37 generations back to 900 in Kiev, Sweden, and Denmark
Includes Kings of Scotland James II and James IV (Stewart) reigning 1460-1513. Also includes princes of Kiev and kings of Denmark, Sweden, plus a Byzantine Emperor and a Holy Roman Emperor
1 Adela Rose Seltzer b. Nov. 9, 2007
1 Lila Pearl Seltzer b. May 27, 2010
daughters of
2 Robert Richard Hartley Seltzer b. July 29, 1975 md. Aug. 10, 2002 in Boston, MA Stacey Denenberg b. July 18, 1976
2 Heather Katherine Hartley Seltzer b. August 13, 1977
2 Michael Richard Hartley Seltzer b. June 14, 1980
2 Timothy Richard Hartley Seltzer b. Oct. 5, 1989
children of
3 Richard Warren (8) Seltzer, Jr. (b. Feb. 23 1946 Clarksville, TN) md. (1) July 28, 1973 Boston, MA Barbara Ann Hartley (1950-2012), md. (2) Sept. 27, 2015 Marilyn Lender (b. Aug. 22, 1945, NY, NY)
Richard = son of
4 Helen Estes b. Jan. 31, 1920 md. June 5, 1944 in Philadelphia, PA Richard Warren Seltzer, Sr. b. June 5, 1923
Helen = daughter of
5 Smith William Estes ( June 17, 1881 - Dec. 20, 1943) md. in Philadelphia, PA 1905 May Griffith (1883-1930)
Smith = son of
6 Louis Powhatan Estes (Nov. 22, 1849 - Sept. 6, 1902) md. Oct. 30, 1875 Lily Yates Moore (May 13, 1853 - March 8, 1929) (daughter of S.W. Moore and Mary Yates)
Louis = son of
7 Albert Monroe Estes (Nov. 19, 1804 in Bedford County, VA - Dec. 22, 1863 in Haywood County, TN) md. Nov. 17, 1848 Mildred Colman (daughter of Dr. Benjamin Colman and Mildred Wharton of New Jersey) (c. 1823- Nov. 30, 1849)
Albert = son of
8 Sarah Langhorne Bates (1781- 1825 near Brownsville, Haywood County, TN) md. Oct. 13, 1801 in Chesterfield County, VA Joel Estes (1780-1833) (son of Benjamin Estes and Cecelia Rebecca Thorpe)
Sarah = daughter of
9 Daniel Bates (July 6, 1756 - c. 1801) md. May 21, 1776in Chesterfield County, VA Elizabeth Cary Bell ( b. about 1758 in Virginia, d. 1825 in Kentucky) daughter of David Bell and Judith Cary
Daniel = son of
10 James Bates (March 7, 1721 - Nov. 9, 1786) md. Nov. 11, 1746 in Goochland County, St. James Wortham parish, VA Winnifred Grymes or Grimes or Hix (b. Jan. 18, 1729 in Goochland)
James = son of
11 Susannah Tarleton Fleming md. about 1709 John Bates (1685-1723)
Susannah = daughter of
12 Charles Fleming (b. 1667) (of New Kent County, VA) md. Susannah Tarleton (d. 1687) (daughter of Stephen Tarleton)
According to "My Ancestors and Relatives": "Colonel Charles was born on December 10th, 1659 in Of Charles Parish, York Co., Va. Colonel Charles' father was John FLEMMING and his mother was Mrs. Mercy Or Mary FLEMING. His paternal grandparents were Captain Alexander FLEMING and Elizabeth (Elspet) ANDERSON. He had four brothers and a sister, named William, Alexander, John, Tarleton and Lydia. He died at the age of 57 on October 7th, 1717 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, Va.
"Susanna was born in Of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, Va. Susanna's father was Stephen TARLETON and her mother is Susanna. She had a sister named Judith. She died after October 7th, 1717 in St.peters Parish, New Kent.
"Colonel Charles and Susanna were married in a religious ceremony in New Kent, Virginia. They had two sons and eight daughters, named Colonel John, Tarleton, Susannah, Elizabeth, Judith, Ursula, Anne, Grace, Anne and Sarah.
Charles = son of
13 John Fleming (b. 1627 Cumbarnauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. April 27, 1686 in New Kent County, VA, St. Peter's Parish Register)
Cary-Estes Genealogy p. 86 indicates that according to "Fleming Family" by Lyon G. Tyler, William and MaryQuarterly Vol. 12, 1093, pp. 45-47, "I think he was the father of Charles Fleming who md. Susannah ___. She was probably a daughter of Stephen Tarleton." John Fleming, 493 acres in New Kent County on south side of Yorke River 2 march 1661 per page 397 Parent Book No. 4.
According to "My Ancestors and Relatives": "John was born in 1627 in Cumbarnauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland. John's father was Captain Alexander FLEMING and his mother was Elizabeth (Elspet) ANDERSON. His paternal grandparents were John FLEMING and Margaret LIVINGSTON; his maternal grandparents are William ANDERSON and MRS. ANDERSON. He had a brother and two sisters, named John, Elizabeth and Alexia. He died at the age of 59 on April 27th, 1686 in Charles Parish, York Co., Virginia. His burial was on April 30th, 1686 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, Va.
"Mrs. Mercy or Mary was born about 1637 in Of Charles Parish, York Co., Va. She died in , New Kent, Va.
"John and Mrs. Mercy or Mary were married in a religious ceremony in , , , England. They had five sons and a daughter, named Colonel Charles, William, Alexander, John, Tarleton and Lydia."
John = son of
14 Alexander Fleming (b. 1612 Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. Dec. 30, 1668 Rappahannock Co., VA) md. Elizabeth (AKA Elspet) Anderson (b. 1614, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. Oct. 6, 1656 Rappahannock Co., VA)
According to "My Ancestors and Relatives": "Captain Alexander was born about 1612 in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Captain Alexander's father was John FLEMING and his mother was Margaret LIVINGSTON. His paternal grandparents were John 1St Earl Wigton FLEMING and Lillias Lilias GRAHAM; his maternal grandfather was Alexander LIVINGSTON and his maternal grandmother is Eleanor Or Helen HAY. He had two brothers and six sisters, named John, William, Eleanor, Ann, Jean, Lilias, Helen and Margaret. He died on December 30th, 1668 in , Rappahannock Co., Va.
"Elizabeth (Elspet) was born about 1614 in Of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Elizabeth (Elspet)'s father is William ANDERSON and her mother is MRS. ANDERSON. Her paternal grandfather is John ANDERSON. She was an only child. She died on October 6th, 1656 in , Rappahannock Co., Va.
"Captain Alexander and Elizabeth (Elspet) were married in a religious ceremony about 1632 in Scotland. They had two sons and two daughters, named John, John, Elizabeth and Alexia."
Alexander = son of
15 John Fleming (b. Dec. 9, 1589 Kincardine, Perth, Scotland d. May 7 1650 Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland) md. Margaret Livingston (b. about 1587 Callendar, Stirlingshire, Scotland d. 1634) (Her line)
According to "My Ancestors and Relatives": "John was born on December 9th, 1589 in Kincardine, Perth, Scot. and his baptism took place on December 9th, 1589 in Kincardine, Perthshire, Scotland. John's father was John 1St Earl Wigton FLEMING and his mother was Lillias Lilias GRAHAM. His paternal grandparents were John Fleming EARL and Elizabeth ROSS; his maternal grandfather is John GRAHAM and his maternal grandmother was Jean DRUMMOND. He had four brothers and eight sisters, named James, Alexander, FLEMING, Malcolm, Jean, Jean, Anne, Margaret, Sarah, Lillias, Mary and Rachel. He died at the age of 60 on May 7th, 1650 in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His burial was in Scotland.
"Margaret was born about 1587 in Of, Callendar, Stirlingshire, Scotland. Margaret's father was Alexander LIVINGSTON and her mother is Eleanor Or Helen HAY. Her paternal grandfather was William LIVINGSTONE and her paternal grandmother is Agnes FLEMING. She had three brothers and a sister, named Alexander, John, James and Anna. She died in 1634.
"John and Margaret were married in a religious ceremony on February 20th, 1609 in Scotland. They had three sons and six daughters, named John, Captain Alexander, William, Eleanor, Ann, Jean, Lilias, Helen and Margaret.
John = son of
16 Lord John Fleming (1567-1619) 6th Lord Fleming, first Earl of Wigton in Scotland from 1606 md. Lilias Graham [Her line]
The Cary Estes Geneaology p. 86 quotes "Biggar and the House of Fleming" by William Hunter, F.S.a. Scot. Pages 551-552, 557:
"Lord Fleming married Lady Lilias Graham, a daughter of John, Earl of Montrose. Her ladyship was distinguished for her piety and devotion and her zealous efforts to promote the principles of the Reformation. Livingstone, in his 'Characterisitcs' says of her, 'When I was a child I have often seen her at my father's at the preachings and communions. While dressing she read the Bible, and every day at that time shed more tears (said one) than ever I did in my life.'"
"The Earl died in April 1619 leaving three sons and five daughters and was succeeded by his eldest son John who warmly embraced his mother's ecclesiastical opinions and was as zealous of the cause of Presbyterianism as his forefathers had been in the maintenance of Popery.
