The Rus Invasion of Scandinavia is a military operation led by Prince Oleg of Kiev along with his ally Ivar the Boneless to capture Scandinavia and most especially Norway. They traded these goods for silver, and from an Arabic coin minted in 786 (it says so on the coin) at Ladoga, we understand that trade between the Rus and the East was already well established by the end of the 8th century. Corrections? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This theory was advanced in the 19th century by the Danish philologist Vilhelm Thomsen (1842–1927) and the German-Russian historian-philologist Ernst Eduard Kunik (1814–99). The Rus were also called Varangians and Varyagi. Distinctly Scandinavian artifacts have also been found in Ladoga, which date back to the mid-8th century. He was Vladimir’s favorite and considered to be the most powerful and the highest god in the temple. But, even if there is a kernel of truth in the Arabic writings, it underscores an easy and prevalent awareness of the Rus in the east, as well as proof of enduring contact. The people they attacked—chiefly those in Finland, then Slavs further east—were not literate like those the Danes terrorized, which further explains why sources are so … There is no doubt that the achievements of the Rus in the east were among the most impressive of their day. His story, called the Risala, is useful insofar as it gives us some good information about the Rus. Among the artifacts were picture stones in the shape and style of the Gotland stones. There are certain aspects to Snorri’s accounts that have proven useful insofar as they have spurred archeologists to search for evidence to support broad story themes in his work. Rus is an Arabic word and the source of the word Russia. The modern nations of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraineall claim Kievan Rus' as their cultural ancestors, with Belarus and Russia deriving their names from it. They did not leave any writings behind for us to find other than disparate runes carved into wood planks or stones. The sheer volume attests to a long term relationship between Sweden and the Byzantines, and one which endured several centuries. The mission of Anskar to Birka is the closest thing to a contemporary source as we have on the Rus, and his story is related to us by his biographer Rimbert. The state of Kievan Rus was a loose confederation of principalities whose leaders were princes (Knyaz). Their origin and identity are much in dispute. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Many of the leaders of the Rus ' had Scandinavian names, later both Scandinavian and Slavic names. This dynasty controlled a huge trade network and would go on to last seven centuries. Who were the first settlers of Russia? A) Dense forests that cover modern day Russia B) Statues used to express a ruler’s greatness C) Northern Europeans who aided the Slavs in resolving inner conflict D) Three brothers from an area known as Ruslovsky The Rus established a strong trading relationship with Constantinople. Historians have long discounted the testimony of such practices as propaganda against the pagans. Your email address will not be published. The Vikings who settled in Kiev formed the first Russian state. The Rus, as they called themselves now—the "homeless Rus" revolted, naturally. Most historians believe it to be the source of what we now say Russia, or even Belarus, which means white Rus. Scandinavia at the beginning of the Viking Age appears to have shared a common culture, as shown by the archeological record, but it later diverged into several distinct groups. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, Follow archaeologists as they look for evidence to support the Normanist Theory of Viking origin. And so as far as the “Viking” history of the Swedes and their eastern exploits are concerned, the story more or less ends there. For a while now, I've been researching the Norse and how they conducted warfare, colonization, and general influence around the world. According to History.com, Rus, which is the root of the modern-day Russia, may come from an old Nordic word meaning "men who row." Who were the Rus'? The discovery was the Viking equivalent of the discovery of the city of Troy, whose existence belonged to mythology until its discovery by Heinrich Schliemann in 1870. Traditional Western scholars believe them to be Scandinavian Vikings , an offshoot of the Varangians, who moved southward from the Baltic coast and founded the first consolidated state among the eastern Slavs , centring on … Bestselling​ and award-winning author of Viking historical fiction novels. It was after 840 that Scandanavian Vikings—who were known in Eastern Europe as “Varangians” or “Rus”—established Viking rule over Slavic tribes in what came to be called Kievan Rus. Rus and its rulers were not merely explained historically, geographically, and politically. The oldest burials contained women, indicating that the settlement had begun as a colony. Kievan or Kyivan Rus' (Old East Slavic: Роусь, romanized: Rusĭ, or роусьскаѧ землѧ, romanized: rusĭskaę zemlę) was a loose federation of East Slavic and Finno-Ugric peoples in Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century, under the reign of the Varangian Rurik dynasty. The Rus became both very powerful and very rich. The Rus ' (Greek: Ῥῶς) were an early medieval group or people who gave their name to the lands of Russia, Ruthenia, and Belarus. The earliest sources mentioning the Rus’ come from the beginning and middle of the ninth century from Byzantium, Persia, and France. Therefore, the event commonly dubbed “The Invitation of the Rus” may not have ever actually happened. 