Book reviews 371

DOI: 10.18778/2084-140X.05.14 Zofia Brzozowska, Święta księżna kijowska Olga. Wybór tekstów źródłowych [ Olga – Princess of Kievan Rus’. An Anthology of Sources], Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, Łódź 2014, pp. 217.

ofia Brzozowska is one of the few Polish zowska presented conclusions based on analys- Zscholars who study the history Rus and Old ing information contained in the Tale of Bygone Rus culture. She studied history and Slavistics Years (Primary Chronicle), the oldest Kievan at the University of Łódź; her academic inter- chronicle (from 12th century), in Novgorod ests are focused on the area of Slavia Orthodoxa. Fourth Chronicle, and the life from The Book During her most recent research she focused on of Degrees of Royal Genealogy. The aforemen- imaginings of Sophia as Divine Wisdom person- tioned sources agree that the Princess came ified. It ought to be stressed that the author has from or its vicinity, and that she married a considerable experience in translating histori- Igor, the Prince of Kiev. The 15th-century New cal sources of Rus origin. She continually pub- Volodymyr Chronicle offers different informa- lished translations from Old tion. According to this source, Olga came from in the journal “Slavia Antiqua” since 2012. Now, Bulgaria. In this case, scholars suspect an er- we are receiving her translation of the oldest ha- ror on its author’s part: identifiying Pskov with giographical and hymnographic works devoted the Bulgarian capital, Pliska. Regarding Olga’s to the Princess of Kiev, Olga. These sources genealogy, Zofia Brzozowska is inclined to ac- were created between 11th and 16th centuries, cept the hypothesis that the Princess came from and most of them have not been previously a Varangian background. According to her, the translated into the Polish language. idea is supported not only by the 16th century The translation’s author divided her book versions of the Lives of the saint, but also the into two parts. In the first one: Święta księż- Germanic form of her name, ΄Ελγα (Helga), na kijowska Olga w świetle źródeł historycz- found in the Byzantine sources (p. 12–13). Sub- nych i tradycji cerkiewnej [Saint Olga, Princess sequently, the scholar noted the problematic si- of Kiev, in the light of historical sources and lence of the sources concerning years 903–945. Church tradition], p. 9–41 she included two The only (and laconic) remark about Olga chapters, in which she discussed biography from this period is found in the Byzantine–Rus of Olga and the origins and development of her treaty of 944. It mentions the envoy of the Prin- cult. At the beginning of the first chapter (Olga, cess and her son, Svjatoslav, as the heir to the księżna kijowska – szkic biograficzny [Olga, throne (p. 13). Attempts to fill in this silence Princess of Kiev – biographical essay]) the au- were made in Church hagiography and Eastern thor noted that the historical sources relating to Slavic folklore. Church descriptions Olga is pre- Olga are highly problematic. Historiographical sented as a wise and merciful ruler. The folk tra- works come from three different areas – Old dition preserved her image as a power-hungry Rus, Byzantine and Western European. They woman, who did not hesitate to get rid of her present primarily the political aspects of Olga’s husband. Near the end of the year 945 Prince activity, and differ in their description and in- Igor was murdered by the rebelling . terpretation. Meanwhile, the preserved hagio- The author refers here to the dramatic relation graphic and hymnographic works relate exclu- of a Byzantine historian, . She sively to her sainthood. In the Slavic folklore then rightly noted that it was only the death tales, in turn, the Princess is presented as cruel of Olga’s husband that allowed her to realise and cunning (p. 11). Subsequently, Zofia Brzo- her own political ambitions. The Princess was 372 Book reviews able to rule independently (p. 14). The sources she founded in Kiev the Church of Divine Wis- indicate that her position at the court in Kiev dom. Olga could not, however, convince Svjato- equalled that of the now deceased ruler. Zofia slav to convert to . She also opposed Brzozowska stresses that the Old Rus law al- his plans to move the capital to Pereyaslav on lowed a widow to publicly fulfil her dead hus- Danube. In 968 she endured the siege of Kiev, band’s functions, until she re-married (p. 15). where she became trapped with her grandsons. The scholar also noted an interesting aspect She died on 11th of July 969. In 1007 her body of the Old Rus customary law. According to it, was exhumed and moved into the newly build anyone who wanted to take over a dead ’s (p. 27–29). power had to marry his widow. This is why In chapter two (Święta Olga – dzieje i specyfi- Drevlians offered Olga marrying their Prince, ka kultu w Kościele wschodnim [Saint Olga – the Mal. She, however, emphatically rejected the history and nature of the cult in the Orthodox offer, since she wanted to ensure the reign over Church] – p. 31–40) the scholar focused on pre- Kiev for her son (p. 15). On the following pages senting the cult of St. Olga in the light of hagio- (p. 16–18) we find a critical analysis of the infor- graphic sources and Church tradition. Reaching mation relating to the revenge the Princess en- for the oldest preserved hagiographic texts dedi- acted upon the Drevlians over the murder of her cated to the saint, Zofia Brzozowska noted that husband. Discussing it, the author noted the it would appear that the Princess was venerated interesting aspects of the pagan rites and mo- as early as in the 11th century. The sources not tifs inspired by Scandinavian sagas. The most only describe the miracles that occurred thanks important event in the Saint’s life was, accord- to her intercession, but also note that her body ing to Zofia Brzozowska, her visit to Constan- did not decay. In the 11th century, the metropoli- tinople and receiving baptism according to the tan bishop of Kiev, Ilarion, in his work Praise Orthodox rite (p. 