Princess Olga, baptized Elena. Born approx. 920 - died July 11, 969. The princess who ruled the Old Russian state from 945 to 960 after the death of her husband, Prince of Kyiv Igor Rurikovich. The first of the rulers of Rus' accepted Christianity even before the baptism of Rus'. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Princess Olga was born ca. 920
The chronicles do not report Olga's year of birth, but the later Degree Book reports that she died at the age of about 80, which places her date of birth at the end of the 9th century. The approximate date of her birth is reported by the late “Arkhangelsk Chronicler”, who reports that Olga was 10 years old at the time of her marriage. Based on this, many scientists (M. Karamzin, L. Morozova, L. Voitovich) calculated her date of birth - 893.
The life of the princess states that her age at the time of death was 75 years. Thus Olga was born in 894. True, this date is called into question by the date of birth of Olga’s eldest son, Svyatoslav (around 938-943), since Olga should have been 45-50 years old at the time of her son’s birth, which seems incredible.
Considering the fact that Svyatoslav Igorevich was Olga’s eldest son, Boris Rybakov, taking 942 as the prince’s date of birth, considered the year 927-928 to be the latest point of Olga’s birth. A similar opinion (925-928) was shared by Andrei Bogdanov in his book “Princess Olga. Holy warrior."
Alexey Karpov in his monograph “Princess Olga” makes Olga older, claiming that the princess was born around 920. Consequently, the date around 925 seems more correct than 890, since Olga herself in the chronicles for 946-955 appears young and energetic, and gives birth to her eldest son around 940.
According to the earliest ancient Russian chronicle, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” Olga was from Pskov (Old Russian: Pleskov, Plskov). The life of the holy Grand Duchess Olga specifies that she was born in the village of Vybuty in the Pskov land, 12 km from Pskov up the Velikaya River. The names of Olga’s parents have not been preserved; according to the Life, they were of humble birth. According to scientists, Varangian origin is confirmed by her name, which has a correspondence in Old Norse as Helga. The presence of presumably Scandinavians in those places is noted by a number of archaeological finds, possibly dating back to the first half of the 10th century. The ancient Czech name is also known Olha.
The typographical chronicle (end of the 15th century) and the later Piskarevsky chronicler convey a rumor that Olga was the daughter of the Prophetic Oleg, who began to rule Russia as the guardian of the young Igor, the son of Rurik: “Nitsyi say, ‘Yolga’s daughter is Yolga’.” Oleg married Igor and Olga.
The so-called Joachim Chronicle, the reliability of which is questioned by historians, reports Olga’s noble Slavic origins: “When Igor matured, Oleg married him, gave him a wife from Izborsk, the Gostomyslov family, who was called Beautiful, and Oleg renamed her and named her Olga. Igor later had other wives, but because of her wisdom he honored Olga more than others.”.
If you believe this source, it turns out that the princess renamed herself from Prekrasa to Olga, taking a new name in honor of Prince Oleg (Olga is the female version of this name).
Bulgarian historians also put forward a version about the Bulgarian roots of Princess Olga, relying mainly on the message of the “New Vladimir Chronicler”: “Igor got married [Ѻlg] in Bulgaria, and princess Ylga sings for him”. And translating the chronicle name Pleskov not as Pskov, but as Pliska - the Bulgarian capital of that time. The names of both cities actually coincide in the Old Slavic transcription of some texts, which served as the basis for the author of the “New Vladimir Chronicler” to translate the message in the “Tale of Bygone Years” about Olga from Pskov as Olga from the Bulgarians, since the spelling Pleskov to designate Pskov has long gone out of use .
Statements about the origin of Olga from the annalistic Carpathian Plesnesk, a huge settlement (VII-VIII centuries - 10-12 hectares, before the 10th century - 160 hectares, before the 13th century - 300 hectares) with Scandinavian and West Slavic materials are based on local legends.
Marriage to Igor
According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the Prophetic Oleg married Igor Rurikovich, who began to rule independently in 912, to Olga in 903, that is, when she was already 12 years old. This date is questioned, since, according to the Ipatiev list of the same “Tale,” their son Svyatoslav was born only in 942.