1. Who were the Kiev Rus? 1040-1118 AD), the Rus were a group of \"Varangians,\" possibly of Swedish origin, who had a leader named Rurik. They were constantly in dispute over the supreme title, Grand Prince of Kiev (Veliky Knyaz). The Rus affected the early history of Kiev because when the Slavs occupied the area they constantly fought amongst themselves and sought help from the Rus. According to the account, the Slavs admitted to being unable to rule themselves, and so resorted to asking the Rus–considered strong leaders–to establish law and order. The goal of the Rus … How the Rus got their name is also somewhat of an enigma. Whatever the true story, the Rus went on from this event to establish the principalities of Kyiv and Novgorod, at which point they ceased to act in a manner we would today associate with Vikings. Evidence of their presence in Constantinople abounds, including a few recent finds, such as a Viking sword found in Patarka, Turkey, and runes carved into the walls of an old prison under Istanbul that read, “Sven was here.”. His mission in Birka lasted six months, with the permission of a Swedish king, and when he returned he devoted the rest of his life to turning the archbishopric of Hamburg into the center for the conversion of Scandinavia to Christianity. After an attempted raid on Constantinople, some enlisted in an elite cohort of warriors called the Varangian Guard, who served the Byzantine emperor (at his invitation). Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Viking Armor: What did the Vikings Wear Into Battle? As a standard practice in the Muslim world, the date the coins were minted was imprinted on them, and the coins at Ladoga appear to date back to the 780s. Russian scholars have rejected The Russian Primary Chronicle as unreliable and have insisted that the eastern Slavs, before the entry of the Varangians, had evolved a sophisticated feudal state comparable to the Carolingian empire in the West. Some believe that the word is derived from those who row. New Research Seeks to ‘Get Into Their Heads’. Similar to Snorri’s account, the Russian Primary Chronicle is considered semi-legendary. What was the Kievan Rus economy based on? There are also Arabic sources which chronicled embassies by eastern scholars to visit the Rus, and who refer to them as such. the “historical” record from the olden days is pretty minimal. Their rule ultimately came to an end through family infighting and greed but contributed greatly to the rise of the Russian Empire. Among the goods they brought were honey, wax, amber, blubber, furs, walrus tusks, and most importantly, slaves. Rus, also spelled Ros, ancient people who gave their name to the lands of Russia and Belarus. According to the traditional account presented in The Russian Primary Chronicle, it was founded by the Viking Oleg, ruler of Novgorod from about 879. According to the Russian Primary Chronicle (ca. All of them describe the Slavs and the Rus’ as two distinct groups, with the Rus’ dominating the Slavs. The challenge is splitting apart fact from fiction, and thus we cannot rely on their writings to inform much us on the Rus. In a purge worthy of Stalin, the Oligarchs wiped out what was left of Great Russia. It describeshow in 838, a group of warriors escorted by Byzantium emissaries, travelled toFrankia, where they met the king Louis the Pious. Birger’s discovery has indeed proved paramount in helping to piece together the narrative of the early activities of the Rus in the east. “On account of these Varangians, the distr… In 1929, for example, the archeologist Birger Nerman discovered the remnants of a colony in Latvia of Swedish origin. Earliest Mentions of the Rus Many were killed—naturally. At its greatest extent, in the mid-1… Their origin and identity are much in dispute. The Rus were, as far as we can tell, as active in raiding and foreign trading as the Danes, if not more. It was noted that early Arabian writers had represented the seat of Rus as an island covered with woods and marshes; excavations of 9th- and 10th-century tumuli confirmed the presence of Norse warriors in such a region around Lake Ilmen, near the ancient town of Novgorod, and Lake Ladoga, where the Neva River has its origin. It is widely accepted that Snorri’s works are semi-legendary because he wrote them several centuries after the fact and drawing mostly from oral tradition. Already in the early ninth century, Viking Rus' had apparently pillaged the Byzantine city of Amastris on the Black Sea coast of Asia Minor, and by the 830s the Byzantine government had converted the province… They took on the role of autocrats rather than raiders, and established dominion over the Slavs, and assimilated into Slavic culture. supposedly the “Rus” were the Vikings who the Slavic folks looked to for guidance and leadership since they were incapable of those feats on their own. It may have been used to describe the dominant Kievan Viking clan and later became affixed to the Eastern Slavs in the north, while those in the south became known as Ukrainians and Belarussians. