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 (XII century) and most detailed Old Russian chronicle, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” talks 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, by 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 Kiev in 1113-1125. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672
Mstislav I Vladimirovich (Mstislav the Great) 1076-1132. Grand Duke of Kiev in 1125-1132. Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672
Yaropolk II Vladimirovich. 1082-1139 Grand Duke of Kiev in 1132-1139.
Portrait from the Tsar's title book. 1672
Vsevolod II Olgovich. ?-1146 Grand Duke of Kiev 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 Kiev 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 Kiev 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 Kiev 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.
Rurik - according to the chronicle legend, the head of the Varangian military detachment, called by the Ilmen Slavs to reign together with the brothers Sineus and Truvor in Novgorod. Founder of the Rurik dynasty.
Oleg (?-912) - relative of Rurik, prince of Novgorod (from 879) and Kiev (from 882). In 907 he made a trip to Byzantium, in 907 and 911 he concluded treaties with it.
Igor (?-945) - son of Rurik, Grand Duke Kyiv from 912. In 941 and 944 he made campaigns to Byzantium, with which he concluded an agreement. Killed by the Drevlyans, who rebelled during the collection of tribute.
Children: Svyatoslav - see below
Olga (?-969) - wife of Prince Igor, Grand Duchess of Kiev. Ruled during the childhood of his son Svyatoslav and during his campaigns. Suppressed the uprising of the Drevlyans. Around 957 she converted to Christianity.
Svyatoslav (?-972) - son of Prince Igor, Grand Duke of Kiev. Made trips with 964 from Kyiv to the Oka, to the Volga region, to North Caucasus and the Balkans; liberated the Vyatichi from the power of the Khazars, fought with Volga Bulgaria, defeated (965) the Khazar Khaganate, and in 967 fought with Bulgaria in the Danube region. In alliance with the Hungarians, Bulgarians and others, he fought the Russian-Byzantine War of 970-971. Strengthened the foreign policy position Kyiv State. Killed by the Pechenegs at the Dnieper rapids.
Children: Vladimir (see below)
Oleg (?-977), Prince Drevlyansky
Yaropolk (?-980), Prince of Kiev (from 972). Tried to subjugate territories in the north and northeast of Rus', but was defeated younger brother Vladimir.
Vladimir (?-1015) - son of Prince Svyatoslav, Prince of Novgorod (from 969), Grand Duke of Kiev (from 980). Conquered the Vyatichi, Radimichi and Yatvingians; fought with the Pechenegs, Volga Bulgaria, Byzantium and Poland. Under him, defensive lines were built along the Desna, Osetra, Trubezh, Sula and other rivers, re-fortified and built up stone buildings Kyiv. In 988-989 he introduced Christianity as the state religion. Under Vladimir ancient Russian state entered its heyday, the international authority of Rus' increased. In Russian epics it is called the Red Sun. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Children: Boris (?-1015), Prince of Rostov. Killed by supporters of Svyatopolk. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Vsevolod, Prince of Vladimir-Volynsky
Vysheslav, Prince of Novgorod
Gleb (7- I 0 I 5), Prince of Murom. Killed by order of Svyatopolk. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church
Izyaslav (see below)
Mstislav (?-1O36), prince of Tmutarakan (from 988) and Chernigov (from 1026). He conquered a number of Caucasian tribes. The struggle with Prince Yaroslav the Wise ended with the division of the state along the Dnieper River, which remained until the death of Mstislav.
Pozvizd
Svyatoslav (?-1015), Prince of Drevlyansky. Killed by order of Svyatopolk
Svyatopolk the Accursed (c. 980-1019), Prince of Turov (from 988) and Kiev (1015-1019). He killed three of his brothers and took possession of their inheritance. Expelled by Yaroslav the Wise. In 1018, with the help of Polish and Pecheneg troops, he captured Kyiv, but was defeated.
Stanislav
Sudislav (?-1063)
Yaroslav the Wise (see below)
Izyaslav (?-1001) -son of Prince Vladimir, Prince of Polotsk
Children: Bryachislav (?-1044), Prince of Polotsk
Grandchildren: Vseslav (?-1101), Prince of Polotsk
Great-grandchildren: Gleb (?-1119), Prince of Minsk
Great-great-grandchildren: Vladimir, Prince Minsky
Great-great-great-grandchildren: Vasily, Prince Logovsky
Great-great-grandchildren: Vsevolod, Prince of Izyaslavl
Rostislav, Prince of Polotsk
Great-grandchildren: David, Prince of Polotsk
Rogvolod (Boris), Prince of Polotsk
Great-great-grandchildren: Vasily (Rogvolod), Prince of Polotsk
Great-great-great-grandchildren: Gleb, Prince Drutsky
Great-grandchildren: Roman (?-1116), Prince of Polotsk
Rostislav (George)
Svyatoslav, Prince of Polotsk
Great-great-grandchildren: Vasilko, Prince of Polotsk
Great-great-great-grandchildren: Bryachislav, Prince of Vitebsk
Vseslav, Prince of Polotsk
Yaroslav the Wise (c. 978-1054) - son of Prince Vladimir, Grand Duke of Kiev (1019). He expelled Svyatopolk the Accursed, fought with his brother Mstislav, divided the state with him (1026), and united it again in 1036. With a series of victories he secured the southern and western borders of Rus'. Established dynastic ties with many European countries. “Russkaya Pravda” was compiled under him.
