About the origin of Olga in the annals, only vague traditions have been preserved. Some chroniclers believed that she was from Pskov, others took her out of Izborsk.
The accepted version is that her parents were ordinary people, and in her youth she herself worked as a carrier across the river, where Prince Igor, who hunted in those places, met her. A beautiful legend, preserved in later chronicles, tells us about the meeting of Igor and Olga.
Once young Igor had to hunt near Pskov. Once on the bank of the river, he could not cross to the other side, because he did not have a boat. And suddenly the prince saw a boat on the river, controlled by a certain young man. Igor called this young man and ordered him to be transported to the other side. Once in the boat, the prince suddenly realized that his carrier was not a young man at all, but a beautiful girl dressed in men's clothing- it was Olga. And the prince began to speak immodest speeches to her. But the girl firmly answered the prince: “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!
Ashamed, Igor stopped his speeches. When Igor returned to Kyiv, soon it was time for him to get married. It was then that the prince remembered the beauty and prudence of the Pskov girl and took her as his wife.
In 945, Prince Igor died at the hands of neighboring Drevlyans. Having killed Igor, the Drevlyans decided that now they are free from obligations to the Kyiv dynasty. Moreover, the Drevlyans began to claim the Kiev table - they demanded that Princess Olga marry the Drevlyan prince Mal. But it is characteristic that the Drevlyans, in accordance with Slavic traditions, tried to resolve the conflict with the Rus peacefully - they sent their ambassadors to Olga.
What happened next is well known from The Tale of Bygone Years. Olga cunningly lured two embassies of the Drevlyans into traps and brutally dealt with them. Then she appeared in the Drevlyane land and arranged a feast on the grave of her husband, to which she invited the Drevlyans. By order of Olga, her warriors first made the Drevlyans drunk, and then cut them with swords (“The Tale of Bygone Years” names the number of those killed - 5000 people).
The reign of Princess Olga under the young Svyatoslav was more successful than that of her husband Igor. Becoming the ruler of Kyiv, Olga domestic politics pursued a course towards even greater subordination of the Slavic tribes to the power of Kyiv. In 947, instead of polyudya, she established a fixed amount of tribute for the Drevlyans and Novgorodians, organizing tribute collection points - graveyards (places where the collectors stopped).
Olga contributed to the spread of Christianity in Rus'. In the mid-50s of the 10th century, Olga went to Byzantium with a large embassy. There she was baptized into the Christian faith, receiving the name of Helen in baptism. The Tale of Bygone Years describes the baptism of Princess Olga as follows. The Byzantine emperor, struck by the beauty and wisdom of Olga, wanted to marry her. “I am a pagan,” the Russian princess replied. “If you want to baptize me, then baptize me yourself, otherwise I won’t be baptized.”
The emperor granted Olga's wish, and then again offered to become his wife. Olga answered: “How do you want to take me when you yourself baptized me and called me daughter. But Christians don't allow it - you know yourself." And the emperor answered: "You outwitted me, Olga."
According to legend, the holy princess Olga came from the ancient Slavic family of Gostomysl, who once advised to call the Varangians to reign in Rus'. The name Olga was given to her by Prince Oleg, the guardian of Prince Igor (her future husband), instead of the Slavic name Beautiful. In 945, the Drevlyans killed Prince Igor, and the widow, according to pagan custom, cruelly avenged the death of her husband.
Having lost her husband, Princess Olga began to rule the country on her own, since her son Svyatoslav was only three years old. She was known as a wise and merciful ruler. 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. Princess Olga laid the foundation for stone urban planning in Rus' (the first stone buildings of Kiev - the city palace and Olga's country house), with attention to the improvement of the lands subject to Kiev - Novogorod, Pskov, located along the Desna River, etc.
In 945, Olga carried out major transformations in the administration of the principality - she established the exact amount of tribute levied in favor of Kiev (“polyudya”) - “lessons” (or “rents”) and the frequency of their collection (“charters”). The lands subject to Kyiv were divided into administrative units, in each of which a princely administrator (“tiun”) was appointed.
But grand duchess understood that the path to the future greatness of Rus' lies primarily through spiritual enlightenment.
Olga was baptized in Constantinople by Patriarch Theophylact, and Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus himself was her successor. The name of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Elena was given to the princess in baptism not for nothing: like the mother of the imp. Constantine, Empress Helena, who found the Holy Tree of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem, St. Olga brought with her to Kyiv the Holy Cross, carved from a single piece of the Tree of the Lord, on which was the inscription: “The Russian land was renewed with the Holy Cross, Olga, the blessed princess, accepted it.”
