Svoboda Konchakovna of the Cumans

SVOBODA KONCHAKOVNA, KUMAN - RUS' PRINCESS

Vladimir III Igorevich (Oct. 8, 1170) - circa 1211) was a Rus' prince and member of the Rurik dynasty. He was the eldest son of Igor Svyatoslavich (a.k.a. "Prince Igor the Brave") and was with him during his campaign against the Cumans in April 1185, immortalized the Rus' epic "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" and Alexander Borodin's opera "Prince Igor". He participated in the first engagement of the campaign, setting off ahead of the main army, along with Svyatoslav Olgovich of Rylsk and defeating the Cuman forces. However, he was captured in the second battle ("Kayala River") by Khans Gzak and KONCHAK. "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" describes how, after Prince Igor escaped from captivity, Gzak and KONCHAK debated whether to kill Vladimir or entice him into marrying a Cuman maiden.

Said Gzak to KONCAK: "If the falcon (Prince Igor) flies to its nest, let us shoot the falconet (Prince Vladimir) with our gilded arrows."

Said KONCAK to Gzak: "If the falcon flies to its nest, let us snare the falconet with a beautiful maiden."

And said Gzak to KONCAK: "If we snare him with a beautiful maiden, we will have neither the falconet, nor will we have the beautiful maiden, so that the birds will begin to strike us in the field of the Cumans."

"The Tale of Igor's Campaign" ends with Prince Vladimir still captive to the Cuman khans. In the autumn of 1188 Prince Vladimir returned home from captivity with KHAN KONCHAK'S daughter SVOBODA (most likely her baptismal, rather than birth name). Soon thereafter, on 26 September, Rurik Rotislavich organized festivities to celebrate Vladimir's wedding to SVOBODA, attended by the rest of his family.

Prince Vladimir III Igorevich and Svoboda Konchakovna were parents of two sons -- 1.) Prince Izyslav Vladimirovich of Putiul (circa 1188 - circa 1255) and 2.) Prince Vsevolod Vladimirovich (after 1188 - circa 1210)

Source -- "Vladimir III Igorevich" / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_III_Igorevich