"And Oleg, the prince, lived in Kiev, and had peace with all countries." This Hero, humble for years, already wanted silence and enjoyed universal peace. None of the neighbors dared to interrupt his calm. Surrounded by the signs of victories and glory, the Sovereign of numerous peoples, the sovereign of a brave army could seem formidable even in the very sleep of old age. Extraordinary success in campaigns, resourcefulness and ingenuity, prowess and cunning gave rise to many legends about Oleg. They began to attribute to him special properties, the gift of foresight, as a result of which the nickname "prophetic" was established for him. Burdened by years, Oleg already wanted silence and enjoyed the world. None of the neighbors dared to disturb his peace. Oleg died in 912. According to legend, the old sorcerer (sorcerer) predicted death for him: "You will accept death from your horse."

Oleg chuckled - however

And the look was clouded by a thought.

In silence, resting your hand on the saddle,

From the horse he climbs gloomy;

And a faithful friend with a farewell hand

And strokes, and pats the cool neck ...

Since then, Oleg has not mounted his horse. Many years later. Somehow remembering about his beloved horse and learning that he had died a long time ago,

Mighty Oleg bowed his head

And he thinks: "What is fortune-telling?

Wizard, you deceitful, insane old man!

Despise your prediction!

My horse would still carry me. "

And he wants to see the bones of a horse.

Grieving over the remains of a faithful friend, the prince, stepping on the horse's skull, continued to sneer at the "false prediction":

"So this is where my death lurked!

The bone threatened me with death! "

From the head of the dead serpent,

Hissing, meanwhile crawled out;

How the black ribbon wrapped around the legs:

And the prince, suddenly stung, cried out.

A.S. Pushkin

The Rusichi were passionate about the death of Oleg. “The people groaned and shed tears,” the chronicle says. “All the people mourned him with great weeping, and carried him, and buried him on a mountain called Schekovitsa. There is also his grave until now, it is reputed to be Olegova's grave. And there were all the years of reign thirty and three. "

CONCLUSION

How can I say more expressively in praise of the deceased sovereign. Prophetic Oleg went down in the history of Russia as a true hero, whose deeds glorified it. Respect for the memory of great men and curiosity to know everything that concerns them, are conducive to such fictions and inform their distant descendants. We may or may not believe that Oleg, in fact, was stung by a snake on the grave of his beloved horse, but the imaginary prophecy of the Magi or sorcerers is an obvious folk fable, worthy of note because of its antiquity. So, Oleg not only terrified his enemies, he was also loved by his subjects. Warriors could mourn in him a brave, skillful leader, and the people of a defender. Having joined the best, richest countries of present-day Russia to his Power, this Prince was the true founder of her greatness. Does history recognize him as an illegal Sovereign from the time the heir of Ruriks matured? Great deeds and state benefits, don't they excuse Olegov's lust for power? And hereditary rights, not yet approved in Russia by custom, could they have seemed sacred to him? .. But the blood of Askold and Dir remained a stain of his glory. But be that as it may, Oleg remained in Russian history as a unifier of northern and southern Russia into one state, the glory of which thundered both in Byzantium and in the European North. From all this it follows that Oleg was the first true builder of the Russian state, perfectly aware at all times. He expanded its limits, confirmed the power of the new dynasty in Kiev, dealt the first tangible blow to the omnipotence of the Khazar Kaganate. Before Oleg and his retinue appeared on the banks of the Dnieper, the "unreasonable Khazars" collected tribute from neighboring Slavic tribes with impunity. For several centuries they sucked Russian blood, and in the end they tried to impose an ideology completely alien to the Russian people - Judaism professed by the Khazars.

As I wrote earlier, there is no data in the annals from 882 to 907. But based on the data of V.N. Demina "Chronicle Rus", we owe the written language to Prince Oleg. Rather, he relies on the chronicle of Nestor, where in 898 Nestor combined the appearance of writing in Russia from the time of Oleg's reign. The names of Solunsky - brothers Cyril and Methodius, the creators of Slavic writing, appear in the "Tale of Bygone Years" also under the year 898.

From all the above, we can conclude that the deeds of Oleg the Prophet, the supreme ruler of the state he created, are a continuous series of heroic deeds, which culminated in unparalleled events in the history of Russia: both the fact that the prophetic prince nailed the winner's shield over the gates of the defeated Constantinople, and the fact that it was during the reign that the Russian alphabet got into circulation. He signed a treaty with Byzantium. After his death, the process of further formation of the Rurik state became irreversible. His merits in this matter are undeniable. It seems that Karamzin said the best about them: “The educated states flourish with the wisdom of the Ruler; but only the strong hand of the Hero founds great Empires and provides them with reliable support in their dangerous news. Ancient Russia is famous for more than one hero: none of them could equal Oleg in the conquests that confirmed her mighty existence. " Strongly said! And most importantly, right! But where are these heroes today? Where are the creators?

