After Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich died in Kiev in 1194, Ryurik Rostislavich, with the backing of the dynasties of Smolensk and Suzdalia, sought to secure for the Rostislavichi the sole right of succession to Kiev. Because he failed to deprive the Ol′govichi of their right to supremacy in Rus′, the princes of both dynasties remained claimants to Kiev. By the beginning of the thirteenth century, princely seniority in the dynasty of Chernigov had passed to the senior branch of Ol′govichi. This constituted the four youngest sons of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich who were all eligible to occupy the office of senior prince. Ryurik could also expect them to make a bid for Kiev where they had the right to sit on the throne of their father.

THE REIGN OF OLEG SVYATOSLAVICH IN CHERNIGOV

As we have seen, some three years before Igor′'s death his brother-in-law Vladimir had died in Galich. Roman Mstislavich of Vladimir in Volyn′ quickly seized the town and soon after began wreaking havoc on domains belonging to Ryurik of Kiev and other princes. He refused to forgive his father-in-law for taking his five towns in order to give them to Vsevolod of Suzdalia. In 1201, therefore, Ryurik summoned the Ol′govichi to campaign against Roman. In 1196, as has been noted, Yaroslav of Chernigov had refused to break his alliance with Roman. Five years later Oleg, on becoming prince of Chernigov, changed that policy.