# War of the Galician Succession (1205–1245)

The War of the Galician Succession or War for the unification of the Principality of Galician-Volhynia (Russian: Война за объединение Галицко-Волынского княжества; Ukrainian: Війна за об'єднання Галицько-Волинського князівства) sometimes also known as the Second War of the Galician Succession was a struggle for power over the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia. It took place from 19 June 1205 to 17 August 1245. The war is one of the longest wars of succession in Europe and ended with the Romanovichi dynasty coming to power.
First years of war began after the death of Roman the Great at the Battle of Zawichost. He left two minor sons, Daniel and Vasylko, who were unable to take power because of age, resulting in a succession crisis. A number of contenders became involved in the struggle for power, including the Igorovichs and the Halych boyars, who invited them to Halych, hoping to stabilise the situation. The Igorovichs, supported by the Hungarians, initially gained the upper hand, but their brutal rule, including the massacre of boyars, provoked resistance and weakened their position. The Romanovichs, supported by Leszek the White, the Hungarians and some boyars, attempted to regain power in Halych. In 1211, Daniel was installed on the Halych throne, but still had to contend with resistance from the Igorevichs and tensions among his own allies. This period was characterised by dynamic changes in alliances, short-lived victories and growing rivalry between the Romanovichs and the Hungarians, who sought full control of Halich. Although Daniel managed to consolidate his position, the situation in the region remained unstable.
The following years were dominated by the rivalry between the Hungarians and the Romanovichs. In 1214, Leszek the White made an agreement with King Andrew II of Hungary in an attempt to divide spheres of influence in the Principality of Halych. This agreement led to a short-lived strengthening of Hungarian influence, but resistance from Daniel and his allies made it impossible to maintain permanent control over the region. Key clashes, such as the Battle of Halych in 1229, highlighted the fierceness of the fighting, but failed to produce a clear-cut settlement. The situation was further complicated by Mongol incursions, which weakened both the Ruthenians and their neighbours, forcing the Romanovichs to temporarily withdraw to Polish lands. Recent years ended in a decisive victory for Daniel Romanovich. On his return from Poland in 1241, Daniel began to rebuild his position, reclaiming Halych and waging further campaigns against his opponents. The war culminated in the Battle of Yaroslavl in 1245, in which Daniel, supported by the Polovtsians, defeated the forces of Rostislav, Béla IV and Boleslav the Chaste. This victory ended the 40-year struggle for the succession and consolidated the power of the Romanovichs in the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia.

## Background

Over the course of the 11th and 12th centuries, Poland had numerous conflicts with Kievan Rus' over the Cherven Cities, strategically located on the borders of both states. Two separate principalities were created in this area: the Galicia and Volhynia principalities. In 1183, thanks to the support of Casimir the Just, Roman the Great was established in Brest, which started his political career. After Casimir's death, young Leszek the White ascended to the CKraków throne, prompting Mieszko III the Old to attempt to seize power over Kraków by taking advantage of Leszek's underage age, leading to the Battle of Mozgawa (1195) [pl]. In this clash, Roman supported Leszek, which initiated an alliance between the two. Leszek returned the favour to Roman in 1199, supporting him in his fights for the Halych throne and restoring him to power.
That same year, the latter united the principalities of Galicia and Volhynia to form a new state. Roman quickly consolidated his principality, making it one of the most powerful in Rus', in time even conquering Kyiv. However, in 1205, Roman unexpectedly broke the alliance and invaded Leszek's lands. The reasons for such a hasty decision remain unclear. Some chronicles point to Roman's support of Władysław III Spindleshanks in his fight for the Kraków throne, others to Leszek's possible claim for a tribute, as recorded in the Wielkopolska chronicle. Roman began the campaign with successes, capturing Lublin and Łuków, but at Zawichost his troops encountered the Poles. In the battle, Roman's forces were completely crushed and the duke himself died, ending his ambitions.

