Древняя Русь и Скандинавия: Избранные труды

Igor’s reign (ca. 912–945) was notable for various and regular connections with Byzantium. Though attacks on Byzantine territories continued (the «Primary Chronicle» tells about two raids launched by Igor’ in 941 and 944), trade seems to become the main form of Rus’ and Byzantine relations. Its maintenance was regulated by Oleg’s treaty and new rules were introduced in the treaty concluded by Igor’. Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus provides a vivid picture of the «manner of life» of the Kievan warrior elite whom he calls Rhos in the ninth chapter of his treatise «De ad-ministrando imperio». He depicts them collecting tributes on Slavic tribes in autumn and then selling collected goods, including slaves, at the markets of Constantinople in the summer time[1412]. According to Constantine, it was a stable system accounting for the enrichment of the Kievan elite and the growth of the Old Russian state. At the same time it promoted the absorbtion of new cultural ideas, including Christianity by those participating in the trade with Byzantium. Thus, in the interval between Oleg’s seizure of Kiev in 882 and Igor’s treaty of 944 the new warrior elite of the early Russian state turned to Christianity. It still consisted mostly of Scandinavians as the names of the Rus’ participants of the conclusion of the treaty show. Among 25 principles on whose behalf the treaty was contracted 18 have Old Norse personal names. The same number of persons with Norse names belonged to the group of the representatives (envoys) who totally amounted to 26. The percentage of merchants with Scandinavian names was even higher– 21 out of 26. Other names include Slavic (Svjatoslav, Predslava, and Volodislav among the principals; Sinko and Borich among the merchants) and Finnish ones (Pubskar, Kanitsar, etc.) and probably ethnic names used as bynames (envoys Libi and Jatvjag). Thus, though the ethnic content of the upper stratum of the society started to change and the Rus’ princes began to give Slavic names to their children, the nobility of the mid-tenth century still consisted mostly of Norsemen. And it was they who turned to Christianity first and foremost.

The highest nobility of the Rus’ was, however, still pagan. Neither Igor’ nor his wife Ol’ga (< Helga) was Christian at the time of the conclusion of the treaty. According to the Primary Chronicle, Igor’ ratified the treaty in Kiev in the presence of Byzantine envoys and the procedure was performed in accordance with pagan rites:

In the morning, Igor’ summoned the envoys, and went to a hill on which there was a statue of Perun. The Russes laid down their weapons, their shields, and their gold ornaments, and Igor’ and his people took oath (at least, such as were pagans), while the Christian Russes took oath in the Church of St Elias[1413].

Igor’ remained a heathen until his death that is reported to have taken place a year after the ratification of the treaty. When Igor’ was killed by the Drevljane (in the autumn of 945 according to the «Primary Chronicle» or more probably in 946) Ol’ga avenged her husband and performed pagan burial rituals[1414]:

She bade her followers pile up a great mound and when they piled it up, she also gave command that a funeral feast should be held[1415].

When the representatives of the Drevljane became drunk she odered to massacre them. The annalist interpreted the event as the third stage of Ol’ga’s revenge on Drevljane. The action, however, makes one think of funeral sacrifices still practiced by Scandinavians in the tenth century[1416]. Whatever the interpretation of the massacre of the Drevljane may be, there can be no doubt that at that moment Ol’ga adhered to pagan beliefs and practiced pagan rituals.

Thus, in the mid-tenth century the conversion to Christianity was not at all universal even among the Kievan elite. Especially important was that the princely family still abstained from the new faith thus making the conversion a personal act neither promoted nor supported by the state. The mid-tenth century looks like the time of a new advance of the Christian faith but its first steps were slow.

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