Yaropolk Izyaslavich
Encyclopedia
Yaropolk Izyaslavich was a Knyaz
(prince) during the eleventh-century in the Kievan Rus'
kingdom and was the King of Rus (1076–1078). The son of Grand Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich
by a Polish princess named Gertruda, he is visible in papal sources by the early 1070s but largely absent in contemporary Rus sources until his father's death in 1078. During his father's exile in the 1070s, Yaropolk can be found acting on his father's behalf in an attempt to gain the favor of the German emperors and the papal court of Pope Gregory VII
. His father returned to Kiev in 1077 and Yaropolk followed.
After his father's death Yaropolk was appointed Prince of Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Prince of Turov
in 1078 by the new Grand Prince, his uncle Vsevolod
. By 1085 Yaropolk had fallen into a state of enmity with the Grand Prince, and by extension the Grand Prince's son Vladimir Monomakh, forcing him to flee to Poland, his mother's homeland. He returned in 1086 and made peace with Monomakh but was murdered the same year on a journey to Zvenigorod. He was remembered in Rus sources as extremely pious and generous to the church and is recognized as a saint
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
.
(died 1078), over-king of the Rus', and Gertruda
, daughter of the Polish Duke-King Mieszko II Lambert
(died 1034). Since the Kievan succession war of 1015-1019, the Polish ruler Boleslaw
had taken an interest in Rus, hoping to gain control of the land of Cherven, seized by Vladimir the Great.
Despite some initial success, the expedition of Boleslaw to Kiev in 1018 failed to establish Svyatopolk Vladimirovich
(Boleslaw's son-in-law), Prince of Turov, on the Kievan throne. The Polish ruler did at least gain Chervyen very briefly, though that was recovered for the Rus'ians by Grand Prince Yaroslav and Mstislav Vladimirovich
, Prince of Chernigov
, in 1031.
In 1042 Grand Prince Yaroslav forced Duke Casimir of Poland
to settle for a peaceful deal. Casimir recognised Rus'ian control of Cherven and returned 800 Rus'ian prisoners who had been in Polish custody since being captured two decades before by Boleslaw. Peace was secured by two marriages. Casimir was married to Yaroslav's sister, while Casimir gave his own sister Gertruda to Yaroslav's son, Izyaslav.
and by his cousin Vseslav Briacheslavich
. At this time among the Rurikids, there were two senior branches that could claim the Grand Princeship through descent from Vladimir the Great; namely, the descendents of Yaroslav Vladimirovich and the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich
.
In 1067, Vseslav rebelled in an attempt to overthrow Izyaslav and become Grand Prince himself, claiming the right as a great-grandson of Vladimir the Great through Izyaslav Vladimirovich. Vseslav's attempt was unsuccessful, and ended in his imprisonment. Troubles for Izyaslav were to continue though. In 1068, Izyaslav's alleged negligence to the advances and incursions of the Polovtsy after the defeat at the Battle of the Alta River
led the citizens of Kiev to revolt; Vseslav was released, and took the Kievan throne while Izyaslav fled to Boleslaw
in Poland. With Polish assistance Izyaslav returned in May 1069, expelled Vseslav and retook the throne. This victory for Izyaslav secured the Kievan throne for the descendants of Yaroslav Vladimirovich, and thereafter the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich confined themselves to Polotsk where they reigned with semi-independent status.
Despite the successful exclusion of the Polotsk Rurikids, in 1073 Izyaslav was expelled from the Kievan throne by his brothers, Svyatoslav
, Prince of Chernigov
, and Vsevolod
, Prince of Pereyaslavl
. King Boleslaw was not as willing or able to assist Izyaslav this time around, and probably for this reason Izyaslav traveled further West; at Mainz
in early 1075, Izyaslav sought the aid of King Henry IV of Germany
, but to no avail.
Izyaslav sent Yaropolk to Rome
to request aid from Pope Gregory VII
. It is likely that while there Yaropolk made complaints about Boleslaw and about the money the latter had formerly seized from Izyaslav, as the pope subsequently issued a request that Boleslaw return it. Pope Gregory addressed a letter to Izyaslav, called "Demetrius", "King of the Russians", and to his "queen" Gertruda. The letter noted that Yaropolk, called "Peter", had given his own as well as his father's fidelity to the pope, and that it had been requested that the "kingdom of the Russians" be held of St Peter. Two papal legate
s were sent to Izyaslav, and Izyaslav was urged to give them his full co-operation.
