Yuri I (often surnamed "Dolguruky") was the son of Grand Prince Vladimir II Monomakh of Kievan Russia. He was prince of the city of Suzdal and generally wanted to make the eastern forest area of Russia (which would later include Moscow) dominant over the western area, including the capital city of Kiev. He captured and sacked Kiev in 1149 and ruled from Suzdal for about two years, in place of his nephew Izyaslav II. Izyaslav defeated him and ruled from Kiev again in 1151 with Yuri's older brother Vyacheslav, who had a slightly better claim to the throne than Yuri. Izyaslav was succeeded by his younger brother Rostislav, but when Vyacheslav died, Yuri would not accept his nephew's claim to the throne and regained the throne in 1155. He is credited with financing the construction in 1156 of a fortress on the spot which would later become Moscow, as well as founding other towns in the east. He died in 1157 and Rostislav regained the throne.