The Norman or Varangian theory, which reveals aspects of the formation of statehood in Rus', is based on one simple thesis - the calling of the Varangian prince Rurik by the Novgorodians to manage and protect a large territory of the Ilmen Slovenian tribal union. Thus, the answer to the question of what event is associated with the emergence of the dynasty is quite clear.

This thesis is present in the ancient one, written by Nestor. At the moment it is controversial, but one fact is still indisputable - Rurik became the founder of a whole dynasties of sovereigns who ruled not only in Kyiv, but also in other cities of the Russian land, including Moscow, and that is why the dynasty of rulers of Rus' was called Rurikovich.

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History of the dynasty: the beginning

The genealogy is quite complex, it is not so easy to understand it, but the beginning of the Rurik dynasty is very easy to trace.

Rurik

Rurik became the first prince in his dynasty. Its origin is a highly controversial issue. Some historians suggest that he was from a noble Varangian-Scandinavian family.

Rurik's ancestors came from the trading Hedeby (Scandinavia) and were related to Ragnar Lothbrok himself. Other historians, distinguishing between the concepts of “Norman” and “Varangian”, believe that Rurik was of Slavic origin, perhaps he was related to the Novgorod prince Gostomysl (it is believed that Gostomysl was his grandfather), and for a long time he lived with his family on the island of Rügen .

Most likely, he was a jarl, that is, he had a military squad and kept boats, engaging in trade and sea robbery. But precisely with his calling first to Staraya Ladoga, and then to Novgorod the beginning of the dynasty is connected.

Rurik was called to Novgorod in 862 (when he began to rule exactly, of course, is unknown; historians rely on data from the PVL). The chronicler claims that he came not alone, but with two brothers - Sinius and Truvor (traditional Varangian names or nicknames). Rurik settled in Staraya Ladoga, Sinius in Beloozero, and Truvor in Izborsk. I wonder what any other mentions there is no mention of brothers in PVL. The beginning of the dynasty is not associated with them.

Oleg and Igor

Rurik died in 879, leaving young son Igor(or Ingvar, according to the Scandinavian tradition). A warrior, and possibly a relative of Rurik, Oleg (Helg) was supposed to rule on behalf of his son until he came of age.

Attention! There is a version that Oleg ruled not just as a relative or confidant, but as an elected jarl, that is, he had all the political rights to power according to Scandinavian and Varangian laws. The fact that he transferred power to Igor could indeed mean that he was his close relative, perhaps a nephew, his sister’s son (according to Scandinavian tradition, an uncle is closer than his own father; boys in Scandinavian families were given to be raised by their maternal uncle).

How many years did Oleg reign?? He successfully ruled the young state until 912. It is he who is credited with the complete conquest of the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” and the capture of Kyiv, then his place was taken by Igor (already as the ruler of Kiev), by that time married to a girl from Polotsk (according to one version) - Olga.

Olga and Svyatoslav

Igor's reign can't be called successful. He was killed by the Drevlyans in 945 during an attempt to take double tribute from their capital, Iskorosten. Since Igor’s only son, Svyatoslav, was still small, the throne in Kyiv, by a common decision of the boyars and squads, was taken by his widow Olga.

Svyatoslav ascended the Kiev throne in 957. He was a warrior prince and never stayed long in his capital rapidly growing state. During his lifetime, he divided the lands of Rus' between his three sons: Vladimir, Yaropolk and Oleg. He gave Novgorod the Great as his inheritance to Vladimir (illegitimate son). Oleg (the younger) was imprisoned in Iskorosten, and the elder Yaropolk was left in Kyiv.

Attention! Historians know the name of Vladimir’s mother; it is also known that she was a whitewashed servant, that is, she could not become the ruler’s wife. Perhaps Vladimir was the eldest son of Svyatoslav, his first-born. That is why he was recognized as the father. Yaropolk and Oleg were born from Svyatoslav's legal wife, possibly a Bulgarian princess, but they were younger than Vladimir in age. All this subsequently influenced the relations between the brothers and led to the first princely feud in Rus'.

Yaropolk and Vladimir

Svyatoslav died in 972 on the island of Khortitsa(Dnieper rapids). After his death, the Kiev throne was occupied by Yaropolk for several years. A war for power in the state began between him and his brother Vladimir, ending with the murder of Yaropolk and the victory of Vladimir, who ultimately became the next prince of Kyiv. Vladimir ruled from 980 to 1015. His main merit is Baptism of Rus' and the Russian people into the Orthodox faith.

Yaroslav and his sons

An internecine war broke out between Vladimir’s sons immediately after his death, as a result of which one of Vladimir’s eldest sons from the Polotsk princess Ragneda, Yaroslav, took the throne.

