Rurik the Viking

The Viking Rurik was the founder of the Russian State, or the first Russian monarchy. Born in 830 A.D. in the area of Friesland, Rurik helped set up a great and lasting Russian dynasty. The dynasty started with in Novgorod in 862 where Rurik was invited to help rule by the Slavs. The Kievan Rus dynasty that his successors set up lasted until 1598, ending with the death of Feodor I. Throughout his 49-year lifetime Rurik mostly lived throughout Russia and Europe until his death in 879.

Rurik served as a leader of an army in Russia. In 855 he guided an army to the coast of the Baltic Sea, where a fortress was set up for the soldiers to live. After several years of successful dwelling, problems arose in the neighboring Slavic cities. In 862 Rurik was invited along with his fellow Scandinavian troops to help rule the Slavs in the city of Novgorod on the Volkhov River. The Slavs needed help leading, as they had problems with their leaders and politics. The Slavic people gave full control of the area to Rurik to run as he saw fit. Rurik split the area that he was given by the Slavs between himself and two of his younger brothers, Sineus and Truvor. Each of them had a sizeable area of land to run, which was successful for some time.

After two short years as leaders of smaller areas, both of Rurik’s brothers died. Rurik took control of both of their lands and now had a sizeable area under his rule. With the addition of lands, Rurik had an increase to his power. Rurik converted all of his original land holdings into the new capital of his area. This new, larger area, which was in Rurik’s entire control, was known as “the land of the Rus”. Eventually the land under Rurik was simply known as Rus. Throughout his rule, Rurik held and controlled large tracts of land and even controlled several waterways including rivers. These rivers helped manage and facilitate trade and passage between the Caspian and Baltic seas. Leaving Russia after 11 years as a leader, in 873 Rurik went to his birthplace. In Friesland Rurik managed land, but didn’t hold a major political position like he did in Novgorod.

Upon leaving his capital of Novgorod in 873, Rurik gave up his rule to a known fellow kinsman by the name of Oleg. While on his deathbed in 879 Rurik gave his youngest son Igor, to Oleg, to learn the ways of the leaders and to train in the ways of leading people as a public servant. Oleg controlled the Rus area, the same area that Rurik gave him. Eventually Oleg tired to expand the area of Rus to contest neighboring Empires. Oleg succeeded at the expansion of his area, adding land from the south. Upon the death of Oleg, Rurik’s son, Igor took control of the expanded Kievan Rus Empire.

Rurik started a dynasty, which was alive for many centuries after his death in 879. His leadership abilities were reflected in the passage of his methods and family name for such a great amount of time. While limited information is available on Rurik and some of the information contradicts itself, Rurik is was a great leader of the 9th century. His son, Oleg, helped to perpetuate the state that was established by Rurik known as the Kievan Rus, which lasted until 1240. All of the successful leaders in Russia from Rurik had ties to Rurik up until the death of Feodor I, who died in 1598.