Married in 903 to Prince Igor I of Kiev, Russia, she was a cruel and barbarous woman (she scalded her husband's murderers to death in 945 and murdered hundreds of their followers). Ruled Kiev after Igor's assassination in 945 and was baptized at Constantinople in 957. She then requested Emperor Otto I to send missionaries to Kiev. Although St. Adalbert of Magdeburg was sent and the queen exerted great efforts the mission proved a failure as did her attempts to convert her son, Svyatoslav.
Christianity was introduced however by her grandson St. Vladimir. She is a grandmother of Saint Vladimir, great-grandmother of Saints Boris and Gleb.