Story: And you will accept death from your horse .... Death of Prince Oleg the Prophetic
Prince Oleg of Kyiv, Oleg the Prophetic, 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 about studying the biographies of people who lived so long ago is that we never get to know how it 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, annals and other papers, written on which many historians, for some reason, believe.
I propose not to think for a long time on the topic of whether everything really happened, but simply to plunge headlong into the most distant corners of Russian history. 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 Prophet. 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 Russia, 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, first things first.
So, according to The Tale of Bygone Years, Oleg was a tribesman of Rurik. Some historians consider him the brother of Rurik's wife. A more accurate origin of Oleg in the "Tale of Bygone Years" is not indicated. There is a hypothesis that Oleg has Scandinavian roots and is named after 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.
Campaigns of Prince Oleg
Unification of Kyiv and Novgorod
Again, if you follow history and further along the Tale of Bygone Years, then in 882 Prince Oleg, taking with him a large army consisting of Varangians, Chud, Slovenes, measure, all, Krivichi and representatives of other tribes, took the city of Smolensk and Lyubech, where he planted his people as governors. Further along the Dnieper, he went down to Kiev, where two boyars ruled not from the Rurik tribe, but were Varangians: 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 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. Showing them the heir of Rurik, the 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 16th century, gives a more detailed account of this capture.
Oleg landed part of his squad ashore, discussing a secret plan of action. He himself, having said 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 boarded the boat, Oleg killed Askold and Dir.
Prince Oleg appreciated the convenient location of Kyiv and moved there with his retinue, declaring Kyiv "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 state. He subordinated to Kiev the tribes of the Drevlyans (in 883), northerners (in 884), 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 appeal to the northerners:
“I am an enemy of the Khazars, therefore you have no need to pay tribute to them.” To the Radimichi: “To whom do you give tribute?” They answered: "Kozary". And Oleg says: "Don't give it to Kozar, but give it to me." "And Oleg owned the Drevlyans, glades, Radimichi, streets and Tivertsy."
Prince Oleg's campaign against Tsargrad
In 907, having equipped 2000 boats (these are such boats), 40 warriors 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 the gates of the city to be closed and the harbor to be fenced off with chains, thus giving the enemies the opportunity to plunder and ravage only the suburbs of Constantinople. However, Oleg went the other way.
The prince ordered his soldiers to make big 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 to 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 "on Russian cities." In addition to this, Prince Oleg ordered to receive Russian merchants and merchants in Constantinople as gloriously as no one had ever received. Show them all the honors and provide them with the best conditions, as if to himself. Well, if these merchants and traders begin to behave impudently, then Oleg ordered them to be driven out of 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 of Russia in Byzantium.
Many historians consider this campaign a fiction. There is not a single mention of him in the Byzantine chronicles of those times, which described such campaigns in sufficient detail in 860 and 941. There are also doubts about the treaty of 907, the text of which is an almost verbatim repetition of the treaties of 911 and 944.
Perhaps there was still a campaign, but without the siege of Constantinople. "The Tale of Bygone Years" in the description of the campaign of Igor Rurikovich 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 more to that tribute."
In 911, Prince Oleg sent an embassy to Constantinople, which confirmed the "long-term" peace and concluded a new treaty. Compared with the treaty of 907, the mention of duty-free trade disappears from it. Oleg is referred to in the contract as the "Grand Duke of Russia". There is no doubt about the authenticity of the agreement of 911: it is supported by both linguistic analysis and mention in Byzantine sources.
Death of Prince Oleg
In 912, according to the same Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Oleg died from a snake bite 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 his life saw this picture.
Death of Prince Oleg
In the Novgorod First Chronicle, which we spoke about earlier, Oleg is not represented as a prince, but as a governor under Igor (the very young son of Rurik, with whom he entered Kyiv according to the Tale of Bygone Years). Igor also kills Askold, captures Kyiv and goes to war against Byzantium, and Oleg returns to the north, to Ladoga, where he dies not in 912, but in 922.
The circumstances of the death of Prophetic Oleg are contradictory. The Tale of Bygone Years reports that before Oleg's death there was a heavenly sign. According to the Kiev version, reflected in the Tale of Bygone Years, his prince's grave is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa. The Novgorod First Chronicle places his grave in Ladoga, but at the same time says that he went "beyond the sea."
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 precisely 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 bones of the horse, stood with his foot on the skull and said: “Should I be afraid of him?” However, a poisonous snake lived in the horse's skull, fatally biting the prince.
