Attributed to Nestor the Chronicler · Complete work
1098–1102: Peace at Gorodets and the Council of Uvetichi
1098–1102: Peace at Gorodets and the Council of Uvetichi of 46. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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В лѣто 6606. Прииде Володимеръ, и Давыдъ, и Олегъ на Святополка, и сташа у Городца, и створиша миръ. В се же лѣто заложи Володимеръ церковь камяну святоѣ Богородицѣ в Переяславли на княжѣ дворѣ. Того же лѣта заложи Володимеръ Мономахъ городъ на Въстри.
В лѣто 6607. Иде Святополкъ на Давыда к Володимерю и прогна Давыда в Ляхы. В се же лѣто бысть знаменье надъ Володимеремь мѣсяца априля: два круга, а в нею аки солнце, и до шестаго часа, а ночи акы три стези свѣтлѣ оли до зорь. У се же лѣто побьени угре у Перемышля. В се же лѣто убьенъ бысть Мьстиславъ, сынъ Святополчь, у Володимери мѣсяца июня 12 день.
Вниде Мьстиславъ от Давыда на море мѣсяца июня въ 10. Того же лѣта братья створиша миръ межи собою: Святополкъ и Володимеръ, Давыдъ и Олегь въ Увѣтичихъ мѣсяца августа въ 14 день. Того же мѣсяца въ 30 в томъ же мѣстѣ братья вся сняшася — Святополкъ, Володимеръ, Давыдъ, Олегъ. Прииде к нимъ Давыдъ Игоревичь и рече имъ: «На что мя есте привабили? Осе есмь. Кому до мене обида?» И отвѣща к нему Володимеръ: «Ты еси прислалъ к намъ, река: „Хощю, братье, приити къ вамъ и пожаловати своее обиды“. Да се еси пришелъ и сѣдиши съ своею братьею на единомъ коврѣ, и чему не жалуеши? До кого ти обида?» И не отвѣща ему ничтоже Давыдъ. И сташа уся братья на конихъ, и ста Святополкъ съ своею дружиною, а Давыдъ и Олегъ съ своею дружиною раздно, кромѣ себѣ. А Давыдъ Игоревичь сѣдяше опрочь, и не припустяху его к собѣ и особѣ думаху о Давыдѣ.
И, сдумавше, послаша къ Давыдови мужи свои: Святополкъ Путяту, Володимеръ — Ратибора, Давыдъ и Олегъ — Торчина. Послании же придоша къ Давыдови и рекоша ему: «Се ти молвять братья: „Не хощем ти вдати стола Володимерьскаго, зане увергъ еси ножь в ны, егоже не было в Русьской земли. Но мы тебе не имемъ, ни иного зла створимъ, но се ти даемъ: шедъ, сяди в Божескомъ во острозѣ. Дубенъ и Черторыескъ — то ти даеть Святополкъ, а се ти даеть Володимеръ 200 гривенъ, Давыдъ и Олегъ — 200 гривенъ“». И тогда послаша послы своя к Володареви и к Василкови: «Поими брата своего Василка к собѣ, и буди вам Перемышль. Да аче вам любо, да сѣдѣта, аще ли — да пусти Василка сѣмо, атѣ и кормимъ здѣ. А холопы наши и смерды выдайта». И не послуша сего Володарь и Василко.
А Давыдъ сѣдяше у Божьскомь, и по семь вда Святополкъ Давыдови Дорогобужь, в немже и вомре, а Володимеръ вдасть сынови своему Ярославу.
В лѣто 6609. Преставися Всеславъ, полотьскый князь, мѣсяца априля в 14 день, у 9 часъ дне, въ среду. В то же лѣто затворися Ярославъ Ярополчичь у Берестьи, и изиде на нь Святополкъ, и заступи и́ в городѣ, и емь, и окова, и приведе и́ до Киева. И молися о немь митрополитъ и игумени, умолиша Святополка и узаводиша ̀и у раку святою Бориса и Глѣба, и сняша с него оковы, и пустиша ̀и. В тѣм же лѣтѣ съвъкупишася братья — Святополкъ и Володимеръ, Давыдъ, Олегъ, Ярославъ с братьею — на Золотьчи. И прислаша половци послы ото всихъ князь къ всей братьи, глаголюще и просяще мира. И рѣша имъ князи русьсции: «Аще хощете мира, да совкупимься у Сакова». И послаша половци, и сняшася в Сакове, и створиша миръ с половци, и пояша таль межи собою, мѣсяца семьтября въ 15 день. В се же лѣто Володимеръ заложи церковь у Смоленьскѣ святоѣ Богородицѣ камяну епискупью.
