A queen, a saint, a revolutionary of Viking blood – Olga of Kyiv is one of medieval history’s grandest tales. Her path was not simple and full of danger at every turn. Welcome to bizarre history, today we look at Olga of Kyiv, how a murderous Viking beginnings led to a Queen and a Saint.
First, they killed my husband
Born in Pskov at the turn of the 10th century, most of Olga’s history is documented through her marriage to Igor of Kyiv. Her Viking heritage is considered through her likely heritage as a Varangian. The Varangians were a subset of people located around the Volga River who would have come from Viking and Scandinavian lineage. Though her Viking origins are of fascination to many, Olga of Kyiv’s story is essential entwined with her marriage to the Igor of Kyiv, the powerful leader of Kyivan Rus. Their marriage is believed to have taken place in 903CE. At this time, Kyivan Rus had been taken from a patchwork of differing tribes, often at war with one another, into a potent principality. The growth of Kievan Rus was predominantly down to Igor’s father Rurik, who is understood to have built the area and brought together tribes into a cohesive whole. Once the tribes were on the same page, Kyivan Rus only grew in power and wealth over what was a relatively small timeframe.
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