Gytha of Wessex (born c. 1053/1061 – died 1098 or 1107; ang, Gȳð) was one of several daughters of
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson ( – 14 October 1066), also called Harold II, was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon English king. Harold reigned from 6 January 1066 until his death at the Battle of Hastings, fighting the Norman invaders led by William the C ...
, the last
Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
king of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiw ...
, and his consort,
Edith the Fair
Edith the Fair ( ang, Ealdgȳð Swann hnesce, "Edyth the Gentle Swan"; c. 1025 – c. 1066), also known as Edith Swanneck,Her first name is also spelled Ealdgyth, Aldgyth, ''Edeva'' or Eddeva, and sometimes appears as ''Ēadgȳð'' and ''Ēadgif ...
. Through marriage to
Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh (Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Мономахъ, ''Volodiměrŭ Monomakhŭ''; uk, Володимир Мономах, translit=Volodymyr Monomakh; russian: Владимир Мономах; Christian name: ''Vasiliy'' ...
, Gytha became a
princess of Kievan Rus'.
Life
Her paternal grandparents were
Godwin, Earl of Wessex
Godwin of Wessex ( ang, Godwine; – 15 April 1053) was an English nobleman who became one of the most powerful earls in Kingdom of England, England under the Denmark, Danish king Cnut the Great (King of England from 1016 to 1035) and his succ ...
and
Gytha Thorkelsdóttir
Gytha Thorkelsdóttir ( ang, Gȳða Þorkelsdōttir, 997 – c. 1069), also called Githa, was a Danish noblewoman. She was the wife of Godwin, Earl of Wessex and the mother of King Harold Godwinson and of Edith of Wessex, who was the queen con ...
.
According to the thirteenth-century
chronicler
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1150 – c. 1220), also known as Saxo cognomine Longus, was a Danish historian, theologian and author. He is thought to have been a clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, the main advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. ...
, after the death of their father King Harold at the
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings nrf, Batâle dé Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William the Conqueror, William, the Duke of Normandy, and an English army under the Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godw ...
in 1066, Gytha and two of her brothers (probably
Magnus
Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...
and either
Godwin or
Edmund
Edmund is a masculine given name or surname in the English language. The name is derived from the Old English elements ''ēad'', meaning "prosperity" or "riches", and ''mund'', meaning "protector".
Persons named Edmund include:
People Kings and ...
) escaped to the court of their first cousin once-removed, King
Sweyn Estridsson of
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
. The two brothers were treated by Sweyn with hospitality, Magnus entering into high-level service with
Bolesław II the Generous
Bolesław II the Bold, also known as the Generous ( pl, Bolesław II Szczodry ; ''Śmiały''; c. 1042 – 2 or 3 April 1081 or 1082), was Duke of Poland from 1058 to 1076 and third King of Poland from 1076 to 1079. He was the eldest son of Duk ...
while Gytha was married to Waldemar, King of
Ruthenia
Ruthenia or , uk, Рутенія, translit=Rutenia or uk, Русь, translit=Rus, label=none, pl, Ruś, be, Рутэнія, Русь, russian: Рутения, Русь is an exonym, originally used in Medieval Latin as one of several terms ...
, i.e.
Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh (Old East Slavic: Володимѣръ Мономахъ, ''Volodiměrŭ Monomakhŭ''; uk, Володимир Мономах, translit=Volodymyr Monomakh; russian: Владимир Мономах; Christian name: ''Vasiliy'' ...
, one of the most famous rulers of
Kievan Rus
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
. This took place in 1069/1070 when Bolesław restored Grand Prince
Iziaslav I of Kiev
Iziaslav Yaroslavich ( orv, Изѧславь Ѩрославичь; russian: Изяслав Ярославич; uk, Ізяслав Ярославич; 1024 – 3 October 1078, baptized as ''Demetrius'') was a Kniaz' ( Prince) of Turov and Gra ...
and
Gertruda
Gertrude-Olisava (c. 1025 – 4 January 1108), princess of Poland, was the daughter of King Mieszko II of Poland and Queen Richeza of Lotharingia, and the great-granddaughter of German Emperor Otto II.
