Unknown artist
Traditionally, his rule is counted from 912 and ended in 945, after which his wife Olga took over the reins of power because their son, Prince Svyatoslav Igorovich, was too young when his father was killed by the Drevlyans.
He is the first Russian prince known from contemporary Byzantine and Western sources.
Parents and Origin
Supporters of the Norman theory consider Rurik to be a Scandinavian, so Igor is also classified as belonging to the same ethnicity, and his name is derived from “Ingvar”, which is common in Scandinavia.
Igor’s mother is not mentioned in the surviving chronicles. However, when V. N. Tatishchev listed facts in the Ioakimovsky Chronicle, which he found but which is now lost, he reported that her name was Efanda and she was the daughter of Gostomysl, the initiator of the Varangian call[1]V. N. Tatishchev – “Russian History”, book 1, chapter 4, section “G”.
Miniature from the “Royal titular”, XVII century.
Childhood and Adolescence
The birthdate of Igor Rurikovich is not mentioned in the chronicles, but it is presumed to be 878.
In 879 Rurik died, leaving his underage son Igor as his successor and ordering Oleg the Prophet, his comrade (according to some sources, Oleg was the brother of Rurik’s wife, Efanda), to rule until Igor came of age.
Upon arriving in Kiev, Oleg first ordered his warriors to hide, then tricked Askold and Dir out of the city, and when they arrived at the ships, he declared:
«You are not princes, nor of princely stock, but I am of princely stock, and this is the son of Rurik, Igor, a prince.»[2]V. N. Tatishchev, “Russian History”, book 2, chapter 2
From that moment on, Igor stayed in Kiev, being raised under the supervision of Oleg.
K. V. Lebedev
Events during the reign of Oleg the Prophet
Later, Igor grew up and gained experience, but he did not actively participate in political life. Chronicles only mention Igor Rurikovich a few times when describing events during the reign of Prince Oleg the Prophet.
The wedding of Igor and Olga
According to the ToBY, in 903 Oleg married the young prince to Olga, who was 10-12 years old at the time of the wedding
Some chronicles suggest that Olga may have been the daughter of Prince Oleg the Prophet[3]V. N. Tatishchev – “Russian History”, book 1, chapter 4, section “G”. In that case, the prince added his own blood to the ruling dynasty.
There is also another legend [4]set forth in the Book of Degrees (second half of the
16th century)about Olga and Igor’s chance encounter at a crossing near Pskov. The prince was hunting but when he approached the fast river, he could not cross it due to the lack of a boat.
He then saw someone floating on a raft down the river and called out to the person to ferry him across the river. As they sailed, Igor looked at the rower and realized that it was a young girl. It was the blessed Olga, still very young, beautiful, and courageous.
Enchanted by the beauty of the girl, the prince tried to start a conversation and persuade her to enter into a love affair, but he was rebuffed:
“Why are you needlessly shaming yourself, O prince, by tempting me to dishonor? Why, holding indecent thoughts, do you utter obscene words? Do not be deceived by my youth and my being alone. And do not hope to subdue me: though I am untaught, and of low origin, and simple in my ways, as you can see, yet I understand what you desire… Think of yourself, and give up your intention. While you are young, beware of imprudence and guard against harm. Leave all wickedness and injustice behind: if you yourself should suffer from shameful deeds, how will you be able to forbid wrong to others and govern your land with righteousness? Know that if you do not stop tempting me in my helplessness, it would be better for me to drown in this river, so that I may not become a temptation to you and avoid dishonor and humiliation.”
Artist V. K. Sazonov
The second brief mention of Igor during Oleg’s reign reports that when Oleg went on his famous campaign to Constantinople in 907, he left Igor in Kiev.
The third time Igor’s name is mentioned is in connection with the legend of Oleg’s death: he was present at the feast when the seers predicted the death of the Prophet Prince from his beloved horse[5](Manuscript Synopsis of Undolsky, l. 83, about – 84.).
Reign of Igor Rurikovich
912-945
Forced the Drevlians to resume payment of tribute
In 914, Igor Rurikovich led a campaign against them and, according to chronicles, imposed an even greater tribute than Oleg had previously appointed.
The Drevlians were a freedom-loving tribe, resisting Oleg the Prophet’s expansion and attempting to restore independence after his death, but under pressure from the warlike Varangians, they were forced to yield once again.
