Biography
Prince of Novgorod and Kiev Svyatoslav Igorevich ruled the Russian state from 944 to 972. The ruler is known for his military campaigns and conquests, battles against the Bulgarian state and Byzantium.
Monument to Svyatoslav Igorevich in the village of Starye Petrivtsi, Kiev region
The only son of Prince Igor and Princess Olga was Svyatoslav. The exact date of birth of the future ruler is still not known. According to the Ipatiev list, Svyatoslav Igorevich was born in 942 (some sources indicate the year 940). There is no record of the event in the Laurentian list. This raises a lot of questions among researchers, since the information is contradictory. The year 920 is stated in literary sources, but historians consider this to be fiction and not true.
Portrait of Svyatoslav Igorevich
The upbringing of the prince's son was entrusted to the shoulders of the Varangian Asmud, who emphasized basic skills. Young Svyatoslav received knowledge that was useful in military campaigns: the art of combat, control of horses, boats, swimming, camouflage skills. Another mentor, Voivode Sveneld, was responsible for the art of military leadership. The first information about Svyatoslav, which can be seen in the Russian-Byzantine treaty of Prince Igor, began to appear in 944. A year later, the prince dies.
Sculptural image of Svyatoslav Igorevich by Evgeny Lanceray
The death of the ruler was led to the dissatisfaction of the Drevlyans over the collection of too much tribute. Since Svyatoslav Igorevich is still a child, the reins of power pass to his mother, Princess Olga. A year after the murder of her husband, Olga goes to the lands of the Drevlyans. As befits a head of state, 4-year-old Svyatoslav begins the battle with his father’s squad. The young ruler won the battle. The princess forced the Drevlyans to submit. To prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future, the regent is introducing a new system of government.
Svyatoslav Igorevich at the monument “1000th anniversary of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod
The chronicles say that in childhood Svyatoslav Igorevich did not part with his mother and lived constantly in Kyiv. Scientists have found evidence that this judgment is incorrect. The Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus said the following:
“The monoxyls coming from outer Russia to Constantinople are some from Nemogard, in which Sfendoslav, the son of Ingor, the archon of Russia, sat.”
Researchers believe that Svyatoslav moved to Novgorod at the request of his father. There was a mention in the chronicles of Olga's visit to Constantinople. At the same time, they talk about the future prince without naming the title of Svyatoslav Igorevich.
Saint Olga: the sorrow of a mother's heart and the freedom of a son
Happy Memorial Day of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga!
Grand Duchess Olga thought about the Christian faith . And she went to Constantinople. There she, together with her retinue, received Holy Baptism. Upon returning to her homeland, after some time the Grand Duchess handed over the reign to her son Svyatoslav, and she completely devoted herself to preaching Christianity. Kievan Rus was finally enlightened by Holy Baptism only during the reign of the grandson of Saint Olga, Prince Vladimir. For preaching the Gospel, they began to call Princess Olga Equal-to-the-Apostles.
Why didn’t Svyatoslav, the son of Princess Olga, become a conductor of the Christian faith and educator of Kievan Rus? You will find the answer to this question by reading the following article.
Saint Olga: the sorrow of a mother's heart and the freedom of a son
After being baptized, Princess Olga lived for about 15 years. Until her death, she led a deep spiritual and ascetic life. Olga tried to raise her grandchildren in the Christian faith. But she did not dare to baptize them without her son’s permission. Olga’s decision contains great wisdom for us. After all, one can often find among Orthodox Christians a stubborn, persistent desire to drag everyone into heaven, regardless of the will of others. But the Lord and his saints infinitely value human freedom.
How many scandals on religious topics could have been avoided in families if believing relatives had not pulled their loved ones to church with an iron fist. We need to grow into preaching through our actions, words, thoughts - which is called preaching by life.
And this holy, natural, relaxed, and easy sermon through the life of the holy Grand Duchess Olga left a favorable mark in the memory of her grandchildren. And soon the glorious Prince Vladimir “Red Sun”, the baptist of the Russian land, will shine at the head of Rus'.
