Galician-Volhynian Chronicle

Galician-Volhynian Chronicle [Галицько-Волинський літопис; Halytsko-Volynskyi litopys]. A medieval chronicle covering the years 1201–91 in the history of the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia, written in the late 1280s and preserved in the Hypatian Chronicle compilation. An important source to the history of southwestern Rus’ (Western Ukraine), it continues the record of events begun in Povist’ vremennykh lit (The Tale of Bygone Years) and the Kyiv Chronicle. The chronology presented in individual historical narratives was introduced in the later redactions of the original (at least five) on which the general compilation was based.

The chronicle consists of a Galician section, written in princely Halych, encompassing events from 1201 to 1261 and centering primarily on the reign of Prince Danylo Romanovych; and a Volhynian section, written probably in Volodymyr-Volynskyi, encompassing events in Volhynia from 1262 to 1292 during the reigns of Prince Vasylko Romanovych and his son Volodymyr Vasylkovych and their relations with the rulers of Lithuania and Poland. The anonymous authors evaluate events and individuals from the standpoint of the need for a unified Rus’ and thus for strong princes, who counteract the centrifugal actions of rebellious boyars; the authors also defend the Galician-Volhynian princes' claims to the Kyivan throne. The chronicle is a valuable literary monument, whose ornamental narrative style is reminiscent of that found in Slovo o polku Ihorevi (The Tale of Ihor's Campaign).

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hrushevs'kyi, M. ‘Khronol'ogiia podii Halyts'ko-volyns'koï litopysy,’ ZNTSh, 41 (1901)
Hens'ors'kyi, A. Halyts'ko-Volyns'kyi litopys (Protses skladannia; redaktsiï i redaktory) (Kyiv 1958)
———. Halyts'ko-Volyns'kyi litopys (Leksychni, frazeolohichni ta stylistychni osoblyvosti) (Kyiv 1961)
The Hypatian Codex, II: The Galician-Volhynian Chronicle, trans G. Perfecky (Munich 1973)

Arkadii Zhukovsky

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1988).]