Volodymyr Riurykovych

Volodymyr Riurykovych [Rjurykovyč], b 1187, d ca 1239. Kyivan Rus’ prince; son of Riuryk (Vasylii) Rostyslavych. He ruled in Pereiaslav (1206) and Smolensk (1215), and he became grand prince of Kyiv in 1223. His reign was threatened in 1235 by the invasion of Mykhailo Vsevolodovych of Chernihiv and Iziaslav Volodymyrovych, which he repelled with the aid of Danylo Romanovych of Galicia. He was captured by the Cumans in 1235 as the struggle for Kyiv continued, and in 1236, after his freedom was purchased, he deposed Yaroslav Vsevolodovych and returned to the Kyivan throne.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]