Boris (in baptism David) and Gleb (in baptism Roman) were brothers by the same mother. Their father Vladimir, before his baptism, had numerous wives and many children by them. Hence, Vladimir divided up the state among all of his sons before his death, and after his death the eldest son, Sviatopolk, became Prince of Kiev (the main city of the state, Kievan Rus'). Sviatopolk was jealous and wanted yet more power, and he planned to kill his brothers in order to gain their territories.