Information on the thesis

Dissertation  for  obtaining  the  candidate  degree  in  History,  Speciality  07.00.02  –
World History. – Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, 2016.
In  the  еhe  PhD  thesis  the  little  known  problems  of  the  formation  and
development  of  connections  between  Rurik  dynasty  and  British  ruling  elites  have
been  analysed.  The  evolution  of  these  relations  has  been  traced  from  the  trade
contacts to the political connections that were consolidated by matrimonial alliances.
Special attention has been paid to the determination of the Britain-Rus’ connections in
the system of international relations of medieval Europe.
The analysis of narrative sources of the West European and Old Russian origin
as well as attraction of works of modern methodological historiography formed the
basis to complement and revise the established approaches to the exploration of the
foreignpolicy interests of the Rurik dynasty and the rulers of the states on the British
territory. The facts of dynastic unions between the British ruling dynasties and the
Rurik dynasty, and their influence on the dynasties status in the international politics
have been investigated.
First contacts between ruling persons of the British and Russian dynasties are
dated to the second half of the 9th century, and they are related to the circulation of
silver  in  the  north  of  Europe.  The  existence  of  legitimate  Norman  states  on  the
territories of Britain within the 9-10th century with the authority over key ports of the
east  coast  recognized  by  the  rulers  of  the  Norman  ecumenical  states  deprived  the
rulers  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms  and  Rurik  dynasty  the  necessity  to  establish
direct  interdynastic  relations.  The  Danelaw  states  acted  as  the  mediators  in  the
representation of the trade and political interests in the region, including Rus’.
After formation of the United Kingdom its rulers and the Rurik dynasty people
were  forced  to  establish  interdynastic  contacts  without  mediators.  The  treaty
concluded in 1019 between Yaroslav the Wise and Canute I became its direct result.
The comparison of Latin and Anglo-Norman sources allowed to set an exact date and
reasons of stay in Rus’ of two English princes – Edward the Exile and Edmund, and
convincingly  assert  that  the  Canute  I  passed  the  princes  on  the  Rus’  prince’s
guardianship to guarantee the implementation the Anglo-Russian treaty.
In the 11th century two facts of entering into matrimonial dynastic unions by the
Rurik dynasty persons and the British ruling representatives were a consequence of
the appropriate development of trade and political relations between the ruling elites
of  Britain  and  Rus’  and  represented  the  common  ground  of  their  interests  in  the
region of the Baltic and the North Sea.
Key words: Rurik dynasty, Wessex, Scotland, Vikings, genealogy, international
affairs.