The indignation of the Drevlyans could not go unpunished on the part of the powerful tribe of Russ; and the murder of the Grand Duke required blood vengeance on the part of his relatives. The chronicler decorates this revenge with fabulous tales. But it is certain that Igor's son and successor on the Kiev table, Svyatoslav, together with his mother Olga, pacified the Drevlyans, took and burned the city of Korosten, the main nest of indignation: part of its population, according to the custom of that time, was enslaved and divided between the prince and his retinue. The inhabitants of Korosten were subjected to even heavier requisitions than before. Two thirds of these requisitions are determined for Kyiv, i.е. the Grand Duke and his husbands; and one third to Vyshgorod, i.e. Svyatoslav's mother and her team; for the Russian princesses also had their squads. After the pacification of the Drevlyans, a feast was sent for Igor at his very grave. If the burial of the noble Rusin was accompanied by such rituals as Ibn Fadlan described, then it is clear with what solemnity and pomp the feast for the Grand Duke was arranged. The entire squad of Svyatoslav and his mother arrived at Igor's grave; local residents had to boil the required amount of strong honey. Many captured Drevlyans were sacrificed to the gods and buried around Igor's grave; and over it a vast barrow was heaped. Then a memorial celebration and military games took place in honor of the deceased, in accordance with the customs and rituals of pagan Russia.
Duchess Olga. V. Vasnetsov, 1885-1893
Igor's widow Olga is the first baptized princess in Russia. Her husband, for all his militancy, was obviously distinguished by religious tolerance, and the Christian faith under him made great strides among the Russian tribe. Yes, it could not be otherwise with active, constant relations with Byzantium, which always diligently took care of preaching between the peoples of the Caucasus, the Black Sea and others neighboring the empire. In addition to the religious zeal that inspired the Greek preachers, Christianity served as the best way to soften the morals of the barbarian peoples, to weaken their devastating raids on the Greek regions and to subordinate them even more firmly to Greek influence.
The Greeks did not miss the opportunity to act on the imagination of the pagans with the beauty of temples and palaces, the splendor of worship and other aspects of their rich citizenship. So, they liked to show the ambassadors of the barbarian princes the wonderful buildings of their capital, especially the large imperial palace with its luxurious halls and galleries, and the wonderful church of St. Sofia, which shone with its multi-colored mosaics. Many of those Russes who came to Constantinople on commercial business or served in the imperial troops, of course, succumbed to the charm of Christianity and Greek education and were baptized; and, returning to the fatherland, they also convinced their loved ones. The stories of ambassadors and guests about the riches and wonders of the Greek capital and the gifts brought from there, in turn, aroused in others the desire to visit this wonderful city. Among the barbarian leaders there have long been examples of such princes who went to Constantinople to be baptized, and here the emperor himself was their successor; and the highest Greek dignitaries perceived the boyars and their wives. Richly endowed with gifts, and sometimes with the title of patrician, the newly baptized princes returned to their land and zealously set about spreading and establishing a new religion. Such, for example, was the baptism of two Bulgarian princes who came from Taurida to Constantinople, one under Justinian I, the other under Heraclius; the first of them, for his zeal for Christianity, was killed by indignant pagans. The spread of the new religion intensified among the Russ, especially since they established themselves in the land of the Tauride, or Black, Bolgars, some of whom, living in the vicinity of Korsun, had long professed the Greek faith.
Was Olga already baptized in Kyiv and went to Constantinople to actually venerate the Constantinople shrines, receive a blessing from the patriarch and signs of attention from the emperors Constantine and his son Roman, or did she, like the aforementioned princes of the Black Bolgars, wish to be baptized from the hands of the patriarch himself and have her the successor of the emperor, - it is not known exactly. The first assumption is more likely, and all the more so since among her companions we find the priest Gregory. Be that as it may, in 957 Olga made a journey by ship to Constantinople; she was accompanied by a large retinue, including ambassadors from Kiev and other Russian princes.
Duchess Olga. M. Nesterov. Sketch for the mural of the Cathedral of St. Vladimir in Kyiv, 1892
When the Russian princess entered the Golden Horn, she was apparently subjected to all the usual procedures that existed in Byzantium for ships coming from Russia, i.e. evidence of princely letters and seals, correspondence of people, cargo, etc., and only after fulfilling all the rules they allowed her to go ashore. In general, Olga had to wait a long time before she was admitted to the imperial court. Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus is known for his penchant for a peaceful family life and for book studies. He is also known for his efforts to observe in all accuracy the numerous ceremonies that distinguished the court of the Eastern Roman Empire and which were considered an indispensable accessory of imperial greatness. He even wrote a special large essay "On the rites of the Byzantine court." In this ritual book, Konstantin describes the solemn reception of the Russian princess Olga as follows.
September 9, on Wednesday, the princess arrived at the palace; she was followed by relatives accompanying her, noble Russian boyars, ambassadors of Russian princes, her own husbands and Russian guests. The princess was stopped at the place where the logothete (chancellor) usually questions foreign ambassadors admitted to the imperial reception. Here she was honored to see the emperor himself, seated on the throne and surrounded by court officials. Then she was led into a long row of magnificent apartments to the portico of that part of the palace called the Augusteon, where she could sit down for a few minutes. After that, she was introduced into the so-called. Justinian's Chamber to present to the Empress. In this chamber there was an elevation covered with purple fabrics, and on it was the "throne of Emperor Theophilus" and a golden seat. The empress sat on the throne; beside her, on a golden seat, her daughter-in-law fit, i.e. wife of the young emperor Roman. On their sides stood the ranks of the empress, and then her court women, divided according to the degrees of their nobility. When the dignitary appointed for this greeted Olga on behalf of the empress, the princess and her retinue were again taken to a special chamber, where they were allowed to sit down. Meanwhile, the Empress retired to her department. When the emperor came here with his children and grandchildren, the princess was also called, and then only she received permission to sit in his presence and talk with him as much as she liked.
