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Vladimir the Great
Vladimir's effigy on one of his coins. He is crowned in the Byzantine style, holding a cross-mounted staff in one hand and a trident (tryzub) in the other.
Grand Prince of Kiev
Reign11 June 978 – 15 July 1015
PredecessorYaropolk I
SuccessorSviatopolk I
Prince of Novgorod
Reign970 – c. 988
PredecessorSviatoslav I
SuccessorVysheslav
Bornc. 958
Budnik[1] or Budiatychi[2]
Died15 July 1015 (aged approximately 57)
Berestove
Burial
Spouse
Issue
among others
Names
Vladimir Sviatoslavich
DynastyRurik
FatherSviatoslav I of Kiev
MotherMalusha[3]
ReligionChalcedonian Christianity (from 988)
prev. Slavic pagan

Vladimir of Kiev
Equal to the Apostles
Bornc. 958
Died15 July 1015
Venerated inEastern Orthodox Church[4]
Catholic Church[5]
Anglican Communion
Lutheranism[6]
Feast15 July
AttributesCrown, cross, throne

Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych[7] (Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Свѧтославичь, romanized: Volodiměr Svętoslavič;[a][b][9] Christian name: Basil;[10] c. 958 – 15 July 1015), given the epithet "the Great",[11] was Prince of Novgorod from 970 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 978 until his death in 1015.[12][13] The Eastern Orthodox Church canonised him as Saint Vladimir.[14][15]

Vladimir's father was Sviatoslav I of the Rurik dynasty.[16] After the death of his father in 972, Vladimir, who was then the prince of Novgorod, was forced to flee abroad after his brother Yaropolk murdered his other brother Oleg in 977 to become the sole ruler of Rus'. Vladimir assembled a Varangian army and returned to depose Yaropolk in 978.[17] By 980,[13] Vladimir had consolidated his realm to the Baltic Sea and solidified the frontiers against incursions of Bulgarians, Baltic tribes and Eastern nomads. Originally a follower of Slavic paganism, Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988,[18][19][20] and Christianized the Kievan Rus.[16][21]

Name

Several scholars refer to Vladimir as Volodimer,[22][23][24][25] also spelled Volodimir,[26][c] and his descendants as Volodimerovichi (sometimes in lieu of "Rurikids").[28][29] In the history of Scandinavia, Vladimir is also known as Valdemar or the Old Norse form Valdamarr (see Waldemar).[30][31][32][33]

Rise to power

Born in 958, Vladimir was the illegitimate and youngest son of Sviatoslav I of Kiev by his housekeeper Malusha.[34] Malusha is described in the Norse sagas as a prophetess who lived to the age of 100 and was brought from her cave to the palace to predict the future. Malusha's brother Dobrynya was Vladimir's tutor and most trusted advisor. Hagiographic tradition of dubious authenticity also connects his childhood with the name of his grandmother, Olga of Kiev, who was Christian and governed the capital during Sviatoslav's frequent military campaigns.[35]

Transferring his capital to Pereyaslavets, Sviatoslav designated Vladimir ruler of Novgorod the Great in 970,[12] but gave Kiev to his legitimate son Yaropolk. After Sviatoslav's death at the hands of the Pechenegs in 972, a fratricidal war erupted in 977 between Yaropolk and his younger brother Oleg, ruler of the Drevlians; Vladimir fled abroad and assembled a Varangian army to assist him in deposing Yaropolk,[36][17] against whom he marched on his return the next year. On his way to Kiev he sent ambassadors to Rogvolod (Norse: Ragnvald), prince of Polotsk, to sue for the hand of his daughter Rogneda (Norse: Ragnhild). The high-born princess refused to affiance herself to the son of a bondswoman (and was betrothed to Yaropolk), so Vladimir attacked Polotsk, took Ragnhild by force, and put her parents to the sword.[34][37] Polotsk was a key fortress on the way to Kiev, and capturing it along with Smolensk facilitated the taking of Kiev in 978, where he slew Yaropolk by treachery and was proclaimed knyaz of all Kievan Rus'.[38][13]

