#Extra post today. Happy New Year! >She [**[Olga](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/St_Olga_by_Nesterov_in_1892.jpg)**] was also the first of her dynasty to convert to Easter Orthodox Christianity, which opened up new commercial and diplomatic possibilities with Christian Byzantine, Moravian, and Bulgarian neighbors. Her baptism in Constantinople in 954/55 is another legendary example of her cunning. The story goes that [Constantine VII](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Constantine_VII_Porphyrogenitus.jpg) was so enamored of her that he proposed marriage. But Olga wanted only to trade with Byzantium, not give Constantine an excuse to rule Kievan Rus, so she pointed out that marriage would be impossible because she wasn’t a Christian. If he were willing to perform the baptism himself, however, then she would reconsider; the ceremony was arranged. >Afterward, when Constantine reiterated his proposal, Olga replied, “How can you marry me, after yourself baptizing me and calling me your daughter? For among Christians that is unlawful, as you yourself must know.” >Olga’s conversion to Christianity made her a religious minority in her own country, and it eventually made her a saint. _____________________________ **Source:** McRobbie, Linda Rodriguez. “Olga of Kiev, the Princess Who Slaughtered Her Way to Sainthood.” *Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories From History-- Without the Fairy-Tale Endings*. MJF Books, 2013. 35-6. Print. _____________________________ **Further Reading:** [Olga of Kiev / Saint Olga (Church Slavonic: Ольга, Old Norse: Helga)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_of_Kiev) [Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus ("the Purple-born")](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_VII) _____________________________ **If you enjoy this type of content, please consider donating to my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/HistoryLockeBox)!**