And all this time, until her death, Saint Olga had deep sorrow in her soul. She was a Christian for 15 years. And all these years she offered up holy maternal prayers to God for the conversion of her son. On her deathbed, she told Svyatoslav words of regret that he, her son, did not abandon the idolatry of wickedness, and did not heed his mother’s conviction, and neglected her instructions and requests.
Why did this happen?
It would be blasphemous to think that Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga prayed little for her son, that the Lord did not hear her.
There is something in the world more valuable to God than the prayers of saints, mother's prayers. The Lord will never violate human freedom. Faith in God mysteriously arises and lives in the human soul. The Lord tangibly appears to every person. But man himself freely chooses to respond or not to God’s call. The tragedy is that many are comfortable on earth without Christ.
Of course, the Lord heard the prayers of Saint Olga. But only Svyatoslav did not allow Christ the Savior into his heart. We do not know the posthumous fate of Svyatoslav. Perhaps Saint Olga begged for her son. In her last words, she grieves not that she prayed little for her son, but that he did not listen to his mother. And on earth, maternal prayer could not change Svyatoslav’s heart.
We Orthodox Christians should remember that only preaching Christ with a pure, God-fearing life, not so much in language and word, can help our loved ones become closer to God and the Church.
Equal to the Apostles Grand Duchess Olga
Beginning of reign
The Tale of Bygone Years says that Svyatoslav Igorevich’s first campaign took place in 964. The main goal of the ruler was to strike at the Khazar Kaganate. The prince did not become distracted by the Vyatichi people he met along the way. The attack on the Khazars occurred a year later - in 965. The chronicle says the following about this:
“In the summer of 6473 (965) Svyatoslav went against the Khazars. Having heard it, the Khazars came out to meet him with their prince Kagan and agreed to fight, and in the battle Svyatoslav defeated the Khazars, and took their city and the White Vezha. And he defeated the Yasov Ikasogs.”
It is interesting that Svyatoslav’s contemporary presents events in a different way. Ibn-Haukal claimed that the prince dealt with the Khazars later than the time indicated in the chronicle.
Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich
A contemporary recalled other military actions against Volga Bulgaria, but such information is not available in official sources. This is what Ibn Haukal said:
“Bulgar is a small city, it does not have numerous districts, and was known for being a port for the states mentioned above, and the Rus devastated it and came to Khazaran, Samandar and Itil in the year 358 (968/969) and set off immediately after to the country of Rum and Andalus... And al-Khazar is a side, and there is a city in it called Samandar, and it is in the space between it and Bab al-Abwab, and there were numerous gardens in it... but then the Rus came there, and not There are neither grapes nor raisins left in that city.”
In 965, Svyatoslav Igorevich arrives in Sarkel on the Don. Several battles were required to conquer this city. But the ruler did not celebrate the victory for long, as Itil, the main city of the Khazar Kaganate, appeared on the way. The conqueror got another settlement - Semender. This glorious city is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Map of the territories of Svyatoslav Igorevich in 970
The Khazar Khaganate fell to the onslaught of Svyatoslav, but this was not enough for the ruler. The prince tried to conquer and secure these lands for himself. Soon Sarkel was renamed Belaya Vezha. According to some reports, in the same years Kyiv received Tmutarakan. It is believed that they managed to retain power until the early 980s.
Love Stories: The Legend of Igor and Olga
Author Igor Bukker
08/04/2012 16:00 (Updated: 01/06/2016 13:39)
Society » Family » Life stories
The love story of Prince Igor and Olga is unusual in that over the years it has turned into a folk tale. Since it was about the rulers of the Rurik dynasty, this legend had great political meaning for subsequent sovereigns. According to legend, Olga was a simple girl whom Prince Igor fell in love with. She conquered the prince with her intelligence and courage.
Photo: AP
One day, Prince Igor , then still a young man, was hunting in the Pskov land, when suddenly on the opposite bank of the river he saw, according to the chronicler, “the desired catch,” that is, rich hunting grounds. However, getting to the other side was not so easy, because the river was swift, and the prince did not have a “laditsa” - a boat.