Years of pagan rule

Vladimir continued to expand his territories beyond his father's extensive domain. In 981, he seized the Cherven towns from the Duchy of Poland; in 981–982, he suppressed a Vyatichi rebellion; in 983, he subdued the Yatvingians; in 984, he conquered the Radimichs; and in 985, he conducted a military campaign against the Volga Bulgars,[39][40] planting numerous fortresses and colonies on his way.[34]

Although Christianity had spread in the region under Oleg's rule, Vladimir had remained a thoroughgoing pagan, taking eight hundred concubines (along with numerous wives) and erecting pagan statues and shrines to gods.[41]

He may have attempted to reform Slavic paganism in an attempt to identify himself with the various gods worshipped by his subjects. He built a pagan temple on a hill in Kiev dedicated to six gods: Perun—the god of thunder and war, a god favored by members of the prince's druzhina (military retinue); Slavic gods Stribog and Dazhd'bog; Mokosh—a goddess representing Mother Nature "worshipped by Finnish tribes"; Khors and Simargl, "both of which had Iranian origins, were included, probably to appeal to the Poliane".[42]

Open abuse of the deities that most people in Rus' revered triggered widespread indignation.[clarification needed] A mob killed the Christian Fyodor and his son Ioann (later, after the overall Christianisation of Kievan Rus', people came to regard these two as the first Christian martyrs in Rus', and the Orthodox Church set a day to commemorate them, 25 July[43]). Immediately after said murder, early medieval Rus' saw persecutions against Christians, many of whom escaped or concealed their belief.[d]

However, Prince Vladimir mused over the incident long after, and not least for political considerations. According to the early Slavic chronicle, the Tale of Bygone Years, which describes life in Kievan Rus' up to the year 1110, he sent his envoys throughout the world to assess first-hand the major religions of the time: Islam, Latin Christianity, Judaism, and Byzantine Christianity.[44] They were most impressed with their visit to Constantinople, saying, "We knew not whether we were in Heaven or on Earth ... We only know that God dwells there among the people, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations."[45]

Conversion

The Baptism of Saint Prince Vladimir, by Viktor Vasnetsov (1890)

The Primary Chronicle reports that in the year 986, missionaries from various peoples representing various religions arrived in Kiev, trying to convert Vladimir to their religion. In 987, after consultation with his boyars, Vladimir reportedly sent envoys to study the religions of the various neighboring peoples whose representatives had been urging him to embrace their respective faiths. Although in both stories Vladimir ultimately rejects all options except Eastern Christianity, he hesitates and does not convert.[46]

In 988, having taken the town of Chersonesus in Crimea, he allegedly boldly negotiated for the hand of emperor Basil II's sister, Anna.[47] Never before had a Byzantine imperial princess, and one "born in the purple", married a barbarian, as matrimonial offers of French kings and Holy Roman Emperors had been peremptorily rejected. In short, to marry the 27-year-old princess to a pagan Slav seemed impossible. Vladimir was baptized at Chersonesos, however, taking the Christian name of Basil out of compliment to his imperial brother-in-law; the sacrament was followed by his wedding to Anna.

Arab sources, both Muslim and Christian, present a different story of Vladimir's conversion. Yahya of Antioch, al-Rudhrawari, al-Makin, al-Dimashqi, and ibn al-Athir all give essentially the same account.[48] In 987, Bardas Sclerus and Bardas Phocas revolted against the Byzantine emperor Basil II. Both rebels briefly joined forces, but then Bardas Phocas proclaimed himself emperor on 14 September 987. Basil II turned to the Kievan Rus' for assistance, even though they were considered enemies at that time. Vladimir agreed, in exchange for a marital tie; he also agreed to accept Christianity as his religion and to Christianize his people. When the wedding arrangements were settled, Vladimir dispatched 6,000 troops to the Byzantine Empire, and they helped to put down the revolt.[49]

Christianization of Kievan Rus'

