The life and reign of Prince Oleg. Prince Oleg: biography of the founder of the Old Russian state

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

The most interesting thing about studying the biography of people who lived so long ago is that we are never given the opportunity to find out how everything really happened. 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 suggest not thinking for a long time about whether everything really happened, but simply plunging headlong into the farthest corners of Russian history. Let's start from the very beginning. From the origin of Prince Oleg.

Origin of Oleg

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 is based on the Novgorod First Chronicle. The Novgorod Chronicle describes earlier events Ancient Rus', so I saved more fragments early period 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 fellow tribesman of Rurik. Some historians consider him the brother of Rurik's wife. The 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.

Campaigns of Prince Oleg

Unification of Kyiv and Novgorod

Again, if you follow history further according to the “Tale of Bygone Years”, then in 882 Prince Oleg, taking with him a large army consisting of the Varangians, Chud, Slovenes, Meryu, Ves, Krivichi and representatives of other tribes, took the city of Smolensk and Lyubech, where he installed his people as governors. Further along the Dnieper he went down to Kyiv, 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 Prince Igor, so come to your family and to us.

Askold and Dir came... Oleg hid some warriors in the boats, and left others behind him. He himself went forward, holding the young prince Igor in his arms. Presenting them with Rurik’s heir, young Igor, Oleg said: “And he is Rurik’s son.” 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. Having declared himself ill, he 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 squad, declaring Kyiv “the mother of Russian cities.” Thus, he united the northern and southern centers 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 to Kyiv 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 appeal to the northerners:

“I am an enemy of the Khazars, so you have no need to pay them tribute.” To the Radimichi: “Who do you give tribute to?” They answered: “To the Kozars.” 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 Constantinople

In 907, having equipped 2000 rooks (these are boats) with 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 blocked with chains, thus giving enemies the opportunity to plunder and destroy only the suburbs of Constantinople. However, Oleg took a different path.

The prince ordered his soldiers to make large wheels on which they placed 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 hryvnia for each warrior 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 anyone had ever received. Give them all honors and provide them with Better conditions, as if to himself. Well, if these merchants and merchants begin to behave impudently, then Oleg ordered them to be expelled from the city.

As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was trade agreement about duty-free trade between Rus' 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 similar 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 its 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, and I will add more to that tribute.”

In 911, Prince Oleg sent an embassy to Constantinople, which confirmed the “many years” of peace and concluded 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 “Grand Duke of Russia.” There is no doubt about the authenticity of the 911 agreement: it is supported by both linguistic analysis and mentions in Byzantine sources.

Death of Prince Oleg

In 912, as the same Tale of Bygone Years reports, 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 won’t dwell on it for long. What can we 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 First Novgorod Chronicle, which we talked about earlier, Oleg is presented not as a prince, but as a governor under Igor (the very young son of Rurik with whom he entered Kiev according to the Tale of Bygone Years). Igor also kills Askold, captures Kyiv and goes to war against Byzantium, and Oleg returns back 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 Kyiv 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 “overseas.”

In both versions there is a legend about death from snake bite. According to legend, the Magi predicted to Prince Oleg that he would die from his beloved horse. After this, 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, in the horse's skull lived poisonous snake, fatally stung the prince.

Prince Oleg: years of reign

The date of Oleg’s death, like all chronicle dates of Russian history until the end of the 10th century, is conditional. Historians have noted that 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 Lev were contemporaries, timed the end of their reigns to the same date. There is a similar suspicious coincidence - 945 - between the dates of Igor’s death and the overthrow of his contemporary, the Byzantine Emperor Roman I. Considering, moreover, that Novgorod tradition places Oleg’s death in 922, the date 912 becomes even more doubtful. The duration of the reigns of Oleg and Igor is 33 years each, which raises suspicions about the epic source of this information.

If we accept the date of death according to the Novgorod Chronicle, then the years of his reign are 879-922. Which is no longer 33, but 43 years.

As I said at the very beginning of the article, we have not yet been given the opportunity to know exact dates such distant events. Of course, there cannot be two correct dates, especially when we are talking about a 10-year difference. But for now we can conditionally accept both dates as true.

P.S. I remember very well the history of Russia in the 6th grade, when we covered this topic. I must say that while studying all the nuances of Prince Oleg’s life, I discovered many new “facts” for myself (I hope you understand why I put this word in quotes).

I am sure that this material will be useful for those who are preparing to give a report to the class/group on the topic of the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet. If you have anything to add to it, I look forward to your comments below.

