Kyi

Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv and Lybid (miniature of the Radziwiłł Letopis)

Kniaz Kyi defends the fortress of Kyiv. 487 year

Commemorative coin "Kyi" denomination of 10 hryvnias is dedicated to Kniaz Kyi

Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv and Lybid on the obverse of the NBU silver coin "900 years of the Primary Chronicle", 2013

Kyi (Old East Slavic: Кий) was the founder of Kyiv and the Kyi dynasty, and the Prince (Knyaz) of Polans. He was one of four siblings (brothers Kyi, Shchek, and Khoryv, and sister Lybid), who, according to the Primary Chronicle, lived in the Dnieper mountains and built a city on the right high bank of the Dnieper, named Kyiv, after the eldest brother. Kyi was also named the founder of the town of Kyivets on the Danube. From Kyi and his brothers the chroniclers deduced the Polans tribe.

Parallel evidence[]

In the Armenian "History of Taron" by Zenob Glak (VIII century) it is mentioned that three brothers: Quar, Meltei (Mile) and Horean founded three cities in the country Poluny, and after some time they built a settlement on Mount Kerkey, where there was space for hunting, lots of grass and trees. This story with its names and details is very reminiscent of the testimony of the Kiev chronicler. An explanation for this can be found both in the common source (probably Scythian) of Ukrainian and Armenian legends, and in the common mythological plot used to explain the founding of the city.

Byzantine sources report that the Kyivan prince Kyi (originally Kuver) was brought up at the court of Emperor Justinian I in his youth, converted to Christianity in Constantinople, and was educated there. "He had the great honor of the king," received benefits in the Lower Danube, where he founded the "town of Kiev", but due to resistance from local tribes could not gain a foothold there. That's why Kyi returned home, where he "laid" (probably rebuilt or moved from another city) his capital Kyiv.

According to other Byzantine testimonies, Kyi was a contemporary of Emperor Heraclius (575-641). As his contemporary John of Nicaea writes in detail, "by the power of the Holy and Life-Giving Baptism he received, he defeated all barbarians and pagans." The friendly ties of the ancient n prince with the Byzantine imperial court is evidenced by the "Primary Chronicle".

Archaeological evidence[]

In the VI-VII centuries, the borders of three cultural groups of monuments converged on the Polans land — Kyiv Oblast — Prague, Penkiv and Kolochyn cultures, and in the VIII-X centuries — Luka-Raikovetska and Volyntsevo culture. From the very beginning, Kyiv was the center of not one, but several tribal groups.

The text of "Primary Chronicle"[]

«И быша 3 брата, единому имя Кий, а другому Щекъ, а третьему Хоривъ, и сестра их Лыбѣдь. И сѣдяше Кий на горѣ, кдѣ нынѣ увозъ Боричевъ, а Щекъ сѣдяше на горѣ, кдѣ нынѣ зовется Щековица, а Хоривъ на третьей горѣ, отнюдуже прозвася Хоривіца; створиша городокъ, во имя брата ихъ старѣйшаго, и нарекоша его Киевъ. И бяше около города лѣсъ и боръ великъ, и бяху ловяще звѣрье. Бяхуть бо мудрѣ и смыслени, и нарицахуся Поляне, отъ нихъ же суть Поляне Кияне и до сего дни.

Инии же, не вѣдуще, ркоша, яко Кий есть перевозникъ бысть; у Киева бо перевозъ бяше тогда съ оноя страны Днепра, тѣмь глаголаху: на перевозъ на Киевъ. Аще бо быль перевозникъ Кый, то не бы ходилъ къ Царюграду; но сий Кий княжаше в роду своем; и приходившю ему къ царю не свѣмы, но токмо о семъ вѣмы, якоже сказають, яко велику честь приялъ есть от царя, которого не вѣмъ и при которомъ приходи цари. Идущю же ему опять, приде къ Дунаеви, и възлюби мѣсто и сруби городокъ малъ, и хотяше сѣсти с родомъ своимъ, и не даша ему близъ живущии; еже и до нынѣ нарѣчють Дунайци городіще Киевѣць. Киеви же прішедшю въ свой городъ Киевъ, ту и сконча животъ свой, и брата его Щекъ и Хоривъ и сестра ихъ Лыбѣдь ту скончашася. И по сей братьи почаша дѣржати родъ ихъ княжение въ Поляхъ…

(Filed according to the Hypatian Codex)

Honoring the memory[]

• The city of Kyiv was named in his honor.
• In the center of Kyiv there is a Monument to the founders of the city of Kyiv, among which the legendary Prince Kyi is depicted.

Interesting Facts[]

The Persian epic poem Shahnameh (Ferdowsi) has preserved the names of historical figures from Kyiv, the royal dynasty of the Kyanids: Keigobad, Keikavos (son of Keigobad); third - Keihosrov (son of Siyavush - son of Keigobad); fourth - Keimehrab (son of Keivaji son of Keimanesh son of Keigobad); fifth - Hoshtasb (son of Lohrasb); sixth - Bagman (son of Esfandiar son of Hoshtasba); seventh - Queen Humai (wife or daughter of Bagman); eighth - Darab I (son of Humai) - Dariavash; ninth - Darab II.^[1]

References[]

Further reading[]

• В. М. Ричка. Кий // Енциклопедія історії України : у 10 т. / редкол.: В. А. Смолій (голова) та ін. ; Інститут історії України НАН України. — К. : Наукова думка, 2007. — Т. 4 : Ка — Ком. — С. 284. — 528 с. : іл. — ISBN 978-966-00-0692-8.

External links[]

• Media related to Kyi at Wikimedia Commons