TORONTO BOOK LAUNCH: ANNA YAROSLAVNA, QUEEN OF FRANCE & PRINCESS OF UKRAINE
by Walter Derzko
On Nov 9, 2011 the Faculty Club at the University of Toronto hosted the book launch of Andrew Gregorovich’s latest work: Anna Yaroslavna, Queen of France and Princess of Ukraine.
The book is dedicated not just to Princess Anna Yaroslavna, (the daughter of King Yaroslav the Wise), who was born in 1032 in Kiev (old spelling), and who became Queen of France in 1051 but to her three sisters, Elizabeth (Queen of Norway), Anastasia (Queen of Hungary) and Agatha (Princess of England and Scotland). This is the first English book written about Queen Anna Yaroslavna and includes all of the 12 known portraits of Queen Anna that are published for the first time in one book.
Little is known about Princess Anna. Andrew Gregorovich approached this like a detective story, as he visited London, France and Ukraine, researching materials for the book. I wish I had a book like this when I was growing up and was attending Ukrainian school. Ukrainian history would have been far more exciting and relevant to the world history that I studied in public school or high school.
After an interesting introduction to the genesis of the book by Vera Melnyk, Anna Trojan and Olya Adamec, the audience was treated to a magical recreation of the coronation of Queen Anne, including music, costumes and all the pomp and ceremony. The moment was enhanced by the medieval feel and decorations in the faculty club. Prominently draped on the front balcony was Queen Anne’s diamond –shaped coat of arms- with a field of fleur-de-lys on the left in the diamond and the Golden Gates of Kiev on the right representing her Ukrainian heritage, topped by a royal crown.
The dinner menu honored all five nations. Pickled herring and smoked salmon hors d’oeurves from Norway. Cream of Leak, Potato & Stilton Soup via Scotland. The main entrée from Ukraine featured Chicken Kyiv and roasted potatoes. Hungary added stuffed peppers with ratatouille. Dinner was topped off with desert from France-crepe jubilee.
Several interesting historic facts are in the book or were mentioned by the speakers and by the author, Andrew Gregorovich himself:
• “Tonight we all bear witness to a historic event, because this is the first book in English about a glorious chapter in Ukrainian history, when our royalty, when the beautiful daughters of Ukraine’s King Yaroslav the Wise , are recognized as part of the ruling houses of Europe in the eleventh century” proudly proclaimed Anna Trojan. Ukraine is seen as a “powerful, cultured and influential country and as a contributor to the preservation of Christianity and scholarship in medieval Europe. Tonight we bestow a beautiful legacy on our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Canada and throughout the world.”
• Now when we study about the Crusades, William the Conqueror or see a film about Robin Hood, [today’s youth] will be able to say that King Richard the Lion Heart was a descendent of a Ukrainian Princess of Kyiv.
• Our history goes back a lot further than the 10th century. Andrew Gregorovich reminded the audience that Professor M.Y. Videiko in Kyiv showed that the DNA from Ukrainians living today can be traced back to inhabitants of these same lands over 7,500 years ago.
• The word “Ukraine” was first used in 1050, so we can legitimately consider Princess Anna Ukrainian.
• In 1050, Kiev already had a population of 100,000 compared to Paris, which was still tiny at 25,000. Kievian Rus was the biggest state in Europe. Moscow didn’t even exist yet.
• Between 988 and 1240 there were 38 marriages of Kiev royalty to royal families in Europe. Queen Elizabeth II announced her connect to Ukraine in 1966. She was descended from both William the Conqueror and King Herold, whose daughter Gytha was married to King Vladimir II Monomakh of Kiev.
• From childhood, Princess Anna, the most beautiful of Yaroslav’s four daughters was happy, mischievous, had a mind of her own, was a quick learner and rode a horse better then all her brothers. She became a devote Christian, was literate and ready to become a royal concert. Yet she managed to avoid getting royal suitors. There is conjecture that she had a secret love. As her eighteenth birthday approached, she was summoned to meet the royal envoys from France, seeking her hand in marriage for their widowed King Henry 1 of France. Her father reminded Anna that this was an important alliance. And faithfully Anna agreed to do her royal duty. Between the first and second visits of the French envoys, Princess Anna mastered the French language perfectly. She was also fluent in several others. The year was 1051.
• King Henry adored his new wife Anne. He never refused her anything. When she gave birth to the eldest son, she called him Philip, perhaps in memory of her love for Philip, a Ukrainian knight charged by her father to escort her to France. She never saw Kiev again.
• After the death of King Henry in 1060, Queen Anna capably ruled France for over 20 years, signing royal documents with her Cyrillic signature, while her husband King Henry 1 was illiterate, unable to sign his name.
These and other fascinating stories, mysteries, legends and historic facts you can find in this important popular and academic work- Anna Yaroslavna, Queen of France and Princess of Ukraine. ISBN- 978-0-92153-81-6. This would make a great Christmas gift or a significant addition to any home or student’s library.
At the end of the evening Alexandr Danyleiko, Consul General of Ukraine in Toronto, mused that Yaroslav the Wise, the godfather of Europe was in fact creating the first European Union, one thousand years ago by marrying off his daughters to European heads of states. Who knows? Had it not been for the later infighting in Kiev Rus, maybe the EU would be centered in Kyiv today and not Brussels and France would be trying to join the Ukrainian-centric EU and not the other way around.
Priced at $30.00 Anna Yaroslavna is available at Ukrainian book stores and Ukrainian museums or directly from the author: A. Gregorovich, 195 Martin Grove Rd., Toronto ON, Canada M9B 4L2.
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