Prophetic Oleg is a legendary ancient Russian governor.
Prince of Novgorod (879-882)
Prince of Kyiv (882-912)

He received the nickname Prophetic (that is, one who knows the future) upon his return from the campaign against Byzantium in 907. He “refuses to accept poisoned food from the defeated Greeks (this is the gift of the seer, the “Prophetic One”) and nails a shield to the gates of Constantinople, “showing victory.”
The very name “Oleg” is of Scandinavian origin (“Angel”).

Prince Oleg the Prophet

There are two versions about the origin of Oleg: some fragments with confusion in the chronology according to the First Novgorod Chronicle and the traditional one, set out in the “Tale of Bygone Years”, according to which Oleg is a relative of Rurik (brother of his wife Efanda, guardian of a minor). After the death of Rurik in 879, Oleg received rule of the principality, since Igor was still small. For three years, Oleg remains in Novgorod and, after improving his situation, he and his squad go south along the Volkhov-Dnepr river line. Conquering cities along the way and capturing Kyiv by cunning, Oleg established himself here. Unites the two main centers of the Eastern Slavs (northern and southern) into the center of a united state, declaring: “Let Kyiv be the mother of Russian cities.” According to the chronicle, it was the Kiev Prince Oleg the Prophet who became the creator of the Old Russian state (Kievan Rus) and is traditionally dated to 882.

Kyiv Prince Prophetic Oleg

Over the next 25 years, Oleg expands his power. He subjugated the Radimichi, the Drevlyans and the Northerners to Kyiv, and destroyed the dependence on the Khazars. According to legend, Oleg told them: “I am their enemy, but I have no enmity with you. Don’t give to the Khazars, but pay me.” Having strengthened his influence by imposing tribute and protecting the borders from attacks by his nomadic neighbors, in 907 Oleg went to Byzantium on a military campaign to Constantinople. There is not a single mention of the campaign by Byzantine authors, but some modern historians consider it legendary.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, two thousand rooks, each with forty warriors, took part in the campaign. The Byzantine king blocked the road to the city - he closed the gates and blocked the harbor with chains, but Oleg launched an assault in a different way: “And Oleg ordered his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on wheels. And when a fair wind blew, they raised sails in the field and went to the city.” Frightened, the Greeks offered Oleg peace and tribute, and as a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was the conclusion of an agreement that ensured duty-free trade for Russian merchants. According to the agreement Oleg for each rowlock he received 12 hryvnia and, in addition, Constantinople undertook to pay tribute to Russian cities. In 911-912, Oleg sent his ambassadors to Constantinople to approve the agreement between the Greeks and Russia, but the mention of duty-free trade disappeared from the agreement. In this agreement, Oleg is called the “Grand Duke of Russia.” The authenticity of the agreement is confirmed by linguistic analysis and cannot be doubted.

In the same year, 912, Oleg dies. There are several conflicting versions of the circumstances surrounding the death of Prophetic Oleg, but everywhere there is a legend about death from a snake bite. According to the legends of the Tale of Bygone Years, the Magi predicted Oleg’s death from his beloved horse. He ordered the horse to be taken away and after four years, remembering, he laughed about the prediction. Deciding to look at the bones of the horse, he stepped on the skull with his foot and said: “Should I be afraid of him?” But a poisonous snake lived in the skull, which bit Oleg.

In the Icelandic saga of Orvar Odd (13th century), the hero receives a prediction from the soothsayer he insulted and kills his horse. Already an old man, he stumbles over the skull of a horse, hits him with a spear, and a snake crawls out and stings Odd.

According to one chronicle version (which served as the plot for Pushkin’s poem “The Song of the Prophetic Oleg”), Oleg died in Kyiv, according to another - in the north and was buried in Ladoga, according to the third - overseas.

After Oleg's death, the process of the subsequent creation of the Rurikovich state became irreversible. It is difficult to overestimate his merits in this.

