How Prince Rurik died. First prince, founder of the dynasty

First quarter of the 9th century. - 879

The founder of the Novgorod state in the north of Rus' and the dynasty that ruled in Russia until the end of the 16th century. Russian chronicles report about him twice - under 862 ("The Legend of the Calling of the Varangians") and under 879 (the death of Rurik, power passed to Prince Oleg).

Rurik - biography (biography)

Rurik (first quarter of the 9th century - 879) - founder of the Novgorod state in the north of Rus' and the dynasty ruling in Russia until the end of the 16th century. This historical figure was often called legendary and even mythical, because there was little information about Rurik in written sources, but they were just as contradictory.

On the calling of Rurik’s Varangians in Russian sources

Nevertheless, the most reliable information about the appearance of Rurik is believed to be contained in the earliest Russian chronicles that have reached us - the Tale of Bygone Years (early 12th century) and the Novgorod First Chronicle, the text of which was reflected in the Initial Code (11th century), which immediately preceded Stories. The creation of these chronicles was more than two hundred years distant from the events described and, apparently, this is associated with contradictions in information even in the same source reporting the calling of the Varangians and Rurik.

The text telling about the appearance of the Varangian king in the north-west of modern Russia was part of a certain Legend about the calling of the Varangians, reconstructed by scientists, which was partially included in much later chronicles. So, what do the Tale of Bygone Years and the First Novgorod Chronicle tell us about Rurik?

Under 859 there is a record that certain “Varangians from overseas” collected tribute from the Slavic and Finno-Ugric peoples - Chud, Sloven, Krivichi and Meri. And in 862, these peoples (Ves is also mentioned in addition) “drove the Varangians overseas” and began to “own themselves.” However, soon strife arose between them, they “began to fight with each other.” And they decided to “look for a prince who would own them and judge them by right.” And “they went overseas to the Varangians... Those Varangians were called Russia...”. Three brothers “with their families” responded to the embassy’s call. The eldest of them, Rurik, settled in (based on archaeological data, scientists believe that this was not about the Novgorod known to us, but about the Rurik settlement, located 3 km south of it), the other, the third, settled in . “And from those Varangians the Russian land was nicknamed.”

Two years later, Sineus and Truvor died, and Rurik began to rule alone, distributing cities to “his husbands.” , Polotsk, - “Rurik ruled over everyone.” Two warriors from his entourage - and, "asked for time off" from him and set off to conquer the southern lands. They recaptured Kiev from the Khazars and made a campaign against Constantinople in 866, but Russian chronicles do not report anything about Rurik until 879. Under this date, a meager entry appears in the chronicle about the death of the prince and that he transferred power to his relative, entrusting him with the upbringing of his young son.

The Ipatiev Chronicle (15th century) basically repeats the same information about Rurik, but there are also important discrepancies on the issue of his residence. According to its text, the Varangians came to the Slovenes even earlier “and cut down the city and the eldest of them, Rurik, sat down in Ladoga.” After the death of his brothers in 864, he began to rule alone and “came to Ilmer and cut down the city above Volkhov and took his nickname and sat down to reign here.” As the main researcher of Novgorod antiquities, V.L. Yanin, noted, it was this message that contributed to the creation of the legend that it was the capital of Northern Rus'. Judging by archaeological data, this settlement arose long before the appearance of Rurik in the Russian North-West.

The leader of the Varangians stopped for some time in Ladoga, since the rapid advance to Ilmen was hampered by the rapids on the Volkhov. It was necessary to prepare to overcome them, for example, by replacing vessels designed for sea navigation with ones adapted for movement along rivers. The forced stop did not at all turn this place into a capital.

Some other important points concerning the activities and origins of Rurik, not found in the early Russian chronicles, are found in other, much later chronicles, and are therefore considered less reliable by many researchers. In particular, in the Nikon (Patriarchal) chronicle of the 17th century. it is reported that in 864 Rurik suppressed the unrest in Novgorod, led by a certain Vadim the Brave.

The information about the origin of the Novgorod prince in the Gustyn and Joachim chronicles (both from the 17th century) is certainly controversial, but deserves the attention of specialists. These sources show Rurik's connection with, apparently, the elder of the Novgorod Slovenes. The Gustyn Chronicle reports that Gostomysl sent an embassy to Malbork, a city in East Prussia on the southern coast of the Baltic. The rank and powers of this man are also known from the Novgorod Fourth Chronicle, which stated that it was Gostomysl who founded it, and this happened even before the calling of Rurik.

The most detailed information about the life and origin of Rurik is provided by the Joachim Chronicle. Unfortunately, its text has been partially preserved and only in its presentation. A well-known historian believed that it was written by the first Novgorod bishop Joachim Korsunyanin (died 1030). However, it was later established that the work was published under Patriarch Joachim (1674-1690), when he was the Metropolitan of Novgorod. Researchers tend to treat the data of the Joachim Chronicle with distrust and use them carefully.