Appearance of Pechenegs on the Borders of Kievan Rus’
In the late 9th century, the Pechenegs, driven by years of drought in the steppe zone of Eurasia and pressure from neighboring Kimak and Oghuz tribes, crossed the Volga River and found themselves in the Eastern European steppes, where the Ugrians had previously roamed[6]The Ugrians, or Hungarians, ousted by the Pechenegs,
migrated to Europe and, on the way of migration, ended
up near Kiev,which was besieged by them in 895/988.
According to the chronicles, the first encounter with the Pechenegs took place in 915. The nomadic tribes approached the borders of Kievan Rus’, concluded a peace treaty with Prince Igor Rurikovich, and, with his permission, passed to the Danube River[7]“Tale of Bygone Years”.
At that time, the Bulgarians decided to undertake a campaign against Byzantium, and the Greek commanders decided to enlist the support of the Pechenegs. However, upon arrival, the Pechenegs saw the confusion in the Greek army and decided not to participate in the conflict.
Igor’s Campaign against the Pechenegs
This could be explained by the complex tribal organization of these tribes – peace was concluded with a certain tribal leader, while other leaders did not consider themselves bound by any obligations.
It can be assumed that in addition to Kievan Rus’, Bulgaria, which closely adjoined their new nomadic lands, also suffered from the raids of the Pechenegs.
The Subjugation of the Ulichi Tribe
In 937,[8]Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger edition Igor Rurikovich decided to put an end to the rebellious Slavic tribe and sent his commander Sveneld to conquer the Ulichi. Most of their territories were taken under control quite quickly, but the main city, Peresechen, withstood a three-year siege before surrendering in 940. As a result, a tribute was imposed on the Ulichi similar to the one on the Drevlyans, and the collection of tribute was entrusted to Sveneld and his warriors.
The Beginning of War with Byzantium and the First Campaign on Constantinople
In 941 Prince Igor sent his men to Constantinople to receive the tribute promised by the peace treaty of 911. Seeing that the envoys returned empty-handed, Igor Rurikovich decided to remind the Byzantines of the importance of complying with their obligations and to repeat the famous campaign of his mentor, Oleg the Prophet, who, in 907, placed his shield on the gates of Constantinople as a sign of victory.
According to various sources, Igor Rurikovich set out on a campaign by sea with a large fleet (between 1,000[9]“Retribution” by Liutprand of Cremona and 10,000[10]“Biographies of the Kings”, Theophan’s Successor ships) and in June 941, he approached the coast of Byzantium.
The raid was not a surprise. The Bulgarians had sent word of it ahead of time, and later the commander of the Greek colony of Cherson also informed the Byzantine Emperor Roman. However, Emperor Roman had previously sent his fleet to fight the Arabs and defend the islands in the Mediterranean Sea, so in June the Rus approached the Black Sea coast of the empire.
When the ruler of Byzantium was told that 15 ships had been left behind in the port due to their age, he decided to use the Greeks’ main weapon and ordered the shipbuilders:
“Immediately go and equip those galleys[type of ship], that have remained [at home]. But place the device for throwing fire not only on the bow, but also on the stern and on both sides”.[11]“Retribution” by Liutprand of Cremona
On June 11, near Heraon, the Greeks decided to engage in battle with the Rus fleet. The fire ships broke through the enemy’s ranks and began to set fire to all the ships surrounding them with Greek fire, causing panic and fear among the Varangians who had not previously encountered such a weapon. Following the galleys, the dromons and triremes joined the battle, completing the rout.
(art. José Daniel Cabrera Peña)
Engraving by F. A. Bruni, 1839
The Rus fleet was scattered, and many drowned under the weight of their own armor as they tried to escape the Greek fire and jumped from the burning ships. Igor decided to return home.
Another part of the army regrouped, and taking advantage of the shallow waters, the ladeys moved away (Byzantine ships were much heavier and could not pursue the Rus there), and then landed on the eastern coast and began to ravage the surrounding area:
“And they came, and sailed, and began to fight the country of Bithynia, and devastated the land along the Pontic Sea to Heraclea and to the land of Paphlagonia, and devastated all the land of Nicomedia, and burned the entire Sud.”[12]«Tale of Bygone Years»
The Greek stratigoi Varda Foka, sent to intercept, did what he could to restrain the Varangians, launching unexpected attacks on them, whom scattered over a large territory and engaged in looting. Meanwhile, a forty-thousand-strong army of Greeks came from the east, with whom the Rus lost in battle and, boarding their boats, tried to sail away. While attempting to pass unnoticed along the coast of Thrace, the Varangians encountered patrician Theophanes and again suffered defeat in a naval battle. The Byzantine Emperor Roman ordered all the captured Rus to be publicly executed.