Great son of the Russian land - Prince Oleg the Prophet- a pagan and a great warrior-priest managed to rise above his own religious limitations in the name of the development of culture, enlightenment and the great future of the peoples of Russia, which became inevitable after they acquired one of their main treasures - Slavic writing and the Russian alphabet.

Prince Oleg of Kiev, Oleg the Prophet, Prince of Novgorod and so on. Oleg, one of the first famous Russian princes, had many nicknames. And each of them was given to him with reason.

The most interesting thing about studying the biography of people who lived so long ago is that we are never given the opportunity to find out how everything really happened. And this applies to absolutely any facts, even names and nicknames.

Nevertheless, in the history of our country there is a certain number of documents, chronicles and other papers, written on which many historians, for some reason, believe.

I suggest not thinking for a long time about whether everything really happened, but simply plunging headlong into the farthest corners of Russian history. Let's start from the very beginning. From the origin of Prince Oleg.

Origin of Oleg

The most interesting thing is that on the Internet I found several versions of the origin of Prince Oleg the Prophet. The main ones are two. The first is based on the well-known chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years,” and the second is based on the Novgorod First Chronicle. The Novgorod Chronicle describes earlier events of Ancient Rus', therefore it preserved fragments of an earlier period of Oleg’s life. However, it contains inaccuracies in the chronology of the events of the 10th century. However, first things first.

So, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, Oleg was a fellow tribesman of Rurik. Some historians consider him the brother of Rurik's wife. The more precise origin of Oleg is not indicated in The Tale of Bygone Years. There is a hypothesis that Oleg has Scandinavian roots and bears the name of the hero of several Norwegian-Icelandic sagas.

After the death of the founder of the princely dynasty, Rurik (according to some sources, the true creator of the Old Russian state) in 879, Oleg began to reign in Novgorod as the guardian of Rurik’s young son Igor.

Campaigns of Prince Oleg

Unification of Kyiv and Novgorod

Again, if you follow history further according to the “Tale of Bygone Years”, then in 882 Prince Oleg, taking with him a large army consisting of the Varangians, Chud, Slovenes, Meryu, Ves, Krivichi and representatives of other tribes, took the city of Smolensk and Lyubech, where he installed his people as governors. Further along the Dnieper he went down to Kyiv, where two boyars ruled not from the Rurik tribe, but were Varangians: Askold and Dir. Oleg did not want to fight with them, so he sent an ambassador to them with the words:

We are merchants, we are going to the Greeks from Oleg and from Prince Igor, so come to your family and to us.

Askold and Dir came... Oleg hid some warriors in the boats, and left others behind him. He himself went forward, holding the young prince Igor in his arms. Presenting them with Rurik’s heir, young Igor, Oleg said: “And he is Rurik’s son.” And he killed Askold and Dir.

Another chronicle, consisting of information from various sources of the 16th century, gives a more detailed account of this capture.

Oleg landed part of his squad ashore, discussing a secret plan of action. Having declared himself ill, he remained in the boat and sent a notice to Askold and Dir that he was carrying a lot of beads and jewelry, and also had an important conversation with the princes. When they boarded the boat, Oleg killed Askold and Dir.

Prince Oleg appreciated the convenient location of Kyiv and moved there with his squad, declaring Kyiv “the mother of Russian cities.” Thus, he united the northern and southern centers of the Eastern Slavs. For this reason, it is Oleg, and not Rurik, who is sometimes considered the founder of the Old Russian state.

For the next 25 years, Prince Oleg was busy expanding his power. He subjugated to Kyiv the tribes of the Drevlyans (in 883), the Northerners (in 884), and the Radimichi (in 885). And the Drevlyans and northerners paid to give to the Khazars. The Tale of Bygone Years left the text of Oleg’s appeal to the northerners:

“I am an enemy of the Khazars, so you have no need to pay them tribute.” To the Radimichi: “Who do you give tribute to?” They answered: “To the Kozars.” And Oleg says: “Don’t give it to Kozar, but give it to me.” “And Oleg owned the Drevlyans, glades, Radimichi, streets and Tivertsy.”