According to the news of the Joachim Chronicle, the Slavic leader Gostomysl, who ruled in a certain Great City (historians see in it either, or the city of Veligrad in the land of the South Baltic Slavs, the Obodrites), had 4 sons and 3 daughters. The sons died without leaving any male children, but the middle daughter, Umila, “who was with the Finnish king, had a son, Rurik.” Before his death, Gostomysl (860 according to V.N. Tatishchev) ordered to call the sons of Umila to reign. Rurik, “coming from Finland in 862, had a wife Envinda, queen of Urman, brothers: Truvor, Pskov or Izborsk, and Sineus on Bela Lake, died in 879.”

Based on the data of the Joachim Chronicle, he believed that he was “the brother-in-law of Rurikov, the prince of Urman, from Sweden.” The historian suggested that he was the son of Rurik, and “the princess was his stepson, which is why he was named dirar in Sarmatian,” that is, it turns out that Askold and Dir are one and the same person.

Historical realities of the legend about Rurik

The reality of the historical figure of Rurik is often correlated with the problem of the historical authenticity of the Legend of Vocation. It has long been noted that similar legends telling about the origins of state institutions existed among many peoples of Europe. For example, the chronicle story about Rurik practically coincides with the plot of the chronicle “The Acts of the Saxons,” written a century earlier by Vidukind of Corvey. It talks about the invitation of the Saxons by the Britons. The general model of such medieval legends suggests that for the Russian chronicler it was important not so much to describe a specific real historical event, which was very old for him, but to convey the very meaning of Rurik’s legendary calling.

The mythical-epic basis of the Legend was also emphasized in science. Many scientists reject the reality of the existence of the Rurik brothers and explain the names of Sineus and Truvor with the phrases “sine use” and “tru war,” that is, “their relatives” and “loyal squad.” Some researchers also paid attention to the biblical parallels of the Tale of the Calling of the Varangians and on this basis came to the conclusion that it did not reflect elements of the folk epic and had no historical authenticity at all.

However, in resolving the question of the reality of the legend about Rurik, the other extreme dominated from the very beginning. Russian historical science has been exploring the Legend of the Calling of Rurik’s Varangians for almost three centuries, actually from the moment of its birth. And it was precisely its literal, as I. N. Danilevsky rightly noted, understanding of the German scientists I. Bayer and G. Miller (invited to work in 1724) and the patriotic response that gave rise to the so-called “Norman problem” or the struggle between Normanists and anti-Normanists .

Today, many already recognize that the Norman discussion has always had more political overtones than concrete historical content. at one time he called the Varangian “problem” a pathology of social consciousness and divided the scientifically fictitious “Norman problem” (are the Eastern Slavs capable of independently creating state institutions?) into a number of real and essential questions for understanding the early history of Rus'.

Among the fundamental problems associated with historical interpretations of the Legend of the Calling of the Varangians, the main ones for researchers today remain the origin and original meaning of the words “Rus” and “Varangians”. Both behind one and another term they see ethnic (Scandinavians, Germans and Western Slavs of the South Baltic coast, Eastern Slavs, etc.) or social content (sailors, professional warriors, hired warriors, tribute collectors, etc.). New hypotheses appear periodically, and the number of arguments in favor of versions that have long been put forward is growing. But, as modern researcher A.V. Nazarenko noted, “the trouble is not that the existing hypotheses of the origin of Rus' exclude each other, but that each of them is forced to turn a blind eye to certain data that is “inappropriate” for it.” . Numerous hypotheses about the ethnic origin of Rurik himself mirror almost all versions of the appearance of Varangian Rus' existing in historiography.

Is Rurik a Norman?

Norman versions of the origin of Rurik are, first of all, supported by data relating to Rus' and the Varangians in general:

meaningful analysis of news from written sources;
linguistic studies of the names of the Varangian princes, names mentioned in the chronicle texts of Russian-Byzantine treaties of the 10th century, “Slavic and Russian” names of the Dnieper rapids in the work of the 10th century. Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus;
numerous, attributed as Scandinavian, archaeological finds at the monuments of the Russian North-West. Of particular importance are the artifacts of Scandinavian origin found in and on the Rurik settlement in the layers of the 9th - 10th centuries.

Among the Norman or Scandinavian hypotheses of the origin of Rurik, there is “international” diversity: Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish. In favor of the Finnish one, for example, is the news of the Joachim Chronicle that Rurik arrived from Finland, and the popularity of the linguistic version that the word “Rus” itself is of Finnish origin. But the Joachim Chronicle, along with others, also argues for the Norwegian version: Rurik, although he was in Finland, was still a Varangian prince and a relative of the “Urman prince” Oleg.