On the same day, a solemn dinner took place in the Justinian Chamber. Both empresses again sat on the same dais. When the Russian boyars were brought in here, they bowed low; but the Russian princess only bowed her head slightly. She was seated at some distance from the throne at the table at which sat the first section of the Byzantine ladies (so-called. zosta). During the table, the singers sang poems composed in honor of the imperial house, and the court dancers entertained those present with their art. At the same time, there was another table in the Golden Chamber, at which the male part of Olga's retinue dined, i.e. her nephew, priest Gregory, translator, ambassadors of Svyatoslav and other Russian princes, as well as Russian guests. All of them were given gold and silver coins as a gift, depending on the degree of their value. After dinner, the imperial family, together with Olga, moved from the Justinian Chamber to another room, where various sweets were prepared, laid out on dishes decorated with precious stones. On a similar dish, they brought the Russian princess as a gift 500 milliaresias, six of her close boyars - 20 each, and eighteen others - 8 each.
On October 18, Sunday, another feast was arranged for the Russes in the Golden Chamber, at which the emperor himself was present. And the Russian princess was treated in the chamber of St. Paul, where the Empress was present with her children and daughter-in-law. This time Olga was offered 200 milliaresias, and several hundred were again distributed to her retinue.
Here is everything that Konstantin Porphyrogenitus tells us about Olga's reception. By all indications, she was not quite satisfied with this reception. She had to experience all the arrogance of the Byzantine government and go through all the degrees of court ceremonies, by which the Byzantine court made clear the great distance that separated the princess of the northern barbarians from the reigning house of magnificent Byzantium. Nor, of course, could she be satisfied with two or three dozen chervonets presented to her in exchange for expensive furs and other goods that she brought as a gift to the imperial court. According to the same Konstantinov Ritualist, shortly before Olga's arrival, the Byzantine court honored the ambassadors of one insignificant Arab emir with the same ceremonies; moreover, the ambassadors and their retinue received as a gift a greater number of chervonets than the Russian princess and her companions. And such a circumstance, of course, did not remain unknown to the Russes.
Perhaps, not without connection with some discontent that Olga had against the Byzantine government, an embassy was sent by her to Emperor Otto I. The fame of this famous sovereign, of course, reached at that time even to the banks of the Dnieper. Western chroniclers tell that in 959 the ambassadors of the Russian princess Elena (Christian name Olga) came to Otto and asked him for a bishop and priests for their people. The emperor sent the monk Adalbert to them; but the latter soon returned, having been driven out by the pagans, and having lost some of his companions slain. There is obviously some misunderstanding in this message. Perhaps the purpose of the Russian embassy was partly political, partly religious; and the German emperor hastened to take advantage of the opportunity to subjugate the emerging Russian Church to Catholicism. With the help of the church, he, of course, thought to establish German influence among the Eastern Slavs, just as it was asserted among the Western. This is how the attempts of the Latin Church to subjugate Russia and tear it away from spiritual unity with Byzantium began.
In favor of the opinion that Olga was baptized in Constantinople, they cite, firstly, the story of a Russian chronicler, and secondly, the testimonies of the Byzantine historians Kedrin-Skylitsa, Zonara and the Frankish chronicler (an unnamed successor to the abbot of Reginonsky); the latter, although in passing, however, directly say that Olga was baptized in Constantinople. But these testimonies belong to persons who lived later than the contemporary event. The Russian chronicle generally embellishes its story with fables; according to her, Olga's successor was Emperor Tzimisces, who reigned long after her baptism, and Patriarch Photius, who had long since died, baptized her. Meanwhile, Konstantin Porphyrogenitus, who received the Russian princess and himself described this reception, did not hint at her baptism in Constantinople in a single word. Although it is objected that in his Ritualist he had in mind only a description of a ceremonial reception in the palace, and therefore he did not need to talk here about Olga's baptism; but such an objection is not strong enough. Therefore, the question of where Olga was baptized remains unresolved definitively. Another question was more easily resolved: in what year did her journey to Constantinople take place? The Russian chronicle refers it to the year 955; but in this case, as in many others, her initial chronology turns out to be incorrect; as the testimony of Constantine proves. He speaks of Olga's two receptions at the palace, on Wednesday September 9th and Sunday October 18th. According to the Easter circle, these numbers could only happen on Wednesday and Sunday in 946 and 957. The year 946 cannot be accepted for some reasons indicated in the description of Constantine, for example, because he mentions his grandsons, the sons of Roman; and this year Roman himself was still a child. Thus, the year 957 remains. For an excellent compilation of sources and opinions on these two questions, see Schlozer in his Nestor, vol. III. See also "History of Christianity before Vladimir" by Archimandrite Macarius and "History of the Russian Church" by prof. Golubinsky. T. 1. Ed. 2nd.