“And he saw someone floating along the river in a boat, and called the one floating to the shore, and ordered him to be transported across the river. And when they were sailing, Igor looked at the rower and realized that it was a girl. It was blessed Olga , still very young, pretty and courageous” (this is how the ancient adjectives “very young, kind-hearted and courageous” are translated into modern Russian).
“And he was wounded by a vision... and inflamed with desire for nudes (towards her. - Ed. ), and turned some verbs into mockery (began to speak shamelessly. - Ed. ) to her," is reported about Olga’s first meeting with her future husband, Prince Igor , in the Degree Book of the Royal Genealogy. This historical monument of official Moscow ideology was compiled in the mid-16th century by an associate of Metropolitan Macarius, archpriest of the Moscow Kremlin Annunciation Cathedral, Andrei, who later became, under the name Afanasy, the Moscow Metropolitan.
True, historians consider the author of the Life of Princess Olga as part of the Degree Book to be another famous writer and church leader - the Annunciation priest Sylvester, who was the spiritual mentor of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. It was not the contemporaries of the prince and princess who told us about their acquaintance on the Velikaya River, but scribes who lived six centuries later.
But let's listen to what happened next. Olga answered the prince not like a young maiden, but like a woman wise with life experience - “not in a youthful way, but in an senile sense, reproaching him”: “Why are you embarrassing yourself in vain, O prince, inclining me to disgrace? Why, holding such things in your mind, do you utter shameless words? Do not flatter yourself when you see me young and alone. And don’t hope that you can overcome me: although I am uneducated, and very young, and simple in character, as you can see, I still understand that you want to offend me... It’s better to think about yourself and leave your thoughts. While you are young, take care that you are not overcome by foolishness and that you do not suffer from some evil. Abandon all lawlessness and untruth: if you yourself are wounded by all sorts of shameful acts, then how can you forbid others from untruth and righteously rule your power? Know that if you do not stop being tempted by my defenselessness (literally: “about my orphanhood”), then it will be better for me to be swallowed up by the depths of this river: so that I will not be a temptation for you and I myself will avoid reproach and reproach...” We quoted this excerpt translated by historian and writer Alexei Karpov.
The young people walked the rest of the way in complete silence. Prince Igor returned to Kiev. After some time, the time came for him to get married: “and he commanded his ex to find him a bride for marriage.” The prince began to look everywhere for a bride. Igor remembered Olga, “wonderful in girls,” her “cunning verbs” and “chaste disposition” and sent for her his “relative” Oleg, who “with appropriate honor” brought the young maiden to Kiev, “and thus the law of marriage was destined for him.” .
A small digression. In the Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Oleg is named the ruler of the Kyiv state at the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century. Whether he was in fact the true ruler of Kievan Rus and whether he lived at the same time as Igor is a separate and difficult topic for historians, but not related to the love story of Igor and Olga.
This is the legend about Olga, who was one of the favorite characters of Russian folklore for centuries, passed on six centuries after her life and death. In the popular consciousness, Olga turned out to be wiser than both the Kyiv prince and, in other stories, the Byzantine emperor. And the role of a carrier assigned to her, as researchers of folk tales emphasize, is also far from accidental. Crossing a river is not just about moving in space. In Russian ritual songs, crossing the river symbolizes a change in the fate of a girl: her union with her betrothed, transformation into a married woman. The crossing is usually carried out by a man, but there are also examples to the contrary. Moreover, Olga's first meeting with Igor predetermined her future replacement of Igor as the ruler of his state.
The princes died, but Olga won
Princess Olga converted to Orthodoxy even before the Baptism of Rus'...
Mill of delusions: Ataman Svyatoslav |
The name Olga is the Russian feminine form of the masculine name Oleg, most likely, like the Scandinavian name Helga, is the feminine form of the masculine name Helgi. It acquires the meaning of “saint” only with the spread of Christianity (not earlier than the 11th century), and in pagan times it meant “lucky”, “possessing all the qualities necessary for a king.” This “princely” name was given to epic, legendary heroes.
