Kiev uprising (1018)
| Kiev uprising of 1018 | |||||||||
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| Part of Bolesław I's intervention in the Kievan succession crisis of 1015–1019 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Kievan Rus' | Duchy of Poland | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Sviatopolk I of Kiev | Bolesław I the Brave | ||||||||
The Kiev uprising (Russian: Киевское восстание; Polish: Powstanie Kijowskie; Ukrainian: Київське повстання) was a revolt by the inhabitants of Kiev (modern Kyiv) and nearby cities, to remove the Polish occupying force of Bolesław I the Brave from their territories. It was reportedly provoked when Bolesław (Boleslav) did not transfer to Sviatopolk I of Kiev his right to the throne of Kiev, but instead installed Polish garrisons. The uprising is disputed by Polish historians, as it is not mentioned in the Chronicon of Thietmar of Merseburg, although it does appear in the Russian Primary Chronicle.
Svyatopolk ordered his forces to kill the Polish garrisons during the uprising, but Bolesław evacuated in time with some wealth from the city which saved his life. Although Bolesław saved himself and saved the bulk of his army, almost all the soldiers from those who remained garrisoned in the cities were killed.
When Yaroslav learned about the withdrawal of the Polish forces from Kiev, he gathered the squad again and led it to the city, Polish sources report that Yaroslav chased them, however, this is unlikely, because he was preparing to march on Kiev to give a general battle, which became the Battle of the Alta River (1019).