it's hard to unravel the captivating story of Olga of k a woman of remarkable strength intelligence and influence who left an indelible mark on the history of early Rose her life was intertwined with political Intrigue cutting strategy and a pival shift towards Christianity a faith that would shape the future of her Nation but the path to her version is shrouded in some mystery with conflicting accounts that have puzzled historians for centuries born in POF around 890 Olga's early life remains largely veiled in 93 she married eigor the ruler of Russ a union significant not only for their personal lives but also for the broader political landscape their sonov was born in 948 3 years after Igor's death of course this highlights the challenges in establishing a clear timeline for the early rulers of Rose tragedy struck in 945 when eigor was murdered by the derans a rebellious Eastern Slavic tribe that had existed since the 6th Century Olga faced with the daunting task of securing her son's future and safeguarding her realm stepped into the role of regent it was during her Regency that Olga's cutting and ruthlessness became legendary she exacted a series of brutal revenges on the derans including burying troops alive imulation and having the derans surprise attack after getting them drunk the majority of derans she killed some she kept as slaves and the rest she left to pay tribute however it's Olga's Journey towards Christianity that has captivated historians and sparked enduring debate the sources offer a tantalizing glimpse into her conversion but they also present a puzzle of conflicting accounts the date and circumstances of her baptism remain a subject of scholarly contention the most prominent conflict lies in the accounts provided by two Byzantine sources Constantine Vitos penitus the Byzantine emperor himself documented old official visit to Constantinople in 957 with meticulous detail in his work the book of Ceremonies this primary source offers a firsthand perspective on the Diplomatic protocols and lavish receptions accorded to Olga during her stay Constantine spares no detail in describing the honors bestowed upon her she was granted audiences with the emperor and Empress engaged in private conversations and dined with the Imperial family he had but strikingly Constantine makes no mention of her baptism his portrayal in fact suggests that she was still a pagan at the time however another Byzantine Source a Chronicle written by yon skit in the latter half of the 11th century directly contradicts this narrative skylites explicitly states that Olga quote Jed to Constantinople after her husband's death unquote and qu having been baptized returned home unquote he provides no specific date for this event only placing it sometime after 952 nonetheless his account clearly indicates that Olga's baptism occurred somewhere in Constantinople this raises the question why would Constantine Vitos who maticulously documented other aspects of her visit omit such a significant event adding another layer to this puzzle a Latin Source the chronicle of Adalbert of St maximine corroborates sky claim adelbert writing between 966 and 968 states that Ola was baptized in Constantinople during the reign of Romanos II who ruled from 959 to 963 this time frame definitively places her baptism years after the visit documented by Constantine Vos adelbert a high ranking figure in the German church was in a prime position to know the details of Olga's conversion he had served in the aonian court possessed legal expertise and had personally led a mission to Rose in 961 likely meeting Olga herself his account detailed and seemingly reliable strengthens the argument for a later baptism so how do we reconcile these conflicting accounts examining the political context of Russo Byzantine relations offers a possible explanation Olga's 957 visit as depicted in the book of Ceremonies appears to have been primarily focused on political and Commercial negotiations however both Constantine's account and our third primary source the Russian primary Chronicle suggests that these negotiations were not fruitful Olga likely returned home dissatisfied with the Byzantine Empire Romanos II who succeeded Constantine vdos in 959 sought to bolster alliances with neighboring Powers he sent letters of friendship to surrounding countries including Bulgaria and peoples of West and East aiming to secure their support it's highly probable that Olga received one of these overtures signaling a shift in byzantium's approach towards Rose at the same time Byzantium was engaged in a crucial campaign to reclaim the island of cre from Arab control they desperately needed military support and Russian mercenaries renowned for their prowess or a valuable asset Olga recognizing an opportunity to leverage this need may have embarked on a second journey to Constantinople perhaps in 960 this undocumented visit could have centered on negotiating a military alliance with Olga offering Russian troops in exchange for concessions from Byzantium her conversion to Christianity a significant diplomatic gesture might have been a key element to this agreement this scenario would explain the Silence of the book of Ceremonies concerning Olga's baptism Constantine focused on the protocols of her official 957 visit would have had no reason to document a later politically motivated trip but the puzzle doesn't end there Russian sources namely our Russian primary Chronicle and James the Monk's writings present even more conflicting dates for Olga's baptism placing it between 954 and 955 15 years before her death in 969 how do we account for this discrepancy one possibility lies in a two-stage conversion practice common among Scandinavians during this era it's conceivable that Olga underwent a preliminary conversion right in Kev in 954 to 955 which allowed her to associate with Christians as a cuman but her formal sacramental baptism took place later in Constantinople later Russian chroniclers unfamiliar with this nuanced practice might have misinterpreted the initial right of as a true baptism leading to the conflicting date further supporting the possibility of a later baptism the earliest manuscript of the Russian primary Chronicle mistakenly mentions Emperor John the sscus who lived from 969 to 976 in connection with Olga's visit this error is chronologically impossible but seems to reveal that the chronicler may have believed her baptism happened after Constantine vos's reign to conclude while the sources present a tangled web of conflicting accounts the evidence strongly suggests that Olga's baptism did occur in Constantinople during the reign of Romanos II likely around 960 this conclusion aligns with adelbert's detailed and more credible Chronicle supported by the political landscape of Russo Byzantine relations at the time the Silence of the book of Ceremonies while initially appear in contradictory becomes understandable when considering a second politically driven visit to Constantinople the earlier date offered by Russian sources likely reflects a misunderstanding of a preliminary conversion ritual Olga's conversion though surrounded by some mystery marked a turning point for Russ setting the stage for the full Embrace of Christianity under her grandson Vladimir the Great her her story remains a captivating Testament to her political prowess her strategic Brilliance and her enduring influence in the course of Eastern Slavic history [Music]