The newly enlightened princess erected in Rus' the churches of St. Nicholas and St. Sophia in Kyiv, the Annunciation of the Virgin in Vitebsk. On the Pskov River, where she was born, Olga, according to legend, founded the city of Pskov. On the site of the vision of three luminous rays from the sky, which the Grand Duchess was honored with in those parts, a temple of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity was erected.
However, the Byzantine Emperor refused to restore the metropolis in Kyiv, which existed under Askold. Then the enlightener of Rus' turned to the future founder of the German Empire, King Otto, with a request to send a mission to Kyiv. But the embassy of the Western Church was late. The son of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga, the young Prince Svyatoslav, a convinced pagan, supported the supporters of paganism in Kyiv. By his order, the nephew of Princess Gleb was killed and some churches erected by the Blessed Princess were destroyed. Saint Olga herself was forced to secretly keep a priest with her. Before her death, she predicted the imminent conversion of Rus' to Christianity and the tragic death of her son Svyatoslav.
Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga died on July 11, 969 in Kyiv, and the chronicler reports that “everyone wept for her with great weeping, her son and grandchildren and all the people.” Following the rules new faith, the princess, before her death, ordered her son not to perform a pagan funeral feast over her grave and to carry out a burial according to the Orthodox order.
Olga's grandson, the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, ordered that her relics be transferred to the Tithe Church of the Dormition in Kyiv.
In 1547, Olga, as the first Russian Christian ruler, was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as a Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles. The reign of Olga and her son Svyatoslav ended the 150-year existence of the pagan East Slavic state and prepared the entry into the history of the future Holy Rus'.
Dear bearers of the name Olga! Happy birthday to us! The only day of the year - July 24 - is the day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga, one of the brightest women of Ancient Rus'.
Princess Olga is especially revered in Pskov, who was first mentioned in chronicles at the beginning of the 10th century in connection with her marriage. Kyiv prince Igor on the Pskovite Olga.
In July 2003, on the day of the 1100th anniversary of Pskov, monuments to St. Olga were erected in the city.
1. Until now, there are disputes about the origin of the Grand Duchess. Normanists believe Olga is of Varangian blood. This assumption is based on the fact that her name corresponds to the Old Norse Helga. There is a version that Igor's wife was a Slav. Bulgarian scientists are sure that the saint is their compatriot. They translate the name of her hometown not as Pskov, but as Pliska, the ancient capital of Bulgaria.
2. According to the legend set forth in the Book of Powers, Olga and her future husband Igor met in a not very romantic setting. The prince hunted small homeland girls. He crossed the river, and the carrier was his betrothed, for some reason dressed in men's clothes. But Igor guessed what was what. And then he made an immodest proposal to a young Pskov woman. However, a fiasco awaited him. Olga reprimanded the young monarch: “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.” Soon it was time for the prince to look for a bride. Then he remembered the obstinate, but beloved by him Olga.
3. Igor's reign lasted 33 years. He would have stood at the head of Kievan Rus and beyond, but was killed by the Drevlyans. Olga avenged her husband. The position of the Drevlyans was aggravated by the fact that they offered the Grand Duchess to marry their leader Mal. First, on her orders, their ambassadors-matchmakers were buried alive. Then the second embassy was burned in the bathhouse while they were preparing to meet with the royal person. Then 5 thousand Drevlyans were literally chopped up during the celebration of the feast for Igor. Finally, in 946, Olga went on a campaign against her enemies. Their capital fell with the help of birds. Kievans tied a burning tow with sulfur to their paws.
4. Olga is the first Russian princess who converted to Christianity. Her baptism strengthened international position Rus'. After all, he Byzantine emperor Konstantin became her godfather. In baptism, she was named Helen. However, the Baptism of Rus' took place already 31 years later.
Grand Duchess Olga… Sung in chronicles and legends…
She was called differently: wise and holy, and even cunning. But the years of her reign are marked by great events that speak of this amazing woman as a person of a sharp mind, a warm heart, who knows how to justly punish and show mercy.
She came from the family of Gostomysl and lived in the Pskov region, in the small village of Vybuty. Her date of birth is approximately 890. The family of the future princess was pagan and descended from the dynasty of the Izborsk princes.