Duchess Olga. Baptism. The first part of the trilogy "Holy Russia" by S. Kirillov, 1993
In assessing the reception given to Olga by the Byzantine government, one should not forget that she herself at that time was not the ruler of Russia, but only the mother of the Grand Duke of Russia and the princess proper, Vyshegorodskaya. As for its origin, the article by Archimandrite Leonid "Where was the Holy Grand Duchess Olga of Russia from?" deserves attention. (Rus. Antiquity. 1888. July). He found in one historical in a collection of the 15th century, the news that she was a Bulgarian princess by birth is quite probable news and refutes the chronicle legend about her simple origin (see about that in my Second Supplement, controversy). See also the study by prof. Savva "On the time and place of the baptism of Grand Duchess Olga" in the Collection of Kharkov Historical and Philological. Society. T. III. 1891
The news about Olga's embassy to Otto and the departure of Adalbert to Russia is actually from the successor of the chronicle, Abbot Reginon; and other chroniclers, Western, obviously repeat from his words, which are: the chronicle of Quedlinburg, Lambert of Aschaffenburg, the annals of Hildenheim and Corvey, the annalist of Saxony. (For a summary of all these reports, see Schlozer III. pp. 445 - 460.) That Olga, who had barely been baptized according to the eastern rite, could communicate with the German court and on questions about the church, it is not surprising. We have a similar example among the Danube Bulgars. Tsar Boris, who was baptized by the Greeks, then turned to Rome to Pope Nicholas I with questions about the Christian faith and with a proposal to appoint the head of the Bulgarian Church. It must not be overlooked that the final separation of the Eastern Church from the Western Church had not yet taken place at that time. But, on the other hand, Olga's appeal to the German court with a request to send a bishop to Kyiv was rather strange, since the Grand Duke of Kyiv himself still continued to remain in paganism. In general, the mentioned news of the chronicle of Reginon about the embassy of 959 is just as obscure and just as subject to conflicting interpretations, as is the testimony of the Vertinsky Chronicles about the ambassadors of the Russian Kagan at the court of Emperor Louis the Pious in 839. But both undoubtedly show that already at that time embassy relations began between the Russian princes and the German emperors.
Princess Olga, in baptism - Elena. Born ca. 920 - died July 11, 969. The princess who ruled the Old Russian state from 945 to 960 after the death of her husband, the Kiev prince Igor Rurikovich. The first of the rulers of Russia adopted Christianity even before the baptism of Russia. Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Princess Olga was born c. 920 years.
Chronicles do not report the year of Olga's birth, however, the late Book of Degrees 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 marriage. Based on this, many scientists (M. Karamzin, L. Morozova, L. Voitovich) calculated the date of her birth - 893.
The prologue life of the princess claims her age at the time of death - 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 (about 938-943), since Olga at the time of her son's birth should have been 45-50 years old, which seems incredible.
Looking at the fact that Svyatoslav Igorevich was Olga's eldest son, Boris Rybakov, taking 942 as the date of birth of the prince, considered the year 927-928 to be the last point of Olga's birth. A similar opinion (925-928) was shared by Andrei Bogdanov in his book “Princess Olga. Holy warrior."
Alexei Karpov, in his monograph "Princess Olga", makes Olga older, claiming that the princess was born around 920. Consequently, the date around 925 looks more accurate than 890, since Olga herself in the annals for 946-955 appears young and energetic, and she 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, 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 an humble family. According to scientists, the Varangian origin is confirmed by her name, which corresponds in Old Norse as Helga. The presence of presumably Scandinavians in those places is noted by a number of archaeological finds, possibly dating from the first half of the 10th century. The ancient Czech name is also known Olha.
A typographical chronicle (end of the 15th century) and a 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 infant Igor, the son of Rurik: Oleg married Igor and Olga.
The so-called Joachim Chronicle, the authenticity of which is called into question by historians, reports on the noble Slavic origin of Olga: “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 in his name. Igor later had other wives, but Olga, because of her wisdom, was honored more than others..
If you believe this source, it turns out that the princess was renamed 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 is alive [Ѻlg] in Bulgaria, sing for him princely Ѻlga”. And translating the chronicle name Pleskov not as Pskov, but as Pliska - the Bulgarian capital of that time. The names of both cities really coincide in the Old Slavonic transcription of some texts, which served as the basis for the author of the New Vladimir Chronicler to translate the message of The Tale of Bygone Years about Olga from Pskov as Olga from the Bulgarians, since the spelling Pleskov to designate Pskov has long fallen out of use .
Statements about the origin of Olga from the annalistic Carpathian Plesnesk, a huge settlement (7th-8th centuries - 10-12 hectares, up to the 10th century - 160 hectares, up to the 13th century - 300 hectares) with Scandinavian and West Slavic materials are based on local legends.
Marriage with Igor
According to The Tale of Bygone Years, Prophetic Oleg married Igor Rurikovich, who began to rule independently from 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, in order 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 forth in the Book of Powers (second half of the 16th century) about a chance meeting with Igor at the crossing near Pskov. The prince hunted in those places. While crossing the river in a boat, he noticed that the ferryman was a young girl dressed in men's clothes. Igor immediately “flared up with desire” and began to pester her, but received a worthy rebuke in response: “Why are you embarrassing me, prince, with immodest words? Let me be young and humble, and alone here, but know that it is better for me to throw myself into the river than to endure reproach. Igor remembered a chance acquaintance when it was time to look for a bride for himself, and sent Oleg for the girl he fell in love with, not wanting any other wife.
The Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger version, 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 did not have information about the date of the wedding. It is likely that the year 903 in the text of the PVL arose at a later time, when the monk Nestor tried to bring the initial Old 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 then only three years old, so Olga became the actual ruler of Russia 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 persuade the combatants in her favor.
After the murder of Igor, the Drevlyans sent matchmakers to his widow Olga to call her to marry their prince Mal. The princess successively dealt with the elders of the Drevlyans, and then brought their people into obedience. The Old Russian chronicler details Olga's revenge for her husband's death:
First revenge:
The matchmakers, 20 Drevlyans, arrived in a boat, which the Kievans carried and threw into a deep pit in the yard of Olga's tower. The matchmakers-ambassadors were buried alive along with the boat.
“And, leaning towards the pit, Olga asked them: “Is honor good for you?” They answered: "Worse for us than Igor's death." And ordered them to fall asleep alive; and covered them up,” says the chronicler.
Second revenge:
Olga asked, for respect, to send new ambassadors to her from the best husbands, which was readily done by the Drevlyans. An embassy of noble Drevlyans was burned in a bathhouse while they were washing, preparing for a meeting with the princess.
Third revenge:
The princess, with a small retinue, came to the lands of the Drevlyans to, according to custom, celebrate a feast at the grave of her husband. Having drunk the Drevlyans during the feast, Olga ordered them to be cut down. The chronicle reports five thousand killed Drevlyans.
