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Do you know that Ukrainians could live in... England now!?
In 1066, after the death of English king Edward III the Confessor Harold Hodwinsson sat on the throne though Edward promised it to Norman Duke Wiliam at first but before his death hewished Harold was the king. So William began preparetions for invasion. Meantime, Norwegian king Harald Hardraad (which means Brave), who also wanted to occupy England, landed with an army but soon he was defeated by Hodwinsson at Stamford Bridge and perished. Then William arrived to England and beat Harold's troops, exhausted with long march and thinned out with the battle with Harald, at Hastings and became William I the Conqueror. Hodwinsson was killed, Saxon dynasty was destroyed, and Normans have been ruling England since that time.
You will ask: how does that concern Ukraine?
Yaroslav Wise was a prince of Kiev Rus at that time. During his governing Kiev Rus - a forefather of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus - was at the top of her power. At that time international prestige of a country was valued by marriage connections to other ruling dynasties. So one of Yaroslav's daughters - Anna married a French king Henry I, another - Yelisaveta - Norwegian prince Harald Hardraad (he wasn't a king then). That's what I meant. No doubt about that if Harald had succeeded, Kiev Rus would have received great privileges in trading with England. Because Harald adored his wife. When he was asking Yaroslav for permission to marry his daughter, Kievian prince said he would not be against this marriage but Hardraad had to become famous first to be worth his daughter. And Norwegian prince went round the world spending his time with battles and marches, being charmed of Yelisaveta's beauty, before he came back and married her. He had a great influence on him and I think she loved him too. Even though Yaroslav died in 1054 (twelve years before Hardraad's death) and there began a struggle for the throne between his sons, I think Kiev Rus would have achieved a very good international status if Harald had managed to conquer England. Who knows, maybe in that case I would live in Great Britain now. I ope my information was interesting.
Olexiy, Kyiv, with great respect
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12th August 2005, 13:02
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