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Discussion/Question. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. What makes their writings somewhat unreliable are observations that were made that are not consistent with what we know about Viking Age Scandinavians from both written and archeological sources. After 942 when Igor's son was named Svyatoslav 5 the cultural solidarity with the Slavic majority of the inhabitants of the Ryurikid state became decisive, even despite the fact that in the 944 treaty the vast majority of Rus' names were still of Scandinavian origin (cf. Similarly, the Swedes, then known as Varangians, or Rus, were poised to discover and pillage new lands in the East along the Volga and Dnieper rivers. Primary sources for the early societal structure, culture, and activities of the Rus are practically non-existent. Further artifacts found within the burials were also of the style and construction known to have been common in Gotland. Omissions? At first, the region was divided between three noble brothers. Today Kiev is the capital city of the Ukraine. We do not know if the Rus were allowed to return home, or worse, executed. Learn how your comment data is processed. The Rus were, as far as we can tell, as active in raiding and foreign trading as the Danes, if not more, and earlier. These two relied on The Russian Primary Chronicle, an account written in the 12th century and covering the period 852 to 1110; it says that the Rus, a Norman people, were first asked to come to Novgorod by the local population to put an end to their feuds; the Rus later extended their rule to Kiev, making it their keystone of defense. analysis by Melnikova, 2004). The Vikings were called Rus' by the peoples east of the Baltic Sea. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. They were sacralized. Editor's note: Just as Vikings once ruled Dublin of Ireland, Kiev and other Slavic areas were once ruled by Vikings. Grobin is not an isolated archeological find. The biggest Arks were built to hold up to a million. The Viking, or “Normanist,” theory was initiated in the 18th century by such German historian-philologists as Gottlieb Siegfried Bayer (1694–1738) and August Ludwig von Schlözer (1735–1809); Bayer was an early member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Some believe that the Rus were a subgroup of Varangians, of Vikings. A powerful city-state, who actually founded it is a subject of debate. The Annals of St. Bertin tell us of a diplomatic delegation from Constantinople that visited Louis I in Aachen in 834, and among the delegation were several Rus. Still, evidence of human sacrifice permeates the archeological record, and additional testimony from the Arab chronicler Ibn-Fadlan almost a century later on the shores of the Volga river lends further credence to the practice. We encounter similar problems with the testimony of an Arab chronicler named Ibn-Fadlan who spent time with the Rus on the shores of the Volga river. Here I will briefly overview what we know about the Swedish Vikings who were called the Rus (and Varangians), and their early activities across the river systems of what are today Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and even Turkey. Both the origin of the Kievan state and that of the name Rus, which came to be applied to it, remain matters of debate among historians. Their origin and identity are much in dispute. Again, we are faced with the difficult task of separating fact from fiction, and we must proceed with caution. Some historians think it comes from the name of Sweden at the time. The above photograph is of the author of this article and his fellow Slavic reenactors taking pride in their Viking heritage. Here I will briefly overview what we know about the Swedish Vikings who were called the Rus (and Varangians), and their early activities across the river systems of what are today Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and even Turkey. They dominated the area for over a hundred years. It is believed that these people originated from an area of Sweden known as Roslagen (at one time referred to as Roden), from which the name Rus was derived. