Biography

Princess Olga is the ruler of the Old Russian state. Wife of Igor Stary and mother of Svyatoslav. She converted to Christianity and was recognized as a saint. She is also known for her administrative reform and revenge on the rebellious Drevlyans.

Olga - biography (biography)

Olga is a historically attested ruler of the Old Russian state. She took power in Kievan Rus after the death of her husband, the prince, and led the country until the beginning of the independent reign of her son, Prince Svyatoslav (946 - c. 964).

Olga began to govern the state in the difficult conditions of the struggle against the separatism of the tribal princes, who sought to break away from Kyiv or even lead Russia instead of the Rurik dynasty. The princess suppressed the uprising of the Drevlyans and carried out an administrative reform in the country in order to streamline the collection of tribute by Kyiv from subordinate tribes. Now, everywhere, local residents themselves at the appointed time brought tribute of a certain amount (“lessons”) to special points - camps and graveyards. Representatives of the grand duke's administration were constantly here. Her foreign policy activities were also successful. Active diplomatic relations with Byzantium and Germany led to the recognition of Russia as a subject of international law, and itself as equal to other sovereigns. From the system of a military campaign - a peace treaty, Olga moved on to building long-term constructive relationships with other states.

Princess Olga was the first of the ruling Kyiv princes to accept Christianity long before the official baptism of the Old Russian state and was subsequently recognized as a saint and equal to the apostles.

A princely family or a carrier's daughter?

The origin of the Grand Duchess of Kyiv Olga, due to the inconsistency of information from Russian sources, is ambiguously interpreted by researchers. The life of Saint Olga testifies to her humble origin, she lived in the village of Vybuty not far from. And according to other sources, she was the daughter of a simple boatman. When Olga was transporting Igor across the river, the prince liked her so much that he then decided to take her as his wife.

But in the Typographic Chronicle, the version "from the Germans" was transmitted that Olga was the daughter of the prince, namely, according to many chronicles, he chose Igor's wife. In the story of the Joachim Chronicle, Prince Oleg picked up Igor's wife in, from a well-known family. The girl's name was Prekrasa, Prince Oleg himself renamed her Olga.

The Russian scientist D. I. Ilovaisky and some Bulgarian researchers, based on the news of the later Vladimir Chronicle, the author of which took the ancient Russian name Pskov (Plesnesk) for the name of the Bulgarian Pliska, assumed the Bulgarian origin of Olga.

The age of the bride, indicated in the annals, varied from 10 to 12 years, and in this regard, the date of Olga's marriage, 903, noted in the Tale of Bygone Years, causes bewilderment for researchers. Her son, Svyatoslav, was born c. 942, a few years before the death of Igor. It turns out that Olga decided on the birth of the first heir at a very respectable age for this? Apparently, Olga's marriage took place much later than the date indicated by the chronicler.

As a young girl, Olga impressed the prince and his entourage with her abilities. “Wise and meaningful,” the chroniclers wrote about her. But in full measure, Olga as a person first declared herself after the death of Prince Igor.

Fatal riddles for the Drevlyans

In 945, while trying to collect tribute from the Drevlyane tribe for the second time in a row, the Kyiv prince was brutally killed. The Drevlyans sent an embassy to Olga with an offer to marry their prince Mal. The fact that the Drevlyans wooed a widow for the murderer of her husband was in full accordance with the ancient pagan tribal remnants. But it wasn't just making amends. Apparently, Mal in a similar way - through his marriage to Olga, claimed the grand ducal power.

However, Olga was not going to either forgive the murderers of her husband, or part with sole power. Chronicles convey a colorful legend about her fourfold revenge on the Drevlyans. Researchers have long come to the conclusion that the chronicle description of the massacre committed by Olga shows the ritual nature of all her actions. In fact, the ambassadors of the Drevlyans became living participants in the funeral rite on their own, they did not understand the hidden meaning of appeals to them and Olga's requests for each of the revenge. Time after time, the princess, as it were, asked the Drevlyans a riddle, without solving which, they doomed themselves to a painful death. In this way, the chronicler wanted to show Olga's mental superiority and moral correctness in the revenge she had planned.

Three revenges of Olga

Olga's first revenge. The ambassadors of the Drevlyans were ordered to arrive at the princess's court neither on foot nor on horseback, but in a boat. The boat is a traditional element of the pagan funeral rite of many peoples of Northern Europe. The Drevlyan ambassadors, who did not suspect anything, were carried in a boat, thrown into a deep pit with it, and covered with living earth.

Olga's second revenge. The princess told the Drevlyans that she deserved a more representative embassy than the first, and soon a new Drevlyan delegation appeared at her court. Olga said that she wanted to show high honors to the guests and ordered them to heat the bathhouse. When the Drevlyans entered the bathhouse, they were locked outside and burned alive.

Olga's third revenge. The princess with a small retinue came to the Drevlyane land and, announcing that she wanted to celebrate a feast at the grave of Prince Igor, invited the “best husbands” of the Drevlyans to her. When the latter became very drunk, Olga's warriors cut them with swords. According to the chronicle, 5 thousand Drevlyans were killed.

Did Olga's fourth revenge take place?

It is curious, but not all chronicles report on the most, perhaps, the most famous, fourth in a row, Olga's revenge: the burning of the main city of the Drevlyans, Iskorosten, with the help of sparrows and pigeons. Olga besieged Iskorosten with a large army, but she could not take it. During the ensuing negotiations with the inhabitants of Iskorosten, Olga suggested that they give her only birds as a tribute. As is clear from the text in the Chronicler of Pereyaslavl of Suzdal, she explained to the Drevlyans that she needed doves and sparrows to perform the rite of sacrifice. Pagan rites with birds were common at that time for the Rus.

The episode with the burning of Iskorosten is absent from the Novgorod First Chronicle, dating back to the oldest of the chronicles, the Initial Code of the 1090s. Researchers believe that the editor of the Tale of Bygone Years independently introduced it into his text in order to show the final victory of Olga and, most importantly, to explain how Kyiv's power was re-established over the entire land of the Drevlyans.

Was Prince Mal rejected?

Paradoxical as it may seem, such a question may arise. When describing Olga's four-stage revenge, the chronicles are silent about the fate of the Drevlyansk prince Mal, who so unsuccessfully wooed Igor's widow. Nowhere does it say that he was killed.

The well-known researcher A. A. Shakhmatov identified Malk Lubechanin, mentioned in the annals, with the Drevlyansk prince Mal. The entry under 970 says that this Malk was the father of the famous Malusha and Dobrynya. Malusha was Olga's housekeeper, from Svyatoslav she gave birth to the future great Kyiv prince and baptist of Russia. Dobrynya, according to the chronicle, was Vladimir's uncle and his tutor.

In historiography, the hypothesis of A. A. Shakhmatov was not popular. It seemed that Mal after the turbulent events in 945-946. must disappear forever from the pages of Russian history. But the story with Mal acquires curious parallels in the story of the Bulgarian chronicle Gazi-Baradj (1229-1246). The Bulgarian chronicler describes the vicissitudes of Olga's struggle with Mal. Olga's army is victorious, and the Drevlyansky prince is captured. Olga liked him so much that for some time they established, as they would say now, a romantic relationship. Time passes, and Olga finds out about Mal's love affair with one of her servants of a "noble family", but generously lets them both go.

Forerunner of Christian Russia

And Mal is not the only one of the ruling persons who was fascinated by the mind and beauty of Olga. Among those who wanted to marry her was even the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (913-959).

