BATTLE OF ZAWICHOST

The 'Battle of Zawichost' (1205) was a skirmish fought between Roman the Great of Halych-Volhynia and Leszek I the White of Lesser Poland, along with his brother, Konrad I of Masovia. After declaring war and invading Lesser Poland, Roman and his forces (druzhina) were ambushed by the Poles in the vicinity of Zawichost by the Vistula (Visla) River. In the tumult that followed, Roman was killed and the Polish victory would lead to Poland's growing power and the weakening of Ruthenia.

Contents

Background

Battle

Aftermath

Footnotes

References

Background

In the 11th century, Poland and Ruthenia entered a border dispute and the lands of Lesser Poland and Ruthenia (Rus') was changing constantly. In the early Middle Ages, the area of what later would become Galicia was scarcely populated, as the region was settled by Ruthenians from the east and by Poles from the west. Border-clashes took place in the lands of Przemyśl, Sanok, Drohiczyn and Volodymyr-Volynskyi. The decline of Kievan Rus gave Poland the opportunity to seize control of the regions. In 1199, an armed campaign led by Leszek the White helped to install Roman the Great on the throne in Volodymyr. In 1205, however, Roman declares war on Poland. The Polish chronicle, Jan Długosz, tried to give reasons for Roman's declaration of war:

Długosz further explains that before crossing the Polish frontier, Roman sent emissaries to the Bishop of Vladimir and asked for his blessing, as he intended to campaign in Poland for three years.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 153 The Bishop declined Roman's gifts and denied him any blessing, explaining that "he cannot bless Roman or his enterprise, since he has previously started unjust and wicked wars and is again embarking on one that is quite unjustified, considering that the Poles have so often exposed their bodies to danger and death to defend the Ruthenians against the barbarians." Roman responded by telling the bishop that he will cut his head off when he returns from his victory.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 153

Battle

In the early spring, Roman invaded the land of Lublin and lay siege to the city. The Polish garrison is successful in defending the city, but the Ruthenians cause great destruction to the local population, as they capture and rape the wives of the knights of Lublin.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 153 Leszek then started recruiting a force of knights and peasants from Sandomierz, Kujawy, and Mazovia, which is reinforced with a force of volunteers from Cracow.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 153 When Roman learns of the Polish force that was advancing towards him, he raises the siege and advances deep into Poland by pillaging and threatening with devastation and eradication of the Latin rite.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 153 Several bishops and nobles approach Roman and ask for peace, promising to pay compensation; Roman accepts, but continues with the war.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 153 He captured some priests and had them shot at with arrows, hoping to disclose the location of Leszek.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 154 Długosz gives a detailed description of the battle:

Other accounts mention the same turn of events. The Suzdal Chronicle of the Laurentian Codex
★ Suzdal Chronicle Laurentian Codex) mentions that "Roman of Halych took on Poles and conquered cities. And stopped at the Vistula River with his small druzhina. Poles then attacked and killed him with the druzhina. And people from Halych came, took their dead prince and carried him to Halych and buried him in a church." According to the later "Chronica Poloniae Maioris" Valentin Yanin; L. M. Popova, N. I. Shchaveleva, ''"[http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/rus/Chron_Pol_majoris/text2.phtml Velikaia khronika" o Polshe, Rusi i iMoscow University, OCLC 22324865) Roman "refuses to pay the tribute to Leszek, bravely challenges him and with amassing the large force unexpectedly invades into the Polish lands. As Leszek found that out, he assembled a small troop rushed to meet him in Zawichost, fiercely attacks him, captures and defeats. Of the Ruthenians, that initially came arrogantly, many were wounded, very many killed with prince Roman, and the others, seeing [that] tried to find the rescue escaping, and many pathetically ended their lives in the Vistula [...] And so happened in 1205 AD."''kh sosediakh, XI-XIII vv.]'' (The Great Chronicle of Poland, Rus' and their negbours).
Many of the Ruthenians drowned and many more died at the hands of the local population, as Polish troops chased them all the way to Vladimir.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 154 Few survive the massacre and at the order of Leszek and Konrad, Roman's body is buried in Sandomierz.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 154 The two factions came to an agreement and the Ruthenians released all their prisoners and pay 1,000 silver marks to recover the body of Roman, which is then buried in Vladimir.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 154

Aftermath

After his triumph, Leslek's reputation took a positive turn, earning him credibility and the trust of Cracow,The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 155 which would give him temporary power over the city. Konrad, coming of age, asks for his share of power and at the meditation of their mother and a selected group of aristocrats, the two brothers divide the country under their authority.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 154 Ruthenia turns unstable from its internal conflicts and the country is invaded by Lithuanians, this being the first time the Poles hear of that name.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 155 The Ruthenians suffered great casualties, but managed to defeat the invaders.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 155 In 1208, the country falls in civilwar.The Annals of Jan Długosz p. 156

Footnotes

References

★ Długosz, Jan. The Annals of Jan Długosz ISBN 1-901019-00-4

★ Dovidnyk z istoriï Ukraïny, 3-Volumes, Article "Roman Mstyslavych" (T.3), Kiev, 1993-1999, ISBN 5-7707-5190-8 (t. 1), ISBN 5-7707-8552-7 (t. 2), ISBN 966-504-237-8 (t. 3).

★ Roman Mstyslavych in Encyclopedia of Ukraine

★ Roman Mstyslavych in ''Енциклопедія українознавства (Encyclopedia of Ukrainian studies)'', 3-volumes, Kiev, 1994, ISBN 5-7702-0554-7

★ "Chronica Poloniae Maioris" (The Chronicle of Greater Poland), Chapter 31 (Russian translation available online)

★ Ivan Kryp'yakevych, Halych Volynian principality,[1] Kiev, 1984

★ Suzdal Chronicle of Laurentian Codex (Original text "Тогож̑ лѣт̑ . ходиша кнѧзи Рѧзаньскъıӕ В на Половци и взѧша вежѣ ихъ ❙ Тогож̑ . лѣт̑ . Иде Романъ Галичьскъıи на Лѧхъı и взѧ . в҃ . города Лѧдьскаӕ . и ставшю же ѥму над Вислою рѣкою . и ѿѣха сам̑ в малѣ дружинѣ ѿ полку своѥго . Лѧхове же наѣхавше оубиша и . и дружину ѡколо ѥго избиша . приѣхавше же Галичане взѧша кнѧзѧ своѥго мр҃тва . и несоша и в Галичь . и положиша и въ цр҃кви ст҃ъıӕ Бц҃а")