Princess Olga was born in the present regionPskov, 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 indicated that 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 Beauty before 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 sufficiently detailed description of the revenge of the ruler for the death of her husband.
Soon after Olga's re-enactment the Drevlyane was sent toher matchmakers call her to marry Prince Mala. 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, the Princess of Kiev, performed witharmy against the Drevlyans. After an unsuccessful siege during the summer of the city of Iskorostenya (Drevlyanska capital), Princess Olga ordered her to be burned 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 toKiev. Rules Princess Olga until the age of Svyatoslav (her son and Igor). However, afterwards she remained at the helm of the state, as the son was constantly on campaigns.
The baptism of Princess Olga (in 955) is noted inchronicles as a "great deed". 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 in the whole state.
According to some legends, Olga's baptismpersonally from Constantine. Elena was called her in honor of the mother of the emperor - the holy Queen Helena. According to some information, 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 also refused this time to the tsar, since marriage was impossible, - she became a godfather to him.
In other sources it is indicated that the baptized Princess Roman the Second (Constantine's co-ruler), as well as the Patriarch Polyeukt.
Since Svyatoslav practically all the time wasin 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 refuge 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 princessOlga began to read 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 from that time began to celebrate the daythe memory of the ruler on 11/24 July. 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.
