Rogneda of Polotsk, Princess Consort of Rus

Female 962 - 1002  (~ 39 years)


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  • Name Rogneda of Polotsk 
    Suffix Princess Consort of Rus 
    Birth 0Apr 962  Polotsk, Russia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Female 
    Death 1002  Berestovo, Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Person ID I51035  The Hennessee Family
    Last Modified 15 Feb 2019 

    Father Rogvolod, Prince of Polotsk,   b. ~920, Gothland, Sweden Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 978, Polotsk, Belarus Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F19001  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Yaropolik, I, Prince of Rus',   b. ~958, (Kiev) Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Jun 980, Kaniv, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F19027  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

    Family 2 Vladimir, Czar of Russia,   b. 956, Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Jul 1015, Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 59 years) 
    Marriage Y  [1, 2, 3
    Divorce Y  [4
    Children 
     1. Yaroslav, I, Czar of Russia,   b. 976, Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 Feb 1054, Kiev, Ukraine Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
    Family ID F18997  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 0Apr 962 - Polotsk, Russia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 1002 - Berestovo, Kiev, Ukraine Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Rogneda of Polotsk (962–1002) is the Slavic name for Ragnhild, was a Princess consort of Rus. She was the daughter of Ragnvald (Slavic: Rogvolod) came from Scandinavia and established himself at Polatsk in the mid-10th century.

      Life

      It has been speculated that Rogneda belonged to the Ynglings royal family of Norway. In or about 980, Vladimir, on learning that she was betrothed to his half-brother Yaropolk I of Kiev, took Polotsk and forced Rogneda to marry him. Having raped Rogneda in the presence of her parents, he ordered them to be killed, along with two of Rogneda's brothers.

      Rogneda gave him several children. The four sons were Yaroslav the Wise, Vsevolod, Mstislav of Chernigov, and Izyaslav of Polotsk. She also bore two daughters, one of whom is named by Nestor the Chronicler as Predslava (taken as a concubine of Boleslaus I of Poland, according to Gallus). A later chronicle tells a story, most likely taken from a Norse saga, of Rogneda plotting against Vladimir and asking her elder son, Izyaslav, to kill him. As was the Norse royal custom, she was sent with her elder son to govern the land of her parents, i.e. Polotsk. Izyaslav's line continued to rule Polotsk and the newly found town of Izyaslavl until the Mongol invasion.

      After Vladimir converted to Christianity and took Anna Porphyrogeneta as his wife, he had to divorce all his previous wives, including Rogneda. After that, she entered the convent and took the name Anastasia.

      Legacy

      Around 1825 Kondraty Ryleev wrote a narrative poem entitled Rogneda. This poem became a literary source for her portrayal in the nationalist Russian opera Rogneda by Alexander Serov, which premiered in 1865.

      See also

      Family life and children of Vladimir I
      List of rape victims from history and mythology

      Princess Consort of Rus
      Rahvalod, Rahnieda (Polacak). ????????, ??????? (???????).jpg
      Matchmakers Vladimir Svyatoslavich in Rogvolod (left side); Rogvolod talks with Rogneda (right side).
      Reign 980–988
      Predecessor Unknown wife of Yaropolk I
      Successor Anna Porphyrogeneta
      Born 962
      Died 1002 [aged 40]
      Spouse Vladimir the Great (divorced)
      Issue Izyaslav of Polotsk
      Yaroslav the Wise
      Mstislav of Chernigov
      Predlava
      Premislava
      Mstislava
      Father Rogvolod

      end of biography


      end of biography [4]

  • Sources 
    1. [S12420] "Robert (Brus) de Brus", Ancestors, Descendants & Biography, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Brus-141, revisited or retrie.

    2. [S12514] "List of rape victims from ancient history and mythology", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rape_victims_from_ancie.

    3. [S12422] "Vladimir the Great", Biography, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_the_Great, revisited or retrieved, recorded & up.

    4. [S12434] "Rogneda of Polotsk", Biography, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogneda_of_Polotsk, revisited or retrieved, recorded & up.