The prince was murdered, and the princess given two demands: surrender the kingdom, and marry the enemy prince. She said yes—but what she did instead, nobody saw coming. If this were a video podcast, it'd be banned in all territories. Read a full transcript of this episode on the Something True website. Follow Something true on Twitter @atruepodcast. (Or just follow Duncan and Alex.) Music on this week’s episode: Kosta T – Red in Black Jon Luc Hefferman – Ascent* Free Piece of Tape – Burning School* Paniks – Homage* Kosta T – The Spirit of Russian Love (violin) Paniks – Jelena* *modified for the podcast.
Once upon a time, more than a thousand years ago, a band of tribesmen entered the city of Kiev bearing terrible news.
These men were representatives of the Drevlians, a tribe from the forests west of the city.
They demanded an audience with Princess Olga, who was wife to Prince Igor, ruler of Kiev and all the land between the black and baltic seas known as Kievan Rus.
The princess received them in the royal court and the Drevlians made their announcement.
We have slain your husband, the princess.
Why?
Because he was like a wolf, crafty and ravenous.
I see.
But we are good guys.
Mostly you're listening to something true stories from the footnotes of history, written by Duncan Fife and read by Alex Ashby.
This week's episode, Ruska Pravda.
The Drevlians were just one of the many tribes living independently outside Kiev before they had been forcibly united under the banner of the Kievan Rus state.
And they werent happy about it.
They liked their own princes and were not thrilled at being suppressed by military force and required to pay regular tribute in vast quantities of fur.
When Igor, Olgas husband, became prince, the Drevlians quietly stopped paying and hoped he wouldnt notice.
Igor did notice and rode in with an entire army to correct the situation.
Once he had sacked their lands, the Drevlians agreed to resume paying.
But after Igor left, he turned his horse around and came back screaming, I want even more fur.
And the Drevlians decided that instead they would murder him.
Igors death, they realised, could be a really good opportunity.