"He [the son, the Second Earl of Wigton] married Margaret, daughter of Alexander Livingstone, first Earl of Linlithgow, a lady of amiable disposition and great piety who entered cordially into the religious views and schemes of her husband. They not only attended the ministrations of the settled Protestant clergy, but for some time maintained a chaplain of their own family." (page 552)
John = son of
17 John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming (b. 1537 Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. Sept. 6, 1572 Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland) [Overlapping line. We are also descended from his sister Margaret]md. May 10, 1562 Elizabeth Ross (b. 1541 Halkhead, Lanarkshire, Scotland d. April 14, 1578, Scotland), daughter of Robert Ross md. Agnes Moncrieff
According to "My Ancestors and Relatives": "John Fleming was born about 1537 in Bigger, L, Scot, Bi. John Fleming's father was Malcolm FLEMING and his mother was Janet STEWART. His paternal grandparents were John FLEMING and Euphame DRUMMOND; his maternal grandparents were James IV King Of SCOTLAND and Agnes STEWART. He had three brothers and six sisters, named John, James, William, Margaret, Elizabeth, Johanna Or Joan, Janet, Agnes and Mary. He died on September 6th, 1572 in Bigger, L, Scot, Bi. His burial was in Scotland.
"Elizabeth was born about 1541 in Of Halkhead, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Elizabeth's father was Robert Ross MASTER and her mother is Agnes MONCRIEFF. Her paternal grandparents are Ninian ROSS and Janet (Elizabeth) (Stuart) STEWART. She was an only child. She died on April 14th, 1578 in , Scot, Bi.
John Fleming and Elizabeth were married in a religious ceremony on May 10th, 1562 in Bigger, L, Scot, Bi. They had a son and six daughters, named John 1St Earl Wigton, Jean, Margaret, Elizabeth, Lucrece, Mary and Jane."
John = son of
18 Lady Janet Stewart (1505-1563) illegitimate daughter of King James IV of Scotland md. Malcolm Fleming (c. 1494-1547) 3rd Lord Fleming. [His line]
According to Wikipedia: "Janet Stewart, Lady Fleming (or Jane, Joan, Jean, or Johanna; c.1505 – c.1563) was an illegitimate daughter of James IV of Scotland who served as governess to her niece, Mary, Queen of Scots, and was briefly a mistress to Henry II of France. Her daughter, Mary Fleming, was one of the Queen's Four Maries."
According to Wikipedia: "Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming (c.1494 - 10 September 1547) son and heir of John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming, Lord Chamberlain of Scotland 1524. He was taken prisoner by the English at the Battle of Solway Moss, Nov 1542, but released at a ransom of 1000 marks on 1 July 1548. He was granted a dispensation on 26 February 1524/5, and subsequently married Lady Janet Stewart, illegitimate daughter of King James IV of Scotland He died 10 September 1547, in his 53rd year, being slain at the Battle of Pinkie."
Janet = daughter of
19 King James IV of Scotland (1473-1513) reigned 1488-1513 unmarried Agnes Stewart.
According to Wikipedia: "James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last British monarch to be killed in battle. James IV was the son of James III and Margaret of Denmark, probably born in Stirling Castle."
James = son of
20 Margaret of Denmark (1456-1486) md. 1469 King James III Stewart of Scotland (c. 1451/1452-1488). James was king 1460-1488, and Duke of Rothesay from birth.
According to Wikipedia: "James III of Scotland (c. 1451/1452 – 11 June 1488), the son of James II and Mary of Guelders, was Duke of Rothesay from birth, then King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family."
Margaret = daugther of
21 King Christian I (1426-1481) King of Denmark 1448-1481, Norway 1450-1481 and Sweden 1457-1464, also Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst md. Dorothea of Brandenburg (1430/1431-1495), AKA Dorothea of Hohensollern and Dorothy Achilles. [Her line]
Christian = son of
22 Count Dietrich of Oldenburg (1398-1440) AKA Derrick of Oldenburg and Theoderic of Oldenburg and Theoderic the Lucky, Count of Delmenhorst and Oldenburg md. Hedwig of Schauenburg (1398-1436) AKA Helvig of Schauenburg [see her line below]
According to Wikipedia: "Derrick or Dietrich of Oldenburg, Latin-based anglicization also Theoderic of Oldenburg (c. 1398–February 14, 1440), nicknamed Theoderic the Lucky or the Fortunate (Teudericus Fortunatus), was a feudal lord in northern Germany, holding the counties of Delmenhorst and Oldenburg. He was called "Fortunatus" as he was able to secure Delmenhorst for his branch of the Oldenburgs. Dietrich is the father of Christian I of Denmark, a male-line ancestor to the present-day Danish throne under Margaret II of Denmark.
"Dietrich of Oldenburg was the son of Count Christian V of Oldenburg (who became count in about 1398 and died in 1423) and his wife, Countess Agnes of Honstein. His grandfather, Count Conrad I of Oldenburg (d. ca. 1368) had left his lands divided between his father and his uncle Conrad II.
"Dietrich’s father, Christian V, managed to gain the upper hand when Conrad II's son Maurice IV died in 1420. After this, most of the Oldenburg family patrimony was under the power of Dietrich’s branch. However, the house had several minor branches who had estates and claims, as was usual in any medieval fief.
"Dietrich of Oldenburg was the grandson of Ingeborg of Itzehoe, a Holstein princess who had married count Conrad I of Oldenburg. After the death in 1350 of her only brother, Count Gerhard V of Holstein-Itzehoe-Plön, Ingeborg and her issue were the heirs of her own grandmother Ingeborg of Sweden (d. ca. 1290, first wife of Gerhard II of Plön-Itzehoe), the eldest daughter of King Valdemar of Sweden and Queen Sophia, who herself was the eldest daughter of the sonless King Eric IV of Denmark and his wife Jutta of Saxony. Since other legitimate descent from King Valdemar apparently was extinct by this time, Dietrich was considered the heir general of Kings Valdemar I of Sweden and Eric IV of Denmark.
Dietrich succeeded his father as head of the House of Oldenburg in 1423."
Dietrich = son of
23 Count Christian V of Oldenbrg, became count 1398 (b. before 1347 d. 1423) md. Agnes of Honstein
Christian = son of
24 Count Conrad I of Oldenberg (d. appox. 1368) md. Ingeborg von Braunschweig
________________________
HEDVIG OF SCHAUENBURG
22 Hedvig of Schauenburg (1398-1436) AKA Helvig of Schauenburg md. Count Dietrich of Oldenburg (1398-1440) AKA Derrick of Oldenburg and Theoderic of Oldenburg and Theoderic the Lucky, Count of Delmenhorst and Oldenburg [continued from above]
According to Wikipedia: "Helvig of Schauenburg (1398–1436), also known as Hedwig of Schauenburg, was a duchess of Schleswig and a countess of Holstein from the family of Schauenburg, and ancestor of the Danish Royal houses of Oldenburg and Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. She was a daughter of Count Gerhard VI of Holstein and his wife Elisabeth of Brunswick. Her brother was Adolf VIII/I, Count of Holstein/Duke of Schleswig. Through their father, Helvig and Adolf were Cognatic descendants of the King Eric V of Denmark. On 18 April 1417 Helvig was married to Prince Balthasar of Mecklenburg, who died of the plague in 1421. In 1423 she was married to Count Dietrich of Oldenburg."
Hedvig = daughter of
23 Count Gerhard VI of Holstein md. Katharina Elisabeth of Burnswick (1385 - after 1423) [see her line below]
According to Wikipedia: "Elisabeth of Brunswick and Lunenburg was born in 1385 and died after 1423, was Duchess consort of Sønderjylland and Schleswig and Countess consort of Holstein-Rendsburg. She was the regent of some of the fiefs of her son during his minority 1404-1415. She was a daughter of Magnus II Torquatus, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel, and his consort Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg, daughter of Bernhard III, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg. Elisabeth was the grandmother of Christian I of Denmark and six times great-granddaughter of Henry II of England." [her line continues below]
Gerhard = son of
24 Henry II of Holstein-Rendsburg, Duke of Schleswig md. Ingeborg of Mecklenburg
Henry = son of
25 Gerhard III of Holsetin-Rendsburg, Duck of Schleswig md. Sofie of Mecklengrg-Werle
Gerhard = son of Henry I, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg md. Heilwig of Bronckhorst
________________
KATHARINA ELISABETH OF BRUNSWICK
23 Katharina Elisabeth of Burnswick (1385 - after 1423) md. Count Gerhard VI of Holstein [continued from above]
Katharina = daughter of
24 Magnus II, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg (1324-1373) md. Catherine of Anhalt-Bernburg
According to Wikipedia: "Magnus (1324–1373), called Magnus with the Necklace (Latin: Magnus Torquatus) or Magnus II, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, ruling the Brunswick-Lüneburg principalities of Wolfenbüttel (colloquially also called Brunswick) and, temporarily, Lüneburg. Magnus was the son of Magnus the Pious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Wolfenbüttel). In 1362 Magnus and his brother Louis helped their brother Prince-Archbishop Albert II of Bremen to assert himself against the incumbent diocesan administrator Morris of Oldenburg, who claimed the see for himself. Magnus, Louis and the latter's father-in-law William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Celle), and their troops beleaguered Morris in the prince-archiepiscopal castle in Vörde and forced him to sign his resignation.
"After the death of his brother Louis in 1367, Magnus became the designated heir of both ducal principalities, Wolfenbüttel and Celle (colloquially also Lüneburg). When both his father and William II, who ruled over Celle, died in 1369, Magnus gained both ducal principalities. But already in 1370, he lost Celle to the Ascanian dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg (Albert and his uncle Wenceslas, Elector of Saxe-Wittemberg), who had been given the principality by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, who had also banned Magnus. Several cities, including Lüneburg (Lunenburg), Uelzen, and Hanover switched allegiance to the Ascanians; Magnus managed to keep the City of Braunschweig (Brunswick) among his allies only with difficulties. The Lüneburg War of Succession continued for several years after Magnus died in the Battle of Leveste (a part of today's Gehrden), near the Deister, on 25 July 1373."