It was only after Svyatoslav's death in late 1076 that Izyaslav was able to recover the status of Grand Prince. Vsevolod, who had previously fought against him, was appointed Prince of Chernigov and thus heir to the Kievan throne, explaining perhaps Vsevolod's lack of opposition. The Poles were persuaded by the papacy to give Izyaslav assistance recovering his kingdom, and on July 15, 1077, Izyaslav re-entered Kiev.
(and his brother Boris
) attempted to gain the throne of Chernigov from Vsevolod. Oleg had been allied to the Polovtsy, and with their help defeated Vsevolod in battle. Grand Prince Izyaslav and Yaropolk, as well as Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh
, were able to reverse this result, and Oleg was forced to retreat to Tmutorokan. Grand Prince Izyaslav, Yaropolk's father, died as a result of the battle.
The Primary Chronicle records that in 1078 before the death of Izyaslav, Yaropolk was "ruling in Vyshgorod
", a city north of Kiev, while his brother Svyatopolk
ruled as Prince of Novgorod
, and Vladimir Monomakh ruled as Prince of Smolensk
. After his uncle Vsevolod had become Grand Prince, Yaropolk was given Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Turov
, while Monomakh received Chernigov.
Little is known for the following eight years, but by 1085 Vsevolod and Yaropolk are reported to have become entrenched against each other. The laconic account of these developments in the Primary Chronicle makes the course of events far from transparent. Vasilko and Vladimir Rostislavich, two Galcia-based princes unhappy with territorial settlement under Vsevolod, were said to have attempted to expel Yaropolk in 1084, but Grand Prince Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh drove these Rostislavchi away.
Following this, a gift made by the Grand Prince to Davyd Igorevich, which included land in Volhynia and control of trade with the Byzantine Empire
, is said to have made Yaropolk hostile to the Grand Prince. By 1085 Vsevolod and Yaropolk are reported to have become entrenched against each other, and Vsevolod ordered his son, Vladimir Monomakh to march against Yaropolk. Lacking confidence in his own resources, Yaropolk fled Volhynia to Poland, leaving his followers (and mother) at Lutsk
. Vladimir captured Lutsk and Yaropolk's family, attendants and treasure, and assigned his whole principality to Davyd Igorevich.
In the following year Yaropolk returned and reportedly came to an agreement with Vladimir Monomakh, but nothing specific is known of the terms other than Yaropolk being reinstated. In 1087, Yaropolk was murdered. The circumstances of his murder are not clear, but the Primary Chronicle suggested the complicity of Riurik Rostislavich, Prince of Peremyshl
, and his brother Vasilko Rostislavich, Prince of Terebovl. His murderer was a man called Neradets, who put a sword through Yaropolk before fleeing to hide with Riurik in Peremyshl; the date given is November 22, 1087. His body was taken to Kiev and buried in the church of St Peter, the church which Yaropolk himself had endowed.
Yaropolk is said to have married to the German noble-woman, Kunigunde, daughter of Otto
, Margrave of Meissen. Whether by Kunigunde or not, Yaropolk had several children whose names have come into the record. A daughter Anastasia married her far relative Gleb Vseslavich
, Prince of Minsk who was a member of the Polotsk branch of the Riurik's family. The Annalista Saxo
records another daughter, and that she married Günther, Count of Schwarzburg, though it does not mention her name. Three sons are known, namely, Yaroslav (died 1102), Viacheslav (died 1104) and Vasilko. The fate of his descendants is as mysterious as his and only has some scarce records left.
Embedded in the Primary Chronicle is a eulogy to Prince Yaropolk, and among the honors assigned to him, is that he was in the habit of assigning a "tenth part of his wealth to the Mother of God". Probably due to his personal devotion to the papacy and to St Peter, Yaropolk established a new church of St Peter at the monastery of St Demetrios
in the city of Kiev. He was said to have left all his wealth to the Monastery of the Caves
in Kiev. The Primary Chronicle's eulogy is the first indication of saintly regard, and indeed today he is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church
, with his feast day falling on the reported day of his death, November 22.