Unfortunately, lately some destroyers have flashed before our eyes….

So let us bow our heads as a sign of unpaid gratitude to the great son of the Russian land - Prophetic Oleg: eleven centuries ago, a pagan prince and warrior priest managed to rise above his own religious and ideological limitations in the name of culture, enlightenment and the great future of the peoples of Russia, which became inevitable after the acquisition them of their sacred treasure - the Slavic writing and the Russian alphabet.

The first Russian chroniclers reported about the death of Prophetic Oleg from a snakebite: this is stated in the Tale of Bygone Years, as well as in the 1st Novgorod Chronicle. According to legend, the wise men predicted the death of the prince from his own horse. Oleg parted with the animal, and when the horse died, he remembered the prediction and, laughing at the wise men, ordered to show him the remains. Seeing the bones of the horse, Oleg put his foot on his skull when a poisonous snake crawled out of there and fatally stung the prince.

Application

The second life to the myth about the death of Oleg from a snakebite was given by the poem by A.S. Pushkin. The dramatic denouement of the "Song of the Prophetic Oleg", vividly described by the poet, formed a stereotype that the death of the prince was just that.

Reality

The legendary character of the chronicle tradition of the death of Oleg was pointed out by the Russian historian of the 19th century. N.M. Karamzin, who called the "imaginary prophecy of the Magi or sorcerers" "an obvious folk fable, worthy of note for its antiquity."

Indirectly, this is evidenced by the appearance of a similar plot in the medieval Icelandic epic. The main character of the Viking saga, Orvar Odda, compiled in the 13th century based on ancient legends, died from a snakebite on the grave of his own horse - such a death for him in childhood, when the future Viking was 12 years old, the witch predicted. To prevent the prediction from coming true, Odd and a friend killed the horse, threw it into the pit, and the corpse was covered with stones. Which story, about Oleg or about Odda, appeared earlier, has not yet been established.

Establishing the exact circumstances of the death of the prince became a difficult task for scientists. Speaking in detail about how Oleg died, the chronicles do not give exhaustive answers to other important questions: where exactly Oleg died, and where he was buried.

According to the version of the Tale of Bygone Years, his grave is located in Kiev on Mount Schekovice. The Novgorod Chronicle reports that the prince was buried in Ladoga, but at the same time says that he went “overseas”.

Academician B.A. Rybakov combined these two versions in 1987 and came to the conclusion that the prince spent most of his life in Ladoga, owned the Kiev throne for some time, and after the campaign against Byzantium disappeared without a trace, falling out of sight of the Russian chroniclers.

In 2000, researcher A.A. Vlasov tried to assess the likelihood of Oleg's death from a snake bite, based on the assumption that the chronicle legend may be true. Having studied the habitat of snakes in the possible places of residence of the prince, he suggested that if Oleg was in the Kiev region at the time of the events described, he could have suffered from the bites of three types of snakes: the common viper, steppe or forest-steppe.

A.A. Vlasov hypothesized that a meeting with a steppe viper should have been fatal for Oleg - in his opinion, the prince's horse was most likely kept in a steppe pasture. Currently, this snake is not found in the Kiev region, its habitat is located much further south, but the climatic conditions of the X-XII centuries were different, and the finding of the snake in the possible place of the death of the prince was quite likely, the researcher notes.

This period was dry and warm, forest fires and droughts were often noted in the annals. The way vegetation is described in The Tale of Bygone Years was also conducive to the presence of these snakes in the region. In addition, marmots were found in those parts at the indicated time, and their habitat almost completely coincides with the borders of the viper's range.

However, even if we assume that all these circumstances really coincided in this way, the prince could get a fatal snake bite in the leg with a minimal degree of probability. For this, A.A. Vlasov, it is necessary that the victim was completely without shoes, and the princes at that time, according to archaeological data, wore heavy and thick boots, which the snake could not bite through.

At the same time, even if the viper somehow managed to get to the unprotected parts of Oleg's body, her bite - despite all possible health problems - could not be fatal.

Thus, even in the most fantastic combination of circumstances, if the snake bit the prince, this could not have caused his death: in this case, Oleg could only die from improper treatment, sums up A.A. Vlasov.

