Yaropolk had aided his father Grand Prince…

Yaropolk had aided his father Grand Prince Iziaslav and his uncle Vsevolod in 1078, when Oleg Svyatoslavich (and his brother Boris) had attempted to gain the throne of Chernigov from Vsevolod.

Oleg had been allied to the Polovtsy, and with their help had defeated Vsevolod in battle.

Izyaslav and Yaropolk, as well as Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh, had been able to reverse this result, and Oleg had been forced to retreat to Tmutorokan.

Izyaslav had died as a result of the battle.

The Primary Chronicle records that in 1078 before the death of Izyaslav, Yaropolk was "ruling in Vyshhorod", a city north of Kiev, while his brother Svyatopolk ruled as Prince of Novgorod, and Vladimir Monomakh ruled as Prince of Smolensk.

After his uncle Vsevolod became Grand Prince, Yaropolk had been given Vladimir-in-Volhynia and Turov, while Monomakh had received Chernigov.

Little is known for the following eight years, but by 1085, Vsevolod and Yaropolk are reported to have become entrenched against each other.

The laconic account of these developments in the Primary Chronicle makes the course of events far from transparent.

Vasilko and Vladimir Rostislavich, two Galcia-based princes unhappy with territorial settlement under Vsevolod, are said to have attempted to expel Yaropolk in 1084, but Grand Prince Vsevolod's son Vladimir Monomakh had driven away these Rostislavchi.Following this, a gift made by the Grand Prince to Davyd Igorevich, which includes land in Volhynia and control of trade with Constantinople, is said to have made Yaropolk hostile to the Grand Prince.

Vsevolod orders Vladimir to march against Yaropolk.

Lacking confidence in his own resources, Yaropolk flees Volhynia to Poland, leaving his followers (and mother) at Lutsk.

Vladimir captures Lutsk and Yaropolk's family, attendants and treasure, and assigns his whole principality to Davyd Igorevich.