Children: Anastasia, Queen of Hungary
Anna (c. 1024 - no earlier than 1075), wife (1049-1060) of the French king Henry I. Ruler of France during the early childhood of her son Philip I
Vladimir (?-1052), Prince of Novgorod
Grandchildren: Rostislav, Prince of Tmutarakan
Great-grandchildren: Vasilko (?-1124), Prince Terebovlsky
Volodar (?-1124), Prince of Przemysl. He sought independence of the Galician land from Kyiv. Using an alliance with the Cumans and Byzantium, together with his brother Vasilko, he successfully fought the Hungarian and Polish feudal lords. He fought with the princes Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and David Igorevich. Established himself together with Vasilko in Terebovlya.
Great-great-grandchildren: Vladimir (?-1152)
Great-great-great-grandchildren: Yaroslav Osmomysl (?-I87), Prince of Galicia. Participant in numerous feudal wars, campaigns against the Polovtsians and Hungarians. He strengthened the Principality of Galicia with many international connections. Fought against the separatism of the boyars.
Great-great-grandchildren: Rostislav
Great-great-great-grandchildren: Ivan Berladnik (?-1162)
Great-grandchildren: Rurik (?-1092), Prince of Przemysl
Children: Vsevolod (1030-1093), Prince of Pereyaslavl (from 1054), Chernigov (from 1077), Grand Duke of Kiev (from 1078). Together with his brothers Izyaslav and Svyatoslav, he fought against the Polovtsians.
Grandchildren: Vladimir Monomakh (see below)
Eupraxia (?-1109)
Rostislav (?-1093), Prince of Pereyaslavl
Children: Vyacheslav (?-1057), Prince of Smolensk
Grandchildren: Boris (?-1078), Prince of Tmutarakan
Children: Elizabeth, Queen of Norway
Igor (?-1060), Prince of Vladimir
Grandchildren: David (?-1112), Prince of Vladimir-Volynsky
Children: Izyaslav (1024-1078), Grand Duke of Kiev (1054-1068,1069-1073,1077-1078). Expelled from Kyiv (by a popular uprising in 1068 and by his brothers in 1073), he regained power with the help of foreign troops.
Grandchildren: Eupraxia, Queen of Poland
Mstislav (?-1068)
Svyatopolk (1050-1113), Prince of Polotsk in 1069-1071, Novgorod in 1078-1088, Turov in 1088-1093, Grand Duke of Kiev from 1093. Hypocritical and cruel, incited princely civil strife; The oppression of the people prepared the uprising that broke out in Kyiv after his death.
Great-grandchildren: Bryachislav (?-1127)
Izyaslav (?-1127)
Mstislav (?-1099)
Yaroslav (? - 1123), Prince of Vladimir
Great-great-grandchildren: Yuri (?-1162)
Grandchildren: Yaropolk (?-1086), Prince of Turov
Great-grandchildren: Vyacheslav (?-1105)
Yaroslav (?-1102), Prince of Brest
Children: Ilya (?-1020)
Svyatoslav (1027-1076), Prince of Chernigov from 1054, Grand Duke of Kiev from 1073. Together with his brother Vsevolod, he defended the southern borders of Rus' from the Polovtsians and Turks
Grandchildren: Gleb (?-1078), Prince of Novgorod and Tmutarakan
David (see below)
Oleg Gorislavich (see below)
Roman (?-1079), Prince of Tmutarakan
Yaroslav (?-1129), Prince of Murom and Chernigov
Davil Svyatoslavich (?-1123), grandson of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Prince of Chernigov
Children: Vladimir (?-1151), Prince of Chernigov
Grandchildren: Svyatoslav (?-1166), Prince Vshchizhsky
Children: Vsevolod (?-1124), Prince of Murom
Izyaslav (?-1161), Grand Duke of Kiev
Rostislav (?-1120)
Svyatoslav (Svyatosha) (?-1142), Prince of Chernigov
Oleg Svyatoslavich (Gorislavich) (?-1115) - grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. He reigned in the Rostov-Suzdal land, in Volyn; Having lost his possessions, he fled to Tmutarakan, twice, with the support of the Polovtsians, captured Chernigov, was captured by the Khazars, then in Byzantium in exile to Fr. Rhodes. In “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” he is nicknamed Gorislavich.
