Diomedes "the Strong" Pontian
Lived: 943-1018
Ruler of Kiev: 991-1018
King of Kievan Pontus: 991-1018
The reign of Diomedes was important to the history of Kiev because he launched major reforms that had long-term impact to Kiev and its people. Personally Diomedes wasn't interested to conquering territories like his father and grandfather had had but that didn't mean a time of peace.
Before the kingship, Diomedes helped his father in governing, especially when his father was more needed in the command of army. Even though Diomedes was not warlike like his father, it is known that he sometimes joined to war with his father.
Baptism of High Chief Jaunutis of Zemaitija.
After Diomedes was crowned, series of wars were declared against the last Baltic pagans by decision of Kievan nobles who had been wanting new war againt Baltic pagans already at the end of Mithridatir's reign but he had denied that. Now after death of Mithridatir nobles got their way because new king was afraid to enrage them too much. Kievan army won wars easily and all lands of Baltic pagans were conquered except those which accepted convert to Christianity in 997.
During the same year new war was started when former ally, Kingdom of Georgia, declared war against Kiev. King of Georgia considered that Kievan had territory that was legally Georgian territory. Kievan army needed march to south where Georgian armies crossed the Don river and started invading Kievan lands. Kievan armies were able to get important victories against Georgia and when Georgia was forced to separate war against Byzantine Empire, King of Georgia was forced to ask peace from Diomedes.
Even though Diomedes made new alliance with Byzantine Empire with marriage of his daughter and Emperor, the trust of alliances was at stake. Allies weren't considered anymore as totally reliable. Diomedes started to think about big changes in Kiev.
Hungarian invasion in Kievan lands
However there were no time for changes when Hungary started invasion against Kiev in 1003. Hungary had been big threat in west but had been peaceful a long time. This had changed when King Dezsõ “the Great” of Hungary had started conquer new territories: At first Kingdom of Bohemia had been defeated and then Kingdom of Poland which was already no more than group of scattered independent realms.
When war against Kiev had been declared, Diomedes needed to make decisions fast. Diomedes was able to call Byzantine Empire to war but that was not enough: Kiev needed more men and so Diomedes also resorted to mercenaries. Hungarian army advanced through Kiev besieging Kievan territories. Kiev was in trouble, nothing seemed to stop the Hungarians.
Finally in Lyubech Hungarian army faced Kievan army which was supported with a lot of mercenaries. Hungarian troops were tired after crossing the Dnieper river and therefore miraculously Kievan army was able to beat them. Hungarian army tried to flee but Kievan army was able to destroy it during the retreat. After the victory, Kievan Pontus got upper hand. Kievan troops started attack against Hungary with help of Byzantine Empire and finally King of Hungary had to surrender. Diomedes had got victory that was originally seen as impossible task.
It was during the same time when Pope Theodore II decided to crown King Waltheof of Mercia to be new Holy Roman Emperor in 1011. Diomedes decided to use his diplomatic skills and get alliance with this new powerful empire in the west and as a result, marriage with Diomedes' daughter and Emperor's son was signed.
After the war against Hungary was over, Diomedes sent his army to east where vassal of Georgia, Duke of Abkhazia, had attacked against Kiev. Duke had decided use Hungarian war as good chance to take land from Kievan Pontus which was busy fighting in the west. However Diomedes had been able to end war by now and Duke of Abkhazia hadn't really a chance to win. Duke needed to abandon his war and peace was made.
Diomedes informs about reforms to his court.
When peace was back, Diomedes launched radical reforms in Kiev. Organization that had been almost same since the beginning of the kingdom was changed to be more productive and more like in Western Europe and feudal system was finally fully enabled. Diomedes also passed the new law which made vassals more obligated to crown and he was able to change Kiev to be more centralised state. Concern about foreign invaders got Diomedes to set up standing army to protect Kiev even though levies were still bulk of the army since standing army only consisted of about five hundred men. The reforms were too much to some of the Nobles of Kiev who started planning rebellion against King. However modern historians believe that some of the reforms weren't really that radical. For example feudalization was longer process which already started during the reign of Dyre.
The rebellion plans were canceled when Kiev faced again foreign attackers in 1016. This time Slavic Kingdom of Rus had decided to conquer new territories from Kiev. Diomedes again resorted to mercenaries and with their help he managed to defeat invaders.
Diomedes could not celebrate the victory for long when he died peacefully at the age of 75 in 1018. The Kingdom passed down to Mithridatir II, the oldest son of Diomedes.
Realm of Kiev during the death of Diomedes.