## Phase I of the war 1205-1214: Igorevichi rule and Polish-Hungarian interventions

After the death of Roman the Great, his sons, Daniel of Galicia and Vasylko Romanovich, inherited a state in political chaos. The return of Roman's political opponents and the claims of various dynasties to the Galicia-Volhynian throne complicated their situation. At the same time, Ruryk Rostislavich, supported by the Olgovichi of Chernigov, invaded the lands of the young princes. In response, Roman's wife, Anna Euphrosyne, asked for help from King Andrew II of Hungary, who agreed to provide assistance. Despite the defeat of the Hungarian army at Mikulin, they managed to defend Halych against the allied forces of Rurik and Olgovichi, temporarily repelling their claims. However, the situation deteriorated again in 1206, forcing Daniel and his family to flee. After a series of political perturbations, the boyars elected Vladimir Igorevich to the Halych throne. The Hungarians and Poles attempted to stabilise their territories through intervention, which led to the division of the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia into spheres of influence. Hungarian intervention handed power in Halych to so-called Benedict, whose rule quickly collapsed. The Boyars retook the Igorevichi, who, however, brutally dealt with them for an unknown reason by massacring them.
The surviving boyar, Vladislav Kormilchyc, called on the Hungarians and Poles for help. A joint expedition began, which initially ended with the defeat of the Hungarians at the River Luta. Eventually, however, Polish-Hungarian forces crushed the Igorevich army at the Battle of Zvenigorod, temporarily restoring stability in the duchy. After the defeat of the Igorevich forces, Vladimir's sons Roman, Rostislav and Sviatoslav were taken prisoner. In an act of retaliation for the earlier massacre, the boyars ransomed them and then hanged them. In 1212 Daniel's mother, Euphrosyne, was expelled by the boyars from Halych this may have been due to an attempt to reduce the powers of the artystocracy (boyars) at the expense of the prince, but, thanks to subsequent Hungarian intervention, she was allowed to return. In 1213, Daniel lost power due to the actions of the boyars, who invited the Peresopnician prince, Mstislav the Nemesis, to the throne. The situation prompted the King of Hungary to launch another armed expedition, after which he installed Vladislav Kormilchyc as governor on the throne of Halych. In response, Daniel and Euphrosyne turned to Leszek the White for help. The Polish princeps defeated Vladislav at the river Bóbrka, although he failed to capture Halych. As a result of this, the Poles and Hungarians concluded a treaty in Spiš, dividing the Galicia-Volhynia principality into spheres of influence — the Poles were to take control of Volodymyr and the Hungarians of Halych.

## Phase II of the war 1214-1227: Mstislav's appearance in Halych

The new arrangement for the division of influence in the Galicia-Volhynian principality quickly collapsed. In 1215, Leszek the White, against the wishes of King Andrew II of Hungary, supported Daniel Romanovich by occupying Volodymyr. This action was regarded by the Hungarians as a violation of the treaty, leading to antagonism. Meanwhile, the Novgorod prince, Mstislav Mstislavich, who joined the conflict, formed a powerful anti-Hungarian coalition, which the Romanovichs joined. Leszek, perceiving the threat, tried to extricate himself from the situation by making a deal with Hungary, this led to the outbreak of the Polish-Hungarian-Ruthenian War. The war began with Leszek's defeat in battle despite this, a year later, thanks to the support of the Hungarians, Mstislav and Daniel were defeated at the Battle of Halych. However, in 1220, Leszek conducted another expedition, which ended without resolution. In 1221, Mstislav launched a new offensive that ended in defeat; a few months later, the Novgorod prince, reinforced by Rus' reinforcements, won a decisive victory at the second Battle of Halych. In the battle, the Hungarian heir to the Hungarian throne, Coloman, was taken prisoner. The negotiations that began ended favourably for Andrew II, For Leszek it was a complete defeat, giving rise to the failure of his Rus' policy.
In 1223, a new threat appeared on the southern periphery of Rus' — the Mongol invasion, which culminated in the disastrous Battle of Kalka. This defeat, combined with the brutal slaughter of Rus‘ forces, significantly weakened the defensive capabilities of the Rus’ princes there. The weakening of Rus created new opportunities for political reshuffling in the ongoing struggle for the Halich succession. This time, Daniel Romanovich formed an alliance with Leszek the White, while Mstislav Mstislavich tied himself to Hungary. Mstislav, trying to take the initiative, suffered a series of defeats, starting with a battle in an unknown location and ending with an unsuccessful expedition to Volhynia. The situation changed again, with Leszek reverting to co-operation with the Hungarians, while Daniel tied up with Mstislav. The new arrangement led to another campaign in which Małopolska and Hungarian forces took part. However, it ended in a severe defeat at the Battle of Zvenigorod, which further widened the anarchy in Halych.