Children: Vsevolod (?-1146), Prince of Chernigov (1127-1139), Grand Duke of Kiev (from 1139). Participant in civil strife; brutally oppressed the people, which caused an uprising in Kyiv after his death.
Grandchildren: Svyatoslav (?-1194), Grand Duke of Kiev
Great-grandchildren: Vladimir (?-1201), Prince of Novgorod
Vsevolod Chermny (?-1212)
Great-great-grandchildren: Mikhail (1179-1246), Prince of Chernigov. In the 20s several times he was a prince in Novgorod. From 1238 Grand Duke of Kyiv. When the Mongol-Tatar troops advanced, he fled to Hungary. Returned to Rus'; killed in the Golden Horde.
Great-great-great-grandchildren: Rostislav (?-1249)
Great-grandchildren: Gleb(?-1214)
Great-great-grandchildren: Mstislav, Prince of Turov
Great-grandchildren: Mstislav (?-1223), Prince of Chernigov
Oleg (?-1204), Prince of Chernigov
Great-great-grandchildren: David
Grandchildren: Yaroslav (?-1198), Prince of Chernigov
Great-grandchildren: Rostislav (?-1214), Prince Snovsky
Yaropolk
Children: Vsevolod the Big Nest (1154-1212), Grand Duke of Vladimir. Successfully fought against the feudal nobility; subjugated Kyiv, Chernigov, Ryazan, Novgorod. During his reign, Vladimir-Suzdal Rus' reached its greatest prosperity. He had 12 children (hence the nickname).
Grandchildren: Ivan (?-1239), Prince Starodubsky
Constantine (1186-1219), Grand Duke of Vladimir (from 1216). In 1206-1207 he reigned in Novgorod. With the support of Prince Mstislav Mstislavich Udaly and Novgorod-Pskov-Smolensk-Rostov general army defeated his brothers Yaroslav and Yuri in the Battle of Lipitsa (1216). He took the Grand Duke's table from Yuri.
Great-grandchildren: Vasily (?-1238), Prince of Rostov
Vladimir (? - 1249), Prince of Uglitsky
Vsevolod (7-1238), Prince of Yaroslavl
Grandchildren: Svyatoslav (?-1252)
Yuri (George) (1188-1238), Grand Duke of Vladimir (1212-1216 and from 1218). He was defeated in the Battle of Lipitsa (1216) and lost the great reign to his brother Constantine. In 1221 Nizhny Novgorod was founded; defeated and killed in battle with the Mongol-Tatars on the Sit River.
Great-grandchildren: Vladimir (?-1238)
Vsevolod (?-1238), Prince of Novgorod
Mstislav (?-1238)
Grandchildren: Yaroslav (1191-1246). He reigned in Pereyaslavl, Galich, Ryazan, was invited and expelled by the Novgorodians several times; participant in feudal wars, was defeated in the Battle of Lipitsa (1216). In 1236-1238 he reigned in Kyiv, from 1238 Grand Duke of Vladimir. Went to twice Golden Horde, as well as to Mongolia.
Great-grandchildren: Alexander Nevsky (see below)
Andrey (?-1264)
Children: Gleb (?-1171), Prince of Pereyaslavsky
Ivan (?-1147), Prince of Kursk
Mikhail (?-1176), Prince of Vladimir
Mstislav, Prince of Novgorod
Grandchildren: Yaroslav (7-1199), Prince of Volokolamsk
Children: Rostislav (7-1151), Prince of Pereyaslavsky
Grandchildren: Mstislav (? - 1178), Prince of Novgorod
Great-grandchildren: Svyatoslav, Prince of Novgorod
Grandchildren: Yaropolk (?-1196)
Children: Svyatoslav (?-1174) Yaroslav (?-1166)
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 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”, “ The State Duma», « Supreme Court", "Central Bank", "Ambassadors Plenipotentiary", "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 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, Ivan III received the nickname “great”, and his grandson became “formidable”.
40. “Father of NASA” Wernher von Braun was also Rurikovich. His mother was Baroness Emmy, née von Quisthorn.
Story Ancient Rus' very interesting for posterity. It has reached the modern generation in the form of myths, legends and chronicles. The genealogy of the Rurikovichs with the dates of their reign, its diagram exists in many historical books. The earlier the description, the more reliable the story. The dynasties that ruled, starting with Prince Rurik, contributed to the formation of statehood, the unification of all principalities into a single strong state.