Swedish version

It is based on the following arguments:

Rurik is called a Varangian, and the Varangians, according to a long historiographical tradition, are correlated, first of all, with the Vikings. Rus' sound is close to the Finnish ruotsi, which is what the Finns called the Swedish “rowers” - sailors;
The runic inscription "Rurik" is carved into a stone that was used to build a church in Norrsund in Sweden;
Identification of Rurik with Eirik Emundarson, king of Swedish Uppsala (beginning of reign 850-860 - died in 882), mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's work “The Circle of the Earth” (XIII century). The latter, according to this source, conquered many lands in the east, including Australland (the territory of Rus').

Danish (Frieslandic) version

It is supported by the identification of the region where the joint embassy of the Novgorod Slovenians and the Chuds was sent. After all, it is unlikely that it could be directed to those Varangians who shortly before oppressed these peoples. But the Scandinavian world in this era was vast and included not only Sweden and Norway, but also Denmark, Britain and Friesland.

According to the Tale of Bygone Years, those Varangians who came with Rurik, who called themselves Rus, were neither Swedes (Svei), nor Norwegians (Urmans), nor British (Anglians), nor Gotlanders (Goths). The aforementioned message from the Gustyn Chronicle about the embassy of Gostomysl to the Southern Baltic can also testify in favor of inviting the prince from Jutland or Friesland.

The main argument is the identification of Rurik with the Viking king Rorik of Jutland (Hroerekr) from the Skjeldung clan. The similarity of the name, the historical setting and the “non-contradictory” chronology make this version one of the most reasonable even for those scientists who can be classified as anti-Normanists. Until 850, Rorik, being one of the minor Danish kings, owned Dorestad in Friesland. In 850 he settled in southern Jutland, participated in many military events - raids on England and the continent, in the siege of Swedish Birka (852). In the chronicles of those years, Rorik earned the nickname “the plague of Christianity.” The appeal of the embassy specifically to this king, who was at enmity with the Germans and the Swedes, would be logical from the point of view of the political situation. Rurik died, according to Russian sources, in 879, and according to Western sources, Rurik was not alive in 882.

Is Rurik a Slav?

In contrast to the hypotheses of the origin of the term Rus, the Slavic versions of the genealogy of Rurik himself are associated only with the Western Slavic world. Scientists saw Rurik as a native of various Slavic peoples - Ruyans, Vagrs, Obodrites, Pomorians, etc., who lived on the coast of the Southern Baltic.

The common argument for these versions is archaeological data:

Based on an analysis of the antiquities of the archaeological cultures of the Pskov long mounds and Novgorod hills, researchers believe that the Slavic population of the Russian North-West in the 6th - 8th centuries. - the Slovenians of Novgorod and Krivichi trace their origins to the Western Slavs of the southern Baltic coast;
In recent years, expressive archaeological finds of West Slavic origin have appeared, even at such “Scandinavian” monuments as the Rurik settlement. We are talking not only about jewelry, but also about such an ethnospecific category of artifacts as molded, that is, hand-made, pottery;
The linguistic analysis of the texts of numerous birch bark letters found during excavations also testifies to the West Slavic origin of the population in the Novgorod land.

"Prussian" version

This version of the origin of Rus' and Rurik owes its appearance in historical science. “When Rurik with his brothers, with all his clan and with the Varangians Rosses moved to the Slavs of Novgorod, then the inhabitants who remained after them in their former places were called Porussians or those who remained in Russakh...”. Within the framework of the “Prussian” version, seeing some consonance with Russia and Rurik, the scientist also mentioned the Ruyans, the inhabitants of the island of Rügen.

Today the source of this version can be considered clarified. At the beginning of the 16th century, in conditions of political confrontation with the Polish-Lithuanian state, “in response” to the Lithuanian ethnogenetic legend about the Roman origin of the Lithuanians, a similar legend appeared in Muscovy. According to this legend, the Roman Emperor Augustus “sent his brother Pruss to the banks of the Vistula - to a country that was then named Prussian Land after his name. It was from this Pruss that the Russian princes came into their own. Ambassadors of the Novgorodians came to the Prussian land to look for princes for themselves on the advice of the Novgorod governor Gostomysl. From here they took Rurik, a descendant of Pruss and, therefore, a relative of Augustus Caesar.”

Almost verbatim, indicating that Pruss was Augustus’s “relative,” this version was reproduced in “Tales of the Princes of Vladimir” (mid-16th century) and was included as an official ideologeme in “The Sovereign’s Genealogist.” Despite the fact that the “Prussian” version was subjected to severe criticism from historians and linguists, certain of its elements have received active development in historiography in recent decades.

Vagrs, Varins, Varangians, Varangs...