Prince Oleg's campaign against Constantinople

In 907, having equipped 2000 rooks (these are boats) with 40 warriors each (according to the Tale of Bygone Years), Oleg set out on a campaign against Constantinople (now Constantinople). The Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher ordered the gates of the city to be closed and the harbor blocked with chains, thus giving enemies the opportunity to plunder and destroy only the suburbs of Constantinople. However, Oleg took a different path.

The prince ordered his soldiers to make large wheels on which they placed their boats. And as soon as a fair wind blew, the sails rose and filled with air, which drove the boats towards the city.

The frightened Greeks offered Oleg peace and tribute. According to the agreement, Oleg received 12 hryvnia for each warrior and ordered Byzantium to pay tribute “to Russian cities.” In addition to this, Prince Oleg ordered to receive Russian merchants and traders in Constantinople as gloriously as no one had ever received. Give them all the honors and provide them with the best conditions, as if he himself. Well, if these merchants and merchants begin to behave impudently, then Oleg ordered them to be expelled from the city.

As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was a trade agreement on duty-free trade between Rus' and Byzantium.

Many historians consider this campaign to be fiction. There is not a single mention of him in the Byzantine chronicles of those times, which described similar campaigns in sufficient detail in 860 and 941. There are also doubts about the treaty of 907, the text of which is an almost verbatim repetition of the treaties of 911 and 944.

Perhaps there was still a campaign, but without the siege of Constantinople. “The Tale of Bygone Years,” in its description of Igor Rurikovich’s campaign in 944, conveys “the words of the Byzantine king” to Prince Igor: “Do not go, but take the tribute that Oleg took, and I will add more to that tribute.”

In 911, Prince Oleg sent an embassy to Constantinople, which confirmed the “many years” of peace and concluded a new treaty. Compared to the 907 treaty, the mention of duty-free trade disappears from it. Oleg is referred to in the treaty as the “Grand Duke of Russia.” There is no doubt about the authenticity of the 911 agreement: it is supported by both linguistic analysis and mentions in Byzantine sources.

Death of Prince Oleg

In 912, as the same Tale of Bygone Years reports, Prince Oleg died from the bite of a snake that crawled out of the skull of his dead horse. Much has already been written about Oleg’s death, so we won’t dwell on it for long. What can we say... Each of us studied the work of the great classic A.S. Pushkin’s “Song of the Prophetic Oleg” and at least once in my life I saw this picture.

Death of Prince Oleg

In the First Novgorod Chronicle, which we talked about earlier, Oleg is presented not as a prince, but as a governor under Igor (the same young son of Rurik with whom he entered Kyiv according to the Tale of Bygone Years). Igor also kills Askold, captures Kyiv and goes to war against Byzantium, and Oleg returns back to the north, to Ladoga, where he dies not in 912, but in 922.

The circumstances of the death of Prophetic Oleg are contradictory. The Tale of Bygone Years reports that before Oleg’s death there was a heavenly sign. According to the Kyiv version, reflected in the Tale of Bygone Years, his prince’s grave is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa. The Novgorod First Chronicle places his grave in Ladoga, but at the same time says that he went “overseas.”

In both versions there is a legend about death from a snake bite. According to legend, the Magi predicted to Prince Oleg that he would die from his beloved horse. After this, Oleg ordered the horse to be taken away and remembered the prediction only four years later, when the horse had long since died. Oleg laughed at the Magi and wanted to look at the bones of the horse, stood with his foot on the skull and said: “Should I be afraid of him?” However, a poisonous snake lived in the horse’s skull, which fatally stung the prince.

Prince Oleg: years of reign

The date of Oleg’s death, like all chronicle dates of Russian history until the end of the 10th century, is conditional. Historians have noted that 912 is also the year of the death of the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI - the antagonist of Prince Oleg. Perhaps the chronicler, who knew that Oleg and Lev were contemporaries, timed the end of their reigns to the same date. There is a similar suspicious coincidence - 945 - between the dates of Igor’s death and the overthrow of his contemporary, the Byzantine Emperor Roman I. Considering, moreover, that Novgorod tradition places Oleg’s death in 922, the date 912 becomes even more doubtful. The duration of the reigns of Oleg and Igor is 33 years each, which raises suspicions about the epic source of this information.

