Yuri the Long Hands

Yuri I Vladimirovich (Russian: Юрий Владимирович, tr. Yuriy Vladimirovich), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy or the Long Arm (Russian: Юрий Долгорукий, tr. Yuriy Dolgorukiy, meaning Far-Reaching, c. 1099 – 15 May 1157) was the first Rurikid prince to rule in the northern territory of Rostov (later Vladimir-Suzdal). Noted for successfully curbing the privileges of the landowning boyar class in Rostov-Suzdal and his ambitious building programme, Yuri transformed his Kievan Rus' principality into the independent power that would evolve into early modern Muscovy. Yuri spent much of his life in internecine strife with the other Rurikid princes for suzerainty over the Kievan Rus, which had been held by his father (Vladimir Monomakh) and his elder brother before him. Although he twice managed to hold Kiev (in September 1149 - April 1151, again in March 1155 - May 1157) and rule as Grand Prince of all Rus', his autocratic rule and perceived foreigner status made him unpopular with the powerful Kievan boyars, leading to his presumed poisoning and the expulsion of his son (later Andrei Bogoliubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal) in 1157. His rule marked the effective end of the Rus' as a unified entity until the Mongol invasions, with powerful provincial territories like Vladimir-Suzdal and Galicia-Volhynia now competing for the throne of Kiev.