The Tale of Bygone Years under 955 tells about the journey of Princess Olga to Constantinople. Olga's embassy was of great importance for the Russian state. As N.F. Kotlyar writes, for the first time in the history of Russia, its sovereign went to the capital of Byzantium not at the head of an army, but with a peaceful embassy, ​​with a predetermined program for future negotiations. This event was reflected not only in Russian sources, but also in many Byzantine and German chronicles, described in great detail in the work of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, called "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine court."

Researchers have long argued whether there was one embassy or two (946 and 955), they also dispute the annalistic date of 955. The famous scientist A.V. Nazarenko convincingly proved that Olga made one trip to the residence of the Byzantine emperor, but it took place in 957 .

Constantine VII, "marveled at the beauty and intelligence" of the Russian princess, invited her to become his wife. Olga answered the emperor that she was a pagan, but if he wants her to be baptized, then he must baptize her himself. The emperor and the patriarch of Constantinople baptized her, but Olga outwitted the Greek king. When Constantine, according to the chronicle, again offered her to become his wife, the first Russian Christian replied that this was no longer possible: after all, the emperor was now her godfather.

Olga's baptism was held in the main church of the Orthodox world - Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. It was accompanied, as A. V. Nazarenko writes, by the acceptance of Olga into the Byzantine ideal “family of sovereigns” in the high rank of “daughter” of the emperor.

Olga's diplomacy: playing on contradictions

Many researchers believe that church goals (personal baptism and negotiations on the establishment of a church organization on the territory of Russia) were not the only ones during Olga's visit to Constantinople. Moreover, a prominent historian of the Russian Orthodox Church, E. E. Golubinsky, expressed the opinion that Olga was baptized in Kyiv even before her Byzantine trip. Some researchers suggest that by the time of the visit Olga had already received the primary baptism - the announcement, since Byzantine sources mention the priest Gregory among her retinue.

Among the possible political goals of Olga's embassy, ​​historians name the following:

• Receiving a royal (Caesar) title from the emperor, which should have been facilitated by her solemn baptism in St. Sophia Cathedral. Judging by the silence of the sources, this goal, if it was set, was not achieved;
• The conclusion of a dynastic marriage. Perhaps Olga offered to betroth the young Svyatoslav to one of the emperor's daughters. The essay “On Ceremonies” mentions that Svyatoslav was part of the embassy, ​​but from another work of Konstantin Porphyrogenitus “On the Management of the Empire”, one can understand, as N. F. Kotlyar writes, that Olga was decisively refused;
• Revision of the terms of the not very favorable Russian-Byzantine treaty of 945, concluded under Prince Igor.

Probably, a political agreement with Constantinople was reached, since before Svyatoslav came to power (964), the sources contain references to the participation of Russian troops in the Byzantine troops fighting the Arabs.

Olga was apparently dissatisfied with the results of negotiations with Constantinople. This explains the visit by her ambassadors to the German king Otto I in 959. According to the German chronicles, the ambassadors of the "Queen of the Rus" asked the king "to send a bishop and priests to their people." Otto I appointed mission bishop Adalbert to Russia, but his activity was unsuccessful. All researchers consider Olga's appeal to the German king as a means of political pressure on Byzantium. Apparently, this method turned out to be successful: tension in Byzantine-German relations grew and the government of the new Byzantine emperor Roman II preferred to normalize relations with Kyiv.

The foreign policy of Princess Olga was quite successful. Influential countries sought an alliance with Russia as an equal. Olga sought to ensure a constructive, mutually beneficial peace, first of all, with Byzantium for many years to come. According to the researchers, it probably would have been so if in 964 Prince Svyatoslav had not taken power from the aged Olga.

Like a "pearl in the mud"

Svyatoslav, who came to power, had radically different views not only on Christianity (he flatly refused Olga's offer to be baptized), but also on foreign policy activities. Svyatoslav was constantly on campaigns, and the aged Olga spent time in Kyiv in the company of her grandchildren.

In 968 disaster struck. While Svyatoslav was on a campaign on the Danube, conquering the Bulgarian lands, the capital of Russia was besieged by the Pechenegs. The Kyiv prince barely had time to return home to drive away the warlike steppe dwellers. But already in the next year, 969, Svyatoslav announced that he wanted to return to the Danube. Olga, who was seriously ill, told her son that she was sick and when he buried her, then let him go wherever he wanted. Three days later, on July 11, 969, Olga died.

In the chronicle story about the burial of Olga, several sources of details sparingly noted by the authors are of great importance at once.

Firstly, Olga forbade the creation of a pagan feast on her own, since she had a priest with her.
Secondly, the princess was buried at the chosen place, but it is not said where. This is explained by the fact that over Olga they no longer poured a barrow, which is usual for the local pagan rite, but buried “even with the ground”.
Thirdly, it is impossible not to pay attention to the addition in the Novgorod First Chronicle (which retained the most ancient basis) to the chronicle story about Olga's burial of the expression "in secret". As D.S. Likhachev notes, the Novgorod First Chronicle considers Princess Olga as a secret Christian.

The story of Russian chroniclers about Olga is imbued with immense respect, great warmth, and ardent love. They call her a harbinger for the Christian land. They write that she shone among the pagans like "pearls in the mud." Not later than the beginning of the 11th century. Princess Olga began to be revered as a saint, in the XIII century. she was already officially canonized, and in 1547 she was canonized as a saint and equal to the apostles. Only 5 women in the history of Christianity were awarded such an honor.

Roman Rabinovich, Ph.D. ist. Sciences,
specially for the portal

Princess Olga was the very first ruler who converted to Christianity. Moreover, this happened even before the baptism of Russia.

She ruled the state from hopelessness, since her husband, Prince Igor, was killed, and his heir, their son Svyatoslav, was still too small to rule. She ruled from 945 to 962.

After the murder of Prince Oleg, the Drevlyansky Prince Mal really wanted to take his place. His plans were to marry Princess Olga and capture Kievan Rus. He sent her a lot of gifts and jewelry through his ambassadors.

Olga was very smart and cunning. The first ambassadors of Mala, who sailed on a boat, she ordered to be carried along with the boat over the abyss, the ambassadors were thrown into the abyss and they were buried alive.

Olga burned the second batch of ambassadors in the bathhouse. Then she herself went to the prince of the Drevlyans, allegedly to get married, on that day more than 5,000 Drevlyans were drunk and killed.

The reign of Princess Olga.

Activities of Princess Olga.

Olga was inspired by the thought that she needed to take revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband.

She was going on a military campaign. It was 946. The siege of the Drevlyans continued almost all summer. In this case, Olga showed the strength of mighty Russia. After the siege, she sent a message that they were retreating, but asking the inhabitants to give them a dove and three sparrows from each Drevlyan. Then the birds were tied with lit tinder and released. So the city of Iskorosten was completely burned.

Domestic policy and reforms of Princess Olga.

Olga systematized the collection of taxes from the population. She organized special places for collecting tribute, which were called churchyards. The princess was actively engaged in urban planning and beautification of the territory.

All the lands that were in the power of the princess were divided by her into administrative units. Each unit was assigned its manager - tiun.

The foreign policy of Princess Olga.

Since Olga was still a woman, she rarely went on hikes. She developed the trade with her mind and quick wits. Olga was a supporter of a peaceful solution to the conflicts that arose. Scandinavians and Germans went to work as hired workers in the Russian troops.

Grand Duchess Olga

After the murder of Prince Igor, the Drevlyans decided that from now on their tribe was free and they could not pay tribute to Kievan Rus. Moreover, their prince Mal made an attempt to marry Olga. Thus, he wanted to seize the throne of Kyiv and single-handedly rule Russia. For this purpose, an embassy was assembled, which was sent to the princess.

