Olha’s real talent as a political leader manifested itself after Ihor’s death. Taking the responsibility of ruling Kyivan Rus’ till Sviatoslav, her son, came of age, Olha proved that she could lead domestic and foreign policy of the princedom no worse than men. One of the first actions of hers, recorded in the chronicles, was the act of revenge on the Drevlians for her husband’s murder. Viewing Olha as a weak opponent, Mal, Drevlian Prince, sent an embassy to Kyiv and proposed to Olha, thus trying to unite Iskorosten and Kyiv.
“And the Drevlians tell her, “We have been sent by the Drevlian land to tell you this: your husband was killed since he stole from us and robbed us as a wolf. And our princes are kind as they have made our land rich. So marry our prince, our Mal”.
However, the proposal was fatal both for Mal himself and his embassy. Olha ordered to kill ambassadors and then set off to the Drevlian lands and burnt Iskorosten’ down.
“And Olha ordered her soldiers to catch them. And when she took the town, she burnt it down. And she burnt down the elders, killing other people as well”.
Later, Olha continued Kyivan princes’ foreign policy whose foundations were laid by Askold and Dir. First of all, it was, strengthening the relations with the Byzantine Empire. It is known that in 946 and in 957 Olha visited Tsargorod and the chronicles inform us about the visits in detail. Two pacts were signed between the allies then according to which Kyivan warriors were to serve the Emperor and Byzantium was to pay a tribute to Rus’ for that. During one of the visits to Tsargorod, Princess Olha was solemnly baptized. She was baptized by the Orthodox patriarch. The ritual was held in the Sophia Cathedral, the main cathedral in the Empire. Historians believe that the next Olha’s step might have been the introduction of Cristianity in Rus’ but due to unknown reasons, it did not happen.
As chronicles say, Olha transferred the reign to her son, Sviatoslav, in 964. Some researchers think that it was done under the pressure of Sviatoslav himself who was considered an ardent Pagan. That version also accounts for Olha’s unsuccessful attempt to introduce Christianity in Rus’. Olha died in 969 in Kyiv and the church chronicle registered that.
Olha’s Revenge on Drevlians’ idols. Print by F. Bruni
Sviatoslav (931 (938) – 972)
Historians have been depicting Sviatoslav Ihorovych as a hero-conqueror and an ascetic warrior. Although there is some logic there, it should be noted that foreign military campaigns did not prevent Sviatoslav from caring about his native country.
The Tale of Bygone Years presents a lively romantic portrait of Sviatoslav-
“When Prince Sviatoslav grew up and matured, he started gathering a lot of brave warriors. And he himself was brave and with easy gait like a leopard. And he fought a lot of wars. And he took neither any carts with him, nor pots, and did not boil any meat. He thinly cut some horsemeat, or game, or veal and broiled it and ate. And he had no tent but laid down in a numdah and put a saddle under his head. And all his warriors did the same. And he sent them to other lands saying, “I want to fight against you”.
Sviatoslav. Probably, portrait of Sviatoslav Ihorovych from the Title reference book. XVII century
Since the very beginning of Sviatoslav’s reign, Kyivan Rus’ declared to its enemies nearby that it was ruled by a warrior who did not only preserve what had been gained by his predecessors but also essentially expanded and strengthened all the gains. During his two victorious campaigns of 965 and 968, Sviatoslav practically destroyed the Khazar Khaganate that had been a constant threat to Kyiv. Similar successful was observed in Sviatoslav’s campaign against Byzantium and Bulgaria, its vassal, in 968–971. In 971, surrounded in Dorostol, a Bulgarian town, Sviatoslav showed his talent as a capable politician by signing a peace treaty with Emperor John Tzimiskes, which was rather beneficial for Kyiv. According to the peace treaty, the Rusiches were granted the right to leave the town armed and get some food for their return home.
Sviatoslav. Prince’s emblem
Historians of different periods portrayed Sviatoslav in detail, ascribing the traits of a real warrior and politician to him. One of the best known is the descriptions of Sviatoslav’s appearance by Leo Deacon, a Byzantine chronicler of the tenth century-
“There appeared Sviatoslav who sailed by the river on a Scythian boat. He was sitting and rowing together with his warriors just like one of them. His appearance was like this: he was neither tall, nor short, with bushy eyebrows and blue eyes, he was snub-nosed and clearly-shaven. He had long moustache above his upper lip. His head was shaven but on the one side there was hanging a strand of hair – a sign of noble origin. His neck was thick, his chest was broad and other parts of his body were quite presentable but he looked gloomy and wild. In one ear he was wearing a golden earring with a diamond and two pearls. His clothes were white and differed from the clothes of his warriors only by their cleanness. Sitting in the boat, he spoke with the emperor about state affairs and left”.