Researchers-toxicologists suggest that the most dangerous and often fatal decision in such cases is an attempt to put a tourniquet on a limb that is swollen after a bite: the victim may develop "turnstile shock", poisoning of the body with toxins as a result of prolonged deprivation of the affected part of the body of blood supply.

Sources and Literature

Vlasov A.A.... What viper bit the Prophetic Oleg? // Steppes of Northern Eurasia: Proceedings of the II International Symposium, 2000.

Karamzin N.M. History of Russian Goverment. Volume 1-12. M., 2004.

Rybakov B.A. Paganism of ancient Russia. M., 1987.

Prophetic Oleg is one of the most mysterious figures in Russian history. Who was he to Rurik, did he go to Constantinople and, finally, what his death "overseas" the Russian chronicles mention - all these questions have yet to be answered.

Founder of the Old Russian state

Prince Oleg, who, being either a relative of Rurik (more precisely, the brother of his wife Efanda), or his voivode, during his reign did much more for the formation of the Old Russian state than its legendary founder. When Igor (the son of Rurik) was young, he seized Smolensk and Lyubech, tricked and killed the Kiev princes Askold and Dir, who usurped power there. Under him Kiev became the new seat of the Old Russian state. Oleg's sovereignty was recognized by the glades, northerners, Drevlyans, Ilmen Slovens, Krivichi, Vyatichi, Radimichi, Ulici and Tivertsi. Through his governors and local princes, he managed to establish the state administration of the young country.

His successes in foreign policy were also considerable. Fighting with the Khazars, Oleg made the latter forget that for two centuries the Khazar Khaganate had been collecting tribute from the East Slavic lands. The great Constantinople bowed his head before his army, and Russian merchants received a unique for that time right of duty-free trade with Byzantium, and, in case of need, full provision of food and shipbuilders for the repair of their boats.

Considering all the above merits, some historians tend to see the founder of the Old Russian state in Oleg, and not in his predecessor and ancestor of the princely dynasty - Rurik. The conditional date of foundation, in this case, is considered to be 882, or rather the union of "Slavia" (Novgorod) and "Kuyaba" (Kiev).

A hike that never happened

Oleg's famous campaign against Constantinople deserves special mention, after which he received his historical nickname - "Prophetic". According to The Tale of Bygone Years, the prince equipped an army of 2,000 boats, 40 warriors each. The Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Philosopher, in fear of a numerous enemy, ordered to close the gates of the city, leaving the suburbs of Constantinople to be ruined.

However, Oleg used a trick: “he ordered his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on wheels. And when a fair wind blew, they raised sails in the field and went to the city. " After that, the Greeks, supposedly frightened to death, offered peace and tribute to the conquerors. According to the peace treaty of 907, Russian merchants received the right to duty-free trade and other privileges.

Despite the fact that a mention of this campaign can be found in any textbook on the history of medieval Russia, many historians consider it a legend. There is not a single mention of him among the Byzantine authors, who described in detail similar raids in the 860s and 941s. Doubts are raised by the treaty of 907 itself, which, according to researchers, is a compilation of similar agreements from 911, when Oleg sent an embassy to confirm peace.

Moreover, the description of the return of the Russians with rich booty: even the sails on their boats were made of golden silk, compared with the return of the governor Vladimir from Constantinople, and after the Norwegian king - Olaf Tryggvason, described in the Norwegian saga of the 12th century: “They say, after one great victory he turned home to Gardy (Rus); then they sailed with such great pomp and splendor that they had sails on their ships of precious materials, and their tents were the same. "

Was there a snake?

According to the legend described in the "Tale of Bygone Years", the prince was predicted death from his beloved horse. Oleg ordered to take him away and remembered about the ominous prophecy only a few years later, when he died long ago. Laughing at the Magi, he wanted to look at the horse's bones, and, standing with one foot on the skull, said: "Should I be afraid of him?" At the same moment, a snake crawled out of the skull, mortally stinging the prince.

