Meet the most savage person in history? Olga of Kiev.

Olga of Kyiv - or should I say, Saint Olga of Kyiv - is the most savage person I’ve heard of so far. She was a Kievan Rus princess who had the best revenge I’ve ever heard of.

Tensions were already high between her empire, the Kievan Rus, and the Drevlians. Her husband, Igor, while visiting, was attacked and brutally murdered by the Drevlians who.. (I’ll spare the details) ripped his body apart.

Olga was infuriated (as people are when their husbands are murdered.) Olga stepped up to rule in her husband’s place because her son was much too young for the job.

The Drevlians were all cool with that, thinking that she was just another woman who could easily be put at rest by pairing her up with their own prince, Prince Mal. (Olga didn’t like that.)

The Drevians sent up a few of their best men, about twenty, to persuade Olga into marrying the man.

“Of course, wait out here for a moment,” she said, and had them wait in their boats.

She then had a ditch dug. Then she buried them alive.

That’s not all. Olga accepted the proposal, but she still had tricks up her sleeve.

The Drevians, though suspicious, sent a party to prepare a wedding ceremony. It was grand and a suitable welcome. Olga, who was all smiles, sent their chieftains and visitors into the bathhouse to wash up before the party, which was the tradition.

She then locked the doors.

And burned the entire company alive.

 BUT THAT’S NOT ALL.

She prepared a funeral feast to mourn her husband’s death, who was burned alive mysteriously. She softened when the remaining Drevians begged for mercy.

They asked what they could do to be spared.

“I like birds,” she said. “Give me three pigeons and three sparrows from each house.” Her reasoning was that she did not want a heavy tribute following her husband’s death, and that she only required a small gift to pay for the loss.

Happily, the remaining people gathered up their birds and sent them to her.

Olga had her soldiers help her tie a thread onto each of the pigeon and sparrow legs. The thread held a piece of sulfur bound in cloth.

When night came, the sparrows and pigeons returned to their nests in the homes of the Drevians.

The villages burned. Because of the sulfur.

The people fled but Olga and her army cut them off, captured the city leaders, killed some, and made others her followers.

And that is the story of how Olga of Kiev delivered the best revenge ever.

cheers, alina

Thank you for scrolling and for all your upvotes! (4.22.20)

Sources:

Olga of Kiev: One saint you do not want to mess with

Saint Olga of Kiev is the Best Warrior Princess You Never Knew