Vid pleminnoho soiuzu do kniazivskoho udilu Buzheska volost u serednovichchi
FROM TRIBAL UNION TO PRINCE’S INHERITANCE: BUZHESKA VOLOST’ IN THE MIDDLE AGES Vitaliy LIASKA
NGO Ukrainian Galician Assembly
Project “Local History”
6, Tehnichna Str., Lviv 79000, Ukraine Characterized Buzhesk medieval region (volost’), which territorial core had formed at the end of
the first millennium BC within the Buzhans tribe formation. Based on the written sources clarified
ethnocultural belonging of Buzhans to Volynian group of tribes (Buzhans, Cherv’yany, Volyniany),
which confirmed by the features of the burial practices of their carriers. Found that their settlement
areas were areas of distribution smaller ethnic groups that differed characteristic features of spiritual
and material culture, including the types of burial practices and ethnic differentiating features of
homebuilding, including structural solution in heating buildings. Proved powerful Croatian infiltrations
in environment of Buzhans, which are expressed by constructive decisions of heating facilities building.
The initial territorial core of Buzhans amounted accumulation of settlements near Nesluhiv and Ripnev,
in 8 – early 11
th
recorded appearance of settlements in the basin of Poltva and internal migration flows
rushed down the course of river Western Bug and its hydro network. Crystallization of Buzhans area
settlement occurred along with processes of state forming in their environment; finally, it took shape
because of construction in the middle – the end of the tenth century settlement Buzhesk. Found out
that in 979 /981 after Volodymyr Svyatoslavovych campaign the Upper Bug region came under the
control of Kyiv. Noted that strengthening of Rus’ on these lands was accompanied by the destruction
of tribal settlement structure and the formation of a new model of territorial “arrangement” space,
which, among other things, was represented by change of planning structure settlements in the region.
The first annalistic mention of Buzhesk, dated 1098, indicating its considerable political status associated
with a separating single region (volost’). Administrative “arrangement” of the Western Bug headwaters
was conducted under the patronage of the Prince for a long time relied on tribal settlement area as the
usual territorial matrix. Despite the ongoing confrontation between the Galician and Volynian princes
can talk about the sustainable development of Buzhesk region, the peak of which was Yaropolk
Izyaslawowych reign here in the 1157–1168. In 13
th
century urban community of Buzhesk did not
play a prominent political role, but still retained its distinctiveness which confirmed late medieval
sources of 14–15
th
centuries.
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Ляска В. ISSN 2078-6107. Вісник Львівського університету. Серія історична. 2016. Випуск 52. С. 11–52
Key words: Rus’, Buzheskà volost’, Buzhesk, Buzhans, districtus Busznensis, Galician-Volynian
borderland, chronicle, hillfort, settlement, retrospective method.