The reign of Princess Olga (briefly). Events during the reign of Olga

Vasilisa Ivanova

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The mysterious personality of Princess Olga gave rise to many legends and conjectures. Some historians represent her as a cruel Valkyrie, famous for centuries for her terrible revenge for the murder of her husband. Others draw the image of a gatherer of lands, a true Orthodox and saint.

Most likely, the truth lies in the middle. However, something else is interesting: what character traits and life events led this woman to rule the state? After all, almost unlimited power over men - the army was subordinate to the princess, there was not a single rebellion against her rule - not every woman is given. And the glory of Olga is difficult to underestimate: the saint is equal to the apostles, the only one from the Russian lands, is revered by both Christians and Catholics.

Olga's origin: fiction and reality

There are many versions of the origin of Princess Olga. The exact date of her birth is unclear, let's focus on official version- 920

It is also unknown about her parents. The earliest historical sources - "The Tale of Bygone Years" and "Book of Powers" (XVI century)- they say that Olga was from an humble family of Varangians who settled in the vicinity of Pskov (the village of Vybuty).

Later historical document "Typographic chronicle" (XV century) tells that the girl was the daughter of Prophetic Oleg, the tutor of her future husband, Prince Igor.

Some historians are sure of the noble Slavic origin of the future ruler, who originally bore the name of Beautiful. Others see her Bulgarian roots, allegedly Olga was the daughter of the pagan prince Vladimir Rasate.

Video: Princess Olga

The secret of Princess Olga's childhood is slightly revealed by her first appearance on stage. historical events at the time of meeting with Prince Igor.

The most beautiful legend about this meeting is described in the Book of Powers:

Prince Igor, who was crossing the river, saw a beautiful girl in the boatman. However, his harassment was immediately suppressed.

According to the legends, Olga answered: “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.”

From this story, we can conclude that, firstly, the future princess was very beautiful. Her charms were captured by some historians and painters: a young beauty with a graceful figure, cornflower blue eyes, dimples on her cheeks and a thick braid of straw hair. beautiful image the scientists who recreated the portrait of the princess according to her relics also turned out.

The second thing to note is the complete absence of frivolity and the bright mind of the girl, who at the time of the meeting with Igor was only 10-13 years old.

In addition, some sources indicate that the future princess was literate and knew several languages, which clearly does not correspond to her peasant roots.

Indirectly confirms the noble origin of Olga and the moment that the Rurikovichs wanted to strengthen their power, and they did not need a rootless marriage - and Igor had a wide choice. Prince Oleg had been looking for a bride for his mentor for a long time, but none of them forced the image of the obstinate Olga out of Igor's thoughts.

Olga: the image of the wife of Prince Igor

The union of Igor and Olga was quite prosperous: the prince made trips to neighboring lands, and his loving wife she was expecting her husband and managed the affairs of the principality.

Full trust in the pair is also confirmed by historians.

"Joachim Chronicle" says that "then Igor had other wives, but Olga, because of her wisdom, honored her more than others."

The only thing that marred the marriage was the absence of children. The prophetic Oleg, who made numerous human sacrifices to the pagan gods in the name of the birth of an heir to Prince Igor, died without waiting for a happy moment. With the death of Oleg, Princess Olga also lost her newborn daughter.

In the future, the loss of babies became habitual, all children did not live up to a year. Only after 15 years of marriage, the princess gave birth to a healthy, strong son, Svyatoslav.

Death of Igor: the terrible revenge of Princess Olga

The first act of Princess Olga in the role of a ruler, immortalized in the annals, is terrifying. The Drevlyans, who did not want to pay tribute, captured - and literally tore Igor's flesh, tying him to two bent young oaks.

By the way, such an execution was considered “privileged” in those days.

At one point, Olga became a widow, the mother of a 3-year-old heir - and in fact the ruler of the state.

Princess Olga meets the body of Prince Igor. Sketch, Vasily Ivanovich Surikov

The extraordinary mind of the woman manifested itself here too, she immediately surrounded herself with confidants. Among them was the governor Sveneld, who enjoys authority in the princely squad. The army unquestioningly obeyed the princess, and this was necessary for her revenge for her dead husband.

20 ambassadors of the Drevlyans, who arrived to woo Olga for their lord, were first honorably carried in a boat in their arms, and then with her - and buried alive. The ardent hatred of the woman was evident.

Bending over the pit, Olga asked the unfortunates: “Is honor good for you?”

This did not end, and the princess demanded more noble matchmakers. Having heated a bathhouse for them, the princess ordered them to be burned. After such impudent deeds, Olga was not afraid of revenge against her, and went to the lands of the Drevlyans to perform a feast on the grave of her deceased husband. Having drunk 5 thousand enemy soldiers during a pagan ritual, the princess ordered them all to be killed.

Further - worse, and the vengeful widow besieged the Drevlyan capital Iskorosten. After waiting for the surrender of the city all summer, and losing her patience, Olga Once again resorted to trickery. Having asked for a "light" tribute - 3 sparrows from each house - the princess ordered burning branches to be tied to the paws of birds. The birds flew to their nests - and as a result, they burned the whole city.

