Cover painiting: Nicholas Roerich “Guests from Overseas”. From the series “Beginnings of Russia. The Slavs.” 1901

Nowadays, the Vikings are known for their exploits in the Western world. However, they also traveled to Eastern Europe, where they contributed to the establishment of the medieval state of the Rus or Kievan Rus, in the area of modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, and parts of Russia. The Rus state survived for nearly 400 years and eventually collapsed in the 13th century during the Mongol invasion.

The Vikings may have founded the Rus state in the mid-9th century, but Scandinavian settlements in Eastern Europe date back at least to 750 AD, likely in the Russian city of Staraya Ladoga. Notably, archaeologists discovered in the area a talisman with the face of the Norse god Odin engraved on it. What attracted the Vikings to the Russian city was the emergence of Islamic silver coins. The continuous inflow of Islamic coins from Russia to Scandinavia via Staraya Ladoga began in the early 9th century and further proves the presence of Vikings in the region.

After the year 840, the Vikings, who were known in Eastern Europe as Varangians, established their dominance over the Slavic tribes in the Rus state. Initially, the area was divided among three aristocratic brothers. According to the Primary Chronicle, written by monks of Kyiv: “Because of these Varangians, the region of Novgorod became known as the land of the Rus.”¹ When the two younger brothers died, the elder brother and ruler, Rurik, claimed their territories and declared Novgorod the capital. After his death, his successor, Oleg the Wise, captured Kyiv and moved his capital there. Besides conquering new lands to expand the Rus state, Oleg managed to create a favorable trade agreement with Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire.

After Oleg’s death, a period of successive turmoil followed. When Igor of Kyiv succeeded him, he imposed very strict taxes on the tribes he had conquered. However, unlike his predecessor, his taxation was so high that the enraged people assassinated him.² After his death, power passed to his wife, Olga. Olga’s story in the Chronicle seems to border on legend. The envoys of the Drevlians, who were responsible for Igor’s murder, met Olga to propose that she marry one of their princes. According to the Chronicle, Olga, enraged by their audacity, deceived them and buried them alive. The Rus state was predominantly pagan until the late 10th century when Vladimir I the Great took power and introduced Christianity, inspired by Byzantium. He himself was baptized a Christian in Chersonesus, Crimea, and married the Byzantine emperor’s sister, Anna Porphyrogenita, thus forging strong ties with the superpower of the time. The agreement with the Byzantine Empire led to the spread of Byzantine culture in the Rus state. Vladimir built churches to promote Christianity and schools to reduce illiteracy. The economy flourished, and the state continued its territorial expansion.

The cultural and economic development likely peaked when Vladimir I’s successor, Yaroslav I the Wise, came to power, who began constructing the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Novgorod. During his reign, the Rus state reached the height of its military and cultural prosperity.

After his death, the state entered an era of constant power struggles. The Crusades brought further instability, so that when the Mongols invaded in the 13th century, the Rus state, now weakened and divided, easily succumbed.

Footnotes

1. While there is debate over the Chronicle’s reliability and the exact details of Rurik’s role, his influence as a leader in the early formation of the Rus is widely accepted. ↩︎
2. Igor’s assassination and Olga’s revenge are recorded in the Primary Chronicle, but Olga’s brutal response, including burying the envoys alive, has a semi-legendary quality. Olga is historically significant as one of the first rulers to convert to Christianity before it became the state religion. ↩︎