Magnus = son of
25 Magnus the Pious, Duck of Brunswick-Luneburg (d. 1369) md. Sophie of Brandenburg
According to Wikipedia: "Magnus (died 1369), called the Pious (Latin Pius), was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The son of Albert the Fat, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Magnus was still a minor when his father died in 1318; he and his brother Ernest were put under the guardianship of their elder brother Otto, who continued as sole ruler even after his brothers came of age. After marrying Sophie, a niece of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, Magnus was appointed margrave of Landsberg and count palatine of Saxony by the Emperor in 1333. Magnus took residence at Sangerhausen. When Otto died in 1344, Magnus and Ernest jointly took over government of the state; but already on 17 April 1345, they agreed to divide the territory. Magnus received the Principality of Wolfenbüttel.
"In 1346, a border war between Wolfenbüttel and the Archbishop of Magdeburg broke out. In exchange for help in this conflict, Magnus sold the Margraviate of Landsberg to Frederick II, Margrave of Meißen. But the Archbishop conquered Schöningen in 1347, and Magnus had to cede Hötensleben and some other possessions to the Archbishop. Financially ruined by the war, Magnus could not stop the cities in the state from acquiring more and more rights; especially the City of Brunswick was becoming more powerful.
"In 1348, the Emperor gave Landsberg and the Palatinate of Saxony to Bernard, Prince of Anhalt. The ensuing conflict over these territories between Magnus and Bernard ended amicably with a marriage between Magnus' son Magnus and Catherine, daughter of Valdemar, Prince of Anhalt.
"Magnus attempted to secure the Principality of Lüneburg for his son Louis, so that it could be reunited with Wolfenbüttel. The prince of Lüneburg, William II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, a member of the same house to which Magnus belonged, the House of Welf, did not have sons; however, he had already promised the principality to a son of his daughter, a relative of the Duke of Saxony, before he agreed to Magnus' plan. Louis then married William's daughter Matilda. A lengthy conflict broke out that culminated in the Lüneburg Succession War, which was resolved only in 1388.
"In 1367, Magnus joined Dietrich, Archbishop of Magdeburg, Albert, Bishop of Halberstadt, Valdemar, Prince of Anhalt, and others in a campaign against Gerhard of Berg, Bishop of Hildesheim; they were defeated by Hildesheim in a battle near Farmsen and Dinklar on 3 September. Magnus was taken prisoner, and had to buy his freedom. He died in Summer of 1369.
Magnus = son of
26 Albert II, "the Fat", Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg (c. 1268- Sept. 22, 1318) md. Rixa of Mecklengurg-Werle
According to Wikipedia: "Albert (Latin Albertus; c. 1268 – 22 September 1318), called the Fat (pinguis), was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The second son of Albert the Tall, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Albert was a boy when his father died in 1279. He was first under guardianship of his uncle, Conrad, Prince-Bishop of Verden, and then of his elder brother, Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. In 1286 the three brothers divided their father's territory; Albert received the areas around Göttingen, Minden, Northeim, Calenberg, and Hanover. He made Göttingen his residence. In 1292, the third brother, William, died childless, and Albert and Henry quarrelled about William's share, the areas around Brunswick and Wolfenbüttel; Albert finally prevailed."
Albert = son of
27 Albert the Tall, Duke of Bruswick-Luneberg (1236-1279)
According to Wikipedia: "Albert the Tall (Latin: Albertus Longus, German: Albrecht der Große) (1236–1279), of the House of Welf, was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1252 to 1269 and the first ruler of the newly-created Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel from 1269 until his death. Albert I of Brunswick was the second son of Otto the Child, the first Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. When his father died in 1252, he was the oldest surviving son, and took over the rule of the duchy; later his younger brother John joined him. In 1267, the brothers agreed to divide the duchy, which happened in 1269. Albert partitioned the territory while John obtained the right to choose his part. He took the northern half including the region of Lüneburg and the city of Hanover, while Albert received the southern part, including Calenberg, Helmstedt, the Harz mountains and Göttingen. The City of Brunswick was to remain common property of the brothers. Albert died on August 15, 1279 and is buried at Brunswick Cathedral. He was succeeded by his elder three sons, the younger three joined the Church."
Albert = son of
28 Otto the Child, first Duke of Bruswick-Luneburg (d. 1252)
According to Wikipedia: "Otto I of Brunswick-Lüneburg (about 1204 – 1252) was the first duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1235 until his death. He is called Otto the Child to distinguish him from his uncle, Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor. Otto was born around 1204 as the only son of William of Winchester, the youngest son of Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony. He inherited his father's properties in Saxony in 1213. The death of the Prince Palatine, in 1214, may be said to have opened to him a more splendid succession than what belonged to the very circumscribed patrimony of his father; but as his uncle Henry hesitated between a desire to aggrandize his own children (daughters) and a sense of what was due to the male representative of his name and family, Otto reaped little advantage from these enlarged prospects.
"At last, in 1223, Henry executed a deed, by which he appointed his nephew his successor in all that remained of the allodial domains of the duchies of Saxony and Bavaria, and also in the private fiefs which he held as an individual in other parts of the empire. These states, however, constituted so small a portion of the former wealth of his illustrious house, that we should have thought there was scarcely a pretext for either envy or alarm in the breast of his enemy, yet when the Emperor, Frederick II, was made acquainted with the intentions of the Count Palatine, he began to intrigue with his daughters. That he might have a pretense for depriving Otto of the succession at his uncle's death, he purchased from Irmgard, the Margravine of Baden and Agnes, the Duchess of Bavaria their claims as the only issue of the Duke of Saxony; and no sooner was the death of Henry announced, than the King of the Romans was dispatched with an imperial force to take possession of the city and territory of Brunswick. But Otto had been regularly acknowledged by the states as their legitimate sovereign and had been received as such by the city and principality. They therefore joined him heartily in repelling this invasion, and the king and his array were compelled to retire, without being able to effect the object which the emperor had in view.
"To be prepared against any future attempt of the same kind, Otto judged it prudent at this time to enter into a treaty with his maternal uncle King Valdemar II of Denmark, by which they respectively bound themselves to support each other against all enemies whatsoever. This treaty was in the end most injurious to the states of Brunswick. Otto was made count of Garding and Thetesbüll by King Valdemar, and participated in the Battle of Mölln of 1225 and the Battle of Bornhöved of 1227 on the side of Denmark. After the last battle Otto was imprisoned in Rostock, the capital of Schwerin, where he was shut up in a fortress.
"The Emperor no sooner heard of Otto's confinement, than he again prepared to attack Brunswick. His son, the Roman king, was detached with a considerable force to seize upon the city; and that more weight might he given to the expedition, the Duke of Bavaria was prevailed upon to accompany him. But on their approach, they found the gates shut, and the citizens prepared to defend their liberties, while they learnt, at the same time, that the King of Denmark was advancing upon their rear. They were therefore compelled to sound a retreat; and luckily for the captive prince, the emperor had become involved in matters of higher importance, which we shall now briefly notice, and was under the necessity of withdrawing his attention from the conquest of Brunswick.
"It happened fortunately for the Duke of Brunswick, that the Count of Schwerin died in 1228, and that on his death-bed he had directed that he should be set at liberty. The Duke of Saxony, who claimed a joint right in his detention, refused at first to comply with the dying request of his friend, but when allowed to take possession of the Castle of Hardsacre and other states, as a security for the payment of his ransom, he was permitted to leave his prison. Otto reached Brunswick in September 1228, and was received by his vassals with every mark of respect and attachment. He renewed and confirmed the various charters granted by his ancestors to the city, and greatly enlarged its privileges; while his uncle, the King of Denmark, bestowed as a boon upon the citizens the liberty of trading in his dominions, without paying customs or any other dues.
"On his way from Rostock, Otho had spent some days at the court of the Margrave of Brandenburg, where he had seen and admired the Princess Matilda, the daughter of the margrave, and no sooner were his private affairs arranged, than he sent to demand the hand of this princess in marriage. It was an alliance too flattering for the House of Brandenburg to be rejected. Matters were speedily settled, and the marriage ceremony was performed with great splendor at Lüneburg.
"By 1227, his father's two brothers, Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor, had died without surviving children, and Otto was the only heir of the properties of his grandfather Henry the Lion. But Otto had to battle for his properties against the ruling Hohenstaufen family and against local nobles; he managed to strengthen his position through his marriage to Matilda.
"It is alleged by some that the Duke of Brunswick was well-inclined to enter into the views of the Pope, but that he found he could neither raise men nor money sufficient to warrant even a probability of success. This we are inclined to doubt, for had Otho been ambitious, he might have obtained the empire without much difficulty; and supported as he was by England and Denmark, it is not likely that he could have been at a loss for an army, or for the means of supporting it.
"As a proof that Otto had the full confidence and support of the King of England, we find that the moment he obtained his liberty, he wrote to communicate the same to Henry III, who was his cousin, and as Henry's answer dated 6 March 1229 has fortunately been preserved by Thomas Rymer, it becomes a valuable part of these annals, as it puts our conjecture beyond a doubt.
"Later Henry send a letter to the Pope, in which he repeats his thanks to Pope Gregory IX for the zealous part he had taken in procuring the freedom of his dear cousin the Duke of Brunswick, and adds, "that as Christian Princes may approach his Holiness with their petitions, he ventures to supplicate a continuance of his especial favor to his said cousin, which by reason of their near connexion in blood he would esteem as much as if shewn to himself." He implores Gregory to promote Otto's honor whenever it is in his power, and to recommend him to the princes of the empire, as often as he had an opportunity, adding, " that he most firmly believed and trusted in the Lord, that among all the princes of the empire he would be found the one most devoted to the interests of the church; and that as he considered his release from prison owing in a great measure to the influence of the Apostolic See, he would consequently be the more obsequious to that power.
