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HARVARD UKRAINIAN STUDIES - See also - Harvard University

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MONETARY HISTORY OF KIEV IN THE PRE-MONGOL PERIOD 387showed the ambassadors of the Holy Roman Emperor his vast riches ofgold, silver, and silk, and then gave them many gifts for their return triphome. 9 In 1132, Grand Prince Iaropolk gave another prince "gold, silver,pearls, horses, and armour...." 10 Churchmen <strong>also</strong> gave gifts lavishly.When Bishop Elias of Novgorod visited the new metropolitan loan in Kievaround 1166, he brought him gold, silver, pearls, silks, and furs. 11 Much ofthe gift-giving only exchanged wealth within Rus'. In 1132, for instance,Grand Prince Iziaslav of Kiev gave gifts obtained from the Kiev area andByzantium to Prince Rostislav of Smolensk while Rostislav presentedIziaslav with goods from northern Rus' and the Baltic. 12 Dowries wereanother form of gift-giving. In 1187, for example, Grand Prince Vsevolodgave much gold and silver together with other gifts as a dowry for hisdaughter Verkhuslava. 136. Bribes. Monies were sometimes paid to Rus' and foreign rulers toleave a town in peace or to help a Rus' prince seize a particular town. In1144, for instance, Prince Volodimer had to pay Prince Vsevolod 1,400hryvny of silver to make peace. 14 Six years later, the King of Hungarydemanded much gold and other valuables to return home. 15 In 1190 PrinceVolodimer fled to the Holy Roman Emperor and reportedly promised him2,000 silver hryvny per year in return for the emperor's help in regainingthe throne of Halych. 16This list is by no means exhaustive; rather, it demonstrates that therewere many sources, among which trade was unquestionably very important,for the coins and ingots deposited in Kiev during the pre-Mongol era.Unfortunately, there is no way to apportion Kiev's monetary wealth amongthese numerous factors. What is certain is that no mono-causal approachcan properly explain monetary circulation in Kiev in the pre-Mongol era.It can surely be argued, however, that much of the net growth in Kiev'swealth came from trade. For most of the other factors, the influx of monetarywealth into Kiev was probably offset by a corresponding outlay. Gifts,as we have seen, were often reciprocated. While Kiev undoubtedlyamassed a sizeable amount of booty, it, too, was looted on several9RPC-L, p. 164, s.a. 1075.10The Nikonian Chronicle, vol. 2: From the Year 1132-1240, ed., trans., and with commentaryby Serge A. and Betty Jean Zenkovsky (Princeton, 1984), p. 2, s.a. 1132.1 ' Nikonian Chronicle, p. 133, s.a. 1166.1213141516Kievan Chronicle, p. 98, s.a. 1148.Kievan Chronicle, pp. 429-30, s.a. 1187.Kievan Chronicle, p. 38, s.a. 1144.Kievan Chronicle, p. 140, s.a. 1150.Kievan Chronicle, p. 440, s.a. 1190.

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