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Russia was ruled by the Rurikid dynasty until the 16th century. Adam of Bremen, a later bishop of Hamburg, carried out a second mission to Birka and reported similar extraordinary elements as Anskar. Traditional Western scholars believe them to be Scandinavian Vikings, an offshoot of the Varangians, who moved southward from the Baltic coast and founded the first consolidated state among the eastern Slavs, centring on Kiev. Throughout the Viking Age, the Rus imposed themselves over the people they encountered, chiefly the Slavs. They'd be lucky if they had that many left by century's end. The Rus first invaded and then ruled over Constantinople as well as the Slavs. The Rus’ conflicts with the Byzantines, as related through the Russian Primary Chronicle, and their conversion to the Christian Orthodox Church, all became part of the narrative of the founding of the Muscovy state, which would become Russia. Combined with further archeological evidence of early colonies on the eastern shores of the Baltic, it is likely trade contacts between Sweden and the Middle East began several decades before the Danes and Norwegians launched their first raids against Europe. While we are left in permanent suspense about the fate of these Rus, what this account tells us is that the Swedish Vikings had, by the mid-9th century, traveled far enough to the east to have established relations with the Byzantines. From the establishment of their first colonies on the shores of the Baltic and Lake Ladoga, they established trade routes that made use of the complex interweave of river networks to dominate the eastern steppes and established trade with the Byzantines. The Rus were simply a southern Slavic tribe living on the Ros River. From here, the story of the Rus shifts focus. Relatively … Massive hordes of Arabic silver coins found in Sweden and Gotland over the years are evidence of how extensive their trade was. Many villages would carve his statue on the most note-worthy oak tree in the area. History The people of Rus were originally Vikings from the land of Sweden who migrated to Eastern Europe in the 800s. He may also be carrying a sledgehammer or a bow and arrow. The people they attacked—chiefly those in Finland, then Slavs further east—were not literate like those the Danes terrorized, which might further explain why sources are so sparse about their early activities. The Rus’ arrival in Louis’ court was marred by the fact that the missionary Anskar, the future bishop of the archbishopric of Hamburg, had already visited and returned from Birka, in Sweden, and his testimony about the Swedes led the emperor to distrust his unexpected guests. What is most interesting about the site is the progression of types of burials the colonists left behind. If the second origin theory of the name Rus is correct—the theory tying it to the Finnish word Ruotsi—the name Russia may actually mean “the land of those who row.”. They established a ruling dynasty under their ruler Rurik and, from AD 879, formed the Kievan Rus state, based in Kiev. His account of the Swedes must be treated with caution for two reasons: first, he and his fellows had a clear bias against the pagan religions of Scandinavia; second, the testimony given about his mission contains extraordinary elements that undermine the credibility of the author. One thing that I can't find a solid answer to, is whether the Rus' are a Slavic or Norse people? They also referred to them as Majus, but this was a name they tended to use in the West, in Al-Andalus (Spain). Others think the name was given to them by the Finns, who today still call the Swedes Ruotsi, a word borrowed from Old Norse meaning, “those who row.” While the origins of the name remain opaque, it is the name they would give to one of the most powerful nations in modern history, Russia. These Baltic regions seemed to indicate the origin of the Rus. Snorri Sturluson in his work titled Ynglingasaga, which recounts at a broad level the history of the kings of Sweden (it also recounts the history of the kings of Norway), gives us some insight into the early activities of the Rus on the Baltic. Rus appears to be derived from the Finnish word for Sweden, *Rotsi, later Ruotsi, which in turn comes from Old Swedish rother, a word associated with rowing or ships, so that rothskarlar meant \"rowers\" or \"seamen.\" Most of the statues were made of oak or stone and, in Perun’s case, oak was the most common material used to create his statues. In fact, the word Russia is based on the word Rus (Swedish Vikings). Anything that came after is the subject of the early history of Russia. His conclusions were that the colony had existed since the mid 7th century and likely had formed as a result of the expulsion of one-third of the inhabitants of Gotland due to famine, a story related to us in Snorri’s Gutasaga. The Vikings (Rus') who served the Byzantine Emperors were called Varangians.They became the personal bodyguards to the Emperor and were called the Varangian Guard.. Exploration. This stands in contrast to the Danes and Norwegians whose exploits had barely begun by this period. Each prince was supported by a retinue (druzhina) of loyal soldiers (druzhinniks). The Kievan Rus’ were a powerful people created by Viking invaders who ruled the Slavic tribes around the Baltic Sea and, in a way, became Slavs themselves. Who were the Rus Vikings? This dynasty went on to to establish Kievan Rus’. The Rus were a northern European group who came down into the area and began ruling it to keep peace amongst the Slavs. The god of the sky, thunder and war. Perun looks like a warrior with muscles and an impressive, copper beard. Updates? “The oldest, Rurik, located himself at Novgorod; the second, Sineus, at Beloozero; and the third, Truvor, in Izborsk,” recounts the Russian Primary Chronicle, a history of the region completed in the 12th century by Kievan monks. The Rus forced the entire population to convert to the church of the Byzantines. What Were the Vikings Thinking? These hordes contained silver coins numbering in the tens of thousands in some cases, a massive fortune even by today’s standards. Watch “Crash Course in World History: Russia, the Kievan Rus, and the Mongols” a second time. The Rus were originally from the area ruled by the Byzantine Empire. the difference between the Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish Vikings. Their expeditions, however, were of a different sort than the Danes and Norwegians in the west. Most controversially, both men claim to have witnessed human sacrifices. Like the word Viking, the name Rus has several possible sources. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Russia: Prehistory and the rise of the Rus, Indo-European, Ural-Altaic, and diverse other peoples have occupied what is now the territory of, Archaeologists searching for evidence to support the Viking (or “Normanist”) theory, which states that the Rus people were originally Vikings; the theory is partly based on. In the annals, it is said that Louis learned the Rus were, in fact, “people of the Swedes.” He detained the group to verify their claim that they only wished to travel peacefully, and from there the annals cease to mention what happened next. Some elements of Anskar and Adam of Bremen’s testimonies, therefore, may be true. 2. As I discussed in my previous blog about the difference between the Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish Vikings, we know the most about the Danes and Norwegians because of the breadth of primary sources written about them by contemporary Christian Chroniclers. View more posts, Your email address will not be published. The colony he discovered, known as the Grobin Colony, uncovered significant evidence in the form of burial mounds directly linking the inhabitants there to the Swedes of Gotland. The Russian Primary Chronicle, which tells of the early foundations of the modern country of Russia, tells of an event whereby the Slavs invited the Rus to rule over them. It served as the foundation and beginning of both Russia and the Ukraine. Pause the video after each section so that you can take notes. Rurik was a Varangian chieftain who established the first ruling dynasty in Russian history called the Rurik Dynasty in 862 near Novgorod. The Kievan Rus was a powerful empire during the Middle Ages centered around the city of Kiev.  We have far less information on their Swedish cousins called the Rus who, despite how little we know about them at the outset of the Viking Age, left an incredible legacy behind in Eastern Europe. The younger burials, dating to the late 8th century, contained men with the typical weaponry of the day, indicating a change in the settlement’s demographics where the ambitions of the Rus shifted toward traveling east for raids and trade rather than to settle the Eastern Baltic to escape political turmoil in Sweden. Unfortunately, numerous inaccuracies and Ibn Fadlan’s prejudices have slanted the account, making the work of historians all the harder. Now the word Rus is really interesting. Russian scholars, along with some Westerners, consider the Rus to be a southeastern Slavic tribe that founded a tribal league; the Kievan state, they affirm, was the creation of Slavs and was attacked and held only briefly by Varangians. Required fields are marked *. Still, the Risala is a fascinating document that, when combined with other sources, gives us some idea of who the Rus were. The Rus were ancestrally and ethnically Scandinavian people, who traded and raided along the river routes between the Baltic and Black Seas from around the 8th to 11th centuries. In the mid-800s they were centered around Novgorod. The sources are used sparingly and carefully where the Rus are concerned because academics are not entirely certain that they were referring to the Rus. How, or why, or how long it took to arrive at this point is still not well understood, but a treasure trove of silver coins from the Muslim world found at Lake Ladoga gives us some idea of when contacts began. Rus, also spelled Ros, ancient people who gave their name to the lands of Russia and Belarus. George Majeska The Beginnings Relations between Rus' and the Byzantine Empire centered at Constantinople (modern Istanbul) were not always friendly. In the Annals of Saint Bertin, and indeed in several other sources, they are referred to as the “Rhos” which has led historians to hypothesize a connection with their tribal home of Roslagen. Instead, it may be an allegorical account to describe a process of usurpation that took much longer. More contemporaryof the Rus’, were the Frankish Chronicles, AnnalesBertiniani, allegedly written by Louis the Pious (778-840). The Byzantine emissaries,carried a letter of Emperor Theophilus, who introduced the mysterious touristsas the Rus’, seeking safe passage through Frankia. History called the Risala, is useful insofar as it gives us good. Culture, and the highest god in the west long discounted the testimony of practices! 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