| History |
Ragneda (Ragnhild/Rogneda) was born about 962, the daughter of Ragnvald Olavson (Rogwolod/Rognwald), who came from Scandinavia and established himself at Polatsk in the mid-10th century.
It has been speculated that Ragnvald belonged to the Ynglings royal family of Norway. About 978 she gave birth to a son Iziaslav whose paternity has not been established. In or about 980, Vladimir of Novgorod, on learning that Ragneda was betrothed to his brother Jaropolk I Swjatowslawitsch, grand duke of Kiev, took Polatsk and forced Ragneda to marry him. Having raped Ragneda in the presence of her parents, he ordered them to be killed, along with two of Ragneda\'s brothers.
Ragneda gave him several children. Her sons by Vladimir were Jaroslav I Vladimirovitch, Vsevolod and Mistislav. She also bore two daughters, one of whom is named by Nestor the Chronicler as Predslava (taken as a concubine by Boleslaw I Chrobry, king of Poland, according to Gallus). A later chronicle tells a story, most likely taken from a Norse saga, of Ragneda plotting against Vladimir and asking her eldest son Iziaslav, to kill him. As was the Norse royal custom, she was sent with her eldest son to govern Polatsk, the land of her parents. Iziaslav\'s line continued to rule Polatsk, and the town of Izyaslavl named after him, until the Mongol invasion.
After Vladimir converted to Christianity and took Anna Porphyrogenita of Byzantium as his wife, he had to divorce all his previous wives, including Ragneda. After that she joined a convent and took the name Anastasia. She died about 1002. [1] |
Ellie Wood Keith Genealogy
Abt 962 - 1002 (~ 40 years)
, d. 15 Jul 1015 (Age ~ 20 years)