Iziaslav I of Kiev

Iziaslav Yaroslavich (1024-3 October 1078), Kniaz' (Prince of Turov), Veliki Kniaz (the Grand Prince) of Kiev (since 1054), the oldest son of Yaroslav I the Wise from his second wife Ingigerd Olafsdottir. Iziaslav succeeded his father, after Yaroslav's oldest child, Valdimir (only child from Yaroslav's first wife), had predeceased his father. Iziaslav was one of the authors of "Pravda Yaroslavichiv" - a part of the first legal code of Rus called Ruska Pravda.

He is also credited with the foundation of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. Prince Iziaslav I of Kiev ceded the whole mount to the Antonite monks who founded a monastery built by architects from Constantinople. According to the Primary Chronicle, in the early 11th century, Antony, a Greek Orthodox monk from Esphigmenon monastery on Mount Athos, originally from Liubech of the Principality of Chernigov, returned to Rus' and settled in Kiev as a missionary of monastic tradition to Kievan Rus'. He chose a cave at the Berestov Mount that overlooked the Dnieper River and a community of disciples soon grew.

In 1043 his father Veliki Kniaz (Grand Prince) Yaroslav made an agreement with King Casimir I of Poland that recognized Cherven as part of Kiev. The agreement was sealed with a double marriage—Casimir to Dobronega, Yaroslav's sister; and Iziaslav to Gertrude, Casimir's sister. From this marriage were born three Iziaslav's son Yaropolk, Mstislav and Sviatopolk.

As a result of the popular uprising in 1068, Iziaslav was deposed and fled to Poland. In 1069 he retook Kiev with the help of the Polish army; however, he was ousted again by his brothers in 1073. Iziaslav turned to German emperor, Polish king and the Pope for help on several occasions. In 1076 he succeeded in retaking Kiev once again, but soon died in an internecine war against princes Oleg Sviatoslavich and Boris Vyacheslavich.

Sources

• Martin, Janet. Medieval Russia, 980-1584 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)