Agafiya Yaroslavna [Agatha]
Reedpcgen
It is sad to see that Gabriel Ronay, a writer whom I admire, has joined
those few who have very unfairly attacked the ideas and scholarly integrity
of Rene Jette. In a letter to the British magazine HISTORY TODAY (May
1999), Ronay charges that Jette's article about the origin of Agatha, wife
of Prince Edward the Exile (NEHGR [1996]) offered nothing new and instead
took material from Ronay's book, misrepresented the "Leges Edwardi
Confessoris," and made a "leap in the dark" to conclude that Agatha was a
daughter of Yaroslav of Kiev. The truth is that Rene made insightful use
of materials from Ronay and several other sources (with full
acknowledgement) to argue brilliantly for an important NEW conclusion--one
which Gabriel Ronay himself came very close to saying but inexplicably
backed away from, missing the chance for a scoop. Unfortunately, Jette's
article had to go through translation and layers of editing and ended up so
concise that some readers have not followed the incisive argument. And
Gabriel Ronay fails to mention that my own small contribution in NEHGR
(1998) introduced at least two significant new pieces of evidence in
support of Rene's case.
Consulting with Jette, several other genealogists, and leading specialists
in relevant fields (historians, Latinists, linguists), I subsequently
undertook a fundamental review of the whole question of Agatha's origin,
going back to the original sources and the scholarship about them. My full
article "Has a Missing Daughter of Iaroslav Mudryi Been Found?" (nearly 40
pages in length) is just about to appear in the delayed no. 3 (1998) of the
journal RUSSIAN HISTORY/HISTOIRE RUSSE. Among other things, I attempt to
show step by step why Szabolcz de Vajay's conjecture is unproven and
unconvincing, as is also the variant of it suggested very tentatively by
Gerd Wunder. Rene Jette is almost certainly right that Agatha/Agafiya was
a daughter of Grand Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev and his Swedish wife
Ingigerd-Irina. Dare I hope that readers will be patient enough to wait
for my article, and that they will try to read it objectively and without
prejudice?
Norman W. Ingham
n-in...@uchicago.edu 14 May 1999
Reedpcgen
>show step by step why Szabolcz de Vajay's conjecture is unproven and
>unconvincing, as is also the variant of it suggested very tentatively by
>Gerd Wunder.
I would like to remark that a different colleague of mine asked de Vajay about
his Agatha argument when he met him in person at a conference some years ago.
de Vajay only went over what was already in print (adding nothing new), and was
anything but certain about the conclusions. I think others may be making de
Vajay's conclusions more solid than he himself had done, if asked personally.
pcr
P. S. I am certain there will be reviews of Dr. Ingham's article, so unless
anyone has something new to add, there's no use in throwing opinions around
further. We've already thrown things around as far as they can go without new
insight and evidence.
D. Spencer Hines
If this turns out to be true, and I already had it in my database this
way, anyone descended from Henry II would be a descendant of Agafiya
Yaroslavna [1022-1075].
Agafiya is Henry II's 2nd Great-Grandmother --- through Matilda The
Empress, his Mother.
Since Agafiya is reportedly a 2nd great-granddaughter of Igor I,
Prince of Kiev [c. 875-945] and Saint Ol'ga, Regent of Kiev [c.
890-969] --- they are included in the stroganoff.
Rurik, Grand Prince of Kiev, himself _may_ be the Father of Igor ---
but don't bet the family silver on it.
Kings of Sweden come in the smorgasbord too -- Eric, et alios.
Comments?
Spasibo bolshoe.
Skoal.
D. Spencer Hines
Lux et Veritas
Exitus Acta Probat
--
D. Spencer Hines --- "Vietnam is a graveyard of lost hopes, destroyed
vanity, glib promises and good intentions." *** The lead sentence
filed by Time magazine correspondent Charles Mohr for an August 9,
1963, cover story. The sentence was not published in Time. *** And
Kosovo? That chapter is yet to be written.
Reedpcgen <reed...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19990514155321...@ng-fz1.aol.com...
> journal RUSSIAN HISTORY/HISTOIRE RUSSE. Among other things, I
attempt to
> show step by step why Szabolcz de Vajay's conjecture is unproven and
> unconvincing, as is also the variant of it suggested very
tentatively by
John P. DuLong
>
> I post the following on behalf of Dr. Norm Ingham:
>
> going back to the original sources and the scholarship about them. My full
> article "Has a Missing Daughter of Iaroslav Mudryi Been Found?" (nearly 40
> pages in length) is just about to appear in the delayed no. 3 (1998) of the
> journal RUSSIAN HISTORY/HISTOIRE RUSSE. Among other things, I attempt to
When this article is finally published would someone be so kind as to
notify the group and also let us know how we can order a copy of the
issue. Thank you.
--
John P. DuLong, Ph.D.
Acadian and French Canadian Genealogy
959 Oxford Road
Berkley, MI 48072-2011
Tel.: (248) 541-2894
Web Site: http://habitant.org