Fourth revenge:
In 946, Olga went on a campaign against the Drevlyans with an army. According to the Novgorod First Chronicle, the Kyiv squad defeated the Drevlyans in battle. Olga walked through the Drevlyane 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 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 to tie a lit tow with sulfur. Part 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 expounded by Saxo the Grammatik (XII century) in his compilation of Danish oral traditions about the exploits of the Vikings and by the skald Snorri Sturluson.
After the massacre of 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, appointing lessons (tribute) there, after which she returned to her son Svyatoslav in Kyiv.
Olga established a system of "graveyards" - centers of trade and exchange, in which taxes were collected in a more orderly manner; then temples began to be built around the graveyards. Olga's journey to the Novgorod land was called into question by Archimandrite Leonid (Kavelin), A. Shakhmatov (in particular, he pointed out the confusion of the Drevlyansk land with the Derevskaya Pyatina), M. Grushevsky, D. Likhachev. V. Tatishchev also noted the attempts of the Novgorod chroniclers to attract unusual events to the Novgorod land. The evidence of the chronicle about Olga's sleigh, allegedly kept in Pleskov (Pskov) after Olga's trip to Novgorod land, is also critically evaluated.
Princess Olga laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Russia (the first stone buildings of Kyiv - the city palace and Olga's country house), with 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 - "dues" and "charters". The lands subject to Kiev were divided into administrative units, in each of which a princely administrator, a tiun, was appointed.
Constantine Porphyrogenitus, in his essay “On the Administration of the Empire,” written in 949, mentions that “monoxyls coming from outer Russia to Constantinople are one of Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, son of Ingor, archon of Russia, sat.” From this short report it follows that by 949 Igor held power in Kyiv, or, which looks 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.
The next act of Olga, 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, 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, with a large embassy, paid an official visit to Constantinople, known from the description of court ceremonies by Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his essay On Ceremonies. The emperor calls Olga the ruler (archontissa) of Russia, the name of Svyatoslav (in the enumeration of the retinue are "the people of Svyatoslav") is mentioned without a title. Apparently, the visit to Byzantium did not bring the desired results, since the PVL reports Olga's cold attitude towards the Byzantine ambassadors in Kyiv shortly after the visit. On the other hand, Theophan's successor, in the 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 exactly Svyatoslav began to rule on his own. PVL reports his first military campaign in 964. The Western European chronicle of the Continuer of Reginon reports under the year 959: “They came to the king (Otto I the Great), as it later turned out in a false way, the ambassadors of Helen, Queen of Rug, who was baptized in Constantinople under the Emperor Roman of Constantinople, and asked to consecrate a bishop and priests for this people”.
Thus, in 959 Olga, in baptism - Elena, was officially considered as the ruler of Russia. The remains of the rotunda of the 10th century, discovered by archaeologists within the so-called "city of Kiya", are considered material evidence of the stay of the Adalbert 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 Successor of Reginon reports: “962 year. In this year, Adalbert returned back, appointed Bishop of Rugam, for 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, while he himself barely escaped with great difficulty..
The date of the beginning of Svyatoslav's independent reign is rather arbitrary; Russian chronicles consider him his successor on the throne immediately after the murder of his father Igor by the Drevlyans. Svyatoslav was all the time in military campaigns against the neighbors of Russia, entrusting his mother with the management of the state. When in 968 the Pechenegs first raided the Russian lands, Olga and Svyatoslav's children locked themselves in Kyiv.
Returning from a campaign against Bulgaria, Svyatoslav lifted the siege, but did not want to stay in Kyiv for a long time. When next year he was going to go back to Pereyaslavets, Olga kept him: “You see, I am sick; where do you want to go from me? Because she's 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, wept for her with a great cry, and carried her and buried her in the chosen place, Olga bequeathed not to perform funeral feasts for her, since she had a priest with her - that and buried blessed Olga.
The monk Jacob in the 11th century essay “Memory and Praise to the Russian Prince Volodimer” reports the exact date of Olga’s death: July 11, 969.
Baptism of Olga
Princess Olga became the first ruler of Russia to be baptized, although both the squad and the Russian people were pagan under her. Olga's son, the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatoslav Igorevich, also lived 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 the name Helena was given to her in baptism, as well as the ancient queen mother of Emperor Constantine I”.
PVL and Life decorate the circumstances of the baptism with a story about 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 goddaughter of the tsar. Then he richly endowed her and sent her home.
From Byzantine sources, only one visit by Olga to Constantinople is known. Konstantin Porphyrogenitus described it in detail in the 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. Noteworthy is the long stay of Olga in Constantinople. When describing the reception, they are called basileus (Konstantin Porphyrogenitus himself) and Roman - purple-born basileus. It is known that Roman II the Younger, the son of Constantine, became the formal co-ruler of his father in 945. The mention of Roman's children at the reception testifies in favor of 957, which is considered the generally accepted date of Olga's visit and her baptism.
However, Konstantin nowhere mentioned Olga's baptism, as well as the purposes of her visit. In the retinue of the princess, a certain priest Gregory was named, on the basis of which some historians (in particular, Academician Rybakov Boris Alexandrovich) suggest that Olga visited Constantinople already baptized. In this case, the question arises why Konstantin calls the princess by her pagan name, and not by Elena, as the Successor of Reginon did. Another, later Byzantine source (XI century) reports the baptism in the 950s: “And the wife of a 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 the great honor of this choice, returned home..
The successor of Reginon cited above also speaks of baptism in Constantinople, and the mention of the name of the emperor Roman testifies in favor of baptism precisely in 957. The testimony of the Continuer of Reginon can be considered reliable, since Bishop Adalbert of Magdeburg, who led an unsuccessful mission to Kyiv, wrote under this name, as historians believe (961) and who had first-hand information.