Of course, this is just a legend written down several centuries after Oleg's death. To the legendary prince-governor - a legendary death. A similar technique, which was often used in other countries of medieval Europe, made the historical figure even more important in the eyes of posterity. Moreover, often different authors used the same story. So, in one Icelandic saga, it is told about the Viking Orvard Odda, who, in his youth, was predicted to die from his horse. To prevent fate from happening, Odd killed the animal, threw it into the pit, and heaped the corpse with stones. As a result, death in the face of a poisonous snake overtook him, like Oleg, on the grave of a dead horse: “And when they were walking quickly, Odd kicked and bent down. "What was it that I hit my foot on?" He touched the point of the spear, and everyone saw that it was the skull of a horse, and immediately a snake soared out of it, rushed to Odda and stung him in the leg above the ankle. The poison immediately worked, the whole leg and thigh were swollen. "

To date, it has not been established who borrowed the original idea from whom. It is rather difficult to establish the exact date of the history of Oleg's death in the Tale of Bygone Years, since the annals were copied more than once. It is only known that Orvard Odd, unlike Oleg, is a fictional hero of an adventure saga created on the basis of oral traditions later than the 13th century. Perhaps the sad death in the face of a snake is an originally Scandinavian plot that came to Russia along with the Vikings and was reincarnated in local legends about Oleg. Although, some researchers believe that the hero of the Scandinavian sagas, Orvard Odd and Oleg are one and the same person.

Persian epic

The Tale of Bygone Years is not the only source for his biography. The first Novgorod chronicle, which, according to some researchers, is even more ancient than the work of Nestor, calls Oleg a voivode under the young Prince Igor, who accompanied him on campaigns. At the same time, it was Prince Igor who dealt with Askold in Kiev, and then undertook a campaign against Constantinople. But the most interesting thing is the end of the story. In addition to the generally accepted version with a snake bite, the chronicle mentions another version of Oleg's death - “overseas”.

More detailed information about the unknown, "overseas" campaign of Oleg, where he may have met his death, is to be found in the writings of the Arab author Al-Masudi, who reported on the Rus fleet of 500 ships that invaded the Kerch Strait after about 912. Al-Masudi mentions two great rulers of the Rus at the head - Al-Dir and a certain Olwang. It is customary to associate the latter with Askold, but this name may equally well bear a resemblance to Oleg, the winner of Askold and Dir.

The Khazar king, who was promised half of the booty for his loyalty, allegedly allowed the Russians to pass through the Don to the Volga, and from there descend into the Caspian Sea. The ultimate goal of the Rus was Persia. The result of the campaign was the ruin of Persian Azerbaijan. Part of the booty, as it was expected under the contract, was delivered to Khazaria. But the guard of the Khazar king, which consisted mainly of Muslim mercenaries, rebelled and demanded revenge for the death of co-religionists. The ruler did not contradict them, nor did he warn the Russians about the danger. They entered into an unequal battle, as a result of which about 30 thousand Slavs perished, and the rest retreated up the Volga, where they were killed by the Bulgars.

Together with the army, their leader also died. Some historians believe that the “death overseas” mentioned in the Novgorod version is a vague, but true memory of Oleg’s death in the Caspian campaign, and not on the territory of the settlement of Ladoga from “his horse”.

Oleg, he is the Prophetic Oleg (Old Russian. Olga, Ѡlg). Died approx. 912 year. Prince of Novgorod since 879 and Grand Duke of Kiev since 882.

The chronicles set out two versions of Oleg's biography: the traditional one in The Tale of Bygone Years (PVL), and according to the Novgorod First Chronicle. The Novgorod Chronicle has preserved fragments of an earlier collection of chronicles (on which the PVL is also based), but contains inaccuracies in the chronology of the events of the 10th century.

According to PVL, Oleg was a relative (tribesman) of Rurik. VN Tatishchev, referring to the Joachim Chronicle, considers him his brother-in-law - the brother of Rurik's wife, whom he calls Efanda. The exact origin of Oleg in the PVL is not indicated. There is a hypothesis that Oleg is Odd Orvar (Arrow), the hero of several Norwegian-Icelandic sagas.

After the death of the founder of the princely dynasty of Rurik in 879, Oleg began to reign in Novgorod as the guardian of Rurik's young son Igor.

According to the PVL, in 882 Oleg, taking with him many warriors: Varangians, Chud, Sloven, Meru, all, Krivichi, took the cities of Smolensk and Lyubech and put his husbands there. Further along the Dnieper he went down to Kiev, where Rurik's tribesmen, the Vikings Askold and Dir, reigned. Oleg sent an ambassador to them with the words: "We are merchants, we are going to the Greeks from Oleg and from Igor the prince, but come to your family and to us".

When Askold and Dir left the city, Oleg announced to them: "You are nєsta knѧzѧ́ nor kind of knѧ́zhѧ · but az єsm kind of knѧ́zhѧ" and presented Rurik's heir, young Igor, after which Askold and Dir were killed.