Early life
The exact time and place of Ger ...
(Bolesław's aunt) to power after they had been deposed. Gytha's role in Vladimir's rule is not documented. Vladimir explained in a book of 'Instructions' (''Pouchenie'') for his sons, written in the twelfth-century: “Love your wives, but grant them no power over you.” In his book, Vladimir also mentioned the recent death of
Yuri Yuri may refer to:
People and fictional characters
Given name
*Yuri (Slavic name), the Slavic masculine form of the given name George, including a list of people with the given name Yuri, Yury, etc.
*Yuri (Japanese name), also Yūri, feminine Jap ...
's mother.
Gytha was the mother of
Mstislav the Great, the last ruler of united Kievan Rus. In the
Norse saga
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, from the Super NES to the Play ...
s, Mstislav is called Harald, after his grandfather.
During her lifetime Gytha, as Vladimir's spouse, was princess of
Smolensk
Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest c ...
, however she died before her husband became
grand prince of Kiev
The Grand Prince of Kiev (sometimes grand duke) was the title of the ruler of Kiev and the ruler of Kievan Rus' from the 10th to 13th centuries. In the 13th century, Kiev became an appanage principality first of the grand prince of Vladimir and ...
(in 1113), so she never was grand princess of Kiev.
Children
With Vladimir, Gytha had several children, including:
#
Mstislav the Great (1076–1132)
#Izyaslav Vladimirovich, Prince of
Kursk
Kursk ( rus, Курск, p=ˈkursk) is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym rivers. The area around Kursk was the site of a turning point in the Soviet–German stru ...
(† 6 September 1096)
#Svyatoslav Vladimirovich, Prince of
Smolensk
Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest c ...
and
Pereyaslav
Pereiaslav ( uk, Перея́слав, translit=Pereiaslav, yi, פּרעיאַסלעוו, Periyoslov) is a historical city in the Boryspil Raion, Kyiv Oblast (province) of central Ukraine, located near the confluence of Alta and Trubizh rivers ...
(† 16 March 1114)
#
Yaropolk II of Kiev
Yaropolk II Vladimirovich Monomakh (russian: Ярополк II Владимирович, uk, Ярополк II Володимирович) (1082 – 18 February 1139), Prince of Pereiaslav (1114–1132), (Grand Prince) of Kiev (1132–1139), so ...
(† 18 February 1139)
#
Viacheslav I of Kiev
Viacheslav Vladimirovich (russian: Вячеслав Владимирович) (1083 – 2 February 1154) was a Prince of Smolensk (1113–1125), Turov (1125–1132, 1134–1146), Pereyaslavl (1132–1134, 1142), Peresopnytsia (1146–1149), Vy ...
(† 2 February 1154)
Death date
There is a problem with establishing Gytha's date of death. It is placed between 1098 and 1107.
The
patericon of
St Pantaleon Cloister in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...
says that "Gytha the Queen" (''Gida regina'') died as a nun on 10 March. The year is presumed to be 1098.
According to the "Testament of Vladimir Monomakh"
Yuri Dolgorukiy
Yuri I Vladimirovich ( rus, Юрий Владимирович, Yuriy Vladimirovich), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy or the Long Arm ( rus, Юрий Долгорукий, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, meaning "Far-Reaching", c. 109915 May 1157) was a Rur ...
's mother died on 7 May 1107. If Gytha died in 1098 then Yuri could have been a son of his father's second wife Yefimia (whom Vladimir Monomakh in this case supposedly married c.1099). However, it means there are no mentions in Vladimir Monomakh's works of Gytha's death, despite her being his first wife. Yuri's birth then falls to c. 1099/1100. However, the Primary Chronicle records the first marriage of Yuri - on 12 January 1108. It means that Yuri was born before c.1099/1100 (as he could not have been 6–9 years old at the time of marriage). Then it means, that Gytha could have been Yuri's mother and died in 1107.
