Gytha of Wessex
Encyclopedia
Gytha of Wessex was one of several daughters of Edith Swanneck by Harold II
, the last Anglo-Saxon
king of England
.
According to Saxo Grammaticus
, two of Harold's sons and a daughter escaped to the court of their uncle, king Sweyn Estridsson
of Denmark
. They were treated by Sweyn with hospitality, while their sister was married to Waldemar, king of Ruthenia
, i.e. Vladimir II Monomakh
, one of the most famous rulers of Kievan Rus.
Gytha was the mother of Mstislav the Great
, the last ruler of united Kievan Rus. In the Norse saga
s, Mstislav is called Harald after his grandfather. The pateric of St Pantaleon Cloister in Cologne
says that "Gytha the Queen" died as a nun on 10 March. a year later Vladimir Monomakh married another woman.
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
, the last Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
king of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
.
According to Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus
Saxo Grammaticus also known as Saxo cognomine Longus was a Danish historian, thought to have been a secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, foremost advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author of the first full history of Denmark.- Life :The Jutland Chronicle gives...
, two of Harold's sons and a daughter escaped to the court of their uncle, king Sweyn Estridsson
Sweyn II of Denmark
Sweyn II Estridsson Ulfsson was the King of Denmark from 1047 to 1074. He was the son of Ulf Jarl and Estrid Svendsdatter. He was married three times, and fathered 20 children or more, including the five future kings Harald III Hen, Canute IV the Saint, Oluf I Hunger, Eric I Evergood and Niels...
of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. They were treated by Sweyn with hospitality, while their sister was married to Waldemar, king of Ruthenia
Ruthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
, i.e. Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh |Basileios]]) was a Velikiy Kniaz of Kievan Rus'.- Family :He was the son of Vsevolod I and Anastasia of Byzantium Vladimir II Monomakh |Basileios]]) (1053 – May 19, 1125) was a Velikiy Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kievan Rus'.- Family :He was the son of Vsevolod I (married in...
, one of the most famous rulers of Kievan Rus.
Gytha was the mother of Mstislav the Great
Mstislav I of Kiev
Mstislav I Vladimirovich the Great was the Grand Prince of Kiev , the eldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh by Gytha of Wessex...
, the last ruler of united Kievan Rus. In the Norse saga
Norse saga
The sagas are stories about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, about early Viking voyages, the battles that took place during the voyages, about migration to Iceland and of feuds between Icelandic families...
s, Mstislav is called Harald after his grandfather. The pateric of St Pantaleon Cloister in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
says that "Gytha the Queen" died as a nun on 10 March. a year later Vladimir Monomakh married another woman.
Children
Their children were:- Mstislav the GreatMstislav I of KievMstislav I Vladimirovich the Great was the Grand Prince of Kiev , the eldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh by Gytha of Wessex...
(1076–1132) - Izyaslav Vladimirovich, Prince of KurskKurskKursk 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 site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
(†September 6, 1096) - Svyatoslav Vladimirovich, Prince of SmolenskSmolenskSmolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
and Pereyaslav (†March 16, 1114) - Yaropolk II of KievYaropolk II of KievYaropolk II Vladimirovich , Prince of Pereyaslav , Velikiy Kniaz of Kiev , son of Vladimir II Monomakh and Gytha of Wessex. He fought in several campaigns against the Polovtsy , once in 1103 and again in 1116.After the death of his brother in 1132, Msitslav I the Great, Yaropolk received the...
(†February 18, 1139) - Viacheslav I of KievViacheslav I of KievViacheslav Vladimirovich , Prince of Smolensk , Turov , Pereyaslavl , Peresopnitsa , Vyshgorod and Grand Prince of Kiev ....
(†February 2, 1154)