What is the connection between hypertension and stokes?

Strokes?: Hypertension , if it is high enough can cause a bleed into the brain ( a hemmorhagic stroke) and if is untreated for years can cause hardening of the arteries which can lead to an ischemic stroke.

Atherosclerosis: Chronic hypertension contributes to the development of plaque within the arteries. The plaque can then rupture and lead to a stroke either in place if the plaque is within the brain arteries, or by embolization from the aorta, or carotid arteries in the neck. A very high blood pressure occurring acutely can cause a hemorrhagic stroke by rupturing a small vessel within the brain.