Berladnyky

Berladnyky (or Byrladnyky). Peasant (smerd) or burgher refugees in Kyivan Rus’ who in the 12th century settled in the lower Danube region between the Seret (Siret) River and Prut River near the town of Berlad (Bîrlad). The Berladnyky are first mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle for 1159 in connection with the attack of a 6,000-man force led by the exiled prince Ivan Rostyslavych Berladnyk on Kuchelemyn and Ushytsia, cities of Halych principality. In 1160 the Berladnyky captured the city of Oleshia on the Dnipro River but were defeated eventually by the Kyivan prince Rostyslav Mstyslavych near the town of Dtsynia. After the 13th century the Berladnyky are no longer mentioned in the chronicles.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 1 (1984).]