Severskii Principality

an appanage principality in Chernigov (Chernigov-Severskii) Land. Located in the basin of the middle Desna River and its tributaries—the Snovsk, Seim, and others—the Severskii Principality occupied lands previously in the Chernigov-Severskii Principality. For a time, it included the “land of the Viatichi,” the area of the upper Desna and upper Oka.

The Severskii Principality, as an independent appanage, was formed in 1096. Its first prince was Oleg Sviatoslavich, who was succeeded by his descendants, the OPgovichi. Novgorod-Severskii was the capital. The Severskii Principality warred ceaselessly against the Polovtsian nomads, especially in the second half of the 12th century. A campaign against the Polovtsy by one of its princes is described in The Tale of Igor’s Campaign. Toward the end of the 12th century, the Severskii Principality broke up into a number of smaller principalities, with seats at Kursk, Putivl’, and other cities; in the 16th century these cities were dubbed the Severskie Goroda.

In the second half of the 14th century and in the 15th century, Novgorod-Severskii was an appanage in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1503 the Severskii Principality became part of the Russian state. After a short period as part of Poland (1618–48), the Severskii Principality was returned to Russia by the Armistice of Andrusovo of 1667.