Liubech Assembly of 1097

Liubech Assembly of 1097 

an assembly of Russian princes held in Liubech on the Dnieper in order to reach an agreement on ending the internecine strife over appanages and to rally the country against the Polovtsy (Cumans), then ravaging Rus’.

According to The Tale of Bygone Years six princes attended the conference. Sviatopolk Iziaslavich, as the oldest, retained Kiev with Turov and Pinsk and the title of grand prince. Vladimir Monomakh was alloted Pereiaslav Principality, the Suzdal’Rostov Land, Smolensk, and Beloozero. Oleg and David Sviatoslavichi kept Chernigov, the Seversk Land, Riazan’, Murom, and Tmutarakan’. David Igorevich was given VladimirVolynskii with Lutsk, and Vasil’ko Rostislavich (together with his brother) retained Terebov’, Cherven’, and Peremysh’.

The Liubech assembly declared that princes should inherit their fathers’ lands. This decision reflected the new political system in Rus’, based on large feudal landholding. However, the assembly was unable to guarantee the implementation of its decisions. Immediately after the assembly had ended David Igorevich, with the consent of Sviatopolk, blinded Vasil’ko Rostislavich, which precipitated new wars among the princes.

REFERENCES

Grekov, B. D. Kievskaia Rus’ Moscow, 1953.
Rybakov, B. A. Pervye veka russkoi istorii. Moscow, 1964.

G. S. GORSHKOV