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Princess Olga

Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Olga
St Olga by Nesterov in 1892.jpg
Saint Olga by Mikhail Nesterov
Born c. 890
Pskov
Died 11 July 969 (aged 79)
Kiev
Venerated in Eastern Orthodoxy
Roman Catholicism
Eastern Catholicism, especially in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
Feast July 11/24

Saint Olga (Old Church Slavonic: Ольга, born c. 890 AD, died 11 July 969 in Kiev) was a ruler of Kievan Rus' as regent (945 – c. 960) for her son, Svyatoslav. She is known for her obliteration of the Drevlians, a tribe that had killed her husband Igor of Kiev, and for her efforts to spread Christianity through the Rus'; however, it would be her grandson Vladimir that would convert the entire nation to Christianity. Because of this, Olga is venerated as a saint. While her birthdate is unknown, it could be as early as AD 890 and as late as 5 June 925.

Olga, a woman from Pskov, married the future Igor of Kiev, arguably in 903 but perhaps as early as 901-902. The Primary Chronicle gives 879 as her date of birth, which is unlikely, given the birth of her only son probably some 65 years after that date. After Igor's death, Olga ruled Kievan Rus as regent (945-c. 960) on behalf of their son Svyatoslav. She was, hypothetically, of Varangian extraction. Old Norse: Helga

The following account is taken from the Primary Chronicle. Princess Olga was the wife of Igor of Kiev, who was killed by the Drevlians. At the time of her husband's death, their son Svyatoslav was three years old, making Olga the official ruler of Kievan Rus until he reached adulthood. The Drevlians wanted Olga to marry their Prince Mal, making him the ruler of Kievan Rus, but Olga was determined to remain in power and preserve it for her son.


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