At first, it would seem that such cruelty speaks of the inadequacy of a woman, even taking into account the loss of her beloved husband. However, it should be understood that in those days, the more violent the revenge, the more respected the new ruler.

With her cunning and cruel act, Olga established her power in the army and achieved the respect of the people, refusing to remarry.

Wise ruler of Kievan Rus

The threat of the Khazars from the south and the Varangians from the north required the strengthening of princely power. Olga, having traveled even to her distant destinies, divided the lands into plots, established a clear procedure for collecting tribute and put her people in charge, thereby preventing the indignation of the people.

This decision was prompted by the experience of Igor, whose squads robbed according to the principle "as much as they can carry."

It was for her ability to govern the state and prevent problems that Princess Olga was popularly called wise.

Although the son of Svyatoslav was considered the official ruler, Princess Olga herself was in charge of the actual administration of Russia. Svyatoslav followed in the footsteps of his father, and was engaged exclusively in military activities.

In foreign policy, Princess Olga faced a choice between the Khazars and the Varangians. However, the wise woman chose her own path, and turned towards Constantinople (Constantinople). The Greek direction of foreign policy aspirations was beneficial to Kievan Rus: trade developed, and people exchanged cultural values.

Having stayed in Constantinople for about 2 years, the Russian princess was most of all struck by the rich decoration of Byzantine churches and the luxury of stone buildings. Upon returning to her homeland, Olga will begin the widespread construction of stone palaces and churches, including in Novgorod and Pskov possessions.

She was the first to build a city palace in Kyiv and her own country tower.

Baptism and Politics: All for the Good of the State

Olga was persuaded to Christianity by a family tragedy: pagan gods for a long time did not want to give her a healthy baby.

One of the legends says that in painful dreams the princess saw all the Drevlyans killed by her.

Realizing her craving for Orthodoxy, and realizing that it is beneficial for Rus', Olga decided to be baptized.

IN "Tales of Bygone Years" the story is described when Emperor Konstantin Porphyrogenitus, captivated by the beauty and mind of the Russian princess, offered her a hand and a heart. Again resorting to female cunning, Olga asked the Byzantine emperor to participate in the baptism, and after the ceremony (the princess was named Elena) she declared the impossibility of marriage between the godfather and goddaughter.

However, this story is more likely a folk fiction, according to some sources, at that time the woman was already over 60 years old.

Be that as it may, Princess Olga got herself a powerful ally without transgressing the limits of her own freedom.

Soon the emperor wanted to confirm the friendship between the states in the form of troops sent from Rus'. The ruler refused - and sent ambassadors to the rival of Byzantium, the king of the German lands, Otto I. Such a political step showed the whole world the independence of the princess from any - even great - patrons. Friendship with the German king did not work out, Otto, who arrived in Kievan Rus, hastily fled, realizing the pretense of the Russian princess. And soon Russian squads went to Byzantium to the new emperor Roman II, but already as a sign of the goodwill of the ruler Olga.

Sergei Kirillov. Duchess Olga. Baptism of Olga

Returning to her homeland, Olga met with fierce resistance to the change of her religion from her own son. Svyatoslav "ridiculed" Christian rituals. At that time, in Kyiv there was already Orthodox Church, however, almost the entire population was pagan.

Olga needed wisdom at that moment too. She managed to remain a believing Christian and a loving mother. Svyatoslav remained a pagan, although in the future he treated Christians quite tolerantly.

In addition, having avoided a split in the country by not imposing her faith on the population, the princess at the same time brought the moment of the baptism of Rus' closer.

Princess Olga's legacy

Before her death, the princess, complaining about her illnesses, was able to draw her son's attention to internal management principality besieged by the Pechenegs. Svyatoslav, who had just returned from the Bulgarian military campaign, postponed a new campaign to Pereyaslavets.

Princess Olga died at the age of 80, leaving her son a strong country and a powerful army. The woman took communion from her priest Gregory and forbade holding a pagan funeral feast. The funeral took place Orthodox rite burials in the ground.

Already the grandson of Olga, Prince Vladimir transferred her relics to the new Kyiv church of the Holy Mother of God.

According to the words recorded by the eyewitness of those events, the monk Jacob, the body of the woman remained incorrupt.

History does not provide us with clear facts confirming the special holiness of a great woman, with the exception of her incredible devotion to her husband. However, Princess Olga was revered by the people, and various miracles were attributed to her relics.

In 1957, Olga was named Equal-to-the-Apostles, her holiness life was equated with the life of the apostles.

Now St. Olga is revered as the patroness of widows and the protector of newly converted Christians.

Road to glory: Olga's lessons to our contemporaries

Analyzing the scarce and diverging information of historical documents, one can draw certain conclusions. This woman was not a "vengeful monster". Her horrific deeds at the beginning of her reign were dictated solely by the traditions of that time and the strength of the widow's grief.

Although it cannot be written off that only a very strong-willed woman can do this.