В лѣто 6610. Выбѣже Ярославъ Ярополчичь ис Кыева мѣсяца октября въ 1 день. Того же мѣсяца на исходѣ прелсти Ярославъ Святополчичь Ярослава Ярополчича, ятъ ̀и на Нури, и приведе къ отцю Святополку, и оковаша ̀и. Того же лѣта, мѣсяца октября у 20, приде Мьстиславъ, сынъ Володимерь, с новгородци, бѣ бо Святополкъ с Володимеромь рядъ имѣлъ, яко Новугороду быти Святополчю и посадити сынъ свой в Новѣгородѣ, а Володимери сына своего посадити Володимеру. И прииде Мьстиславъ Кыеву, и сѣдоша в ыстобцѣ, и рекоша мужи Володимери: «Се присла Володимеръ сына своего, да се сѣдять новгородцѣ, да поемьше сына твоего, идуть Новугороду, а Мьстиславъ да идеть Володимерю». И рекоша новгородци Святополку: «Се мы, княже, прислани к тобѣ, и рекли намъ тако: не хощемъ Святополка, ни сына его. Аще ли двѣ головѣ имѣеть сынъ твой, то посли ̀и. Сего ны далъ Всеволодъ, ускормили есмы собѣ князя, а ты еси шелъ от насъ».
Святополкъ же многу имѣ прю с ними, онѣмь же не восхотившимъ, поемьше Мьстислава, поидоша Новугороду. В то же лѣто бысть знаменье на небеси, мѣсяца генваря 29, по 3 дни, аки пожарная зоря от въстока, и уга, и запада и сѣвера, и бысть тако свѣтъ всю нощь, акы от луны полны свѣтящеся. В то же лѣто бысть знаменье у лунѣ мѣсяца февраля въ 5 день. Того же мѣсяца въ 7 день бысть знаменье въ солнцѣ: огородилося бяше солнце въ 3 дуги, и быша другыя дугы хрепты к собѣ. И сия видяще знаменья благовѣрнѣи человѣци съ въздыханьемь моляхуся Богу, съ слезами, дабы Богъ обратилъ знаменья си на добро. Знаменья бо бывають ово же на добро, ово же на зло. Яко и си знаменья быша на добро: на прѣидущее лѣто вложи Богъ мысль добру в русьскии князи — умыслиша дерзнути на половцѣ, поити в землю их, еже и бысть, якоже скажемъ въ пришедшее лѣто. В се же лѣто преставися Володиславъ, лядьский князь. В се же лѣто преставися Ярославъ Ярополъчичь мѣсяца августа в 11 день.
В се же лѣто ведена бысть дщи Святополча Сбыслава в Ляхы за Болеслава, мѣсяца ноября въ 16 день. В то же лѣто родися у Володимера сынъ Андрѣй.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex (O. V. Tvorogov’s 1997 edition, pinned Russian Wikisource revision), covering the undated introduction and every annal from 6360 to 6625 (852–1117 CE). Worker drafts were checked against the source paragraph by paragraph before publication. Years keep the chronicle’s own reckoning from the creation of the world; subtract 5508 for the approximate year CE, as the chapter titles do.
In the year 6606. Vladimir, and David, and Oleg came against Sviatopolk, and stood at Gorodets, and made peace. In the same year Vladimir founded a stone church of the Holy Mother of God in Pereiaslav, on the princely court. That same year Vladimir Monomakh founded a town on the Oster.
In the year 6607. Sviatopolk marched against David at Volodymyr and drove David to the Poles. In the same year there was a sign over Volodymyr in the month of April: two circles, and between them what seemed a sun, until the sixth hour; and by night, as it were, three bright tracks until dawn. In the same year the Hungarians were beaten at Peremyshl. In the same year Mstislav, son of Sviatopolk, was slain at Volodymyr, on the 12th day of the month of June.
Mstislav put out onto the sea from David on the 10th of June. That year the brothers made peace among themselves — Sviatopolk and Vladimir, David and Oleg — at Uvetichi on August 14. In the same month, on the 30th, in the same place all the brothers gathered: Sviatopolk, Vladimir, David, Oleg. David Igorevich came to them and said: “Why have you lured me here? Here I am. Who has a grievance against me?” And Vladimir answered him: “You yourself sent to us, saying: ‘I wish, brothers, to come to you and complain of the wrong done me.’ And here you have come and sit with your brothers on one carpet; why do you not complain? Who has wronged you?” And David answered him not a word. And all the brothers took their stand on horseback: Sviatopolk stood with his retinue, and David and Oleg with their retinues apart, each separate from the other. And David Igorevich sat off to the side, and they did not admit him to themselves, and they took counsel about David by themselves.