If we accept the date of death according to the Novgorod Chronicle, then the years of his reign are 879-922. Which is no longer 33, but 43 years.

As I already said at the very beginning of the article, it is not yet possible for us to know the exact dates of such distant events. Of course, there cannot be two correct dates, especially when we are talking about a 10-year difference. But for now we can conditionally accept both dates as true.

P.S. I remember very well the history of Russia in the 6th grade, when we covered this topic. I must say that while studying all the nuances of Prince Oleg’s life, I discovered many new “facts” (I hope you understand why I put this word in quotes).

I am sure that this material will be useful for those who are preparing to give a report to the class/group on the topic of the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet. If you have anything to add to it, I look forward to your comments below.

And if you are simply interested in the history of our country, then I advise you to visit the section “Great Commanders of Russia” and read the articles in this section of the site.

Prince Oleg - biography

How do we know about Prince Oleg, nicknamed the Prophetic?

From two chronicles:

• The Tale of Bygone Years,
• Novgorod First Chronicle.

Having received power over the Novgorod lands after the death of Rurik, as regent for his young son Igor, Oleg captured Kyiv and moved the capital there, thereby uniting the two main centers of the Eastern Slavs. Died in 912.

The exact origin of Oleg is not indicated in The Tale of Bygone Years. It only says that he was a relative (tribesman) of Rurik.

What does the Novgorod First Chronicle say about Oleg?

In the Novgorod First Chronicle, Oleg is depicted not as a prince, but as a governor under Igor. It is Igor who kills Askold, captures Kyiv and goes to war against Byzantium. And Oleg returned back to the north, to Ladoga, where he died not in 912, but in 922. The Novgorod Chronicle reports another version of Oleg’s death: some say that Oleg went “overseas” and died there.

The two chronicles depict events in completely different ways.

Which chronicle should we believe?

Let's start with the fact that the Tale of Bygone Years is recognized by everyone as the main historical source for reconstructing the past of the Old Russian state. But this does not mean that all the information she presents is considered absolutely reliable. The credibility of the information about Oleg from this chronicle is evidenced by the Russian-Byzantine treaty of 911, where Oleg is named the Grand Duke of Russia, who concludes the treaty on his own behalf.

What about the Novgorod Chronicle? The Novgorod Chronicle has preserved fragments of an earlier chronicle, on which the Tale of Bygone Years is based, and therefore also deserves a certain amount of trust. According to a number of researchers, this chronicle is even older than PVL. Her information is in better agreement with eastern news about Rus' of this period.

So what should historians do? So far, historians usually use information taken from the Tale of Bygone Years in scientific, popular science and educational texts.

The reign of Prince Oleg

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Oleg appears to be a skilled commander and prudent politician. For the first time in this chronicle it is reported in 879 in connection with the death of Rurik. The reign passed to him as Rurik’s “relative” and guardian of Igor, his young son. Thus, Oleg reigned in 879-882. in the East Slavic North among the Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi and surrounding Finno-Ugrians (tribes Vesi, Meri, Chud).

In 882, having gathered warriors from many peoples living in the north of Rus', Oleg set out on a campaign to the south. He captured Smolensk, Lyubech, and then the path lay to Kyiv. In Kyiv, former warriors of Rurik Askold and Dir ruled. In 866, they were released by Rurik on a campaign against Byzantium. After returning from the campaign, Askold and Dir settled in Kyiv.

Having reached Kyiv, Oleg sent an ambassador to them with the words: “We are merchants, we are going to the Greeks from Oleg and from Prince Igor, and come to your family and to us.” Askold and Dir came... Oleg hid some warriors in the boats, and left others behind him, and he himself went forward, and carried the young prince Igor in his arms, and announced to them: “You are not princes and not of the princely family, but I am of the princely family "

Presenting them with Rurik’s heir, young Igor, Oleg said: “And he is Rurik’s son.” And they killed Askold and Dir.

