Anna Yaroslavna, daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, went down in history as the only Queen of France born in Kyiv. She lived a rich and extraordinary life, saw we alth, marriage of convenience, unearthly love, felt the pain of loss. In addition to all this, historians note a very significant contribution that she made to the creation of the prestigious image of her native lands.
Backstory
In ancient times, one of the most important roles in shaping the foreign policy of any state was played by profitable marriages. So, the family of the great ruler of Kievan Rus - Yaroslav the Wise (1015-1054) was no exception. Thanks to this tactical step, there was a rapprochement with many European kingdoms. It was on women's shoulders that this responsibility lay most of all. By entering into such a marriage, women had a direct impact on friendly relations between countries, and many international problems were solved with their help.
One example is the marriage of Maria Vladimirovna(prince's sister) for the King of Poland, Casimir: in exchange for a large inheritance, 800 Russian prisoners were released from captivity. And Izyaslav's marriage to the king's sister Gertrude helped to consolidate these friendly relations more firmly.
Family of the future queen
Prince Yaroslav himself was married to the daughter of the Swedish king Ingigerda (1019-1050). As expected, a good dowry was received for such an alliance. During their life together they had three daughters and five sons. The mother was directly involved in the upbringing and education of her children. And their father taught them to live in peace and love among themselves. Thanks to such diligence, all their heirs received a very good education. Anna Yaroslavna, the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, who had a difficult fate, was very diligent and diligent. After all, it is she who will eventually have to marry the head of another European state in order to ensure the support of friendly and beneficial foreign economic relations.
Anna's biography
To this day, historians cannot give the exact date of birth of the youngest daughter of the princely family, but many of them tend to 1024. Others point to 1032 or 1036.
Princess Anna Yaroslavna spent all her young years in the palace in Kyiv. She was a very diligent girl and from childhood showed a talent for history and learning foreign languages.
Of course, the beauty and mind, united in the princess, were not left unattended by the representatives of the opposite sex. stories about hersplendor conquered the French king Henry I Capeting, who in 1848 sent representatives to distant Kyiv to obtain permission to marry.
Long way
Having received a parental blessing, Anna Yaroslavna says goodbye to her family and sets off on a long journey across Europe. Three years later, she arrives in the lands of France, in one of her oldest cities - Reims. We met the long-awaited guest very solemnly. The king himself came to greet his future wife. This stranger, with whom she was to connect her life, was older by almost 20 years, obese and always gloomy.
On May 19, 1051, a lavish wedding ceremony was held. The coronation process took place in one of the oldest temples of the Holy Cross. Already at the very beginning of her reign, the future Queen of France showed strength of character and took an oath on the Slavic Gospel, which she brought from her native Kyiv, instead of the Latin Bible, as was customary in Europe.
At first, being in a foreign land was not pleasant for her. In her letters, she constantly reproached her father for how it was possible to send her own daughter to such a terrible place. However, time is the best assistant that helped her cope with a difficult test.
Family life
A year later, the young Queen of France gave birth to the first heir to the throne - Phillip, and over time - and two more sons: Roberto and Hugo. Therefore, all subsequent leaders of this state are considered her descendants. But everything was not so cloudless: the only daughter Emmadied as an infant.
They lived together, like many families. Heinrich often stayed on military campaigns, and his beloved wife was engaged in raising her sons. The king himself relied on his wise wife for almost everything. This is evidenced by some state documents, which indicated that the signing took place with the consent or in the presence of the spouse. There was no evidence that a non-reigning monarch had the right to sign, either before or after Anne in the history of France.
Widowed the wife of the French king on March 4, 1060, when she was 28 years old. After the death of Henry I, the question arose of the heir to the throne. The first successor was the eldest son - Philip I, who was crowned during the life of his father. But at that time he was only eight years old, so Anna took over the rule of France.
After burying her husband, she moves to the ancient castle of Senlis, which is located near Paris. There the queen founded a nunnery and a temple. Returning to normal life, she completely immersed herself in caring for the state.
Second marriage
At 36, Queen Anna Yaroslavna still looked great and was full of vitality. The queen attended feasts and was very fond of being on the hunt, surrounded by a large number of courtiers. It was there that she drew attention to Count Raoul de Crepy en Valois, who had long been madly in love with her. A passionate feeling flared up between them. But on their way there were very big difficulties. One of them -position in Anna's society, and the second - the count's wife, who did not want to give a divorce.
But the great feeling of love knows no obstacles. The count decides on a desperate act - to kidnap the queen, of course, with her consent. Secluded in the castle of Krepi, they secretly marry. This act of the count becomes known to Pope Alexander XI, who was very angry when he learned about the fact of bigamy and ordered to return to his first wife. But the enamored Raul refused him, which was followed by his excommunication from the church. In those days, it was a terrible punishment.
The current situation has become critical. It did not help that the King of France, Philip I, himself came to the defense of the newlyweds. Anna Yaroslavna, Queen of France, was well aware that she was endangering relations with Rome. Therefore, in order to avoid conflict, he renounces his status and ceases to take part in public affairs.
In her second marriage, she lived a happy 12 years in the family estate of Valois. The only thing that worried her at that time was the relationship with the children. The eldest son Philip had already become an adult and independent and no longer needed maternal advice. And the sons of her husband from her first marriage treated her with hostility, and did not hide it at all.
In 1074, Anna Yaroslavna was widowed for the second time. Shortly before the death of her husband, their marriage was recognized by Pope Gregory VII. After Raoul's funeral, she returns to Paris and settles at her son's royal palace. Trying to forget about the pain of loss, he begins to deal with public affairs, signingdecrees and orders. But now in the documents she indicated "the mother of the king."
Sadness in the soul
All this time, being far away, Anna Yaroslavna was looking forward to news from her home. And they were not always good. Immediately after she left Kyiv, her mother died. Four years later, Prince Yaroslav the Wise died. During his lifetime, her father did not have the firmness to decide on the appointment of one of his sons as his successor. He simply divided the lands between the brothers, which led to rivalry between them for the princely throne.
Now, more than ever, Anna Yaroslavna felt loneliness and longing. Many relatives and loved ones have passed away. To somehow unwind, she goes to travel.
Anna decided to find her brother Izyaslav Yaroslavich, who was defeated in the struggle for the throne. But all her attempts were unsuccessful. During the trip, she fell ill, added to the disappointment in the search results, and all this just broke her.
Eternal rest
Neither the date of death, much less information about the place of burial has survived to our times. According to some historical statements, Anna died in France in 1075. Other sources give a later date - 1082 - and suggest that Anna Yaroslavna, Queen of France, returned to her homeland, where she was buried.