Visited Muscovy in the first half of the 16th century. The Austrian traveler S. Herberstein, having become acquainted with Russian history from the chronicles, suggested that the Varangians of Rurik, and accordingly Rurik himself, descended from the Pomeranian Slavs of the Vagr. The Vagrs, referred to in some written sources as the Varins, are a West Slavic tribe that lived in the medieval era on the Vagria Peninsula. They were part of the Obodritov (Bodrichi) tribal union.

S. Herberstein believed that the “Varangian Sea” (as the Baltic Sea is called in Russian chronicles) received its name from the Varangian Vagrians. Some linguists bring together the terms varins, varins, varings/verings, Varangians of a common origin and consider them to be different forms of one word. The issue of the so-called Varangs is debatable - this is how the Greeks called the Scandinavian mercenaries in Byzantine military service.

Obodrites, Raregs and Mecklenburg genealogies

Among the West Slavic versions of the origin of Rurik, the hypothesis about his connection with the Obodrite tribe is provided by sources most comprehensively. In the first quarter of the 18th century. Several works appeared on the genealogy of the ruling dynasty in the German state of Mecklenburg, once inhabited by the Obodrites. The reason was the marriage of the Duke of Mecklenburg Karl Leopold in 1716 with Ekaterina Ivanovna, niece, mother of the future ruler Anna Leopoldovna.

In the essay “Searching for Kinship,” F. Thomas pursued the idea of kinship between the Russians and the Pomeranian Slavs (called Wends by German sources), as well as the kinship between the ruling Russian and Mecklenburg-Schwerin dynasties. Rejecting the Scandinavian origin of Rurik, he considered him to come from the Slavic Vagria. Referring to sources of the 15th century, F. Thomas suggests that Rurik was the grandson of the king of the Obodrites, Vitslav (died in 795) and the son of Godlib (Godslav), who died in 808 during the Danish assault on the city of Rerik. Another German historian of the early 18th century. I. Hübner, using the same source, believes that the sons of Godlib - Rurik, Sivar and Truvor went to 840. It has been noted that the connection of Rurik to Godlib seriously contradicts the chronology of events described in Russian chronicles.

Many researchers associate the emergence of Mecklenburg genealogies with the rise of Slavic ethnic self-awareness in the 16th - early 18th centuries, which was expressed in the formation of ethnogenetic legends. In particular, from the works of I. Hübner it is clear how “realities” about the third legendary brother, Rus, are gradually woven into the earlier mytho-epic stories about the brothers Cech and Lech.

In connection with the Mecklenburg genealogies, the emergence of a “folk” legend about Rurik, recorded among German peasants in Mecklenburg by the Frenchman Xavier Marmier in the first third of the 19th century, is often considered. The legend tells about the Bodrichi king Godlav and his sons Rurik, Sivar and Truvar, who “came to Russia” in search of glory. Having overthrown the local oppressors, the brothers, at the request of the people, remained in their new homeland. At the same time, Rurik received the Novgorod principality, Sivar - the Pskov principality, and Truvar -.

Researchers noted that this legend about Rurik is the only one recorded in folklore. Considering that the German population long ago replaced the Obodrite Slavs here, and also taking into account the “suspicious” accuracy and specificity in chronology, localization and names, which are usually not typical for oral traditions that have lived for centuries, the bookish nature and later origin of this source is assumed. It was probably influenced by works on genealogy published a hundred years earlier.

The Obodrite version of the origin of Rurik does not contradict the information from a German source of the 11th century. Adam of Bremen, who wrote: “... the Obodrites are now called Raregs.” The word "rareg" and similar ones in many Slavic languages mean the name of a falcon. On this basis, the famous historian S. A. Gedeonov put forward the hypothesis that the name Rurik is the generic name of the leaders of the Obodrites.

The Obodritsky hypothesis of the origin of Rurik is to a certain extent consistent with the data of some Russian chronicles (Gustynskaya, Joakimovskaya, Novgorod Fourth) about Gostomysl. The “Great City”, in which the latter ruled, could be that Veligrad, which is considered the capital of the Bodrichi. And, it seems, the message of the famous researcher of Scandinavian antiquities on the territory of Rus', the author of the book “The Viking Age in Northern Europe”, G.S. Lebedev, that “recently in another Frankish chronicle, the Xanten Annals, news of "Gustimusl", the Slavic leader in the land of the Obodrites."

The origin of Rurik and Rus' is one of those scientific problems whose solution resembles the path to the horizon. It is endless, will always occupy the minds of scientists and excite the souls of ordinary people. But, despite all the inconsistency and scarcity of information about Rurik, it is clear that this historical figure is real. Rurik, regardless of who he was, where he came from, was and remains the founder of northern Russian statehood, the ancestor of one of the two dynasties with which all history is connected.