The location of Kyiv seemed very convenient to Prince Oleg. The city was located approximately in the middle of the most important trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” He settled there with his squad, declaring: “Let this be the mother of Russian cities.”

Thus, in 882, the Kiev prince Oleg united under his rule the two main centers of statehood among the East Slavic tribes: the Kiev region (“Cuiaba” - in foreign sources) and “Novgorod” (“Slavia”). The lands of Northern and Southern Rus' became a single state - Kievan Rus. Many modern historians take the date 882 as the conditional date of birth of the Old Russian state, and Prince Oleg is considered its founder and first ruler.

The years of the reign of Prince Oleg in Kyiv are 882-912. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, after Oleg’s death from a snake bite, Rurik’s son Igor (912-945) becomes the Prince of Kyiv.

Having reigned in Kyiv, Oleg established a tribute to the Varangians for Novgorod at 300 hryvnia.

Prince Oleg devoted the following years to the conquest of the Slavic peoples neighboring Kiev on the left and right banks of the Dnieper - the Drevlyans, Northerners, Polyans, Radimichi; many peoples had previously been dependent on the Khazars and paid them tribute.

Prince Oleg's campaign against Byzantium

We learn about this campaign from the Tale of Bygone Years, which reports that in 907, Prince Oleg, having gathered a huge army, on ships, the number of which reached 2000, moved to Constantinople. According to estimates, the number of soldiers reached 80 thousand, and the army consisted of Varangians and warriors of Slavic and non-Slavic peoples subject to Rus'.

The Greeks blocked the access of enemy ships to the harbor of Constantinople with a chain. However, Prince Oleg figured out how to get around this obstacle. He ordered the ships to be put on wheels. A fair wind drove the innumerable armada overland to the walls of the Byzantine capital. The Greeks got scared and asked for peace. Prince Oleg demanded a large tribute - 12 hryvnia for each warrior. He hung his shield as a sign of victory on the gates of Constantinople. After this campaign, Prince Oleg was nicknamed the Prophetic.

However, not all researchers are sure that such a campaign even took place.

Supporters of the idea that the campaign took place refer as evidence to the reliability of the Russian-Byzantine treaty concluded after it in 911. And the agreement was extremely successful. Russian merchants received the right to duty-free trade in Constantinople, could live for six months in the capital suburb in the monastery of St. Mammoth, receive food at the expense of the Byzantine side and repair their boats. Such an agreement could well have been preceded by the brilliant victory of Prince Oleg.

But there are serious arguments in favor of the opinion that the campaign is legendary, since only Russian sources speak about such a significant event, but Greek sources are silent. But the numerous enemy sieges and attacks that Constantinople was subjected to over the centuries were often and colorfully described by Byzantine authors. This is how the attacks of Rus' in 860 and 941 were described. And not a word about this campaign and the capture of Constantinople.

Death of Prince Oleg

The prince died in 912. The legend says that the Magi predicted that Prince Oleg would die from his own beloved horse. The prince ordered him to be taken away and remembered the ominous prophecy only a few years later, when the horse had long since died. Laughing at the Magi, he wanted to look at the bones of the horse, and said, standing with one foot on the skull: “Should I be afraid of him?” At that same moment a snake crawled out of the skull and inflicted a fatal bite on the prince.

Of course, this is just a legend, written down several centuries after Oleg’s death. For the legendary prince - a legendary death.

Results of the reign of Prince Oleg

Let us summarize the reign of the first leader of the Old Russian state.

Domestic policy of Prince Oleg

Scientists associate significant events in ancient Russian history with Oleg’s reign in Kyiv. First of all, the territorial core of the Old Russian state was laid. Under him, Kyiv became the new residence of the Old Russian state. The tribes of the Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi, Polyans, Severians, Drevlyans, Vyatichi, Radimichi, Ulichs and Tivertsi were recognized as the supreme ruler of Oleg. Through his governors and local princes, he managed to lay the foundations for government administration of the young country. Annual surveys of the population (Polyudye) laid the foundation for the judicial and tax systems.