Princess Olga was undoubtedly great woman, and reached the heights of power, thanks to her analytical mindset and wisdom. Not afraid of change and having prepared a reliable rear of loyal comrades-in-arms, the princess was able to avoid a split in the state - and did a lot for its prosperity.

At the same time, a woman never betrayed her own principles and did not allow her own freedom to be infringed.

July 24(July 11 O.S.) The Church honors the memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, named Elena in holy baptism. The Holy Princess Olga ruled the Old Russian state from 945 to 960 as a regent for her young son Svyatoslav, after the death of her husband, Kyiv prince Igor Rurikovich. Olga was the first of the rulers of Rus' to accept Christianity. Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga is prayed for the strengthening of the Christian faith and for the deliverance of the state from enemies. Saint Olga is also revered as the patroness of widows.

Life of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga

Chronicles do not report the year of Olga's birth, however, the later Book of Degrees states 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 specifies that Olga was 10 years old at the time of marriage. Based on this, many scientists calculated the date of her birth - 893. The prologue life of the princess claims that at the time of her death she was 75 years old. Thus, Olga was born in 894. But this date is called into question by the date of birth of Olga's eldest son, Svyatoslav (c. 938-943), since Olga at the time of her son's birth should have been 45-50 years old, which seems unlikely. Looking at the fact that Svyatoslav Igorevich was the eldest son of Olga, a researcher of Slavic culture and history Ancient Rus' B.A. 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. Karpov in his monograph "Princess Olga" claims 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 gives birth to her eldest son in 942. The Tale of Bygone Years names the name of the future enlightener of Rus' and her homeland in the description of the marriage of the Kyiv prince Igor:

And they brought him a wife from Pskov, named Olga.

The Joachim Chronicle specifies that she belonged to the family of the princes of Izborsk, one of the ancient Russian princely dynasties.

Igor's wife was called the Varangian name Helga, in Russian pronunciation Olga (Volga). Tradition calls the birthplace of Olga the village of Vybuty not far from Pskov, up the Velikaya River. The life of St. Olga tells that here for the first time she met her future husband. The young prince was hunting on the Pskov land and, wishing to cross the Velikaya River, he saw "a certain person floating in a boat" and called him to the shore. Having sailed from the shore in a boat, the prince found that he was being carried by a girl of amazing beauty. Igor was inflamed with lust for her and began to incline her to sin. Olga turned out to be not only beautiful, but chaste and smart. She shamed Igor, reminding him of the princely dignity of the ruler:

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 broke up with her, keeping in mind her words and beautiful image. When it came time to choose a bride, the most beautiful girls principalities. But none of them pleased him. And then he remembered Olga and sent Prince Oleg after her. So Olga became the wife of Prince Igor, the Grand Russian Duchess.

In 942, a son, Svyatoslav, was born into the family of Prince Igor. In 945, Igor was killed by the Drevlyans after repeatedly exacting tribute from them. Fearing revenge for the murder of the Kyiv prince, the Drevlyans sent envoys to Princess Olga, offering her to marry their ruler Mal (d. 946). Olga pretended to agree. By cunning, she lured two embassies of the Drevlyans to Kyiv, betraying them to a painful death: the first was buried alive "in the prince's courtyard", the second was burned in a bathhouse. After that, five thousand Drevlyansky men were killed by Olga's soldiers at the funeral feast for Igor near the walls of the Drevlyan capital Iskorosten. The next year, Olga again approached Iskorosten with an army. The city was burned with the help of birds, to whose feet a burning tow was tied. The surviving Drevlyans were captured and sold into slavery.

Along with this, the chronicles are full of evidence of her tireless "walking" on the Russian land in order to build the political and economic life of the country. She achieved the strengthening of the power of the Kyiv Grand Duke, centralized public administration with the help of the "pogost" system. The chronicle notes that she, with her son and a retinue, passed through the Drevlyansk land, setting tributes and dues, marking villages and camps and hunting grounds to be included in the Kyiv grand-princely possessions. She went to Novgorod, arranging graveyards along the rivers Msta and Luga. Life tells about the works of Olga:

And Princess Olga ruled the regions of the Russian land subject to her not as a woman, but as a strong and reasonable husband, firmly holding power in her hands and courageously defending herself from enemies. And she was terrible for the latter, loved by her own people, as a merciful and pious ruler, as a righteous judge and offending no one, imposing punishment with mercy and rewarding the good; she inspired fear in all the evil, rewarding each in proportion to the dignity of his deeds, in all matters of management she showed foresight and wisdom. At the same time, Olga, merciful at heart, was generous to the poor, the poor and the needy; fair requests soon reached her heart, and she quickly fulfilled them ... With all this, Olga combined a temperate and chaste life, she did not want to remarry, but remained in pure widowhood, observing her son until the days of age his princely power. When the latter matured, she handed over to him all the affairs of government, and she herself, having abstained from rumors and care, lived outside the cares of management, indulging in the deeds of charity..