Important! In 1015, the Kiev throne was occupied by Svyatopolk (later nicknamed the Accursed). He was not Vladimir’s own son. His father was Yaropolk, after whose death Vladimir took his wife as his wife and recognized the born child as his first-born.

Yaroslav reigned until 1054. After his death, the right of ladder came into force - the transfer of the Kyiv throne and the “junior” in seniority in the Rurikovich family.

The Kiev throne was occupied by Yaroslav's eldest son - Izyaslav, Chernigov (the next "seniority" throne) - Oleg, Pereyaslavsky - Yaroslav's youngest son Vsevolod.

For a long time, the sons of Yaroslav lived peacefully, observing the behests of their father, but, ultimately, the struggle for power entered an active phase and Rus' entered the era of Feudal fragmentation.

Pedigree of the Rurikovichs. The first Kyiv princes (table or Rurik dynasty diagram with dates, by generation)

Genealogy of the Rurikovichs of the period of feudal fragmentation

Tracing the dynastic line of the Rurikovich family during the period of Feudal fragmentation is incredibly difficult, since the ruling princely the genus has grown to its maximum. The main branches of the clan at the first stage of feudal fragmentation can be considered the Chernigov and Pereyaslav lines, as well as the Galician line, which needs to be discussed separately. The Galician princely house originates from the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir, who died during his father’s lifetime, and whose heirs received Galich as an inheritance.

It is important to note that all representatives of the clan sought to occupy the Kiev throne, since in this case they were considered the rulers of the entire state.

Galician heirs

Chernigov house

Pereyaslavsky house

With the Pereyaslav House, which was nominally considered the youngest, everything is much more complicated. It was the descendants of Vsevolod Yaroslavovich who gave rise to the Vladimir-Suzdal and Moscow Rurikovichs. The main representatives of this house were:

• Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh) - was the prince of Kyiv in 1113-1125 (VII generation);
• Mstislav (the Great) - the eldest son of Monomakh, was the prince of Kyiv in 1125-1132 (VIII generation);
• Yuri (Dolgoruky) - the youngest son of Monomakh, became the ruler of Kyiv several times, the last in 1155-1157 (VIII generation).

Mstislav Vladimirovich gave rise to the Volyn House of Rurikovich, and Yuri Vladimirovich gave rise to the Vladimir-Suzdal House.

Volyn House

Pedigree of the Rurikovichs: Vladimir-Suzdal House

The Vladimir-Suzdal house became the main one in Rus' after the death of Mstislav the Great. The princes who made first Suzdal and then Vladimir-on-Klyazma their capital, played a key role in the political history of the period of the Horde invasion.

Important! Daniil Galitsky and Alexander Nevsky are known not only as contemporaries, but also as rivals for the grand ducal label, and they also had a fundamentally different approach to faith - Alexander adhered to Orthodoxy, and Daniil accepted Catholicism in exchange for the opportunity to receive the title of King of Kyiv.

Pedigree of the Rurikovichs: Moscow House

In the final period of Feudal fragmentation, the House of Rurikovich numbered more than 2000 members (princes and younger princely families). Gradually, the leading position was taken by the Moscow House, which traces its pedigree to the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky, Daniil Alexandrovich.

Gradually, the Moscow house from grand ducal transformed into royal. Why did this happen? Including thanks to dynastic marriages, as well as the successful domestic and foreign policies of individual representatives of the House. The Moscow Rurikovichs did a gigantic job of “gathering” the lands around Moscow and overthrowing the Tatar-Mongol Yoke.

Moscow Ruriks (diagram with reign dates)

Fedr Ioannovich is the last king from the Rurik family (Ivan Kalita Dynasty). The Rurik dynasty was interrupted due to a combination of fatal circumstances: the death of the eldest son of Ivan the Terrible, and the possible murder of his youngest son Dmitry Ugliche by Boris Godunov.

Genealogy of the Rurikovichs - Rurikovichs of later times

In addition to the above-mentioned princely line, the following princely lines are directly related to the House of Rurik: later births:

• princely family of the Dolgorukys (from the Moscow Rurikovichs)
• the princely family of the Gorchakovs (from Chernigov);
• the princely family of the Baryatinskys (from the Zvenigorodskys);
• the princely family of the Volkonskys and Obolenskys (from the Tarusskys);
• the princely house of the Romodanovskys (from the Staradubskys).

Attention! The military leader of the Second Zemsky Militia of 1613 is also a direct descendant of Rurik. It comes from the Starodub branch.

House of Rurikovich, history, dates of reign

Reign of the Rurik dynasty

Conclusion

The Rurikovich family is huge. Research and study of it is still ongoing. It is quite obvious and acceptable that the descendants of Rurik in the direct male line still live in our time.

24. Vasily Shuisky was not a descendant of Rurik in the direct royal line, so the last Rurikovich on the throne is still considered the son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ioannovich.