And although Olga was not the only wife of Prince Igor, the names of other princely wives were not preserved in the chronicles. Just like the names of his other sons, except for the son of Igor from Olga - the famous Prince Svyatoslav . Other sons, except Svyatoslav Igorevich, did not take part in the political life of the Kyiv state. And the marriage of Igor and Olga , the exact date of which is also unknown to us, is considered by some historians as a union of two initially unrelated dynasties of rulers of ancient Russia - “Kiev” and “Novgorod”.
Women in ancient Rus' were not powerless creatures. The legitimate (in Russian, “led”) wife of the ruling prince and the mother of his sons had her own court, retinue and even squad, different from her husband’s squad. It was with the hands of her warriors that Princess Olga carried out revenge on the Drevlyans who killed Prince Igor. This story is well remembered by many from school history textbooks.
Domestic policy
Svyatoslav Igorevich's domestic policy was active. The ruler set himself the goal of strengthening power by attracting military squads. Politics did not attract the young prince, so there were no significant changes in the internal activities of the state during the years of Svyatoslav’s reign.
Monument to Svyatoslav Igorevich in Zaporozhye
Despite his dislike for the internal affairs of Rus', Svyatoslav Igorevich made some adjustments. In particular, he formed a new system for collecting taxes and duties. In different parts of the Old Russian state, special places were organized - graveyards. Here they collected money from residents. Svyatoslav Igorevich was able to overcome the Vyatichi, who continually rebelled against the ruler. During the campaign, the prince pacified the violent people. Thanks to this, the treasury began to replenish again. Despite the work in this direction, Princess Olga took upon herself most of the worries.
Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich
The wisdom of the Grand Duke's reign manifests itself after the birth of his sons. Svyatoslav Igorevich needed to place faithful and devoted people on the thrones in different cities. Yaropolk ruled in Kyiv, Vladimir ruled in Novgorod, Oleg became Prince Drevlyansky.
Foreign policy
Foreign policy became the passion of the young prince. He has several major wars on his account - with the Bulgarian kingdom and Byzantium. There are many versions in history of these important events for Rus'. Historians have settled on two variations of the fight against the Bulgarian kingdom. The first opinion was that it all started with a conflict between Byzantium and the Bulgarian kingdom. In this regard, the Byzantine emperor turned to Svyatoslav Igorevich for help. It was his soldiers who were supposed to attack Bulgaria.
Monument to Svyatoslav Igorevich in the Belgorod region
The second opinion lies in the fact that Byzantium tried to weaken the Kyiv prince, since the ruler was able to conquer their lands. And there was no peace in the Byzantine state: the ambassador who arrived to Svyatoslav decided to plot against his emperor. He persuaded the Russian prince, promised him Bulgarian lands and treasures from the treasury of Byzantium.
Svyatoslav Igorevich on horseback
The invasion of Bulgaria took place in 968. Svyatoslav Igorevich managed to overcome his opponents and conquer Pereyaslavets, located at the mouth of the Danube. Relations with the Byzantine state gradually began to deteriorate. In the same year, the Pechenegs raided Kyiv, so the prince had to urgently return to the capital of Rus'. In 969, Princess Olga, who was involved in the internal politics of the state, died. This prompted Svyatoslav Igorevich to involve children in his rule. The prince did not want to stay in the capital:
“I don’t like to sit in Kyiv, I want to live in Pereyaslavets on the Danube - for there is the middle of my land, all the blessings flock there: gold, pavoloks, wines, various fruits from the Greek land; from the Czech Republic and from Hungary silver and horses; From Rus' are furs and wax, honey and slaves.”
Despite the fact that it was the Byzantine government that organized the raid on the Bulgarians, the latter turned to them for help in the fight against Svyatoslav. The emperor thought for a long time about what to do, but then decided to strengthen his state with a dynastic marriage. At the end of 969, the sovereign died, and John Tzimiskes ascended the throne. He did not allow the Bulgarian son and the Byzantine maiden to get engaged.