The Nikon Chronicle, a compilation of various sources from the 16th century, gives a more detailed account of this capture. Oleg landed part of his squad ashore, having discussed a secret plan of action. He himself, saying that he was sick, remained in the boat and sent a notice to Askold and Dir that he was carrying a lot of beads and jewelry, and also had an important conversation with the princes. When they ascended the rook, Oleg told them: "Az єsm Olga knѧz · and sє Рst Rurikov Igor knѧzhich" - and immediately killed Askold and Dir.

The location of Kiev seemed very convenient to Oleg, and he moved there with his squadby declaring: "Let this be the mother of Russian cities"... Thus, he united the northern and southern centers of the Eastern Slavs. For this reason, it is Oleg, and not Rurik, who is sometimes considered the founder of the Old Russian state.

Having reigned in Kiev, Oleg established a tribute to the Varangians for Novgorod at 300 hryvnias: "And ѹstavi varѧѧgom a tribute to give · Novagòroda t҃ hryvnia on the whole · world for a long time until death Ꙗroslavlѧ daꙗshє varѧgom."

For the next 25 years, Oleg was busy expanding the territory under his control. He subdued Kiev Drevlyans (883), Northerners (884), Radimichs (885). The last two tribal alliances were tributaries of the Khazars. The Tale of Bygone Years left the text of Oleg's address to the northerners: "I am an enemy of the Khazars, so you don't need to pay them tribute." To the Radimichs: "Whom do you pay tribute to?" They answered: "Khazars". And Oleg says: "Don't give it to the Khazars, but give it to me." "And Oleg owned derevlyans, glades, radimichs, and with - streets and tivertsy imyashe army."

898 The Tale of Bygone Years dates the appearance of the Hungarians near Kiev during their migration to the west, which actually happened several years earlier.

In 907, having equipped 2,000 boats of 40 warriors each (PVL), Oleg set out on a campaign against Constantinople. The Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Philosopher ordered to close the gates of the city and block the harbor with chains, thus giving the Varangians the opportunity to plunder and ravage the suburbs of Constantinople. However, Oleg went on an unusual assault: “And Oleg ordered his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on wheels. And when a fair wind blew, they raised sails in the field and went to the city ".

The frightened Greeks offered Oleg peace and tribute. According to the agreement, Oleg received 12 hryvnias for each oarlock, and Byzantium promised to pay tribute to Russian cities. As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was a trade agreement on duty-free trade between Russia and Byzantium.

Many historians consider this campaign a legend. There is no mention of it by the Byzantine authors, who described in sufficient detail such campaigns in 860 and 941. There are doubts about the 907 treaty, the text of which is an almost literal compilation of the 911 and 944 treaties. Perhaps there was still a campaign, but without the siege of Constantinople. PVL in the description of the campaign of Igor Rurikovich in 944 transfers "the words of the Byzantine king" to Prince Igor: "Do not go, but take the tribute that Oleg took, and I will add to that tribute."

In 911, Oleg sent an embassy to Constantinople, which confirmed the "long-term" peace and concluded a new agreement. Compared to the 907 treaty, the mention of duty-free trade disappears from it. Oleg is referred to in the treaty as "the great Russian prince." There is no doubt about the authenticity of the 911 agreement: it is supported by both linguistic analysis and references in Byzantine sources.

In the fall of 912, according to the Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Oleg died from a snakebite.

The circumstances of the Prophetic Oleg's death are contradictory. The "Tale of Bygone Years" reports that Oleg's death was preceded by a heavenly sign - the appearance of "a great star in the west in a spear fashion." According to the Kiev version, reflected in the "Tale of Bygone Years", his grave is located in Kiev on Mount Schekovitsa. The first Novgorod chronicle places his grave in Ladoga, but at the same time says that he went “overseas”.

In both versions, there is a legend about death from a snakebite. According to legend, the wise men predicted to the prince that he would die from his beloved horse. Oleg ordered the horse to be taken away and remembered the prediction only four years later, when the horse had long since died. Oleg laughed at the Magi and wanted to look at the horse's bones, put his foot on the skull and said: "Should I be afraid of him?" However, a poisonous snake lived in the horse's skull, which fatally stung the prince.

This legend finds parallels in the Icelandic saga of the Viking Orvar Odda, who was also mortally stung on the grave of his beloved horse. It is not known whether the saga became the reason for the creation of the Old Russian legend about Oleg or, on the contrary, the circumstances of Oleg's death served as material for the saga.

