Microbe or Man? Alleged Mystery of the Grand Prince Yaroslav Vse-volodovich’s Death
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12946137 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Fedor Veselov (0000-0002-2445-6497, St. Petersburg State University), F N Veselov (St Petersburg University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 42-59 |
| Publication date | 2026-02-08 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Vestnik NSU Series History and Philology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1818-7919 |
| Publisher | Novosibirsk State University (NSU) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.25205/1818-7919-2026-25-1-42-59 |
| OpenAlex | W7128437508 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 18 |
Accounts of the same event appearing in multiple sources are a relatively rare phenomenon for the Classical Middle Ages. Fortunately, the death of the Grand Prince of Rus’ Yaroslav Vsevolodovich at the Ordu of the Great Khan Güyük’s mother in September 1246 is recorded in the report of the envoy of the Apostolic See to the Mongols, John de Plano Carpini, and Russian medieval chronicles. This has led many historians to generally accept that he died from poison. However, some scholars challenge this interpretation, proposing that he may have succumbed to a food-borne illness and asserting that Russian sources are solely dependent on the news by the papal diplomat. They argue that a vassal in the Mongol Empire could only face punishment through a legitimate court. However, the study of independent sources on the history of the Mongol Empire demonstrates that the Chinggisids, using the scientific resources of the conquered peoples, had access to poisons and used them widely. Furthermore, reports of Yaroslav’s violent death surfaced in Northern Rus’ independently of Friar John’s narrative. Overall, a careful analysis of Friar John’s firsthand account reinforces the conclusion that the prince most likely died from poisoning
Empire · Event (particle physics · Face (sociological concept · Phenomenon · Punishment (psychology · Roman Empire · Byzantine Studies and History · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Soviet and Russian History
The Mongols and Siberia
“Poisoned” khans
Islamic Pharmacy in the Mamlūk and Mongol Realms
Culture and Conquest in Mongol Eurasia
A medieval effort toward unity
Woman, diplomacy and war
Trial in the case of the Poisoning of Ögedei Khan in the Context of Contradictions between Different Groups of Sources
A Soup for the Qan
The “necessary death” of the Grand Duke
I. The Minor Friars in China
| Highly cited | No |
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