CHAPTER V
VLADIMIR BECOMES THE CAPITAL OF RUSSIA
Peace in Vladimir was short-lived, however. Mihalko died that year, 1176. The men of Vladimir acknowledged Vsevolod and kissed the cross to him, as did all the Suzdal men then in Vladimir. The popular voice was in favor of Vsevolod, but the boyars of Rostoff insisted that in the oath given to the late prince no mention had been made of his brother, hence no man was bound to consider him as heir of Mihalko, and this occupation of the throne was illegal. “Come to us quickly!” said the boyars, in a message to Mystislav. “We will have none but thee to rule over us.”
Vsevolod marched now with his forces toward Suzdal, but the people were not altogether satisfied with him; they complained of his kindness, and his self-effacing politeness to rebels. He had sent to Mystislav, his nephew, saying: “Vladimir and Pereyaslavl have kissed the cross to me; they are mine. Rostoff has sent for thee. Let it be so; stay thou in Rostoff. Let Suzdal wait; whomever Suzdal chooses will be prince there.” Mystislav was not opposed to this offer, but the boyars who had sent for him would not consider it and said: “If thou think to be reconciled with thy uncle, we will not permit thee.”
Mystislav now invaded Vladimir, and from Yurieff sent his uncle a message, which was something between a demand and a request to visit him for a personal conference. Vsevolod seemed ready to go, but when his partisans heard of the matter their anger was very great. “Think not,” cried they, “to visit the camp of the enemy. Those people are seeking thy life; they are oath-breakers, all of them. Are we to perish because thou art soft-hearted?”
So Vsevolod refused the request and a fierce battled ensued with Mystislav, his nephew, near Yurieff. The boyars of Rostoff and [[112]]their followers fought with great valor. The men of Vladimir, “the masons and carpenters,” needed no urging to pay back the insults which they had received, and strike down the men who had tried to enslave them. The battle hung long in even balance, till the Pereyaslavl men “tore forward with all their strength,” and pushed back the right wing of Mystislav’s forces; at this juncture the Vladimir men, aided by a regiment from Suzdal, swept everything before them. Mystislav fled from the field with few followers; not many of his adherents could save themselves. His two main advisers, Dobrynya Dalgi and Ivanko Stefanovitch, fell in the battle. The surviving boyars were seized and bound with ropes. Mystislav made his way to Novgorod, but Novgorod men conducted him out of the city with these words: “God has given judgment against thee, in the dispute between thee and thy uncle.”
He went then to Glaib of Ryazan for assistance. Glaib gave fresh aid to his brother-in-law, and they raided Vladimir territory at once, plundering and burning all before them. At last they burned Moscow. This action forced Vsevolod to leave Rostoff regions, and make ready to attack Glaib’s inheritance. But Glaib marched home quickly from Moscow, and Vsevolod deferred the attack till his forces were properly assembled. Novgorod of its own will had offered volunteers. From Chernigoff were coming Oleg and Vladimir, sons of Sviatoslav, with good warriors. From southern Pereyaslavl on the Alta were coming men under Vladimir, Vsevolod’s nephew. Vsevolod set out for Ryazan toward the beginning of winter, but on the way halted at Kolomna, where he received most astonishing intelligence,—intelligence which turned his campaign in another direction.
Glaib with his two sons, and with Mystislav, who led a large force of Polovtsi, had gone by other roads to Vladimir, the capital. The Polovtsi were plundering, burning, and taking captives; Glaib had given them a free hand on every side. He himself had seized Bogolyuboff, had torn down the chief doors of its church and stripped the place of everything.
Vsevolod, moving with swift marches toward his capital, found the invaders in a strong camp near the Koloksha, a river flowing into the Klyasma, some miles from Vladimir. The Polovtsi had their thousands of prisoners in stockaded pens, while Glaib’s booty-laden [[113]]wagons were arranged in a place at that time inaccessible. Both he and the Polovtsi were beyond the river. Winter was beginning, but the season was capricious beyond parallel. Frosts, thaws, rains, followed one another unexpectedly, and made the passage of the river dangerous and exceedingly difficult, hence the two armies stood a whole month there facing each other. Glaib wished for peace, but Vsevolod would not grant it. Glaib had not been offended by Vsevolod. He had listened to evil tales from Rostoff men and from Mystislav; he had brought in the Polovtsi; he had plundered the churches and pillaged Vladimir; his punishment must meet him.