The ambassadors brought with them rich gifts.

Mal hoped for the cowardice of the "bride" and that she, having accepted expensive gifts, would agree to share the throne of Kyiv with him.

At this time, Grand Duchess Olga was raising her son Svyatoslav, who, after the death of Igor, could claim the throne, but was still too small.

Governor Asmud took over the guardianship of the young Svyatoslav. The princess herself took up state affairs. In the fight against the Drevlyans and other external enemies, she had to rely on her own cunning and prove to everyone that a country that had previously been ruled only by the sword could be ruled by a woman's hand.

The war of Princess Olga with the Drevlyans

Accepting the ambassadors, Grand Duchess Olga showed cunning. By her order, the boat on which the ambassadors sailed , lifted up and carried into the city along the abyss.

At one point, the boat was thrown into the abyss. The ambassadors were buried alive. Then the princess sent a message with her consent to the marriage. Prince Mal believed in the sincerity of the message, deciding that his ambassadors had achieved their goal.

He gathered noble merchants and new ambassadors to Kyiv. According to the ancient Russian custom, a bath was prepared for the guests. When all the ambassadors were inside the bath, all exits from it were closed, and the building itself was burned. After that, a new message was sent to Mal, that the "bride" was going to him. The Drevlyans prepared a luxurious feast for the princess, which, at her request, took place not far from the grave of her husband, Igor.

The princess demanded that as many Drevlyans as possible be present at the feast. The prince of the Drevlyans did not mind, believing that this only increased the prestige of his fellow tribesmen.

All guests were drunk to satiety. After that, Olga gave a signal to her warriors and they killed everyone who was there. In total, about 5,000 Drevlyans were killed that day.

In 946 Grand Duchess Olga organizes a military campaign against the Drevlyans.

The essence of this campaign was a show of force. If earlier they were punished by cunning, now the enemy had to feel the military power of Russia. The young Prince Svyatoslav was also taken on this campaign. After the first battles, the Drevlyans retreated to the cities, the siege of which lasted almost the entire summer. By the end of the summer, the defenders received a message from Olga that she was fed up with revenge and no longer wants it.

She only asked for three sparrows, and also one dove from every inhabitant of the city. The Drevlyans agreed. Having accepted the gift, the princess's team tied an already lit sulfur tinder to the paws of the birds. After that, all the birds were released. They returned to the city, and the city of Iskorosten plunged into a huge fire. The townspeople were forced to flee the city, and fell into the hands of the warriors of Russia. Grand Duchess Olga condemned the elders to death, some to slavery. On the whole, the murderers of Igor were subjected to an even heavier tribute.

Acceptance of Orthodoxy by Olga

Olga was a pagan, but often visited Christian cathedrals, noticing the solemnity of their rites.

This, as well as Olga's extraordinary mind, which allowed her to believe in God Almighty, was the reason for baptism. In 955, Grand Duchess Olga went to the Byzantine Empire, in particular to the city of Constantinople, where the adoption of a new religion took place.

The patriarch himself was her baptist. But this was not the reason for the change of faith in Kievan Rus. This event did not alienate the Russians from paganism. Having adopted the Christian faith, the princess left the administration of the state, devoting herself to serving God.

She also took up helping in the construction of Christian churches. The baptism of the ruler did not yet mean the baptism of Russia, but it was the first step towards the adoption of a new faith.

The Grand Duchess died in 969 in Kyiv.

History of Russia / Princess Olga /

The reign of Princess Olga (briefly)

The reign of Princess Olga - a brief description

The opinions of researchers differ when it comes to the date and place of birth of Princess Olga.

The 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 argue that her family comes 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 at first mistook for a young man. The girl turned out to be pure in thought, 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 to be a firm and wise ruler of Russia. She dealt with political issues, managed with combatants, governors, complainants, and also received ambassadors. Very often, when Prince Igor went on military campaigns, his duties fell entirely on the shoulders of the princess.

After Igor was killed in 945 for the repeated collection of tribute, Olga cruelly 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 rest of the settlements were completely destroyed), she demanded three sparrows and three doves from each house, and then ordered her soldiers to attach tinder to the paws of birds, set it on fire and let the birds go.

Burning birds flew to their nests. So Korosten was taken.

After the pacification of the Drevlyans, the princess took up tax reform. She abolished polyudia and divided it into areas of land, for each "lessons" (a fixed tax) were established. The main goal of the reforms was to streamline the tribute system, as well as to strengthen state authority.

Also during the reign of Olga, the first stone cities appeared, and her foreign state policy was carried out not with the help of military methods, but with diplomacy.

Thus, ties with Byzantium and Germany were strengthened.

The princess herself decided to accept Christianity, and although her baptism did not affect Svyatoslav's decision to leave pagan Russia, Vladimir continued her work.

Olga died in 969 in Kyiv, and in 1547 she was canonized as a saint.

Interesting materials:

Education

Politics of Princess Olga. Olga's foreign and domestic policy

Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna ruled in Kievan Rus after the death of her husband Igor Rurikovich and until the coming of age of her son Svyatoslav. She converted to Christianity with the name Elena.

History has not preserved information about the princess's date of birth, but the Book of Degrees says that she died presumably at the age of eighty. The impeccable and wise policy of Princess Olga made her a well-known historical figure almost all over the world.

life path

There is no reliable information about the place of her birth.

Chroniclers and modern historians put forward a variety of assumptions in this regard. As close as possible to the truth is the statement of Nestor the Chronicler in The Tale of Bygone Years that she comes from a simple family that lived in the small village of Vybuty, located on Pskov land. But no matter where Olga was born and no matter what tribe she belongs to, the wisdom of her policies and deeds are an integral part of Slavic history.

Before the death of Igor, there is practically no information about the princess.

The death of her husband put her in first place in the life of Kievan Rus, because Svyatoslav was three years old, and, of course, he was not fit to be a prince. She took over the management of the state, which was at that time in an extremely difficult situation, and for 19 years completely coped with all the problems. Olga's foreign and domestic policy created a single power with international authority.

Revenge on the Drevlyans

The first revenge of the princess was the burial of the Drevlyansk ambassadors alive. The reason for this was their proposal to marry her to their prince Mal. After that, she burned alive in the bathhouse the noble Drevlyans, who arrived after the first.

For the third time, Olga drugged 5,000 of their fellow tribesmen at her husband's feast, after which her small squad killed everyone. The final stage of revenge was the burning of the city of Iskorosten.

In these acts, in addition to cruel revenge, there is also a deep meaning. Olga had to show both well-wishers and enemies that she was not a weak woman, but a strong ruler. “The hair is long, and the mind is short,” they said about women in those days.

Therefore, she was forced to clearly demonstrate her wisdom and knowledge of military affairs in order to prevent the emergence of any conspiracies behind her back. For the second time, the princess did not want to get married, she preferred to remain a widow.

Thus, it became clear that Olga's foreign and domestic policy would be wise and fair. In fact, this bloody revenge was aimed at abolishing the power of the Mala dynasty, subordinating the Drevlyans to Kyiv and suppressing the nobility from neighboring principalities.

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Reforms and introduction of Christianity

After taking revenge on the Drevlyans, the princess established clear rules for collecting tribute.

This helped prevent outbreaks of discontent, one of which resulted in the murder of her husband. Graveyards were introduced near large cities. It was in these administrative and economic cells that the authorities collected tribute.

Olga's foreign and domestic policy has always been aimed at the centralization of state administration, as well as the unification and strengthening of Russian lands.