Roman Rabinovich, Ph.D. ist. sciences,
specifically for the portal

List of sources and literature:

Vernadsky G.V. 2004. History of Russia. Ancient Rus'. Moscow Tver: “Agraf. Lean."
Danilevsky I. N. 1999. Ancient Rus' through the eyes of contemporaries and descendants (IX - XII centuries). M.: “Aspect Press”.
Klein L. S. 2009. Dispute about the Varangians. History of the confrontation and arguments of the parties. St. Petersburg: "Eurasia".
Kuzmin A. G. 2003. The beginning of Rus'. Secrets of the birth of the Russian people. M.: "Veche".
Lovmiansky H. 1985. Rus' and the Normans. M.: “Progress”.
Mylnikov A. S. 2000. Picture of the Slavic world: a view from Eastern Europe. Ethnogenetic legends, guesses, proto-hypotheses of the 16th - early 18th centuries. St. Petersburg
Novgorod First Chronicle of the older and younger editions, 1950. M.-L., Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
Petrukhin V. Ya. 2013. Rus' in the 9th-10th centuries. From the calling of the Varangians to the choice of faith. M.: “Forum”; "Neolithic".
The Tale of Bygone Years. 1996. Second edition. SPb.: “Science”.
Slavs and Rus': problems and ideas. Concepts born of three centuries of polemics, in a textbook presentation. Fourth edition. M.: “Flinta”, “Science”. 2001.
Tatishchev V. 2003. Russian History. Volume 1. M.: "AST Publishing House".
Fomin V.V. 2008. The initial history of Rus'. M.: “Russian Panorama”.
Yanin V. L. 2008. Essays on the history of medieval Novgorod. M.: “Languages of Slavic cultures.”

The figure of Rurik is one of the most key and mysterious in Russian history. It was he who laid the foundation for the statehood of the Eastern Slavs. Few reliable facts are known about this prince. Researchers are still arguing about where he came from.

Calling the Varangians to Novgorod

In the 9th century, numerous tribal unions of Slavs and Finns were dependent on the Varangians - Germanic pagans who lived on the Scandinavian Peninsula. For a short period they managed to expel the invaders and stop paying tribute. However, local tribes immediately began to fight among themselves. Peace could only begin with the emergence of legitimate power.

The most important source on Rurik’s era is that it contains information that the union of the Ilmen Slovenes, Meri and Krivichi invited him to reign in Novgorod. This happened in 862.

Satisfied everyone. This man was a compromise figure. The prince from across the sea was not a protege or supporter of any group. Some sources indicate that the Novgorodians and their neighbors considered a variety of candidates: from the Khazars to the Polans. Nevertheless, the choice fell on the Varangian (that is, the Viking).

Rurik and his brothers

The Slavic delegation went overseas. Rurik also took with him two of his brothers: Sineus (ruled on Beloozero) and Truvor (went to Izborsk). When they died, their plots again passed to the Novgorod prince. The biography of Rurik before his appearance in Rus' is practically unknown and is mostly based on guesswork. Nevertheless, there is accurate information that he had his own squad. It was she who became the support of the new government and ensured order in the Novgorod land. In exchange for protecting the population, the prince received the right to collect taxes.

Interestingly, some sources contradict each other as to where Rurik actually ruled. For example, it says that his first residence was Ladoga. The prince appeared in Novgorod only after the death of his two younger brothers. In addition, the lands of the Krivichi, whose main city was Polotsk, came under his rule. In the east of this state there were Finnish tribes. They lived in Rostov, Murom and neighboring lands.

Governing body

Rurik's biography as the prince of Novgorod was not distinguished by bright events. The only exception can be considered unrest in the capital, when residents, dissatisfied with the rule of the Varangian, rebelled against him in 864. Their leader was He and his main comrades were killed by Rurik. Due to the fragmentary and incomplete information about these unrest, some historians either consider them fiction or associate them with later events. telling about the uprisings of the Novgorodians against the power of the Varangians, was compiled in the 16th century and, of course, could be unreliable. This episode is a clear example of how Rurik’s biography is vague and little studied.

He died in 879, leaving his only son Igor. Power in Novgorod passed to Oleg - either a relative or ally of Rurik. The new prince was regent for the growing heir. Three years later, Oleg captured Kyiv, where he moved his capital. Later Igor and his descendants ruled there. This is how the ancient Russian state arose, the princes of which were representatives. Its last representative, Fedor, died in 1598, being the Tsar of Moscow.

Origin

Prince Rurik, whose brief biography is the subject of fierce debate, was not recorded in chronicles and other documents before his calling by the Slavs. Researchers often associate it with the Vikings. Most often, the Danes or Swedes are mentioned in scientific literature, to which the Novgorod prince Rurik (862-879) could belong. The biography of this king is vague, which gives rise to numerous hypotheses about his origin.

