FOCUS ON PHILATELY: Commemorations of "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign" (10/01/00)

FOCUS ON PHILATELY

by Ingert Kuzych

Commemorations of "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign"

"The Tale of Ihor's Campaign" ("Slovo o polku Ihorevi," also called "The Tale of the Host of Ihor") is a masterpiece of Kyivan Rus' literature dating from the late 12th century. The subject of the epic-poem is the unsuccessful campaign, during April and May 1185, of Prince Ihor of Novhorod-Siversky (a town in present-day Chernihiv Oblast) against the marauding Polovtsi (Polovetsians). Similar to the great French epic "The Song of Roland," Ihor's manly pride draws him into a conflict in which the odds are too great for him. Though defeated, Ihor manages to elude his captors and return to his home.

The tale was written by an unknown author soon after the campaign took place; it is thus a recent impression of the events described. From the tenor of the poem it can be deduced that the author was a mature, experienced man, perhaps serving in one of the princely retinues. Versed in the manners and customs of his day, he was well-acquainted with the poetic resources then prevalent in Kyivan Rus literature. A fervent patriot and a Christian, the author did not hesitate to use pagan elements to intensify his poetic vein. The forceful presentation of this historical event through the prism of such a sensitive soul, makes "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign" the greatest literary achievement of Kyivan Rus.

The poem was located in a manuscript collection titled "The Khronograph" purchased in 1795 by Count I. A. Mussin-Pushkin from Archimandrate Yoil (Joel) of the Spasso-Yaroslav Monastery. The single preserved copy was apparently hidden after 1240 when the Mongol incursions into Ukraine began.

After decipherment, the manuscript was published in 1800 in St. Petersburg. The original copy disappeared in 1812 and is believed to have perished in the burning of Moscow along with the entire library of Mussin-Pushkin.

Scholarly research has firmly established that, for the most part, the language used by the poet was Ukrainian as spoken in the 12th century; linguistically it was closely related both to the vernacular and to Church Slavonic. Interestingly, many of the words and phrases have been preserved in various Ukrainian dialects that have not undergone as rapid an evolutionary change as has the literary language.

The first half of the narrative tells of the gathering of Ihor's host, including the forces of Vsevolod of Trubchevsk, Ihor's brother; their nephew Sviatoslav of Rylsk; and the son of Ihor, Volodymyr of Putivl. Ignoring a number of unfavorable omens, including a solar eclipse (that occurred May 1, 1185, allowing dating of the campaign), these minor princes cross the Donets River and attack the lands of the Polovtsi. Despite initial success, the invasion force is ultimately defeated after a three-day battle and all four princes are taken prisoner.

Next follows a long lyrical digression in which Ihor's cousin Sviatoslav III, prince of Kyiv, speaking for the author, suggests that Ihor's defeat was caused by his failure to unite with some of the more powerful Princes. A number of these Rus' princes are called upon to save the captured Ihor. The final section opens with the lament of Yaroslavna, Ihor's wife, and her appeal to the forces of nature. It closes with the prince's escape, which occurred in 1186.

"The Tale of Ihor's Campaign" has served as an inspiration for many writers, artists and even musicians. Pavel Borodin's famous opera "Prince Igor" is based on this ancient epic.

Chronology of commemorative efforts

In 1985 UNESCO passed a resolution commemorating the 800th anniversary of "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign". The resolution stated that this work, an important part of world culture, was not only instrumental in the development of Slavic literature but also constitutes a distinguished contribution to world literature.

The Soviet Union commemorated "The Tale" philatelically on three different occasions. The first stamp release occurred in 1957; 40-kopek value depicted a minstrel reciting "The Tale" in the left foreground while in the background a scene of the advancing host may be observed (Figure 1). The inscription reads: "The National Epic of The Tale of Ihor's Campaign, The Greatest Composition of Ancient Rus Literature."

In 1975 a 4-kopek stamp was issued showing the marching host. The inscription states: "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign, The 175th Anniversary of the First Publication" (Figure 2).

More recently, on the 800th anniversary of "The Tale" in 1985, a lovely 10-kopek value stamp was produced. The depiction was of an illustrated folio with scenes from the epic and a simple inscription "800 Years, The Tale of Ihor's Campaign" (Figure 3). This last release was named Europe's best stamp at the annual Paris Philatelic Congress in 1986.

The high-value, 150-ruble platinum coin from the Millennium Commemorative Coin Set (issued by the Soviet government in 1988) showed a scene somewhat reminiscent of the 1957 stamp. The author is prominently positioned composing "The Tale," while in the background Ihor's forces march off to do battle. An inscription of large letters reads: "1,000 Years of Ancient Rus Literature"; while smaller letters spell out: "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign, 1185" (Figure 4).

Last year Ukraine seems to have indirectly honored "The Tale". A commemorative 5-hryvnia silver coin was minted for: "The 900th Anniversary of the Novhorod-Siverskyi Principality." The depiction shows a prince leading an armed host; they march in front of an old Rus fortress. Although not specifically stated, the scene is most likely supposed to represent Prince Ihor setting forth on his campaign from Novhorod-Siversky (Figure 5).

This year marks the 200th anniversary since "The Tale of Ihor's Campaign" was first published. It would be an excellent opportunity for Ukraine to lay philatelic claim to this earliest piece of its literature, which, although frequently misidentified as being Russian, was undoubtedly written in Ukraine.

Incredibly, a stamp honoring "The Tale" is not on the list of planned stamps for 2000. There is hope that it could still be added, but in recent years Ukraine Post emissions have conformed fairly closely to published plans.

Ingert Kuzych may be contacted at P.O. Box 3, Springfield VA 22150, or by e-mail at [email protected]

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