The construction of not only the Church of St. Nicholas, but also the St. Sophia Church in Kyiv is associated with the name of Olga.

Olga's foreign and domestic policy characterizes her not as a defenseless woman, but as a strong and reasonable ruler who firmly and confidently holds power over the whole country in her hands. She wisely defended her people from ill-wishers, for which people loved and respected her.

In addition to the fact that the ruler had a large number of positive qualities already mentioned, she was also attentive and generous to poor people.

Domestic politics

While the empress was in power, peace and order reigned in Kievan Rus.

The internal policy of Princess Olga was closely intertwined with the dispensation of the spiritual and religious life of the Russian people.

One of her most important achievements was the introduction of organized tribute collection points, on which later, after the ruler adopted Christianity, the first churches and temples began to be erected on the sites of churchyards. Since that time, the development of stone construction began. The first such buildings were the country tower and the city palace, which belonged to the empress.

The remains of their walls and foundations were excavated by archaeologists only in the early 70s of the XX century.

The domestic policy of Princess Olga is inextricably linked with the strengthening of the country's defense. Cities then literally overgrown with oak and stone walls.

Relations with neighboring principalities

Olga's foreign policy deserves special attention.

The table below contains the main deeds of the princess.

When the ruler established the state of affairs within Kievan Rus, she set about strengthening the international prestige of her country. The foreign policy of Princess Olga was diplomatic, in contrast to her husband.

At the beginning of her reign, she converted to Christianity, and the Byzantine emperor became her godfather.

Basically, the foreign policy of Princess Olga was aimed at improving relations with Byzantium.

And she did it well. For the sake of which part of the Russian squad participated together with the Byzantine army in hostilities, while maintaining the independence of their state.

In 968 Kyiv was attacked by the Pechenegs. The defense of the city was led by the princess herself, thanks to which he was spared from the siege.

During the reign of Olga, conditions were formed that created the advantage of conducting a peaceful foreign policy over a military one, if such was necessary.

Attempts to establish relations with the German Empire

Over time, friendly relations with Byzantium began to weaken, and Olga decided to find a strong ally.

She stopped her choice in Germany.

In 959, the princess sent a Russian embassy to Otto I with a request to provide priests for the introduction of Christianity in the Kyiv lands, as well as with an offer of friendship and peace.

He responded to Olga's calls, and in 961 several clergy led by Adalbert arrived to her.

True, they did not manage to deploy their activities on Kyiv territory, since at the end of her life Olga no longer had such influence as before.

In 964, power passed to Svyatoslav, who radically changed the tactics of state policy.

And, I must say, not for the better.

Ruled by Russia from 945 to 960. At birth, the girl was given the name Helga, her husband called her by her own name, but the female version, and at baptism she began to be called Elena. Olga is known for being the first of the rulers of the Old Russian state to voluntarily accept Christianity.

Dozens of films and series have been shot about Princess Olga. Her portraits are in Russian art galleries, according to ancient chronicles and relics found, scientists have tried to recreate a photograph of a woman. In his native Pskov there is a bridge, an embankment and a chapel named after Olga and two of her monuments.

Childhood and youth

The exact date of Olga's birth has not been preserved, but the Book of Powers of the 17th century says that the princess died at the age of eighty, which means that she was born at the end of the 9th century. According to the "Arkhangelsk chronicler", the girl got married when she was ten years old. Historians are still arguing about the year of birth of the princess - from 893 to 928. The 920th is recognized as the official version, but this is the approximate year of birth.

The oldest chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years", describing the biography of Princess Olga, indicates that she was born in the village of Vybuty, Pskov. The names of the parents are not known, because. they were peasants, not persons of noble blood.

The story of the end of the 15th century says that Olga was the daughter who ruled Russia until Igor, the son of Rurik, grew up. He, according to legend, married Igor and Olga. But this version of the origin of the princess has not been confirmed.

Governing body

At the moment when the Drevlyans killed Olga's husband, Igor, their son Svyatoslav was only three years old. The woman was forced to take power into her own hands until her son grew up. The first thing the princess did was to take revenge on the Drevlyans.

Immediately after the murder of Igor, they sent matchmakers to Olga, who persuaded her to marry their prince, Mal. So the Drevlyans wanted to unite the lands and become the largest and most powerful state of that time.

Olga buried the first matchmakers alive together with the boat, making sure that they understand that their death is worse than the death of Igor. The princess sent a message to Malu that she deserved the best matchmakers from the strongest men in the country. The prince agreed, and the woman closed these matchmakers in a bathhouse and burned them alive while they were washing to meet her.

Later, the princess came with a small retinue to the Drevlyans, in order, according to tradition, to celebrate a feast at the grave of her husband. During the feast, Olga drugged the Drevlyans and ordered the soldiers to chop them down. The annals indicate that the Drevlyans then lost five thousand fighters.

In 946, Princess Olga went into open battle on the land of the Drevlyans. She captured their capital and after a long siege, using cunning (with the help of birds, to the paws of which incendiary mixtures were tied), burned the entire city. Part of the Drevlyans died in battle, the rest submitted and agreed to pay tribute to Russia.

Since the grown-up son of Olga spent most of his time on military campaigns, power over the country was in the hands of the princess. She introduced many reforms, including the creation of trade and exchange centers that made it easier to collect taxes.

Thanks to the princess, stone construction was born in Russia. After looking at how easily the wooden fortresses of the Drevlyans burn, she decided to build her houses from stone. The first stone buildings in the country were the city palace and the country house of the ruler.

Olga set the exact amount of taxes from each principality, the date of their payment and frequency. They were then called "polyudya". All lands subject to Kyiv were obliged to pay it, and a princely administrator, tiun, was appointed in each administrative unit of the state.

In 955, the princess decided to convert to Christianity and was baptized. According to some sources, she was baptized in Constantinople, where Emperor Constantine VII personally baptized her. At the time of baptism, the woman took the name Elena, but in history she is still better known as Princess Olga.

She returned to Kyiv with icons and church books. First of all, the mother wanted to baptize her only son Svyatoslav, but he only mocked those who accepted Christianity, but did not forbid anyone.

During her reign, Olga built dozens of churches, including a monastery in her native Pskov. The princess personally went to the north of the country to baptize everyone. There she destroyed all pagan symbols and placed Christian ones.

The combatants reacted with apprehension and hostility to the new religion. They emphasized their pagan faith in every possible way, tried to convince Prince Svyatoslav that Christianity would weaken the state and should be banned, but he did not want to argue with his mother.

Olga was never able to make Christianity the main religion. The warriors won, and the princess had to stop her campaigns, closing herself in Kyiv. She raised the sons of Svyatoslav in the Christian faith, but did not dare to baptize, fearing the wrath of her son and the possible murder of her grandchildren. She secretly kept a priest with her, so as not to give rise to new persecutions of people of the Christian faith.

There is no exact date in history when the princess handed over the reins of government to her son Svyatoslav. He was often on military campaigns, therefore, despite the official title, Olga ruled the country. Later, the princess gave her son power in the north of the country. And, presumably, by 960 he became the ruling prince of all Russia.

Olga's influence will be felt during the reign of her grandchildren and. Both of them were raised by their grandmother, from infancy they got used to the Christian faith and continued the formation of Russia on the path of Christianity.

Personal life

According to The Tale of Bygone Years, Prophetic Oleg married Olga and Igor when they were still children. The story also says that the wedding took place in 903, but, according to other sources, Olga was not even born then, so there is no exact wedding date.

There is a legend that the couple met at the crossing near Pskov, when the girl was a boat carrier (she changed into men's clothes - this was a job only for men). Igor noticed a young beauty and immediately began to pester, to which he was rebuffed. When it was time to get married, he remembered that wayward girl and ordered to find her.