Few survivors of this campaign referred to Greek fire as the main reason for their failure upon their return:
«The Greeks have lightning in their possession, — they said, — and by launching it, they burned us. That’s why we couldn’t defeat them».[13]«Tale of Bygone Years»
In 942, Igor also handed over the collection of tribute from the Drevlians to Sveneld, but the chronicles do not elaborate on the reasons for the prince’s predisposition.
Second Campaign on Constantinople
After his disastrous first campaign on Constantinople in 941, Prince Igor sent messengers to the Varangians “over the sea” (presumably to Scandinavia). Almost all of the troops that went on the campaign were destroyed in several battles on land and sea, so the prince sought to quickly recruit new warriors and take revenge to restore his own authority.
one or another year is indicated., the prince had assembled a sufficient army, built many ships, and hired Pechenegs to strengthen his forces. They marched on land parallel to the Varangian ships.
As before, Roman was informed in advance of the approaching army:
Upon hearing this, the people of Cherson sent a message to Roman, saying,
«The Russes are coming, their ships cover the sea».
The Bulgarians also sent word, saying,
«The Russes are coming, and they hired Pechenegs».[15]«Tale of Bygone Years»
(An ordinary soldier accompanying a prince or a noble boyar)
«Do not come, but take the tribute that Oleg took. I will add to that tribute and give it to you».[16]«Tale of Bygone Years»
Igor consulted with his generals for advice on whether to continue the campaign, and received this response:
«When the Greek emperor wants to pay tribute without war, what more can we demand? For it is better to obtain what we want without fighting, since we cannot know who will be fortunate in war. We are not walking on the ground here, but above the depth of the sea, and death is shared by all».[17]V. N. Tatishchev, “Russian History” book 2, chapter 3
Deciding to return home, Prince Igor left the Pechenegs to plunder Bulgarian territory. Accepting the gifts from Roman’s envoys, the prince said that he expected them to come with the agreed tribute to Kiev to conclude a ceasefire and sign an official treaty
The Peace Treaty with Byzantium
Art. Chorikov B. A.
(Inscription – “PEACE WITH GREEKS 944”
“Grand Duke Igor, at the end of the war with the Greeks, promises to keep peace with the Empire in the presence of ambassadors”)
of Roman in the treaty points to 944. In December
944, Roman was overthrown by his sons, Stephen and
Constantine, who were immediately removed from power
by the new emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. envoys from Constantinople arrived in Kiev to negotiate a new treaty. Upon meeting the envoys, Igor asked them:
«Tell me, what speech did the Tsar send with you?».
The envoys of the Tsar replied:
«The Tsar sent us, delighted with peace, he wants to have peace and love with the Russes prince. Your envoys made our Tsars swear allegiance, and we were sent to swear allegiance to you and your men».[19]«Tale of Bygone Years»
The treaty largely repeated the provisions of the peace treaty previously concluded under Oleg the Prophet, but there were also differences. Envoys and merchants were required to have with them the prince’s letters in order to be allowed in Byzantine lands and Constantinople. Legal relations between people from Rus and local residents were regulated. Restrictions were introduced for merchants on staying in the capital, exporting fabrics, and others. Rus was obligated to protect the borders with Byzantium in Crimea, and the Ancient Rus state was not supposed to claim these lands and, in case of need, provide military assistance to Byzantium.
Death
«Sveneld’s lads are dressed in armor and clothes, and we are naked. Let’s go, Prince, with us for tribute, and you will gain for yourself and us».[20]“Tale of Bygone Years”
The Prince gave in to the persuasion of the warriors, who envied Sveneld’s wealth from collecting tribute, and decided to conduct a campaign on his own.