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
(prince) during the eleventh-century in the Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
kingdom and was the King of Rus (1076–1078). The son of Grand Prince Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Iziaslav I of Kiev
Iziaslav Yaroslavich , Kniaz' , Veliki Kniaz of Kiev , King of Rus'...
by a Polish princess named Gertruda, he is visible in papal sources by the early 1070s but largely absent in contemporary Rus sources until his father's death in 1078. During his father's exile in the 1070s, Yaropolk can be found acting on his father's behalf in an attempt to gain the favor of the German emperors and the papal court of Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
. His father returned to Kiev in 1077 and Yaropolk followed.
After his father's death Yaropolk was appointed Prince of Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Prince of Turov
Prince of Turov
The Prince of Turov was the kniaz, the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Turov, a lordship based on the city of Turov, now Turaŭ in Homiel Voblast, Belarus....
in 1078 by the new Grand Prince, his uncle Vsevolod
Vsevolod I of Kiev
Vsevolod I Yaroslavich , ruled as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1078 until his death.-Early life:...
. By 1085 Yaropolk had fallen into a state of enmity with the Grand Prince, and by extension the Grand Prince's son Vladimir Monomakh, forcing him to flee to Poland, his mother's homeland. He returned in 1086 and made peace with Monomakh but was murdered the same year on a journey to Zvenigorod. He was remembered in Rus sources as extremely pious and generous to the church and is recognized as a saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
.
Family background
Yaropolk was the son of Izyaslav YaroslavichIziaslav I of Kiev
Iziaslav Yaroslavich , Kniaz' , Veliki Kniaz of Kiev , King of Rus'...
(died 1078), over-king of the Rus', and Gertruda
Gertrude of Poland
Gertrude , princess of Poland, was the daughter of King Mieszko II of Poland and Richeza of Lotharingia.In 1043, she was married to Iziaslav I of Kiev. She had three sons, Yaropolk Iziaslavich, Mstislav and Sviatopolk II, by her husband.Her daughter Eupraxia later married her cousin's son Mieszko...
, daughter of the Polish Duke-King Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert
Mieszko II Lambert was King of Poland during 1025–1031, and Duke from 1032 until his death.He was the second son of Bolesław I the Brave, but the eldest born from his third wife Emmilda, daughter of Dobromir, possible ruler of Lusatia. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Mieszko I...
(died 1034). Since the Kievan succession war of 1015-1019, the Polish ruler Boleslaw
Boleslaw I of Poland
Bolesław I Chrobry , in the past also known as Bolesław I the Great , was a Duke of Poland from 992-1025 and the first King of Poland from 19 April 1025 until his death...
had taken an interest in Rus, hoping to gain control of the land of Cherven, seized by Vladimir the Great.
Despite some initial success, the expedition of Boleslaw to Kiev in 1018 failed to establish Svyatopolk Vladimirovich
Sviatopolk I of Kiev
Sviatopolk I Vladimirovich was the Kniaz' of Turov and Velikii Kniaz of Kiev whose paternity and guilt in the murder of brothers are disputed.-Early life:Sviatopolk's mother was a Greek nun captured by Sviatoslav I in Bulgaria and married to his lawful heir...
(Boleslaw's son-in-law), Prince of Turov, on the Kievan throne. The Polish ruler did at least gain Chervyen very briefly, though that was recovered for the Rus'ians by Grand Prince Yaroslav and Mstislav Vladimirovich
Mstislav of Chernigov
Mstislav of Chernigov was the earliest attested ruler of Chernigov . He was Vladimir the Great's son, probably by Rogneda of Polotsk, although his exact position in the family has been disputed. It is not clear, for instance, whether Yaroslav the Wise was his younger or elder brother...
, Prince of Chernigov
Prince of Chernigov
The Prince of Chernigov was the kniaz, the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Chernigov, a lordship which lasted four centuries straddling what are now parts of Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation.-List of princes of Chernigov:...
, in 1031.
Casimir I of Poland
Casimir I the Restorer , was a Duke of Poland of the Piast dynasty and the de facto monarch of the entire country from 1034 until his death....
to settle for a peaceful deal. Casimir recognised Rus'ian control of Cherven and returned 800 Rus'ian prisoners who had been in Polish custody since being captured two decades before by Boleslaw. Peace was secured by two marriages. Casimir was married to Yaroslav's sister, while Casimir gave his own sister Gertruda to Yaroslav's son, Izyaslav.