If you believe the chronicles describing the events of those times, then Prince Igor died in 945 at the hands of the Drevlyans. Olga came to power while her son was growing up. She did not marry again, and there is no mention of ties with other men in the annals.

Death

Olga died of illness and old age, and was not killed, like many rulers of that time. The chronicles say that the princess died in 969. In 968, the Pechenegs for the first time raided Russian lands, and Svyatoslav went to war. Princess Olga with her grandchildren locked herself in Kyiv. When his son returned from the war, he lifted the siege and wanted to leave the city immediately.

His mother stopped him, warning him that she was very ill and felt her own death approaching. She was right, 3 days after these words, Princess Olga died. She was buried according to Christian customs, in the ground.

In 1007, the grandson of the princess - Vladimir I Svyatoslavich - transferred the relics of all the saints, including the remains of Olga, to the Church of the Holy Mother of God founded by him in Kyiv. The official canonization of the princess took place in the middle of the 13th century, although miracles were attributed to her relics long before that, they were revered as a saint and called equal to the apostles.

Memory

• Olginskaya street in Kyiv
• St. Olginsky Cathedral in Kyiv

Movie

• 1981 - ballet "Olga"
• 1983 - the film "The Legend of Princess Olga"
• 1994 - cartoon "Pages of Russian history. Land of the Ancestors"
• 2005 – film “The Saga of the Ancient Bulgars. The Tale of Olga the Holy»
• 2005 – film “The Saga of the Ancient Bulgars. Ladder of Vladimir the Red Sun»
• 2006 - "Prince Vladimir"

Literature

• 2000 - “I know God!” Alekseev S. T.
• 2002 - "Olga, Queen of the Rus".
• 2009 - "Princess Olga". Alexey Karpov
• 2015 - "Olga, the forest princess."
• 2016 - "Unified in power". Oleg Panus

A message about Princess Olga will help you learn new information about Princess Rus.

Message about Princess Olga

Princess Olga ruled Kievan Rus for 15 years. Over the years, she carried out a number of reforms that strengthened the state. Even before the Baptism of Russia, Olga converted to Christianity and became the first Russian saint and one of six women who were canonized as Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles.

From The Tale of Bygone Years it is known that she was originally from Pskov. The year of her birth is unknown. In the annals, Olga's name first appears in the story of her wedding to Prince Igor of Kyiv.

After the wedding, her name is mentioned in chronicles only a few decades later, in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 944. And in 945, Igor dies at the hands of the Drevlyans and Olga becomes the ruler of Russia. At that time, the legitimate heir to the throne, Svyatoslav, was only three years old and Olga was his representative.

After the murder of Igor, the Drevlyans sent matchmakers to Olga - to call her to marry their prince Mal. But the proud and offended princess ordered twenty matchmakers to be buried alive in the boat on which they sailed. The next delegation, which consisted of the Drevlyane nobility, was burned in a bathhouse. Then Olga went to her husband's grave to celebrate a feast. Having drunk the Drevlyans during the feast, Olga ordered them to be cut down. The chronicle reports five thousand dead.

But the revenge for the murder of her husband did not end there. Olga burned down the city of Iskorosten with the help of birds, to whose feet a burning tow was tied. The surviving Drevlyans were captured and sold into slavery.

Princess Olga strengthened Kievan Rus. She traveled around the land, suppressed the riots of petty local princes, centralized state administration with the help of the "graveyard" system. Pogosts - financial, administrative and judicial centers - were a strong support of princely power in the lands remote from Kyiv.

Cities were built surrounded by stone and oak walls. The establishment of the first state borders of Kievan Rus dates back to the reign of Olga. The heroic outposts, sung in epics, guarded the peaceful life of the people of Kiev both from nomads from the east and from attacks from the west. Foreign merchants rushed to Russia with goods. The Scandinavians willingly joined the Russian army as mercenaries. Russia became a great power.

As a wise ruler, Olga saw on the example of the Byzantine Empire that it was not enough to worry only about state and economic life. She came to the conclusion that the state needs a religion that will unite the disparate parts into a single whole.

Having made her choice, Grand Duchess Olga set out with a large fleet for Constantinople. The purpose of this trip was a religious pilgrimage, a diplomatic mission, and a demonstration of the military power of Russia. According to the chronicle, in Constantinople Olga decided to become a Christian.

Olga returned to Kyiv with icons and liturgical books. She erected a temple in the name of St. Nicholas over the grave of Askold, the first Christian prince of Kyiv, and converted many Kyivans to Christ. With the preaching of faith, the princess went to the north. In Kyiv and Pskov lands, in remote villages, at crossroads, she erected crosses, destroying pagan idols. Temples were built in cities.

Despite the success of her trip to Constantinople, Olga was unable to persuade the emperor to agree on two important issues: on the dynastic marriage of Svyatoslav with the Byzantine princess and on the conditions for restoring the metropolis that existed under Askold in Kyiv.

But people were not ready to accept Christianity and open resistance of the pagans awaited the princess. Many began to hate Saint Olga. Svyatoslav did not agree to accept Christianity, so many wanted to see him on the throne. And Olga gave control of Kievan Rus to the pagan Svyatoslav.

Svyatoslav hindered her attempts to establish Christianity in Russia. But she still taught her grandchildren, the children of Svyatoslav, the Christian faith.

On July 11, 969, Princess Olga died. And 19 years later, her grandson, Prince Vladimir, baptized Russia.

The battle of Svyatoslav with the Khazars

Little information about the Russian state of the beginning of the 10th century has come down to our time. But it is known that at that time there were about 15 centers of tribal Slavic unions. For example, on the Oka there was a tribal union of the Vyatichi. At the head of the tribes were princes elected at the veche. At the head of the union was the supreme prince of the union. The territory of Vyatka was called Vantika. Every year, the princes with an equestrian squad in chain mail traveled around the tribes subject to them in order to collect tribute. By analogy with the Vyatichi, we can talk about other Slavic tribes in Eastern Europe. In the area of ​​nomad raids, tribal unions united to repulse enemies. In the 6th century AD, the Russian union of tribes became the center of the association, which united the glades and northerners. By the ninth century, the union extended its power to the unions of the Drevlyans, Dregovichi, Volonians and other tribal unions. The borders of Kievan Rus - the union of unions of tribes were changeable. Unions could leave the association, defending their sovereignty. Therefore, Kyiv had to wage repeated wars with the Slavic tribes.

The feudal hierarchy in Kievan Rus was formed by involving the tribal nobility in the general process. The first such nationwide event was polyudie. For six months, more often in winter, the Kyiv prince with his retinue traveled around the territories of the tribal unions subject to him, sometimes making a journey up to 1,500 kilometers long in order to collect tribute. The second, summer half of the year, was devoted to military-trading expeditions along the Russian (Black) Sea, the Caspian Sea, by land under the protection of the armed detachments of the Varangians to the southern states for the sale of goods collected during the polyudya: grain, honey, furs, wax, handicrafts and others. Requisitions from the tribes above the norm could lead to unpredictable consequences. What happened to Prince Igor Rurikovich (Stary) - the Kyiv prince, the son of the Novgorod prince Rurik from marriage with Efanda. He was born in Novgorod the Great in 865 or 877. In 879, after the death of Rurik, his companion and brother-in-law Oleg, the Swedish jarl, who left Novgorod to reign in Kyiv, having killed the local rulers Askold and Dir, became his guardian. (Different sources. According to one - Askold dealt with Diros in 876. According to other sources, Prophetic Oleg killed Askold, seizing the throne in Kyiv).