The legend tells of an unforgettable meeting between young Olga and her future husband, Prince Igor Rurikovich. The young prince was hunting in the Pskov lands, and he wanted to cross the Velikaya River. He saw someone in the boat and with an authoritative gesture beckoned to him.
Igor's surprise knew no bounds: his boatman turned out to be a girl of unprecedented beauty. As a true man, the prince wanted to seduce the girl, but in response he received a wise rebuke that, having taken the body, he would never receive the soul. And that it is easier to give oneself to the waters of the river than to lustful desire. “You are a prince,” Olga said, “if you, the ruler and judge, cannot restrain your impulses, then how will you curb others?”
Igor did not touch Olga. But her wisdom and beauty sunk into the heart. And when the time came to get married, all the beauties of the principality were called to Kyiv. But none of them pleased him. He sent his relative, Prince Oleg, to the Pskov lands. So Olga became Prince Igor's wife.
This marriage did not last long. When his son Svyatoslav was only three years old, Igor was killed by the Drevlyans. So Olga became the ruler with her young son.
She cruelly avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband, conquered them and imposed tribute. Under her rule, changes came to the Russian lands. She introduced "graveyards" - centers of trade, began urban planning - erected stone buildings, closely followed the improvement of Russian lands.
954 was a turning point in her life. Princess Olga went to Constantinople on a pilgrimage and on a diplomatic mission. Christian churches and shrines impressed the Grand Duchess so much that she decided to be baptized. At baptism, she was named Elena. Returning home, Olga initiated the construction of Christian churches.
She was loved by the people and feared by the enemies. She punished the bad and rewarded the good. Her soul was chaste, generous and merciful to those who needed her sympathy.
The Grand Duchess died on July 24, 969. Honors the memory of the Holy Princess Olga, who died in Christianity and bequeathed to bury her in a Christian way, on this day Orthodox Church and all Russian people.
The approximate date of Olga's birth is 894. Various chronicles do not give an unequivocal answer about its origin. Some sources say that Olga (Helga) comes from a family of Scandinavian princes, others say that Olga is the daughter of Prophetic Oleg. The chronicler Nestor, who wrote The Tale of Bygone Years, believes that Olga was born into a simple village family near Pskov.
According to some sources, Prince Igor, Olga's future husband, met her during a campaign, she helped him swim across the river. Igor saw all the beauty and wisdom of the future princess and brought her to Kyiv. Later, Igor married a girl. Chronicles note that at the time of her marriage, Olga had just turned 12 years old.
Olga showed herself not only as a caring wife, but also as a wonderful ruler. In the absence of Igor, while he was on campaigns, Olga resolved the political issues of the Kyiv state.
In 945, Igor was killed, and Princess Olga became regent for their young son Svyatoslav. In order to resolve the conflict and capture Kievan Rus, the Drevlyans sent 20 husbands to Olga, with an offer to marry Prince Mal. According to the chronicle, they were all buried alive.
Later, Olga herself turned to the Drevlyans with a request to send 20 husbands to her so that she would be met with honor on the Drevlyane land. However, the husbands who arrived were locked up in a bathhouse and burned. This was Olga's second revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband.
The military campaign of the princess against the Drevlyans was not successful. Despite the fact that many cities were captured, the city of Korosten could not be besieged. However, having demanded tribute from each yard for a trio of doves and sparrows, she tied tinder to their paws and the city was engulfed in fire.
After revenge, Olga took up internal politics states. Under her, the tax reform was transformed, which consisted in the fact that now "graveyards" (regions) had to pay "lessons" (a fixed tribute).
Olga's foreign policy also showed her wisdom. Business with other states was conducted not through military campaigns, but through diplomacy. Friendly relations were concluded with Byzantium and Germany.
Relations with other states, in particular with Byzantium, showed Olga that there is another true religion, unlike paganism - Christianity. In 957, Olga converted to Christianity and received the name Elena. Fascinated by the beauty of Olga, the emperor of Byzantium wanted to take her as his wife, but the princess of Kyiv managed to refuse, without hurting the feelings of the emperor.
Olga tried to convert her son to Orthodoxy, but her attempts were in vain, Svyatoslav remained a pagan. According to historians, Svyatoslav was afraid of the indignation of his squad and that is why he refused to accept Christianity.
Despite this, Olga's baptism made an indelible impression on her grandson Vladimir, who in 988 not only baptized himself, but also baptized all of Kievan Rus.
However, Olga did not live to see this event, she died in 969. And only in the middle of the 16th century, Princess Olga of Kiev was recognized as a saint.
