ABSTRACT
Sviatopolk died on 16 April 1113. On the following day, according to the Primary Chronicle, the Kievans conferred amongst themselves and sent to Vladimir Monomakh saying: ‘“Come, prince, to the throne of your father and grandfather. ’” In his grief, Vladimir hesitated, whereupon a riot broke out in the city: ‘the Kievans plundered the compound of Putiata the tysiatskii, and attacked the Jews and plundered them. And again the Kievans sent to Vladimir, saying: “Come, prince, to Kiev. If you do not come, know that much evil will be stirred: not only the plundering of Putiata’s compound [dvor\ and of the sotskie or of the Jews, but they will attack your sister-in-law and the boiars and the monasteries; and you, prince, will be responsible that they plunder the monasteries.’” Vladimir succumbed to these urgings, and was duly received ‘with great honour’ by the metropolitan and ‘all the Kievans’. And thus he ‘sat on the throne of his father and of his grandfathers, and all the people were glad, and the turbulence subsided’.1