According to most sources, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople in the autumn of 957, and she was baptized, probably, by Roman II, son and co-ruler of Emperor Constantine VII, and Patriarch Polievkt. 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 Russia. Perhaps they were Bulgarian Slavs (Bulgaria was baptized in 865), since the influence of Bulgarian vocabulary can be traced in the early Old 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 the Christian rite. Her grandson Prince Vladimir I Svyatoslavich transferred (1007) the relics of the saints, including Olga, to the Church of the Holy Mother of God founded by him in Kyiv. 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 the window in the stone coffin, which was opened for any true 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 memory of St. Olga (Helena) began to be celebrated on July 11, at least in the Church of the Tithes itself. However, official canonization (general church glorification) apparently took place later - until the middle of the 13th century. Her name becomes christening early, in particular among the Czechs.
In 1547 Olga was canonized as a saint Equal-to-the-Apostles. Only five more holy women in Christian history have received such an honor (Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Empress Helena Equal-to-the-Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia Nina).
The memory of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga is celebrated by the Orthodox churches of the Russian tradition on July 11 according to the Julian calendar; Catholic and other Western churches - July 24 Gregorian.
Revered as the patroness of widows and newly converted Christians.
Princess Olga (documentary)
Memory of Olga
Pskov has the Olginskaya embankment, the Olginskiy bridge, the Olginskaya chapel, and two monuments to the princess.
From the time of Olga and until 1944, there was a graveyard and the village of Olgin Krest on the Narva River.
Monuments to Princess Olga were erected in Kyiv, Pskov and in the city of Korosten. The figure of Princess Olga is present on the monument "Millennium of Russia" in Veliky Novgorod.
In honor of Princess Olga, the Gulf of Olga of the Sea of Japan is named.
In honor of Princess Olga, the urban-type settlement Olga of the Primorsky Territory is named.
Olginskaya street in Kyiv.
Street of Princess Olga in Lvov.
In Vitebsk, in the center of the city, at the Holy Spirit Convent, there is St. Olginskaya Church.
In St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, to the right of the altar in the north (Russian) transept, there is a portrait of Princess Olga.
St. Olginsky Cathedral in Kyiv.
Orders:
The insignia of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga - instituted by Emperor Nicholas II in 1915;
"Order of Princess Olga" - the 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.
The image of Olga in art
In fiction:
Antonov A. I. Princess Olga;
Boris Vasiliev. "Olga, Queen of the Rus";
Viktor Gretkov. "Princess Olga - Bulgarian Princess";
Mikhail Kazovsky. "Daughter of the Empress";
Alexey Karpov. "Princess Olga" (ZHZL series);
Svetlana Kaidash-Lakshina (novel). "Duchess Olga";
Alekseev S. T. I know God!;
Nikolai Gumilyov. "Olga" (poem);
Simon Vilar. "Svetorada" (trilogy);
Simon Vilar. "Witch" (4 books);
Elizaveta Dvoretskaya "Olga, Forest Princess";
Oleg Panus "Shields on the gates";
Oleg Panus "Unified in Power".
In cinematography:
"The Legend of Princess Olga" (1983; USSR), director Yuri Ilyenko, in the role of Olga Lyudmila Efimenko;
The saga of the ancient Bulgars. The Tale of Olga the Holy ”(2005; Russia) director Bulat Mansurov, in the role of Olga .;
The saga of the ancient Bulgars. Ladder of Vladimir the Red Sun”, Russia, 2005. Elina Bystritskaya as Olga.
In cartoons:
Prince Vladimir (2006; Russia) directed by Yuri Kulakov, voiced by Olga.
Ballet:
"Olga", music by Evgeny Stankovich, 1981. It ran 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.
Rurik is considered the founder of the Old Russian state, he was the first Novgorod prince. It is the Varangian Rurik who is the ancestor of an entire dynasty ruling in Russia. How did it happen that it was he who became the prince, before ...
Rurik is considered the founder of the Old Russian state, he was the first Novgorod prince. It is the Varangian Rurik who is the ancestor of an entire dynasty ruling in Russia. How it happened that it was he who became the prince, it will not be possible to find out until the end. There are several versions, according to one of them, he was invited to rule in order to prevent endless civil strife in the land of the Slavs and Finns. The Slavs and Varangians were pagans, they believed in the gods of water and earth, in brownies and goblin, they worshiped Perun (the god of thunder and lightning), Svarog (the master of the universe) and other gods and goddesses. Rurik built the city of Novgorod and gradually began to rule alone, expanding his lands. When he died, his young son Igor remained.
Igor Rurikovich was only 4 years old and needed a guardian and a new prince. Rurik entrusted this task to Oleg, whose origin is unclear, it is assumed that he was a distant relative of Rurik. Known to us as Prince Prophetic Oleg, he ruled Ancient Russia from 879 to 912. During this time, he captured Kyiv and increased the size of the Old Russian state. Therefore, he is sometimes considered its founder. Prince Oleg annexed many tribes to Russia and went to fight Constantinople.
After his sudden death, all power passed into the hands of Prince Igor, the son of Rurik. In the annals, he is called Igor Stary. It was a young man brought up in a palace in Kyiv. He was a fierce warrior, a Varangian by upbringing. Almost continuously, he led military operations, raided neighbors, conquered various tribes and imposed tribute on them. Prince Oleg, Igor's regent, chose a bride for him, with whom Igor fell in love. According to some sources, she was 10 or 13 years old, and her name was beautiful - Beautiful. However, she was renamed Olga, presumably because she was a relative or even the daughter of Prophetic Oleg. According to another version, she was from the clan of Gostomysl, who ruled before Rurik. There are other versions of its origin.
