Svyatopolk II Izyaslavich (1050—April 16, 1113) was a supreme ruler of Kievan Rus for 20 years, from 1093 to 1113. His reign was marked by incessant rivalry with his cousin Vladimir Monomakh. He never was a popular prince, and upon his death the Kievan citizens raised a rebellion against the Jewish merchants and Varangian officials who speculated in grain and salt.

As has been recently demonstrated, Svyatopolk was illegitimate son of Izyaslav Yaroslavich by his mistress. During his brother Yaropolk's life, Svyatopolk was not regarded as a potential claimant to Kievan throne. In 1069 he was sent to Polotsk, briefly taken by his father from the local ruler Vseslav, and then he spent ten years (1078-88) ruling Novgorod. Upon his brother's death he succeeded him in Turov, which would remain in possession of his descendants until the 17th century.

When Vsevolod Yaroslavich died in 1093, Svyatopolk was acknowledged by other princes as a senior Grand Duke's son and permitted to ascend the Kievan throne. Although he participated in the princely congresses organized by Vladimir Monomakh, he is sometimes charged with encouraging internecine wars among Rurikid princes. For instance, he sided with his cousin David of Volynia in capturing and blinding one of Halychian princes. He also sided with Vladimir Monomakh in several campaigns against the Kypchaks but was defeated in the Battle of the Stugna River (1097).

Svyatopolk's Christian name was Michael, so he encouraged embellishment of St Michael's Abbey in Kiev, which has been known as the Golden-Roofed (http://img.photosight.ru/2005/01/28/743206.jpg) up to the present. The so-called Primary Chronicle was compiled by the monk Nestor during Svyatopolk's reign.

Svyatopolk married twice, firstly to a Bohemian princess and secondly to a daughter of Tugorkhan of the Kypchaks. By his first wife he had two daughters, whom he married to king Boleslaw III of Poland and to king Almos I of Croatia. His son Yaroslav reigned in Volynia and was married three times - to Hungarian, Polish, and Kievan princesses. In consequence of Yaroslav's early death, his descendants forfeited any right to the Kievan throne and had to content themselves with Turov and Pinsk.

External link

Detailed biography (http://www.xenophongi.org/rushistory/rulers/svyatopolk2.htm)

de:Swjatopolk II. (Russland)