However, if Oleg is a historical person, then Orvar Odd is the hero of an adventure saga created on the basis of oral legends not earlier than the 13th century. The witch predicted the death of 12-year-old Odda from his horse. To prevent the prediction from coming true, Odd and a friend killed the horse, threw it into the pit, and the corpse was covered with stones. Here's how Orvar Odd died years later: And as they walked quickly, Odd kicked and bent down. "What was it that I hit my foot on?" He touched the point of the spear, and everyone saw that it was the skull of a horse, and immediately a snake soared out of it, rushed to Odda and stung him in the leg above the ankle. The poison worked immediately, the entire leg and thigh were swollen. Odd was so weak from this bite that they had to help him go to the shore, and when he got there, he said: “You should now go and cut down a stone coffin for me, and let someone stay here to sit next to me and write that story which I will add about my deeds and my life. " After that, he began to compose the story, and they began to write it down on a small tablet, and as Odda went, so the story went [following the hang]. And after that Odd dies.

For some time it was customary to identify Oleg with the epic hero Volga Svyatoslavich.

G. Lovmyansky argued that the opinion about the initial rule of Oleg in Novgorod, which was established in the scientific literature, is doubtful. According to G. Lovmyansky, Oleg was a prince of Smolensk, and his connection with Rurik is a late chronicle combination. A. Lebedev suggested that a representative of local nobles could be a relative of Rurik. The fact that Oleg imposed tribute on Novgorod to Kiev and the Varangians may testify against the version of Oleg's reign in Novgorod.

The date of Oleg's death, like all the annalistic dates of Russian history until the end of the 10th century, is conditional. Historian A. A. Shakhmatov noted that 912 is also the year of death of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI - the antagonist of Oleg. Perhaps the chronicler, who knew that Oleg and Leo were contemporaries, timed the end of their reigns to the same date. A similar suspicious coincidence - 945 - and between the dates of Igor's death and the dethroning of his contemporary, the Byzantine emperor Roman I. Considering, moreover, that the Novgorod tradition dates Oleg's death to 922, the date 912 becomes even more dubious. The duration of the reign of Oleg and Igor is 33 years each, which raises suspicion of the epic source of this information.

The Polish historian of the 18th century H.F. Frize put forward a version that the Prophetic Oleg had a son, Oleg Moravsky, who, after his father's death, was forced to leave Russia as a result of a struggle with Prince Igor. A relative of the Rurikovichs, Oleg Moravsky, became the last prince of Moravia in 940, according to the works of Polish and Czech writers of the 16th-17th centuries, but his kinship with Prophetic Oleg is only an assumption of Frize.

The Russian pronunciation of the name Oleg probably originated from the Scandinavian name Helge, which originally meant (in Proto-Swedish - Hailaga) "saint", "possessing the gift of healing." From the sagas, several carriers of the name Helgi are known, the life of which dates back to the 6th-9th centuries. The sagas also contain names similar in sound to Ole, Oleif, Ofeig. Saxon Grammaticus names the names Ole, Oleif, Ofeig, but their ethnicity remains unclear.

Among historians who do not support the Norman theory, attempts were made to challenge the Scandinavian etymology of the name of Oleg and connect it with the primordially Slavic, Turkic or Iranian forms. Some researchers also note that, given the fact that the "Tale of Bygone Years" was written by Christian monks in the 11th century, the nickname "Prophetic" cannot be considered authentic. Modern historians see in him Christian motives or even Christian propaganda. So, in particular, the Russian historian and archaeologist V. Ya. Petrukhin believes that the nickname "Prophetic" and the legend about the death of Prince Oleg were included in the chronicles by monks in order to show the impossibility of pagan foresight of the future.

Prophetic Oleg (documentary)

The image of the Prophetic Oleg in art

In drama:

Lvov A. Drama panorama in 5 acts and 14 scenes "Prince Oleg the Prophet" (premiered on September 16, 1904 on the stage of the People's House of Nicholas II), music by N. I. Privalov with the participation of the guslyar choir O. U. Smolensky.

In literature, the chronicle story of Oleg's death is the basis of literary works:

A. Pushkin “The Song of the Prophetic Oleg”;
Vysotsky V.S. "Song of the Prophetic Oleg";
Ryleev K.F.Dumas. Chapter I. Oleg the Prophet. 1825;
B. L. Vasiliev “Prophetic Oleg”;
Panus O. Yu. "Shields on the gates".

To the cinema:

The Legend of Princess Olga (1983; USSR) directed by Yuri Ilyenko, in the role of Oleg Nikolai Olyalin;
Conquest / Honfoglalás (1996; Hungary), directed by Gabor Koltai, in the role of Oleg Laszlo Helia;
A Viking Saga (2008; Denmark, USA) directed by Mikael Mouyal, as Oleg Simon Braeger (in childhood), Ken Vedsegor (in his youth);
Prophetic Oleg. Recovered Reality (2015; Russia) - a documentary film by Mikhail Zadornov about Prophetic Oleg.