This woman went down in history under the name of Princess Olga. Ancient weddings were extremely colorful and original. Red was used for wedding dresses. The wedding took place according to a pagan rite. Prince Igor had other wives, because he was a pagan, but Olga was always a beloved wife. In the marriage of Olga and Igor, the son Svyatoslav was born, who would later govern the state. Olga loved her Varangian.
Prince Igor relied on strength in everything, and constantly fought for power. In 945, he traveled around the occupied lands and collected tribute, having received tribute from the Drevlyans, he left. On the way, he decided that he received too little, returned to the Drevlyans and demanded a new tribute. The Drevlyans were outraged by such a demand, they rebelled, grabbed Prince Igor, tied him to bent trees and let them go. Grand Duchess Olga grieved the death of her husband. But it was she who began to rule Ancient Russia after his death. Earlier, when he was on campaign, she also ruled the state in his absence. Judging by the annals, Olga is the first woman - the ruler of the state of Ancient Russia. She launched a military campaign against the Drevlyans, destroying their settlements, and laid siege to the capital of the Drevlyans. Then she demanded a dove from each yard. And then they were eaten, and no one suspected anything bad, considering it a tribute. A set fire tow was tied to the leg of each dove and the pigeons flew to their homes, and the capital of the Drevlyans burned down.
Prince Svyatoslav
Baptism of Olga
Twice Princess Olga traveled to Constantinople. In 957, she was baptized and became a Christian; her godfather was Emperor Constantine himself. Rules Olga Ancient Russia from 945 to 962. At baptism, she took the name Elena. She was the first to build Christian churches and spread Christianity in Russia. Olga tried to introduce her son Svyatoslav to the Christian faith, but he remained a pagan and, after the death of his mother, oppressed Christians. Olga's son, the grandson of the great Rurik, tragically died in an ambush of the Pechenegs.
Icon of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga
Princess Olga, baptized by Elena, died on July 11, 969. She was buried according to Christian custom, and her son did not forbid it. The first of the Russian sovereigns, she converted to Christianity even before the baptism of Ancient Russia, this is the first Russian saint. The name of Princess Olga is associated with the Rurik dynasty, with the advent of Christianity in Russia, this great woman stood at the origins of the state and culture of Ancient Russia. The people revered her for her wisdom and holiness. The reign of Princess Olga is filled with important events: the restoration of the unity of the state, tax reform, administrative reform, the stone construction of cities, the strengthening of the international authority of Russia, the strengthening of ties with Byzantium and Germany, the strengthening of princely power. This outstanding woman was buried in Kyiv.
Her grandson, Grand Duke Vladimir ordered her relics to be transferred to the New Church. Most likely, it was during the reign of Vladimir (970-988) that Princess Olga began to be revered as a saint. In 1547, Princess Olga (Elena) was canonized as a Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles. There were only six such women in the entire history of Christianity. In addition to Olga, these are Mary Magdalene, the first martyr Thekla, the martyr Apphia, Empress Elena Equal-to-the-Apostles and the Enlightener of Georgia Nina. The memory of Grand Duchess Olga is celebrated with a holiday, both among Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
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Princess Olga - the great reformer of Ancient Russia
The Grand Duchess of Kievan Rus Olga (? - 969), who became famous far beyond the borders of her country for her wisdom and iron character. Outstanding personal qualities helped this woman for more than twenty years (945 - 964) successfully manage the largest power in Europe, which she inherited after the death of her husband, Prince Igor.
Ukraine can rightly be proud of Princess Olga, because such a ruler would do honor to any country. She perfectly combined the most important leadership qualities: wisdom and determination, justice and rigor, firmness and mercy, perseverance and kindness. But most importantly, Olga was the first of the Ruriks who really thought about the state, its interests and future. She, unlike Oleg and Igor, did not consider state power only as a means of enriching herself and her own close associates. Olga created a country for her son and grandchildren, trying to lay a solid foundation in the socio-political foundation of ancient Russia.
What can be credited to Princess Olga?
1. She brutally suppresses the Drevlyane rebellion, avenging the terrible death of her husband, as well as ending tribal separatism. Keeps for Kiev the primacy and the princely throne.
2. She is implementing a very innovative tax reform. The death of Igor sharply raised the question of the need to reform the entire state system, and primarily the taxation system. Princess Olga took into account all the mistakes of her husband, so she:
3. Olga implements management reform. The actions of the princely vigilantes and judges on the ground were strictly regulated.
4. The princess carried out large-scale construction in Kyiv. At that time, a princely residence appeared in the capital city - the so-called. Holguin yard.
5. Olga prefers diplomatic means of conducting foreign policy.
6. She makes her first official visit to Constantinople and accepts Christianity there.
7. The Princess makes her first attempt to establish diplomatic ties with Western Europe.
8. Olga calmly cedes the reign to her son Svyatoslav as soon as he demanded it.
The reign of Princess Olga and her achievements.
Coming to power and revenge on the Drevlyans. Olga came to power as a result of tragic events: the rebellious Drevlyans brutally killed her husband. Their son Svyatoslav at that time was only 3 years old, and the full responsibility for the country, along with the weight of the loss, fell heavily on her female shoulders. The danger was from all sides: both in Kyiv and far beyond its borders, numerous enemies were impatiently waiting for the princess's reaction to Igor's premature death. Emboldened, the Drevlyans decided: "Here we killed the Russian prince, now we will take his wife Olga for our prince Mala, and with his son, Svyatoslav, we will do what we want." And they sent matchmakers to Olga - 20 of their best people, whom the princess ordered to be buried alive along with the boat in the courtyard of her tower. She ordered the next embassy to be sent to the bathhouse to wash, and when the Drevlyansk matchmakers closed there, the hut was set on fire, and they all died. Without delay, Olga went with a squad to the capital of the Drevlyansk - the city of Iskorosten, where she planned to celebrate a feast for her late husband. She invited many noble Drevlyans to the commemoration, who were drunk with honey and slaughtered while sleeping (there were up to 5,000 people killed then).