Foreign policy of Prince Oleg

Prince Oleg also led an active foreign policy. Before him, for two centuries, the Khazar Khaganate collected tribute from a number of East Slavic lands. Oleg fought with the Khazars and freed the Slavs from tribute to the Kaganate. In 898, Hungarians appeared at the borders of Oleg’s power, moving to Europe from Asia. The prince managed to establish peaceful relations with this warlike people. Oleg's campaign in 907 against the capital of the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople (Constantinople), was crowned with a brilliant victory. In 909, Rus' and the Byzantine Empire entered into a military treaty of alliance. But the trade agreement of 911 was especially successful, according to which Russian merchants received the right of duty-free trade with Byzantium, unique for that time, and, in case of need, full provision of food and shipwrights to repair their boats.

Ancient Rus' at the end of the 9th century was a vast territory of Eastern Europe, inhabited by Slavic tribes living next to the Finno-Ugric, Letto-Lithuanian and Western Baltic tribes.

Prince Oleg began to rule the Novgorod land in 879 after the death of the legendary Varangian Rurik, who established peace and order among the Ilmen Slovene, Meri, Chud and Vesi tribes that inhabited the Ladoga region. Oleg was Rurik's closest ally and relative. Arriving in Rus' as part of the Varangian squad, he participated in military campaigns aimed at expanding the boundaries of the Novgorod principality. Oleg took the reins of government of Northern Russia as “the eldest of the family.”

In Eastern Europe of the 9th century, the Novgorod land was only one of the major political centers of the Slavic tribes. Along with it, in the middle reaches of the Dnieper there was the Principality of Kiev, ruled by former warriors of Rurik Askold and Dir. Prince Oleg set himself the goal of conquering Kyiv and uniting the North and South into a single power. Oleg began to purposefully move towards the Dnieper region, annexing the lands of the tribes he conquered to the Novgorod possessions. In the conquered territories, he established state order and imposed tribute on the aborigines. Using cunning, he dealt with the rulers of Kyiv and declared it his capital, “the mother of Russian cities.”

Thus, an ancient Russian state emerged on the map of Eastern Europe and began to pursue an active foreign policy. In treaties of alliance with Byzantium, for the first time it acted as a member of the international community, Prince Oleg strengthened Kievan Rus, subjugating the neighboring tribes of the Drevlyans, Northerners and Radimichi. Previously, they were dependent on the Khazar Khaganate, with which the Kyiv ruler had to go to war. By the end of his long reign, Prince Oleg included a significant part of the East Slavic lands into the Old Russian state. For his wisdom and ability to foresee military success, he received the nickname Prophetic from his contemporaries.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

  879 Death of Prince Rurik of Novgorod. Oleg's acceptance of guardianship over Rurik's young son Igor.

  879 The beginning of the Novgorod reign of Oleg as “the eldest in the family of Rurik.”

  Late 870s The Rus' campaign to the Caspian Sea and the attack on the city of Abaskun (Abesgun).

  882 The beginning of the advance to the south of the army of Prince Oleg, consisting of Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi, Meri and Vesi.

  882 The seizure by Prince Oleg of the lands of the Dnieper Krivichi and the city of Smolensk.

  882 Prince Oleg's seizure of the lands of the northerners and the city of Lyubech.

  882 Prince Oleg's campaign against Kyiv. The murder of the Kyiv rulers Askold and Dir by Prince Oleg. The beginning of Oleg's reign in Kyiv. The unification of Northern and Southern Rus' under the rule of Oleg. Creation of the Old Russian state with its center in Kyiv.

  Later 882 The construction by Prince Oleg of fortified cities and “forts” to assert his power and to protect himself from the nomads of the Great Steppe.

  Later 882 Oleg obliges Novgorod residents to pay 300 hryvnia annually for feeding and maintaining a squad of Varangians called upon to defend the northern borders of the state.

