For long voyages the early Kyivians built the light, open vessels called lodya. The Byzantines called it in Greek, monoxile, because it was made from a single tree trunk, usually the hollowed-out trunk of an oak or linden. Layers of planking were secured to the hull to increase its height & oars were affixed to the planking. A single mast with a square sail made the lodya seaworthy. It was also light enough that when the need arose, it could portaged. Although they seldom exceeded 20 meters (60-65 feet) in length, lodya often held a crew of 35-45 men.
In the 9th. Century, Kyivian Grand Prince Oleg, using a fleet of lodyas, launched an attack against Constantinople. This grand & great city was called Tsargrad by the Slavs. His victorious campaign verified might & independence of Kyivian Rus. According to the Chronicles, Prince Oleg "hung his shield upon the Gate of Tsargrad" and then sailed back to Kyiv with all of the plundered treasures of his great victory.
In 941 AD, Grand Prince Igor Rurikovich, sailed against Tsargrad with a large armada of lodyas. In a sea battle off the northeast coast of the Bosporus, Byzantine galleys, called dromons, decimated the Kyivian fleet by using "Greek fire." Prince Igor the remains of his armada retreated & fled back to Kyiv. It was later, in 943 AD, that he assembled a larger & much more powerful force. He then launched a successful assault against Constantinople & claimed for the Kyivian Rus the rights for trade with the Byzantine Empire. A great many of the Rus's earliest heroes, some of whom are true historical figures, others are purely legendary being most often a combination of the two, emerged from Kyivian Rus.
Along with his faithful warriors, Kyivian Grand Prince Svyatoslav Igorevich became fabled for his acts of valor. Prince Svyatoslav's most celebrated deed was his conquest of Khazaria in 966 AD After a great sea battle. Sixteen years later Grand Price Vladimir, son of Svyatoslav, attacked Byzantium and engaged the Byzantines in yet another naval battle. The resultant peace fostered friendlier relations with Byzantium and thus permitted Kyivian Rus to begin to develop technology, craftsmanship, trade, as well as stone construction technology. Advancements in the art of shipbuilding progressed very slowly. The early Kyivians continued to ply the rivers, lakes & seas in their dug-out boats and to transport their simple goods by river on crude, raft-like vessels.