A year later, in 946, the Kievan princess with a large army passed through the Drevlyansk land, collecting the due tribute from it, and at the end of the campaign approached Iskorosten. The inhabitants of the capital locked themselves in the city and in desperation were going to defend themselves to the last, they told Olga: "We would be glad to pay tribute, but you want to avenge your husband." To this, the princess answered them: “I have already avenged my husband more than once, but now I no longer want to take revenge, but I want to take tribute little by little, and, having reconciled with you, I will go away.” Olga then demanded from each house to give her three doves and three sparrows, and when she received them, she ordered to tie a bag of sulfur to each bird, set it on fire and let it go. The birds, having gained freedom, returned to their nests and set fire to the city, which burned to the ground overnight. This is how revenge for the death of Prince Igor was carried out. It made such a strong impression on the neighbors of Kievan Rus that during the entire twenty-year reign of Olga, no one dared to fight against her.
State reforms. Having punished the Drevlyans, the princess nevertheless decided to completely change the entire tax policy in her state. She set the exact size of the “polyudya” and the time of its collection (before that, the prince decided everything himself and on the spot, which led to the uprising of the Drevlyans in 945). "Graveyards" were erected throughout the country - places of tribute collection, where the Slavs were to centrally bring it. Now the prince did not have to personally go around all the villages of his huge power, constantly risking being ambushed like Prince Igor. In normal times, Kiev officials and the military garrison were constantly on the graveyards. Olga divided the treasury into two parts: state and personal, and never confused them. All the lands of Russia were divided into conditional administrative units headed by representatives of the Kievan princess - tiuns. All these measures, no doubt, streamlined the collection of tribute in the country, making this process more fair and civilized. It was Princess Olga who began stone town planning in Russia, ordering to build her palace in Kyiv and the tower outside it.
foreign policy of the princess. In foreign policy, Olga preferred diplomatic methods. In 957 she paid an official visit to Constantinople. This was the first time that the Russians arrived in Byzantium with peaceful intentions. There the princess was baptized and took the Christian name Elena. The rite was personally conducted by Patriarch Polievkt, and Emperor Roman II of Byzantium became Olga's godfather. According to legend, he offered the Russian mistress to marry him, and she even pretended to agree. But before that, the wise princess asked the emperor to do her a great honor - to become her godfather. Having agreed, he did not understand that after the rite of baptism, marriage between them was impossible. When the new spiritual daughter informed Roman about this, he only exclaimed in amazement: "Olga! You outwitted me!"
The emperor was delighted with Olga's mind and saw her off with rich gifts. However, the proud princess was not satisfied with everything: when ambassadors from Byzantium arrived in Kyiv to demand that Olga fulfill her allied promise and send auxiliary troops to Greece, she replied: “When your king stays with me in Pochaina for as long as I stood at him in the Court (the harbor of Constantinople), then I will send him gifts and an army. The ambassadors had to return with nothing. Fearing the growing influence of Byzantium in Russia, she sent ambassadors to the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, Otto I, with a proposal to send Christian preachers to Kyiv. But all the religious initiatives of his mother were completely leveled by the grown-up Prince Svyatoslav. A convinced pagan, he expelled the western bishop Adalbert from his country, and strictly forbade the representatives of the eastern Byzantine rite to preach. Olga was forced to agree with the new prince of Kievan Rus, who in 964 took full control of the country. Now she lived with her son in Kyiv, more engaged in grandchildren than state affairs.
The great ruler died in 969, "... and her son, and her grandchildren, and all the people wept for her with a great cry, and carried and buried her in the chosen place, Olga bequeathed not to perform funeral feasts for her, since she had with her priest - he buried the blessed Olga. In 1547, the Russian princess was canonized as a saint Equal-to-the-Apostles. In the entire history of Christianity, only five women, besides her, were honored with such an honor.
Historical memory of Princess Olga.
Monuments to Princess Olga were erected in Kyiv, Korosten and Pskov. Also, the princess is depicted on the monument "Millennium of Russia" in Veliky Novgorod.
In Kyiv, in honor of Princess Olga, the street Olginskaya is named. In Russian Pskov there is the Olginskaya Embankment and the Olginskiy Bridge.
In Belarusian Vitebsk there is St. Olga's Church.
In honor of the princess, orders were established:
Princess Olga in social networks.
In Youtube, for the query "Princess Olga" - 15,400 search results.
How often do Yandex users from Ukraine search for information about Knyagina Olga?
To analyze the popularity of the query "Princess Olga", the Yandex wordstat.yandex search engine service is used, from which we can conclude: as of June 14, 2016, the number of requests per month was 28,415, which can be seen on the screen:
Since the end of 2014, the largest number of requests from "Yaroslav the Wise" was registered in October 2015 - 51,049 requests per month.
According to the earliest Old Russian chronicle, The Tale of Bygone Years, Olga was from Pskov. The life of the holy Grand Duchess Olga specifies that she was born in the village of Vybuty, Pskov land, 12 km from Pskov, up the Velikaya River. The names of Olga's parents were not preserved, according to the Life they were not of a noble family, " from the Varangian language". The Varangian origin is confirmed by her name, which corresponds in Old Norse as Helga. The presence of the Scandinavians in those places is marked by a number of archaeological finds dating back to the 1st half of the 10th century.
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 Kievan Rus as the guardian of the infant Igor, the son of Rurik: “ Netsyi say, like Olga's daughter was Olga» . Oleg married Igor and Olga.