Prince Oleg: years of reign
The date of Oleg's death, like all annalistic dates of Russian history until the end of the 10th century, is conditional. Historians have noted that the year 912 is also the year of the death of the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI, the antagonist of Prince Oleg. Perhaps the chronicler, who knew that Oleg and Leo were contemporaries, dated the end of their reigns to the same date. A similar suspicious coincidence - 945 - is 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 in 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 already not 33, but 43 years.
As I said at the very beginning of the article, we have not yet been given the exact dates of such distant events. Of course, there cannot be two correct dates, especially when we are talking about a difference of 10 years. But for now, you can conditionally accept both dates as true.
P.S. I remember very well the history of Russia in the 6th grade, when we studied this topic. I must say that studying all the nuances of the life of Prince Oleg, I discovered many new "facts" for myself (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 a class / group with a report on the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet. If you have something to add to it, I'm waiting for your comments below.
And if you are just interested in the history of our country, then I advise you to visit the heading "The Great Generals of Russia" and read the articles in this section of the site.
In the year 6420 (912). And Oleg lived, the prince in Kyiv, having peace with all countries. And autumn came, and Oleg remembered his horse, which he once put to feed, deciding never to sit on it. For once he asked the sorcerers and sorcerers: “What will I die of?” And one magician said to him: “Prince! From your beloved horse, on which you ride, you will die from it! These words sunk into Oleg’s soul, and he said: “I will never sit on him and I will never see him again!” And he ordered to feed him and not to bring him to him, and lived for several years without seeing him, until he went to the Greeks. And when he returned to Kyiv and four years had passed, in the fifth year he remembered his horse, from which the sorcerers once predicted his death. And he called the elder of the grooms and said: “Where is my horse, which I ordered to feed and take care of?” He answered: "He died." Oleg laughed and reproached that sorcerer, saying: “The magi say it’s not right, but it’s all a lie: the horse died, but I’m alive.” And he ordered to saddle his horse: "Let me see his bones." And he came to the place where his bare bones and naked skull lay, dismounted from the horse, laughed and said: “Will I accept death from this skull?” And he stepped with his foot on the skull, and a snake crawled out of the skull and bit him on the leg. And because of that, he fell ill and died. Everyone paid for it...
Death of Igor
In the year 6453 (945). That year, the squad said to Igor: ... Let's go, prince, with us for tribute, and you will get us too. And Igor listened to them - he went to the Drevlyans for tribute, and added a new tribute to the previous one, and his men did violence to them. Taking tribute, he went to his city. When he was walking back, on reflection, he said to his squad: “Go home with tribute, and I will return and collect more.” And he sent his retinue home, and he himself returned with a small part of the retinue, desiring more wealth. The Drevlyans, having heard that it was coming again, held a council with their prince Mal: “If a wolf gets into the habit of sheep, then it takes out the whole herd until they kill it. So is this one: if we do not kill him, then he will destroy us all. And they sent to him, saying, “Why are you going again? I've already taken all the tribute." And Igor did not listen to them. And the Drevlyans, leaving the city of Iskorosten
What was the genre of chronicle in ancient Russian literature? The chronicle genre is a type of narrative literature in Russia in the 11th-17th centuries. These were weather (by years) records or a collection of various works, both all-Russian and local. The word summer (year) determined the following of records. Having recorded the events of one year, the chronicler marked that year and moved on to the next. Thus, a consistent picture of the events of life turned out to be in the hands of descendants. "The Tale of Bygone Years" is an all-Russian chronicle. How was the chronicle created? The chronicler monk wrote down the most important events day after day, indicating when they happened. Thus history, with its troubles and joys, left a trace in the monastic cells. The anonymous chroniclers help us to imagine the past: the chronicles include the biographies of the saints, the texts of treaties, and teachings. The chronicle turned into a kind of textbook of wisdom. A special place in the Russian chronicles is occupied by The Tale of Bygone Years, created in the 10s of the 12th century by Nestor, a monk of the Kiev Caves Monastery. What is the Tale of Bygone Years about? Nestor defined his tasks in this way: “... where did the Russian land come from, who became the first to reign in Kyiv, and how the Russian land arose.” In "The Tale ..." the main theme is the theme of the Motherland. It is she who dictates to the chronicler an assessment of events: the need for agreement between the princes is affirmed, feuds between them are condemned, and a call for unity in the fight against external enemies is heard. The events of history follow each other. The history of the reign of all rulers contains both a description of events and an assessment of their actions. Retell an excerpt from the annals on behalf of Prince Oleg. In the textbook-reader there is a story about the death of Prince Oleg from his horse. It is impossible to retell it entirely on behalf of the prince, but it is possible to the place where he dies from a snake bite. “For