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

Prince Oleg (Prophetic Oleg)
Ruler Kievan Rus.
Date of Birth - ?
Date of death - 912 (according to other sources 922)
Years of reign - (879—912)

Main events during the reign:
882 - conquest of the Kyiv principality.
907 - campaign against Constantinople; signing of the first peace treaty with the Greeks.

Unfortunately, only two chronicles mentioning Oleg have survived to this day - “The Tale of Bygone Years” and “The Novgorod Chronicle of the Younger Edition,” since the beginning of the chronicle of the older edition has not survived. There are also documents originating from Byzantium, Muslim countries, and Khazaria. But the information in them is small and fragmentary. Moreover, the versions of the biography of Prince Oleg set out in these monuments differ, and the chronology is confused. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Oleg is Rurik’s nephew. In 879, dying, Rurik transferred the rule to Oleg due to the infancy of his son Igor, who was only two years old.

The Novgorod Chronicle was written from an earlier chronicle, but contains inaccuracies in the chronology of the events of the 10th century. According to this document, the princely title was granted to Oleg by the dying Rurik, and until his son Igor ascended the throne, Oleg had to take care of and look after the boy.

But still, the meaning of the two documents boils down to one thing. Fate brought together Prince Oleg and the young Prince Igor.
The date of birth of Prince Oleg is unknown, he was probably a little younger than Rurik. Rurik was not mistaken in his choice when, on his deathbed, he bequeathed his son and the Novgorod table to Oleg.
Oleg became a real father for the prince, instilling in Igor such traits as exceptional bravery, courage, honor, faith in his native gods and veneration of ancestors.
In 879, Rurik left the Novgorod throne to the young Igor, Oleg took over as guardian and for 3 years prepared for a campaign against Kyiv.
Oleg gathered a large army and in 882 moved towards Kyiv. He managed to gather under his leadership representatives of many peoples who then inhabited Rus' and about which only names have been preserved today: Vesi, Merya, Chud, Krivichi, Ilmenite Slovlen, etc. He also took the young prince Igor with him on the campaign. The army sailed on boats.
Along the way, he successively besieges and takes Smolensk, the capital city of the Krivichi Slavic tribe and the city of Lyubech, a Slavic tribe of northerners.
Oleg was cunning and treacherous. The prince hid the soldiers in the boats and, approaching Kyiv, sent Askold and Dir, the rulers of the city, a messenger with the news: Novgorod merchants heading to Greece want to see them. Not suspecting anything bad, they went to the banks of the Dnieper without personal guards. Oleg told them: “I am Oleg the prince, and this is Igor Rurikovich the prince” - and immediately killed Askold and Dir. Oleg showed Igor and called him the true ruler of Kyiv. The Kyiv residents and squad, without offering resistance, recognized the new government.
The location of Kyiv seemed very convenient to Oleg, and he moved there with his squad, declaring: “Let this be the mother of Russian cities.” The more developed Kiev south became the center of the Old Russian state. Having established his power in Kyiv, Oleg imposed tribute on all subject lands, ensured peace on the northwestern borders of Rus', brought eastern Slavic tribes from under the influence of Khazaria.

In 898, Oleg was defeated by the Hungarians moving west. After the unsuccessful siege of Kyiv by the Hungarians, a Hungarian-Russian treaty was concluded that lasted two centuries. Having united the East Slavic tribes, creating Kievan Rus, Oleg took the title of Prince of Princes and became the Grand Duke. By the beginning of the 10th century, most of the tribes of the Eastern Slavs were under the leadership Prince of Kyiv.
In 907, Oleg decided to go on a campaign against Byzantium. Having equipped 2000 rooks with 40 warriors each, Oleg set out for Constantinople (Constantinople). The Byzantine Emperor Leo VI ordered the gates of the city to be closed and the harbor blocked with chains, leaving the suburbs of Constantinople unprotected. But Oleg Once again used a trick: “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 hryvnia for each rowlock, and Byzantium promised to pay tribute to Russian cities. As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield on the gates of Constantinople. The main result of the campaign was a trade agreement on duty-free trade between Rus' and Byzantium. One of the greatest achievements foreign policy Oleg is the conclusion of an agreement with Byzantium on trade and the founding of a Russian embassy in Constantinople.
After his triumphant return to his native land, Oleg was named “Prophetic”, i.e. able to foresee the future.
In 911, Oleg sent an embassy to Constantinople, which confirmed the “many years” of peace and concluded a new treaty. Compared to the “treaty” of 907, the mention of duty-free trade disappears from it. Oleg is referred to in the treaty as the “Grand Duke of Russia.”
Oleg died in 912. The Tale of Bygone Years says that Oleg’s death was preceded by “the appearance of a star in the west.”
There is a legend about the death of Prophetic Oleg. The Magi 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 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, which fatally stung the prince.
Oleg’s burial place is not known for certain. According to the version reflected in the Tale of Bygone Years, his grave is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa. In the Novgorod Chronicle, the grave is located in Ladoga, but at the same time it is said that he went “overseas.”

