Saint Olga of Kyiv: The Queen Who Burned a City and Became a Saint
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She reduced a city to ashes… and history eventually called her a saint.
This week, Jamie and Leo travel back to Viking Age Eastern Europe to unpack the unbelievable rise of Olga the ruler, widow, strategist, and one of the most calculating figures of the medieval world.
After her husband was murdered by the Drevlians, she didn’t just seek revenge, she engineered it. From burying emissaries alive to the infamous pigeon fire story that allegedly set an entire city ablaze, her retaliation was deliberate, theatrical, and devastatingly effective. But the story doesn’t end in smoke...
The same woman known for one of history’s most ruthless revenge campaigns would later convert to Christianity, become the first Christian ruler of Kievan Rus, and lay the groundwork for the region’s religious transformation.
So. what is legend, what’s documented, and how does someone move from orchestrating fiery vengeance to being canonized?
We break down the myths, the medieval chronicles, and the political brilliance behind one of Eastern Europe’s most powerful rulers.
History is messy. This one left burn marks.
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Sources:
Theme music: Ways of the Wizard-geoffharvey
Used with permission, Thank you Geoff!
licensed through: Pixabay
Other music used: licensed through Pixabay-used under the Pixabay Content License