Political turmoil
In 1054, Yaropolk became the son of the Grand Prince, as in that year Izyaslav ascended the throne of Kiev. Izyaslav's rule and thus Yaropolk's security were however quickly challenged by Izyaslav's brother SvyatoslavSviatoslav II of Kiev
Sviatoslav Iaroslavich was the Prince of Chernihiv from 1054 to 1073 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 1073 until his death...
and by his cousin Vseslav Briacheslavich
Vseslav of Polotsk
Vseslav of Polotsk , also known as Vseslav the Sorcerer or Vseslav the Seer, was the most famous ruler of Polotsk and was briefly Grand Prince of Kiev in 1068–1069. Together with Rostislav Vladimirovich and voivode Vyshata made up a coalition against the Yaroslaviches triumvirate...
. At this time among the Rurikids, there were two senior branches that could claim the Grand Princeship through descent from Vladimir the Great; namely, the descendents of Yaroslav Vladimirovich and the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich
Izyaslav of Polotsk
Izyaslav was the son of Vladimir I of Kiev and Rogneda of Polotsk.Following Norse tradition, Izyaslav was sent with his mother to rule her homeland. There is also a legend that Rogneda tried to get Izyaslav to slay his father....
.
In 1067, Vseslav rebelled in an attempt to overthrow Izyaslav and become Grand Prince himself, claiming the right as a great-grandson of Vladimir the Great through Izyaslav Vladimirovich. Vseslav's attempt was unsuccessful, and ended in his imprisonment. Troubles for Izyaslav were to continue though. In 1068, Izyaslav's alleged negligence to the advances and incursions of the Polovtsy after the defeat at the Battle of the Alta River
Battle of the Alta River
The Battle of Alta River was a 1068 clash on the Alta River between Kipchak army on the one hand and Kievan Rus' forces of Grand Prince Iziaslav I of Kiev, Prince Sviatoslav of Chernigov, and Prince Vsevolod of Periaslavl on the other in which the Rus' forces were routed and fled back to Kiev and...
led the citizens of Kiev to revolt; Vseslav was released, and took the Kievan throne while Izyaslav fled to Boleslaw
Bolesław II the Generous
Bolesław II the Generous, also known as the Bold and the Cruel , was Duke of Poland and third King of Poland .He was the eldest son of Casimir I the Restorer and Maria Dobroniega, daughter of Grand Duke Vladimir I of Kiev....
in Poland. With Polish assistance Izyaslav returned in May 1069, expelled Vseslav and retook the throne. This victory for Izyaslav secured the Kievan throne for the descendants of Yaroslav Vladimirovich, and thereafter the descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich confined themselves to Polotsk where they reigned with semi-independent status.
Svyatoslav and exile to the west
Sviatoslav II of Kiev
Sviatoslav Iaroslavich was the Prince of Chernihiv from 1054 to 1073 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 1073 until his death...
, Prince of Chernigov
Prince of Chernigov
The Prince of Chernigov was the kniaz, the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Chernigov, a lordship which lasted four centuries straddling what are now parts of Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation.-List of princes of Chernigov:...
, and Vsevolod
Vsevolod
Vsevolod or Wsewolod is a Slavic male first name. Its etymology is from Slavic roots 'vse' and 'volodeti' and means 'lord-of-everything/everybody',...
, Prince of Pereyaslavl
Prince of Pereiaslavl'
The Prince of Pereyaslavl was the kniaz of the Rus Principality of Pereyaslavl, a lordship based on the city of Pereyaslavl on the Trubezh river and straddling extensive territory to the east in what are now parts of Ukraine...
. King Boleslaw was not as willing or able to assist Izyaslav this time around, and probably for this reason Izyaslav traveled further West; at Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
in early 1075, Izyaslav sought the aid of King Henry IV of Germany
Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,...
, but to no avail.
Izyaslav sent Yaropolk to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
to request aid from Pope Gregory VII
Pope Gregory VII
Pope St. Gregory VII , born Hildebrand of Sovana , was Pope from April 22, 1073, until his death. One of the great reforming popes, he is perhaps best known for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy, his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor affirming the primacy of the papal...
