Episode from the history of Russia: the uprising of the Drevlyans

Very little news came to us from the history of pre-Christian Russia. But what we know is of special interest to lovers of antiquity. One of the well-studied facts is the uprising of the Drevlyans, which occurred during the reign of Prince Igor. What caused it and what consequences did it have for the country? Let's figure it out.

Prehistory

The uprising of the Drevlyans in 945 g was not spontaneous. It had good reasons. When Prophetic Oleg entered Kiev, he slowly began to subjugate all the tribes living next door to the capital. The Slavic tribe of the Drevlyans was at that time a half-savage people (if you believe the "Tale of Bygone Years"). They ate everything, did not condemn murders, did not apply the practice of marriage. However, they had a prince or leader who led their lives. Having conquered the Drevlyans, Oleg imposed a tribute to them, but he did not touch the local authorities. The tribute was called a pole and it was going to in November. When this time came, the Russian squad on the brow with the Kiev prince went to the conquered tribes and wintered with them. That is, they were on the full content of the common people. And with the onset of spring, the army returned to the capital.

Prince Igor

The uprising of the Drevlyans took place during the reign of Prince Igor, who ascended the throne after the death of Oleg. The new ruler of the ancient Russian state needed money: it was necessary to pay tribute to the Khazars, and his squad increased due to the Varangian detachments. Drevlyane and anglers rose to fight with Kiev. Only three years later, Igor defeated the rebels (year 945). The uprising of the Drevlyans cruelly strangled the Varangian detachments under the command of Sveneld, and the prince increased the tribute. Perhaps the Varangians and their leader had the right to dispose of the collected money.

The death of Prince Kiev

But Prince Igor appears a mercenary and greedy person, as he again returns behind the pole, taking with him only a small detachment (not to share with the Varangians). And this had fatal consequences for him. The new uprising of the Drevlyans was inevitable: people were exhausted from the huge tribute, and the prince himself seemed easy prey to them. They decided to kill him so that he would not destroy them later, like a wolf herd of sheep, dragging them one at a time. Under the leadership of Prince Mala, the Drevlyane left their capital Korosten (maybe they were not so wild, since they lived in the cities?) And killed the arrivals. Igor himself was tied to two trees and torn to pieces. It is interesting that the Byzantine historian Leo Diacon reports that the prince of Kiev died during the campaign against the Germans, but his death came also: Igor was tied to the trunks of bent plants and released. The body was taken home and buried under Korosten.

Duchess Olga

The uprising of the Drevlyans was caused by Igor's lawlessness, so they considered the murder of the prince to be just. However, Olga, who ruled instead of the underage son of Svyatoslav, thought differently. She gathered a veche, but which was decided to take revenge on the rebels, because the country was left without a ruler. However, the princess, unlike her deceased husband, was noted for her intelligence, ingenuity and rationality, so she thought over the plan for revenge.

When Mal sent to the Princess Matchmakers (they say, we killed your husband, for he retreated from the established order, but we are kind), he proposed to unite forces and create a unified state. Here you can see that under the command of Mala there was a whole union of tribes, and not one half-savage group. In addition, historians have found the capital of the Drevlyanite prince - the city of Malin.

Revenge of the Saddened Widow

Olga craved revenge, as custom dictated. This then she will accept Christianity and will be proclaimed holy and Equal of the Apostles. And then she worshiped the gods, who demanded payment, an eye for an eye. She invited the ambassadors of the Drevlyans to her, and when they came they were asked to carry them in boats. The enraged princess performed their will, but the porters threw the rook with people into the pit, where they were buried alive with earth. Then Olga demanded that other ambassadors, fifty men from the Drevlyansky clan, come to her. But they also ruined these ambassadors: they were burned in a bath.

But this seemed to her little, and Olga goes to the Drevlyane herself, allegedly to repair the triune. She asked for a feast, which they agreed. Arriving with a small detachment, the princess ordered to pour a high mound and arrange a banquet. But when the Drevlyane got drunk, her squad chopped everyone. The Chronicler calls about five thousand people! Then the princess calmly returned to Kiev.

A year has passed, and the princess of Kiev assembles an army to finally conquer the rebels. But they could not take Korosten. Then Olga again used cunning, promising that she would remove the siege in return for tribute. What she demanded, she dared laugh at the Drevlyans: three sparrows and three pigeons from each yard. Besieged with joy fulfilled her will. But the princess ordered to tie the embers to the birds and let them go. And the feathers immediately rushed home, to their nests. A fire broke out in the city. Those people who survived, Olga punished a heavy tribute, which was divided into two parts. Great came to Kiev, and a smaller one went to Vyshgorod, where the princess lived. That's how the Derevian uprising ended!

Epilogue

It is necessary to give Olga the honor - she well fulfilled her widow's duty. Although the story says that the Drevlyane were right, the princess took revenge for her husband, the father of her only son. And at that time, without doing this, she would not be considered a worthy relative, she would be despised in her own circle.

But Olga went further: the uprising of the Drevlyans (year 945) was suppressed, and their capital was wiped from the face of the earth. However, the princess learned the lesson, because the next year she established rules and procedures for collecting tribute throughout the country. Svyatoslav she left a powerful state with a strong centralized power and a lack of financial problems.