Perhaps to resolve this contradiction, the later Ustyug Chronicle and the Novgorod Chronicle, according to the list of P. P. Dubrovsky, report Olga’s ten years of age at the time of the wedding. This message contradicts the legend set out in the Degree Book (second half of the 16th century), about a chance meeting with Igor at a crossing near Pskov. The prince hunted in those places. While crossing the river by boat, he noticed that the carrier was a young girl dressed in men's clothing. Igor immediately “flared with desire” and began to pester her, but received a worthy rebuke in response: “Why do you embarrass me, prince, with immodest words? I may be young and humble, and alone here, but know: it is better for me to throw myself into the river than to endure reproach.” Igor remembered about the chance acquaintance when the time came to look for a bride, and sent Oleg for the girl he loved, not wanting any other wife.
The Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger edition, which contains in the most unchanged form information from the Initial Code of the 11th century, leaves the message about Igor’s marriage to Olga undated, that is, the earliest Old Russian chroniclers had no information about the date of the wedding. It is likely that the year 903 in the PVL text arose at a later time, when the monk Nestor tried to bring the initial ancient Russian history into chronological order. After the wedding, Olga’s name is mentioned again only 40 years later, in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 944.
According to the chronicle, in 945, Prince Igor died at the hands of the Drevlyans after repeatedly collecting tribute from them. The heir to the throne, Svyatoslav, was only three years old at the time, so Olga became the de facto ruler of Rus' in 945. Igor's squad obeyed her, recognizing Olga as the representative of the legitimate heir to the throne. The decisive course of action of the princess in relation to the Drevlyans could also sway the warriors in her favor.
After the murder of Igor, the Drevlyans sent matchmakers to his widow Olga to invite her to marry their prince Mal. The princess successively dealt with the elders of the Drevlyans, and then brought their people into submission. The Old Russian chronicler describes in detail Olga’s revenge for the death of her husband:
First revenge:
The matchmakers, 20 Drevlyans, arrived in a boat, which the Kievans carried and threw into a deep hole in the courtyard of Olga's tower. The matchmaker-ambassadors were buried alive along with the boat.
“And, bending towards the pit, Olga asked them: “Is honor good for you?” They answered: “Igor’s death is worse for us.” And she ordered them to be buried alive; and they fell asleep,” says the chronicler.
Second revenge:
Olga asked, out of respect, to send new ambassadors from the best men to her, which the Drevlyans willingly did. An embassy of noble Drevlyans was burned in a bathhouse while they were washing themselves in preparation for a meeting with the princess.
Third revenge:
The princess and a small retinue came to the lands of the Drevlyans to celebrate a funeral feast at her husband’s grave, according to custom. Having drunk the Drevlyans during the funeral feast, Olga ordered them to be chopped down. The chronicle reports five thousand Drevlyans killed.
Fourth revenge:
In 946, Olga went with an army on a campaign against the Drevlyans. According to the First Novgorod Chronicle, the Kiev squad defeated the Drevlyans in battle. Olga walked through the Drevlyansky land, established tributes and taxes, and then returned to Kyiv. In the Tale of Bygone Years (PVL), the chronicler made an insert into the text of the Initial Code about the siege of the Drevlyan capital of Iskorosten. According to the PVL, after an unsuccessful siege during the summer, Olga burned the city with the help of birds, to whose feet she ordered lit tow with sulfur to be tied. Some of the defenders of Iskorosten were killed, the rest submitted. A similar legend about the burning of the city with the help of birds is also told by Saxo Grammaticus (12th century) in his compilation of oral Danish legends about the exploits of the Vikings and the skald Snorri Sturluson.
After the reprisal against the Drevlyans, Olga began to rule Russia until Svyatoslav came of age, but even after that she remained the de facto ruler, since her son spent most of his time on military campaigns and did not pay attention to governing the state.
Olga's board
Having conquered the Drevlyans, Olga in 947 went to the Novgorod and Pskov lands, assigning lessons (tribute) there, after which she returned to her son Svyatoslav in Kyiv.
Olga established a system of “cemeteries” - centers of trade and exchange, in which taxes were collected in a more orderly manner; Then they began to build churches in graveyards. Olga's journey to the Novgorod land was questioned by Archimandrite Leonid (Kavelin), A. Shakhmatov (in particular, he pointed out the confusion of the Drevlyansky land with the Derevskaya Pyatina), M. Grushevsky, D. Likhachev. The attempts of Novgorod chroniclers to attract unusual events to the Novgorod land were also noted by V. Tatishchev. The chronicle's evidence of Olga's sleigh, allegedly kept in Pleskov (Pskov) after Olga's trip to the Novgorod land, is also critically assessed.
