The name taken by Dovmont (modern Lithuanian Daumantas) at baptism was Timofei.