25. Ivan III’s adoption of the double-headed eagle as a heraldic sign is usually associated with the influence of his wife Sophia Paleologus, but this is not the only version of the origin of the coat of arms. Perhaps it was borrowed from the heraldry of the Habsburgs, or from the Golden Horde, who used a double-headed eagle on some coins. Today, the double-headed eagle appears on the coats of arms of six European states.

26. Among the modern “Rurikovichs” there is the now living “Emperor of Holy Rus' and Third Rome”, he has the “New Church of Holy Rus'”, “Cabinet of Ministers”, “State Duma”, “Supreme Court”, “Central Bank”, “ Plenipotentiary Ambassadors", "National Guard".

27. Otto von Bismarck was a descendant of the Rurikovichs. His distant relative was Anna Yaroslavovna.

28. The first American president, George Washington, was also Rurikovich. Besides him, 20 more US presidents were descended from Rurik. Including father and son Bushi.

29. One of the last Rurikovichs, Ivan the Terrible, on his father’s side was descended from the Moscow branch of the dynasty, and on his mother’s side from the Tatar temnik Mamai.

30. Lady Diana was connected with Rurik through the Kyiv princess Dobronega, daughter of Vladimir the Saint, who married the Polish prince Casimir the Restorer.

31. Alexander Pushkin, if you look at his genealogy, is Rurikovich through his great-grandmother Sarah Rzhevskaya.

32. After the death of Fyodor Ioannovich, only his youngest - Moscow - branch was stopped. But the male offspring of other Rurikovichs (former appanage princes) by that time had already acquired surnames: Baryatinsky, Volkonsky, Gorchakov, Dolgorukov, Obolensky, Odoevsky, Repnin, Shuisky, Shcherbatov...

33. The last chancellor of the Russian Empire, the great Russian diplomat of the 19th century, friend of Pushkin and comrade of Bismarck, Alexander Gorchakov was born into an old noble family descended from the Yaroslavl Rurik princes.

34. 24 British Prime Ministers were Rurikovichs. Including Winston Churchill. Anna Yaroslavna was his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother.

35. One of the most cunning politicians of the 17th century, Cardine Richelieu, also had Russian roots - again through Anna Yaroslavna.

36. In 2007, the historian Murtazaliev argued that the Rurikovichs were Chechens. “The Rus were not just anyone, but Chechens. It turns out that Rurik and his squad, if they really are from the Varangian tribe of Rus, then they are purebred Chechens, moreover, from the royal family and speaking their native Chechen language.”

37. Alexander Dumas, who immortalized Richelieu, was also Rurikovich. His great-great-great-great...grandmother was Zbyslava Svyatopolkovna, the daughter of Grand Duke Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, who was married to the Polish king Boleslav Wrymouth.

38. The Prime Minister of Russia from March to July 1917 was Grigory Lvov, a representative of the Rurik branch descending from Prince Lev Danilovich, nicknamed Zubaty, a descendant of Rurik in the 18th generation.

39. Ivan IV was not the only “formidable” king in the Rurik dynasty. “Terrible” was also called his grandfather, Ivan III, who, in addition, also had the nicknames “justice” and “great”. As a result, the nickname “great” stuck to Ivan III, and his grandson became “formidable”.

40. “Father of NASA” Wernher von Braun was also Rurikovich. His mother was Baroness Emmy, née von Quisthorn.

Historians call the first dynasty of Russian princes and tsars the Rurikovichs. They did not have a surname, but the dynasty received its name after its legendary founder, the Novgorod prince Rurik, who died in 879.

Glazunov Ilya Sergeevich. Gostomysl's grandchildren are Rurik, Truvor and Sineus.

The earliest (12th century) and most detailed ancient Russian chronicle, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” tells the following about Rurik’s calling:

"Rurik's Calling". Unknown author.

“There are 6370 per year (862 according to modern chronology). They drove the Varangians overseas, and did not give them tribute, and began to control themselves, and there was no truth among them, and generation after generation arose, and they had strife, and began to fight with each other. And they said to themselves: “Let’s look for a prince who would rule over us and judge us by right.” And they went overseas to the Varangians, to Rus'. Those Varangians were called Rus, just as others are called Swedes, and some Normans and Angles, and still others Gotlanders, so are these. The Chud, the Slovenians, the Krivichi and all said to the Russians: “Our land is great and abundant, but there is no order in it.

"Rurik's Calling".