Taking that evidence into consideration, one cannot but draw a parallel between the Prince’s appearance and that of his descendants – Ukrainian Cossacks. M. Hrushevsky referred to Sviatoslav as “the first Zaporizhzhian on the Kyivan throne” or “a Spartan of Ancient Rus’”.
In March, 972, Sviatoslav perished in the battle against the Pechenegs on the island of Khortitsa. It is known that Kurya, the Pecheneg Khan made a wine cup from his skull. For us, Sviatoslav remains a model of courage, honesty, and stamina of a great military leader of Rus’.
І. Akimov. Great Prince Sviatoslav kisses his mother and children on returning from the Danube to Kyiv
Volodymyr the Great (960 (963) – 1015)
Prince Volodymyr, known to our contemporaries as Baptizer of Kyivan Rus’, was a son of Sviatoslav Ihorovych by a woman whom the chronicles named as a slave housekeeper at Princess Olha’s court. Her name was Malka, or Malusha. As O. Shakhmatov, a Russian scholar of the late XIX century, believes, Malka was a daughter of Drevlian Prince Mal, the organizer of Ihor’s murder. However, there is no proof of Shakhmatov’s version, while The Tale of Bygone Years reports that “Malka’s father was Malko from Lubech”.
Volodymyr the Great. A portrait from the Title reference book, XVII century
When still little, Volodymyr was appointed the governor of Novgorod. Dobrynia, who evidently, was Malka’s brother, was appointed Regent for the minor Prince. In 977 there began a fight among Sviatoslav’s sons for the power in Kyivan Rus. It was then that Yaropolk, the oldest brother killed Oleh, the younger brother, and after that, Volodymyr hired some Norman warriors and went to Kyiv. In that feud, Yaropolk was killed and Volodymyr came to the prince’s throne in Kyiv. As Nestor Chornoryasnyk informs in his chronicle, it happened in 980-
“…And Volodymyr began to reign in Kyiv alone. And he put some idols on the hill behind the yard of his palace: a wooden statue of Perun with a silver head and golden moustache. And Hors, and Dazhboh, and Stryboh, and Simargl, and Mokosh…”
Prince Volodymyr began his state activities by making Southern Slav tribes join Kyiv. Those tribes had not been a part of Kyivan Rus’ or had left it after Yaropolk’s death. In 981, Volodymyr organized his first military campaign against the Croatians and the Dulebes. Then the uprisings of the Viatiches and Radymyches were suppressed. With that, the building of Rus’ was mainly completed. Thus, Prince Volodymyr could focus on state reforms. By Volodymyr’s order, all tribe chieftains were substituted by governors from the prince’s closest circle. Some new laws were adopted, the Law on Land is considered the main one among them. Volodymyr paid special attention to defending the borders of Kyivan Rus’ from the attacks of the tribes of Yatviags and Volga Bulgars.
Traditionally, the relations with the Byzantine Empire played a vital role in Volodymyr Sviatoslavych’s foreign policy. Being supported by Volodymyr’s warriors, Emperor Basil suppressed the feudal lords’ rebellion. In return, Volodymyr wanted the Emperor to let him marry Princess Anna. In reply, the Byzantines put forward a demand that Volodymyr should be baptized. The chronicle writes that the negotiations about the change of the state religion in Rus’ lasted for a long time but in 988, after Korsun campaign and the Byzantines’ suggestion, the prince made up his mind about baptizing by the Orthodox Christianity.
“…Then Volodymyr sent his messengers throughout the city, saying, “If anybody does not appear near the river tomorrow – a rich man or a poor one, or an old man, or a slave, – he will be my enemy…” And the next day Volodymyr went to the Dnieper with the priests from Tsargorod and from Korsun. And huge crowd gathered and went into the water… and the priests, standing, prayed. And a great joy was seen both in Heaven and on the earth that so many souls were saved…”
Volodymyr Sviatoslavych died on July 15, 1015 while preparing for the campaign against Novgorod and Yaroslav, a son of his. He was buried in the Church of the Tithes built by him in Kyiv.
Prince Volodymyr’s Baptizing. Fresco by V. Vasnetsov in the Kyiv Volodymyr Cathedral
Yaroslav the Wise (circa 978-1054)
Yaroslav, a son of Volodymyr Sviatoslavych, who was called the Wise for his balanced state policy, was born late in the tenth century. The Prince’s mother was Rognida, a Polotsk princess. As his other eleven brothers, he began to take part in ruling over Rus’ when he was little – already in 988, by his father’s order, he was appointed the governor of Rostov and later, when his elder brother died, in Novgorod. The chronicle runs as follows-
“…put Yaroslav to reign in Rostov and when the elder brother, Vysheslav, died in Novgorod, sent Yaroslav there…”.