Norman theory

In ancient Russian sources, the word “Varangian” is used in the description of Rurik, which indicates his Scandinavian or Norman origin. In the 9th century, the inhabitants of these regions agitated the entire Christian Europe with their merciless raids. Some of them seized lands on the continent and integrated into the general feudal system, simultaneously adopting Christianity.

Many historians believe that Rurik is Rorik of Jutland. This was a famous Danish king. He fought with the Carolingians for Frisia. Perhaps he was also a vassal of the Frankish sovereign for some time, since coins with the image of Lothair were minted under him. At the end of the 50s, he tried to take over Jutland, but was unsuccessful. A little later he fought with the Western Vendian Slavs who lived on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Supporters of the idea that Rurik is Rorik, as an argument for their correctness, cite the fact that in Western chronicles, mentions of this king disappear approximately from the date when the Varangian began to rule in Novgorod. This hypothesis remains unproven and is often the subject of controversy. Rurik, whose brief biography is almost unknown, does not even have a documented grave.

Slavic and Baltic theories

There are theories that the representatives of the West Slavic tribe of the Vagr were called Varangians, called to Rus'. If this is so, then Prince Rurik, whose biography does not refute or prove this version, may have been a distant fellow tribesman of the inhabitants of Novgorod.

Another close assumption to this theory was made by the great Russian scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. He considered Rurik to be a native of the Prussians - the Baltic people who lived in the territories of present-day Poland and Lithuania. In the legends of the Germanized Slavs from the same lands there are tales of three brothers called to distant Novgorod. These were the encouragers, whose representative could be Prince Rurik. A brief biography of this person does not allow us to accurately determine his ethnicity. In addition, it is difficult to calculate the year of his birth.

Rurik's reign (briefly)

Board of Rurik - a brief description of the main events

There are not many reliable sources about the history of Rus' before the reign of Rurik. In addition, even the existing facts are interpreted differently by different researchers (for example, Normanists and anti-Normanists). Historians do not even know to which people the legendary Prince Rurik belonged.

Disputes about the origin of Prince Rurik

The origin of Rurik still causes a lot of controversy. Some argue that Rurik himself and his squad were Scandinavians (Vikings), based on the etymology of the princely name, which means “king” from the Latin rex. It is a well-known fact that the name Rurik is widely used in the modern world in Finland, Sweden and other countries. In turn, supporters of the West Slavic version of the development of Rus' prefer to compare the biographical data of Rurik with the Slavic tribe of Obodrites, which were also called “falcons”.

The calling of Prince Rurik to reign

According to literary sources, namely the Tale of Bygone Years, Rurik’s calling occurred in 862, resulting from a joint decision of the Slavic tribes (Krivichi, Ilmen Slovenes, Chud and all) during disputes about who would rule them without benefit for their own tribe.

Rurik entered Novgorod with his brothers. There is also a version that the prince’s reign began not in Novgorod, but in Staraya Ladoga, and Novgorod itself was built only two years later. Archaeological finds (for example, Rurik's Settlement) fully confirm this theory.

If you believe the chronicle version, then Rurik’s brothers also received Slavic lands for their reign. So brother Sineus got Beloozero, and Truvor got Izborsk, but they did not rule for long. Two years after their death, Rurik becomes the sole ruler. Many researchers of Rus' are inclined to believe that Rurik had no brothers, arguing that “truvor” is translated as “faithful squad”, and “sineus” is “one’s own kind”.

Information about the political leadership of Rurik very little. The chronicles rather sparingly describe his desire to strengthen state borders, build cities, etc. One of the most important events in his reign was that he managed to suppress the rebellion in Novgorod by Vadim the Brave, thereby strengthening his own princely authority. In general, one thing can be said - Rurik’s reign contributed to the centralization of power on Russian soil.

Rurik died around 879, and his power was inherited by his son (presumably from a Norwegian princess) Igor.

The reign of Rurik and his brothers, the first princes of Ancient Rus', is considered one of the most mysterious phenomena in history, which is overgrown with legends, guesses and disputes.

Whether he was a Varangian or whether he and his brothers were born on the territory of modern Russia - scientists are still arguing about this.

One thing is clear, it was with Rurik that the dynasty of the great ancient Russian rulers began.

Prince Rurik - years of life and reign, brief biography

The date of birth of Rurik is attributed to 817. The details of the young man’s life before coming to Rus' are practically unknown; one can only guess who he and his brothers, Sineus and Truvor, were.

One thing is absolutely clear - in 862 the Slavs called on the Varangians to rule their lands and protect them from the raids of other tribes, including the Vikings, who devastated the lands of Europe for several centuries in a row. This date is the beginning of the future Russia.

The Varangian ruled until his death in 879, after which power passed to his friend and warrior Oleg, who was also of Varangian origin.

