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Yuri II
Yuriy II (Юрий II), also known as George II of Vladimir or Georgy II Vsevolodovich (1189 - 1238), was the 4th Grand Prince of Vladimir (1212-16, 1218-38) who presided over Vladimir-Suzdal at the time of the Mongol invasion of Russia.
The third and best-loved son of Vsevolod III, he first distinguished himself in the battles against Ryazan in 1208. His father wanted Yury to inherit Rostov and his elder brother Konstantin to succeed him in Vladimir. The latter, however, declared that he would rule both towns or nothing at all. Thereupon Vsevolod disinherited Konstantin and passed the throne to Yury.
After Vsevolod's death, Konstantin allied himself with Mstislav the Bold and defeated Yury and his other brothers on the Lipitsa River. Having gained Vladimir, Konstantin sent Yury to rule Rostov and Yaroslavl. Two years later Konstantin died, and Yury was allowed to return to Vladimir.
During his reign in Vladimir, Yury waged several wars against Volga Bulgaria and founded the fortress of Nizhny Novgorod on the Volga River, to secure the area from Bulgarian attacks. He installed his younger brother Yaroslav in Novgorod. When the Mongols first approached Russia in 1223 he sent a small unit against them, but it arrived too late to take part in the disastrous Battle of the Kalka River.
When the Mongols returned in 1237, Yury treated their envoys with disdain. Likewise, he didn't help Ryazan when Batu Khan laid siege to that city. His own capital, however, was the next in line. Yury's sons were soundly defeated near Kolomna, and Yury himself could barely escape to Yaroslavl. His wife Agatha (Mikhail of Kiev's sister) and all his family died in Vladimir, when a church where they had sought refuge from the fire collapsed.
Yury himself was killed on March 4, 1238 in the Battle of the Sit' River, whereby vast Mongol hordes defeated the army of Vladimir-Suzdal.
See also
- Mongol invasion of Russia
- Kitezh
Categories: 1189 births | 1238 deaths | Grand Princes of Vladimir
Other related archives1189, 1189 births, 1208, 1223, 1237, 1238, 1238 deaths, Battle of the Kalka River, Battle of the Sit' River, Batu Khan, Grand Prince, Grand Princes of Vladimir, Kitezh, Kolomna, Konstantin, March 4, Mikhail of Kiev, Mongol invasion of Russia, Mongols, Mstislav the Bold, Nizhny Novgorod, Novgorod, Rostov, Ryazan, Vladimir, Vladimir-Suzdal, Volga Bulgaria, Volga River, Vsevolod III, Yaroslav, Yaroslavl
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