KSENIYA YURIEVNA (the year of birth is unknown - † 1312), Princess of Tver and the Grand Princess of Vladimir, since 1265 the second wife of Yaroslav Yaroslavich, Prince of Tver and the Grand Prince of Vladimir

Father

Yuri Mikhailovich, Novgorod boyar

Biography

Princess Ksenia was the daughter of the influential Novgorod boyar Yuri Mikhailovich, her mother's origin and year of birth are unknown. In 1265 she married the Tver prince Yaroslav Yaroslavich, who later became the Grand Prince of Vladimir [II, p. 72; 2; 4, p. 33]. For the prince, this marriage was the second, the agreement, in all likelihood, occurred during his stay in Novgorod. After marriage, Yaroslav Yaroslavich, busy with the political struggle for the great reign, departed for Pskov, and Ksenia most likely for some time remained in Novgorod [1, p. 47-48]. Later, Yaroslav arrived in Vladimir with his wife. Yaroslav and Ksenia had two daughters: one unknown by name and Sophia Yaroslavna, the future saint of Tver.

In 1271, when Ksenia was pregnant with her third child, Yaroslav Yaroslavich died, and his son from his first marriage Svyatoslav received the reign [III, p. 74]. According to the chronicles, Mikhail Yaroslavich was born after the death of his father. Only the Rogozhsky chronicler puts the record about the birth of Mikhail before the news of the death of Yaroslav Yaroslavich, which, however, does not contradict the available information [4, p. 34; 6, p. 179, 183; 7]

E.L. Konyavskaya notes the role of Princess Ksenia in making the decision about her husband's funeral in Tver, which influenced the formation of her own necropolis in Tver [4, p. 34]. There is practically no data on the life of Ksenia during the reign of Svyatoslav. After the death of Svyatoslav, the princely table passes to Mikhail Yaroslavich, and the name of Ksenia turned to be more often found in sources.

Further references to the princess in the Life of Mikhail Yaroslavich of the Simeon Chronicle and others show her an active participant in the social and political life of Tver [5, p. 16; 6]. She takes part in the laying of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior, which has become a symbol of Tver. It was the first stone catherdral in North-Eastern Rus after the Mongol invasion. The cathedral was built by the princess-regent together with the young prince. The princess took part in the appointment of Bishop Andrey to the cathedra [4, p. 36]. The researchers note that after Mikhail came of age, Ksenia retained her political influence. In 1305, when Mikhail Yaroslavich and Yuri Danilovich left for the Horde, Metropolitan Maxim mentions the mother of Mikhail [I, cl. 376], which speaks of her high authority.

Chronicles report that Ksenia died in 1312 [III, p. 87]. The Rogozhsky chronicler mentions her name in the tonsure - Maria [II, cl. 36, 408], however, there is no information in the sources about when Ksenia took monastic vows. Most likely, this was done in accordance with the tradition in the year of repose [4, p. 37].

Children

Mikhail Yaroslavich of Tver, Prince of Tver (1282 or 1286–1318), the Grand Prince of Vladimir (1305–1318)
Sophia Yaroslavna
N Yaroslavna, unknown by name, the wife of the Volyn prince Yuri Lvovich [3, p. 27-28; 4, p. 56-57]

Demesne

From the chronicle text, where Anna, the wife of Mikhail Yaroslavich, is compared in Ksenia in relation to church charity, it can be understood that she had land holdings and transfered villages to Andrey (which, therefore, were bought by her). Regarding its probable acquisitions in Novgorod land, there is indirect data in the contracts of Yaroslav with Novgorod (see Anna of Kashin). Zubtsov with the surrounding areas in the west of the Tver principality [8, p. 216-217] * * The will of Yaroslav Yaroslavich has not survived. The location of the land allocated to the princess and her son after the death of her husband is an assumption of the researchers.

Information

Her portrait is on the miniature of the Chronicle of George Amartola, which dates from the first third of the 14th century.

Sources

I. PSRL. T. VI. Sofiiskie letopisi. Vyp. 1. Sofiiskaia pervaia letopis' starshego izvoda. M., 2000.

II. PSRL. T. XV. Rogozhskii letopisets. Tverskoi sbornik. M., 2000.

III. PSRL. T. XVIII. Simeonovskaia letopis'. SPb., 1913.

Bibliography

1. Gadalova G.S. Blagovernaia velikaia kniaginia Kseniia. Tver', 2011.

2. Gorskii A.A. O dinasticheskikh sviaziakh pervykh moskovskikh kniazei // Drevniaia Rus'. Voprosy medievistiki. 2018. № 4 (74). S. 42–51.

3. Dombrovskii D. Genealogiia Mstislavichei. Pervye pokoleniia (do nachala XIV v.). SPb., 2015.

4. Koniavskaia E.L. Velikaia kniaginia Kseniia i ee rol' v politicheskoi zhizni Tverskogo kniazhestva // Drevniaia Rus'. Voprosy medievistiki. 2019. № 4 (78). S. 33–39.

5. Koniavskaia E.L. Tverskie kniagini i ikh rol' v semeinoi, obshchestvennoi i khoziaistvennoi zhizni. // Vestnik TvGu. Seriia "Istoriia'. 2020. №4 (56). S. 16–32.

6. Kuchkin V.A. Povesti o Mikhaile Tverskom. M., 1974.

7. Kuchkin V.A. Prava i vlast' velikikh i udel'nykh kniazei v Tverskom kniazhestve vtoroi poloviny XIII–XV veka // Slavianskii mir: obshchnost' i mnogoobrazie. Tver', 2009. S. 216–226.

Internet Resources

Koniavskaia E.L. Tverskie kniagini i ikh rol' v semeinoi, obshchestvennoi i khoziaistvennoi zhizni // Vestnik TvGu. Seriia "Istoriia'. 2020. № 4 (56). S. 16–32.