  883 The conquest of the Drevlyans by the Kyiv prince Oleg and the imposition of tribute on them.

  884 Victory over the northern tribe and imposition of tribute on it.

  885 Subjugation of the Radimichi and imposition of tribute on them.

  885 The war of Prince Oleg with the streets and Tivertsy.

  Later 885 Successful wars of the Kyiv prince Oleg with the Khazars, Bulgarians and other peoples of the Danube region.

  886 The reign of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise (Philosopher) began (886-912). Carried out an important change to old legislative norms. He fought wars with the Arabs and was defeated in the war of 894-896 with Bulgaria.

  898 Conclusion of a union treaty between the Ugrians and Russia. Imposition of tribute on Rus' for peace and military assistance.

  Con. 9th century Invasion of the Pechenegs in the Northern Black Sea region.

  X-XII centuries The formation of the Old Russian people.

  903 First mention in the chronicles of Pskov.

  907 Prince Oleg's campaigns in the lands of the Vyatichi, Croats and Dulebs.

Oleg's activities (879 - 912)

The time of Prince Oleg in the history of the Russian state bears the stamp of semi-legendary. The reason here is seen not so much in his actions, but in the extreme paucity of written sources about him.

Only two chronicles have survived to this day, telling in sparse lines about Oleg’s activities - “The Tale of Bygone Years” and the Novgorod Chronicle of the younger edition, since the beginning of the chronicle of the older edition has not survived. There are also documents originating from Byzantium, Muslim countries, and Khazaria. But even in the latest sources, the information is small and fragmentary.

In 879, a significant event for history took place in Novgorod Rus'. In Novgorod, the Varangian prince Rurik, who ruled here, was dying. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, he transferred the reign to his relative Oleg due to the early childhood of his son Igor. According to some chronicle information, Oleg was Rurik’s nephew, and his heir-son was only two years old.

N. M. Karamzin will say about this in his “History of the Russian State,” in the first of its twelve volumes: “This guardian Igor soon became famous for his great courage, victories, prudence, and love of his subjects.” Such a flattering review of the first ruler of Ancient Rus' was inspired by the chronicle “praiseworthy” words “The Tale of Bygone Years.”, Reader on the history of Russia., M., 1989 p.25.

For three years, according to the chronicles, nothing was heard in Kyiv about the new Novgorod ruler. As subsequent events showed, Prince Oleg most likely spent this time actively preparing a military campaign with the goal of capturing the city of Kyiv and taking control of the entire land part of the trade route “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” A large military-political enterprise at that time was being prepared.

In 882, Prince Oleg, having gathered a large army of Varangians, Novgorodians, Krivichi, Chud from Izborsk, Vesy from Beloozero and Meri from Rostov, marched along the Dnieper to Kyiv. The army sailed on boats; there were few mounted warriors in the northern lands. Slavic single-trees with sewn sides could be quickly disassembled and reassembled. Such vessels were easily transported overland from one river to another.

The basis of the princely squad were Vikings - Varangians, immigrants from Scandinavia. The warriors were in chain mail or iron scale shirts, in iron helmets, with axes, swords, spears and darts (short throwing spears). The squad consisted of professional warriors who lived off their share of the collected tribute and military booty.

A distinctive feature of Russian warriors in ancient times was red - scarlet - the color of their shields. Large in size, wooden, iron-bound, they were painted red. In battle, the warriors could line up in dense ranks, covering themselves from the enemy with high shields, which well protected the warriors from arrows and darts.

Simple military people, militias of the Slavic tribes - "howl" - dressed and armed themselves much more simply. They en masse went to battle in the same ports; they had almost no chain mail. They were armed with spears, axes, bows and arrows, swords and knives. There were almost no horsemen among the “warriors”.