## Phase III of the war 1227-1241: Daniel's battles against the Hungarians

In 1227, an assassination attempt took place at Gąsawa (the Gąsawa massacre), which resulted in the death of Leszek the White. This event severely weakened the Hungarian Árpádian policy towards Halych Rus', as the Hungarians lost a key ally in the region. The death of Leszek, who was the last Polish princeps, opened up new political opportunities. Daniel Romanovich, taking advantage of this situation, began fighting for Kyiv. In 1229, Daniel allied himself with Leszek's brother, Konrad of Masovia, and supported him during the siege of Kalisz. However, the expedition ended in defeat. At the same time, Daniel had to face rivals in the battle for Halych. After the death of Mstislav Mstislavovich, power in th e principality of Galicia fell to the Hungarian king Andrew, which was a failure of Daniel's policy, who, although he was on good terms with the Novgorod prince, did not receive the succession, a major setback. In 1230, Daniel took advantage of the absence of the pro-Hungarian boyar Sudyslav and attacked the Principality of Halych, taking the town without a fight. In response, the Hungarians organised a retaliatory expedition, but it was not successful. In 1231, Daniel got rid of his political enemy Alexander Vsevolodovich Belsky, forcing him to flee to Hungary. Alexander agitated there in his favour, which resulted in another Hungarian expedition. This time the Hungarians defeated Daniel's weakened forces. In 1233, Daniel attempted to mediate between the Ruthenian princes in Kyiv, but during a visit to the Ruthenian capital his lands were invaded by the forces of Andrew and Alexander Belsky. Battle of Shumsk ensued, which ended inconclusively. In 1234, harassed by successive Hungarian invasions, Daniel decided to strike at Halych. The expedition was successful — Daniel captured the town, strengthening his position and temporarily eliminating the Hungarian threat.
In 1234, Daniel Romanovich began supporting Vladimir IV of Kiev , prince of Kyiv, in his conflict with Michael of Chernighov. Daniel's first expedition against him ended in defeat, but in 1235 he made another attempt and besieged Chernihiv. After an unsuccessful siege, he was forced to retreat. During the retreat, Vladimir's and Daniel's forces were attacked by Izyaslav IV, a partisan of Michael. The allies' decision to fight the Battle of Torchevsk ended in total defeat. Daniel was taken prisoner but managed to escape from it. Meanwhile, in Halych, Daniel's defeats did not fill the boyars with optimism, who undertook a dedication to remove him from power and install Micheal of Chernighov on the Halych throne. In 1235 a new king, Béla IV, was crowned in Hungary. Daniel formed an alliance with him, which opened the way for further actions. Together with his brother, he launched an attack on Halych, but failed to achieve his aims. In 1236, the Halychians organised a retaliatory expedition against the Kamenets region, which was repulsed by Daniel. In the same year, Daniel concluded an alliance with the Silesian Piasts; this arrangement put Konrad of Masovia at a disadvantage. Then Konrad began to hold secret talks with Michael , he decided to attack Daniel with his ally. However, Michael and Konrad's joint invasion ended in defeat. Konrad was defeated at Cherven, and Michael's offensive bogged down. The conflict ended with the conclusion of the status quo, which was advantageous for Michael but a defeat for Konrad of Masovia.
Konrad of Mazovia, wishing to resolve the Drohiczyn problem (Daniel had staked his claim to the region in 1237), decided to use the Order of Dobrzyń in a manner analogous to his actions of 1226 in the matter of the Prussians. However, this plan did not last long. In 1238, Romanovich gathered his forces and struck at Drohiczyn, winning a crushing victory at the Battle of Drohiczyn, which ended the Order's activities in the region. That same year, Micheal left his son, Rostislav Mikhailovich, in Halych to organise a loot raid into Lithuania. Taking advantage of this weakness, Daniel directed his forces towards Halych, capturing the capital of the principality. Meanwhile, the year 1240 brought dramatic events in Rus. The Mongols launched a massive offensive against the Ruthenian lands. After a siege, they captured Kyiv, marking the fall of Kievan Rus' and ushering in a period of Mongol domination in Rus. They then invaded Hungary and Poland with spectacular victories — defeating the Hungarians at the Battle of Mohi Plain and the Poles at the Battle of Legnica. Forced to flee from the Mongol onslaught, Daniel and his brother Vasylko first took refuge in Hungary and then in Masovia, where they were given shelter by Bolesław I of Masovia. After the situation calmed down and the Mongols receded, Daniel returned to his lands to rebuild his state after the destruction. It seems that around this time, Daniel made Kholm (modern Chełm), which he had founded in 1237, his new capital.