Returning to Kiev in triumph, Vladimir destroyed pagan monuments and established many churches, starting with a church dedicated to St. Basil,[50] and the Church of the Tithes (989).[34]

In 988 and 991, he baptized Pecheneg princes Metiga and Kuchug, respectively.[51]

Christian reign

Vladimir then formed a great council out of his boyars and set his twelve sons over his subject principalities.[34] According to the Primary Chronicle, he founded the city of Belgorod in 991. In 992, he went on a campaign against the Croats, most likely the White Croats that lived on the border of modern Ukraine. This campaign was cut short by the attacks of the Pechenegs on and around Kiev.[52]

In his later years he lived in relative peace with his other neighbors: Bolesław I of Poland, Stephen I of Hungary, and Andrikh the Czech (a shadowy figure mentioned in A Tale of the Bygone Years). After Anna's death, he married again, likely to a granddaughter of Otto the Great.[citation needed]

In 1014, his son Yaroslav the Wise stopped paying tribute. Vladimir decided to chastise the insolence of his son and began gathering troops against him. Vladimir fell ill, however, most likely of old age, and died at Berestove, near modern-day Kiev. The various parts of his dismembered body were distributed among his numerous sacred foundations and were venerated as relics.[34]

During his Christian reign, Vladimir lived the teachings of the Bible through acts of charity. He would hand out food and drink to the less fortunate, and made an effort to go out to the people who could not reach him. His work was based on the impulse to help one's neighbors by sharing the burden of carrying their cross.[53] He founded numerous churches, including the Desyatynna Tserkva (Church, or Cathedral, of the Tithes) (989), established schools, protected the poor and introduced ecclesiastical courts. He lived mostly at peace with his neighbors, the incursions of the Pechenegs alone disturbing his tranquility.[34]

He introduced the Byzantine law code into his territories following his conversion but reformed some of its harsher elements; he notably abolished capital punishment, along with judicial torture and mutilation.[54]

Family

Vladimir and Rogneda (1770)

The fate of all Vladimir's daughters, whose number is around nine, is uncertain. His wives, concubines, and their children were as follows:

  • Olava or Allogia (Varangian or Czech), speculative; she might have been mother of Vysheslav while others claim that it is a confusion with Helena Lekapene
    • Vysheslav (c. 977 – c. 1010), Prince of Novgorod (988–1010)[55]
  • Irina, a widow of Yaropolk I, a Greek nun
  • Rogneda (the daughter of Rogvolod); later upon divorce she entered a convent taking the Christian name of Anastasia
  • Bulgarian Adela, some sources claim that Adela is not necessarily Bulgarian as Boris and Gleb may have been born from some other wife
    • Boris (born c. 986), Prince of Rostov (c. 1010 – 1015), remarkable is the fact that the Rostov Principality as well as the Principality of Murom used to border the territory of the Volga Bolgars
    • Gleb (born c. 987), Prince of Murom (1013–1015), as is Boris, Gleb is also claimed to be the son of Anna Porphyrogenita.[60]
    • Stanislav (born c. 985 – 1015), Prince of Smolensk (988–1015), possibly of another wife and the fate of whom is not certain
    • Sudislav (died 1063), Prince of Pskov (1014–1036), possibly of another wife, but he is mentioned in Nikon's Chronicles. He spent 35 years in prison and later became a monk.
  • Malfrida
    • Sviatoslav (c. 982 – 1015), Prince of Drevlians (990–1015)
  • Anna Porphyrogenita
  • a granddaughter of Otto the Great (possibly Rechlinda Otona [Regelindis])
  • other possible family

Significance and legacy

Volodymyr the Great portrait on obverse of ₴1 bill, circa 2006

The Eastern Orthodox, Byzantine Rite Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches celebrate the feast day of St. Vladimir on 15/28 July.[61][62]

The town Volodymyr in north-western Ukraine was founded by Vladimir and is named after him.[63] The foundation of another town, Vladimir in Russia, is usually attributed to Vladimir Monomakh. However some researchers argue that it was also founded by Vladimir the Great.[64]

St Volodymyr's Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in Kyiv, is dedicated to Vladimir the Great, as was originally the Kyiv University. The Imperial Russian Order of St. Vladimir and Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in the United States are also named after him.