Painting "Meeting of Svyatoslav with John Tzimiskes." K. Lebedev, 1916
Realizing that Byzantium is no longer a helper, the authorities of the Bulgarian state decide to conclude an agreement with Svyatoslav Igorevich. Together the rulers go against Byzantium. Military tensions between the empire and the Russian state increased. Gradually, troops were drawn up to the fortresses. In 970 there was an attack on Byzantium. On Svyatoslav’s side were the Bulgarians, Hungarians and Pechenegs. Despite serious advantages in the number of military personnel, Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich was defeated in a general battle.
Painting "Tribune of Svyatoslav's warriors after the battle near Dorostol in 971." Henryk Semiradsky
A year later, the troops regained their strength and again began to raid the Byzantine state. Now the rulers clashed in battle. Again the Byzantine fighters were more successful. They captured the Bulgarian king and approached Svyatoslav. In one of the battles the prince was wounded. After this, the Byzantine emperor and the Russian ruler sat down at the negotiating table. Svyatoslav Igorevich leaves Bulgaria, but restores trade relations with Byzantium. Now the eastern part of the Bulgarian state is subject to the emperor. Western regions gained independence.
Duchess Olga. 945-960
Years of reign: 945-964 Dynasty: Rurikovich Came to power: after the death of her husband, ruled as regent on behalf of her son Ruled before: Igor Rurikovich Ruled after: Svyatoslav Igorevich Years of life: 893/920 - 969 Years completed: 58/75 Birth: 893 /920 Death: July 11, 969 Where she died: Kiev Where she was buried: Tithe Tsarkov, Kiev
Parents
Father: maybe. Oleg the Prophetic Mother: unknown
Husband:
Igor Rurikovich
Children:
Svyatoslav Igorevich
Key actions during his reign:
- The first of the Rurikovichs to convert to Christianity
- Brought the connection with Byzantium to a new level
- Led the defense of Kyiv from the Pechenegs in 968
- Initiated stone construction
- She took revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband
- Conducted tax reform
Grand Duchess Olga
After the murder of Prince Igor, the Drevlyans decided that from now on their tribe was free and they did not have to pay tribute to Kievan Rus. Moreover, their prince Mal made an attempt to marry Olga. Thus, he wanted to seize the Kiev throne and single-handedly rule Russia. For this purpose, an embassy was assembled and sent to the princess. The ambassadors brought rich gifts with them. Mal hoped for the cowardice of the “bride” and that she, having accepted expensive gifts, would agree to share the Kiev throne with him.
At this time, Grand Duchess Olga was raising her son Svyatoslav, who, after Igor’s death, could lay claim to the throne, but was still too young. Voivode Asmud took charge of young Svyatoslav. The princess herself took up state affairs. In the fight against the Drevlyans and other external enemies, she had to rely on her own cunning and prove to everyone that the country, which had previously been ruled only by the sword, could be ruled by a woman’s hand.
War of Princess Olga with the Drevlyans
When receiving the ambassadors, Grand Duchess Olga showed cunning. On her orders, the boat on which the ambassadors arrived and carried to the city along the abyss. At one point the boat was thrown into the abyss. The ambassadors were buried alive. Then the princess sent a message agreeing to the marriage. Prince Mal believed in the sincerity of the message, deciding that his ambassadors had achieved their goal. He gathered noble merchants and new ambassadors to Kyiv. According to ancient Russian custom, a bathhouse was prepared for the guests. When all the ambassadors were inside the bathhouse, all exits from it were closed, and the building itself was burned. After this, a new message was sent to Mal that the “bride” was going to him. The Drevlyans prepared a luxurious feast for the princess, which, at her request, was held not far from the grave of her husband, Igor. The princess demanded that as many Drevlyans as possible be present at the feast. The prince of the Drevlyans did not object, believing that this only increased the prestige of his fellow tribesmen. All guests were given plenty of drink. After this, Olga gave a signal to her wars and they killed everyone who was there. In total, about 5,000 Drevlyans were killed that day.