Rus' grew and strengthened. Cities were built surrounded by stone and oak walls. The princess herself lived behind the reliable walls of Vyshgorod, surrounded by a faithful retinue. Two-thirds of the tribute collected, according to the chronicle, she gave at the disposal of the Kyiv Council, the third part went "to Olga, to Vyshgorod" - to the military structure. The establishment of the first state borders of Kievan Rus belongs to the time of Olga. Heroic outposts, sung in epics, guarded the peaceful life of the people of Kiev from the nomads Great Steppe, from attacks from the West. Foreigners rushed to Gardarika, as they called Rus', with goods. Scandinavians, Germans willingly entered into mercenaries in Russian army. Rus' became a great power. But Olga understood that it was not enough to worry only about state and economic life. It was necessary to take care of the organization of the religious, spiritual life of the people. The Power Book writes:

Her feat was that she learned true God. Not knowing the Christian law, she lived a pure and chaste life, and she wished to be a Christian of her own free will, with the eyes of her heart she found the path of knowing God and followed it without hesitation..

Reverend Nestor the Chronicler(c. 1056-1114) tells:

Blessed Olga from an early age sought wisdom, what is the best in this world, and found a valuable pearl- Christ.

Grand Duchess Olga, having entrusted Kyiv to her grown son, set off with large fleet to Constantinople. Old Russian chroniclers will call this act of Olga "walking", it combined both a religious pilgrimage, a diplomatic mission, and a demonstration of the military might of Rus'. " Olga wanted to go to the Greeks herself in order to see with her own eyes the Christian service and be fully convinced of their teaching about the true God.”, - tells the life of St. Olga. According to the chronicle, in Constantinople Olga decides to become a Christian. The Sacrament of Baptism was performed over her by the Patriarch of Constantinople Theophylact (917-956), and the emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus (905-959), who left in his essay “On the Ceremonies of the Byzantine Court” detailed description ceremonies during Olga's stay in Constantinople. At one of the receptions, the Russian princess was presented with a golden, decorated precious stones dish. Olga donated it to the sacristy of Hagia Sophia, where he was seen and described at the beginning of the 13th century by Russian diplomat Dobrynya Yadreykovich, later Archbishop Anthony of Novgorod (d. 1232): “ A dish of great gold service to Olga the Russian, when she took tribute when she went to Constantinople: in Olga's dish is a precious stone, Christ is written on the same stone". The Patriarch blessed the newly baptized Russian princess with a cross carved from a single piece of the Life-Giving Tree of the Lord. On the cross was the inscription:

The Russian land was renewed with the Holy Cross, which was received by Olga, the noble princess.

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 the Kyiv and Pskov lands, in remote villages, at crossroads, she erected crosses, destroying pagan idols. Princess Olga laid the foundation for a special reverence in Rus' Holy Trinity. From century to century, the story of a vision that she had near the Velikaya River, not far from her native village, was transmitted. She saw that "three bright rays" were descending from the sky from the east. Addressing her companions, who were witnesses of the vision, Olga said prophetically:

May it be known to you that by the will of God there will be a church in this place in the name of the Most Holy and Life-Giving Trinity, and there will be a great and glorious city here, abounding in everything.

On this place Olga erected a cross and founded a temple in the name of the Holy Trinity. It became the main cathedral of Pskov. On May 11, 960, the Church of Hagia Sophia of the Wisdom of God was consecrated in Kyiv. The main shrine of the temple was the cross received by Olga at Baptism in Constantinople. In the Prologue of the 13th century, it is said about Olga's cross:

Izhe now stands in Kyiv in Hagia Sophia in the altar on the right side.

After the conquest of Kyiv by the Lithuanians, Holgin's cross was stolen from Sophia Cathedral and taken by the Catholics to Lublin. His further fate is unknown. At that time, the pagans looked with hope at the growing Svyatoslav, who resolutely rejected his mother's persuasion to accept Christianity. " Tale of Bygone Years' says this about it:

Olga lived with her son Svyatoslav, and persuaded his mother to be baptized, but he neglected this and plugged his ears; however, if someone wanted to be baptized, he did not forbid him, nor mocked him ... Olga often said: “My son, I have known God and rejoice; so you too, if you know, you will also begin to rejoice.” He, not listening to this, said: “How can I want to change my faith alone? My warriors will laugh at this! She told him: “If you are baptized, everyone will do the same.

He, not listening to his mother, lived according to pagan customs. In 959 a German chronicler wrote: The ambassadors of Elena, the queen of the Russians, who was baptized in Constantinople, came to the king and asked him to consecrate a bishop and priests for this people". King Otto, the future founder of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, responded to Olga's request. A year later, Libutius, from the monastery of St. Alban in Mainz, was appointed Bishop of Russia, but he soon died. Adalbert of Trier was consecrated in his place, whom Otto finally sent to Russia. When in 962 Adalbert appeared in Kyiv, 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, and the bishop himself did not escape mortal danger”, - this is how the chronicles tell about the mission of Adalbert. The pagan reaction manifested itself so strongly that not only the German missionaries suffered, but also some of the Kyiv Christians who were baptized along with Olga. By order of Svyatoslav, Olga's nephew Gleb was killed and some churches built by her were destroyed. Princess Olga had to come to terms with what had happened and go into matters of personal piety, leaving control to the pagan Svyatoslav. Of course, she was still reckoned with, her experience and wisdom were invariably referred to in all important cases. When Svyatoslav left Kyiv, the administration of the state was entrusted to Princess Olga.