Prince Oleg, with whom little Igor was also, led his army along the famous route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” for more than one century. Along it, the Scandinavian Vikings, who were also very enterprising merchants, “walked” to the southern European seas through the Varangian (Baltic) Sea, the Gulf of Finland, up the Neva, along Lake Ladoga, up the Volkhov, along Lake Ilmen, up the Lovat, then along the drag and along the Dnieper. Then the Varangians sailed along the Pontic Sea (Black) to Constantinople-Constantinople. And from there they went to the Mediterranean.

On the way to Kyiv, Prince Oleg occupied the city of Smolensk, the capital city of the Krivichi Slavic tribe. Then Oleg's army entered the lands of the Slavic tribe of northerners and occupied the fortified city of Lyubech. And there Oleg left his mayor - “husband”. Thus, he took possession of the Dnieper route all the way to Kyiv.

In order to take possession of Kiev, which was ruled by the Varangians Askold and Dir, his fellow tribesmen, Prince Oleg acted treacherously. Or, to put it differently, he showed military cunning, which the Scandinavian Vikings have always been distinguished by.

Approaching Kyiv, Oleg hid almost all the soldiers in ambushes and boats behind high sides. He sent a messenger to the people of Kiev to say that the Varangian merchants, together with the little Novgorod prince, were on their way to Greece and wanted to see their fellow Varangians. The Varangian leaders Askold and Dir, suspecting deception, went to the banks of the Dnieper without personal guards, although they had a considerable Varangian squad, with the help of which they ruled the Kyiv lands.

When Askold and Dir went to the river bank to the moored boats, Oleg’s warriors jumped out of their ambushes and surrounded them. Oleg said to the Kyiv rulers: “You own Kiev, but you are not princes or of a princely family; I am a princely family, and this is the son of Rurik.” With these words, Oleg lifted the little prince Igor from the boat. These words sounded like a death sentence for Askold and Dir. Under the blows of swords they fell dead at the feet of the Varangian Oleg. Having thus gotten rid of the Kyiv rulers, he took possession of the city without any difficulty. Neither the Kyiv Varangian squad nor the townspeople offered any resistance. They recognized the new rulers.

The bodies of Askold and Dir were buried on a mountain near the city. Subsequently, the Church of St. Nicholas was erected on Askold’s grave. Near Dir's grave is the Church of St. Irene. Askold's grave has survived to this day.

Prince Oleg, like the rest of the first Russian princes, was not particularly interested in internal politics. Oleg sought by hook or by crook to expand the land holdings of the young Russian state. Prince Oleg made a successful campaign against Constantinople, terrifying the Greeks and without shedding a drop of Russian blood, Oleg received rich gifts and favorable trading conditions for Russian merchants. For this success, Prince Oleg began to be called the Prophetic.

Oleg made two campaigns against Byzantium - in 907 and 911. When the Greeks blocked the way along the Bosphorus in 911, Oleg ordered the boats to be put on rollers and, raising the sails, with a fair wind, transport them to the Golden Horn, from where Constantinople was more vulnerable. Frightened by the appearance of troops near the capital, the Byzantines were forced to make peace. From the text of the agreement it is known that 2000 boats took part in the campaign, “and in the ship there were 40 men,” The Tale of Bygone Years.”, Reader on the history of Russia., M., 1989 p. 34".

Both campaigns ended successfully for the Russians, and treaties were concluded. The Treaty of 907 and 911 established friendly relations between Byzantium and Kievan Rus, determined the procedure for the ransom of prisoners, punishment for criminal offenses committed by Greek and Russian merchants in Byzantium, the rules of litigation and inheritance, created favorable trading conditions for Russians and Greeks, and changed coastal law. From now on, instead of seizing a beached ship and its property, the owners of the shore were obliged to assist in their rescue.

Also, under the terms of the agreement, Russian merchants received the right to live in Constantinople for six months, the empire was obliged to support them during this time at the expense of the treasury. They were granted the right to duty-free trade in Byzantium. And the possibility of hiring Russians for military service in Byzantium was also allowed.

Thus, as a result of the activities of Prince Oleg, the state of Kievan Rus was formed, a single territory was formed, and the majority of East Slavic tribes were united.