Iziaslavych Sviatopolk

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Sviatopolk Iziaslavych (baptismal name Michael; 08.11.1050–16.04.1113) – Prince of Polotsk (1069–1071), Novgorod (1078–1088), Turiv (1088–1093), Grand Prince of Kyiv (1093–1113); son of the Grand Prince Iziaslav Yaroslavych of Kyiv, grandson of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

In 1077 together with Prince Volodymyr Monomakh conducted warfare against Polovtsian Prince Vseslav Briachyslavych. When he became the Grand Prince of Kyiv, organized struggle against Polovtsian raids. In 1093 was twice defeated by Khan Boniak who was an ally of Chernihiv Princes. In 1095 Sviatopolk together with Volodymyr Monomakh defeated the Polovtsians and the next year he waged war with the Prince Oleh Sviatoslavych of Chernihiv, who refused to come to Kyiv to the princes’ congress. Took part in the Liubech Congress of 1097, at which princes adopted the principle according to which each of them should possess the land assigned by his father, which enacted the fragmentation of the Kyivan state into separate hereditary principalities. Soon, despite the decision of the congress, the Prince did not prevent Davyd Ihorovych from capturing and blinding the Prince Vasylko Rostyslavych of Terebovlia.

In 1098, with the support of Volodymyr Monomakh, seized Volodymyr-Volynsky and banished Prince Davyd Ihorovych. Sviatopolk took part in the Vytychiv Congress of 1100, the princes’ congress at the Zolotcha River (1101), and at the Dolobske Congress of 1103. In 1103, 1107, and 1111 took part in joint campaigns of princes against the Polovtsians, during which Polovtsian towns of Sharukan and Suhrov at the Siversky Donets River were captured. Sviatopolk was implicated in speculations in salt and machinations of Jewish merchants, which caused the Kyiv uprising of 1113.

During the reign of Sviatopolk the gem of Ukrainian architecture of the 17 th c. – St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral was built by his order.

Portrait (imaginary) of Sviatopolk Iziaslavych