Svyatoslav defeated the old enemy of the Russian state - the Khazar Khaganate. The next blow was dealt to Volga Bulgaria, then came the turn of the Danube Bulgaria - eighty cities were taken by Kyiv warriors along the Danube. Svyatoslav and his soldiers personified the heroic spirit pagan Rus'. Chronicles have preserved the words Svyatoslav, surrounded with his retinue by a huge Greek army:

Let's not disgrace the Russian land, but let's lie down with bones here! The dead have no shame!

While in Kyiv, Princess Olga taught her grandchildren, the children of Svyatoslav, the Christian faith, but did not dare to baptize them, fearing the wrath of her son. In addition, he hindered her attempts to establish Christianity in Rus'. In 968 Kyiv was besieged by the Pechenegs. Princess Olga with her grandchildren, among whom was Prince Vladimir, ended up in mortal danger. When the news of the siege reached Svyatoslav, he hurried to help, and the Pechenegs were put to flight. Princess Olga, already seriously ill, asked her son not to leave until her death. She did not lose hope to turn her son's heart to God, and on her deathbed she did not stop preaching: Why do you leave me, my son, and where are you going? Looking for someone else's, to whom do you entrust yours? After all, Your children are still small, and I am already old, and sick, - I expect an early death - a departure to the beloved Christ, in whom I believe; now I don’t worry about anything, but about you: I regret that although I taught a lot and urged me to leave idol wickedness, to believe in the true God that I knew, and you neglect this, and I know what your disobedience is a bad end awaits you on earth, and after death - eternal torment prepared for the pagans. Fulfill now at least this one of mine last request: do not go anywhere until I pass away and be buried; then go wherever you want. After my death, do nothing that requires in such cases. pagan custom; but let my presbyter with the clergy bury my body according to the Christian custom; do not dare to pour a grave mound over me and make funeral feasts; but send gold to Tsargrad to His Holiness the Patriarch so that he makes a prayer and an offering to God for my soul and distributes alms to the poor». « Hearing this, Svyatoslav wept bitterly and promised to fulfill everything bequeathed by her, refusing only to accept the holy faith. After three days, blessed Olga fell into extreme exhaustion; she partook of the Divine Mysteries of the Most Pure Body and the Life-Giving Blood of Christ our Savior; all the time she was in fervent prayer to God and to the Most Pure Theotokos, whom she always, according to God, had as her helper; she called all the saints; Blessed Olga prayed with particular zeal for the enlightenment of the Russian land after her death; seeing the future, she repeatedly predicted that God would enlighten the people of the Russian land and many of them would be great saints; Blessed Olga prayed for the speedy fulfillment of this prophecy at her death. And another prayer was on her lips, when her honest soul was released from the body and, as a righteous one, was received by the hands of God.". The date of the death of Princess Olga is July 11, 969. Princess Olga was buried according to Christian custom. In 1007, her grandson Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavichokolo (960-1015) transferred the relics of the saints, including Olga, to the Church of the Virgin in Kyiv, which he founded.

Veneration of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga

Probably, 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 (Old Style). Under Grand Duke Vladimir, the relics of St. Olga were transferred to the Tithe Church of the Assumption Holy Mother of God and placed in a sarcophagus. There was a window in the church wall above the tomb of St. Olga; and if someone came to the relics with faith, he saw the relics through the window, and some saw the radiance emanating from them, and many sick people were healed. The prophecy of the Holy Princess Olga about the death of her son Svyatoslav came true. He, according to the chronicle, was killed by the Pecheneg prince Kurei (tenth century), who cut off the head of Svyatoslav and made a cup out of the skull, bound it with gold and drank from it during feasts. The prayerful labors and deeds of St. Olga confirmed the greatest deed of her grandson St. Vladimir - the Baptism of Rus'. In 1547 Olga was canonized as a saint Equal-to-the-Apostles.

The main information about 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. According to the Joachim Chronicle, Olga's original name is Beautiful. 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 the son of Prince Igor both from Olga and from another wife, since the same chronicle reports that Igor had other wives. Orthodox faith Gleba testifies in favor of the fact that he was younger son Olga. The medieval Czech historian Tomas Peshina, in his work in Latin “Mars Moravicus” (1677), spoke about a certain Russian prince Oleg, who became (940) the last king of Moravia and was expelled from there by the Hungarians in 949. According to Tomas Peshina, this Oleg of Moravia was Olga’s brother. The existence of Olga's blood relative, calling him anepsia (meaning nephew or cousin), was mentioned by Konstantin Porphyrogenitus in the list of her retinue during his visit to Constantinople in 957.