"In 1235, Otto achieved an agreement with the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II that ended the dispute between the Hohenstaufen House and the House of Welf, to which Otto belonged. This dispute had culminated when Henry the Lion was stripped of his duchies in 1180 by Frederick's grandfather, Frederick Barbarossa. According to this agreement, Otto transferred all of his private property to the Emperor, who immediately returned it to him as a hereditary imperial fief. In this way, Otto reacquired the status of a prince of the Holy Roman Empire that Henry the Lion had lost. However, the Duchy of Saxony, which Henry had held, had since then passed on to Ascanian dukes, so that the Emperor had to create a new duchy for Otto. This was the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, named after the two central cities around which Otto's former properties were located. Otto could substantially increase his territory by supporting King William, who married his daughter Elizabeth in January of 1252.
"King William had intimated to the princes of Germany his desire to meet them in a general diet at Frankfurt against the Feast of St. John the Baptist, 1252; he was preparing to leave Brunswick with his father-in-law for the purpose of being present at this assembly when Otto was suddenly taken unwell and expired on 9 June. Otto is buried in Brunswick Cathedral. He is the male-line ancestor of all later members of the House of Welf."
Otto = son of
29 William of Winchester (April 11, 1184 - Dec. 13, 1213)AKA William Longsword, AKA William of Luneburg md. Helen daughter of King Vlademar I of Denmark [see her line below]
According to Wikipedia: "William (11 April 1184, Winchester – 13 December 1213), called William of Winchester, William Longsword, or William of Lüneburg, was the youngest son of Duke Henry the Lion. William was born in England during his father's exile; he remained there when Henry returned to Saxony and was raised at Richard Lionheart's court. When Henry died in 1195, William inherited Henry's properties around Lüneburg, near Lauenburg, and in the eastern Harz. In 1202, William married Helen, daughter of King Valdemar I of Denmark. Their only child was Otto (1204-1252), who inherited his father's property."
William = son of
30 Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony md. Matilda Duchess of Saxony [see her line below]
Henry = son of
31 Henry X, Duke of Bavaria md. Gertrude of Supplingenburg [see her line below]
Henry = son of
30 Henry IX, Duke of Bavaria md. Wulfhild of Saxonyh
___________________________
HELEN DAUGHTER OF KING VLADEMAR I OF DENMARK
29 Helen (c. 1177-1233) md. William of Winchester (April 11, 1184 - Dec. 13, 1213 )AKA William Longsword, AKA William of Luneburg [continued from above]
Helen = daughter of
30 King Valdemar I of Denmark (Jan. 14, 1131 - May 12, 1182) md.
According to Wikipedia: "Valdemar I of Denmark (14 January 1131 – 12 May 1182), also known as Valdemar the Great, was King of Denmark from 1157 until 1182. He was the son of Canute Lavard, a chivalrous and popular Danish prince, who was the eldest son of Eric I of Denmark. Valdemar's father was murdered by Magnus the Strong days before the birth of Valdemar; his mother, Ingeborg of Kiev, daughter of Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden, named him after her grandfather, Vladimir Monomakh of Kiev.
"As an heir to the throne, and with his rivals quickly gaining power, he was raised in the court of Asser Rig of Fjenneslev, together with Asser's sons, Absalon and Esbern Snare, who would become his trusted friends and ministers.
"In 1146, when Valdemar was fifteen years old, King Erik III Lamb abdicated and a civil war erupted. The pretenders to the throne were: Sweyn III Grathe, son of Eric II Emune, son of Eric I. Canute V, son of Magnus the Strong who was the son of King Niels, who was the brother of Erik I. Valdemar himself held Jutland, at least Schleswig, as his possession. The civil war lasted the better part of ten years.
"In 1157, the three agreed to part the country in three among themselves. Sweyn hosted a great banquet for Canute, Absalon, and Valdemar during which he planned to dispose of all of them. Canute was killed, but Absalon and Valdemar escaped. Valdemar returned to Jutland. Sweyn quickly launched an invasion, only to be defeated by Valdemar in the Battle of Grathe Heath. He was killed during flight, supposedly by a group of peasants who stumbled upon him as he was fleeing from the battlefield. Valdemar, having outlived all his rival pretenders, became the sole King of Denmark.
"In 1158 Absalon was elected Bishop of Roskilde, and Valdemar made him his chief friend and advisor. He reorganized and rebuilt war-torn Denmark. At Absalon's instigation he declared war upon the Wends who were raiding the Danish coasts. They inhabited Pomerania and the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea. In 1168 the Wendish capital, Arkona, was taken, and the Wends became Christians and subject to Danish suzerainty. Danish influence reached into Pomerania.
"Valdemar's reign saw the rise of Denmark, which reached its zenith under his second son Valdemar II."
Vlademar = son of
31 Canute Lavard (c. 1090- Jan. 7, 1131) Ingeborg of Kiev [her line below]
According to Wikipedia: "Canute Lavard (meaning "Canute the Lord," Danish: Knud Lavard) (c. 1090 – 7 January 1131) was a Danish prince and Earl, later Duke of Schleswig.
"Canute was the only legitimate son of Eric I of Denmark and Boedil Thurgotsdatter and as a minor he was bypassed in the election of 1104. He grew up in close contact with the noble Zealander family of Hvide, who were later on to be among his most eager supporters. In 1115, his uncle, King Niels, made him Earl of South Jutland (Schleswig) in order to put an end to the attacks of the Slavic Obodrits. During the next fifteen years, he fulfilled his duty, so well establishing peace in the border area that he was elected "King of the Obodrits" and became a vassal of the Holy Roman Empire.
"He seems to have been the first member of the Danish royal family who was attracted by the knightly ideals and habits of medieval Germany, indicated by his changing his title to "duke." His appearance made him a popular man and a possible successor of his uncle but he also acquired mighty enemies among the Danish princes and magnates who apparently questioned his loyalty and feared his bond with the Emperor, Lothair III, who had recognized him as sovereign over the western Wends. Whether these suspicions were just or not is impossible to say.
"Both Niels' and his son, Magnus the Strong, seem to have been alarmed by Canute's recognition by the emperor. On 7 January 1131, Canute was trapped in the forest of Haraldsted near Ringsted in Zealand and executed. Some sources consider it to be a murder committed by Magnus, some attribute it to Niels himself. The murder provoked a civil war that intermittently lasted until 1157, ending only with the triumph of Canute’s posthumous son Valdemar I. The fate of Canute and his son’s victory formed the perfect background for his canonisation in 1170, which was requested by the same Valdemar. His feast day is celebrated on the day of his death, January 7.
"Canute Lavard is the ancestor of the "Valdemarian" kings and of their subsequent royal line. He was the first Duke of Schleswig (Slesvig) and the first border prince who was both a Danish and a German vassal, a position leafing towards the historical double position of South Jutland.
"Canute Lavard was married to Ingeborg of Kiev, daughter of Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden.
Canute = son of
32 Eric I (Evergood) of Denmark (c. 1060 - July 10, 1103) md. Boedil Thurgotsdatter
According to Wikipedia: "Eric was born in the town of Slangerup in North Zealand. During the rule of his half-brother Canute IV of Denmark he was an eager supporter of the king, but he was spared during the rebellion against Canute IV. Eric remained at the royal farm instead of accompanying Canute IV to St Albans priory in Odense where Canute IV was killed. Eric talked his way off the farm and fled to Zealand then fled to Scania which was part of Denmark at the time. Olaf I Hunger was elected King of Denmark, but his reign was short. At last Eric was elected as a king at the several landsting assemblies in 1095. Eric was well-liked by the people and the famines that had plagued Denmark during Olaf Hunger's reign ceased. For many it seemed a sign from God that Eric was the right king for Denmark.
"Medieval chroniclers, such as Saxo Grammaticus, and myths portrayed Eric a “strapping fellow” appealing to the common people. He could keep his place when four men tried their best to move him. Eric was a good speaker, people went out of their way to hear him. After a ting assembly concluded, he went about the neighborhood greeting men, women and children at their homesteads. He had a reputation as a loud man who liked parties and who led a rather dissipated private life. Though a presumed supporter of a strong centralized royal power, he seems to have behaved like a diplomat avoiding any clash with the magnates. He had a reputation for being ruthless to robbers and pirates.
"On a visit to the Pope in Rome he obtained canonization for his late brother, Canute IV, and an archbishopric for Denmark (now Lund in Scania), instead of being under the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. Bishop Asser then became the first Archbishop of Lund.
"King Eric announced at the Viborg assembly that he had decided to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The cause, according to Danmarks Riges Krønike, was the murder of four of his own men while drunk at a feast in his own hall. Despite the pleadings of his subjects, he would not be deterred. Eric appointed his son, Harald Kesja, and Bishop Asser as regents.
"Eric and Boedil and a large company traveled through Russia to Constantinople where he was a guest of the emperor. While there, he became ill, but took ship for Cyprus anyway. He died at Paphos, Cyprus in July 1103. The queen had him buried there. He was the first king to go on pilgrimage after Jerusalem was conquered during the First Crusade.[5] Queen Boedil also became ill, but made it to Jerusalem where she died. She was buried at the foot of the Mount of Olives in "Josaphats Vale".
