Yaropolk Vladimirovich, whose life dates back to 1082-1139, was the son of the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir Monomakh (before this Prince Smolensky, Chernihiv, Pereyaslavsky). Under his rule, the once united Old Russian state, called Kievan Rus, broke up. According to rough estimates, Yaropolk was born in Chernihiv. Monomakh in 1113, having received the throne of Kiev, a year after the death of his son Svyatoslav makes Yaropolk Prince Pereyaslavsky, who becomes a member of numerous campaigns against the Polovtsy. And in 1116, they together opposed the Prince of Minsk Gleb. Yaropolk maintained close relations with his already elderly father. The command of the troops entrusted him and his eldest son Mstislav Monomakh.
Yaropolk Vladimirovich: a brief description of his life
In 1116, Yaropolk married Elena, who gave him the son of Vasilko Yaropolkovich. After Prince Mstislav died in 1132, who inherited the throne after his father, the people of Kiev called to the capital of Yaropolk and declared him their sovereign. He was then 49 years old, and it was already quite an advanced age for those years.
After this, Yaropolk Vladimirovich cedes Pereyaslavl to his son Mstislav Vsevolod. However, this prince, who did not have time to appear there, literally a few hours later is driven out by his uncle - Prince Suzdal and Rostov Yuri Vladimirovich (nicknamed Dolgoruky), who was in an allied agreement with his brother Andrei. Yuri was afraid that in the end Yaropolk would choose Vsevolod as his heir. But Yaropolk reassures his siblings by giving this land to another nephew, Prince of Polotsk, Izyaslav Mstislavovich. And he decided to send Vsevolod to a specific principality to the Ladozhans, Novgorodians and Pskovites, but they also did not want to accept him at first, but then thought better of it, returned their exile, but limited his power.
Yaropolk Vladimirovich: domestic and foreign policy
Kiev and its environs were under the control of Yaropolk, who was a courageous and strong warrior and no less gifted commander, but a very weak politician. Yaropolk 2 Vladimirovich could not prevent the collapse of the state into separate small principalities. At the same time, when Izyaslav left to reign in Pereyaslavl, the Polotsk squads, taking advantage of this moment, drove out his brother Svyatopolk from the throne and recognized Prince Vasilka Rogvolodovich as their ruler.
Such changes were the cause of discontent and unrest throughout the district. In order to please the brothers, Yaropolk Vladimirovich forces Izyaslav Mstislavovich to cede Pereyaslavl to give him Minsk, Turov and Pinsk in return. Pereyaslavl took control of Yuri Dolgoruky, for which he paid part of the Suzdal and Rostov lands.
Apple of discord
From this moment, a strong feud began between the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh (Monomashichi) and the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich (Olgovichi). This became the main grief of Russia, as continuous civil wars began, which continued for a century.
Novgorodians, reconciling others, often themselves could not get along with each other. As a result, they gathered Ladoga and Pskov citizens and decided to condemn and expel Prince Vsevolod Mstislavovich. They kept him under arrest in the bishop’s house for seven weeks. He was released to freedom only when Svyatoslav Olgovich, elected by the people, came to Novgorod to reign. But in the city almost immediately there was a riot, organized by supporters of Vsevolod.
Intransigent enmity
The Novgorodians did not want to hear anything about Vsevolod, but the Pskovites with sincere respect accepted him. Then Svyatoslav, summoning Gleb from Kursk and the Polovtsy to his allies, temporarily separated Novgorod from Pskov, thanks to which the newly-made Pskov principality formed, the throne of which was first occupied by Vsevolod-Gabriel, and then after his death in 1138 - Svyatopolk Mstislavovich.
Novgorodians, having elected Prince Svyatoslav as their ruler, declare themselves enemies of Yaropolk. And then they also expelled Svyatoslav, but being afraid of the revenge of the Olgovich, they left his boyars and the princess in their bail and called to Novgorod the grandson of Monomakh - Rostislav Georgievich (the son of Dolgoruky).
Reconciliation
For a very long time, the war between the clans of the Olgovich and Monomashich continued. The Olgovichi especially raged in the southern part of Russia and soon took the city of Priluki in order to get closer to Kiev and besiege it. But Yaropolk made a retaliatory move and threw them back, and he went up to Chernigov. City residents prayed to Prince Vsevolod Olgovich to make peace with Yaropolk, and then peace was made.
After this, Yaropolk returns to his capital city of Kiev, where he dies at the age of 57 on February 18, 1139. His throne passes to brother Vyacheslav.
According to ancient chroniclers, the reign of Yaropolk was also marked by the fact that on the banks of the Dniester the Principality of Galicia was formed with the capital Galich. Vladimir’s ambitious son, Vladimirko (Vladimir), sat on his princely throne.
Conclusion
Unlike his father and older brother Mstislavovich, Yaropolk was not a good diplomat and did not have authority to be able to keep his state from collapse. Brave and courageous in his youth, by his advanced years he became too cautious in making important decisions, and therefore could not prevent the struggle between the two forces.
By the time of his death, cities such as Novgorod, Polotsk and Chernihiv were outside his control. Only Rostov-Suzdal principality retained loyalty to Kiev.