The legendary princess Olga is the wife of Prince Igor Rurikovich. She was the first woman who, after the death of her husband, became a ruler in Russia (945-960). Olga set an example to her people by adopting the Christian faith. She was numbered among the saints of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Orthodox Church.
Homeland of Princess Olga
The mystery of the origin of Princess Olga (920-960) is lost in the mists of time. There are many legends and conjectures on this score. For example, that Olga was related to the Gostomysl family. Or that she was a Bulgarian princess brought from there by Prophetic Oleg. According to one version, the woman was a simple peasant woman who, nevertheless, was able to make a deep impression on Prince Igor when they met by chance. In general, very little is known about her life before marriage. "The Tale of Bygone Years" reports that in 903 Igor was brought "a wife from Pskov named Olga." Later sources indicate Izborsk as the motherland of the woman, as well as the entire Vybutskaya.
The marriage between Igor and Olga was most likely concluded by calculation. The fruit of this union was the birth of a son, Svyatoslav. Since Prince Igor often went on campaigns, Olga at that time was engaged in the internal politics of the state. After the death of her husband, the princess became regent with her young son and, in fact, the main ruler of Kievan Rus.
Revenge for her husband
According to legend, Prince Igor was killed by the Drevlyans for the fact that after collecting tribute, a short time later he returned for new extortions. Reasoning that “if a wolf gets into the habit of the sheep, it carries out the whole flock until they kill it; so this one: if we do not kill him, then he will destroy all of us”, the Drevlyans killed Igor's squad, and the prince himself was tied to two inclined birches so that, straightening up, the trees tore him up.
Olga's revenge on the Drevlyans was terrible, and the princess took revenge four times. Pretending that she was ready to marry Prince Mal, she agreed to accept her enemies, who were buried alive immediately after meeting her. The second time Olga ordered to heat the bathhouse for the Drevlyan ambassadors, which she then ordered to be locked up and set on fire. The third time, having gone to enemy land to arrange a feast for her husband, Olga ordered the Drevlyans to be drunk and then killed. For the fourth time, the princess set out on a campaign against the enemies with her son Svyatoslav.
Olga's troops laid siege to the main Drevlyansky city of Iskorosten, but could not take it. The princess announced the conditions for lifting the siege: to send her birds from every yard. Residents believed that Olga really agreed to such a modest ransom and sent her birds. The princess, however, ordered her squad to bind the set on fire tinder to each sparrow and dove and release them. Burning birds flew to their homes, a fire broke out in the city, panic. Some of the Drevlyans were killed on the spot, some were sold into slavery. However, such a plot with birds is often found in various folk tales. However, regardless of its reliability, Olga thwarted any attempts at an enemy uprising.
Diplomacy and a new faith
Historians associate many serious reforms with the name of Olga related to strengthening the order of public administration and the establishment of administrative centers in the established volosts. The princess took into account the sad experience of her husband, whose death was largely associated with the murmur and disobedience of his squad. That is why the woman took up the eradication of anarchy and the strengthening of power. Olga herself was engaged in determining the amount of tribute for each area and streamlined the process of collecting it, appointing tiun collectors.
Gradually, the princess replaced the former disorderly system of polyudye with a clear and therefore more efficient tax collection structure. This complex work related to the regulation of various spheres of life was not fanned by any legends. And it was not she who brought glory to Olga. However, it was this activity of the princess that played a significant role in the formation of the Russian state.
Pursuing a course of rapprochement with Byzantium, in 955 Olga went to Constantinople. There she adopted the Christian faith. At baptism she was given the name Elena. Olga found few like-minded people in Kievan Rus who were ready to support her conversion to Christianity. The son of Svyatoslav was determined to remain a pagan. An attempt to baptize Russia was crowned with success only with Olga's grandson, Prince Vladimir. However, it was this woman who took the first steps towards adopting the new faith. On Olga's initiative, a church was erected in Kiev in honor of St. Nicholas. The masters were invited from Europe.
Olga did not depart from state affairs, even when she handed over the reins of government to her son Svyatoslav. Since he was often on campaigns, the woman was still in charge of government. The princess was buried according to the Christian rite.
In 1547 the face of the saint equal to the apostles was added to the princess. Currently, Olga is revered as the patroness of widows, as well as newly converted Christians. The Orthodox Church celebrates her memory on July 11.