Princess Olga laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Rus' (the first stone buildings of Kyiv - the city palace and Olga's country tower), and paid attention to the improvement of the lands subject to Kiev - Novgorod, Pskov, located along the Desna River, etc.
In 945, Olga established the size of the “polyudya” - taxes in favor of Kyiv, the timing and frequency of their payment - “rents” and “charters”. The lands subject to Kyiv were divided into administrative units, in each of which a princely administrator, a tiun, was appointed.
Konstantin Porphyrogenitus, in his essay “On the Administration of the Empire,” written in 949, mentions that “the monoxyls coming from external Russia to Constantinople are one of Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, the son of Ingor, the archon of Russia, sat.” From this short message it follows that by 949 Igor held power in Kyiv, or, which seems unlikely, Olga left her son to represent power in the northern part of her state. It is also possible that Constantine had information from unreliable or outdated sources.
Olga’s next act, noted in the PVL, is her baptism in 955 in Constantinople. Upon returning to Kyiv, Olga, who took the name Elena in baptism, tried to introduce Svyatoslav to Christianity, but “he did not even think of listening to this. But if someone was going to be baptized, he did not forbid it, but only mocked him.” Moreover, Svyatoslav was angry with his mother for her persuasion, fearing to lose the respect of the squad.
In 957, Olga paid an official visit to Constantinople with a large embassy, known from the description of court ceremonies by Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his essay “On Ceremonies.” The Emperor calls Olga the ruler (archontissa) of Rus', the name of Svyatoslav (in the list of retinue the “people of Svyatoslav” are indicated) is mentioned without a title. Apparently, the visit to Byzantium did not bring the desired results, since PVL reports Olga's cold attitude towards the Byzantine ambassadors in Kyiv shortly after the visit. On the other hand, Theophanes' Successor, in his story about the reconquest of Crete from the Arabs under Emperor Roman II (959-963), mentioned the Rus as part of the Byzantine army.
It is not known exactly when Svyatoslav began to rule independently. PVL reports his first military campaign in 964. The Western European chronicle of the Successor of Reginon reports under 959: “They came to the king (Otto I the Great), as it later turned out to be a lie, the ambassadors of Helena, Queen of Rugov, who was baptized in Constantinople under the Emperor of Constantinople Romanus, and asked to consecrate a bishop and priests for this people.”.
Thus, in 959 Olga, baptized Elena, was officially considered the ruler of Rus'. The remains of a 10th century rotunda, discovered by archaeologists within the so-called “city of Kiya,” are considered material evidence of the presence of Adalbert’s mission in Kyiv.
The convinced pagan Svyatoslav Igorevich turned 18 years old in 960, and the mission sent by Otto I to Kyiv failed, as the Continuer of Reginon reports: “962 year. This year Adalbert returned back, having been appointed bishop of Rugam, because he did not succeed in anything for which he was sent, and saw his efforts in vain; on the way back, some of his companions were killed, but he himself barely escaped with great difficulty.”.
The date of the beginning of Svyatoslav’s independent reign is quite arbitrary; Russian chronicles consider him to be the successor to the throne immediately after the murder of his father Igor by the Drevlyans. Svyatoslav was constantly on military campaigns against the neighbors of Rus', entrusting the management of the state to his mother. When the Pechenegs first raided the Russian lands in 968, Olga and Svyatoslav’s children locked themselves in Kyiv.
Having returned from a campaign against Bulgaria, Svyatoslav lifted the siege, but did not want to stay in Kyiv for long. When the next year he was about to go back to Pereyaslavets, Olga restrained him: “You see, I’m sick; where do you want to go from me? - because she was already sick. And she said: “When you bury me, go wherever you want.”.
Three days later, Olga died, and her son, and her grandchildren, and all the people cried for her with great tears, and they carried her and buried her in the chosen place, but Olga bequeathed not to perform funeral feasts for her, since she had a priest with her - he and buried blessed Olga.
The monk Jacob, in the 11th century work “Memory and Praise to the Russian Prince Volodymer,” reports the exact date of Olga’s death: July 11, 969.