Troparion and kontakion to the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga

Troparion, tone 1

Krill of God-reason, fixing your mind, you flew up above the visible creatures, seeking God and the Creator of all kinds. And having found that, thou hast accepted the packs of debauchery by baptism. And enjoying the tree of the animal cross of Christ, you remain incorruptible forever, always glorious.

Kontakion, tone 4

Let us sing today the Benefactor of all God, who glorified God-wise Olga in Rus'. And by her prayers, Christ, grant forgiveness to our souls of sins.

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Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga. Icons

On the icons, the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga is depicted full-length or waist-high. She is dressed in royal clothes, her head is decorated with a princely crown. IN right hand Holy Princess Olga Vladimir holds a cross - a symbol of faith, as the moral foundation of the state, or a scroll.

Temples in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga

In the north-west of Rus' there was a churchyard of Holguin Krest. It was here, as chronicle sources say, that Princess Olga came in 947 to collect taxes. In memory of her amazing rescue while crossing the rapids and ice-free Narova, Princess Olga put up a wooden, and then a stone cross. In the tract Holgin Cross there were local revered shrines - a temple in the name of St. Nicholas, built in the 15th century, a stone cross, established, according to legend, in the 10th century by Princess Olga. Later, the cross was built into the wall of the church of St. Nicholas. In 1887, the temple was supplemented with a chapel in the name of the Holy Princess Olga. St. Nicholas Church was blown up in 1944 by the retreating German troops.

In Kyiv on Trekhsvyatitelskaya street (street of Victims of the Revolution) until the 30s. 20th century there was a church in the name of three saints - Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. It was built in the early 80s. XII century by Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich in the princely court and consecrated in 1183. The church had a chapel in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga.

In the Church of the Assumption from the ferry (from Paromeny) in Pskov, a chapel was consecrated in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga. The church was put on the site of an earlier one, built in 1444. Since 1938, the church has not operated, in 1994 worship was resumed in it.

In the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, a church of the same faith was consecrated in Ulyanovsk. The church was built in 1196.

In the city of Ulyanovsk there is a common faith church of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Folk memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga

In Pskov, there is the Olginskaya embankment, the Olginskiy bridge, the Olginskaya chapel, as well as two monuments to the princess. Monuments to the saint were erected in Kyiv and Korosten, as well as the figure of Olga is present on the monument "Millennium of Russia" in Veliky Novgorod. In honor of the Holy Princess Olga, Olga Bay is named Sea of ​​Japan and an urban-type settlement in Primorsky Krai. Streets in Kyiv and Lvov are named after St. Olga. Also in the name of St. Olga, the following orders were established: Badge of distinction of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga (established by Emperor Nicholas II in 1915); "Order of Princess Olga" ( state award Ukraine since 1997); Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga (ROC).

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga. Paintings

Many painters addressed the image of the Holy Princess Olga and her life in their works, among them V.K. Sazonov (1789–1870), B.A. Chorikov (1802–1866), V.I. Surikov (1848–1916), N.A. Bruni (1856–1935), N.K. Roerich (1874–1947), M.V. Nesterov (1862–1942) and others.

The image of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga in art

Many literary works are dedicated to the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga, these are “Princess Olga” (A.I. Antonov), “Olga, Queen of the Rus” (B. Vasiliev), “I know God!” (S.T. Alekseev), "The Great Princess Elena-Olga" (M. Apostolov) and others. Such works as “The Legend of Princess Olga” (directed by Yuri Ilyenko), “The Saga of the Ancient Bulgars. The Tale of Olga the Holy ”(director Bulat Mansurov) and others.

Ancient chronicles give conflicting information about the place and date of Olga's birth, whether she comes from a princely family or she is of an humble family, and disputes about this are still going on. Someone calls her the daughter of Prince Oleg the Prophetic, other sources believe that her family comes from Bulgaria from Prince Boris. The famous Nestor in The Tale of Bygone Years indicates Olga's homeland in a village near Pskov, and that she is from the common people.

Also, in the biography of Princess Olga, only brief information has been preserved.

According to one of the legends, Prince Igor Rurikovich met Olga in the forest when he was having fun hunting. Deciding to cross the river, he asked Olga, who was passing by on a boat, to transport him, mistaking her for a young man. The girl turned out to be very beautiful, smart and pure thoughts. Later, Prince Igor married Olga.

Princess Olga of Kiev proved to be a very wise ruler in Rus'. During the military campaigns of Prince Igor, she dealt with political issues, received ambassadors, dealt with complainants, governors, combatants. Prince Igor and Princess Olga were not only a happy married couple, but also ruled the country together, sharing managerial responsibilities.

Igor led the war and resolved tribal issues, and Olga was engaged in inner life countries.

In 945, Prince Igor was killed by the Drevlyans for the repeated collection of tribute. Princess Olga cruelly took revenge on the rebels, showing cunning and strong will.

