LEV DANYLOVYCH AND THE STRUGGLE FOR THE THRONE OF KRAKOW IN THE LAST QUARTER OF THE XIII CENTURY

Abstract

A prince of Halychyna-Volyn Lev Danylovych did not care about his own chronicler, and the Volyn editors of his brothers, who did not like their suzerain, made efforts to blacken his image. Due to political realities, he was forced not to use the royal title even after the restoration of the kingdom of Rus, but he was the first of the Rurikovich to successfully use the Horde's help in solving his issues. The latter is also reflected in certain contradictions of Western and Eastern sources. All these points were reflected in the works of historians and they led to the fact that the figure of Prince Lev Danylovych belongs to the most underestimated by historians, even though he is one of the most prominent personalities of the Romanovych dynasty, which ruled in the Halychyna-Volodymyr state, as noted the Polish researcher Dariusz Dombrowski. The relations between the Halychyna-Volyn principality and the Polish principalities in the late XIII - early XIV centuries are still not properly reflected in the historical literature - researchers interpret them one-sidedly and not quite correctly, often not paying attention to the information of sources, in particular, this concerns the figure of Prince Lev Danylovych. The article deals with the unexplored episodes of participation of the Halychyna-Volyn Prince Lev Danylovych in the struggle for the throne of Krakow in 1280-1300. After an unsuccessful attempt to act as the successor of his childless brother-in-law Bolesław V in 1280, which resulted in wars with the duke of Krakow Leszko the Black and his Hungarian ally Laszlo IV Kun until Leszek the Black's death in 1288, Lev Danylovych continued to participate in this struggle, supporting the most advantageous candidates. At the same time, the Lublin land was annexed, which was recognized by Prince Henry IV Probus of Krakow; Lev Danilovich took an active part in the further struggle for the throne of Krakow, supporting various candidates. Latin-language sources and newer Polish literature are widely used.