Eric = son of
33 King Sweyn II Estridsson md. Gunhild Sveinsdotter [her line below]
Sweyn = son of
34 Ulf Thorgilsson md. Estrid Margarete Svendsdatter
Ulf = son of
35 Thorgil Styrbjornsson Sparkling
Thorgil = son of
36 Styrbjorn the Strong (d. 985) md. Thyra Haraldsdotter of Denmark
According to Wikipedia: "Styrbjörn the Strong (Old Norse Styrbjörn Sterki) (died c. 985) was, according to late Norse sagas, the son of the Swedish king Olof, and the nephew of Olof's co-ruler and successor Eric the Victorious, who defeated and killed Styrbjörn at the Battle of Fyrisvellir.[1] As with many figures in the sagas, doubts have been cast on his existence,[2] but he is mentioned in a roughly contemporary skaldic poem about the battle. According to legend, his original name was Björn[3] (English exonym: Beorn).
"It is believed that there once was a full saga about Styrbjörn, but most of what is extant is found in the short Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa. Parts of his story are also retold in Eyrbyggja saga, Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum (book 10), Knýtlinga saga and Hervarar saga. He is also mentioned in the Heimskringla (several times), and in Yngvars saga víðförla, where Ingvar the Far-Travelled is compared to his kinsman Styrbjörn. Oddr Snorrason also mentions him in Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar (c. 1190), writing that Styrbjörn was defeated with magic. In modern days, he is also the hero of a novel called Styrbiorn the Strong by the English author Eric Rücker Eddison (1926),[4] and he figures in The Long Ships, by Frans G Bengtsson."
Styrbjorn = son of
37 King Olof II Bjornsson of Sweden (d. 975) md. Ingeborg Thrandsdotter
According to Wikipedia": Olof Björnsson (reigned ca. 970 - 975), was a semi-legendary Swedish king, who according to Hervarar saga and the Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa ruled together with his brother Eric the Victorious. He was the father of Styrbjörn Starke and Gyrid by his queen, Ingeborg Thrandsdotter, and he died of poison during a meal. Instead of proclaiming his son Styrbjörn co-ruler, Eric proclaimed his own unborn child co-ruler on condition that it was a son. It was a son who became Olof of Sweden."
_____________________
INGEBORG OF KIEV
30 Ingeborg of Kiev md. Canute Lavard (c. 1090-1131) [continued from above]
According to Wikipedia: "Ingeborg of Kiev (fl. 1137) was a Russian princess, married to the Danish prince Canute Lavard of Jutland. She was the daughter of prince Mstislav I of Kiev and Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden and was in about 1116 married to Canute in a marriage arranged by her maternal aunt, the Danish queen Margaret Fredkulla. In 1130, she tried to prevent Canute from going to the gatthering were he was to be murdered, but without success. She gave birth to their son Valdemar I of Denmark posthomusly in January 1131. In 1137, she refused to support the suggestion of Christiern Svendsen to proclaim her son monarch after the death of Erik Emune. Ingeborg is not mentioned after this, and the date of her birth and death are unknown."
Ingeborg = daughter of
31 Mstislav I Vladimirovich the Great of Kiev (June 1, 1076 - April 14, 1132) md. Christina Ingesdotter, daugther of King Inge I of Sweden [her line below]
Acording to Wikipedia: "Mstislav I Vladimirovich the Great (Russian: Мстислав Владимирович Великий) (June 1, 1076, Turov – April 14, 1132, Kiev) was the Velikiy Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kiev (1125-1132), the eldest son of Vladimir II Monomakh by Gytha of Wessex. He figures prominently in the Norse Sagas under the name Harald, taken to allude to his grandfather, Harold II of England.
As his father's future successor, Mstislav reigned in Novgorod the Great from 1088-93 and (after a brief stint at Rostov) from 1095-1117. Thereafter he was Monomakh's co-ruler in Belgorod Kievsky, and inherited the Kievan throne after his death. He built numerous churches in Novgorod, of which St. Nicholas Cathedral (1113) and the cathedral of St Anthony Cloister (1117) survive to the present day. Later, he would also erect important churches in Kiev, notably his family sepulchre at Berestovo and the church of Our Lady at Podil.
"Mstislav's life was spent in constant warfare with Cumans (1093, 1107, 1111, 1129), Estonians (1111, 1113, 1116, 1130), Lithuanians (1131), and the princedom of Polotsk (1127, 1129). In 1096, he defeated his uncle Oleg of Chernigov on the Koloksha River, thereby laying foundation for the centuries of enmity between his and Oleg's descendants. Mstislav was the last ruler of united Rus, and upon his death, as the chronicler put it, "the land of Rus was torn apart".
In 1095, Mstislav wed Princess Christina Ingesdotter of Sweden, daughter of King Inge I of Sweden.
Mstislav = son of
32 Valdimir Monomakh of Kiev (1053-1125) md. Gytha of Wessex, daughter of King Harold II of England [her line, with kings of England/Wessex]
According to Wikipedia: "Vladimir II Monomakh (Russian: Владимир Мономах; Ukrainian: Володимир Мономах; Christian name Vasiliy, or Basileios) (1053 – May 19, 1125) was a famous Velikiy Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kievan Rus'. He was the son of Vsevolod I (married in 1046) and Anastasia of Byzantium (d. 1067). Her father which some give as Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos, is not attested in any reliable primary source. Eupraxia of Kiev, a sister of Vladimir, became notorious all over Europe for her divorce from the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV on the grounds that he had attempted a black mass on her naked body.
"In his famous Instruction (also known as The Testament) to his own children, Monomakh mentions that he conducted 83 military campaigns and 19 times made peace with the Polovtsi. At first he waged war against the steppe jointly with his cousin Oleg, but after Vladimir was sent by his father to rule Chernigiv and Oleg made peace with the Polovtsi to retake that city from him, they parted company. Since that time, Vladimir and Oleg were bitter enemies who would often engage in internecine wars. The enmity continued among their children and more distant posterity.
"From 1094, his chief patrimony was the southern town of Pereyaslav, although he also controlled Rostov, Suzdal, and other northern provinces. In these lands he founded several towns, notably his namesake, Vladimir, the future capital of Russia. In order to unite the princes of Rus' in their struggle against the Great Steppe, Vladimir initiated three princely congresses, the most important being held at Lyubech in 1097 and Dolobsk in 1103.
"When Sviatopolk II died in 1113, the Kievan populace revolted and summoned Vladimir to the capital. The same year he entered Kiev to the great delight of the crowd and reigned there until his death in 1125. As may be seen from his Instruction, he promulgated a number of reforms in order to allay the social tensions in the capital. These years saw the last flowering of Ancient Rus, which was torn apart 10 years after his death.
"Vladimir Monomakh is buried in the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. Succeeding generations often referred to his reign as the golden age of that city. Numerous legends are connected with Monomakh's name, including the transfer from Constantinople to Rus of such precious relics as the Theotokos of Vladimir and the Vladimir/Muscovite crown called Monomakh's Cap.
Vladimir = son of
33 Vsevolod I of Kiev (1030-April 13 1093) md. Anastasia of Byzantium (d. 1067), daughter of Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos [her line below]
According to Wikipedia: "Vsevolod I Yaroslavich (Ukrainian and Russian: Всеволод I Ярославич), (1030 – 13 April 1093) ruled as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1078 until his death. He was the fourth and favourite son of Yaroslav I the Wise by Ingigerd Olafsdottir.
"To back up an armistice signed with the Byzantine Empire in 1046, his father married him to a daughter of Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos, Anastasia, a princess, d. 1067. The couple had a son, the future Vladimir Monomakh.
"Upon his father's death in 1054, he received in appanage the towns of Pereyaslav, Rostov, Suzdal, and the township of Beloozero which would remain in possession of his descendants until the end of Middle Ages. Together with his elder brothers Iziaslav and Sviatoslav he formed a sort of princely triumvirate which jointly waged war on the steppe nomads, polovtsy, and compiled the first East Slavic law code. In 1067 Vsevolod's Greek wife died and he soon married a Kypchak princess, Anna. She brought him another son, who drowned after the Battle of the Stugna River, and two daughters, one becoming a nun and another, Eupraxia of Kiev, marrying Emperor Henry IV.
"Upon Sviatoslav's death in 1076, Vsevolod inherited the Kievan throne, but ceded it to the banished Iziaslav in return for his patrimony of Chernigov. But Iziaslav died two years later, and Vsevolod took the Kievan throne yet again. Vsevolod was versed in Greek learning and spoke five languages. Since he lost most of his battles, his eldest son, Vladimir Monomakh, a grand and famous warrior, did most of the fighting for his father. Last years of his reign were clouded by grave illness, and Vladimir Monomakh presided over the government.
Vselvolod = son of
34 Yaroslav I the Wise (c. 978 - Feb. 20, 1054) md. Ingegerd Olafsdottir, daughter of the King of Sweden [see her line in another line with these same ancestors]
According to Wikipedia: "Yaroslav I the Wise (Old East Slavic and Russian: Ярослав Мудрый; Old Norse: Jarizleifr Ukranian: Ярослав Мудрий) (c. 978 – February 20, 1054) was thrice Grand Prince of Novgorod and Kiev, uniting the two principalities for a time under his rule. During his lengthy reign, Rus' reached the zenith of its cultural flowering and military power.
The early years of Yaroslav's life are shrouded in mystery. He was one of the numerous sons of Vladimir the Great, presumably his second by Rogneda of Polotsk, although his actual age (as stated in the Primary Chronicle and corroborated by the examination of his skeleton in the 1930s) would place him among the youngest children of Volodymyr. It has been suggested that he was a child begotten out of wedlock after Volodymyr's divorce from Rogneda and marriage to Anna Porphyrogeneta, or even that he was a child of Anna Porphyrogeneta herself. Yaroslav figures prominently in the Norse Sagas under the name of Jarisleif the Lame; his legendary lameness (probably resulting from an arrow wound) was corroborated by the scientists who examined his remains.