Possibly, in order to resolve this contradiction, the later Ustyug chronicle and the Novgorod chronicle, according to the list of P. P. Dubrovsky, report Olga's 10-year-old age at the time of the wedding. This message contradicts the legend set forth in the Book of Degrees (2nd half of the 16th century) about a chance meeting with Igor at the crossing near Pskov. The prince hunted in those places. While crossing the river in a boat, he noticed that the ferryman was a young girl dressed in men's clothes. Igor immediately burning with desire"And began to pester her, but received a worthy rebuke in response:" Why do you embarrass me, prince, with immodest words? Let me be young and humble, and alone here, but know that it is better for me to throw myself into the river than to endure reproach.". Igor remembered a chance acquaintance when it was time to look for a bride for himself, and sent Oleg for the girl he fell in love with, not wanting any other wife.
The Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger version, 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 did not have information about the date of the wedding. It is likely that the year 903 in the text of the PVL arose at a later time, when the monk Nestor tried to bring the initial Old 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.
The Western European chronicle of the Continuer of Reginon reports under the year 959:
Olga's baptism and church veneration
Princess Olga became the first ruler of Kievan Rus to be baptized, and thus predetermined the adoption of Orthodoxy by all the Old Russian people.
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 with the patriarch (Theophylact until 956): “ And she was given the name Elena in baptism, as well as the ancient queen - the mother of Constantine the Great". PVL and Life decorate the circumstances of the baptism with a story about how the wise Olga outwitted the Byzantine king. He, marveling at her intelligence and beauty, wanted to marry Olga, 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 goddaughter of the tsar. Then he richly endowed her and sent her home.
Only one visit by Olga to Constantinople is known from Byzantine sources. Konstantin Porphyrogenitus described it in detail in the work "The Ceremony", 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 also corresponds to 946 years. Noteworthy is the long stay of Olga in Constantinople. When describing the reception, they are called basileus (Konstantin himself) and Roman - purple-born basileus. It is known that Romanos, the son of Constantine, became the formal co-ruler of his father in 945. According to the historian G. G. Litavrin, the visit described by Constantine actually took place in 946, and the baptism took place during the 2nd visit to Constantinople in or 955. The mention of the children of Roman at the reception testifies in favor of the year 957, which is considered the generally accepted date for Olga's visit and her baptism.
However, Constantine never mentioned Olga's baptism (as well as the purposes of her visit), and moreover, a certain priest Gregory was named in the princess's retinue, on the basis of which some historians suggest that Olga visited Constantinople already baptized. In this case, the question arises why Konstantin calls the princess by her pagan name, and not by Elena, as the Successor of Reginon did. Another, later Byzantine source (XI century) reports a baptism in Constantinople in the 950s:
“And the wife of a 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 the great honor of this choice, returned home.
The successor of Reginon cited above also speaks of baptism in Constantinople, and the mention of the name of Emperor Roman testifies in favor of baptism in 957. The testimony of the Continuer of Reginon can be considered reliable, since under this name, historians believe, Bishop Adalbert wrote, who led an unsuccessful mission to Kyiv in 961 and had first-hand information.
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| revered | in the Orthodox and Catholic churches |
| glorified | no later than the thirteenth century |
| in the face | Equal-to-the-Apostles |
| Day of Remembrance | July 24 (Gregorian calendar) |
| works | Preparation for the baptism of Russia |
According to most sources, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople in the autumn of 957, and she was baptized, probably by Roman II (son and co-ruler of Emperor Constantine), and Patriarch Polievkt. Olga made the decision to accept the faith in advance, although the chronicle legend presents this as a spontaneous decision. Nothing is known about those people who spread Christianity in Russia. Most likely, they were Bulgarian Slavs (Bulgaria was baptized in 865), since the influence of Bulgarian vocabulary can be traced in the early Old Russian chronicle texts. The penetration of Christianity into Kievan Rus is evidenced by the mention of the cathedral church of St. Elijah in Kyiv in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 944.
Revered as the patroness of widows and newly converted Christians.
Historiography according to Olga
The main information on Olga's life, recognized as reliable, is contained in The Tale of Bygone Years, the Life from the Book of Degrees, the hagiographic work of the monk Jacob "Memory and praise to the Russian prince Volodimer" and the work of Konstantin Porphyrogenitus "On the ceremonies of the Byzantine court." Other sources provide additional information about Olga, but their reliability cannot be accurately determined.
The Joachim Chronicle reports the execution by Svyatoslav of his only brother Gleb for his Christian beliefs during the Russian-Byzantine war of 968-971. Gleb could be Igor's son both from Olga and from another wife, since the same chronicle reports that Igor had other wives. The Orthodox faith of Gleb testifies in favor of the fact that he was the youngest son of Olga.
The medieval Czech historian Tomas Peshina, in his work in Latin “Mars Moravicus” (), spoke about a certain Russian prince Oleg, who became the last king of Moravia in 940 and was expelled from there by the Hungarians in 949. According to Tomasz Peshina, this Oleg Moravsky was Olga's brother.
About the existence of Olga's blood relative, calling him anepsia, Constantine Porphyrogenitus mentioned in the listing of her retinue during a visit to Constantinople in 957. Anepsius meant, most often, a nephew, but also a cousin.
Memory of Saint Olga
- Life calls Olga the founder of the city of Pskov. In Pskov there is the Olginskaya embankment, the Olginskiy bridge, the Olginskaya chapel.
- Orders:
- The insignia of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga - established by Emperor Nicholas II in 1915.
- "Order of Princess Olga" - the state award of Ukraine since 1997.
- "Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga" is an award of the Russian Orthodox Church.
- Monuments to Princess Olga were erected in Kyiv, Pskov and the city of Korosten.
Literature
- Antonov Alexander. The novel "Princess Olga".
- Boris Vasiliev "Olga, Queen of the Russians"
- Viktor Gretkov. "Princess Olga - Bulgarian Princess".
- Mikhail Kazovsky "Daughter of the Empress".
- Kaidash-Lakshina S. N. "Princess Olga".
Cinema
- "The Legend of Princess Olga", USSR, 1983.
- The saga of the ancient Bulgars. The Tale of Olga the Holy”, Russia, 2005.