In 946, Grand Duchess Olga organized a military campaign against the Drevlyans. The essence of this campaign was a demonstration of strength. If earlier they were punished by cunning, now the enemy had to feel the military power of Rus'. The young prince Svyatoslav was also taken on this campaign. After the first battles, the Drevlyans retreated to the cities, the siege of which lasted almost the entire summer. By the end of the summer, the defenders received a message from Olga that she had had enough of revenge and did not want it anymore. She asked only for three sparrows, as well as one dove for each resident of the city. The Drevlyans agreed. Having accepted the gift, the princess’s squad tied the already lit sulfur tinder to the birds’ paws. After this, all the birds were released. They returned to the city, and the city of Iskorosten was plunged into a huge fire. The townspeople were forced to flee the city and fell into the hands of the Russian warriors. Grand Duchess Olga condemned the elders to death, some to slavery. In general, Igor’s murderers were subject to an even heavier tribute.
https://fb.ru/article/175601/knyaginya-olga-kratkaya-biografiya-i-interesnyie-faktyi-iz-jizni
Many facts from the life of one of the greatest rulers of Rus' are unknown to this day. Princess Olga, whose short biography has many “blank spots”, is still one of the most odious persons of pre-Christian Rus'.
Origin of Princess Olga
Historians and researchers of Olga’s life and work even today have not come to a consensus about her origin. Several sources of those years give different information about the origin of the future wife of Grand Duke Igor.
Thus, one of the recognized sources of those times - “The Tale of Bygone Years” - indicates that the future Princess Olga, whose short biography does not provide accurate information about her parents, was brought from Pskov.
Another source - “The Life of Princess Olga” - claims that she was born on Pskov land, in the village of Vybuty. The girl was a commoner, which is why the names of her parents remained unknown.
The Jokimov Chronicle mentions that the future wife of the Prince of Kyiv was from the noble Izborsky family, and her roots go back to the Varangians.
Another version: Olga is the daughter of Prophetic Oleg.
Marriage
Igor's acquaintance with his future wife is also shrouded in a lot of inaccuracies and mysteries. The “Life” says that the future Princess Olga, whose brief biography is sometimes contradictory in different sources, met her future husband in Pskov, where the prince was hunting. He needed to get across the river, and when he saw the boat, Igor got into it. Afterwards the prince discovered that his ferryman was a beautiful girl. She refused all of her passenger's advances. And when the time came to choose a bride for the prince, he remembered the girl in the boat and sent messengers for her with a marriage proposal. This is how Olga became the wife of the Russian Grand Duke. The Princess of Kiev, whose brief biography has since been traced more clearly, was a good and wise wife. Soon she gave birth to Igor’s son, Svyatoslav.
Murder of Prince Igor
Prince Igor was a great conqueror; he constantly raided neighboring lands with his squad, collecting tribute from weak tribes. One of these campaigns became fatal for the Russian prince. In 945, Igor and his retinue went to the neighboring Drevlyans for the due tribute. Having taken a lot of wealth, destroyed villages and abused the local population, the Russians went home. However, on the way back, the prince with a small number of soldiers decided to return and again plunder the Drevlyan lands. But the local men, making sure that the prince was coming with a small army, attacked him and killed him.
Revenge on the Drevlyans
Having learned about the death of her husband at the hands of the Drevlyans, Olga grieved for a long time. The Princess of Kiev, whose brief biography is described in The Tale of Bygone Years, turned out to be a wise wife and ruler. According to the customs of that time, blood feud was acceptable. Naturally, Olga could not bypass this tradition. Having gathered a squad, She began to wait. Soon, ambassadors from the Drevlyans came with a wedding proposal for the sake of uniting the Russian and Drevlyan lands. The princess agreed - this was her revenge.
The gullible Drevlyans believed her, entered the capital, but were captured, thrown into a hole and covered with earth. Thus, some of the bravest and bravest Drevlyans were destroyed. The second batch of ambassadors was also killed by cunning - they were burned in a bathhouse. When Olga and her squad approached the gates of Iskorosten, the main city of the Drevlyans, under the pretext of holding a funeral feast (funeral) for the prince, she drugged her enemies, and the squad chopped them up. According to chroniclers, about five thousand Drevlyans died then.