. It is likely that while there Yaropolk made complaints about Boleslaw and about the money the latter had formerly seized from Izyaslav, as the pope subsequently issued a request that Boleslaw return it. Pope Gregory addressed a letter to Izyaslav, called "Demetrius", "King of the Russians", and to his "queen" Gertruda. The letter noted that Yaropolk, called "Peter", had given his own as well as his father's fidelity to the pope, and that it had been requested that the "kingdom of the Russians" be held of St Peter. Two papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s were sent to Izyaslav, and Izyaslav was urged to give them his full co-operation.
It was only after Svyatoslav's death in late 1076 that Izyaslav was able to recover the status of Grand Prince. Vsevolod, who had previously fought against him, was appointed Prince of Chernigov and thus heir to the Kievan throne, explaining perhaps Vsevolod's lack of opposition. The Poles were persuaded by the papacy to give Izyaslav assistance recovering his kingdom, and on July 15, 1077, Izyaslav re-entered Kiev.
Prince Yaropolk
Yaropolk is found aiding his father and his uncle Vsevolod in 1078, when Oleg SvyatoslavichOleg I of Chernigov
Oleg Svyatoslavich of Chernigiv , sometimes also styled as of Tmutarakan, was a Rurikid prince whose equivocal adventures ignited political unrest in Kievan Rus at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries....
(and his brother Boris
Boris Vyacheslavich
Boris Vyacheslavich was a prince of Tmutarakan, son of Vyacheslav Yaroslavich . Boris was izgoi from the Rurikid dynasty of Kievan Rus’....
) attempted to gain the throne of Chernigov from Vsevolod. Oleg had been allied to the Polovtsy, and with their help defeated Vsevolod in battle. Grand Prince Izyaslav and Yaropolk, as well as Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh |Basileios]]) was a Velikiy Kniaz of Kievan Rus'.- Family :He was the son of Vsevolod I and Anastasia of Byzantium Vladimir II Monomakh |Basileios]]) (1053 – May 19, 1125) was a Velikiy Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kievan Rus'.- Family :He was the son of Vsevolod I (married in...
, were able to reverse this result, and Oleg was forced to retreat to Tmutorokan. Grand Prince Izyaslav, Yaropolk's father, died as a result of the battle.
The Primary Chronicle records that in 1078 before the death of Izyaslav, Yaropolk was "ruling in Vyshgorod
Vyshhorod
Vyshhorod is a city in the Kiev Oblast , in central Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Vyshhorodskyi Raion , and is located along the Dnieper River upstream from the national capital, Kiev...
", a city north of Kiev, while his brother Svyatopolk
Sviatopolk II of Kiev
Sviatopolk II Iziaslavich was supreme ruler of the Kievan Rus for 20 years, from 1093 to 1113. He was not a popular prince, and his reign was marked by incessant rivalry with his cousin Vladimir Monomakh...
ruled as Prince of Novgorod
Prince of Novgorod
The Prince of Novgorod was the chief executive of Novgorod the Great. The office was originally an appointed one until the late eleventh or early twelfth century, then became something of an elective one until the fourteenth century, after which the Prince of Vladimir was almost invariably the...
, and Vladimir Monomakh ruled as Prince of Smolensk
Prince of Smolensk
The Prince of Smolensk was the kniaz, the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Smolensk, a lordship based on the city of Smolensk...
. After his uncle Vsevolod had become Grand Prince, Yaropolk was given Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Turov
Prince of Turov
The Prince of Turov was the kniaz, the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Turov, a lordship based on the city of Turov, now Turaŭ in Homiel Voblast, Belarus....
, while Monomakh received Chernigov.
Little is known for the following eight years, but by 1085 Vsevolod and Yaropolk are reported to have become entrenched against each other. The laconic account of these developments in the Primary Chronicle makes the course of events far from transparent. Vasilko and Vladimir Rostislavich, two Galcia-based princes unhappy with territorial settlement under Vsevolod, were said to have attempted to expel Yaropolk in 1084, but Grand Prince Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh drove these Rostislavchi away.