19). The author compares the of Prince Vladimir, likened the Kievan ruler sources (of Rus, Constantinopolitan and West with the Emperor , and European origins) describing these events, and his grandmother Olga with the Empress Hel- attempts to settle a number of questions; how ena. Undoubtedly, in this way he underscored many times did Olga visit the Byzantine capital? the contributions of Vladimir and Olga to the When did the baptism take place? Was the jour- Christianisation of Rus. He did not, however, go ney intended to result in a marriage? Eventually, as far as to call them , even though, as the the scholar concluded that the Princess visited scholar notes, in the Praise of Prince Vladimir only once, received baptism he did refer to the ruler as equal-to-Apostles. there, and along with it the name of Helena. Re- In this way he transposed onto the Rus soil the garding the date of this event, the scholar agreed Byzantine idea of the ruler (p. 31–33). Vladimir with a hypothesis by Alexander Nazarenko that was sainted probably at the end of the 13th cen- it has taken place in the year 957 (p. 20–25). tury. The scholar supposes that Olga may have Based on the account from the Tale of Bygone been sainted about a century earlier. Her saint- Years chronicle, Zofia Brzozowska believes that hood was finally confirmed at a council in Mos- while being hosted by the Emperor Constantine cow in 1547 (p. 35). Another aspect of the cult VII Porphyrogennetus, the Princess promised of St. Olga discussed in this chapter is the offi- to assign some of her warriors to serve in the cial Church iconography. The author brought to Byzantine army (p. 26). On the following pages attention and interpreted several interesting ex- the scholar devoted her attention to the Chris- amples, among them manuscript illuminations, tianisation of Rus. The preserved descriptions wall paintings, and a portable icon (p. 37–39). indicate that Olga made attempts to baptise Subsequently, she turned her attention to the Svjatoslav and all of the subjects. Furthermore, local cult of St. Olga in Łódź. She presented Church tradition ascribes to her founding the history of the founding of the church of St. of several Christian temples. A liturgical book Olga, which was consecrated on 4th of October The Apostle, created in the 14th century, claims 1898. She also attempted explaining the factors Book reviews 373 that decided about choosing St. Olga as the pa- cluded in The Book of Degrees of Royal Geneal- tron. According to the author, one of the factors ogy, ca. 1560 (p. 102–202). may have been the fact that in 1895 a daughter Each of the texts is accompanied by foot- of Tsar Nicholas II, Olga, was born. Perhaps it notes. The book is supplemented by a list was in a gesture of loyalty that the church was of abbreviations (p. 203–204), bibliography dedicated to the of Tsar’s daughter (p. 205–210) and a subject index (p. 211–217). (p. 39–40). The book is a valuable addition to the, In the second part of the book (Święta księż- rather scanty in the Polish language, collection na kijowska Olga – wybór tekstów źródłowych of the Old Rus texts. Its considerable merit is [Saint Princess Olga of Kiev. A selection of pri- also the fact that the original texts have been mary sources] – p. 44–202) the author listed provided along the translations, which enables eight source texts, along with their translations. the readers to verify their (it has to be noted, ex- Each of them is preceded by a brief introduc- ceedingly high) quality. It should be noted that tion, informing about the time of creation and the majority of the translated works included manuscript tradition. Furthermore, the Author in the volume have not been previously trans- indicated the most important editions of each lated into Polish. of the works, the edition she used in the book The discussed book will be, I think, an ex- and the basic literature on the subject. The cellent aid to the didactic process at universities, texts included here are: Praise of Olga, a part and will contribute to the development of Pol- of the Remembrance and praise of Prince of Rus ish research on the beginnings of Christianity Vladimir by the Monk, from 11th century in Rus. One other aspect of the book deserves (p. 44–48); the Prologue Life of St. Olga (South- attention: the scholar also discussed the history ern Slavic), from 12th–13th centuries (p. 50–54); of the Orthodox Church in Łódź, dedicated to the Prologue Life of St. Olga (from Rus), 12th– St. Olga. One might therefore say that her book 13th centuries (p. 56–60); Canon in Praise of St. will also contribute to the better understanding Olga, ascribed to Cyril of Turov, 12th–13th cen- of Łódź as the city of four cultures, part of which turies (p. 61–74); A word about how Olga had is the heritage of the Orthodox Rus. herself baptised, turn of 14th and 15th centuries I am certain that the work discussed here (p. 75–80); Life of St. Olga (so-called of Pskov), will find numerous readers, both among the from the 1560s (p. 82–94); Life of St. Olga (so- scholars, and wider public interested in the his- called of Pskov, shortened edition), 16th century tory of Rus. (p. 95–100); Comprehensive Life of St. Olga, in- Andrzej R. Hołasek (Łódź)

DOI: 10.18778/2084-140X.05.15 ЛЪЧЕЗАР ПЕРЧЕКЛИЙСКИ, Ахтаровият царственик от 1844 година. Текст и изследване [Ahtarovyiat Tsarstvenik. Text and research], Болид-инс, София 2013, pp. 184.

ăčezar Perčekliyski’s work exhibits all the ant of the first Revival-period work to address Lcharacteristics of the historical-linguistic Bulgarian historiography – Istoriya Slavyano- trend, which has been consistently popular bolgarskaya [Slaveno-Bulgarian History] by in the Balkans for years, and which entails de- Paisius of Hilendar (also known as in Western scribing and publicising the most important sources as Paisii Khilendarski; it is worth men- monuments of literature. This time, the author tioning that this book, which is without doubt took upon himself to focus on the edited vari- a great contribution to the research on the