In 946, the princess and her army went to the Drevlyan lands, destroyed them, collected taxes and established a mandatory, fixed tax, but she never managed to occupy Iskorosten. The city was impregnable. Then Olga burned the city to the ground with the help of pigeons and sparrows, tying burning cloth to their legs. Schoolchildren are told who Princess Olga is. A short biography for elementary school children omits the full story of revenge. Mainly attention is paid to the years of her reign and the adoption of the Christian faith.
Princess Olga: brief biography, years of reign
After Igor's death, their son Svyatoslav became the successor, but virtually all power was concentrated in the hands of his mother, both while he was young and after he came of age. Svyatoslav was a warrior, and spent most of his time on campaigns. Princess Olga was engaged in the improvement of lands and controlled territories. A short biography of the ruler indicates that this woman founded several cities, including Pskov. Everywhere she improved her lands, erected walls around large villages, and built churches in honor of Christian saints. During Olga's reign, excessive taxes were replaced by fixed fees.
The princess's foreign policy also deserves attention. Olga strengthened ties with Germany and Byzantium. This was facilitated, first of all, by her acceptance of the Christian faith.
Princess Olga's baptism
Princess Olga is called the first sign of Christianity on Russian soil. A short biography for grade 4 pays special attention to this event. In written sources of past years there is no single date for the princess’s adoption of Christianity. Some say 955, others say 957. Having visited Constantinople, Olga was not only baptized in the Christian faith, but also renewed the trade agreements signed by her late husband. The princess was baptized by Emperor Constantine VII himself and the priest Theophylact. They named her Elena (according to Christian custom). Returning home, Olga tried in every possible way to introduce her son Svyatoslav to the new faith, but the prince was not inspired by this idea and remained a pagan, fearing the condemnation of the squad. And yet, he did not forbid his mother to build cathedrals and churches. Olga remained in Kyiv and actively participated in raising her grandchildren.
Perhaps it was this fact that led Svyatoslav’s son, Vladimir, to baptize Rus' in 988, thereby uniting it. In 968, the Pechenegs attacked Russian land. Olga was in the besieged capital with her grandchildren. She sent a messenger for Svyatoslav, who at that time was on another campaign. The prince arrived home, defeated the Pechenegs, but Olga asked her son not to plan another campaign, since she was seriously ill and foresaw the end was near. In 969, Princess Olga died and was buried according to Christian rites. Legend says that the relics of the Grand Duchess were incorruptible. In the 16th century, Olga was canonized.
Personal life
Military campaigns became the main goal of Svyatoslav Igorevich’s life. The prince's personal life was going well. The ruler became the father of three sons - Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. The responsibility for the internal politics of the state fell on the shoulders of the young sons while their father conquered new territories.
Painting "Grand Duke Svyatoslav kissing his mother and children upon returning from the Danube to Kyiv." I. A. Akimov, 1773
In official documents of that time there is no information about the wife who gave birth to two older sons. It is known about Vladimir's mother. The woman was not married to the prince, but was a concubine.
Death and memory
The biography of Svyatoslav Igorevich ends in March 972. The prince could not remain at the mouth of the Dnieper. Together with the army, the ruler tried to get through the Pecheneg ambush. This was a disastrous mistake, as the weakened fighters fell at the hands of the nomads. The Pechenegs brutally dealt with Svyatoslav:
“And Kurya, the prince of the Pechenegs, attacked him; and they killed Svyatoslav, and cut off his head, and made a cup out of the skull, bound the skull, and then drank from it.”
Death of Svyatoslav Igorevich
During his reign, the prince expanded the territory of the state and received the nickname Brave. Svyatoslav is called that way in historical references. The memory of Svyatoslav Igorevich still lives on. The image of the warrior prince was used in fiction and art. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first monument “Svyatoslav on the way to Tsargrad” appeared. The sculptures are located in Kyiv and Ukrainian regions.
Portrait of Svyatoslav Igorevich according to descriptions of contemporaries
A unique photo is available on the Internet. Masters, based on the descriptions of the prince’s contemporaries, created a portrait: a man of average height, snub nose, with thick eyebrows, blue eyes, a long mustache, a strong nape and a broad chest.
