HOW ASKOLD AND DIR RAIDED CONSTANTINOPLE

On the night of June 18, 860, a thunderstorm was raging over Constantinople (also known as Tsarhorod in Old Rus’). The secure Greeks were making merry and tower guards were drunk, being so certain that no harm could befall their queen of cities’ impregnable stone walls. In the morning, Constantinople was shocked: several hundreds of foreign ships were lined up menacingly in the Golden Horn, the bay the entry to which was especially closely guarded. A new, hitherto unknown, enemy came under the walls of the Byzantine capital. The Greeks soon came to know its name: Rus’. Since that famous expedition, Rus’es or Rhos, as the Greeks called them, became known on the international arena. Greek chroniclers described this foray in detail. Nestor attached so much importance to this expedition that he decided to take it as a departure point in his systematic description of our history: “In the year 860 the Rus’ land acquired its name.”

WHAT CAUSED THE EXPEDITION

From the 860s until 882, Kyiv was ruled by two brother princes Askold and Dir. There is much controversy and mystery surrounding these figures. The only thing that brooks no doubt is that the Kyivan princes commanded a strong military force and were so powerful that they could not only guarantee the independence of Rus’ but also challenge their mighty neighbors.

The immediate reason for the expedition was the beating of Rus’ merchants in Constantinople, as then Patriarch Photius wrote. The Rus’es may have been incited to attack by the Arabs who were at war with Byzantium at the time. What also lured them, of course, were rich spoils. It was at that time that the Vikings would make devastating raids in their dragon-ships along the whole West European coast. Obviously, the Slavic-Varangian forces followed suit: it is known that two big forays on Greek Black Sea colonies were made in the first half of the eighth century.

Diplomatic relations could also create tension. In 842, emperor Theophilus died. It is quite probable that his son Michael III did not haste to confirm the old treaty on “peace and love.” This could also have prompted Askold and Dir to launch an expedition against Constantinople in order to show their might to the Rhomaioi (as the Byzantines called themselves), for Byzantium recognized only strong rulers.

SITUATION IN CONSTANTINOPLE

The Rus’ chose an extremely auspicious moment for attack, which testifies to their good knowledge of the situation in the Greek capital. As early as in the spring, the 40,000-strong Greek troops, commanded by Emperor Michael and his uncle, Caesar Bardas, were fielded on the eastern border to counter the Arabs. But the navy was sent to the island of Crete against pirates who harassed merchant ships a great deal. Only a relatively small garrison, commanded by Nicetas Arethas, fleet admiral and experienced warlord, was left in Constantinople.

One should note one more quite eloquent detail which shows how secure the self-confident Greeks felt. Sometime in the early 850s, after a proposal by outstanding scientist Leo the Mathematician, a warning lights system was built. There was a line of hilltop stations with mirrors and large lanterns installed at certain intervals from the eastern borders to Constantinople, while a special tower, Pharos, was built in the capital itself.

Once, during a chariot competition participated by Emperor Michael himself, the latter was approached by a messenger who ran from Pharos and reported about an Arab attack. “Villain!” Michael exclaimed in indignation. “How dare you disturb me at a moment when I am expecting a good omen at the races?” Infuriated, he ordered all the signal stations burned, so that nobody could bother him with trifles during his favorite pastime. All this allowed the Rus’es to carry out the expedition so fast that not a single rumor could outrun them, although the way to Constantinople was quite long.

THE SIEGE

One can only imagine the horror with which Constantinople residents watched the enemy armada heading ashore. It seemed to them their majestic city was being punished by God for its vainglory and depravity. Patriarch Photius asked in fear in his sermon on the day of attack, “Who has struck this blow and who has visited his huge wrath on us? Whence is this terrible northern thunderstorm?”

But still, how many warriors could Askold and Dir really bring to the walls of Tsarhorod? Most sources quote the figure of 200 ships, and only the Venetian deacon John mentions 360. A lodiya (light open boat) could carry only 40-50 people. Thus, a Rus’ druzhyna (military retinue — Ed.) numbered eight to ten, or at best 15,000-18,000 warriors. One could hardly hope to capture the mighty fortifications of New Rome with such a force. What Askold and Dir must have relied on was taking the Greeks by surprise. They managed to penetrate the bay in the dark of night, although the entry was closely guarded and locked with a gigantic iron chain. The Rus’es surmounted this obstacle by the same method that Prince Oleh would resort to half a century later: they put the boats on rollers and dragged them over.

Why did the Rus’ strike precisely through the Golden Horn? The point is that the northern walls on the Blachernae were built later, so they were much lower and, hence, more accessible. Moreover, it is there that the church of Panagia of Blachernae, by far the richest cathedral of Constantinople, was situated.

