During the strife before the unification of the Russian tribes under the rule of Oleg, the Polotsk Vrivichs were in very close relations with Novgorod. They took part in the struggle of the Novgorodians with the Varangians, and it is also customary to assign them a very important part in the calling of the Varangians, even pointing out that the Varangians sat in Polotsk, which was given by Rurik to his husband 3). Since the fact of the calling of the Varangians is refuted by the latest research of our scientists in the way the chronicle conveys it, these facts most likely should be attributed to the legends about the relations of Polotsk with the Normans, which were very lively in ancient times 10). It is also at this time that one should attribute the knowledge of Nikon’s chronicle that “Askold and Dir Polochan fought and did a lot of evil.” 1"). There is no reason to be skeptical about the fragmentary information of this chronicle. It gives reason to think that these princes tried to bring under their power a city that was gravitating towards Novgorod. Here, perhaps, one should see the same policy of the Yuev princes Askold and Dir, which a little later Vladimir and Yaropolk Svyatoslavich adhered to in relation to the same city, seeking an alliance with Rogvolod.
10 (m. e.g. Eymundovu Sacha, according to which Eymund vladfl even Molotsky. ApI. Chi 6ez Vizvez, $. Pr. 171 et al.
11) P. S. R., L., t. [X, Nikonovekaya lft., r. 9.
THE LINE OF EAST, EGINNINGS, HIT Art. 69
Oleg, this first historically significant prince of Rus', but still surrounded in the stories about him with a mythical aura, united under his rule the tribes that made up ancient Rus'. For the subordinates, this consisted primarily in the imposition of tribute by the Yuev princes on their subordinates: “Oleg began to build cities, and established tribute by Slaven, and Krivich and Meryam” 12). Smolensk submitted to Oleg without a fight: Oleg, having gathered an army in which there were also Krivichi (in Izborsk or even Polotsk) “and came to Smolensk and from Krivichi and Iria torod Smolnesk, and planted his men in it” 13). The matter went off without a struggle, because the chronicle almost always ignores resistance. The chronicle does not say anything about the subordination of Polotsk and Dregovich, but, undoubtedly, 06% of the region was then connected to Mevo; Thus, Polotsk is mentioned among the cities for which the prince took “structures” from the Greeks. In addition to the tribute regulations, Oleg imprisoned his husbands in subordinate cities. But at the same time, the conquered cities also had their own princes “under Olgom” 15). Therefore, the role of these “men” was probably reduced to collecting tributes and tributes in favor of the prince, etc. In addition, dependence on the Yonovsky prince is determined by the fact that the conquered tribes participated in the campaigns of the princes. Thus, the Vrivichs took part in Oleg’s campaign against the Greeks in 907 16) and in Igor’s campaign in 944 17) Polotsk 18) and Smolensk 19) under Oleg received “ways”, that is, part of the booty, which indicates that they were only annexed to Eev, and were not enslaved.
This was the political situation in which our tribes found themselves and the subsequent princesses in Knoev, Igor, Olga and Svyatoslav. There is no information about them in the chronicles, but the order established by Oleg was obviously not violated, with the possible exception that Polotsk tried to gain greater independence.
14) Bestruzhev——-Ryumin, 0 composition of Russian chronicles, adj. 1, r. 7. 15) Ip., 18.
19) P.S.R. L., t. XU, Tverskaya let., r. 38,
True, there are legends in later chronicles about Olga’s stay in the land of Polotsk and even about the founding of Vitebsk by her, 20), but these stories cannot have significance and arose in later times..
During the time of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, Ro4v0l00d5 was in Polotsk, the prince there independently. The chronicle begins: “If only Rogvolod had come from overseas, and had his own parish, Polostsk®” 21). This is hardly meant to be taken literally. Rogvolod was probably a descendant of those princes of whom the chronicle says “under Olga.” The completely Slavic name of Rogvolod and his daughter Rogneda also does not confirm his Varangian origin 22).)
The legend about his arrival from across the sea should again be attributed to the legends about the relations of Polotsk with the Normans: the knowledge about Rogvolod fell into the chronicle as a distant, silent tale. In the literature about Vladimir’s campaign against Polotsk, about the matchmaking of two princes on Rognfd, one can undoubtedly hear the legend,