Following this, a gift made by the Grand Prince to Davyd Igorevich, which included land in Volhynia and control of trade with the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, is said to have made Yaropolk hostile to the Grand Prince. By 1085 Vsevolod and Yaropolk are reported to have become entrenched against each other, and Vsevolod ordered his son, Vladimir Monomakh to march against Yaropolk. Lacking confidence in his own resources, Yaropolk fled Volhynia to Poland, leaving his followers (and mother) at Lutsk
Lutsk
Lutsk is a city located by the Styr River in northwestern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Volyn Oblast and the administrative center of the surrounding Lutskyi Raion within the oblast...
. Vladimir captured Lutsk and Yaropolk's family, attendants and treasure, and assigned his whole principality to Davyd Igorevich.
Death and legacy
Prince of Peremyshl
The Prince of Peremyshl was the ruler of the Principality of Peremyshl, a city-state in medieval Rus'. the following is a list of its princes:...
, and his brother Vasilko Rostislavich, Prince of Terebovl. His murderer was a man called Neradets, who put a sword through Yaropolk before fleeing to hide with Riurik in Peremyshl; the date given is November 22, 1087. His body was taken to Kiev and buried in the church of St Peter, the church which Yaropolk himself had endowed.
Yaropolk is said to have married to the German noble-woman, Kunigunde, daughter of Otto
Otto I, Margrave of Meissen
Otto I was the Margrave of Meissen from 1062 until his death, the second margrave of the family of the counts of Weimar and Orlamünde. He was a younger son of Weimar III of Weimar and Oda, daughter of Thietmar, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark. He inherited Orlamünde from his father in 1039 and...
, Margrave of Meissen. Whether by Kunigunde or not, Yaropolk had several children whose names have come into the record. A daughter Anastasia married her far relative Gleb Vseslavich
Gleb Vseslavich
Gleb Vseslavich was the prince of Minsk between 1101 and 1119. During his reign Minsk was at war with Kiev and Polatsk. He started the Minsk branch of Prince of Polotsk as son of Vseslav the Seer....
, Prince of Minsk who was a member of the Polotsk branch of the Riurik's family. The Annalista Saxo
Annalista Saxo
The Annalista Saxo is the anonymous author of an important imperial chronicle, believed to have originated in Nienburg Abbey in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.- General :...
records another daughter, and that she married Günther, Count of Schwarzburg, though it does not mention her name. Three sons are known, namely, Yaroslav (died 1102), Viacheslav (died 1104) and Vasilko. The fate of his descendants is as mysterious as his and only has some scarce records left.
Embedded in the Primary Chronicle is a eulogy to Prince Yaropolk, and among the honors assigned to him, is that he was in the habit of assigning a "tenth part of his wealth to the Mother of God". Probably due to his personal devotion to the papacy and to St Peter, Yaropolk established a new church of St Peter at the monastery of St Demetrios
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery
St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery is a functioning monastery in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The monastery is located on the right bank of the Dnieper River on the edge of a bluff northeast of the Saint Sophia Cathedral...
in the city of Kiev. He was said to have left all his wealth to the Monastery of the Caves
Kiev Pechersk Lavra
Kiev Pechersk Lavra or Kyiv Pechersk Lavra , also known as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery which gave its name to one of the city districts where it is located in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine....
in Kiev. The Primary Chronicle's eulogy is the first indication of saintly regard, and indeed today he is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, with his feast day falling on the reported day of his death, November 22.
Family
Wife - Kunigunde, daughter of OttoOtto I, Margrave of Meissen
Otto I was the Margrave of Meissen from 1062 until his death, the second margrave of the family of the counts of Weimar and Orlamünde. He was a younger son of Weimar III of Weimar and Oda, daughter of Thietmar, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark. He inherited Orlamünde from his father in 1039 and...
- Anastasia (daughter), married Gleb VseslavichGleb VseslavichGleb Vseslavich was the prince of Minsk between 1101 and 1119. During his reign Minsk was at war with Kiev and Polatsk. He started the Minsk branch of Prince of Polotsk as son of Vseslav the Seer....
- ? (daughter), married Günther, Count of Schwarzburg
- Yaroslav (son) (?-1102)
- Viacheslav (son) (?-1104)
- Vasilko (son)
External links
- Laurentian Primary Chronicle, 1074-92
- Foundation for Medieval Genealogy:
- Vladimir the Great and his times
- Holy Nobleborn Prince Yaropolk Izyaslavich
- Entry in saint.ru