And having taken counsel, they sent their men to David: Sviatopolk sent Putiata, Vladimir sent Ratibor, David and Oleg sent Torchin. And the envoys came to David and said to him: “This the brothers say to you: ‘We do not wish to give you the throne of Volodymyr, because you threw a knife into us, such as had never been in the land of Rus'. But we will not lay hands on you, nor do you any other harm; and this we give you: go, sit in Buzhsk, in the stronghold. Dubno and Chertoryesk Sviatopolk gives you, and Vladimir gives you 200 grivnas, and David and Oleg 200 grivnas.’” Then they sent their envoys to Volodar and to Vasilko: “Take your brother Vasilko to yourself, and Peremyshl shall be yours. If that pleases you, then sit there; if not, then send Vasilko to us here, and we will provide for him here. And hand over our slaves and our peasants.” But Volodar and Vasilko did not heed this.
David sat at Buzhsk, and afterwards Sviatopolk gave David Dorogobuzh, where he died, and Volodymyr he gave to his son Yaroslav.
In the year 6609. Vseslav, prince of Polotsk, died on April 14, at the ninth hour of the day, on a Wednesday. In the same year Yaroslav Yaropolchich shut himself up in Brest, and Sviatopolk came out against him, overtook him in the town, took him, put him in irons, and brought him to Kyiv. The metropolitan and the abbots prayed for him, they prevailed upon Sviatopolk, and they brought him out to the shrine of the holy Boris and Gleb, took the irons off him, and let him go. In that same year the brothers gathered — Sviatopolk and Vladimir, David, Oleg, Yaroslav with his brothers — at Zolotcha. And the Cumans sent envoys from all their princes to all the brothers, speaking and asking for peace. And the princes of Rus' said to them: “If you desire peace, let us come together at Sakov.” The Cumans sent word, and they met at Sakov and made peace with the Cumans, and took hostages from one another, on September 15. In the same year Vladimir founded in Smolensk a stone cathedral church of the Holy Mother of God for the bishop's see.
In the year 6610. Yaroslav Yaropolchich fled from Kyiv on October 1. At the end of the same month Yaroslav Sviatopolchich enticed Yaroslav Yaropolchich, seized him on the Nura, brought him to his father Sviatopolk, and they put him in irons. That same year, on October 20, Mstislav, son of Vladimir, came with the Novgorodians, for Sviatopolk had made an agreement with Vladimir: that Novgorod should belong to Sviatopolk, and he would install his son in Novgorod, while Vladimir would install his own son in Volodymyr. And Mstislav came to Kyiv, and they sat in a small chamber, and Vladimir's men said: “Vladimir has sent his son here, and the Novgorodians sit here; they will take your son and go to Novgorod, and Mstislav will go to Volodymyr.” And the Novgorodians said to Sviatopolk: “Here we are, prince, sent to you, and this is what we were told to say: we do not want Sviatopolk, nor his son. If your son has two heads, then send him. Vsevolod gave us this one; we have fed and reared for ourselves a prince, and you went away from us.”
Sviatopolk disputed with them long, but as they would not yield, they took Mstislav and set out for Novgorod. In that year there was a sign in the heavens on January 29, lasting 3 days: like a fiery glow of dawn from the east, and the south, and the west, and the north, and there was such light all through the night as if from a full moon shining. In that year there was a sign in the moon on February 5. In the same month, on the 7th, there was a sign in the sun: the sun was circled by 3 arcs, and there were other arcs with their ridges toward one another. And the faithful, seeing these signs, prayed to God with sighing and with tears, that God would turn these signs to good; for signs come sometimes for good and sometimes for evil. And these signs indeed came for good: in the year that followed God put a good purpose into the princes of Rus' — they resolved to dare an attack upon the Cumans and to go into their land, which came to pass, as we shall tell in the year to come. In the same year Wladyslaw, prince of the Poles, died. In the same year Yaroslav Yaropolchich died on August 11.
In the same year Sbyslava, daughter of Sviatopolk, was led to the Poles, as bride to Boleslav, on November 16. In that year a son, Andrei, was born to Vladimir.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same Old East Slavic text of the Hypatian Codex, paragraph for paragraph, and checked against the source before publication.
In the year 6606. Vladimir and David and Oleg came against Sviatopolk and stopped at Gorodets, and they made peace. In the same year Vladimir built a stone church of the Holy Mother of God in Pereiaslav, on the prince's court. That same year Vladimir Monomakh founded a town on the Oster.
In the year 6607. Sviatopolk marched against David to Volodymyr and drove David out to the Poles. In the same year there was a sign over Volodymyr in the month of April: two circles, and between them what looked like a sun, until the sixth hour; and at night three bright paths until dawn. That same year the Magyars were beaten at Peremyshl. That same year Mstislav, Sviatopolk's son, was killed at Volodymyr on June 12.
