Anastasia Agmunda Yaroslavna

XI pageKyivan RusPrincely times

Anastasia Agmunda Yaroslavna (after 1020 – between 1074 and 1094) – daughter of Yaroslav the Wise, Grand Prince of Kyiv, and Ingegerd (Irene), daughter of Olof Skötkonung, King of Sweden.

Between 1038 and 1046 was given in marriage to András I (Andrew I), King of Hungary. In the Hungarian history she is known under the name of Agmunda. Had two sons: Salamon (Solomon) (ca 1052–1087), King of Hungary in 1063–1074, and David, and a daughter Adelaide (Adelheid), wife of King Vratislav II of Bohemia.

In 1051–1052 took part in the maintenance of the independence of Hungary from the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1060–1063, after the death of her husband and accession to the throne of his brother Béla I, lived with her children in exile in Poland, and later in Germany (Bavaria). In 1063, she returned to Hungary and became the regent for her young son Salamon. In 1074, again in exile together with her son. German sources evidence that in gratitude for the support of her son on the throne by Otto von Northeim, Duke of Bavaria, she presented him with a Hungarian royal relic – the sword of Attila, which allegedly belonged to the ruler of the Huns.

She established Christian Orthodox monasteries in Hungary. It is possible that many monks arrived there together with Anastasia from Rus. By legend, she died in the Admunt (Agmund) Monastery in Austria, near the Hungarian-German border. At present, the monument to King András and his wife stands atop a mountain near Balaton, by the church of the Abbey of Tihany. It bears an inscription “András I, King of Hungary, and Queen Anastasia, Ukrainian Princess.”

Portrait (imaginary) of Anastasia Yaroslavna.

By Yu. Smolsky. Oil on canvas. 90×70. 2008