The date of birth of Prince Oleg is unknown, he was probably a little younger than Rurik. According to legend, he was born in Western Norway, apparently into a wealthy Bond family, and was named Odd, then received the nickname Orvar - “Arrow”. His sister Efanda subsequently married the Varangian ruler Rurik (or he himself was married to Rurik’s daughter). Thanks to this, Oleg became his main commander. Arrived with Rurik in Ladoga and Ilmenye between 858 and 862.

After the death of Rurik in 879, Oleg became the sole prince of Novgorod Rus'. Rurik was not mistaken in his choice when, on his deathbed, he bequeathed his son and the Novgorod table to Oleg. Oleg became a real father for the prince, raising Igor to be a courageous, seasoned, educated man for those times.

Oleg also took the title of prince, bestowed upon him by his friend, with all responsibility. The main goal of the rulers of those times was to increase the wealth of the prince and expand the borders of the territory under their control by annexing new lands, subjugating other tribes and collecting tribute.

Taking the lead Novgorod Principality, Oleg boldly began to seize all the Dnieper lands. His main goal was the establishment of complete control over the water trade route to Eastern Byzantium and the conquest of the Kyiv principality.
Many princes then wanted to rule this large principality, which by the end of the 9th century had become the center of Russian trade and the main stronghold of Rus' in restraining the raids of the Pecheneg hordes. It was quite clear that whoever ruled Kiev controlled all Russian trade.

Prince Oleg gathered a large army of Varangians and in 882 he took the cities of Smolensk and Lyubech and imprisoned his husbands there. Further along the Dnieper in boats he went down to Kyiv, where two boyars reigned, not of the Rurik tribe, but of the Varangians Askold and Dir. He also took the young prince Igor with him on the campaign. Oleg seized power in Kyiv by cunning. According to the chronicler, Oleg asked for a meeting with the then rulers of Kyiv, Askold and Dir, stopping at the walls of the city, supposedly on his way to the south. When the princes, suspecting nothing, approached the Novgorod boats, Oleg, as the legend says, pointed to Igor and exclaimed: “You are not princes, not of the princely family. Here is the son of Rurik! After these words, he killed Askold and Dir, and Oleg’s warriors, who jumped out of the boats, dealt with the soldiers accompanying the Kyiv rulers. None of the Kiev residents dared to oppose Oleg and his troops. Moreover, many tribes living along the banks of the Dnieper voluntarily submitted to the authority of the Kyiv prince. The Pecheneg raids devastated the Slavs, and they sought protection from the rulers, agreeing to pay them tribute for this.

Very soon the Kiev land covered all the southern borders of the country. But Oleg did not calm down, continuing to subjugate other tribes more distant from the main river route. It was necessary to act by force, since the Slavs, who did not participate in trade turnover, did not see the point in joining the Principality of Kyiv and, moreover, did not want to pay tribute. Prince Oleg had to make many difficult campaigns with his squad before he managed to finish political unification Eastern Slavs. The location of Kyiv seemed very convenient to Oleg, and he moved there with his squad, declaring: “Let this be the mother of Russian cities.”

With the connection of two unions - Northern and Southern - with large principalities in the center - Novgorod and Kyiv - a new one appeared in Rus' political form- The Grand Duchy of Kiev, which essentially became the first Russian state.

For the next 25 years, Oleg was busy expanding his power. He subjugated the Drevlyans, northerners, Radimichi and other smaller ones to Kyiv. Many of whom were tributaries of the Khazars. The text of Oleg’s appeal to the northerners has reached us: “I am an enemy of the Khazars, therefore you have no need to pay them tribute.” To the Radimichi: “Who do you give tribute to?” They answered: “To the Kozars.” And Oleg says: “Don’t give it to Kozar, but give it to me.” “And Oleg ruled over the Derevlyans, glades, Radimichi, and with the streets and Tivertsy they commanded the army.” By the beginning of the 10th century, most of the tribes of the Eastern Slavs were under the command of the Kyiv prince.

If Rurik had already taken a step forward to the south along the eastern route, moving from Ladoga to Novgorod, then his successor Oleg moved much further and reached the end of the path. The names of tribes are rarely found in the chronicles of that time; they were replaced by the names of cities and regions. Prince Oleg gave subordinate city regions to the administration of mayors, who had their own armed squads and were also called princes.