In his youth, Yaroslav was sent by his father to rule the northern lands around Rostov but was transferred to Novgorod, as befitted a senior heir to the throne, in 1010. While living there, he founded the town of Yaroslavl (literally, "Yaroslav's") on the Volga. His relations with his father were apparently strained, and grew only worse on the news that Volodymyr bequeathed the Kievan throne to his younger son, Boris. In 1014 Yaroslav refused to pay tribute to Kiev and only Volodymyr's death prevented a war.
During the next four years Yaroslav waged a complicated and bloody war for Kiev against his half-brother Sviatopolk, who was supported by his father-in-law, Duke Bolesław I Chrobry of Poland. During the course of this struggle, several other brothers (Boris, Gleb, and Svyatoslav) were brutally murdered. The Primary Chronicle accused Svyatopolk of planning those murders, while the Saga of Eymund is often interpreted as recounting the story of Boris's assassination by the Varangians in the service of Yaroslav.
Yaroslav defeated Svyatopolk in their first battle, in 1016, and Svyatopolk fled to Poland. But Svyatopolk returned with Polish troops furnished by his father-in-law, seized Kiev and pushed Yaroslav back into Novgorod. Yaroslav at last prevailed over Svyatopolk, and in 1019 firmly established his rule over Kiev. One of his first actions as a grand prince was to confer on the loyal Novgorodians (who had helped him to gain the Kievan throne), numerous freedoms and privileges. Thus, the foundation of the Novgorodian republic was laid. For their part, the Novgorodians respected Yaroslav more than they did other Kievan princes; and the princely residence in their city, next to the marketplace (and where the veche often convened) was named Yaroslavovo Dvorishche ("Yaroslav's Court") after him. It probably was during this period that Yaroslav promulgated the first code of laws in the East Slavic lands, "Yaroslav's Justice" (now better known as Russkaya Pravda, "Russian Truth").
Eleventh-century fresco of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev representing the daughters of Yaroslav I, with Anna probably being the youngest. Other daughters were Anastasia, wife of Andrew I of Hungary; Elizabeth, wife of Harald III of Norway; and possibly Agatha, wife of Edward the Exile.
Leaving aside the legitimacy of Yaroslav's claims to the Kievan throne and his postulated guilt in the murder of his brothers, Nestor the Chronicler and later Russian historians often presented him as a model of virtue, styling him "the Wise". A less appealing side of his personality is revealed by his having imprisoned his younger brother Sudislav for life. Yet another brother, Mstislav of Tmutarakan, whose distant realm bordered the Northern Caucasus and the Black Sea, hastened to Kiev and inflicted a heavy defeat on Yaroslav in 1024. Yaroslav and Mstislav then divided Kievan Rus between them: the area stretching left from the Dnieper, with the capital at Chernihiv, was ceded to Mstislav until his death in 1036.
In his foreign policy, Yaroslav relied on the Scandinavian alliance and attempted to weaken the Byzantine influence on Kiev. In 1030, he reconquered Red Rus from the Poles and concluded an alliance with King Casimir I of Poland, sealed by the latter's marriage to Yaroslav's sister Maria. In another successful military raid the same year, he founded Yuryev (today Tartu, Estonia) (named after Saint George, or "Yury", Yaroslav's patron saint) and forced the surrounding province of Ugaunia to pay annual tribute.
"In 1043, Yaroslav staged a naval raid against Constantinople led by his son Vladimir and general Vyshata. Although the Rus' navy was defeated, Yaroslav managed to conclude the war with a favourable treaty and prestigious marriage of his son Vsevolod to the emperor's daughter. It has been suggested that the peace was so advantageous because the Kievans had succeeded in taking a key Byzantine possession in Crimea, Chersones.
"To defend his state from the Pechenegs and other nomadic tribes threatening it from the south he constructed a line of forts, composed of Yuriev, Boguslav, Kaniv, Korsun, and Pereyaslav. To celebrate his decisive victory over the Pechenegs in 1036 (who thereupon never were a threat to Kiev) he sponsored the construction of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in 1037. Other celebrated monuments of his reign, such as the Golden Gates of Kiev, have since perished.
"Yaroslav was a notable patron of book culture and learning. In 1051, he had a Russian monk Ilarion proclaimed the metropolitan of Kiev, thus challenging old Byzantine tradition of placing Greeks on the episcopal sees. Ilarion's discourse on Yaroslav and his father Vladimir is frequently cited as the first work of Old Russian literature.
"In 1019, Yaroslav married Ingegerd Olofsdotter, daughter of the king of Sweden, and gave Ladoga to her as a marriage gift."
Yaroslav = son of
35 Vladimir I the Great (c. 958 - July 15,1015)
According to Wikipedia: "Vladimir Sviatoslavich the Great, also sometimes spelled Volodymer Old East Slavic: Володимеръ Святославичь (c. 958 near Pskov – 15 July 1015, Berestovo) was the grand prince of Kiev who converted to Christianity in 988[1][2][3], and proceeded to baptise all of Kievan Rus'. His name is spelt variously: in modern Ukrainian, for example, as Volodymyr (Володимир); in Old Church Slavonic and modern Russian, as Vladimir (Владимир); in Old Norse as Valdamarr; and, in modern Scandinavian languages, "Valdemar".
"Vladimir, born in 958, was the natural son and youngest son of Sviatoslav I of Kiev by his housekeeper Malusha. Malusha is described in the Norse sagas as a prophetess who lived to the age of 100 and was brought from her cave to the palace to predict the future. Malusha's brother Dobrynya was Vladimir's tutor and most trusted advisor. Hagiographic tradition of dubious authenticity also connects his childhood with the name of his grandmother, Olga Prekrasa, who was Christian and governed the capital during Sviatoslav's frequent military campaigns.
"Transferring his capital to Pereyaslavets in 969, Sviatoslav designated Vladimir ruler of Novgorod the Great but gave Kiev to his legitimate son Yaropolk. After Sviatoslav's death (972), a fratricidal war erupted (976) between Yaropolk and his younger brother Oleg, ruler of the Drevlians. In 977 Vladimir fled to his kinsman Haakon Sigurdsson, ruler of Norway in Scandinavia, collecting as many of the Norse warriors as he could to assist him to recover Novgorod, and on his return the next year marched against Yaropolk
"On his way to Kiev he sent ambassadors to Rogvolod (Norse: Ragnvald), prince of Polotsk, to sue for the hand of his daughter Rogneda (Norse: Ragnhild). The well-born princess refused to affiance herself to the son of a bondswoman, but Vladimir attacked Polotsk, slew Rogvolod, and took Ragnhild by force. Polotsk was a key fortress on the way to Kiev, and the capture of Polotsk and Smolensk facilitated the taking of Kiev (980), where he slew Yaropolk by treachery, and was proclaimed konung, or khagan, of all Kievan Rus.
"Vladimir continued to expand his territories beyond his father's extensive domain. In 981, he conquered the Cherven cities and Slavic Galicia; in 983, he subdued the Yatvingians, whose territories lay between Lithuania and Poland; in 985, he led a fleet along the central rivers of Kievan Rus' to conquer the Bulgars of the Kama, planting numerous fortresses and colonies on his way.
"Though Christianity had won many converts since Olga's rule, Vladimir had remained a thoroughgoing pagan, taking eight hundred concubines (besides numerous wives) and erecting pagan statues and shrines to gods. He may have attempted to reform Slavic paganism by establishing the thunder-god, Perun, as a supreme deity. "Although Christianity in Kiev existed before Vladimir’s time, he had remained a pagan, accumulated about seven wives, established temples, and, it is said, taken part in idolatrous rites involving human sacrifice." [4]
“In 983, after another of his military successes, Prince Vladimir and his army thought it necessary to sacrifice human lives to the gods. A lot was cast and it fell on a youth, Ioann by name, the son of a Christian, Fyodor. His father stood firmly against his son being sacrificed to the idols. More than that, he tried to show the pagans the futility of their faith: ‘Your gods are just plain wood: it is here now but it may rot into oblivion tomorrow; your gods neither eat, nor drink, nor talk and are made by human hand from wood; whereas there is only one God — He is worshiped by Greeks and He created heaven and earth; and your gods? They have created nothing, for they have been created themselves; never will I give my son to the devils!’”
"An open abuse of the deities, to which most people in Rus bowed in reverence in those times, triggered widespread indignation. A mob killed the Christian Fyodor and his son Ioann (later, after the overall christening of Russia, people came to regard these two as the first Christian martyrs in Russia and the Orthodox Church set a day to commemorate them, July 25).
"Immediately after the murder of Fyodor and Ioann, early mediaeval Russia saw persecutions against Christians, many of whom escaped or concealed their belief.
