Rostoff and Suzdal bowed at last, when forced to do so, and Vladimir became, as to influence, the mother of Russian cities, the recognized capital. This was the result of the understanding between prince and people, and of that searching for the best place wherein to do a work,—an effort which is always made when people are in earnest. Later on, Vladimir lost the position and Moscow attained it. But at first Vladimir was the natural capital of Russia. It was the place in which the greatest number of people were willing to give their adherence to him whom they considered best qualified to hold their society together. And in that age the prince by descent and connection with their history was the man for that work. Because of this great mutual interest, the people and their prince formed a unit, while the boyars formed a number of units, each acting mainly for itself. Among the princes who preceded and followed him, Vsevolod occupied an exceptional position. He seemed not to strive for mastery. He made no claim to be Grand Prince of all Russia, or even of Vladimir. But when all Russia was mentioned, it meant in the minds of most people that Russia which had its head in Vladimir. In this way, though Vsevolod was not called Grand Prince of all Russia, he was treated as holding that position, and the political business of Russia was carried on in great part in Vladimir. After the death of Sviatoslav of Chernigoff, “the sister’s son,” Kief had no great significance. During the life of this Sviatoslav, it might have been said that the Russia of Kief and that of Vladimir balanced each other, but in different senses. After Sviatoslav’s death, Vladimir was beyond question the capital of Russia. Galitch fell a victim to the struggles between boyars. Rent by internal dissensions, it became a prey at times to Volynia, at times to Smolensk and Chernigoff, and was torn apart finally by Poles and Hungarians, to the first of whom it at last became a possession. Toward the end of his reign, Vsevolod felt able to treat Kief more decisively. While his friend Sviatoslav was living, the Prince of Vladimir held aloof from the South, but when “the sister’s son” died, Vsevolod’s activity so increased that South and North became closely connected. Through nearness to Ryazan and to Novgorod, Vsevolod had to deal with them always, and his dealings with these two regions were more important than those of any prince who preceded him.