When Mystislav the Gallant went to the South and did not return, the North ceased to think of him. There were no lasting results from his victories and exploits, either in Novgorod or Vladimir. Constantine, son of Big Nest, who had never been stalwart of body, died in 1217, shortly after he had taken the throne of Vladimir. He had made a friend of Yuri, his brother, and, when dying, committed his children to Yuri, who after Constantine’s death was again ruling prince in Vladimir. Yaroslav, while Prince of Pereyaslavl, continued to occupy Novgorod at intervals. He held Turjok as though it had been a part of Vladimir, and no matter what prince was acting in Novgorod, Yaroslav’s hand never ceased to be felt there. The Novgorod men could not live without Yaroslav, or be content with him. At this time, to round out their troubles, their way to the sea was cut off by German knights, the Chuds (Fins), and Lithuanians, against whom they warred frequently. Yaroslav, in fighting with these enemies of Novgorod, went far into the country. He marched to places where no Russian prince had ever preceded him. CHAPTER IX BALTIC PROVINCES To understand the difficulties of the situation in the north Baltic region, it will be necessary to describe it somewhat in detail. In the tenth century the Russian coast on the Baltic belonged to the Polotsk principality, to Pskoff and to Novgorod. The western part, that which had the Dvina River for its artery, belonged to the Polotsk princes; north and east of that were the Pskoff possessions, and last of all those of Novgorod. The Polotsk coast was inhabited by tribes known collectively as Kors and Livs. Later on, their territory was called by the Germans Korland and Livland. The part belonging to Pskoff was occupied by Chud, or Fin tribes. The Russians gave no collective name to these regions, but called each group by its own name; a good proof that they were left in great part to themselves. Though all those tribes paid tribute to Pskoff, Polotsk or Novgorod, they were not disturbed in their mode of living. During almost a century and a half the Russian princes built no forts or strongholds in that country. From Polotsk to the sea there were but few places. Gersiké and Kuikenos were the capitals of those lands which belonged to Polotsk. At the beginning of the eleventh century, the Polotsk region was ruled by Prince Vsevolod, whose wife was a Lithuanian. In Kuikenos was Prince Vyacheslav. The country was left mainly to the care of its inhabitants. They paid tribute and kept landing-places and portages. After the manner of primitive people, they had many disputes among themselves, but in those disputes the Russian princes meddled little; their main interest was to receive tribute, and have an open road to the sea. Christianity was spreading gradually, though no great effort was made to change the primitive religion.