As the chronicles testify, there were many legends about the wealth of Byzantium at that time. So, in 907, Prince Oleg made a military campaign against Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium. His army sailed on 2000 boats of 40 warriors each, and cavalry also walked along the shore. The Byzantine emperor ordered the gates of the city to be closed and the harbor blocked with chains, giving the Varangians the opportunity to plunder and plunder the suburbs of Constantinople. The chronicle tells of the extreme cruelty of Russian soldiers, with which they tortured civilians and drowned them in the sea while they were still alive. But not content with petty robbery, Oleg launched an unusual assault on the city: “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 Greeks, locked in the city, behind high walls, begged for mercy and during negotiations offered Prince Oleg to make peace and agreed to pay a tribute of 12 hryvnia of silver per person. As a sign of victory, Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople. As a result, the first peace treaty between the Russians and the Greeks on duty-free trade between Rus' and Byzantium appeared, drawn up legally competently and justifiably, even judging by today’s standards international law. According to Oleg's agreement with the Greeks, Russian merchants did not pay any duties. During barter trade, they exchanged furs, wax, and servants for wines, vegetables, silk fabrics, and gold. After the expiration of the trade period specified by the agreement, Rus' received food for the road, as well as ship gear, at the expense of the Greek side. In addition to trade, the Greeks gladly hired Russian soldiers into their service. Quite a few Russian Varangians were in Constantinople in the imperial service. Together with merchants from Constantinople, Christian priests and preachers always came to Rus'. More and more Slavs turned to Orthodox faith, but Prince Oleg himself never accepted Christianity.

The last years of his life passed without military campaigns or battles. Oleg died at an old age in 912. There is a legend according to which the prince was predicted to die from his beloved horse. Oleg was superstitious and never sat on his pet again. Many years later, remembering him, the prince came to where his bones lay true friend. The bite of a snake that crawled out of the skull was fatal. The plot of this legend formed the basis of the ballads of A. S. Pushkin and N. M. Yazykov. The chronicle records that “the people groaned and shed tears” when Prince Oleg died. Information about the place of his burial is contradictory. There is indirect evidence that the prince’s grave is located in Kyiv; according to other sources, he was buried outside the Principality of Kyiv, on Ladoga.

Prince Oleg reigned for 33 years. For his constant success in military campaigns, for his daring and ingenuity, the people nicknamed Prince Oleg the Prophetic. Traditions and legends were written about him, attributing to him extraordinary abilities and the gift of foresight.

There is no doubt that the main historical merit of this ruler can rightfully be considered the unification of all Slavic tribes under a single command, the founding and strengthening of the first Russian state - the Grand Duchy of Kyiv. It was with the reign of Prince Oleg that the history of Kievan Rus began, and with it the history of the Russian state.

Grand Duke of Novgorod 879 – 912

Predecessor - Rurik

Successor - Igor Rurikovich

Grand Duke of Kyiv 882 – 912

Predecessor – Askold and Dir

Successor – Igor Rurikovich

During the reign of Prince Oleg of Novgorod and Principality of Kiev united into a single state. The Old Russian state gradually gained power. Prince Oleg, in one way or another, managed to extend his power to the Krivichi, Drevlyans, Northerners, Radimichi, Tivertsi and other Slavic tribes. The whole route was under the protectorate of Kyiv "from the Varangians to the Greeks" and its branches to the Desna and Western Dvina. Prince Oleg was the first to strike at the might Khazar Khaganate. He successfully fought with the Viwantine Empire. In 907, he concluded a peace and trade treaty with the Greeks that was beneficial for Rus', which was later confirmed in 912. In the text of the document Oleg is named for the first time "Grand Duke of Russia".

Preparing for the hike. Prince Oleg wanted to establish his control along the entire trade route "from the Varangians to the Greeks" and sought to establish himself in the south. In the second half of the 9th century, a Scandinavian village arose on the Middle Dnieper, now known as Gnezdovo. It became a support base for newcomers from the north on their way to Kyiv. Prince Oleg remained in Novgorod for three years, preparing conquest. In 882, having gathered a huge army, he went to the “Dnieper countries.”

Later 850 Birth of Oleg.

862 The date of the chronicle message about the calling to reign by the union of the Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes of the Varangian dynasty - Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. The beginning of the reign of Rurik in Ladoga, Sineus in Beloozero, and Truvor in Izborsk. Arrival of Oleg as part of a detachment of Varangians to the lands of Northern Rus'.

