Anne of Kiev (or Anne of Rus’ ) was born into obscurity. There is no certainty about her date of birth, though it’s estimated to be between 1024 and 1036 to Yaroslov the Wise and Ingegerd Olofsdotter of Sweden. Anne of Kiev (Anna Yaroslavna), sometimes called Agnes, daughter of Grand Prince Yaroslav I of Kiev and Princess Ingegerd of Sweden; Yaroslav was Grand Prince of Kiev and described in medieval histories as king of the Russians “rex Russorum” (Hugh of Fleury, Aubry des Trois Fontaines, and Raoul Tortaire). Jaroslav’s sister was married to Casimir, king of Poland. Jaroslav and Ingegard had nine children, several of whom were married to royalty: Anastasia to Andrew I of Hungary, Elisabeth to Harold of Norway and later to Sven of Denmark, Isiaslav to the sister of Casimir of Poland, Vsevolod to a daughter of the Byzantine emperor, Vladimir to a niece of a former queen of France, Matilda of Stade. Anne was married in 1051 to Henry I, king of France, whose first two wives had died; she was consecrated queen at Reims when Liebert, bishop of Cambray was consecrated. Anne brought no land to the marriage, but did bring connections and wealth, probably including a jacinth which Suger later mounted in the reliquary of St. Denis .Anne and Henry had three sons, Philip I, born 1052, Robert, born 1054, died young, and Hugh, born 1057, who became count of Vermandois by marriage.
Henry I of France had recently lost his wife, Matilda of Frisia and he was looking for a new wife who was not related to him within legal degrees of kinship. An ambassador was sent to Kiev and Anne, also known as Agnes was chosen. They were married at the Cathedral of Reims on 19 May 1051. They would have four children, of which three would live to adulthood. Anne participated in politics, even more so after her husband died. Her signature in old Slavic survives to this day.
Anne is associated in four of Henry’s acts, towards the end of his reign: in 1058, a charter of concession to the monastery St. Maur-les-Fosses(4), “annuente mea conjuge Anna et prole Philippo, Roberto ac Hugone”; a donation of Villas to the monastery of Hasnon, with the signatures of Henrici regis, Philippi Regis pueri, A. Reginae 1059, assent to giving restored church to abbey of Coulombs, signed by Henry king, Anna queen his wife (Reginae uxoris ejus), and Philip, son of the king; and a concession to St. Martin des Champs, which the king, queen, and son Philip with his brothers confirm with their signatures, “Ego ipse Rex Henricus, et Regina pariter, et Philippus filius meus cum fratribus suis manufirmatam corro
She was praised by Pope Nicholas II, who wrote to her:
“Honorable lady, the fame of your virtues has reached our ears, and, with great joy, we hear that you are performing your royal duties at this very Christian state with commendable zeal and brilliant mind.”
When Anne was widowed in 1060 she served as regent for her son Philip, who was just eight years old at the time. She was the first Queen of France to do so. Anne participated in the government of her son, although Baldwin V of Flanders, married to Henry’s sister, Adele, was technically regent. Baldwin described himself as “procurator et bajulus regni” but the bishop of Chartres speaks of Philip and Anne as his sovereigns.
Anne fell in love (again?) after her husband’s death with the married Count Raoul III of Valois, who repudiated his wife to marry Anne. In 1061, Anne remarried, this powerful ally of the king, Raoul, count of Crepy and Valois, the Vexin, Amiens, Bar-sur-Aube, Vitry, Peronne, and Montdidier, who repudiated his wife, accusing her of adultery, to marry Anne. But the wife, Eleanor of Champagne, appealed to the pope; Alexander II responded to her complaint, asking the archbishop of Reims to investigate, try to save the marriage or take appropriate steps. Raoul refused to take her back and was excommunicated. Nonetheless, he remains an important royal ally, signing some of Philip’s acts. Raoul died in 1074 and Anne returned to Philip’s court. There is one document of Raoul’s which Anne signed along with Raoul’s son, dated 1069, a concession to a castle. Philip eventually forgave his mother. He himself would repudiate his wife Bertha of Holland in 1092! Anne returned to court after Raoul’s death in 1074. She died just one year later at Villiers Abbey and she was buried at the abbey as well.
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