Disputes about the origin of Rurik

At the moment, there are many theories about the origin and nationality of the first prince, even to the point of completely denying the existence of him and his brothers.

According to the Norman version of the origin, the first prince was the Danish Viking Rorik of Jutland, brother of the exiled king, Harald Klak from the city of Hedeby. In the Scandinavian chronicles there are references to the fact that the warrior participated in campaigns against King Horik, and also carried out raids with other Vikings in Frisia, and tried to conquer Jutland.

According to Swedish scientists, in the 60s of the 9th century, Rorik raided the territory of the Slavs and conquered them. Around these years, all information about Rorik disappears, which speaks in favor of the theory about the Scandinavian origin of the prince.

It is worth noting: one of Rurik's wives was the Norwegian queen Efanda, the mother of the future Prince Igor. Also, some historians consider her the sister of the legendary Prince Oleg, which again speaks in favor of the Norman theory.

There is a theory that the first Russian prince has West Slavic roots and comes from the Vagrian tribe. He is of Novgorod origin through his mother Umila, his father is an unknown Finnish prince. After the death of his father, the Finnish lands passed to his sons - Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. This version raises doubts among many historians, many even consider it a falsification.

There is a version that Rurik did not really exist. Historians suggest that this was the name of the Varangian tribal clan Rerek. Thus, one of the Obodrite dynasties bore the name Rerek.

Recently, contemporaries have come to the conclusion that Rurik was the Danish Rurik of Jutland.

Reign of Rurik

According to the Novgorod Chronicle, the Viking first ruled in Staraya Ladoga, and then conquered Ancient Novgorod. Chronicle sources contain little information about the reign of the first prince, however, a brief historical portrait can be drawn up.

He himself ruled only in Staraya Ladoga and Novgorod, his brothers in Izborsk and Beloozero. The legendary warriors of Rurik, Askold and Dir, were sent to Kyiv.

Interesting fact: Askold and Dir conquered Kyiv, and then went on a campaign against Byzantium, where, according to the chronicles, they adopted Christianity. Later, the Prophetic Oleg dealt with the Varangians and captured Kyiv, making it the capital of the Old Russian state.

It is noted that in 864 there was an uprising against the Varangians. It was raised by the Novgorod boyars and traders, dissatisfied with the Viking policies. The uprising was brutally suppressed.

Rurik's brothers

Sineus and Truvor, the Varangian brothers of Rurik, are even more mysterious than the Novgorod prince himself. According to the Nikon Chronicle, these are Rurik’s brothers, who reigned together with their brother: Sineus - in Beloozero, Truvor - in Izborsk.

From chronicle sources it becomes clear that the brothers died suddenly 2 years after their calling. The elder brother annexed their lands to his principality under a single authority.

Some historians believe that the brothers did not exist at all. They explain this by an incorrect translation from Old Swedish. Sineus means “one’s kind”; Truvor’s translation is “faithful squad”. That is, Rurik came along with Sineus - “his family” and Truvor - “faithful squad”.

This theory was popular for a long time, until the philologist and Scandinavian scholar Melnikova completely refuted this theory, proving that Sineus and Truvor are personal names often found in Scandinavian runes.

The arrival of Rurik in Rus'

The episode of the calling of the Varangians was described in the “Tale of Bygone Years” of the 11th century and inspires complete confidence among historians. According to it, the Slavic and Finnish tribes: Chud, Krivichi, Slovenians, Meri paid tribute to the Scandinavians - the Vikings, who devastated the lands of Europe everywhere.

In the 9th century, the tribes fought back against the Vikings and stopped paying them. This event gave rise to civil strife and internal squabbles between the tribes. To stop the disputes, the tribes agreed and decided to invite an outside ruler. The choice fell on the Varangians.

Death of the founder of the dynasty of Russian princes

The prince died in 879. According to legend, he died during the battle and was buried on the northern bank of the Luga River. A horse, a gilded saddle and 40 barrels of silver were buried with the body. Scientists still cannot find the exact burial place of the legendary prince.

One of the proposed places is Shum Mountain in the Novgorod region.

The sacred mound with its intricate runes and boulders is a site of national importance. The date of creation of the burial mound is approximately the 8th-10th centuries.

Do you know that: The administration and local residents are categorically against conducting research and excavations on the territory of the mound. And local residents talk about amazing phenomena and sounds, similar to crying, emitted by the mound.

What Rurik did for Rus'

The sources contain little information about Rurik and the years of his reign.

We can highlight several of the prince’s main achievements:

The foundation of a dynasty of kings, with the accompanying signs of power passed on by inheritance.
Suppression of the uprising in Novgorod in 864. According to the story of bygone years, Vadim “The Brave”, together with the boyars and merchants, raised an uprising, which was successfully suppressed.
The unification of tribes, lands and cities into a single state under the rule of one person.
Protection from attacks by other Varangians. From the sources it becomes clear that during the reign of Rurik the Scandinavians did not raid Slavic lands.

