History
A chronicle in Arabic by a Christian writer of Antioch, continuing the annals of Eutychius of Alexandria. It gives the fullest near-contemporary account of Basil II’s alliance with the Rus’ and of Vladimir’s baptism.
Yahya ibn Sa’id wrote in Arabic, within a generation of the events, and dates them by the Seleucid and the Muslim years. He was a Christian of the Greek rite with good information on Byzantine affairs and no stake in the story the Rus’ later told about themselves. His account of the baptism is short and political: Basil II, pressed by the revolt of Bardas Phokas, asked the king of the Rus’ for help; the king married the emperor’s sister on condition of being baptized with his people; the emperor then sent metropolitans and bishops.
Cited in
- AD 988/989, estimated date