[Video] Olga of Kiev: From Vengeance to Veneration

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Olga of Kiev: From Vengeance to Veneration

Olga of Kiev: From Vengeance to Veneration

The Ruthless Rise and Remarkable Legacy of a Medieval Queen

In the early 10th century, Kievan Rus was ruled by Prince Igor and his wife, Olga of Kiev. When Igor was killed by the Drevlians—torn apart after attempting to collect extra tribute—his death left Olga, a noblewoman of likely Viking or Slavic origin, widowed and in a precarious position of power. The Drevlians, aiming to consolidate control, sent a marriage proposal from their Prince Mal, hoping to unite the two factions. But instead of surrendering, Olga began one of the most cunning and brutal campaigns of revenge in medieval history.

Her retaliation began with icy precision. She welcomed the Drevlian envoys into the city, supposedly to honor them. Once they entered, she had them buried alive. She then sent word requesting more noble escorts under the guise of agreeing to the marriage. When the second delegation arrived, she invited them to bathe and rest—only to lock them in a bathhouse and set it on fire, burning them alive.

Still not satisfied, Olga set her sights on the Drevlian capital of Iskorosten. Claiming she wished to honor her late husband, she organized a grand feast. The Drevlians, believing her intentions were sincere, indulged in food and wine. Once they were drunk and defenseless, Olga gave the order—her men slaughtered thousands. It was a massacre disguised as reconciliation.

Only the fortified city remained. Olga laid siege to it but offered peace if each household sent three pigeons and three sparrows as tribute. The citizens, hoping to end the bloodshed, complied. But Olga had a sinister plan—her soldiers tied sulfur-soaked cloth to the birds and lit them ablaze before releasing them. The birds returned to their nests, igniting homes and buildings across the city. Iskorosten burned from within, and the Drevlians surrendered.

Having avenged her husband and secured her power, she ruled as regent for her son, Sviatoslav. Her governance was marked by the restructuring of tribute systems and centralized authority. But her transformation didn’t stop at politics—she later converted to Christianity and was baptized in Constantinople around 957 CE. Although her people and even her son remained pagan, Olga’s conversion laid the groundwork for the Christianization of Kievan Rus by her grandson, Vladimir the Great.

In time, hers spiritual efforts earned her sainthood in the Eastern Orthodox Church, where she is honored as Equal to the Apostles. Her journey—from a calculated avenger to a devout Christian reformer—makes her one of the most complex and compelling figures in Eastern European history. Olga of Kiev’s legacy is one of fearlessness, intelligence, and transformation—a ruler who shaped her world through both fire and faith.