The memory of Vladimir was also kept alive by innumerable Russian folk ballads and legends, which refer to him as Krasno Solnyshko (the Fair Sun, or the Red Sun; Красно Солнышко in Russian). The Varangian period of Eastern Slavic history ceases with Vladimir, and the Christian period begins.

The appropriation of Kievan Rus' as part of national history has also been a topic of contention in Ukrainophile vs. Russophile schools of historiography since the Soviet era.[65] Today, he is regarded as a symbol in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

All branches of the economy prospered under Vladimir.[66] He minted coins and regulated foreign affairs with other countries, such as trade, bringing in Greek wines, Baghdad spices, and Arabian horses for the markets of Kiev.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Volodiměrъ is an Old East Slavic form of the given name; this form was influenced and partially replaced by the Old Bulgarian (Old Church Slavonic) form Vladiměrъ (by folk etymology later also Vladimirъ; in modern East Slavic languages, the given name is rendered Belarusian: Уладзiмiр, Uladzimir, Russian: Владимир, Vladimir, Ukrainian: Володимир, Volodymyr. See Vladimir for details.
  2. ^ Russian: Владимир Святославич, Vladimir Svyatoslavich; Ukrainian: Володимир Святославич, Volodymyr Sviatoslavych; Belarusian: Уладзімір Святаславіч, Uladzimir Svyataslavich; Old Norse Valdamarr gamli[8]
  3. ^ According to historian Donald Ostrowski (2017), Russian scholars tend to prefer "Vladimir", while Ukrainian scholars tend to prefer "Volodimer". However, "Volodimir" tends to occur as much in the primary sources as "Volodimer", and significantly more often than "Vladimir".[27]
  4. ^ In 983, after another of his military successes, Prince Vladimir and his army thought it necessary to sacrifice human lives to the gods. A lot was cast and it fell on a youth, Ioann by name, the son of a Christian, Fyodor. His father stood firmly against his son being sacrificed to the idols. Further, he tried to show the pagans the futility of their faith: "Your gods are just plain wood: it is here now but it may rot into oblivion tomorrow; your gods neither eat, nor drink, nor talk and are made by human hand from wood; whereas there is only one God – He is worshiped by Greeks and He created heaven and earth; and your gods? They have created nothing, for they have been created themselves; never will I give my son to the devils!"[citation needed]

