The king Danylo Halytsky, founder of Lviv

The figure of Danylo Romanovych (1201-1264) (Halytsky he was called much later) – is one of the most well-known, noticeable and out-of-ordinary personalities in the world. Danylo Halytsky (Daniel of Galicia) – was the son of Volhynian Prince (Knyaz) Roman Mstyslavovych and Princess of Byzantium Anna. In 1205, he experienced exile to Hungary, when he was pretty young – only four-year-old boy, when his father died, the boyars of Galicia sent Danylo, his brother Vasylko Romanovych and their mother out. While living in Poland, Danylo was brought up at the court of the Hungarian King.

When Danylo had grown up, he started his struggle for his father’s inheritance and throne. This battle had lasted for years until Danylo’s coronation. Although even after that Danylo Romanovych was forced to be at war with new enemies – Mongols. Being the incarnation of Knyaz-figher and Knyaz-architect, he will always be remembered as one of the most significant figures of that time.

Battle of Kalka River (1223)Fate was well-disposed to Danylo Halytsky. Being the young Prince he succeeded to be confirmed in Volhynia. In 1221 Danylo renovated his authority over there, where the boyars and inhabitants had remained faithful to his dynasty. It was the place, wherefrom he started to re-conquer his father’s belongings from Hungarians and unruly boyars. He took part in the notorious battle of Kalka river, where he met “the scourge of Europe” – Mongols – for the first time. The battle between two armies: the army of Mongol Empire and a coalition of several Rus’ printicipalities, involving Kyiv, Halych and the Cumans, ended with the Mongol victory. Nevertheless, Danylo Romanovych deserved the glory of courageous Knyaz, who was fighting so persistently, that “didn’t feel the wounds, which covered his body”. This battle, mentioned above, ended with the Mongol victory and became the beginning of Mongol domination on Rus. A combat against “Mongol evil” became a long-life goal of Danylo Halytsky.

One year later, in 1239, Danylo succeeded in acquiring Kyiv – which was considered the center of Rus and its traditional glorious capital.

In 1240, the Kyivan Rus, weakened by internal strife of princes, could not withhold the Tatar invasion and stopped existing as a state. At that moment, Danylo Halytskyi (in 1240-1250 - a prince, later - the king of the Halych-Volyn Principality) founded the town of Lviv, named in honor of his son Lev. The first record of the city dates back to 1256.

Lviv was founded as a strong point to protect trade ways. But, later it turned into a big centre of trade and commerce. A favorable geographical position of the city on the crossroad of important trading ways from Western Europe to Asia and from Scandinavia to Byzantium caused a rapid growth of trade and handicrafts.

Finally, the struggle for his father’s inheritance ended in 1245, while the battle upon Yaroslav, where Danylo altogether with his brother Vasylko defeated the regiments of Chernihiv Knyaz Rostyslav, the Hungarians, the Polish and unruly Galician boyars, who did not desire to accept his authority. This brilliant victory of the Prince – courageous military leader, who personally took part in the battle, – had a significant historical meaning. It had stopped the aggressive intentions to Halychyna of Kingdom of Poland and Kingdom of Hungary for a long time. Hungarian King set up friendly relationships with Danylo, as his daughter was married to the son of Danylo – Lev Danylovych.

This victory had also elevated international authority of Galician-Volhynian principality as a powerful East-European country.

His brother Vasylko became the ruler of Volhynia. Although Danylo kept the Galician title to himself, he was involved in both places.

It was only the beginning of his exhausting and long-termed struggle. The most difficult were the relationships with the Golden Horde.

The Mongols would come with their army from the East. To protect his dominions, he decided to make the commander Dmytro the regent of Kyiv. The regent Dmytro was supposed to defend the city. However, its walls had been broken after a long siege. In spite of the fierce fighting within Kyiv, the city was considerably damaged and fell on the sixth of December, 1240.

The Mongols, after acquiring of Kyiv, did not intend to stop – they had continued their seizure further to the West. Danylo was forced to recognize himself literally and formally Khan Batu’s vassal. He was told “you are one of ours now”. But he did not accept it in fact. He continued to fortify the cities, while constructing new ones (in particular, Danylo Halytsky is considered to be Lviv founder). During anti-Mongol fighting the first recollection about Lviv was mentioned.

He also attempted to organize a coalition of Rus Princes against the Mongols, drawing to it the countries of Catholic Europe. To carry the plan out, Danylo established friendly cordial relations with the lords of the Kingdom of Poland and the Kingdom of Hungary. This activity also was noticed by Rome Pope Innocent IV, who understood a possibility to support Danylo’s intentions and wrote an appeal to the Catholic sovereigns. Pope Innocent IV confided them to support Rus Knyaz Danylo in his anti-Mongol actions. He also sent his resentative to crown Prince Danylo as the King of Rus.

Coronation of Danylo Romanovych The coronation took place in 1253 at Dorohochyn on the Bug River. Actually, this fact was more significant than it seemed to be. This was literally the announcement of the war against the Mongols; and acceptance of Galician-Volhynian state, as a part of Europe of that time. It made Danylo Romanovych one of the most influential and authoritative Princes of the region.

Danylo Romanovych did not manage to achieve total independence for Galician-Volhynian state. But the Golden Horde could not totally conquer it either.

The last years of his life Danylo Halytsky spent devoting himself to the internal matters of the country. He replaced a lot of boyars, lessen at the peasants’ dependence. He encouraged the craftsmen, the tradesmen, he solved his family matters. During last years of his life he was seriously ill and was almost blind. The famous courageous Prince died in 1264 in Cholm not being very old. The chronicler, a contemporary of Danylo, wrote: “Danylo was a kind Knyaz, courageous and wise, who had constructed a lot of cities and built churches, and decorated them. And he was known by his sincere brotherly love to his brother Vasylko. Danylo was as wise as Solomon.”

In those extremely difficult, dark times of the XIII century the success of Knyaz Danylo was undoubtedly very significant.

Monument to Danylo Halytsky in Lviv

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