Prophetic Oleg. The newfound reality

Prince Oleg of Kiev, Oleg the Prophet, Prince of Novgorod, and so on. Oleg, one of the first known Russian princes, had many nicknames. And each of them was given to him reasonably.

The most interesting thing in studying the biography of people who lived so long ago is that we have never been able to find out how everything really was. And this applies to absolutely any facts, even names and nicknames.

Nevertheless, in the history of our country there is a certain number of documents, chronicles and other papers, written on which many historians, for some reason, believe.

I propose not to hesitate for a long time on the subject of whether everything really happened, but simply to plunge headlong into the most distant corners of the history of Russia. We'll start from the very beginning. From the origin of Prince Oleg.

Oleg's origin

The most interesting thing is that on the Internet, I found several versions of the origin of Prince Oleg the Prophetic. The main ones are two. The first is based on the well-known chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years", and the second - on the Novgorod First Chronicle. The Novgorod Chronicle describes the earlier events of Ancient Rus, therefore it has preserved fragments of an earlier period of Oleg's life. However, it contains inaccuracies in the chronology of the events of the 10th century. However, everything in order.

So, according to The Tale of Bygone Years, Oleg was a fellow tribesman of Rurik. Some historians consider him the brother of Rurik's wife. A more precise origin of Oleg is not indicated in The Tale of Bygone Years. There is a hypothesis that Oleg has Scandinavian roots and bears the name of the hero of several Norwegian-Icelandic sagas.

After the death of the founder of the princely dynasty Rurik (according to some sources - the true creator of the Old Russian state) in 879, Oleg began to reign in Novgorod as the guardian of Rurik's young son Igor.

Hikes of Prince Oleg

Unification of Kiev and Novgorod

Again, if you follow the history and further on the "Tale of Bygone Years", then in 882 Prince Oleg, taking with him a large army, consisting of the Varangians, Chud, Slovenian, Meru, all, Krivichi and representatives of other tribes took the city of Smolensk and Lyubech, where he put his people as governors. Further along the Dnieper, he went down to Kiev, where two boyars ruled not of the Rurik tribe, but were Vikings: Askold and Dir. Oleg did not want to fight with them, so he sent an ambassador to them with the words:

We are merchants, we are going to the Greeks from Oleg and from Igor the prince, but come to your family and to us.

Askold and Dir came ... Oleg hid some of the soldiers in the boats, and left others behind him. He himself went forward, holding the young prince Igor in his arms. Presenting them the heir of Rurik, young Igor, Oleg said: "And he is the son of Rurik." And he killed Askold and Dir.

Another chronicle, consisting of information from various sources of the XVI century, gives a more detailed account of this capture.

Oleg landed part of his squad ashore, having discussed a secret plan of action. He himself, saying that he was sick, remained in the boat and sent a notice to Askold and Dir that he was carrying a lot of beads and ornaments, and also had an important conversation with the princes. When they got on the boat, Oleg killed Askold and Dir.

Prince Oleg appreciated the convenient location of Kiev and moved there with his retinue, declaring Kiev “the mother of Russian cities”. Thus, he united the northern and southern centers of the Eastern Slavs. For this reason, it is Oleg, and not Rurik, who is sometimes considered the founder of the Old Russian state.

For the next 25 years, Prince Oleg was busy expanding his power. He subjugated Kiev to the tribes of the Drevlyans (in 883), the Northerners (in 884), and the Radimichi (in 885). And the Drevlyans and northerners paid to give to the Khazars. "The Tale of Bygone Years" left the text of Oleg's address to the northerners:

"I am an enemy of the Khazars, so you don't have to pay tribute to them either." To the Radimichs: "Whom do you pay tribute to?" They answered: "Kozaram." And Oleg says: "Don't give it to Kozar, but give it to me." "And Oleg owned the Drevlyans, glades, Radimichs, streets and Tivertsy."

Hike of Prince Oleg to Constantinople

In 907, having equipped 2,000 boats (these are such boats) with 40 warriors in each (according to the "Tale of Bygone Years"), Oleg set out on a campaign against Constantinople (now Constantinople). The Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Philosopher ordered to close the gates of the city and block the harbor with chains, thus giving the enemies the opportunity to plunder and destroy only the suburbs of Constantinople. However, Oleg chose a different path.

The prince ordered his soldiers to make large wheels on which they put their boats. And as soon as a fair wind blew, the sails rose and filled with air, which drove the boats towards the city.