Olga's baptism
Princess Olga became the first ruler of Rus' to be baptized, although both the squad and the Russian people under her were pagan. Olga’s son, the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich, also remained in paganism.
The date and circumstances of the baptism remain unclear. According to the PVL, this happened in 955 in Constantinople, Olga was personally baptized by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus with the Patriarch (Theophylact): “And she was given the name Elena in baptism, just like the ancient queen-mother of Emperor Constantine I.”.
PVL and the Life decorate the circumstances of the baptism with the story of how the wise Olga outwitted the Byzantine king. He, marveling at her intelligence and beauty, wanted to take Olga as his wife, but the princess rejected the claims, noting that it was not appropriate for Christians to marry pagans. It was then that the king and the patriarch baptized her. When the tsar again began to harass the princess, she pointed out that she was now the tsar’s goddaughter. Then he richly presented her and sent her home.
From Byzantine sources only one visit of Olga to Constantinople is known. Konstantin Porphyrogenitus described it in detail in his essay “On Ceremonies”, without indicating the year of the event. But he indicated the dates of official receptions: Wednesday, September 9 (on the occasion of Olga’s arrival) and Sunday, October 18. This combination corresponds to 957 and 946 years. Olga's long stay in Constantinople is noteworthy. When describing the technique, the name is basileus (Konstantin Porphyrogenitus himself) and Roman - basileus Porphyrogenitus. It is known that Roman II the Younger, the son of Constantine, became his father's formal co-ruler in 945. The mention at the reception of Roman's children testifies in favor of 957, which is considered the generally accepted date for Olga's visit and her baptism.
However, Konstantin never mentioned Olga’s baptism, nor did he mention the purpose of her visit. A certain priest Gregory was named in the princess’s retinue, on the basis of which some historians (in particular, Academician Boris Alexandrovich Rybakov) suggest that Olga visited Constantinople already baptized. In this case, the question arises why Constantine calls the princess by her pagan name, and not Helen, as the Successor of Reginon did. Another, later Byzantine source (11th century) reports baptism precisely in the 950s: “And the wife of the Russian archon, who once set sail against the Romans, named Elga, when her husband died, arrived in Constantinople. Baptized and having openly made a choice in favor of the true faith, she, having received great honor for this choice, returned home.”.
The successor of Reginon, quoted above, also speaks about baptism in Constantinople, and the mention of the name of Emperor Romanus testifies in favor of baptism in 957. The testimony of the Continuer of Reginon can be considered reliable, since, as historians believe, Bishop Adalbert of Magdeburg, who led the unsuccessful mission to Kyiv, wrote under this name (961) and had first-hand information.
According to most sources, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople in the fall of 957, and she was probably baptized by Romanos II, son and co-ruler of Emperor Constantine VII, and Patriarch Polyeuctus. Olga made the decision to accept the faith in advance, although the chronicle legend presents this decision as spontaneous. Nothing is known about those people who spread Christianity in Rus'. Perhaps these were Bulgarian Slavs (Bulgaria was baptized in 865), since the influence of Bulgarian vocabulary can be traced in the early ancient Russian chronicle texts. The penetration of Christianity into Kievan Rus is evidenced by the mention of the cathedral church of Elijah the Prophet in Kyiv in the Russian-Byzantine treaty (944).
Olga was buried in the ground (969) according to Christian rites. Her grandson, Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich, transferred (1007) the relics of saints, including Olga, to the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Kyiv, which he founded. According to the Life and the monk Jacob, the body of the blessed princess was preserved from decay. Her “shining like the sun” body could be observed through a window in the stone coffin, which was opened slightly for any true believer Christian, and many found healing there. All the others saw only the coffin.
Most likely, during the reign of Yaropolk (972-978), Princess Olga began to be revered as a saint. This is evidenced by the transfer of her relics to the church and the description of miracles given by the monk Jacob in the 11th century. Since that time, the day of remembrance of Saint Olga (Elena) began to be celebrated on July 11, at least in the Tithe Church itself. However, official canonization (churchwide glorification) apparently occurred later - until the middle of the 13th century. Her name early becomes baptismal, in particular among the Czechs.
In 1547, Olga was canonized as Saint Equal to the Apostles. Only five other holy women in Christian history have received such an honor (Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Queen Helen Equal to the Apostles and Nina, the enlightener of Georgia).
The memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga is celebrated by Orthodox churches of the Russian tradition on July 11 according to the Julian calendar; Catholic and other Western churches - July 24 Gregorian.
She is revered as the patroness of widows and new Christians.
Princess Olga (documentary film)
Memory of Olga
In Pskov there is the Olginskaya embankment, the Olginsky bridge, the Olginsky chapel, as well as two monuments to the princess.
From the time of Olga until 1944, there was a churchyard and the village of Olgin Krest on the Narva River.
Monuments to Princess Olga were erected in Kyiv, Pskov and the city of Korosten. The figure of Princess Olga is present on the monument “Millennium of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod.
Olga Bay in the Sea of Japan is named in honor of Princess Olga.
The urban-type settlement Olga, Primorsky Territory, is named in honor of Princess Olga.
Olginskaya street in Kyiv.
Princess Olga Street in Lviv.
In Vitebsk, in the city center at the Holy Spiritual Convent, there is the St. Olga Church.
In St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, to the right of the altar in the northern (Russian) transept, there is a portrait image of Princess Olga.
St. Olginsky Cathedral in Kyiv.
Orders:
Insignia of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga - established by Emperor Nicholas II in 1915;
“Order of Princess Olga” - state award of Ukraine since 1997;
The Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga (ROC) is an award of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Olga's image in art
In fiction:
Antonov A.I. Princess Olga;
Boris Vasiliev. "Olga, Queen of the Rus";
Victor Gretskov. "Princess Olga - Bulgarian princess";
Mikhail Kazovsky. "The Empress's Daughter";
Alexey Karpov. “Princess Olga” (ZhZL series);
Svetlana Kaydash-Lakshina (novel). "Duchess Olga";
Alekseev S. T. I know God!;
Nikolay Gumilyov. "Olga" (poem);
Simone Vilar. "Svetorada" (trilogy);
Simone Vilar. "The Witch" (4 books);
Elizaveta Dvoretskaya “Olga, the Forest Princess”;
Oleg Panus “Shields on the Gates”;
Oleg Panus “United by Power.”
In cinema:
“The Legend of Princess Olga” (1983; USSR) directed by Yuri Ilyenko, in the role of Olga Lyudmila Efimenko;
"The Saga of the Ancient Bulgars. The Legend of Olga the Saint" (2005; Russia) directed by Bulat Mansurov, in the role of Olga.;
"The Saga of the Ancient Bulgars. Vladimir's Ladder Red Sun", Russia, 2005. In the role of Olga, Elina Bystritskaya.
In cartoons:
Prince Vladimir (2006; Russia) directed by Yuri Kulakov, voiced by Olga.
Ballet:
“Olga”, music by Evgeny Stankovych, 1981. It was performed at the Kiev Opera and Ballet Theater from 1981 to 1988, and in 2010 it was staged at the Dnepropetrovsk Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.
In fact, one can only talk about the biography of Princess Olga with a stretch - very little is known about the circumstances of the life of the first Russian ruler. Nowadays it is customary to praise her for her Christian missionary work. But this fact at that time had almost no significance for the life of the state, but Olga’s cunning, intelligence and calculating cruelty did matter, and it did.
Prince Igor and Olga
Olga's year of birth and origin are unknown. Pskov is most often cited as her homeland, but Olga was clearly not a Slav (Olga (Helga) is a Scandinavian name). There are no contradictions here. There are many options for the year of birth, from 893 to 928, and all are based on scanty data from written sources.
The same goes for origin. The most common option is that Olga was the daughter of low-ranking Varangians. A more “patriotic” version - she came from a noble Slavic family, had a local name, and received a Scandinavian name from Prince Oleg, who decided to make her his daughter-in-law. There is also an assumption that Oleg was Olga's father. Next to it is the version that the prophetic prince himself wanted to marry a smart Pskov woman, but abandoned this idea due to the huge difference in age.
The marriage of Olga and Igor, according to the most common version, took place in 903, and the bride was either 10 or 12 years old. But this version is often subject to doubt.
According to the Life, Prince Igor met Olga by chance, while hunting, and began to persuade her to lust, but the girl shamed him. Subsequently, when choosing a bride, Igor remembered her and decided that he could not find a better wife.