"However, Prince Vladimir mused over the incident long after, and not in the last place, for political considerations too. The chronicles have it that different preachers came to the Prince, each offering a particular faith. Vladimir spoke to people of different faiths, but for different reasons rejected all the religions. Finally, a Greek philosopher told the prince of the Old and New Testaments and presented him with a canvas depicting Doomsday. When he learned of the fate the unrepentant were in for, Prince Vladimir was benumbed by terror and after a short pause said with a sigh: “Blessed are the doers of good and damned are the evil doers!”" [5]
"The Primary Chronicle reports that in the year 987, as the result of a consultation with his boyars, Vladimir sent envoys to study the religions of the various neighboring nations whose representatives had been urging him to embrace their respective faiths. The result is amusingly described by the chronicler Nestor. Of the Muslim Bulgarians of the Volga the envoys reported there is no gladness among them; only sorrow and a great stench. They also said that the Bulgars' religion was undesirable due to its taboo against alcoholic beverages and pork[citation needed]; supposedly, Vladimir said on that occasion: "Drinking is the joy of the Rus'."[citation needed] Russian sources also describe Vladimir consulting with Jewish envoys (who may or may not have been Khazars), and questioning them about their religion but ultimately rejecting it, saying that their loss of Jerusalem was evidence of their having been abandoned by God[citation needed]. Ultimately Vladimir settled on Christianity. In the churches of the Germans his emissaries saw no beauty; but at Constantinople, where the full festival ritual of the Byzantine Church was set in motion to impress them, they found their ideal: "We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth," they reported, describing a majestic Divine Liturgy in Hagia Sophia, "nor such beauty, and we know not how to tell of it." If Vladimir was impressed by this account of his envoys, he was yet more so by political gains of the Byzantine alliance.[citation needed]
"In 988, having taken the town of Chersonesos in Crimea, he boldly negotiated for the hand of the emperor Basil II's sister, Anna. Never before had a Byzantine imperial princess, and one "born-in-the-purple" at that, married a barbarian, as matrimonial offers of French kings and German emperors had been peremptorily rejected. In short, to marry the 27-year-old princess off to a pagan Slav seemed impossible. Vladimir, however, was baptized at Cherson, taking the Christian name of Basil out of compliment to his imperial brother-in-law; the sacrament was followed by his wedding with Anna. Returning to Kiev in triumph, he destroyed pagan monuments and established many churches, starting with the splendid Church of the Tithes (989) and monasteries on Mt. Athos.
"Arab sources, both Muslim and Christian, present a different story of Vladimir's conversion. Yahya of Antioch, al-Rudhrawari, al-Makin, al-Dimashki, and ibn al-Athir[6] all give essentially the same account. In 987, Bardas Sclerus and Bardas Phocas revolted against the Byzantine emperor Basil II. Both rebels briefly joined forces, but then Bardas Phocas proclaimed himself emperor on 14 September 987. Basil II turned to the Kievan Rus' for assistance, even though they were considered enemies at that time. Vladimir agreed, in exchange for a marital tie; he also agreed to accept Christianity as his religion and bring his people to the new faith. When the wedding arrangements were settled, Vladimir dispatched 6,000 troops to the Byzantine Empire and they helped to put down the revolt.[7]
"He then formed a great council out of his boyars, and set his twelve sons over his subject principalities.
"It is mentioned in the Primary Chronicle that Vladimir founded the city of Belgorod in 991.
"In 992 he went on a campaign against the Croats, most likely the White Croats (an East Slavic group unrelated to the Croats of Dalmatia) that lived on the border of modern Ukraine. This campaign was cut short by the attacks of the Pechenegs on and around Kiev.
"In his later years he lived in a relative peace with his other neighbors: Boleslav I of Poland, Stephen I of Hungary, Andrikh the Czech (questionable character mentioned in A Tale of the Bygone Years).
"After Anna's death, he married again, likely to a granddaughter of Otto the Great.
"In 1014 his son Yaroslav the Wise stopped paying tribute. Vladimir decided to chastise the insolence of his son, and began gathering troops against Yaroslav. However, Vladimir fell ill, most likely of old age and died at Berestovo, near Kiev.
"The various parts of his dismembered body were distributed among his numerous sacred foundations and were venerated as relics.
Vladimir = son of
36 Sviatoslav I of Kiev (c. 42 - March 972))by Malusha, his housekeeper
According to Wikipedia: "Sviatoslav I Igorevich (Old East Slavic: С~тославъ / Свąтославъ[1] Игорєвичь, Sventoslavŭ / Svantoslavŭ Igorevičǐ; Ukrainian: Святослав Ігорович, Svyatoslav Igorovič; Svetoslav; Russian: Святослав Игоревич, Svyatoslav Igorevič; Bulgarian: Светослав, Greek: Σφενδοσθλάβος, Sphendosthlabos) (c. 942 – March 972), also spelled Svyatoslav, was a warrior prince of Kievan Rus'. The son of Igor of Kiev and Olga, Sviatoslav is famous for his incessant campaigns in the east and south, which precipitated the collapse of two great powers of Eastern Europe—Khazaria and the First Bulgarian Empire; he also subdued the Volga Bulgars, the Alans, and numerous East Slavic tribes, and at times was allied with the Pechenegs and Magyars. His decade-long reign over Rus' was marked by rapid expansion into the Volga River valley, the Pontic steppe and the Balkans. By the end of his short life, Sviatoslav carved out for himself the largest state in Europe, eventually moving his capital from Kiev to Pereyaslavets on the Danube in 969. In contrast with his mother's conversion to Christianity, Sviatoslav remained a staunch pagan all of his life. Due to his abrupt death in combat, Sviatoslav's conquests, for the most part, were not consolidated into a functioning empire, while his failure to establish a stable succession led to civil war among his successors.
Sviatoslav was the first true ruler of Kievan Rus' whose name is indisputably Slavic in origin (as opposed to his predecessors, whose names are ultimately derived from Old Norse). This name is not recorded in other medieval Slavic countries. Even in Rus', it was attested only among the members of the house of Rurik, as were the names of Sviatoslav's immediate successors: Vladimir, Yaroslav, Mstislav).[2] Some scholars speculate that the name of Sviatoslav, composed of the Slavic roots for "holy" and "glory", was an artificial derivation combining those of his predecessors Oleg and Rurik (they mean "holy" and "glorious" in Old Norse, respectively).[3]
Virtually nothing is known about his childhood and youth, which he spent reigning in Novgorod. Sviatoslav's father, Igor, was killed by the Drevlians around 942 and his mother, Olga, ruled as regent in Kiev until Sviatoslav's maturity (ca. 963).[4] His tutor was a Varangian named Asmud. "Quick as a leopard,"[5] Sviatoslav appears to have had little patience for administration. His life was spent with his druzhina (roughly, "troops") in permanent warfare against neighboring states. According to the Primary Chronicle:
Sviatoslav was noted by Leo the Deacon to be of average height and build. He shaved his head and his beard (or possibly just had a wispy beard) but wore a bushy mustache and a one or two sidelocks as a sign of his nobility. He preferred to dress in white, and it was noted that his garments were much cleaner than those of his men. He wore a single large gold earring bearing a ruby and two pearls.[7][8]
His mother converted to Christianity at the court of Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in 945 or 957. However,[9] Sviatoslav continued to worship Perun, Veles, Svarog and the other gods and goddesses of the Slavic pantheon. He remained a pagan for all of his life; according to the Primary Chronicle, he believed that his warriors would lose respect for him and mock him if he became a Christian.[10] The allegiance of his warriors was of paramount importance in his conquest of an empire that stretched from the Volga to the Danube.
Very little is known of Sviatoslav's family life. It is possible that Sviatoslav was not the only (and the eldest) son of his parents. The Russo-Byzantine treaty of 945 mentions a certain Predslava, Volodislav's wife, as the noblest of the Rus' women after Olga. George Vernadsky was among many historians to speculate that Volodislav was Igor's eldest son and heir who died at some point during Olga's regency. At the time of Igor's death, Sviatoslav was still a child and he was raised by his mother or at her instructions. Her influence, however, did not extend to his religious observance.
Sviatoslav, had several children, but the origin of his wives is not specified in the chronicle. By his wives, he had Yaropolk and Oleg.[11] By Malusha, a woman of indeterminate origins,[12] Sviatoslav had Vladimir, who would ultimately break with his father's paganism and convert Rus to Christianity. John Skylitzes reported that Vladimir had a brother named Sfengus; whether this Sfengus was a son of Sviatoslav, a son of Malusha by a prior or subsequent husband, or an unrelated Rus' nobleman is unclear.[13]
When Sviatoslav went on campaign he left his various relations as regents in the main cities of his realm: his mother Olga and later Yaropolk in Kiev, Vladimir in Novgorod, and Oleg over the Drevlians.