The frightened Greeks offered Oleg peace and tribute. According to the agreement, Oleg received 12 hryvnias for each soldier and ordered Byzantium to pay tribute "to Russian cities." In addition to this, Prince Oleg ordered to receive Russian merchants and traders in Constantinople as gloriously as no one had ever received. Show them all the honors and provide them with the best conditions, as if he were himself. Well, if these merchants and traders begin to behave insolently, then Oleg ordered to expel them from the city.

As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was a trade agreement on duty-free trade between Russia and Byzantium.

Many historians consider this campaign to be fiction. There is not a single mention of him in the Byzantine chronicles of those times, which described in sufficient detail such campaigns in 860 and 941. There are also doubts about the 907 treaty, the text of which is an almost word-for-word repetition of the 911 and 944 treaties.

Perhaps there was still a campaign, but without the siege of Constantinople. "The Tale of Bygone Years" in the description of Igor Rurikovich's campaign in 944 conveys "the words of the Byzantine king" to Prince Igor: "Do not go, but take the tribute that Oleg took, I will add to that tribute."

In 911, Prince Oleg sent an embassy to Constantinople, which confirmed the "long-term" peace and concluded a new treaty. Compared to the 907 treaty, the mention of duty-free trade disappears from it. Oleg is referred to in the treaty as "the great Russian prince." There is no doubt about the authenticity of the 911 agreement: it is supported by both linguistic analysis and references in Byzantine sources.

Death of Prince Oleg

In 912, according to the same "Tale of Bygone Years", Prince Oleg died from the bite of a snake that crawled out of the skull of his dead horse. Much has already been written about Oleg's death, so we will not dwell on this for a long time. What can I say ... Each of us studied the work of the great classic A.S. Pushkin's "Song of the Prophetic Oleg" and at least once in my life I saw this picture.

Death of Prince Oleg

In the Novgorod first chronicle, which we talked about earlier, Oleg is represented not as a prince, but as a voivode under Igor (the very young son of Rurik, with whom he entered Kiev according to the "Tale of Bygone Years"). Kills Askold, captures Kiev and goes to war against Byzantium, too, Igor, and Oleg returns to the north, to Ladoga, where he dies not in 912, but in 922.

The circumstances of the Prophetic Oleg's death are contradictory. The Tale of Bygone Years reports that there was a heavenly sign before Oleg's death. According to the Kiev version, reflected in the "Tale of Bygone Years", his tomb of the prince is located in Kiev on Mount Schekovitsa. The first Novgorod chronicle places his grave in Ladoga, but at the same time says that he went “overseas”.

In both versions, there is a legend about death from a snakebite. According to legend, the Magi predicted to Prince Oleg that he would die from his beloved horse. After that, Oleg ordered the horse to be taken away and remembered the prediction only four years later, when the horse had long since died. Oleg laughed at the Magi and wanted to look at the horse's bones, put his foot on the skull and said: "Should I be afraid of him?" However, a poisonous snake lived in the horse's skull, which fatally stung the prince.

Prince Oleg: years of rule

The date of Oleg's death, like all the annalistic dates of Russian history until the end of the 10th century, is conditional. Historians have noted that 912 is also the year of death of the Byzantine emperor Leo VI - the antagonist of Prince Oleg. Perhaps the chronicler, who knew that Oleg and Leo were contemporaries, timed the end of their reigns to the same date. A similar suspicious coincidence - 945 - and between the dates of Igor's death and the overthrow of his contemporary, the Byzantine emperor Roman I. Considering, moreover, that the Novgorod tradition dates Oleg's death to 922, the date 912 becomes even more doubtful. The duration of the reign of Oleg and Igor is 33 years each, which raises suspicion of the epic source of this information.

If the date of death is taken according to the Novgorod Chronicle, then the years of his reign are 879-922. Which is not 33, but 43 years.

As I said at the very beginning of the article, we have not yet been able to find out the exact dates of such distant events. Of course, there can be no two correct dates, especially when we are talking about a difference of 10 years. But for now, one can conditionally accept both dates as true.

P.S. I perfectly remember the history of Russia in the 6th grade, when we went through this topic. I must say that while studying all the nuances of Prince Oleg's life, I discovered many new "facts" (I hope you understand why I put this word in quotation marks).

I am sure that this material will be useful for those who are preparing to speak to the class / group with a report on the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophetic. If you have something to supplement it, I look forward to your comments below.

And if you are simply interested in the history of our country, I advise you to visit the section “Great Generals of Russia” and read the articles in this section of the site.