864 Death of Sineus and Truvor. The chronicle indicates that “Rurik alone took over all power and began to distribute cities to his men.” Rurik and his retinue settled in a settlement at the source of the Volkhov.

Later 864 Oleg's participation in the military campaigns of Prince Rurik of Novgorod.

Later 864 Rurik's marriage to the "Urman princess" Efanda, Oleg's sister.

Later 864 Uprising in Novgorod under the leadership of Vadim the Brave against the autocracy of Rurik. Return of Rurik to Novgorod. The murder of Vadim the Brave by Rurik and the suppression of the uprising. The flight of many “Novgorod men” to Kyiv to avoid reprisals.

Later 864 Rurik's subjects Askold and Dir receive permission to go on a military campaign against Byzantium. Their arrival in Kyiv and the liberation of the city from Khazar tribute. The beginning of the reign of Askold and Dir in Kyiv.

Later 864 Birth of Prince Rurik of Novgorod and Efanda's son Igor.

865 Military campaign of the Kyiv prince Askold against Polotsk. Oleg's participation in the campaign of the Novgorod prince Rurik against Askold. Preservation of Polotsk under the protectorate of Rurik.

Later 865 Wars of the Kyiv prince Askold with the Drevlyans and the streets.

867 Arrival of the Byzantine bishop in Kyiv and mass baptism Rusov. "District Epistle" of Patriarch Photius to the Byzantine bishops, where he reports on the baptism of the Rus.

869 The campaign of the Kyiv princes Askold and Dir against the Krivichi. Oleg's participation in the military campaign of the Novgorod squad against Askold and Dir.

Late 860s Oleg's appointment as Igor's tutor.

874 The campaign of the Kyiv prince Askold against Byzantium. Conclusion of a peace treaty between him and Emperor Basil I the Macedonian. Baptism of part of the Rus squad in Constantinople.

879 Death of Prince Rurik of Novgorod. Oleg's acceptance of guardianship over Rurik's young son Igor.

879 The beginning of the Novgorod reign of Oleg as “the eldest in the family of Rurik.”

Late 870s The Rus' campaign to the Caspian Sea and the attack on the city of Abaskun (Abesgun).

882 The beginning of the advance to the south of the army of Prince Oleg, consisting of Ilmen Slovenes, Krivichi, Meri and Vesi.

882 The seizure by Prince Oleg of the lands of the Dnieper Krivichi and the city of Smolensk.

882 Prince Oleg's seizure of the lands of the northerners and the city of Lyubech.

882 Prince Oleg's campaign against Kyiv. The murder of the Kyiv rulers Askold and Dir by Prince Oleg. The beginning of Oleg's reign in Kyiv. The unification of Northern and Southern Rus' under the rule of Oleg. Creation of the Old Russian state with its center in Kyiv.

Later 882 The construction by Prince Oleg of fortified cities and "forts" to assert his power and to protect himself from the nomads of the Great Steppe.

Later 882 Oleg obliges Novgorod residents to pay 300 hryvnia annually for feeding and maintaining a squad of Varangians called upon to defend the northern borders of the state.

883 The conquest of the Drevlyans by the Kyiv prince Oleg and the imposition of tribute on them.

884 Victory over the northern tribe and imposition of tribute on it.

885 Subjugation of the Radimichi and imposition of tribute on them.

885 The war of Prince Oleg with the streets and Tivertsy.

Later 885 Successful wars of the Kyiv prince Oleg with the Khazars, Bulgarians and other peoples of the Danube region.

898 Conclusion of a union treaty between the Ugrians and Russia. Imposition of tribute on Rus' for peace and military assistance.

Con. 9th century Invasion of the Pechenegs in the Northern Black Sea region.

X-XII centuries The formation of the Old Russian people.

903 First mention in the chronicles of Pskov.

907 Prince Oleg's campaigns in the lands of the Vyatichi, Croats and Dulebs.

907 Prince Oleg's campaign against Constantinople. Resignation of Prince Igor Rurikovich as governor in Kyiv.

907 Conclusion of a peace treaty with Byzantium. Establishment of duty-free trade with Byzantium.

Later 907 Prince Oleg received the nickname Prophetic.

909-912 Military campaigns of the Rus on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea.

911 Prince Oleg's campaign against Constantinople.

912 September 2 - Conclusion of a peace treaty with Byzantium. Oleg was first called the “Russian Grand Duke”. In the treaty, Rus' was mentioned for the first time as a state.

912 Death of the Grand Duke of Kyiv and Prince of Novgorod Oleg.