GEORGE I. surnamed the Long-handed, grand-duke of Russia, was the son of Vladimir Monomachos, who married Gyda, daughter of Harold, the last Saxon king of England. After the death of her father at the battle of Hastings, in 1065, Gyda retired to Sweden, from which country she married Vladimir, about 1070. It is how ever impossible to ascertain whether George was the son of the English princess, as his father was married three times; but it is very probable, as George died in 1157, at an advanced age. He was of a very ambitious and grasping character, a circumstance from which he derived his surname, the Long-handed. Having received for his appanage the principality of Soozdal, situated in the north of Russia, he tried to establish himself on the grand-ducal throne of Kieff, which was possessed by his nephew Ieiaslaf, and be succeeded in driving him from that principality (1149), but he was soon afterwards expelled himself by the Hungarians, who restored Isiaslaf. After many viciatitudes he attained his object, and became grand-duke of Kieff in 1155. He died two years afterwards. The reign of George is remarkable for the foundation of Moscow in a spot where, as the chroniclers relate, there lived a rich man named Koochko, of whose wife George became enamoured, and where, after causing the husband to be murdered, and having established for some time hie residence there, he laid the foundation of a futnre city. George was very partial to the southern principalities of Russia, and being for a long time unable to possess any of them, ho built several towns in his own dominions, to which he gave the names of those cities which were situated in the south ; as for instance, Vladimir, Peryaslay, ke. His own dominions, inhabited originally by several Finnish tribes, living in an almost savage state, and being mostly idolaters, became civilised under this reign by the foundation of cities, churches, and monasteries.
George peopled the new towns with settlers of Slavonian and Finnish stock, whom he attracted by granting them privileges and several other advantages. This is the origin of the population of Grand Russia, generally known under the name of the Muscovite or Sooz dalian, which being a mixture of Slavonians and Fins, exhibits a striking contrast in physical appearance, language, manners, and character to all the other Slavonian populations. This people ought never to be confounded with the real Russians, who inhabit the south-western provinces of the present Russian empire, as well as Galicia or Austrian Poland, and who, being of a pure Slavonic race, much more resemble in every respect the Poles, the Slovacks of Hun gary, and other people of Slavonic origin, than the population of Grand Russia. After the reign of George I., the northern principalities acquired great importance, and his son Andrew increased his power and established his residence at the town of Vladimir, which was built by his father on the banks of the Klasms. Instead of aiming at the possession of Kieff, which conferred the empty title of the Grand Duke of Russia, and which was captured and sacked by his son and a coalition of other princes (1159), be assumed that title in his own dominions. He strengthened his power by exiling all his brothers, who found refuge at the court of the Emperor Manuel Comncnus. Andrew was murdered by some conspirators in 1174. After two years of civil war, during which Michel, prince of Rezan, for a short time occupied the throne of Vladimir, Vsevolod, brother of Andrew and son of George I., obtained the grand-ducal dignity, which he preserved till his death in 1212.