Vsevolod IV Svyatoslavich the Red () or Vsevolod Chermnyi (died August 1212) was at various times grand prince of Kiev (Kyiv, 1203, 1206, 1207, 1208–1212). A member of the Olgovichi clan, he was also prince of Chernigov (1204–1206/1208) and of Belgorod (1205). His baptismal name was Daniil.
He was one of the most successful senior princes of the Olgovichi (the ruling dynasty of Chernigov): while he was senior prince, they for the first time established their rule over lands stretching from Halych through Kiev and Pereyaslavl to Chernigov. Architectural and circumstantial evidence suggest that he initiated building projects in Chernigov: he sent an artel’ (a team of builders) to the town where it built the Church of St. Paraskeva Pyatnisa between 1211 and 1214.
His early life
He was the third son of Sviatoslav Vsevolodovich (who later became the grand prince of Kiev) by his wife, Maria Vasilkovna of Polotsk. Between 11 October and 24 December 1178 he married a daughter of duke Kazimierz II the Just of Poland (her name is unknown).
According to some scholars, on 14 November 1179, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich brought a daughter of duke Casimir II of Poland (her name was Anastasia according to the Lyubetskiy sinodik) as wife for Vsevolod. Vsevolod's patrimonial domain was located in the northwestern part of the Vyatichi lands.
When Khan Konchak with his Cumans pillaged the Pereyaslavl lands as far as Dimitrov in February 1184, Svyatoslav Vsevolodivich sent his sons (including Vsevolod) and his troops to prince Igor Svyatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversk ordering him to pursue the tribesmen. Igor Svyatoslavich pursued the raiders, found them at the river Khiriya (a tributary of the river Vorskla), and took many captive. Enemy bands frequently pillaged the Poros’e district (the Ros River basin) and the Chernigov lands after 1187.
In 1192, Svyatoslav Vsevolodivich sent his sons (Vsevolod, Vladimir, and Mstislav) to march against the Cumans. The purpose of the campaign (which was led again by Igor Svyatoslavich) was to plunder Cumanian camps; the Olgovichi ventured deep into the steppe, past Kursk into the upper reaches of the river Oskol. But the nomads assembled in great numbers and awaited the princes. Igor Svyatoslavich, on seeing that he was outnumbered, resolutely ordered his troops to steal away under the cover of darkness.
His father died during the last week of July 1194, and his death changed the order of seniority among the Olgovichi. His only brother, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich became the new senior prince of the dynasty, and thus Vsevolod became answerable to his uncle. In the autumn of 1196, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich ordered Vsevolod and his brother, Mstislav Svyatoslavich to accompany him against grand prince Vsevolod III Yuryevich of Vladimir and prince David Rostislavich of Smolensk who were pillaging the domains of the Olgovichi.
Prince of Chernigov and his struggle for Kiev
In 1201, Vsevolod's brother, Oleg Svyatoslavich pledged loyalty to grand prince Rurik Rostislavich of Kiev who had summoned the Olgovichi to campaign against prince Roman Mstislavich of Halych. The latter, however, pre-empted their attack, and the Kievans opened the gates of the podol’ to him; he forced Ryurik Rostislavich and the Olgovichi to capitulate. On 2 January 1203, Ryurik Rostislavich and the Olgovichi re-captured Kiev. Ryurik Rostislavich avenged himself against the Kievans; the chronicler declares that his devastation exceeded that caused by all previous attacks. Ryurik Rostislavich had no intention of occupying the town, but he could not leave Kiev without a prince for fear that it would return into Roman Mstislavich's hand. Accordingly, Vsevolod occupied the town.
However, Ryurik Rostislavich evidently appointed his ally to Kiev until he could settle his dispute with Roman Mstislavich and be reinstated. In February, Roman Mstislavich marched against Ryurik Rostislavich; the latter submitted to him and to Vsevolod III Yuryevich. Roman Mstislavich also advised him to ask Vsevolod Yuryevich to reinstate him in Kiev and promised to support his request. Consequently, the grand prince of Vladimir forgave Ryurik Rostislavich and reappointed him to the town which forced him to sever ties with the Olgovichi. Some month later, however, Roman Mstislavich seized Ryurik Rostislavich and had him tonsured as a monk.