References

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  2. ^ Dyba, Yury (2012). Aleksandrovych V.; Voitovych, Leontii; et al. (eds.). Історично-геогра фічний контекст літописного повідомлення про народження князя Володимира Святославовича: локалізація будятиного села [Historical-geographic figurative context of the chronicled report about the birth of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich: localisation of a busy village] (PDF). Княжа доба: історія і культура [Era of the Princes: history and culture] (in Ukrainian). 6. Lviv. ISSN 2221-6294. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  3. ^ Harvard Ukrainian studies, Vol. 12–13, p. 190, Harvard Ukrainian studies, 1990
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  5. ^ Berit, Ase (26 March 2015). Lifelines in World History: The Ancient World, The Medieval World, The Early Modern World, The Modern World. Routledge. p. 216. ISBN 9781317466048.
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  7. ^ "Час побудови собору". 26 May 2020.
  8. ^ Fagrskinna ch. 21 (ed. Finnur Jónsson 1902–8, p. 108).
  9. ^ Клосс, Борис (15 May 2022). Полное собрание русских летописей. Том 1. Лаврентьевская летопись (in Russian). Litres. p. 69. ISBN 978-5-04-107383-1.
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  12. ^ a b Feldbrugge, Ferdinand J. M. (20 October 2017). A History of Russian Law: From Ancient Times to the Council Code (Ulozhenie) of Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich of 1649. BRILL. p. 473. ISBN 978-90-04-35214-8.
  13. ^ a b c Hanak, Walter K. (10 October 2013). The Nature and the Image of Princely Power in Kievan Rus', 980-1054: A Study of Sources. BRILL. p. 15. ISBN 978-90-04-26022-1.
  14. ^ Companion to the Calendar: A Guide to the Saints and Mysteries of the Christian Calendar, p. 105, Mary Ellen Hynes, Ed. Peter Mazar, LiturgyTrainingPublications, 1993
  15. ^ Gasparov, B.; Raevsky-Hughes, Olga (1 January 1993). Slavic Cultures in the Middle Ages. University of California Press. pp. 77–82. ISBN 978-0-520-07945-8.
  16. ^ a b Vladimir I (Grand Prince of Kiev) at the Encyclopædia Britannica
  17. ^ a b Martin, Janet (7 December 1995). Medieval Russia, 980-1584. Cambridge University Press. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-0-521-36832-2.
  18. ^ Vladimir the Great, Encyclopedia of Ukraine
  19. ^ Saint Vladimir the Baptizer: Wetting cultural appetites for the Gospel, Dr. Alexander Roman, Ukrainian Orthodoxy website
  20. ^ Ukrainian Catholic Church: part 1., The Free Library
  21. ^ National geographic, Vol. 167, p. 290, National Geographic Society, 1985
  22. ^ Franklin 1991, p. 3.
  23. ^ Ostrowski 2006, p. 568.
  24. ^ Halperin 2022, p. 15.
  25. ^ Dabrowski, Patrice M. (2014). Poland: The First Thousand Years. Cornell University Press. p. 18. ISBN 9781501757402. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  26. ^ Ostrowski 2018, p. 33.
  27. ^ Ostrowski, Donald (2017). Portraits of Medieval Eastern Europe, 900–1400. Christian Raffensperger. Abingdon, Oxon. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-315-20417-8. OCLC 994543451.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ^ Raffensperger 2016, p. 9.
  29. ^ Halperin 2022, p. viii.
  30. ^ Mägi, Marika (15 May 2018). In Austrvegr: The Role of the Eastern Baltic in Viking Age Communication across the Baltic Sea. BRILL. p. 301. ISBN 978-90-04-36381-6.
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  32. ^ Dʹi͡akonov, Igorʹ Mikhaĭlovich (26 August 1999). The Paths of History. Cambridge University Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0-521-64398-6.
  33. ^ Chadwick, H. Munro; Chadwick, Nora K. (31 October 2010). The Growth of Literature. Cambridge University Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-108-01615-5.
  34. ^ a b c d e f g Bain 1911.
  35. ^ Kovalenko, Volodymyr. "Young years of Volodymyr Svyatoslavych: the path to the Kyiv throne in the light of the theories of A. Adler - E. Erikson". Bulletin of the Chernihiv National Pedagogical University. Series: Historical Sciences. 2015 (134): 10–18.
  36. ^ Fennell, John L. (14 January 2014). A History of the Russian Church to 1488. Routledge. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-317-89720-0.
  37. ^ Levin, Eve (1995). Sex and Society in the World of the Orthodox Slavs 900–1700. Cornell University Press. doi:10.7591/9781501727627. ISBN 978-1-5017-2762-7.
