FOCUS ON PHILATELY: Renowned women of Ukraine (04/04/99)

FOCUS ON PHILATELY

by Ingert Kuzych

Renowned women of Ukraine

Although quite a few women have been depicted on Ukrainian postage stamps since philatelic production resumed in 1992, by far the largest number of people specifically honored on stamps have been male. Through 1996 only one woman, Lesia Ukrainka (1871-1913), was so distinguished. When women were shown, it was usually in some generic activity: competing in Olympic sports, dancing, etc.

By contrast, almost one-quarter of the U.S. stamps from the period 1992 -1996 - and over 40 percent of the Canadian stamps - specifically honored women when depicting individuals. Western countries have learned that it is important to attract females to the philatelic hobby - of whom some 90 percent are male. (Why such a skewed percentage exists has long been debated, but never satisfactorily answered.)

Two years ago Ukraine Post decided to try and remedy the appalling discrepancy. A few stamps of 19th and 20th century female contributors to the arts, opera star Solomiia Krushelnytska, actress Nataliia Uzhvii and folk artist Kateryna Bilokur, have been released. However, by far the most beautiful effort to honor deserving Ukrainian women on stamps was a series inaugurated in 1997 titled "Renowned Women of Ukraine."

The first two personages depicted that year were probably the most famous royals in Ukrainian history: St. Olha, the first of the ruling dynasty of Rus' to adopt Christianity, and Roksolana, the influential wife of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Last year, the third issue of this series showed Anna Yaroslavna, who became queen of France. This installment of "Focus on Philately" will present some biographical background on these three royal rulers, as well as descriptions of the stamps depicting them.

St. Olha

Details of Olha's early life are sparse. She was born around 920 and married Prince Ihor about 940. She was likely of Scandinavian or Slavic-Scandinavian origin and a noblewoman. The name Olha is derived from the Scandinavian Helga; Olha may have adopted her name at the time of her marriage.

Ihor was killed on a tax-collecting expedition in 945, leaving behind Olha who assumed the regency in the name of her infant son, Prince Sviatoslav. Olha spent the first two years of her reign exacting vengeance on the Derevlianians, the Slavic tribe responsible for her husband's death. However, she soon realized that the haphazard and arbitrary gathering of tribute that had led to Ihor's death would have to be abolished. Instead she divided the country into a number of districts from which specified amounts of tribute would be collected at regular intervals.

Princess Olha spent the next several years familiarizing herself with her vast domain. She made numerous trips to all of the major towns, setting up trading posts and seeing to it that her subjects were ensured a means of sustaining themselves. She also set aside for the princely treasury exclusive rights to certain rich hunting areas, further ensuring a steady flow of income.

In 957 Olha led a delegation to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Her purpose for undertaking this official visit was twofold: to undergo a personal baptism and to conclude a treaty of commerce similar to one her husband had made in 945, shortly before his death. Although successful in her first goal (Olha took the baptismal name of Helen [Olena]), the negotiations over a new agreement proved unsatisfactory. The two sides parted amicably, but not warmly.

Nevertheless, Olha's conversion was not one of convenience to obtain better trade concessions. She took her baptism seriously and made efforts to convert the entire Kyivan Rus' realm. A Christian community developed in Kyiv, and Olha attempted to recruit a bishop and priests from the German King Otto I. This latter overture, however, ultimately proved unsuccessful.

Sometime around 960 Olha relinquished her regency as Sviatoslav came of age and began to reign on his own. She continued to rule for him, though, during his many absences. She also urged Sviatoslav to become a Christian, but he steadfastly refused. Nevertheless, he did not hinder anyone from converting. Olha died on July 11 (O.S.), 969. Although not successful in bringing a large segment of the populace under the Christian mantle, the seeds that Olha planted would bear fruit under her grandson Volodymyr, who Christianized the entire realm in 988.

Olha was canonized in the first half of the 13th century; in the Ukrainian Church she is considered "equal to the Apostles."

On her stamp (Figure 1), Olha is depicted in a royal blue dress, holding a staff; the fur cape and the falcon on her left shoulder are reminders that she owned vast hunting lands.

Roksolana

The woman who would one day be known throughout Europe as Roksolana was born as Nastia Lisovska in the town of Rohatyn, in present-day Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, in 1505. At the age of 15 she was captured by Crimean Tatars making a foray into western Ukraine and subsequently sold into slavery. Her bubbly personality singled her out for the royal harem, where she was given the name Roksolana. Sultan Suleiman was captivated by her infectious wit and shrewd intelligence, and gave her the pet name of "Khurrem," the "Laughing One." Within a year Roksolana presented her master with a son, Selim (the first of their five children). The sultan also began to discuss affairs of state with her and to prefer her company over all others. Eventually Suleiman took the unprecedented step of acceding to Roksolana's wish to be married.

Through various harem intrigues, Roksolana ultimately became the most powerful woman in the Ottoman Empire and one of the most famous in Europe. Before she passed away on April 15, 1558, she had maneuvered her eldest son into the position of heir apparent. He assumed the throne in 1566, when Suleiman died while campaigning, and is known to history as Selim II.

Roksolana became a legendary figure among Ukrainians, and is remembered in a variety of theatrical and literary works. A very popular mini-series about her appeared last year on Ukrainian television.

On her stamp (Figure 2) Roksolana appears in Turkish garb and wearing a turban, out of which streams her lengthy, wavy, reddish hair. She holds a long branch of viburnum ("chervona kalyna"), the ornamental shrub that symbolizes Ukraine.

Anna Yaroslavna

Anna was the second daughter of Yaroslav the Great, but we are uncertain of her year of birth - it was either 1024 or 1032. In 1048 French King Henry I, wishing to obtain the support of Yaroslav against the Holy Roman Empire, sent envoys to Kyiv proposing a marriage alliance. The solicitation received a favorable response and the following year (1049) Anna wed Henry in Rheims.

Although arranged, the marriage seems to have been a reasonably happy one, albeit short-lived. Henry died in 1060, leaving behind not only his wife but three young sons, the oldest of which, Philip, was only 10. For the next several years, until Philip reached maturity, Anna ruled France as regent. She was keenly involved in the affairs of state, and her signature survives on many state documents. One such signature reads: "Ana R'yna," (Anna [the] Queen.) These written identifications are the oldest extant examples of Old Ukrainian writing. Anna was one of the few literate persons at the French court. She brought with her from Kyiv a Slavic Gospel that was used by French kings when taking oaths up until the French Revolution of 1789.

There is evidence that Anna married Count de Valois et de Crepy in 1062, but this marriage was apparently never legally recognized. Widowed a second time, Anna returned to the court of her son Philip I. She died sometime after 1075.

Anna was patroness of the Church of St. Vincent in Senlis, where a beautiful statue of her may be found in the portal. It was this sculpture that served as the original for the figure that appears on the stamp (Figure 3). Anna holds a model of the church in her left hand, while the right holds a scepter topped by a fleur-de-lis. Seen on the lower left of the stamp, as well as on the right of the First Day of Issue envelope cachet (Figure 4), is Queen Anna's famous signature.

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Dr. Ingert Kuzych may be contacted with comments or questions at: P.O. Box 3, Springfield VA 22150.

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