many years I lived in peace with my neighbors, and for many years my beloved horse carried me along the roads of my Motherland. But once the Magi predicted death from this horse to me, and I decided to part with him. I regretted that I would never sit on it again or even see it again. When, after a long hike, I returned home and found out that my horse had died a long time ago, I laughed at the words of the magician. Then I decided to see the bones of the horse.” This is where you can end your story, since it cannot be continued on behalf of Oleg - we know that the prince died from a snake bite that crawled out of the skull of his horse. What can attract a modern reader in annalistic narration? The chronicle attracts readers with the perfection of its form, which conveys to us the manner of narration of a distant era, but even more so because it informs us about the events of a distant time, about people and their
Prophetic Oleg is one of the most mysterious figures in Russian history. Who did he relate to Rurik, did he go to Constantinople, and, finally, what kind of his death "beyond the sea" do 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 governor, during his reign did much more to form the Old Russian state than its legendary founder. When Igor (Ryurik's son) was young, he captured Smolensk and Lyubech, deceived and killed the Kiev princes Askold and Dir, who had usurped power there. Under him, Kyiv became the new residence of the Old Russian state. Oleg's sovereignty was recognized by the Polans, Northerners, Drevlyans, Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi, Vyatichi, Radimichi, Ulich and Tivertsy. Through his governors and local princes, he managed to lay the state administration of the young country.
His successes in foreign policy were also considerable. While fighting 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 Tsargrad (Constantinople) bowed his head before his army, and Russian merchants received the unique right for that time of duty-free trade with Byzantium, and, if necessary, full provision of food and shipbuilders to repair their boats.
Given all the above merits, some historians tend to see the founder of the Old Russian state in Oleg, and not in his predecessor and the ancestor of the princely dynasty - Rurik. The conditional date of foundation, in this case, is 882, or rather the unification of Slavia (Novgorod) and Kuyaba (Kyiv).
The trip that wasn't there
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 the gates of the city to be closed, leaving the suburbs of Constantinople to be devastated.
However, Oleg went to the trick: “he ordered his soldiers to make wheels and put ships on wheels. And when a favorable wind blew, they raised sails in the field and went to the city. After that, supposedly scared to death, the Greeks 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 the mention of this campaign can be found in any manual on the history of medieval Russia, many historians consider it a legend. There is not a single mention of him by Byzantine authors, who described in detail similar raids in 860 and 941. The treaty of 907 itself also raises doubts, which, according to researchers, is a compilation of similar agreements from 911, when Oleg sent an embassy in order to confirm the peace.
Moreover, the description of the return of the Rus with rich booty: even the sails on their boats were made of golden silk, is compared with the return of the voivode 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); they sailed then with such great splendor and splendor that they had sails on their ships of precious materials, and so were their tents.
Was there a snake?
According to the legend described in The Tale of Bygone Years, the prince was predicted to die from his beloved horse. Oleg ordered to take him away and remembered the ominous prophecy only a few years later, when he died long ago. Laughing at the Magi, he wanted to look at the bones of the horse, and, standing with one foot on the skull, he said: “Should I be afraid of him?” At the same moment, a snake crawled out of the skull, fatally biting 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, gave the historical figure even more importance in the eyes of posterity. Moreover, often different authors used the same story. So, in one Icelandic saga, the Viking Orvard Odd is told, who, even in his youth, was predicted to die from his horse. In order to prevent fate from happening, Odd killed the animal, threw it into a pit, and covered 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 walked quickly, Odd hit his foot and bent down. “What was it, what did 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 flew out of it, rushed at Odd and stung him in the leg above the ankle. The poison immediately acted, the whole leg and thigh swelled up.
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 story of Oleg's death in The Tale of Bygone Years, since the annals have been rewritten 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 originally a Scandinavian story that came to Russia along with the Varangians and received its new incarnation 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 older than the work of Nestor, calls Oleg a governor under the young prince Igor, who accompanied him on campaigns. At the same time, it was Prince Igor who dealt with Askold in Kyiv, 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 - "beyond the sea."
More detailed information about the unknown, “overseas” campaign of Oleg, where he may have met his death, should be sought in the writings of the Arab author Al-Masudi, who reported on a Rus fleet of 500 ships that invaded the Kerch Strait approximately after 912. Al-Masudi mentions two great rulers of the Rus at the head - Al-dir and a certain Olvang. The latter is usually associated with Askold, but this name can equally well bear resemblance to Oleg, the winner of Askold and Dir.
