Saint Olga of Kyiv - Infinite Women

Born: Unknown, Russia
Died: 969
Country most active: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus
Also known as: Ольга, Helga

This biography, written by Gabby Storey, is shared with permission from Team Queens, an educational history blog run by a collective of historical scholars. All rights reserved; this material may not be republished without the author’s consent.

Little is known of Olga’s early life, including her birth date, which is speculated to have been between 890 and 925. She was married to Prince Igor I of Kiev, and the area known as Kyivan Rus’ is a conglomeration of local regions which now covers Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
The Drevilians, a neighbouring tribe, had paid Igor’s predecessors tribute, however upon his father’s death they did not pay tribute. Igor confronted the Drevilians and received tribute, however he returned to demand further tribute and was murdered by the Drevilians.
Olga acted as a female regent on behalf of her minor son Sviatoslav Igorevish from 945 to 960/961, upon the death of her husband until Sviatoslav reached his majority. She is named as the archontissa or female ruler of Rus’ in contemporary Byzantine accounts.
The Old Slavonic title of k”nęgnyi is the female version of the male title of rulership, k”niaz’, which is often translated as regina or rex respectively in Latin sources. The translation of k”nęgnyi as princess should not understate the power a woman could hold in Rus’.
Olga’s title is an indication of the extent of her power, and upon her accession as regent she massacred the Drevilians who had murdered her husband. After this, she governed and effectively centralised rule across the Kievan Rus.
In the 950s, Olga converted to Christianity and was baptised in Constantinople. Upon her return, she worked to convert her son but was unsuccessful. However, Sviatoslav agreed not to persecute Christians, which was a major turning point.
Olga died from illness in 969, and was buried according to Christian practices. Her tomb was destroyed in 1240. She was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1547, and is also venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. Her feast day is July 11.

Recommended Reading
Barbara Hill, Imperial Women in Byzantium 1025-1204: Power, Patronage and Ideology (Abingdon: Routledge, 1999)
Francis Butler, “A Woman of Words: Pagan Ol’ga in the Mirror of Germanic Europe,” Slavic Review 63 (2004): 771-793
Natalia Pushkareva, Women in Russian History: From the Tenth to the Twentieth Century, ed. and trans. Eve Levin (Abingdon: Routledge, 1996)
Talia Zajac, “The Social-Political Roles of the Princess in Kyivan Rus’, ca. 945-1240,” in A Companion to Global Queenship, ed., Elena Woodacre, 125-146 (Leeds: Arc Humanities Press, 2018).

The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.

Princess of Kiev; born of the best family in Piescow, she became the wife of Igor, the second monarch of Russia, to whom she bore one son, Swetoslaw. She was the first woman of note in Russian history.
Igor being murdered by the Drewenses, Olga revenged his death.
According to the ancient Russian chronicles, she ruled over her country with firmness and wisdom.
Her greatest claim to fame, however, was her conversion to Christianity in 957. This paved the way for the general conversion of the Russian people some thirty years later. She died at Pereslaw, in the eightieth year of her age, fourteen years after her baptism.

The following is excerpted from A Cyclopædia of Female Biography, published 1857 by Groomsbridge and Sons and edited by Henry Gardiner Adams.

Wife of Igor, the second monarch of Russia, was born of the best family in Plescow. She bore Igor one son, called Swetoslaw. Igor being murdered by the Drewenses, Olga revenged his death. She went afterwards to Constantinople, where she was baptized by the name of Helen. The emperor, John Zimisces, was her godfather, and fell in love with her; but she, alleging their spiritual affinity, refused to marry him. Her example induced many of her subjects to embrace Christianity, but had no effect on her son. She died at Pereslaw, in the eightieth year of her age, fourteen years after her baptism.