Of all the descendants of Monomach and even of Oleg, “those ancient allies of the wild Polovtsi,” there was no prince in history so intimate with those steppe men as Rurik. He wished to be friends with every horde without exception, and in cases of need they were ready to serve him. It was not stated in chronicles without good reason that “the pagans delighted in Rurik, for he received all with love, whether Christians or pagans, and sent away no man unsatisfied.” In 1202 came the end of peace. In that year began wars without number, and expeditions which plunged the whole country into gloom. As soon as Rurik had made a firm treaty with the princes of Chernigoff, he hastened to use it. He resolved to humiliate Roman. The Chernigoff princes joined this league against Roman, and persuaded all descendants of Oleg to be with them. Chermny, the Chernigoff prince, went to Kief with his brethren, to help Rurik against the “Single Ruler of Galitch” and his kinsmen who managed under him in Volynia. These allied princes could not forgive Roman for taking Galitch without their consent, and without sharing it with another; they also envied him his swift exaltation. It was learned besides that Roman had come to an agreement with Big Nest, whom alone he considered as his senior. And, to finish the matter, it had been decided between those two princes to give the Kief throne to Ingvar, son of Yaroslav of Volynia. But, while sitting in Galitch, the golden-domed capital of Eight Minds, Roman knew well what was happening in Kief, the old capital. Marching swiftly, he anticipated his enemies and forestalled their campaign. The Cherkasi and the Black Caps rose to a man and went forth gladly to join the on-marching regiments of Volynia and Galitch. Kief and the towns around it were excited in favor of Roman. While the allies were talking over the future division of Bailgorod, Vyshgorod and other towns, and also the partition of Galitch; while they were planning the positions of the regiments and the hordes of Polovtsi, Roman, supported by the population, approached Kief on a sudden. The inhabitants opened the gates, and he marched in without opposition. He occupied Podol, the lower part of the city, and sent to Rurik, who was in the hill part, demanding surrender. In view of the fact that the people had opened the gates and were ready for a general uprising, the allies made no resistance whatever. Roman brought them all to kiss the cross to him; he kissed it also in this,—that he did not take Kief for himself. He then permitted them to withdraw from the city and go to their homes. Rurik went to his Ovrutch, and the Chernigoff princes to their lands east of the Dnieper. Then, deferring to Big Nest, Roman seated Ingvar, son of Yaroslav, on the Kief throne. After this, Roman won the double love of the people by a campaign against the Polovtsi, “the wild ones.” Instead of the plunder of Galitch promised the Polovtsi by Rurik, they