The statement accepted by many historians that Svyatoslav (the future prince) was Olga’s eldest child also looks strange. Yes, older children are not mentioned in the sources. But girls are rarely mentioned there, and the infant mortality rate in those days easily reached ¾ of the number of births. So Svyatoslav could easily have been the first survivor, or even the first boy to survive, and have half a dozen older sisters.
Olga, Princess of Kyiv
But the fact is not disputed that in 945, when Igor was punished for greed, Svyatoslav “could barely throw a spear between a horse’s ears,” that is, he was no older than 7-8 years. Therefore, Olga became the de facto ruler of the Russian state.
The terrible revenge against the Drevlyans described in The Tale of Bygone Years is almost certainly fiction, and all the better for it. But the fact remains that Olga managed to achieve the subordination of the tribal princes to the central government - they recognized her authority, and for some time the internecine clashes ceased. The Kyiv princess should also be credited with the tax reform, which established the exact amount of tribute, the place and timing of its payment - Olga made the right conclusions from the fate of her husband.
It is a fact and . International trade agreements concluded by her are recorded (usually an extension of those already concluded by her husband, but this is also important), as well as a visit to Byzantium (around 955). Relations with this powerful empire meant a lot to Rus', and Byzantine sources give Olga brilliant characteristics.
The princess continued to be involved in domestic politics even when her son “came of age.” Svyatoslav was almost never at home and was only interested in the war. Therefore, Olga was his co-ruler until her death in 968.
Princess Olga's baptism
Holy Princess Olga became the first ruler in Rus' to convert to Christianity. For her enormous services in spreading faith in Christ, the Church recognizes her as Equal to the Apostles. The ruler was baptized during her stay in Byzantium. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, the baptism of Princess Olga took place in Constantinople in 955, and Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus himself became her godfather (who, according to the same Tale) even wanted to marry her. At the same time, many historians believe that in fact the baptism took place in 957, and Olga was baptized by Emperor Roman II, the son of Constantine.
It is noteworthy that Saint Princess Olga is revered not only by all Orthodox Christians, but also by Catholics.
Princess Olga began to rule the ancient Russian state after the tragic death of her husband, Prince Igor of Kyiv, who was brutally dealt with by the Drevlyans for their arbitrariness in collecting tribute.
The young power, brought together by the Prophetic Oleg, represented separate lands subjugated by his sword, where various East Slavic, Finno-Ugric and other tribes lived. Their payment of tribute to Kyiv formally meant that a new political system of power had arisen in Rus', but the mechanism of interaction between the center and individual territories had not yet developed. Kievan Rus of the 10th century occupied a huge space, where many volosts were ruled by local princes, who, although they recognized the supreme power of Kyiv, continued to live according to their own laws.
Having become a ruler under the young heir Svyatoslav, Olga was able to force the princely squad, led by the powerful governor Sveneld, to serve her. With his help, she brutally suppressed the rebellion of the Drevlyans, destroying virtually the entire tribal elite and elders of this tribe. Showing the strength of the central government, she toured her lands and began to “organize” them. Olga’s organization of churchyards to collect tribute and her establishment of “lessons” - a certain amount of payments from the population - became the first manifestation of the establishment of state power as such.
Olga's reign was sharply different from its predecessors: chronicles about the reign of Prophetic Oleg and Prince Igor are filled with reports of aggressive campaigns and numerous wars. Olga adhered to a peaceful foreign policy. During her time, peace and quiet reigned on Russian soil. Having made a campaign against the Drevlyans, the princess took up the internal arrangement of the country. The state received a peaceful respite for almost twenty years, which contributed to its economic strengthening. Having received holy baptism in Constantinople, Princess Olga became the “harbinger of Christianity” in Rus'. Her attempts to spread Orthodoxy in her own country were unsuccessful, but they paved the way for the subsequent baptism of the entire Russian land.
CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS
945 The murder of Prince Igor by the Drevlyans. The beginning of Olga's reign in Kievan Rus.
946 spring- Arrival of the Drevlyan ambassadors to Kyiv with the intention of marrying Olga to Prince Mal. Olga's reprisal against the Drevlyan embassy.
946 summer— Arrival in Kyiv to Olga of the “best husbands” of the Drevlyansky land. Burning of the Drevlyan matchmakers on the orders of Olga.
946 end of summer- Olga’s third revenge on the Drevlyans. The murder of representatives of the Drevlyan clans during the funeral feast for Igor.
