Meet Danylo Romanovych - King of Rus'
Explore the life and heritage of the founder and one of the most famous kings of Rus' - Danilo Romanovich
King Danylo (2020) by The Ancient Lviv MuseumAncient Lviv Museum
Who is Danylo Romanovych?
Danylo Romanovych (1201-1264) was a prince, king of Rus', and an outstanding statesman. His reign was marked by great political activity and military success.
Danylo's father
He was the son of Grand Prince Roman Mstyslavovych.
Prince Roman (2020) by the Ancient Lviv MuseumAncient Lviv Museum
Grand Prince of Kyiv, Prince of Novgorod, Vladimir, Galicia, from the Rurik dynasty. The Galician-Volynian chronicler titles him “the autocrat of all Rus” and “the ruler of the Rus' land.” He was the founder of the Principality of Galicia-Volhynia and the Romanovych royal family
Monk by the Sea (1808/1810) by Caspar David FriedrichAlte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
The foundation of the Kingdom of Rus
In 1199, the Volyn prince Roman Mstyslavych united the Galician and Volyn principalities, and Danylo Romanovych became king in 1253. This event was an important milestone in the history of Eastern Europe.
Danylo Halytskyi Monument by SkeironSkeiron
Before his coronation, Danylo fought for a long time for his father's inheritance, which he received as a young boy. Gradually, he united the Volyn principalities, returned the Galician part, and in the winter of 1239-1240 he conquered Kyiv, becoming the last Kyiv Rus prince.
Coronation of Danylo
On October 7, 1253, Prince Danylo Romanovych of Galicia-Volhynia accepted the royal crown from the pope's ambassadors and became a full-fledged European monarch, the King of Rus.
The Crown
The crown was inherited by his descendants along with the title of kings and masters of the Kingdom of Rus.
The meeting between King Daniel and King Bela IVAncient Lviv Museum
Danylo was the first to fight for the liberation of Rus from the Mongols, establishing ties with other European states and turning one of his main opponents, King Bela IV of Hungary, into an ally.
Bela 4 (2020) by The Ancient Lviv MuseumAncient Lviv Museum
Bela IV
Bela IV was a statesman, king of Hungary (1235-1270) from the Arpad dynasty.
He continued the policy of his father and co-ruler, King Andras II, against Danylo's attempts to unite the Galician principality and the Volyn principality. In 1245, Bela IV entered into an alliance with Danylo.
Union with Hungary
The union was cemented by the marriage of Danylo's eldest son Lev Danilovich and daughter Béla IV Constance.
Prince Lev and Constance (2020) by The Ancient Lviv MuseumAncient Lviv Museum
Prince Lev and Constance
Map 1. 13th century map of EuropeAncient Lviv Museum
Map of Europe in the times of the Kingdom of Rus
After the Mongol invasion in 1240, Danylo actively fought to restore the territories. He organizes defense against further attacks and works to build international alliances.
Burundai (Borolday) (2020) by The Ancient Lviv MuseumAncient Lviv Museum
Armor of Mongolian soldiers
The Mongol Invasion (ca. 1904 (Meiji)) by Kawashima Jimbei IIThe Walters Art Museum
Mongolian soldiers in battle
A Cup (1701/1800) by SkeironAncient Lviv Museum
Lviv craftsmen's products from the Kingdom of Rus
Under Danylo Romanovych, Lviv became an important trade center with new trade routes passing through it. This contributed to economic growth and the development of craftsmanship.
The Vysoky ZamokAncient Lviv Museum
The development of craft workshops and urban life in Lviv under the leadership of Danylo and his descendants contributed to the improvement of living standards and cultural development.
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