ABSTRACT
At the start of its narrative of the events of 1097, the Primary Chronicle tells of a solemn family meeting:
Sviatopolk and Vladimir, and David Igorevich, and Vasilko Rostislavich, and David Sviatoslavich and his brother Oleg, came and gathered at Liubech for the settlement of a peace, and they spoke to one another saying: ‘Why do we ruin the land of the Rus, making strife among ourselves, while the Polovtsy pillage our land and rejoice that there is war amongst us? Now and henceforth let us be of one heart, and let us protect the land of the Rus. Let each keep his own patrimony [otchina]: let Sviatopolk have Kiev, the patrimony of Iziaslav; and let Vladimir have the patrimony of Vsevolod; and let David and Oleg and Iaroslav have the patrimony of Sviatoslav. And for those to whom towns were allocated by Vsevolod – David shall have Vladimir[-in-Volynia]; and for the two Rostislavichi – Volodar shall have Peremyshl and Vasilko shall have Terebovl.’ And on this they kissed the Cross: ‘And if any henceforth shall turn against another, then we all and the Holy Cross shall turn against him.’ And they all said, ‘May the Holy Cross and all the land of the Rus be against him.’ 1