946 The march of the Kyiv army, led by governor Sveneld, together with Princess Olga and Prince Svyatoslav, to the Drevlyansky land. Siege, capture and burning of Iskorosten. Murder of city elders. End of the war with the Drevlyans. Imposing a “heavy tribute” on them.
947 Princess Olga's tour of the volosts of Kievan Rus. Establishment of graveyards and camps for collecting tribute in the Meta and Luga basins and along the Dnieper and Desna. Determination of the fixed amount of tribute from subject tribes.
Mid-10th century Relocation of the Polovtsians to the steppes of the Black Sea region and the Caucasus.
Mid-10th century Annexation of the land of the Tivertsi to the Principality of Kyiv.
Mid-10th century Separation of the Principality of Polotsk.
Mid-10th century The first mention in the chronicles of Vyshgorod is a city north of Kyiv.
2nd half X century Formation of the Vladimir-Volyn principality.
954 Participation of the Byzantines (together with the Russians) in the battle of Al-Hadas.
955 Chronicle record of Olga's journey to Constantinople. Kyiv Princess Olga's baptism (with the name Elena).
957 September 9— Reception of Princess Olga in Constantinople by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus.
959 autumn— Report from a German chronicle about the embassy of Princess Olga to the German king Otto I with a request to send a Catholic bishop to Russian soil.
Reign of Princess Olga (briefly)
The reign of Princess Olga - a brief description
Researchers' opinions differ when it comes to the date and place of birth of Princess Olga. Ancient chronicles do not give us accurate information whether she was from a noble family or from a simple family. Some are inclined to believe that Olga was the daughter of the Grand Duke Oleg the Prophet, while others claim that her family descends from the Bulgarian Prince Boris. The author of the chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years” directly says that Olga’s homeland is a small village near Pskov and that she is “from a simple family.”
According to one version, Prince Igor Rurikovich saw Olga in the forest, where he was hunting game. Deciding to cross a small river, the prince asked for help from a girl passing by on a boat, whom he initially mistook for a young man. The girl turned out to be pure in intentions, beautiful and smart. Later the prince decided to take her as his wife.
Princess Olga, after the death of her husband (and also during the reign of Igor in Kyiv) from the Drevlyans, proved herself to be a firm and wise ruler of Rus'. She dealt with political issues, managed with warriors, governors, complainants, and also received ambassadors. Very often, when Prince Igor went on military campaigns, his responsibilities fell entirely on the shoulders of the princess.
After Igor was killed in 945 for collecting tribute again, Olga brutally repaid them for the death of her husband, showing unprecedented cunning and will. Three times she killed the Drevlyan ambassadors, after which she gathered an army and went to war against the Drevlyans. After Olga was unable to take the main city of Korosten (while the remaining settlements were completely destroyed), she demanded three sparrows and three doves from each house, and then ordered her warriors to attach tinder to the birds’ legs, set it on fire and release the birds. The burning birds flew to their nests. And so Korosten was taken.
After the pacification of the Drevlyans, the princess took up tax reform. It abolished polyudyas and divided them into regions of the earth, for each “lessons” (fixed tax) were established. The main goal of the reforms was to streamline the tribute system, as well as strengthen state authority.
Also during Olga’s reign, the first stone cities appeared, and her foreign state policy was carried out not through military methods, but through diplomacy. Thus, ties with Byzantium and Germany were strengthened.
The princess herself decided to convert to Christianity, and although her baptism did not influence Svyatoslav’s decision to leave pagan Rus', Vladimir continued her work.
Olga died in 969 in Kyiv, and in 1547 she was canonized as a saint.
Olga, the wife of Prince Igor, the mother of Svyatoslav and the grandmother of the Baptist of Rus' Vladimir, entered our history as the holy princess who was the first to bring the light of Christianity to our land. However, before becoming a Christian, Olga was a pagan, cruel and vindictive. This is exactly how she entered the chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years.” What did Olga do?
