The Bird Siege: How Olga of Kiev Destroyed the Drevlians
Olga of Kiev – The Ruthless Saint Who Burned a City with Birds
In the 10th century, one woman reshaped the course of Kievan Rus’ history through fire, strategy, and vengeance.
Olga of Kiev, a powerful regent and later canonised saint, is remembered not just for her faith—but for orchestrating one of the most brutal revenge campaigns in history.
After her husband, Prince Igor, was murdered in 945 by the Drevlians—a Slavic tribe who rebelled against his heavy tributes—Olga became regent for her young son, Sviatoslav. The Drevlians, hoping to seize power, proposed that Olga marry their prince, Mal.
She agreed… or so they thought.
She welcomed their first delegation to Kiev—then had them buried alive in a boat.
She invited a second group of Drevlian nobles for a formal meeting—then locked them in a bathhouse and burned them alive.
But her vengeance didn’t stop there.
Later, she attended a funeral feast held by the Drevlians for her husband. After ensuring the tribe’s leaders were drunk, she ordered her soldiers to massacre them—reportedly killing thousands.
Still not satisfied, Olga laid siege to their capital, Iskorosten. When the city refused to surrender, she asked for a seemingly small tribute: pigeons and sparrows from each household.
The Drevlians, thinking they’d won her over, complied.
But Olga’s soldiers tied burning sulphur to the birds’ legs. When the birds flew back to their nests, the entire city was engulfed in flames. Iskorosten burned, and its people were either enslaved or killed.
Years later, Olga converted to Christianity and was declared a saint for her efforts to spread the faith—becoming the first canonised ruler of Kievan Rus’.
A saint to some, a nightmare to others—Olga of Kiev remains one of the most complex and unforgettable women in medieval history.
Would you call this justice… or cruelty?
