isoners. Iaroslaf renounced Novgorod and released the citizens
arrested by him.

Constantine succeeded his father Vsevolod, but died in 1217, and
another brother, George, became Grand Duke of Souzdal. This prince
made an expedition down the Volga, levying tribute as he proceeded. In
1220, he laid the foundation of Nishni Novgorod, and of several
villages in what was then Moravian territory.

Meanwhile Mstislaf the Bold resigned as Grand Duke of Novgorod in an
assembly of the people, saying, "I salute St. Sophia, the tomb of my
father,[3] and you. People of Novgorod, I am going to reconquer
Galitch from the strangers, but I shall never forget you. I hope (p. 059)
I may lie by the tomb of my father in St. Sophia." The people implored
him to remain; but he had made up his mind, and in 1218 he left for
the southwest, where he did succeed in conquering Galitch, that is the
name given to southwestern Russia at that time.

[Footnote 3: Mstislaf the Brave was buried in the
church of St. Sophia.]

After his departure the people of Novgorod called his nephew
Sviatoslaf as their grand duke, but soon there was a quarrel. The
possadnik Tferdislaf caused the arrest of one of the wealthy citizens,
whose friends rose to set him free. Then the burgomaster's friends
came and there was a fight in which ten men were killed. The grand
duke then demanded the dismissal of the burgomaster, and the vetche
assembled to hear both sides. The grand duke was asked what crime the
possadnik had committed.

"None," he replied, "but it is my will that he be dismissed."

The burgomaster then said: "I am satisfied, because I am not accused
of any fault; as for you, my brothers, you can dismiss alike
possadniks and dukes."

The vetche consulted, and announced its decision:

"Prince, since you do not accuse the possadnik of any fault, remember
that you have sworn to depose no magistrate without trial. Tferdislaf
will remain our possadnik,--we will not deliver him to you."

Sviatoslaf was very much displeased and resigned, and one of his
brothers, Vsevolod, was appointed in his place. This was in 1219; two
years later, in 1221, Vsevolod was expelled, and the people called
back that same Iaroslaf from whom they had been rescued by Mstislaf
the Bold. Soon there was another dispute and _he_ was sent about (p. 060)
his business. Vsevolod of Smolensk was again made duke, but the people
soon grew tired of him. A