There is little information about the life of Igor Rurikovich before his reign. It is known that when he was still under the care of Oleg, his wife Olga was brought to him from Pskov. The first deeds of Igor Rurikovich, when he became the Grand Duke in Kyiv, was the pacification of the Drevlyans, whom he punished with an increase in tribute, the secondary conquest of the streets. Prince Igor gave part of the tribute to his beloved governor Sveneld, which caused indignation in the squad. In 915, Igor Rurikovich made peace with the Pechenegs for 5 years. In 935, the ships and troops of the Grand Duke went with the Greek fleet to Italy. But in 941, peaceful relations with Byzantium broke down. And then Igor Rurikovich with a large fleet - according to the annals of 10 thousand ships - went to Constantinople. The emperor of Byzantium was informed about the campaign of the Rus by the Bulgarians. Roman Lakanin - the emperor - sent an army against Igor Rurikovich under the command of Theophan Protovestiarius. However, the Russian flotilla managed to devastate the vicinity of the Bosphorus and anchored near Far. When the Greek fleet came out to meet them, Prince Igor, confident of victory, ordered his soldiers to spare the enemy and take them prisoner alive. But the Greeks used the "Greek fire", which the Russians saw for the first time. The soldiers, frightened, fled to the shores of Asia Minor, to Bithynia. But Patrick Varda and the governor John forced the soldiers to return to the ships. On the way, the Russians once again fought the Greeks off the coast of Thrace and returned home with heavy losses. In 945, a peace treaty was concluded in Constantinople. In the same year, the Grand Duke, as usual, went to the field for tribute. Having collected tribute from the Drevlyans, he had already left, when he heard a murmur in the squad about the small amount of tribute collected, most of which goes to Sveneld. Igor had to turn his horses back to the Drevlyans for the re-collection of tribute. The Drevlyan prince Mala did not like this. He and his retinue attacked Igor Rurikovich, interrupted the retinue of Prince Igor, and they tied him to two inclined birches, let them go, tearing his body in half. This happened in 945. Igor Rurikovich the Old reigned for 33 years and had three sons married to Olga. The middle one was called Svyatoslav. Prince Igor Rurikovich was a pagan, and he swore an oath on the hill, "where Perun stood and gave his weapons and shields and gold." Olga buried him according to the pagan rite under a huge barrow.

Olga's first action after the death of her husband was revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband, to which she gave a state-ritual character. According to the legends, these events developed as follows. The Drevlyans sent an embassy to Kyiv with a proposal to become Olga the wife of the Drevlyan prince Mal. “The Drevlyane land sent us to tell you: your husband was killed because he was like a wolf, exalting and robbing, and our princes are good, since they ruled the Drevlyan land well. Marry our Prince Mal." Olga demanded that these ambassadors be brought to her in a boat. The ambassadors allowed themselves to be carried to Olga's stone tower, where a hole had been dug beforehand, where they were buried alive. In the Drevlyan land, they did not yet know about Olga's reprisal against the ambassadors, when she sent her ambassadors there with a request to send the best Drevlyan husbands to her, otherwise she would not marry Mal. On Olga's orders, these men were locked up in a bathhouse upon arrival and burned. After that, Olga went to the Drevlyane land, where she held a feast for her dead husband. After the feast, a memorial feast began, at which Kyiv warriors chopped up 5,000 drunken Drevlyans. The final part of the "Tale" speaks of the siege of the Drevlyansk city of Iskorosten, which lasted a whole year. But the people of Iskorosten did not give up, fearing Olga's revenge. Then Olga demanded three doves and three sparrows from each yard. The people of Iskorosten were delighted with this small tribute. Olga, having received the birds, ordered to tie pieces of sulfur to each bird, in the evening the sulfur was set on fire, the birds returned to their nests. The city of Iskorosten was on fire. Those people who escaped the fire were either killed by Olga's warriors or taken into slavery. Such was the result of Olga's struggle with the Drevlyans for the death of her husband. Some historians believe that all these terrible tales are inventions of the chronicler Nestor, who despised the Drevlyans. In fact, the Drevlyansk war lasted 2 years. The fortress-city of Iskorosten fell after a long siege. Indeed, Olga executed someone, liquidated the Drevlyansk principality, arrested Prince Mal, but saved his life.

The head of state, regent under the young Svyatoslav (Olga continued to rule the state even after Svyatoslav grew up, since he spent all his time on campaigns) was Igor's widow Olga, a Pskovite, born, who, according to the Slavic Encyclopedia, was the daughter of a certain Slovenian Young born from the marriage of Izbor, the son of Gostomysl and Prekrasa. The "Slavic Encyclopedia" indicates the year of her marriage to Igor Rurikovich - 903. The author of the book The Birth of Russia, Boris Rybakov, gives other figures for the birth of Princess Olga on page 147: “In Ancient Russia, people usually got married at the age of 16-18. Olga, according to these calculations, was born in the interval 923-927. At the time of her conversations with the Byzantine Emperor Constantine, she must have been 28-32 years old.” She was probably Igor's younger wife. Her son Svyatoslav was born around 941 (3).

After the murder of her husband by the Drevlyans, Olga in 945 took the reins of state government into her own hands, established the amount of tribute from the tribes subordinate to Kyiv, expanded the possessions of the Kyiv Grand Duke's House, organized administrative centers throughout the state - graveyards and camps - polyudya strongholds, determined the boundaries of princely hunting lands - "traps", the main fishing grounds, fishing grounds that yielded honey and wax, demarcated the lands, organized the protection of the borders of the reserves and appointed the appropriate servants for their systematic use.

The difference between the camp and the churchyard was small. Once a year, the camp received the prince himself, his squad, servants to collect tribute. Since the polyudye was held in winter, the camps had warm rooms, stocks of fodder and food, and horses. Graveyards were introduced by the princely power into the midst of peasant "vesey" (villages) and "verveys" (communities). There should be the same buildings as in the camps, only they were more isolated from the princely center. The churchyard should be a small fortress with a small garrison. The people who lived in the graveyard should be not only servants, but also warriors. In order to exist, they had to be engaged in agriculture, hunting, fishing ... On the churchyard there were more rooms for storing tribute, food for the garrison and tributaries, and fodder than in the camp. Graveyards and camps were, as it were, nodes of a huge network thrown by the princes on the tribes subordinate to them. Each churchyard with its buildings, defensive yard, adjoining villages and arable lands was, as it were, a semi-independent dwarf state, standing above the peasant ropes. His strength was in connection with Kyiv. Polyudye began in November, ended in April, with stops in camps for 2-3 days. Konstantin Porphyrogenitus immortalized some of the names of polyudye camps, for example, the path from Kyiv: Iskorosten, Vruchiy, Chernobyl, Bryagin, Lyubech, Strezhev, Rogachev, Kopys, Odrsk, Kasplya, Krasny, Smolensk. Way from Smolensk: Dogobuzh, Yelnya, Rognedino, Patsyn, Zarub, Vshchizh, Debriansk, Trubech, Novgorod - Seversky, Radogoshch, Hodogoshch, Sosnitsa, Blestovit, Snovsk, Chernigov, Moraviysk, Vyshgorod, Kyiv, etc.

Polyudie did not penetrate into the depths of the tribes. Local princes collected tribute in advance in the outback and brought it to the camp. The most extensive tribal union was the Krivichi. Tribute from them flocked to their capital - Smolensk.