Shortly after his accession to the throne, Sviatoslav began campaigning to expand the Rus control over the Volga valley and the Pontic steppe region. His greatest success was the conquest of Khazaria, which for centuries had been one of the strongest states of Eastern Europe. The sources are not clear about the roots of the conflict between Khazaria and Rus', so several possibilities have been suggested. The Rus' had an interest in removing the Khazar hold on the Volga trade route because the Khazars collected duties from the goods transported by the Volga. Historians have suggested that the Byzantine Empire may have incited the Rus' against the Khazars, who fell out with the Byzantines after the persecutions of the Jews in the reign of Romanus I Lecapenus.[14]
Sviatoslav began by rallying the Khazars' East Slavic vassal tribes to his cause. Those who would not join him, such as the Vyatichs, were attacked and forced to pay tribute to the Kievan Rus' rather than the Khazars.[15] According to a legend recorded in the Primary Chronicle, Sviatoslav sent a message to the Vyatich rulers, consisting of a single phrase: "I want to come at you!" (Old East Slavic: "хощю на вы ити")[16] This phrase is used in modern Russian (usually misquoted as "Иду на вы") to denote an unequivocal declaration of one's intentions. Proceeding by the Oka and Volga rivers, he invaded Volga Bulgaria and exacted tribute from the local population, thus bringing under Kievan control the upper Volga River. He employed Oghuz and Pecheneg mercenaries in this campaign, perhaps to counter the Khazars' and Bulgars' superior cavalry.[17]
Sviatoslav destroyed the Khazar city of Sarkel around 965, and possibly sacked (but did not occupy) the Khazar city of Kerch on the Crimea.[18] At Sarkel he established a Rus' settlement called Belaya Vyezha ("the white tower" or "the white fortress", the East Slavic translation for "Sarkel").[19] He subsequently (probably in 968 or 969) destroyed the Khazar capital of Atil.[20] A visitor to Atil wrote soon after Sviatoslav's campaign: "The Rus attacked, and no grape or raisin remained, not a leaf on a branch."[21] The exact chronology of his Khazar campaign is uncertain and disputed; for example, Mikhail Artamonov and David Christian proposed that the sack of Sarkel came after the destruction of Atil.[22]
Although Ibn Haukal reports Sviatoslav's sack of Samandar in modern-day Dagestan, the Rus' leader did not bother to occupy the Khazar heartlands north of the Caucasus Mountains permanently. On his way back to Kiev, Sviatoslav chose to strike against the Ossetians and force them into subservience.[23] Therefore, Khazar successor statelets continued their precarious existence in the region.[24] The destruction of Khazar imperial power paved the way for Kievan Rus' to dominate north-south trade routes through the steppe and across the Black Sea, routes that formerly had been a major source of revenue for the Khazars. Moreover, Sviatoslav's campaigns led to increased Slavic settlement in the region of the Saltovo-Mayaki culture, greatly changing the demographics and culture of the transitional area between the forest and the steppe.[25]
The annihilation of Khazaria was undertaken against the background of the Rus'-Byzantine alliance, concluded in the wake of Igor's Byzantine campaign in 944.[26] Close military ties between the Rus' and Byzantium are illustrated by the fact, reported by John Skylitzes, that a Rus' detachment accompanied Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros Phokas in his victorious naval expedition to Crete.
In 967 or 968[27] Nikephoros sent to Sviatoslav his agent, Kalokyros, with the task of talking Sviatoslav into assisting him in a war against Bulgaria.[28] Sviatoslav was paid 15,000 pounds of gold and set sail with an army of 60,000 men, including thousands of Pecheneg mercenaries
Sviatoslav defeated the Bulgarian ruler Boris II[31] and proceeded to occupy the whole of northern Bulgaria. Meanwhile, the Byzantines bribed the Pechenegs to attack and besiege Kiev, where Olga stayed with Sviatoslav's son Vladimir. The siege was relieved by the druzhina of Pretich, and immediately following the Pecheneg retreat, Olga sent a reproachful letter to Sviatoslav. He promptly returned and defeated the Pechenegs, who continued to threaten Kiev.
Sviatoslav refused to turn his Balkan conquests over to the Byzantines, and the parties fell out as a result. To the chagrin of his boyars and mother (who died within three days after learning about his decision), Sviatoslav decided to move his capital to Pereyaslavets in the mouth of the Danube due to the great potential of that location as a commercial hub. In the Primary Chronicle record for 969, Sviatoslav explains that it is to Pereyaslavets, the centre of his lands, "all the riches flow: gold, silks, wine, and various fruits from Greece, silver and horses from Hungary and Bohemia, and from Rus furs, wax, honey, and slaves".
In summer 969, Sviatoslav left Rus' again, dividing his dominion into three parts, each under a nominal rule of one of his sons. At the head of an army that included Pecheneg and Magyar auxiliary troops, he invaded Bulgaria again, devastating Thrace, capturing the city of Philippopolis, and massacring its inhabitants. Nikephoros responded by repairing the defenses of Constantinople and raising new squadrons of armored cavalry. In the midst of his preparations, Nikephoros was overthrown and killed by John Tzimiskes, who thus became the new Byzantine emperor.[32]
John Tzimiskes first attempted to persuade Sviatoslav into leaving Bulgaria, but was unsuccessful. Challenging the Byzantine authority, Sviatoslav crossed the Danube and laid siege to Adrianople, causing panic on the streets of Constantinople in summer 970.[33] Later that year, the Byzantines launched a counteroffensive. Being occupied with suppressing a revolt of Bardas Phokas in Asia Minor, John Tzimiskes sent his commander-in-chief, Bardas Skleros, who defeated the coalition of Rus', Pechenegs, Magyars, and Bulgarians in the Battle of Arcadiopolis.[34] Meanwhile, John, having quelled the revolt of Bardas Phokas, came to the Balkans with a large army and promoting himself as the liberator of Bulgaria from Sviatoslav, penetrated the impracticable mountain passes and shortly thereafter captured Marcianopolis, where the Rus were holding a number of Bulgar princes hostage.
Sviatoslav retreated to Dorostolon, which the Byzantine armies besieged for sixty-five days. Cut off and surrounded, Sviatoslav came to terms with John and agreed to abandon the Balkans, renounce his claims to the southern Crimea and return west of the Dnieper River. In return, the Byzantine emperor supplied the Rus' with food and safe passage home. Sviatoslav and his men set sail and landed on Berezan Island at the mouth of the Dnieper, where they made camp for the winter. Several months later, their camp was devastated by famine, so that even a horse's head could not be bought for less than a half-grivna, reports the Kievan chronicler of the Primary Chronicle.[35] While Sviatoslav's campaign brought no tangible results for the Rus', it weakened the Bulgarian statehood and left it vulnerable to the attacks of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer four decades later.
Fearing that the peace with Sviatoslav would not endure, the Byzantine emperor induced the Pecheneg khan Kurya to kill Sviatoslav before he reached Kiev. This was in line with the policy outlined by Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus in De Administrando Imperio of fomenting strife between the Rus' and the Pechenegs.[36] According to the Slavic chronicle, Sveneld attempted to warn Sviatoslav to avoid the Dnieper cataracts, but the prince slighted his wise advice and was ambushed and slain by the Pechenegs when he tried to cross the cataracts near Khortitsa early in 972. The Primary Chronicle reports that his skull was made into a chalice by the Pecheneg khan, Kurya.[37]
Following Sviatoslav's death, tensions between his sons grew. A war broke out between Sviatoslav's legitimate sons, Oleg and Yaropolk, in 976, at the conclusion of which Oleg was killed. In 977 Vladimir fled Novgorod to escape Oleg's fate and went to Scandinavia, where he raised an army of Varangians and returned in 980. Yaropolk was killed and Vladimir became the sole ruler of Kievan Rus'.
Sviatoslav has long been a hero of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian patriots due to his great military successes. His figure first attracted attention of Russian artists and poets during the Russo-Turkish War, 1768–1774, which provided obvious parallels with Sviatoslav's push towards Constaninople. Russia's southward expansion and Catherine II's imperialistic ventures in the Balkans seemed to have been legitimized by Sviatoslav's campaigns eight centuries earlier.
Among the works created during the war was Yakov Knyazhnin's tragedy Olga (1772). The Russian playwright chose to introduce Sviatoslav as his protagonist, although his active participation in the events following Igor's death is out of sync with the traditional chronology. Knyazhnin's rival Nikolai Nikolev (1758–1815) also wrote a play on the subject of Sviatoslav's life. Ivan Akimov's painting Sviatoslav's Return from the Danube to Kiev (1773) explores the conflict between military honour and family attachment. It is a vivid example of Poussinesque rendering of early medieval subject matter.
In the 19th century, interest in Sviatoslav's career waned. Klavdiy Lebedev depicted an episode of Sviatoslav's meeting with Emperor John in his well-known painting, while Eugene Lanceray sculpted an equestrian statue of Sviatoslav in the early 20th century.[38] Sviatoslav appears in the Slavophile poems of Velimir Khlebnikov as an epitome of militant Slavdom:
|
Знаменитый сок Дуная, |
Pouring the famed juice of the Danube |
|
Наливая в глубь главы, |
Into the depth of my head, |
|
Стану пить я, вспоминая |
I shall drink and remember |
|
Светлых клич: "Иду на вы!". |
The cry of the bright ones: "I come at you!"[39] |
He is the villain of Samuel Gordon's novel The Lost Kingdom, or the Passing of the Khazars,[40] a fictionalized account of the destruction of Khazaria by the Rus'. The Slavic warrior figures in a more positive context in the story "Chernye Strely Vyaticha" by Vadim Viktorovich Kargalov; the story is included in his book Istoricheskie povesti.[41]
In 2005, reports circulated that a village in the Belgorod region had erected a monument to Sviatoslav's victory over the Khazars by the Russian sculptor Vyacheslav Klykov. The reports described the 13-meter tall statue as depicting a Rus' cavalryman trampling a supine Khazar bearing a Star of David. This created an outcry within the Jewish community of Russia. The controversy was further exacerbated by Klykov's connections with Pamyat and other anti-Semitic organizations, as well as by his involvement in the "letter of 500", a controversial appeal to the Prosecutor General to review all Jewish organizations in Russia for extremism.[42] The Press Center of the Belgorod Regional Administration responded by stating that a planned monument to Sviatoslav had not yet been constructed, but would show "respect towards representatives of all nationalities and religions."[43] When the statue was unveiled, the shield bore a twelve-pointed star.
Sviatoslav = son of
37Igor, Prince of Kiev (ruled 912-945) md. Saint Olga of Kiev (c. 890- July 11, 969)[another line with these same ancestors]
_______________
MATILDA, DUCHESS OF SAXONY
30 Matilda, Duchess of Saxony md. Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony [continued from above]
Matilda = daughtter of
31 King Henry II of England [his line] md. Eleanor of Aquitaine [her line]
_____________________
GERTRUDE OF SUPPLINGENBURG
31 Gertrude of Supplingenburg md. Henry X, Duke of Bavaria [contined from above]
Gertrude = daughter of
32 Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor md. Richenza of Northeim
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