Mstislav went from David onto the sea on June 10. That year the brothers made peace with one another—Sviatopolk and Vladimir, David and Oleg—at Uvetichi on August 14. On the 30th of the same month, in that same place, all the brothers gathered: Sviatopolk, Vladimir, David, Oleg. David Igorevich came to them and said: “Why did you lure me here? Here I am. Who has a wrong against me?” Vladimir answered him: “You sent to us, saying: ‘I want, brothers, to come to you and complain of my wrong.’ So here you have come and are sitting with your brothers on one carpet. Why do you not complain? Against whom do you have a wrong?” David answered him nothing. All the brothers stood on their horses, and Sviatopolk stood with his retinue, and David and Oleg stood apart with their retinue. David Igorevich sat off to the side, and they did not let him come to them, and they took counsel about David separately.
After taking counsel, they sent their men to David: Sviatopolk sent Putiata, Vladimir sent Ratibor, David and Oleg sent Torchin. The messengers came to David and said to him: “This is what the brothers say to you: ‘We do not want to give you the throne of Volodymyr, because you threw a knife into us, the like of which there had never been in the land of Rus'. But we will not seize you or do you any other harm. This is what we give you: go and sit in the fortress of Buzhsk. Dubno and Chertoryesk—Sviatopolk gives you those, and Vladimir gives you 200 grivnas, and David and Oleg 200 grivnas.’” Then they sent their envoys to Volodar and Vasilko: “Take your brother Vasilko to yourself, and Peremyshl will be yours. If that pleases you, sit there; if not, send Vasilko here and we will provide for him here. And hand over our slaves and our peasants.” Volodar and Vasilko did not listen to this.
David was living at Buzhsk, and afterwards Sviatopolk gave David Dorogobuzh, where he died, and Volodymyr he gave to his son Yaroslav.
In the year 6609. Vseslav, prince of Polotsk, died on April 14, at the ninth hour of the day, on a Wednesday. That year Yaroslav Yaropolchich shut himself up in Brest, and Sviatopolk marched out against him, hemmed him in the town, took him, put him in chains, and brought him to Kyiv. The metropolitan and the abbots prayed for him, talked Sviatopolk around, led him to the shrine of the holy Boris and Gleb, removed his chains, and set him free. In that year the brothers gathered—Sviatopolk and Vladimir, David, Oleg, and Yaroslav with his brother—at Zolotcha. The Cumans sent envoys from all their princes to all the brothers, speaking and asking for peace. The princes of Rus' said to them: “If you want peace, let us meet at Sakov.” The Cumans sent word back, they met at Sakov, made peace with the Cumans, and took hostages from each other, on September 15. That same year Vladimir built a stone church of the Holy Mother of God in Smolensk, to be the bishop's church.
In the year 6610. Yaroslav Yaropolchich escaped from Kyiv on October 1. At the end of that same month Yaroslav Sviatopolchich tricked Yaroslav Yaropolchich, seized him on the Nura, brought him to his father Sviatopolk, and they put him in chains. That year, on October 20, Mstislav, Vladimir's son, came with the men of Novgorod, for Sviatopolk had made an agreement with Vladimir: Novgorod was to belong to Sviatopolk, and he would install his son in Novgorod, and in Volodymyr Vladimir would install his own son. Mstislav came to Kyiv, and they sat in a small upper room, and Vladimir's men said: “Here is the son that Vladimir has sent, and here the men of Novgorod sit: they will take your son and go to Novgorod, and Mstislav is to go to Volodymyr.” The men of Novgorod said to Sviatopolk: “Here we are, prince, sent to you, and this is what we were told to say: we do not want Sviatopolk or his son. If your son has two heads, then send him. This one Vsevolod gave us; we made him our prince ourselves, but you went away from us.”
Sviatopolk argued with them at length, but when they would not give in, they took Mstislav and set off for Novgorod. That year there was a sign in the sky on January 29, for 3 days: a fiery-looking dawn from the east, and the south, and the west, and the north, and it was as bright all night as a full moon shining. That year there was a sign at the moon on February 5. On the 7th of the same month there was a sign in the sun: the sun was ringed by 3 arcs, and there were other arcs with their backs toward one another. Seeing these signs, the faithful sighed and prayed to God with tears that God would turn these signs to good. Signs happen sometimes for good and sometimes for evil. And these signs were for good: the next year God put a good thought into the princes of Rus'—they resolved to dare to attack the Cumans and go into their land, and that is what happened, as we shall tell in the following year. That same year Wladyslaw, prince of the Poles, died. That same year Yaroslav Yaropolchich died on August 11.
That same year Sbyslava, Sviatopolk's daughter, was led to the Poles as a bride for Boleslav, on November 16. That year a son, Andrei, was born to Vladimir.