Rostislav I of Kiev

Who was Rostislav I of Kiev?

Rostislav Mstislavich, Kniaz' of Smolensk, Novgorod and Velikiy Kniaz of Kiev. He was the son of Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden.

After Yaroslav II of Kiev was driven out of Novgorod, Rostislav was invited to become the ruler of Novgorod. He accepted, and became the prince on April 17, 1154. Then, learning that Iziaslav II had died, Rostislav left Novgorod to take the Kievan throne. Indignant that their prince had abandoned them and angered that "he did not make order among them, but tore them more apart", the citizens of Novgorod drove out Rostislav's son, David, who was their governor. They replaced him with Mstislav Yurievich, the son of Yury Dolgoruky.

Rostislav ruled Kiev for one week before Iziaslav III of Kiev forced him to flee to Chernigov.

He left five children: 3 sons, princes David Rostislavich of Novgorod, Msitslav Rostislavich of Smolensk and Roman Rostislavich of Kiev and 2 daughters Elena Rostislavna of Kiev-Smolensk and Agrafiya Rostislavna.