Come reign and rule over us." And three brothers were chosen with their clans, and they took all of Rus' with them, and they came and the eldest, Rurik, sat in Novgorod, and the other, Sineus, in Beloozero, and the third, Truvor, in Izborsk. And from those Varangians the Russian land was nicknamed. Novgorodians are those people from the Varangian family, and before they were Slovenians. Two years later, Sineus and his brother Truvor died. And Rurik alone took over all power and began to distribute cities to his husbands - Polotsk to one, Rostov to another, Beloozero to another. The Varangians in these cities are the Nakhodniki, and the indigenous population in Novgorod is the Slovene, in Polotsk the Krivichi, in Rostov the Merya, in Beloozero the whole, in Murom the Muroma, and Rurik ruled over them all.”

Rurik. Grand Duke of Novgorod in 862-879. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Old Russian chronicles began to be compiled 200 years after the death of Rurik and a century after the baptism of Rus' (the appearance of writing) on ​​the basis of some oral traditions, Byzantine chronicles and a few existing documents. Therefore, in historiography there have been different points of view on the chronicle version of the calling of the Varangians. In the 18th - first half of the 19th centuries, the prevailing theory was about the Scandinavian or Finnish origin of Prince Rurik, and later the hypothesis about his West Slavic (Pomeranian) origin developed.

However, a more reliable historical figure, and therefore the ancestor of the dynasty, is the Grand Duke of Kiev Igor, whom the chronicle considers to be the son of Rurik.

Igor I (Igor the Ancient) 877-945. Grand Duke of Kyiv in 912-945.

The Rurik dynasty ruled the Russian Empire for over 700 years. The Rurikovichs ruled Kievan Rus, and then, when it collapsed in the 12th century, large and small Russian principalities. And after the unification of all Russian lands around Moscow, the Grand Dukes of Moscow from the Rurik family stood at the head of the state. The descendants of the former appanage princes lost their possessions and formed the highest layer of the Russian aristocracy, but they retained the title “prince”.

Svyatoslav I Igorevich the Conqueror. 942-972 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 966-972.
Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vladimir I Svyatoslavich (Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko) 960-1015. Grand Duke of Kyiv in 980-1015. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Yaroslav I Vladimirovich (Yaroslav the Wise) 978-1054. Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1019-1054. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vsevolod I Yaroslavich. 1030-1093 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1078-1093.

Vladimir II Vsevolodovich (Vladimir Monomakh) 1053-1025. Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1113-1125. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Mstislav I Vladimirovich (Mstislav the Great) 1076-1132. Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1125-1132. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Yaropolk II Vladimirovich. 1082-1139 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1132-1139.
Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vsevolod II Olgovich. ?-1146 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1139-1146.
Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Igor II Olgovich. ?-1147 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1146.
Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Yuri I Vladimirovich (Yuri Dolgoruky). 1090-1157 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1149-1151 and 1155-1157. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vsevolod III Yurievich (Vsevolod the Big Nest). 1154-1212 Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1176-1212. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich. 1191-1246 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1236-1238. Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1238-1246. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Alexander I Yaroslavich (Alexander Nevsky). 1220-1263 Grand Duke of Kyiv in 1249-1252. Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1252-1263. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Daniil Alexandrovich. 1265-1303 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1276-1303.
Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Ivan I Danilovich (Ivan Kalita). ?-1340 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1325-1340. Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1338-1340. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Ivan II Ivanovich (Ivan the Red). 1326-1359 Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir in 1353-1359. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Dmitry III Ivanovich (Dmitry Donskoy). 1350-1389 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1359-1389. Grand Duke of Vladimir in 1362-1389. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vasily I Dmitrievich. 1371-1425 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1389-1425. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vasily II Vasilievich (Vasily the Dark). 1415-1462 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1425-1446 and 1447-1462. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Ivan III Vasilievich. 1440-1505 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1462-1505. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Vasily III Ivanovich. 1479-1533 Grand Duke of Moscow in 1505-1533. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

Ivan IV Vasilievich (Ivan the Terrible) 1530-1584. Grand Duke of Moscow in 1533-1584. Russian Tsar in 1547-1584. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

In 1547, the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan IV was crowned king in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and took the title “Tsar of All Rus'”. The last representative of the Rurik dynasty on the Russian throne was Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, who died childless in 1598.

Fedor I Ivanovich. 1557-1598 Russian Tsar in 1584-1598. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672

But this does not mean that this is the end of the Rurik family. Only its youngest branch, the Moscow branch, was suppressed. But the male offspring of other Rurikovichs (former appanage princes) by that time had already acquired surnames: Baryatinsky, Volkonsky, Gorchakov, Dolgorukov, Obolensky, Odoevsky, Repnin, Shuisky, Shcherbatov, etc.

From the book Medieval France author Polo de Beaulieu Marie-Anne

Family tree of the Capetian and Valois dynasties (987 – 1350) The genealogy of the Valois (1328–1589) is partially presented. The Valois branch ruled France from 1328 to 1589. The direct descendants of the Valois were in power from 1328 to 1498, from 1498 to 1515. the throne was occupied by the Orleans Valois, and from 1515 to 1589