From April to November, polyudya was sold in Russia. Kyiv was the center of international trade relations in Eastern Europe. Everything collected in the field was brought there and distributed for sale along trade routes. Merchants were engaged in trade, accompanied by an armed squad, some of which were mercenaries - the Varangians, who had to be paid for the protection of merchant ships and caravans. And there was someone to protect. Along the trade routes with weapons, there were enemy barriers from the Khazars, Magyars, Pechenegs, Polovtsians, internal Bulgarians and other robbers. Grain, furs, honey, wax, weapons, jewelry, products of blacksmiths, etc. went on sale. Through Kyiv, the path went west to Poland, to Krakow, to Regensburg on the Danube. Through Kyiv there was a path from the "Greek to the Varangians" and vice versa, connecting Byzantium with Scandinavia and the peoples of the Baltic. The trade route from Kyiv to Bulgar to the Volga was well organized, and along the Volga to the countries of Asia, to India. This path was divided into 20 stations located at a distance of 70 kilometers from each other. Messengers overcame this path in a day, merchants with cargo - in two days and a day for rest. On the Russian lands to the east, the path went through such stations: Kyiv, Supoye, Priluk, Romen, Lipitskoe settlement, Gochevo, etc. The tenth station - the middle of the path - was located south of Voronezh. Here then was the eastern border of Russia. Only 1400 kilometers. There were three shopping centers in the eastern direction: Artab, Salab (Slava - Pereyaslavl) and Kuyaba (Kyiv).

The tenth century traveler Khudul al-Alem described these three cities of Russia as follows:

“Kuyaba (Kyiv) is the city of Russia ... a pleasant place, the residence of the king. Various furs and valuable swords are taken out of it. Slava (this, obviously, is Pereyaslavl) is a pleasant city. From it, when peace reigns, they go to trade in the Bulgarian district. Artab (this, obviously, is the third Russia in Western Siberia - Lukomorye) is a city where foreigners are killed when they get there. They produce valuable blades for swords and swords that can be folded in two, but if you let them go, they return to their previous state.

Another traveler ... Haukal adds that the inhabitants of Artania, Artaba - Arsy, do not let strangers in, “they themselves go down the water for trade and do not report anything about their affairs and their goods and do not allow anyone to follow them and enter the country his own” (p. 113, B. Shcherbakov, “The Birth of Russia”).

Every spring, Kievan Rus exported a huge amount of polyudye goods. For the goods sold, the merchants bought everything that the rich East produced. Boats with barrels of honey, wax, furs of beavers, silver foxes and other goods were preparing to sail in Kyiv, Vyshgorod, Vitichev, in Pereyaslavl Russian, Rodnya. The southernmost building was the settlement of Voin on the Dnieper. The path along the Dnieper was dangerous and difficult. On the Dnieper, it was necessary to overcome the rapids. The first threshold was called "Don't sleep!" Russ with difficulty dragged their ships through each threshold. Sometimes they even dragged the luggage ashore and dragged the boats along the shore. The whole way passed under the shelling of the Pechenegs. Near modern Zaporozhye, having passed the rapids, on the island of Khortitsa, the Rus made sacrifices from live roosters near a huge oak tree, stuck arrows around, put pieces of bread and meat ... From Khortitsa, the Rus sailed to the island of Berezan, near the mouth of the Dnieper, where they equipped themselves before sailing by sea . At Berezan, the path of the Rus split in two. Some sailed to Constantinople, to Constantinople, others to the distant countries of the Caliphate. The voyage along the western coast of the Black Sea ended in Constantinople, where the Russians spent the whole summer and returned to Russia for a new polyudya.

If Russian merchants passed through the Kerch Strait, which at that time belonged to the Khazars, the Khazars took from them a large kalym for the right to travel. Having made a difficult and expensive route along Khazaria (300 kilometers along the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov, 400 kilometers up the Don and portages and 400 kilometers down the Volga), the Russian flotilla entered the Caspian Sea. Sometimes merchants delivered their goods on camels (from the Caspian Sea - Khazar, Khvalis, Dzhurdzhan) to Baghdad, paying a poll tax ...

Of the five trade routes that came from Kyiv: Constantinople, Trans-Caspian-Baghdad, Bulgar, Regensburg and Novgorod-Scandinavian, the first two were the most important for the state. Russian merchants - warriors were the distant predecessors of the famous traveler Athanasius Nikitin. Treaties between Russia and the Byzantine Empire (907, 911, 944) ensured the possibility of peaceful trade. The agreement was drawn up in two languages: Greek and Russian, in two copies on behalf of the emperor and the Russian princes, who were at the head of the tribal unions. Russian ambassadors received from the Greeks the embassy content "eliko want". Merchants - guests also received monthly allowances (travel allowances, in modern terms) for six months, during which they had to sell everything that was collected during the winter polyudya. Rusichi, living in Constantinople, received food from the Greek government, used baths - terms. Since the Byzantines were afraid of the armed Rus, upon their arrival in a foreign country, the imperial official compiled a list of Russian guests (for issuing maintenance) and accompanied them at the entrance to the city. The Russians were supposed to enter the city only through one gate without weapons, in groups of 50 people. Upon returning home, the emperor was obliged by agreement to provide them with food for the return journey, anchors, ropes, and sails. ...The purchase of oriental silk fabrics by merchants was limited (50 pieces). Each purchase was sealed by the Tsar's husband. The agreements provided for the actions of the parties in case of shipwrecks, there were articles on captive slaves, etc., so that the foreign trade of Russia was a state matter.

By the beginning of the 9th century, Russia had the following socio-political stratigraphy:

Grand Duke of Russia. Khakan - Rus (a title equal to the emperor).

Heads of chapters, bright princes (princes of tribal unions).

Every prince - the princes of individual tribes.

Great boyars.

Boyars, men, knights.

The guests are merchants.

People. Smerdy.

Servants. Slaves.

There was then the concept - "smerdy". Their honorable duty was to serve in the prince's cavalry. They also plowed the land, lived in villages, but were assigned to churchyards. In ancient Russia, an ordinary village was called "vesyu". The saying has come down to our time: "Get out." A village was then called a princely or boyar settlement. Smerds lived in "villages", not in "vesy".

The system of exploitation of peasants - vervniks (from communities) in their villages consisted of the following elements: tribute collected during polyudya, and a number of duties (“cart”, making boats and sails, building camps) in the form of labor rent. Tribute was collected by the tribal nobility, who shared it with the Kievan prince.

Prince Igor was a pagan. His wife Olga maintained friendly relations with Byzantium. Byzantium believed that the people who accepted Christianity from the hands of the Greeks became a vassal of the Greek emperor, that is, a people and state dependent on Byzantium. Between Byzantium and Kyiv there was a political duel. Each side sought to defend its position. The negotiations were secret. The details of the negotiations are unknown. Therefore, Olga hesitated with the baptism of Russia. Princess Olga visited Constantinople several times on a friendly visit, about which Caesar Konstantin Porphyrogenitus himself described meeting with Olga in the book “On Ceremonies” under the year 957 and about gifts to the princess from Byzantium. A golden dish is mentioned on which 500 miliaris (silver coins) were served. The main subject of discussion during Olga's visits to Constantinople was the issue of military assistance to Byzantium from Kievan Rus and the organization of the Russian Church ... In 962, the Byzantine emperor again asked Kyiv for military assistance. Russian soldiers were sent to Syria to fight the Arabs. At the same time, in Kyiv, Olga received the embassy of the German Emperor Otto the First. In 968, Princess Olga led the defense of Kyiv from the Pechenegs. She died July 11, 969. Her relics rest in Kyiv in the Church of the Tithes. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

So, the era of Olga is marked by innovations: the creation of churchyards and the establishment of norms for duties, an attempt to introduce Christianity, the creation of epic works about Princess Olga, in particular the “Tale of Revenge” (about how Olga avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband, destroying the capital of the Drevlyans with fire) - the first monarchical work in Russia. The state of Kievan Rus looked already fully formed.