Igor's campaign
We should start with the last campaign of her husband, Prince Igor. The entry for 945 says that the squad began to complain to Igor that “the youths of Sveneld,” that is, the people who make up the inner circle of his governor Sveneld, were all “dressed in weapons and clothes,” while Igor’s warriors themselves “ naked." It is unlikely that the prince’s warriors were so “naked” that it was worth talking about this seriously, but in those days they tried not to argue with the squad, since it depended on it whether the prince would sit on the Kiev throne. Therefore, Igor went to the Drevlyans - a tribe that lived in the territory of Ukrainian Polesie - and carried out a formal pogrom there, adding new payments to the previous tribute in order to cover up the blatant nakedness of his warriors. Having collected this tribute, he was about to go home, but on the way, apparently, he decided that the cunning Drevlyans had hidden something else somewhere. Having sent the bulk of his people home, he himself and a small retinue returned to the Drevlyan capital Iskorosten, “wishing more wealth.” This was a mistake. The Drevlyans, led by their prince Mal, repulsed him, killed all the soldiers, and subjected Igor himself to a terrible execution: they tore him to pieces, tying him by his legs to the tops of two bent trees.
Olga's first revenge
Having dealt with Igor in this way, the Drevlyan prince sent a delegation to Kyiv, to what he thought was a helpless widow. Mal offered Olga his hand and heart, as well as protection and patronage. Olga received the ambassadors kindly, said pleasantries in the spirit that Igor, they say, cannot be returned, and why not marry such a wonderful prince as Mal. And to make the wedding arrangement even more magnificent, she promised the ambassadors to show them great honor, promising that tomorrow they would be brought with honor to the prince’s court right in the boat, after which the prince’s will would be solemnly announced to them. While the ambassadors were sleeping at the pier, Olga ordered to dig a deep hole in the yard. In the morning, the boat with the Drevlyans was lifted by Olga’s servants in their arms and solemnly carried through Kyiv to the prince’s court. Here they, along with the boat, were thrown to the bottom of the pit. The chronicler reports that Olga, approaching the edge of the pit and bending over it, asked: “Well, what is your honor?”, to which the Drevlyans answered: “Igor’s death is worse for us.” At a sign from Olga, the wedding embassy was buried alive in the earth.
Olga's second revenge
After this, the princess sent an ambassador to Mal with a request to send her the best people for matchmaking, so that the people of Kiev could see what honor they were showing her. Otherwise, they might resist and not let the princess go to Iskorosten. Mal, not suspecting a trick, immediately equipped a large embassy. When the matchmakers arrived in Kyiv, Olga, as befits a hospitable hostess, ordered a bathhouse to be prepared for them so that the guests could wash themselves off the road. And as soon as the Drevlyans began to wash, the doors of the bathhouse were propped open from the outside, and the bathhouse itself was set on fire from four sides.
Olga's third revenge
Having dealt with the matchmakers, the princess sent to tell Mal that she was going to him, but before the wedding she would like to perform a funeral feast at her husband’s grave. Mal began to prepare for the wedding, ordering honey to be brewed for the feast. Appearing to Iskorosten with a small retinue, Olga, accompanied by Mal and the most noble Drevlyans, came to Igor’s grave. The feast on the mound was almost overshadowed by questions from Mal and his entourage: where, in fact, were the matchmakers he sent to Kyiv? Why are they not in the princess? Olga replied that the matchmakers were following and were about to appear. Satisfied with this explanation, Mal and his men began drinking intoxicating drinks. As soon as they got drunk, the princess gave a sign to her warriors, and they killed all the Drevlyans in their place.
Hike to Iskorosten
After this, Olga immediately returned to Kyiv, gathered a squad and set out on a campaign against Derevskaya land. In open battle, the Drevlyans were defeated; they fled and hid behind the walls of Iskorosten. The siege lasted all summer. Finally, Olga sent an ambassador to Iskorotsten, who proposed lifting the siege on very mild terms: Olga will limit herself to expressions of submission and tribute: three doves and three sparrows from each yard. Of course, the requested tribute was sent immediately. Then Olga ordered to tie a lighted tinder to each bird and release it. The birds naturally flew to their nests, and a fire started in the city. Thus fell Iskorosten, the capital of the Drevlyan prince Mal. With this Olga had enough of revenge. Further, as the chronicle reports, she no longer behaved like an angry woman, but like a wise statesman. She set out across the vast lands subject to the Kyiv princes, establishing “lessons and graveyards” - that is, the amount of tribute and the places where it was collected. Now no one, like the unreasonable Igor, could go to the same place for tribute several times, arbitrarily setting its size. The princely tribute began to turn from robbery booty into normal taxation.