Duchess Olga

Princess Olga was born in the present Pskov region, in the family of ordinary people. She was the wife of Prince Igor. According to one information, Olga married in less than fifteen years. With his future wife, Igor met on the hunt and was captivated by her beauty and intelligence. In the annals it is stated that the princess Olga was the prince's only wife, despite the polygamy permitted at that time.

According to some reports, the future ruler of Russia bore the name of Beautiful until her marriage. Subsequently, she took Olga's name from Olga.

As is known, in 945 Igor was killed by the hands of the Drevlyans. His wife ascended to the throne. In the annals you can find a fairly detailed description of the revenge of the ruler for the death of her husband.

Soon after Olga's re-enactment the Drevlyane sent her matchmakers to call her to marry Prince Mal. Ambassadors arrived in the boat. Residents of Kiev carried her along with the matchmakers in a huge pit in the courtyard of Terema Olga and buried them alive.

The next ambassadors of the Drevlyans, who arrived at the request of the ruler, were burned in the bathhouse.

According to custom, the princess Olga came to the lands of the Drevlyans to fix her triune for her husband. During the triune, according to her orders, the Drevlyane was oppressed, and then cut at the grave of Igor.

In 946, Olga, Princess of Kiev, came up against the army of the Drevlyans. After an unsuccessful siege during the summer of the city of Iskorostenya (the capital of the Drevlyanska), Princess Olga ordered her to be burnt with the help of birds, to which incendiary mixtures were tied.

After the victory, the ruler established taxes and tributes in the entire Novgorod and Pskov land .

After the conquest of the Drevlyane, the ruler returned to Kiev. Rules Princess Olga before the age of Svyatoslav (her son and Igor). However, even after she remained at the helm of the state, as the son was constantly on campaigns.

The baptism of Princess Olga (in 955) is noted in the annals as a "great act". She took Christianity and was given the name of Elena the ruler in Constantinople. After returning to Kiev, Olga tried to attach Svyatoslav to the faith. But the son was adamant and did not yield to persuasion.

Olga was the first ruler of Russia, who accepted Christianity. According to many researchers, this fact predetermined the adoption of Orthodoxy throughout the state.

According to some legends, Olga received the baptism personally from Constantine. Elena was called her in honor of the mother of the emperor - the holy Queen Helena. According to some reports, Constantine wooed to Olga before baptism. However, the wise ruler pointed out that Christians should not be invited to pagans. After that, Olga was baptized. The emperor again invited her to marry. But Olga again refused this time to the tsar, since marriage was impossible - she became his godfather.

Other sources indicate that the baptized Princess Roman the Second (Constantine's co-ruler), as well as the Patriarch Polyeukt.

Since Svyatoslav almost all the time was in campaigns, the government had to rule his mother. In 968, the Pechenegs made their first foray into the Russian land. Olga with the children of Svyatoslav took shelter in Kiev. Soon the son lifted the siege. However, Svyatoslav did not expect to stay in Kiev for long. In 969, he gathered in a new campaign, but Olga stopped him. By that time she was seriously ill. After three days Olga died.

The governor bequeathed to bury herself according to Christian custom and not serve a trivia.

According to historians, as a holy princess Olga began to be honored during the reign of Vladimir the Baptist. According to the information, in 1007 the prince transferred the relics of all the saints (including Olga) to the Church of the Holy Virgin, built by him in Kiev.

Approximately since that time began to celebrate the day of memory of the ruler on July 11/24. At the same time, official canonization (glorification of church-wide) occurred, apparently, somewhat later - in the middle of the 13th century. In 1547, Olga (Elena) was ranked among the saints of Equal-to-the-Apostles.