In the last decade of the 11th century after the birth of Christ, a real threat of devastation loomed over Rus’, especially its southern lands. The Polovtsian Steppe, having come into strength, turned seriously toward its northern neighbor—always tempting for its wealth of cities and markets, drawn as it was by the khans’ interests. Of course, Rus’ was stronger than the Steppe, but for a long time it had been mired in internecine conflicts and petty feuds among the many descendants of the grand-princely Rurikid dynasty. The grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, Prince Vladimir, repeatedly urged his kinsmen, trying to persuade them to unite and put an end to the Polovtsian threat—but to no avail. And then Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh decided to prove for himself who was the master of the land of Rus’!.