  38. ^ Den hellige Vladimir av Kiev (~956–1015), Den Katolske Kirke
  39. ^ Janet Martin. Medieval Russia. Cambridge University Press. 1995. pp. 5, 15, 20.
  40. ^ John Channon, Robert Hudson. The Penguin historical atlas of Russia. Viking. 1995. p. 23.
  41. ^ "Although Christianity in Kiev existed before Vladimir's time, he had remained a pagan, accumulated about seven wives, established temples, and, it is said, taken part in idolatrous rites involving human sacrifice." (Encyclopædia Britannica)
  42. ^ Janet, Martin (2007). Medieval Russia, 980–1584 (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 6. ISBN 9780511811074. OCLC 761647272.
  43. ^ "On July 25, the church honors the first holy martyrs of Kievan Rus". 24 July 2021.
  44. ^ Bury, John Bagnell (1923). The Cambridge Medieval History. Vol. IV. 308 Cambridge: University Press.
  45. ^ Thomas Riha (2009). Readings in Russian Civilization, Volume 1: Russia Before Peter the Great, 900–1700. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-71843-9
  46. ^ Ostrowski 2006, pp. 568–569.
  47. ^ The Earliest Mediaeval Churches of Kiev, Samuel H. Cross, H. V. Morgilevski and K. J. Conant, Speculum, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Oct., 1936), 479.
  48. ^ Ibn al-Athir dates these events to 985 or 986 in his The Complete History
  49. ^ "Rus". Encyclopaedia of Islam
  50. ^ The Earliest Mediaeval Churches of Kiev, Samuel H. Cross, H. V. Morgilevski and K. J. Conant, Speculum, 481.
  51. ^ Curta, Florin (2007). The Other Europe in the Middle Ages. Brill. ISBN 9789047423560. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  52. ^ "The Russian Primary Chronicle".
  53. ^ Obolensky, Alexander (1993). "From First to Third Millennium: The Social Christianity of St. Vladimir of Kiev". Cross Currents.
  54. ^ Ware, Timothy (1993). The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-14-192500-4.
  55. ^ Feldbrugge, Ferdinand J. M. (20 October 2017). A History of Russian Law: From Ancient Times to the Council Code (Ulozhenie) of Tsar Aleksei Mikhailovich of 1649. BRILL. p. 340. ISBN 978-90-04-35214-8.
  56. ^ Pchelov, E.V. (2002). Rurikovichi: Istoriya dinastii (Online edition (No longer available) ed.). Moscow.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  57. ^ William Humphreys, "Agatha, mother of St. Margaret: the Slavic versus the Salian solutions - a critical overview", Foundations, 1(1):31-43; Joseph Edwards, "Editorial", Foundations, 1(2):74; William Humphreys, "Agatha ‘the Greek’ – Exploring the Slavic solution", Foundations, 1(4):275-288.
  58. ^ Arrignon, Jean Pierre (1983). Les relations diplomatiques entre Bizance et la Russie de 860 à 1043. Revue des études slaves 55. pp. 133-135.
  59. ^ Валерий Борисович Перхавко (2006). Воители Руси: IX-XIII [Warriors of Russia IX-XIII centuries]. - M .: Veche, 2006. p. 64. - ISBN 5-9533-1256-3
  60. ^ a b Shepherd, Jonathan (2003). "Marriages Towards the Millennium". In Magdalino, Paul (ed.). Byzantium in the Year 1000. BRILL. pp. 25–26. ISBN 978-90-04-12097-6. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  61. ^ "St. Vladimir". Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  62. ^ День Св. Володимира Великого, християнського правителя (in Ukrainian). Ukrainian Lutheran Church. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  63. ^ Henryk Paszkiewicz. The making of the Russian nation. Greenwood Press. 1977. Cracow 1996, pp. 77–79.
  64. ^ С. В. Шевченко (ред.). К вопросу о дате основания г. Владимира, ТОО "Местное время", 1992. (S. V. Shevchenko (ed.). On the foundation date of Vladimir. in Russian)
  65. ^ A tale of two Vladimirs, The Economist (5 November 2015)
    From one Vladimir to another: Putin unveils huge statue in Moscow, The Guardian (5 November 2015)
    Putin unveils 'provocative' Moscow statue of St Vladimir, BBC News (5 November 2016)
  66. ^ Volkoff, Vladimir (2011). Vladimir the Russian Viking. New York: Overlook Press.

Bibliography

Vladimir I of Kiev
Born: 958 Died: 15 July 1015
Regnal titles
Preceded by
?
Prince of Novgorod
969–977
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by Grand Prince of Kiev
980–1015
Succeeded by
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Prince of Kiev
977–980
Succeeded by
Vysheslav Vladimirovich