To settle the matter with Olga, the Drevlyans sent 20 husbands to her with an offer to marry their prince Mal. By Olga's order, they were met and carried with honor right in the boats, and at the place of arrival they were thrown into a pit prepared in advance and buried alive.

Then Princess Olga sent her ambassadors to the Drevlyane land with a demand to send for her best husbands to come to them with great honor. The bathhouse was flooded for the new ambassadors, where they were locked up and then burned.

And again Olga sent ambassadors and demanded that honey be prepared in order to celebrate a feast at her husband's grave. The princess arrived with a small retinue. During the feast, the Drevlyans became drunk, and Olga's squad cut them down with swords.

But the revenge of Princess Olga on the Drevlyans did not end there. She gathered an army and the next year went to the Drevlyansk land. The Drevlyans were defeated, but their main city, Korosten, was not taken.

Then Olga demanded tribute from them in the amount of three doves and three sparrows from each yard. The besieged inhabitants of the city were delighted with such a small payment and fulfilled her desire. Olga ordered the soldiers to tie pieces of tinder (tinder is a flammable material such as grass, sawdust, bark, paper) to the legs of the birds and release them into the wild. The birds flew to their nests, and soon Korosten was on fire. People who fled the city were killed or enslaved, and heavy tribute was imposed on the rest.

Having pacified the Drevlyans, Grand Duchess Olga actively engaged in tax reform. She abolished polyudia, divided the lands into "graveyards" (regions) and established "lessons" (a fixed amount of tax) for each graveyard. The meaning of the reforms of Princess Olga was to create an orderly system of tribute collection, weakening tribal power and strengthening the authority of the Kyiv prince.

Princess Olga's son Svyatoslav was still small after the death of Prince Igor, so power was concentrated in Olga's hands. And then Olga's reign in Rus' continued, because. Svyatoslav very often went on military campaigns.

Under Princess Olga, the first stone structures began to be built in Kyiv, new cities appeared, surrounded by strong stone walls.

The foreign policy of Princess Olga was carried out not by military methods, but by diplomacy. She strengthened international connections with Germany and Byzantium.

Relations with Greece revealed to Olga how much the Christian faith is higher than the pagan one. In 957, she undertook a trip to Constantinople to be baptized by Emperor Constantine VII himself (although some sources speak of his co-ruler Roman II) and Patriarch Theophylact. At baptism, the Kiev princess received the name Elena.

The Byzantine emperor, fascinated by the beauty and intelligence of the Russian princess, decided to marry her. Olga, true to her memory of her husband, managed to reject the proposal without offending the emperor.

Olga's attempts to convert her son Svyatoslav to Orthodoxy were unsuccessful, apparently because Svyatoslav was afraid of losing the authority and respect of his squad, although he did not prevent others from converting to Christianity.

The baptism of Princess Olga did not lead to the establishment of Christianity in Rus', but she big influence on the grandson of Vladimir, who continued her work.

Princess Olga died in 969 in Kyiv. And only in 1547 she was recognized as a saint.

In fact, one can only talk about the biography of Princess Olga with a stretch - very little is known about the circumstances of the life of the first Russian ruler. Now it is customary to praise her for Christian missionary work. But this fact at that time had almost no significance for the life of the state, but Olga's presence of cunning, intelligence and prudent cruelty had a great deal.

Prince Igor and Olga

Olga's year of birth and origin are unknown. Pskov is most often referred to as her homeland, but Olga was clearly not a Slav (Olga (Helga) is a Scandinavian name). There are no contradictions here. There are many options for the year of birth, from 893 to 928, and all are based on scarce data from written sources.

The same goes for origin. The most common option - Olga was the daughter of the minor Vikings. A more "patriotic" version - she came from a noble Slavic family, had a local name, and received a Scandinavian name from Prince Oleg, who decided to make her his daughter-in-law. There is also an assumption that Oleg was Olga's father. It is accompanied by the version that prophetic prince he himself wanted to marry a smart Pskov woman, but abandoned this idea because of the huge difference in age.

The marriage of Olga and Igor, according to the most common version, took place in 903, and the bride was either 10 or 12 years old. But this version is often questioned.

According to the Life, Prince Igor met Olga by chance, on a hunt, began to persuade her to lust, but the girl shamed him. Subsequently, when choosing a bride, Igor remembered her and decided that he could not find a better wife.

The statement accepted by many historians that Svyatoslav (the future prince) was Olga's eldest child also looks strange. Yes, older children are not mentioned in the sources. But girls are rarely mentioned there, and the infant mortality rate in those days easily reached ¾ of the number of births. So Svyatoslav could easily be the first survivor, or even the first surviving boy, and have half a dozen older sisters.

Olga, Princess of Kyiv

But the fact is not disputed that in 945, when Igor was greedy, Svyatoslav "could hardly throw a spear between horse ears", that is, he was no older than 7-8 years. Therefore, Olga became the de facto ruler of the Russian state.