## Phase IV of the war 1241-1245: Victory of the Romanovichi and the Battle of Yaroslavl

After Daniel Romanovych had recaptured Halych, Rostislav Mikhailovich, seeking support, turned to King Béla IV of Hungary for help, becoming engaged to his daughter Anna. In the meantime, Daniel had improved relations with Konrad of Masovia, and together they supported him in his actions against Bolesław the Chaste. Daniel's expedition (c. 1243) to Lublin ended in defeat, however — his forces were smashed by Rostislav and his allies at the Siena River. This clash proved to be only a prelude to a larger campaign in 1245. Both sides prepared by gathering troops and seeking allies for would later turn out to be the decisive clash. The army of Rostislav, supported by the Hungarian troops of Béla IV and the forces of Bolesław the Chaste, set out in the summer of 1245. Daniel and his brother Vasylko, knowing of the impending threat, tried to secure support from Mindaugas, a Lithuanian prince, and Konrad of Mazovia, but according to the Galician–Volhynian Chronicle, neither side took part in the battle. However, to the aid of the Romanovichi came the Polovtsians, who played an important role in the clash.
The battle began on 17 August 1245 near Yaroslavl (modern Jarosław). The attack was initiated by the army of Rostislav, which was supported by the Polish commander Florian Wojciechowicz and the Hungarian general File. However, in the course of the fighting, the Hungarian forces were shattered, which tipped the balance of victory to the side of Daniel and Vasylko. The defeat of the Rotislav's coalition was a watershed event, ending the 40-year struggle for succession in Halych and sealing the victory of the Romanovichi. The conflict was officially ended in 1247 with a peace that consolidated Daniel Romanovych's power in the region.

## Overview of princely clans involved

Rus' princely clans involved in the War of the Galician Succession (1205–1245) :
| Olgovichi of Chernigov Oleg I of Chernigov | Olgovichi of Chernigov Oleg I of Chernigov | Olgovichi of Chernigov Oleg I of Chernigov | Olgovichi of Chernigov Oleg I of Chernigov | Olgovichi of Chernigov Oleg I of Chernigov | Olgovichi of Chernigov Oleg I of Chernigov | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mstislavichi Mstislav I | Mstislavichi Mstislav I | | | | | | | | |
| Vsevolod II | Vsevolod II | Vsevolod II | Vsevolod II | Vsevolod II | Vsevolod II | Sviatoslav Olgovich | Sviatoslav Olgovich | Sviatoslav Olgovich | Sviatoslav Olgovich | Sviatoslav Olgovich | Sviatoslav Olgovich | | | | | Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Iziaslav II | Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Iziaslav II | Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Iziaslav II | Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Iziaslav II | Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Iziaslav II | Iziaslavichi of Volhynia Iziaslav II | Rostislavichi of Smolensk Rostislav I | Rostislavichi of Smolensk Rostislav I | Rostislavichi of Smolensk Rostislav I | Rostislavichi of Smolensk Rostislav I | Rostislavichi of Smolensk Rostislav I | Rostislavichi of Smolensk Rostislav I | | | | |
| Sviatoslav III | Sviatoslav III | Sviatoslav III | Sviatoslav III | Sviatoslav III | Sviatoslav III | Igorevichi | Igorevichi | Igorevichi | Igorevichi | Igorevichi | Igorevichi | | | | | Mstislav II | Mstislav II | Mstislav II | Mstislav II | Mstislav II | Mstislav II | Mstislav of Smolensk | Mstislav of Smolensk | Mstislav of Smolensk | Mstislav of Smolensk | Mstislav of Smolensk | Mstislav of Smolensk | Roman I | Roman I | Roman I | Roman I | Roman I | Roman I | | | Riurik | Riurik | Riurik | Riurik | Riurik | Riurik |
| Vsevolod Chermnyi | Vsevolod Chermnyi | Vsevolod Chermnyi | Vsevolod Chermnyi | Vsevolod Chermnyi | Vsevolod Chermnyi | | | | | Anna-Euphrosyne | Anna-Euphrosyne | Anna-Euphrosyne | Anna-Euphrosyne | Anna-Euphrosyne | Anna-Euphrosyne | Romanovichi of Galicia Roman the Great | Romanovichi of Galicia Roman the Great | Romanovichi of Galicia Roman the Great | Romanovichi of Galicia Roman the Great | Romanovichi of Galicia Roman the Great | Romanovichi of Galicia Roman the Great | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Michael of Chernigov | Michael of Chernigov | Michael of Chernigov | Michael of Chernigov | Michael of Chernigov | Michael of Chernigov | | | | | Elena Romanovna | Elena Romanovna | Elena Romanovna | Elena Romanovna | Elena Romanovna | Elena Romanovna | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mstislav Mstislavich | Mstislav Mstislavich | Mstislav Mstislavich | Mstislav Mstislavich | Mstislav Mstislavich | Mstislav Mstislavich | Mstislav III | Mstislav III | Mstislav III | Mstislav III | Mstislav III | Mstislav III |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rostislav Mikhailovich | Rostislav Mikhailovich | Rostislav Mikhailovich | Rostislav Mikhailovich | Rostislav Mikhailovich | Rostislav Mikhailovich | | | | | Vasylko | Vasylko | Vasylko | Vasylko | Vasylko | Vasylko | | | Daniel | Daniel | Daniel | Daniel | Daniel | Daniel | Anna | Anna | Anna | Anna | Anna | Anna | | |