Yuri Dolgoruki

Prince Yuri I Dolgoruki

Prince Yuri I Dolgoruki In the Russian landguage and written in cyrillic: Юрий Долгорукий, "Yuri the Long-arm"), also known as George I of Russia, (c. 1099 – May15, 1157) was a key figure in the transition of political power from Kiev to Vladimir-Suzdal following the death of his elder brother Mtislav the Great. He reigned as Velikhi Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kiev from September 1149 to April 1151 and then again from March 1155 to May 1157.

Activities in Rostov and Suzdal
Yuri was the sixth son of Vladimir Monomakh. Although his birthdate is uncertain, some chronicles report that Yuri's elder brother, Viacheslav, said to him: "I am much older than you; I was already bearded when you were born." Since Viacheslav was born in 1083, this pushes Yuri's birth to c. 1099/1100.

In 1108, Yuri was sent by his father to govern in his name the vast Rostov-Suzdal province in the north-east of Kievan - Rus. In 1121, he quarrelled with the boyars of Rostov and moved the capital of his lands from that city to Suzdal. As the area was sparsely populated, Yuriy founded many fortresses there. He established the towns of Ksniatin in 1134, Pereslavl-Zaleski and Yuriev-Polski in 1152, and Dmitrov in 1154. The establishment of Tver, Kostroma, and Vologda is also popularly assigned to Yuri.

In 1147, Yuri Dolgoruki had a meeting with Sviatoslav Olgovich in a place called Moscow. In 1156, Yuri fortified Moscow with wooden walls and a moat. Although the settlement probably existed earlier, Dolgoruki is often called "The Founder of Moscow".

Struggle for Kiev
For all the interest he took in fortifying his Northern lands, Yuri still coveted the throne of Kiev. It is his active participation in the Southern affairs that earned him the sobriquet of "Dolgoruki", i.e., "the long-armed". His elder brother Mstislav of Kiev died in 1132, and "the Rus lands fell apart", as one chronicle put it. Yuri instantaneously declared war on the princes of Chernigov, enthroned his son in Novgorod, and capturedPereslav of the south. The Novgorodians, however, betrayed him, and Yuri avenged by seizing their key fortress, Torzhok.
In 1147, Dolgoruki resumed his struggle for Kiev and two years later he captured it, but in 1151 he was driven from the capital of Rus by his nephew Iziaslav. In 1155, Yuri regained Kiev once again. His sudden death, however, sparkled anti-Suzdalian uprising in Kiev. Yuri Dolgoruki was interred at the Savious Church in Berestovo, Kiev, but his tomb is empty.

Marriages and children
The Primary Chronicle records the first marriage of Yuri on 12/01/1108. His first wife was a daughter of Aepa Ocenevich, Khan of the Cumans. Her paternal granfather was Osen. Her people belonged to the Kipchaks, a confederation of pastoralists and warriors of Turk origin.
His second wife Helena survived him and moved to Constantinople. Her paternity is not known for certain but Nicholau Karanzin was the first to theorize that Helena was returning to her native city. She has since be theorised to be a member of the Kommenos dynasty which ruled the Byzantine Empire throughout the life of Yuri. She has been tendatively identified with Helena Komnene, a daughter of Isaac Komnenos. The identification would make her a granddaughter of Alexious 1 Komnenos and Irene Doulaina.
Yuri had at least fifteen children. The identities of the mothers are not known for certain.