The terrible revenge on the Drevlyans described in The Tale of Bygone Years is almost certainly fiction, and so much the better. But the fact remains that Olga managed to achieve the subordination of the tribal princes to the central government - they recognized her authority, and for some time internecine skirmishes ceased. The Kyiv princess should also be credited with the tax reform, which established the exact amount of tribute, the places and terms of its payment - Olga drew the right conclusions from the fate of her husband.

The fact is and . The international trade agreements concluded by her are recorded (usually the extension of those already concluded by her husband, but this is also important), as well as a visit to Byzantium (approximately in 955). Relations with this powerful empire meant a lot to Rus', and Byzantine sources give Olga brilliant characteristics.

The princess continued to engage in domestic politics even when her son "entered the age." Svyatoslav was almost never at home and was only interested in the war. Therefore, Olga was his co-ruler until her death in 968.

Baptism of Princess Olga

Holy Princess Olga became the first ruler in Rus' to accept Christianity. For her great merits in spreading the faith in Christ, the Church recognizes her Equal to the Apostles. The ruler was baptized during her stay in Byzantium. According to The Tale of Bygone Years, Princess Olga was baptized in Constantinople in 955, and Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (who, according to the same Tale) even wanted to marry her became her godfather. At the same time, many historians believe that in fact the baptism took place in 957, and Emperor Roman II, son of Constantine, baptized Olga.

It is noteworthy that the Holy Princess Olga is revered not only by all Orthodox, but also by Catholics.

Princess Olga began to rule the ancient Russian state after tragic death her husband - Prince Igor of Kyiv, who was brutally dealt with by the Drevlyans for arbitrariness in the collection of tribute.

The young state, brought together by Prophetic Oleg, was separate lands subordinate to his sword, where various East Slavic, Finno-Ugric and other tribes lived. Their tribute to Kyiv formally meant that a new political system of power had emerged in Rus', but the mechanism of interaction between the center and individual territories had not yet taken shape. Kievan Rus of the 10th century occupied a huge space, where many volosts were ruled by local princes, although they recognized the supreme power of Kyiv, but continued to live according to their own laws.

Having become the ruler under the young heir Svyatoslav, Olga was able to force the princely squad, led by the powerful governor Sveneld, to serve herself. With his help, she brutally suppressed the rebellion of the Drevlyans, destroying virtually the entire tribal elite and the elders of this tribe. Having shown the strength of the central government, she made a detour of her lands and took up their "dispensation". The organization by Olga of graveyards to collect tribute and the establishment by her of "lessons" - a certain amount of payments from the population - became the first manifestation of the institution state power as such.

Olga's reign differed sharply from the previous ones: chronicle stories about the reign of the Prophetic Oleg and Prince Igor are filled with reports of conquests and numerous wars. Olga, on the other hand, adhered to a peaceful foreign policy. In her time, silence and peace reigned on the Russian land. Having made a trip to the Drevlyans, the princess took up the internal arrangement of the country. The state received a peaceful respite for almost twenty years, which contributed to its economic strengthening. Having accepted holy baptism in Constantinople, Princess Olga became the "forerunner of Christianity" in Rus'. Her attempts to spread Orthodoxy in her own country were unsuccessful, but they paved the way for the subsequent baptism of the entire Russian land.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

  945 The murder of Prince Igor by the Drevlyans. Beginning of Olga's reign in Kievan Rus.

  946 spring- The arrival of the Drevlyansk ambassadors to Kyiv with the intention of wooing Olga for Prince Mal. Olga's massacre with the Drevlyansk embassy.

  946 summer- Arrival in Kyiv to Olga of the "best husbands" of the Drevlyane land. The burning of the Drevlyansk matchmakers on the orders of Olga.

  946 end of summer- Olga's third revenge on the Drevlyans. The murder of representatives of the Drevlyansk clans during the funeral feast for Igor.

  946 The campaign of the Kyiv army, led by the governor Sveneld, together with Princess Olga and Prince Svyatoslav, to the Drevlyane land. Siege, capture and burning of Iskorosten. Murder of city elders. The end of the war with the Drevlyans. The imposition of "tribute heavy" on them.

  947 Detour by Princess Olga of the volosts of Kievan Rus. Establishment of graveyards and camps for collecting tribute in the Meta and Luga basin and along the Dnieper and Desna. Determination of a fixed amount of tribute from subject tribes.

  Middle of the 10th century The resettlement of the Polovtsy in the steppes of the Black Sea and the Caucasus.

  Middle of the 10th century Accession to the Kyiv Principality of the land of Tivertsy.

  Middle of the 10th century Separation of the Principality of Polotsk.

  Middle of the 10th century The first mention in the annals of Vyshgorod is a city north of Kyiv.

  2nd floor 10th century Formation of the Vladimir-Volyn principality.

  954 Participation of the Byzantines (together with the Russians) in the battle of Al-Hadas.

  955 Annalistic reference to Olga's journey to Constantinople. Adoption Kievan princess Olga of baptism (with the name Elena).

  957 September 9- Reception of Princess Olga in Constantinople by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus.

  959 autumn- The message of the German chronicle about the embassy of Princess Olga to the German king Otto I with a request to send a Catholic bishop to the Russian land.