Right-Believing Right-Believing Prince Dovmont of Pskov, in Baptism Timothy

CRITICAL: a template artifact in the life-years field, "13th-17th century" (a nonsensical 4-century span), has been corrected to the accurate "d. 1299." The feast date has been filled in — May 20/June 2 (previously "not established").

Dovmont was born a pagan Lithuanian prince of the Nalshia land, within the political orbit of Grand Duke Mindaugas of Lithuania. He took part in the conspiracy that led to Mindaugas's assassination in 1263; fleeing his son's revenge, he escaped Lithuania for Pskov.

He converted to Orthodoxy in Pskov, taking the name Timothy, and was invited to reign as Prince of Pskov, ruling c. 1266-1299. He married a granddaughter of St. Alexander Nevsky, strengthening his legitimacy and ties to the Rurikid princely house.

A celebrated military commander, he repeatedly defended Pskov against the Livonian (German) Order and Lithuanian raids, leading joint Pskov-Novgorod forces in campaigns of 1266-1268 and again in 1298; his role at the Battle of Rakvere (1268) and subsequent victories cemented his reputation as Pskov's premier defender. His personal sword ("Dovmont's Sword") became a ceremonial and political symbol of Pskov's princely authority, used in the investiture of later Pskov princes.

He died May 20, 1299, and was buried in the Trinity Cathedral of Pskov; he is venerated as a local Pskov wonderworker, later included in the general veneration of Russian saints.