Perhaps the prince did more, but chronicle sources are extremely stingy in their presentation.

Who ruled after Rurik

After the death of the prince in 879, Oleg, a warrior (maybe a relative) of Rurik, began to rule as regent for the young son of the first Varangian, Igor. Oleg received the nickname Prophetic, which means wise, foreseeing the future.

During his activities, Prophetic Oleg conquered Kyiv, making it the capital and uniting it with Novgorod and Ladoga. Having gathered an army, he marched on Constantinople, where he concluded a duty-free trade agreement that was very beneficial for Rus'. As proof of the conquest of the city, Prophetic Oleg nailed his shield to the gates of Constantinople.

The death of the prince is no less mysterious than the calling of the Varangians to Rus' as a whole. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, Prince Oleg died from a snake bite.

Foreign and domestic policies of Rurik - basic data in the table

The results of the reign of the first prince can be divided into the following areas:

The personality of Rurik is a historical mystery that not only Russian historians, but also Scandinavian scientists are struggling with. The great Varangian did not rule for long, but left behind another great and wise ruler, Prophetic Oleg, who not only conquered Kyiv, but also strengthened the power of the Rurikovichs throughout the territory of Ancient Rus'.

The Eastern Slavs lived “each in their own clan,” gathering from time to time for a joint meeting. Already in the 6th century, they had inter-tribal alliances, headed by elders or leaders. The Slavs led a sedentary lifestyle. In the struggle for new lands, they pushed back the Finno-Ugric and Baltic ethnic groups. The northern tribes often suffered raids by the Scandinavians. some of them, not having the strength to repel predatory invasions, became tributaries of the Varangians.

The abundance of waterways led to the strengthening of cultural and commercial ties between the Slavic tribes and their neighbors. Pereyaslavl, Chernigov, Smolensk, Lyubech, Novgorod, Rostov, and Polotsk arose in the places of barter trade. Around them, urban areas began to form, in which representatives of not one, but different tribes lived. The formation of the Old Russian state in the 9th century began in two places: the Middle Dnieper region (Kyiv) in the south and Novgorod land (Novgorod) in the north.

CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

862 Chronicle report about the refusal of the Ilmen Slovenes, Chud, Meri, Vesi and Krivichi to pay tribute to the Varangians and the expulsion of the Scandinavians " overseas". The beginning of intertribal strife. The calling by the union of the Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes of the Varangian dynasty - Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. The beginning of the reign of Rurik in Ladoga, Sineus in Beloozero, and Truvor in Izborsk.

862-882 Legendary dates of the reign of Askold and Dir in Kyiv.

863 Creation of the Slavic alphabet by the brothers Cyril and Methodius.

864 Death of Sineus and Truvor. The chronicle indicates that “ Rurik alone took over all power and began to distribute cities to his husbands". Rurik settled in a settlement at the source of the Volkhov (the so-called Rurik Gorodishche).

Later 864 Marriage of Rurik to the Urman princess Efand. Return of Rurik to Europe. Uprising in Novgorod under the leadership of Vadim the Brave against the autocracy of Rurik. Return of Rurik to Novgorod. The murder of Vadim the Brave by Rurik and the suppression of the uprising. Flight of many " Novgorod men"to Kyiv to avoid reprisals. Departure from Novgorod Askold and Dir. The beginning of their reign in Kyiv. Birth of Rurik's son Igor.

865 Military campaign of the Kyiv prince Askold against Polotsk.

Later 865 Wars of the Kyiv prince Askold with the Drevlyans and the streets.

866 The legendary campaign of the Kyiv princes Askold and Dir to Constantinople (Constantinople).

867 Arrival of the Byzantine bishop in Kyiv and mass baptism of the Rus. “District Epistle” of Patriarch Photius to the Byzantine bishops, where he reports on the baptism of the Rus.

867 The reign of the Byzantine emperor Basil I the Macedonian (867-886), founder of the Macedonian dynasty, began. He successfully fought against the Arabs in the east of the empire and in Italy.

867 Patriarch Photius (in Constantinople) established the first diocese for the Slavs and Varangians who converted to Christianity.

869 The campaign of princes Askold and Dir against the Krivichi.

874 The campaign of the Kyiv prince Askold against Byzantium. Conclusion of a peace treaty between him and Emperor Basil I the Macedonian. Baptism of part of the Rus squad in Constantinople.

Late 870s The Rus' campaign to the Caspian Sea and the attack on the city of Abaskun (Abesgun).

879 Death of Rurik, Prince of Novgorod.

ADDITIONALLY

The emergence of the Feast of the Placing of the Robe
Legendary date of formation of the Russian state
Rurik settlement