Vseslav Briachislavich

Died 1101. Became prince of Polotsk in 1044. In 1065 he attacked Pskov but did not succeed in capturing it. A year later he seized Novgorod, pillaged the Cathedral of St. Sofia, and burned the city. In 1067 he was defeated on the River Nemig (Nemiz) by the brothers Iziaslav, Sviatoslav, and Vsevolod, the sons of laroslav, who treacherously took him prisoner during negotiations. In 1068 he was freed from prison in Kiev by a popular uprising and, by the will of the veche (city assembly), he became the prince there for seven months. Later he secretly fled to Polotsk but was banished in 1068 by Iziaslav. In 1070 he finally established himself in Polotsk and fought fiercely against Prince Vsevolod and his son, Vladimir Monomakh, to preserve the independence of the principality of Polotsk. He is mentioned in The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.