Yaropolk II was the fourth son of Grand Prince Vladimir II Monomakh of Kievan Russia, and succeeded his older brother Mstislav I to the throne in 1132. (Before that he had been prince of Pereyaslavl.) His rule was even less successful at keeping the other members of the royal family in line than his older brother's had been; there was civil war for the succession on his death in 1139. He was succeeded by his brother Vyacheslav (on and off).