Gleb. Prince of Minsk

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Source of image: www.nbrb.by	PRINCE GLEB OF MENSK Gleb, the son of Prince Usyaslau of Polatsk, was born around 1060 and ruled the town of Mensk (Minsk) for 18 years (1101-1119). After the death of Usyaslau, an appanage period and unceasing internecine rivalries began. The first to secede from the Polatsk land was the Principality of Mensk. Still, Gleb continued to actively support the struggle of Polatsk against the sway of the Kievan princes. Gleb bent all his energies to the expansion of the boundaries of his domain. He subdued Orsha, Kopys, and Drutsk (at that time a large town). In 1105 Mensk came under the attack of allied forces of southern Rus' princes. Gleb succeeded in beating it back. In 1116 he occupied part of the Dregavichi land and captured prisoners, with the town of Slutsk sustaining heavy damage. The behavior of the prince of Mensk was of great concern to Uladzimir Manamakh, Grand Prince of Kiev. Moreover, Gleb did not want to admit his guilt and put the blame on Manamakh himself. Several princes were planning a three-pronged attack by their numerous troops against the Principalities of Mensk and Drutsk. Gleb sent envoys to Uladzimir Manamakh who agreed to hold peace talks. As a result, the grand prince gave Mensk back to Gleb and returned to Kiev. However, defiant Gleb's compliance with the instructions of Manamakh was short-lived. In 1117 he started to conquer the districts of Navagradak and Smolensk. Once again Mensk was besieged by the forces of southern Rus' princes. Gleb was taken prisoner and died in Kiev shortly. Gleb, Prince of Mensk, was quite an outstanding political figure. Like his father Usyaslau, he gave a lot of trouble to Kiev. Gleb was married to Anastasia, the daughter of Prince Yarapolk of Valhynia and Vyshgarad. According to the chronicle, the princely couple were very pious and were held in high esteem by the inhabitants of the Kievan Caves Monastery (laura), where Gleb built a refectory in 1108. Gleb and Anastasia donated gold and silver bullions to the monastery where the couple were buried next to the St. Feadosy Pyachersky, one of the founders of the monastery. Archaeological finds of a unique stone icon of the Theotokos dating back to the 12th-early 13th centuries and of other icons and crosses, as well as the building of a church, presumably dedicated to The Blessed Virgin, at the confluence of the Nyamiga and Svislach Rivers, prove the fact that Mensk became the town of Christian culture during Gleb's rule. G.V. Shtykhau D. Sc. (History), Professor, Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus Text from the official flyer “Prince Gleb of Mensk” of the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus	Date : 12.07.2007 Metal :  Ag 925 Diameter, mm :  38.61 Weight, g :  31.10 Mintage, St. :  5000 Minted by : CJSC "Lithuanian Mint", Vilnius, Lithuania Design : S.Zaskevich     Ebay-Statistic (Prices in Euro): Year Count Ave rage Min. Max. 2006 0 0,00 0,00 0,00 2007 13 28,96 20,50 39,27 2008 8 34,34 27,33 40,00 2009 6 29,52 24,10 42,00 2010 11 31,14 27,00 49,00 2011 1 32,93 32,93 32,93
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