Svineld

Svineld (Sveneld, Svindil), b and d ? 10th-century Rus’ noble. He was a close associate of and vassal to the Kyivan Rus’ leaders Prince Ihor, Princess Olha, and Sviatoslav I Ihorovych. He fought with the Ulychians (938–40), ruled over Ulychian and Derevlianian lands granted him by Ihor, helped Olha to suppress the Derevlianian revolt of 945 after Ihor was killed, and took part in Sviatoslav's Balkan campaigns. After Sviatoslav's death in 972, he became embroiled in the internecine Rus’ struggle for power. According to some scholars Svineld was the model for the legendary folk character ‘black raven Santal.’