Princess Olga/ Part One

Princess Olga (~ 890-11 July 969) – The great Princess Kiev, the wife of the Grand Duke Igor Ryurikovich after whose death, ruled Russia behind the early childhood of their son Svyatoslav. The name of the Princess Olga is in a source of the Russian history, and is connected with the greatest events of the basis of the first dynasty, with the first statement in Russia of Christianity and striking traits of the western civilization. After death the simple people called it cunning, church – the Saint, history - wise.

    According to the earliest Old Russian chronicle "Story of Temporary Years", the Saint grand duchess Olga equal to the apostles, in a sacred baptism Elena, came from a family of Gostomysl on the advice of which Varangians were called to reign in Novgorod, was born in the Pskov earth, in the village of Vybuty, in a pagan family from a dynasty of princes Izborsky.

In 903 she became the spouse of the grand duke Kiev Igor. After murder of the prince in 945 by the risen Drevlyans, the widow who didn't wish to marry, assigned to herself a burden of the state service at the three-year-old son Svyatoslav. The grand duchess became history as a great sozidatelnitsa of the state life and culture of Kievan Rus'.

In 954 the princess Olga for the purpose of a religious pilgrimage and diplomatic mission went to Tsargrad where with honor it was accepted by the emperor Konstantin VII Bagryanorodny. It was struck by greatness of Christian temples and the shrines collected in them.



    The sacrament of baptism over it was made by the Patriarch Constantinople Feofilakt, and the emperor became the godfather. The name to the Russian princess was named in honor of the Saint queen Elena who found the Lord's Cross. The patriarch blessed the novokreshchenny princess with the cross which is cut out from an integral piece of the Lord's Life-giving tree with an inscription: "Be updated the Russian land by the Sacred Cross, it was accepted by Olga, the blessed princess".

Upon return from Byzantium Olga jealously bore a Christian christian message to pagans, began to erect the first Christian temples: for the sake of Saint Nikolay over a tomb of the first Kiev Christian prince Askold and Sacred Sofia in Kiev over a tomb of the prince Deere, the temple of the Annunciation in Vitebsk, - on the river bank Great she saw the temple for the sake of the Holy and Zhivonachalny Trinity in Pskov for which place, according to the chronicler, was specified by it from above "Luchem of the Trisiyatelny Deity" descending from the sky "three presvetlykh of a beam".


The Saint princess Olga in 969 on July 11 passed away (the Art. style), having bequeathed openly to make burial it Christianly. Its incorruptible relics were based in tithe church in Kiev.

Marriage with the prince Igor

and beginning of government of the princess Olga

    According to "The story of temporary years" Prophetic Oleg married Igor Ryurikovich who began to govern independently since 912 to Olga in 903 that is when she already was 12 years old. This date is called in question as, according to the Ipatyevsky list of same "Story", their son Svyatoslav was born only in 942.

The legend calls Olga's homeland the village of Vybuty near Pskov, up the river Great. Olga's Saint narrates life that here her meeting with future spouse for the first time took place.

The young prince hunted "in the field of Pskov" and, wishing to get over through the river Great, saw "certain floating in the boat" and called up him to the coast. Having sailed from the coast in the boat, the prince found out that it the girl of surprising beauty is lucky.

Revenge of the princess Olga 

      Drevlyans after Igor's murder sent to his widow Olga of matchmakers to call her in marriage for the prince Mal. The princess consistently dealt shortly with elders of Drevlyans, and then resulted the people of Drevlyans in humility. The Old Russian chronicler in detail states Olga's revenge for the death of the husband:

1st revenge of the princess Olga: Matchmakers, 20 Drevlyans, arrived in a castle which Kiev residents carried and was thrown into a deep hole outside by Olga's towers. Matchmakers ambassadors were dug alive together with a castle.
And, having inclined to a hole, Olga asked them: Whether "Honor is good to you?". They answered: "Is more bitter to us than Igorevy death". Also enjoined to fill up them live; also filled up them.

2nd revenge: Olga asked to send for respect for it new ambassadors from the best husbands, as with hunting was executed by Drevlyans. The embassy from notable Drevlyans was burned in a bath while those washed, preparing for a meeting with the princess.

The princess Olga meets a body of the prince Igor
"The princess Olga meets a body of the prince Igor" V. I. Surikov's Sketch, 1915


3rd revenge: The princess with a small team arrived to lands of Drevlyans that on custom to celebrate a funeral feast on the husband's grave. Having hocused during the funeral feast of Drevlyans, Olga ordered to cut them. The chronicle reports about 5 thousand interrupted Drevlyans.

4th revenge: In 946 Olga contacted with army in a campaign Drevlyans. According to the Novgorod First chronicle the Kiev team won against Drevlyans fight. Olga walked on the Drevlyansky earth, established tributes and taxes then returned to Kiev. In PVL the chronicler made insert in the text of the Initial arch about a siege of the drevlyansky capital of Iskorostenya. On PVL after an unsuccessful siege during the summer Olga burned the city by means of birds to whose legs ordered to tie the lit tow with sulfur. A part of defenders Iskorostenya were killed, the others obeyed. The similar legend of burning of the city by means of birds is stated also by Sakson Grammatik (the 12th century) in its compilation of oral Danish legends about feats of Vikings and skaldy by Snorri Sturluson.

After punishment of Drevlyans Olga began to rule Kievan Rus' to Svyatoslav's majority, but also after that she remained the actual governor as her son the most part of time was absent in military campaigns.