Legacy
According to Russian politician and historian
Vladimir Medinsky
Vladimir Rostislavovich Medinsky (russian: link=no, Владимир Ростиславович Мединский, uk, Володимир Ростиславович Мединський; born July 18, 1970) is a Russian political figure, acad ...
, Gytha was a significant influence on Monomakh's public relations: "Knyaz's English wife wasn't wasted". As a source, Medinsky quotes M. P. Akekseev's comparative analysis between Monomakh writings' and
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...
's, and other anonymous then contemporary Anglo-Saxon texts.
Through her son
Mstislav the Great she was an ancestor of both
Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault (sometimes spelled Hainaut; Middle French: ''Philippe de Hainaut''; 24 June 1310 (or 1315) – 15 August 1369) was Queen of England as the wife and political adviser of King Edward III. She acted as regent in 1346,Strickla ...
and King
Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
, hence of all subsequent English and
United Kingdom monarchs. Through Mstislav, she was also an ancestor of
Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (russian: Александр Ярославич Невский; ; 13 May 1221 – 14 November 1263) served as Prince of Novgorod (1236–40, 1241–56 and 1258–1259), Grand Prince of Kiev (1236–52) and Grand P ...
[His mother Feodosia was great-great-granddaughter of Mstislav the Great.] and subsequent major Rurik rulers in Russian history, including
Ivan I Kalita,
Dmitry Donskoy
Saint Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy ( rus, Дми́трий Ива́нович Донско́й, Dmítriy Ivanovich Donskóy, also known as Dimitrii or Demetrius), or Dmitry of the Don, sometimes referred to simply as Dmitry (12 October 1350 – 1 ...
,
Ivan III the Great
Ivan III Vasilyevich (russian: Иван III Васильевич; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of all Rus'. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his blin ...
and first Tsar of Russia,
Ivan IV the Terrible
Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584.
Ivan ...
.
Family trees
*
Godwin family tree
*
Cnut the Great's family tree
References
Sources
*''Necrologium Sanctis Pantalaeonis Coloniensis'', in ''Rheinische Urbare: Sammlung von Urbaren und anderen Quellen zur rheinischen Wirtschaftsgeschichte'' (Bonn, 1902), vol. 1.
*Saxo Grammaticus, ''Gesta Danorum: The History of the Danes'', 2 vols. (Oxford, 2015).
*
*T. Zajac, 'Marriage Impediments in Canon Law and Practice: Consanguinity Regulations and the Case of Orthodox-Catholic Intermarriage in Kyivan Rus, ca. 1000 – 1250,' in ''Proceedings of the Fourteenth International Congress of Medieval Canon Law, Toronto, 5–11 August 2012'', ed. Joseph Goering, Stephan Dusil, and Andreas Thier (Vatican City, 2016), pp. 711–29.
*T. Zajac, ‘The social-political roles of the princess in Kyivan Rus’, ca. 945–1240,’ in E. Woodacre, ed., ''A Global Companion to Queenship'' (Leeds, 2018), pp. 125–146.
External links
*S. Lewis
'Gytha of Wessex, an Anglo-Saxon Russian Princess' blogpost
Further reading
*
Alexander Nazarenko
Aleksandr Vasilievich Nazarenko (russian: Александр Васильевич Назаренко; 1948 – 19 January 2022) was a Russian historian who worked in the Moscow State University. He headed the project "Russia and Central Europe in ...
. ''Древняя Русь на международных путях''. Moscow, 2001. . (Russian)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gytha of Wessex
11th-century births
Year of birth unknown
1098 deaths
1107 deaths
Year of death uncertain
Burials at Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv
11th-century English people
11th-century English women
English princesses
11th-century Rus' people
11th-century Rus' women
House of Godwin
Anglo-Norse women
Anglo-Saxon women
Anglo-Saxon royalty
Kievan Rus' princesses
Rurik dynasty
Daughters of kings