Riuryk Rostyslavych

Riuryk Rostyslavych [Rjuryk Rostyslavyč], b ?, d 1092. Rus’ prince; great-grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. The western frontiers of Kyivan Rus’ were governed by the brothers Riuryk, Volodar Rostyslavych, and Vasylko Rostyslavych possibly as early as 1077. After the death of Rostyslav Volodymyrovych in 1084, Riuryk remained in Volodymyr-Volynskyi with his brother Vasylko, as princes-in-exile at the court of Yaropolk Iziaslavych, and in 1086 Riuryk became prince of Peremyshl. That year, according to the Primary Chronicle, Riuryk's secret servant Neradets fled to Peremyshl after killing Yaropolk. Riuryk probably hoped to receive the rule of Volodymyr-Volynskyi, but the Kyivan prince Vsevolod Yaroslavych granted it to Davyd Ihorovych. After Riuryk died, the rule of Peremyshl passed to his brother Volodar.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 4 (1993).]