Editing Sviatopolk I of Kiev (section)

==Biography according to domestic sources==
[[File:Boleslaw Chrobry with Swietopelk near The Golden Gate in Kyiv MNK ND 11610.jpg|thumb|297x297px|Jan Matejko, Sviatopolk (in red) with [[Bolesław the Brave]] at the Golden Gate in Kiev]]
Not long before Vladimir's death, Sviatopolk was freed from prison. In 1015, Sviatopolk's retinue concealed Vladimir's death from him to prevent him from claiming the Kievan throne. When Sviatopolk learned of Vladimir's demise, he seized power in Kiev almost immediately.

The citizens of Kiev did not show much sympathy for Sviatopolk and, therefore, he decided to distribute presents in order to win them over. Then, he decided to rid himself of three of Vladimir's sons, [[Boris and Gleb|Boris, Gleb]], and Sviatoslav, whose claims for the Kievan throne threatened his power. Boris presented the most danger to him because he had been in charge of Vladimir's [[druzhina]] (personal guards) and army, and enjoyed the support of the citizens.

He sent the [[boyar]]s of Vyshgorod to execute Boris. Boris and his manservant were stabbed to death when sleeping in a tent. The prince was discovered still breathing when his body was being transported in a bag to Kiev, but the [[Varangians]] put him out of his misery with the thrust of a lance.

Sviatopolk's cold-blooded reprisal earned him the nickname of the Accursed. The news of this triple murder reached another son of Vladimir, [[Yaroslav I the Wise|Yaroslav]], Prince of [[Novgorod]], who decided to go to war against Sviatopolk with the support from the citizens of Novgorod and the [[Varangian]]s. The battle took place in 1016 not far from [[Lubech]], near the [[Dnieper river]]. Sviatopolk was defeated and fled to [[Poland]].

In 1018, he returned to [[Kievan Rus'|Rus']], defeated Yaroslav [[Bolesław I's intervention in the Kievan succession crisis, 1018|with help from his father-in-law]] and seized Kiev. [[Bolesław I the Brave|Bolesław of Poland]] and his army [[Kiev Expedition (1018)|remained in Rus' for several months]], but later returned to Poland, seizing some [[Red Ruthenia|Cherven towns]] on the way.

Meanwhile, the [[posadnik]] [[Konstantin Dobrynich]] and other citizens of Novgorod persuaded Yaroslav to go to war against Kiev once again. Sviatopolk was defeated and fled to the [[steppe]]s. Soon he returned with the [[Pecheneg]] army and attacked Yaroslav on the [[Alta River]], but was once again defeated and fled to Poland, dying on his way there in July 1019. Sviatopolk may have been murdered by a descendant of [[Valuk (duke)|Valuk Conqueror]] (Wallux dux Winedorum)<ref>Słownik starożytności słowiańskich. T. 2. Wrocław: Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1965, s. 382.</ref> who in 1018 helped him and his father-in-law Bolesław I in expedition against Yaroslav.

<gallery>
File:Sviatopolk silver srebrenik.jpg|Sviatopolk's silver [[Money of Kievan Rus'#Srebrenik|srebrenik]]
File:Владимир царь Киев Праздничная минея 1619.JPG|A miniature of Vladimir the Great from a 17th-century ''[[Menaion]]''
File:YaroslavWiseSeal.jpg|The seal of [[Yaroslav the Wise]]
</gallery>