Family Background
Yaropolk was the son of Izyaslav Yaroslavich (died 1078), over-king of the Rus', and Gertruda, daughter of the Polish Duke-King Mieszko II Lambert (died 1034). Since the Kievan succession war of 1015–1019, the Polish ruler Boleslaw had taken an interest in Rus, hoping to gain control of the land of Cherven, seized by Vladimir the Great.
Despite some initial success, the expedition of Boleslaw to Kiev in 1018 failed to establish Svyatopolk Vladimirovich (Boleslaw's son-in-law), Prince of Turov, on the Kievan throne. The Polish ruler did at least gain Chervyen very briefly, though that was recovered for the Rus'ians by Grand Prince Yaroslav and Mstislav Vladimirovich, Prince of Chernigov, in 1031.
In 1042 Grand Prince Yaroslav forced Duke Casimir of Poland to settle for a peaceful deal. Casimir recognised Rus'ian control of Cherven and returned 800 Rus'ian prisoners who had been in Polish custody since being captured two decades before by Boleslaw. Peace was secured by two marriages. Casimir was married to Yaroslav's sister, while Casimir gave his own sister Gertruda to Yaroslav's son, Izyaslav.
Read more about this topic: Yaropolk Izyaslavich
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