Uncle and nephew now kissed the cross to each other not to part in defeat or in triumph. The Hungarians were feasted, received rich presents, and went home. The two princes sent Izyaslav’s son on a mission to Hungary, to assure the Hungarian king of the Kief princes’ gratitude, and to make offer of service, asking, too, that if the need came the king would send troops, as he had sent them recently. Rostislav of Smolensk was invited to aid in liberating [[82]]Kief, for they thought, and thought rightly, that Yuri would not yield without a struggle.
Yuri now summoned all his allies. Sviatoslav moved promptly and met Vladimir, son of David, in Chernigoff; then their forces sailed down in boats to Gorodok, where they joined Yuri. Izyaslav, the other son of David, joined the Kief princes. Rostislav of Smolensk came to Kief early with his forces. Yuri moved with his allies from Gorodok to the Dnieper and strove hard to cross, but was foiled in each effort by his nephew. Strengthened now by large forces of the Polovtsi, he marched toward the south and crossed at the second ford, below Kief, then turning back, he advanced on the capital. Izyaslav and his uncle, disposing their men in the city and around it, waited for the coming conflict.
“We are now ready for battle,” said Vyatcheslav to his nephews. “Yuri is my brother, though younger, and I wish to bring my seniority before him. God in his judgment considers the right side.” So he summoned an envoy and gave these instructions: “Go thou to Yuri, my brother: bow down to him in my name and say these words from me: ‘I have said often to thee, Yuri, and to Izyaslav, shed not Christian blood, ruin not the Russian land. I have tried to restrain thee from war. I have regiments and power of my own which God gave me. Still I have not fought for myself, though thou, Yuri, and also Izyaslav have deeply offended me, not one time, but many. Izyaslav, when going to fight against Igor, said that he was not seeking Kief for himself, but for me, his father. Then, when God gave him victory, he kept Kief for himself, and took also Turoff and Pinsk from me. That is how Izyaslav offended, but I, keeping Christians in mind and the Russian land, did not remember it against him. Thou, brother Yuri, when going to Pereyaslavl to fight against Izyaslav, didst say: “I seek not Kief for myself. I have an older brother who is to me as a father; I am seeking Kief for that brother.” But, when God aided thee to take Kief, thou didst keep it. Thou didst seize from me, besides, Dorogobuj and Peresopnitsa, and gavest me only Vyshgorod. Thus did ye wrong me. All this time I sought no redress out of love for the Russian land and for Christians. Ye would take no decision of mine; ye sought war. I strove to dissuade thee from war, but ye would not listen. Thy answer was that thou couldst not give homage to a junior. But Izyaslav, though he has failed [[83]]twice before in his word to me, has given now what is mine; he has yielded up Kief, and calls me father. Thou hast said: “I cannot bow down to a junior.” I am older than thou not a little; I was bearded before thou wert born. If it is thy wish to defy my seniority, God will render judgment.’ ”
To this Yuri answered: “I bow down to thee, brother; thy words are true, and well spoken. Thou art to me in the place of a father, and if it is thy desire to arrange matters clearly, let Izyaslav go to Volynia and Rostislav return to Smolensk. I will settle all questions then with thee.” “Brother Yuri, this is what I will say in answer,” retorted Vyacheslav. “Thou hast seven sons, and I do not hunt them away from thee. I have two adopted sons, Izyaslav and Rostislav, with some others still younger. I will add this: Do thou for the good of the Russian land and of Christians go to Pereyaslavl, thence to Kursk with thy sons, and beyond is Rostoff, thy great inheritance. Send home the sons of Oleg. After that we will settle, and shed no Christian blood. But if thou must have thy own way, the Purest Lady and her Son will judge between us.”
Yuri gave no answer to these words, but next morning he appeared before Kief with his forces. There was nothing but skirmishing till toward evening, when a part of each army engaged. The Kief troops drove back their opponents, and fought with such vigor that Yuri withdrew his whole force and marched westward to meet Vladimirko, his ally from Galitch, who, as he heard, was now hastening to join him. He appeared before Bailgorod, from which his son Boris had fled some time previously, and summoning the citizens, said: “Ye are my people, open the gates to me.” “Has Kief opened its gates?” was the answer. The gates remained closed, and Yuri marched farther. The Kief princes set out in pursuit and overtook him near Rut River, beyond Bailgorod. There they strove again to make peace, but failed, since the sons of Oleg and the Polovtsi opposed it.
As they could not come to terms, the Kief princes were anxious to force a battle before Vladimirko could strengthen their enemy. Yuri wished to defer the engagement till Vladimirko could join him. His first intention was to pass Rut River, prevent the Kief troops from crossing, and wait for his ally in a favorable position. But all his movements to gain time were useless, and he was compelled [[84]]to turn promptly to battle. Andrei, now Yuri’s eldest son, for Rostislav had died recently, ranged his father’s warriors in order of battle. “Thou hast striven much for the good,” said Izyaslav and his brother to Vyatcheslav, “but thy brother opposes at all times. We are willing, if need be, to lay down our lives to save thy rights for thee.” “My sons,” replied the old man, “I have been opposed all my life to bloodshed. We are on this field to-day because of Yuri. God will judge between him and me.”
Andrei advanced in the front rank, led the battle, and made the first lance cast. His lance broke, his shield was torn from him, his helmet was shivered, and he fell from the horse, which was wounded under him. Izyaslav also engaged in the front rank; thrown from his horse, he fell and was lost among the slain and wounded.
The battle was brief, but decisive. Izyaslav’s men fought willingly this time, while Yuri’s showed no heart in the struggle. His Polovtsi fled without using an arrow. After them fled the sons of Oleg, and next Yuri himself and his sons. Many prisoners were taken, many men slain. Among the slain was Vladimir, son of David, Prince of Chernigoff.
When the victors, returning, passed over the field after hunting their fugitive opponents, they saw a man trying to rise from a great pile of dead and wounded. Some foot warriors ran up and struck him. “I am a prince!” he was able to say. “Thou art the man we are seeking,” cried they, and slashed at his helmet, thinking him a son of Oleg, or David. “I am Izyaslav. I am your prince,” called he to them. They raised him then with gladness, and praised the Lord, who had saved him.
The Kief princes urged Izyaslav, son of David, to take his brother’s corpse, hasten with all the strength in him to Chernigoff, and sit on the throne before Sviatoslav could forestall him. (This was a real case of running for office.)