The Greeks successfully rebuffed the first attacks, for Rus’ had no experience in capturing fortifications. The stone walls were up to 30-40 meters high and surrounded with moats. Askold and Dir laid close siege to Constantinople. The city was stricken with panic and then famine. Then the Rus’ found a way to surmount the impregnable stone walls: they began to build an earthen rampart just opposite the church of Blachernae, intending to break into the queen of cities when the rampart reached the level of the walls.

MIRACLE OF THE HOLY VIRGIN’S VESTMENTS

I n spite of the ring of siege, the experienced patrician Arethas still managed to send a messenger to the emperor. Worried, Michael III and Caesar Bardas immediately rushed to the capital, but without troops. Perhaps the army was to come later or perhaps the emperor did not dare to withdraw his troops from the border. The Rus’ again erred: Bardas and the emperor managed to slip away unnoticed past the guard boats at night.

Having felt the magnitude of the danger, the young Michael refused pointblank to appear in front of Constantinople residents and spearhead the defense of the capital. He put on a hair shirt and went barefoot, together with the Patriarch Photius, to the church of Blachernae. The latter kept sacred relics: the belt and vestments of the Holy Virgin which Constantine the Great had brought from Jerusalem. The emperor and the patriarch lay prone on the stone floor and prayed all night long, calling upon the Mother of God to save the city.

Simultaneously, Bardas and Arethas opened negotiations and ordered an underpass be dug exactly where the enemy had build the rampart. The Rus’ demanded that the treaty of “peace and love” be restored and, as usual, a heavy indemnity, euphemistically called exchange of gifts, be paid as compensation for the killing of the Rus’ merchants. Askold and Dir also demanded a private audience with the Greek emperor. But the frightened Michael did not even want to hear of that.

When the talks reached an impasse, Patriarch Photius suddenly decided to take the rescue of the city in his own hands. On the eighth day of the siege, after a solemn liturgy in the church of Blachernae, the patriarch addressed the people: “At last, my dear ones, the time has come to seek help from the Mother of the Word, from Her, our only hope and support. Ask the Son and our God to intercede for us! Show clearly that ‘the queen of cities’ is being backed by Your strength!”

Meanwhile, two monks approached the receptacle with the Holy Virgin’s vestments, axed off the gold and silver ornaments, and cut through the wooden lid. The patriarch took out the vestments with his own hands. Coming out of the temple, he went to the city gate. Picking up the solemn chanting, the crowd followed him. The gate was open, and the huge pageant began its religious procession. Patriarch Photius was holding the vestments in his outstretched hands, followed by those who were carrying, raised high aloft, crosses, icons, and streamers with portraits of the saints. We can only guess, of course, what kind of psychological effect this picture made on the pagan Rus’. The only reason by which they could explain this gallantry of the Greeks was that the latter relied on the power of their God.

A miracle occurred in this critical moment: the rampart, almost level with the impregnable walls, suddenly began to drop precipitously: the Greeks must have destroyed the props in the underpass, so the rampart caved in. The calculation proved correct: the barbarians were struck by the might of the Christian God! The procession came uninterrupted as far as the shore. The Patriarch Photius waded into the water and, precisely before the eyes of the shocked Rus’, dipped the edge of the sacred vestments. What followed this was something incomprehensible and mysterious and which all legends, our and many Greek chronicles interpret as a great miracle.

The Greeks did not believe their own eyes: the pagans suddenly rushed to their boats and began to cast off in haste. Without raising sails and using only oars, the Rus’ craft were leaving the Golden Horn, trying to outrun each other. The moved Constantinople residents shed tears: it was undoubtedly God’s intervention that managed to save the capital. And soon thereafter, the patriarch conducted a thanksgiving service at St. Sophia’s Cathedral, after which he made an inspired speech recorded by his secretary, the monk George.

What in reality made Askold and Dir lift the siege so hurriedly? Perhaps the Rus’ were informed that the Greek forces were approaching. If they had received ransom by that time, as Photius pointed out in his speech, there was no sense in demanding anything else. Moreover, Constantinople was known as an impregnable city. And suddenly the rampart caved in, and the chief Greek magus began to perform sorcery over the water. A church legend also says that as soon as the vestments were immersed, a terrible storm broke out and scattered the Rus boats. Struck by the power of the Greek God, the Rus’ even decided to be baptized.

In reality, though, the storm and baptism of Rus’ was connected with a different expedition, in 874, under Emperor Basil I and Patriarch Ignatius.

What the 860 expedition brought the Rus’es was international recognition. Even Photius had to admit, “A hitherto unknown people has been greatly acclaimed since it made an expedition against us.”

№13 April 18 2000 «The Day»
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