Yaroslav the Wise. A portrait from the Title reference book, XVII century
It is known that in 1014, Yaroslav gave up paying the tribute to Kyiv and Volodymyr even began to organize campaign against the disobedient son. But the prince’s death prevented another feud. It was Yaroslav, who started it and five years later, after a severe struggle for Kyiv and the death of his brothers Borys, Hlib, Sviatopolk and Sviatoslav, Yaroslav got what he wanted. While fighting for the throne, he had to oppose Yaroslav the Brave, a Polish Prince who had supported Sviatopolk.
Prince’s emblem of Yaroslav the Wise
On the whole, the reign of Yaroslav the Wise was a peak period of Kyivan Rus’. He strengthened the borders and established contacts with many European countries. Yaroslav attended a lot to state building. By his orders, Christianity spread, and the chroniclers called him God-Preserved and God-Wise. Monasteries were founded, churches and cathedrals were built, sciences flourished. The Tale of Bygone years testifies-
“Yaroslav liked books and having copied many of them, he placed them in Saint Sophia Church”.
Yaroslav Volodymyrovych’s seal, found in Novgorod
That brief note informs us of Yaroslav the Wise’s legendary library that has been raising historians’ interest. Some scholars devoted a number of years to search for the library but it has never been found. Some people believe that the library perished, when the Mongolian Tatars attacked Kyiv in December, 1240, others think that it was distributed among different book collections after Yaroslav’s death. Quite recently, there appeared a version that it was hidden in the dungeons of Mezhigorsky monastery. Still the information has not been proved.
The period of Yaroslav the Wise’s reign featured the beginning of work on the norms of law in ancient Rus’. The work resulted in compiling the so-called Yaroslav’s Pravda, the earliest part of Rus’ka Pravda. Yaroslav’s ramified international relations were supported by his family members’ marriages to the representatives of the ruling dynasties of the Western European countries. Besides the well-known marriage of Princess Anna to the King of France, Yelizaveta, a daughter of Yaroslav, became Queen of Norway, Anastasiya – Queen of Hungary. Polish Prince, Kazimir, married Yaroslav’s sister, Dobroneha, and so was connected with Kyivan Rus’ by the dynasty marriage.
Yaroslav the Wise died in 1054 and was buried in Sophia cathedral in Kyiv. There is an entry in The Tale of Bygone Years about that-
“Yaroslav, the Prince of Rus’, died. When he was still alive, he gathered his sons together and told them, “Now that I leave this world and you, my sons, live in love for each other since you all are brothers and have the same father and the same mother…”
Monument to Yaroslav the Wise. Kyiv
Anna Yaroslavna (1024 (1025) – after 1075)
Anna, one of three daughters of Yaroslav the Wise, was probably born in 1024 or 1025. Her destiny was rather common for that time – all three daughters of the Prince of Kyiv – Yelizaveta, Anastasiya and Anna became the queens of European monarchies. Yelizaveta married the Norwegian Prince Harald the Ruthless, whereas Anastasiya took the Hungarian throne.
The future Queen of France had quite good education. She was literate, studied history, foreign languages, mathematics and painting. It is known that Anna was fluent in several languages, in particular, in Old Slavic and Greek.
In 1048 the ambassador from the widower Henry I came to Kyiv for the second time (it is known that at first Prince Yaroslav dismissed the request to let his daughter marry Henry). That time the agreement was reached.
Anna Yaroslavna (Anna of Kyiv). A fresco in the Kyiv Sophia Cathedral
The arrival of the fiancée of the King to France was organized pompously. Henry I set off to Reims to meet Anna. There in May 1049, at the Сathedral of Sacred Cross the coronation was held and Anna Yaroslavna became the queen of France. It is interesting that on the marriage document the daughter of Kyivan Prince wrote her name, while Henry І put a cross instead of a signature. In turn, Anna Yaroslavna surprised the king’s guard when she refused from taking the oath on the Latin Bible. She took the oath on the Gospel written in the Old Slavic language. Later that book got the name of the Reims Gospel and all the following kings of France took the oath on it, without suspecting the Kyivan origin of the book.
The years of Anna’s rule coincided with the economic and cultural booming period in France, but even in those conditions French researchers cite the lines from her letter to father, “What a Barbarian country did you send me to, father? Here houses are dull, churches are ugly and traditions are horrible…” From this letter it is possible to understand that for a well-educated Ukrainian, who had grown up in the conditions of the Slavic culture, it was hard to adapt to the conditions of the French elite of the time. However, the fact that Anna was the only woman in Europe, who corresponded with the Pope, also confirmed her high level of education.