At that distant time, the word "Olga" - "Helga" meant not a name, but the title of not only the ruler of the state, but also the high priestess of the troops and the state. This means that the princess had to participate in rituals, sacred rites. At that time, the state rituals of the Baltic Slavs and the peoples of Scandinavia were accompanied by human sacrifices. Olga did not like this, and she began to think about the question of faith. We do not know when she came to Christianity, but she came to Byzantium in 955 with her confessor Gregory. Her baptismal name was Elena. She could have adopted Christianity not from the West, where worship was then conducted in Latin, not in Byzantium, where worship was conducted in Greek. She most likely converted to Christianity in Bulgaria, where they began to hold services in the Slavic language. Olga was baptized not just as a Slavic woman, not just as a princess, but also as a high priestess.

In 955-957. Olga visited Constantinople. Her visit is described in detail in the Greek chronicles of that time. She arrived by ship in Constantinople with a retinue of 35 women and 88 men. Of the men, 44 people were "guests" - merchants, 22 - representatives of the boyars from the volosts and cities of Russia. There were also representatives from Svyatoslav, her son. In the Byzantine chronicles, an article about Olga's visit is entitled "On the invasion of the Russians." Arrived in Constantinople in June, was received by His Highness on September 9th.

Before meeting with the emperor, Olga and her retinue had to go through all the halls of the palace, through the galleries of the palace, before entering the room where Solomon's throne stood, on top of which the emperor sat surrounded by his retinue. The music of the carpeted organs was heard. Roaring golden lions towered at the foot of the throne. Mechanical birds sang in the golden trees. When the ambassadors bowed and then raised their heads, the emperor was already sitting in a different robe. Everything was calculated to impress the "barbarians".

Then Olga was honored - they arranged a private reception in the chambers of the empress, where the emperor was present with his family. Then there was a ceremonial dinner in the Justinian Hall. And again there was a distance between the Byzantine emperor and Princess Olga. The imperial family sat down at the table, and Princess Olga had to stand until she was shown a place at another table with the ladies of the court. At the end of the dinner, sweets were served at a separate table, where the royal family approached and Olga was invited. It was a great honor, but the princess hardly liked it.

Her retinue was treated separately, with junior court officials. Then they handed out gifts, petty calculating who how much. The princess received 500 silver coins on a golden platter. Other members of the embassy, ​​respectively - from 24 to 2 coins. On October 18, a second dinner was arranged. Olga was in the same room with the empress, and the emperor was in another room with the retinue of the princess. The dinner ended with stingy gifts. Olga was given 200 silver coins, the rest - respectively less.

The arrogance and swagger of the Byzantines offended Olga. Having given the dish with coins to the church of St. Sofia, she left for her homeland with her retinue. Olga realized that the Byzantines - the Romans - were the enemies of Russia and an alliance with him was impossible. The following year, a response Greek embassy came to Kyiv demanding to send troops to Byzantium for the war with the Arabs, slaves for the emperor, furs and wax. Princess Olga replied: “When your king stays with me on Pochaina (pier) as much as I stood with him in the Court (harbor in Constantinople), then I will send him gifts and an army.” The ambassadors had to leave empty-handed.

Without allies, it was difficult to fight with Khazaria, from which all Slavic and non-Slavic tribes were tired. If Byzantium is an enemy, where to look for allies? In 959, an embassy from Russia arrived at the court of Otto I (Germany) with a request to send a bishop and priests. Olga wanted to establish a Russian church organization. Back then, the Church was one. Olga rejected the creation of a Russian Orthodox center from Byzantium. Subordinating the Russian Church to Constantinople means getting dependence and spies in the person of missionaries. Bulgaria was then an ally of Khazaria. And then I had to turn to the German king for help. But the mission from Germany was not so lucky. She was not accepted, perhaps because the service there was conducted in Latin. On the way back, the mission from Germany was robbed by the Vikings. But Olga has nothing to do with it. Perhaps the words of 20-year-old Svyatoslav, Olga's son, played a role in the failure of the embassy from Germany. To his mother’s suggestion to convert to Christianity, he replied: “Can I alone adopt a new law so that my squad laughs at me.” The adoption of a new faith during this period would have led the Eastern Slavs to a split. Olga understood this and decided to wait with the adoption of Christianity for Russia.

The memoirs of contemporaries about Svyatoslav Igorevich are full of chanting of valor, courage, courage of the young prince - Olga's son. Svyatoslav was depicted by chroniclers for the first time at the age of 3-5 years, when he opened the battle with the Drevlyans with a throw of his spear. When, at the age of 15, his mother persuaded him to follow her example and convert to Christianity, Svyatoslav replied: “How do I want to accept another law? And the squad will start laughing at this ... ”The authors praise Svyatoslav for his loyalty to his pagan squad. Svyatoslav immediately rejected Christianity, anticipating that with the adoption of Christianity, Russia's dependence on Byzantium would follow. He declared: "Christian faith - there is ugliness." Svyatoslav Igorevich lived a short life (944-972), he reigned from 964 to 972. In 964, the Chronicle wrote about Svyatoslav: “I will grow up and mature to Prince Svyatoslav. Start howling to buy a lot and be brave and brave yourself. And just walking, like a pardus, you create many wars. Walking, without driving a cart, neither a cauldron, nor cooking meat, but having cut up horse meat or animal meat or beef on coals, he baked an uncle. You don’t have a tent, but you have a comfortable lining, and a saddle is in your head. It’s the same with other howls of it. And sent to the countries of the verb: “I want to go to you!”

He was a real Spartan, accustomed to a harsh camp life, noble, warning the enemy about his campaign with the words: "I'm going to you." Before the battles, Svyatoslav always inspired the combatants with incendiary, patriotic speeches. The Byzantine chronicler of the 10th century, Leo the Deacon, cites one of Svyatoslav's speeches: “... Let us be imbued with the courage that our ancestors bequeathed to us, remember that the power of the Russians has so far been invincible, and we will bravely fight for our lives! It is not fitting for us to return to our homeland, fleeing. We must either win and stay alive, or die with glory, having accomplished feats worthy of valiant men!

The chronicle also passed on to the descendants one of Svyatoslav's speeches (circa 969):

“It’s already impossible for us to be children - willingly and unwillingly stand against.

Let us not disgrace the Russian land, but we climb with that bone!

Mortvi bo shame is not an imam,

if we run away, shame on the imam.

And the imam will not run away, but we will become strong!

I will go before you,

if my head lies down, then provide for yourself.

And deciding howling: “Where is your head,

Let us lay down our heads!”

Svyatoslav fought in Volga Bulgaria, in Khazaria near the Caspian Sea, in the Pecheneg steppes, in Bulgaria and in Byzantium. According to the most minimal estimates, Svyatoslav traveled 8000-8500 kilometers in several years. (B. Rybakov, "The Birth of Russia", p. 152, Moscow, 2004)

The military activity of Svyatoslav took place in two directions: the Volga-Caspian (Khazar) and Byzantine, as they were the main ones in state exports. The struggle for the security of trade routes was a pan-European affair.

The Khazar state, which held in its hands all the exits to the east, took huge tolls on travel and return.

Byzantium then conducted aggressive actions against Bulgaria, which was passed by the trade route of Russia to Constantinople. These two directions required military support.

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