In the same year, Igor Rurikovich, along with his warriors, went on a campaign to collect tribute from the Drevlyans. The chronicles separately note the violent actions against the Drevlyans:
And Igor listened to them – he went to the Drevlyans for tribute and added a new one to the old one, and his men committed violence against them.[21]“Tale of Bygone Years”
After collecting the tribute, Igor decided to release most of his accompanying warriors and himself to gather tribute once again with a small detachment:
Taking the tribute, he went to his city. But when he was returning, he said to his warriors:
«Go home with the tribute, and I will return and collect more».[22]Ibid
Art. K. V. Lebedev
The Assassination of Prince Igor Rurikovich by the Drevlyans
Upon learning of Igor’s imminent return, the Drevlyans gathered for a council with their prince, Mal, where they decided::
«If a wolf approaches the sheep, it will take the whole flock until it is killed. Likewise, if we don’t kill him, he will destroy all of us.».[23]Ibid
Before the direct confrontation with Igor Rurikovich, who was approaching the Drevlyan lands, messengers were sent to him with a request to leave and not demand tribute again, but he ignored it:
ИAnd they sent to him, saying:
«Why do you come again? You have already taken all the tribute».
Unknown artist
Since he was accompanied by only a small retinue, the Drevlyans, led by Prince Mal, chased Igor and his warriors out of Iskorosten. Legend has it that they cornered the retreating Varangians, including Igor, in a nearby swamp:
“There, the Drevlyans chased Igor and his Varangians into the swamp. They chased them from Shatriche all night. The Varangians wanted to escape to Kyiv, but they were driven into the swamp. The horses got stuck in the marsh. They were taken captive. That’s the place – everyone knows it from generation to generation.”[25]A.M. Chlenov “In the footsteps of Dobrynya”, p. 75,
M., 1986
Then, in front of the few witnesses present, they tied the prince to two bent trees and ripped him in half.[26]Leo the Deacon “History”
Soon after the death of Prince Igor, a Drevlyan embassy arrived in Kyiv by the Dnipro with a marriage proposal from their prince, Mal. According to the customs of the ancient Slavs, the personal movable and immovable property, family members, and authority of a slain ruler passed into the possession of his killer and victor. Prince Sviatoslav, the son of Igor and Olga, was too young to make decisions, and the Drevlyans did not recognize Olga as the rightful successor to Igor, in accordance with the patriarchal traditions of the time.
Sketch art. V. I. Surikova
The aftermath of Igor’s death – revenge of Princess Olga
She then continued to seek revenge on the Drevlyans for several years: the next delegation from the Drevlyans was burned alive in a bathhouse, the third time the princess ordered the Drevlyans to be killed at a funeral feast for Igor, and finally, on the fourth occasion, when she unsuccessfully besieged Iskorosten, the princess resorted to trickery – she assured the Drevlyans of her forgiveness and asked them to send her birds from the besieged city, and then ordered the birds to be tied with burning bundles of straw and used to set fire to the city, killing most of its inhabitants.
Список литературы
- V. N. Tatishchev – “Russian History”, book 1, chapter 4, section “G”
- V. N. Tatishchev, “Russian History”, book 2, chapter 2
- V. N. Tatishchev – “Russian History”, book 1, chapter 4, section “G”
- set forth in the Book of Degrees (second half of the 16th century)
- (Manuscript Synopsis of Undolsky, l. 83, about – 84.)
- The Ugrians, or Hungarians, ousted by the Pechenegs, migrated to Europe and, on the way of migration, ended up near Kiev,which was besieged by them in 895/988
- “Tale of Bygone Years”
- Novgorod First Chronicle of the younger edition
- “Retribution” by Liutprand of Cremona
- “Biographies of the Kings”, Theophan’s Successor
- “Retribution” by Liutprand of Cremona
- «Tale of Bygone Years»
- «Tale of Bygone Years»
- The date is approximate, in different sources either one or another year is indicated.
- «Tale of Bygone Years»
- «Tale of Bygone Years»
- V. N. Tatishchev, “Russian History” book 2, chapter 3
- The ToBY dates the peace treaty to 945, but the mention of Roman in the treaty points to 944. In December 944, Roman was overthrown by his sons, Stephen and Constantine, who were immediately removed from power by the new emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus.
- «Tale of Bygone Years»
- “Tale of Bygone Years”
- “Tale of Bygone Years”
- Ibid
- Ibid
- Ibid
- A.M. Chlenov “In the footsteps of Dobrynya”, p. 75, M., 1986
- Leo the Deacon “History”
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