The Khazar king, who was promised half the booty for loyalty, allegedly allowed the Rus 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 supposed to be under the contract, was delivered to Khazaria. But the guards of the Khazar king, which consisted mainly of Muslim mercenaries, rebelled and demanded revenge for the death of fellow believers. The ruler did not argue with them, nor did he warn the Rus of the danger. They entered into an unequal battle, as a result of which about 30 thousand Slavs died, 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 across the sea” mentioned in the Novgorod version is a vague but true memory of the death of Oleg precisely in the Caspian campaign, and not in the territory of the Ladoga settlement from “from his horse”.
"And Oleg lived, the prince in Kyiv, and had peace with all countries." This Hero, humble for years, already wanted silence and enjoyed the universal peace. None of the neighbors dared to interrupt his tranquility. Surrounded by signs of victories and glory, the Sovereign of numerous nations, the ruler of the brave army could seem formidable even in the very lulling of old age. Unusual 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 behind him. Burdened with 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, death was predicted to him by an old sorcerer (sorcerer): "You will accept death from your horse."
Oleg chuckled - but the forehead
And the eyes were clouded with thought.
In silence, hand leaning on the saddle,
He gets down from his horse sullen;
And a true friend with a farewell hand
And strokes, and pats on the neck cool ...
Since then, Oleg has not mounted his horse. Many years later. Somehow remembering 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?
Magician, you deceitful, mad old man!
I would despise your prediction!
My horse would still carry me."
And he wants to see the bones of the 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 that's where my death lurked!
The bone threatened me with death!"
From the dead head a grave serpent,
Hissing, meanwhile crawled out;
As a black ribbon wrapped around her legs:
And suddenly the stung prince cried out.
A.S. Pushkin
The Russians passionately experienced the death of Oleg. "The people groaned and shed tears," is written in the annals. “All the people mourned him with a great cry, and carried him, and buried him on a mountain called Shchekovitsa. There is his grave about to this day, it is reputed to be Oleg's grave. And it was all the years of reign thirty and three.
CONCLUSION
How can I say more expressively in praise of the deceased sovereign. Prophetic Oleg entered the history of Russia as a true hero, whose deeds glorified her. Respect for the memory of great men, and curiosity to know everything that concerns them, favors such fictions and communicates them to distant descendants. We can believe and 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 magicians is an obvious folk fable, worthy of remark in 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 a defender of the people. Having joined the best, richest countries of present-day Russia to his Power, this Prince was the true founder of its greatness. Does history recognize him as an illegal ruler since the time when the heir of Ruriks matured? Great deeds and the benefit of the state, do not excuse Olegov's lust for power? And hereditary rights, not yet approved in Russia as usual, could he seem sacred? .. 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, well aware at all times. He expanded its limits, approved the power of a new dynasty in Kyiv, dealt the first tangible blow to the omnipotence of the Khazar Khaganate. Before Oleg and his squad 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, from 882 to 907 there is no data in the annals. But if we proceed from the data of V.N. Demin "Annalistic Russia", then we owe to Prince Oleg writing. Rather, he relies on the chronicle of Nestor, where in 898 Nestor connected the appearance of writing in Russia since the reign of Oleg. The names of the Thessalonica - brothers Cyril and Methodius, the creators of Slavic writing, appear in the "Tale of Bygone Years" also under the year 898.
From all of the above, we can conclude that the deeds of Oleg the Prophetic, the supreme ruler of the state he created, are a continuous series of heroic deeds, which culminated in unprecedented events in the history of Russia: both by the fact that the prophetic prince nailed the shield of the winner over the gates of the defeated Constantinople, and by the fact that it was during the reign that the Russian alphabet got into circulation. He concluded agreements with Byzantium. After his death, the process of further formation of the Rurikovich power became irreversible. His accomplishments in this field are undeniable. It seems that Karamzin said the best about them: “The educated states bloom with the wisdom of the Ruler; but only the strong hand of the Hero establishes great Empires and serves as their 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 being. Strongly said! And most importantly, right! But where are these heroes today? Where are the creators?
Unfortunately, in recent times, only destroyers have flashed before our eyes ....
So let us bow our heads as a token of unrequited gratitude to the great son of the Russian land - Prophetic Oleg: eleven centuries ago, the 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 gaining them their sacred treasure - Slavic writing and the Russian alphabet.