The genealogy of the Rurikovichs presented to readers is a clear confirmation of this. How many legendary personalities who created future Russia, are represented in this tree! How did the dynasty begin? Who was Rurik by origin?
Inviting grandchildren
There are many legends about the appearance of the Varangian Rurik in Rus'. Some historians consider him a Scandinavian, others - a Slav. But the best story about this event is the Tale of Bygone Years, left by the chronicler Nestor. From his narration it follows that Rurik, Sineus and Truvor are the grandchildren of the Novgorod prince Gostomysl.
The prince lost all his four sons in battle, leaving only three daughters. One of them was married to a Varangian-Russian and gave birth to three sons. It was them, his grandchildren, that Gostomysl invited to reign in Novgorod. Rurik became the Prince of Novgorod, Sineus went to Beloozero, and Truvor went to Izborsk. Three brothers became the first tribe and the Rurik family tree began with them. It was 862 AD. The dynasty was in power until 1598 and ruled the country for 736 years.
Second knee
Novgorod prince Rurik ruled until 879. He died, leaving in the arms of Oleg, a relative on his wife’s side, his son Igor, a representative of the second generation. While Igor was growing up, Oleg reigned in Novgorod, who during his reign conquered and called Kyiv “the mother of Russian cities” and established diplomatic relations with Byzantium.
After Oleg's death, in 912, Igor, the legal heir of the Rurik family, began to reign. He died in 945, leaving sons: Svyatoslav and Gleb. There are many historical documents and books that describe the genealogy of the Rurikovichs with the dates of their reign. The diagram of their family tree looks like the one shown in the photo on the left.
From this diagram it is clear that the genus is gradually branching out and growing. Especially from his son, Yaroslav the Wise, offspring appeared that had great importance in the formation of Rus'.
and heirs
In the year of his death, Svyatoslav was only three years old. Therefore, his mother, Princess Olga, began to rule the principality. When he grew up, he was more attracted to military campaigns rather than reigning. During a campaign in the Balkans in 972, he was killed. His heirs were three sons: Yaropolk, Oleg and Vladimir. Immediately after the death of his father, Yaropolk became the prince of Kyiv. His desire was autocracy, and he began to openly fight against his brother Oleg. The genealogy of the Rurikovichs with the dates of their reign suggests that Vladimir Svyatoslavovich nevertheless became the head of the Kyiv principality.
When Oleg died, Vladimir first fled to Europe, but after 2 years he returned with his squad and killed Yaropolk, thus becoming the Grand Duke of Kyiv. During his campaigns in Byzantium, Prince Vladimir became a Christian. In 988, he baptized the inhabitants of Kyiv in the Dnieper, built churches and cathedrals, and contributed to the spread of Christianity in Rus'.
The people gave him a name and his reign lasted until 1015. The Church considers him a saint for the baptism of Rus'. Great Kyiv prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich had sons: Svyatopolk, Izyaslav, Sudislav, Vysheslav, Pozvizd, Vsevolod, Stanislav, Yaroslav, Mstislav, Svyatoslav and Gleb.
Descendants of Rurik
There is a detailed genealogy of the Rurikovichs with the dates of their lives and periods of reign. Following Vladimir, Svyatopolk, who would be popularly called the Damned, took over the principality for the murder of his brothers. His reign did not last long - in 1015, with a break, and from 1017 to 1019.
The Wise One ruled from 1015 to 1017 and from 1019 to 1024. Then there were 12 years of rule together with Mstislav Vladimirovich: from 1024 to 1036, and then from 1036 to 1054.
From 1054 to 1068 - this is the period of the principality of Izyaslav Yaroslavovich. Further, the genealogy of the Rurikovichs, the scheme of rule of their descendants, expands. Some of the representatives of the dynasty were in power for very short periods and did not manage to accomplish outstanding deeds. But many (such as Yaroslav the Wise or Vladimir Monomakh) left their mark on the life of Rus'.
Genealogy of the Rurikovichs: continuation
The Grand Duke of Kiev Vsevolod Yaroslavovich took over the principality in 1078 and continued it until 1093. In the pedigree of the dynasty there are many princes who are remembered for their exploits in battle: such was Alexander Nevsky. But his reign was later, during the period of the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Rus'. And before him, the Principality of Kyiv was ruled by: Vladimir Monomakh - from 1113 to 1125, Mstislav - from 1125 to 1132, Yaropolk - from 1132 to 1139. Yuri Dolgoruky, who became the founder of Moscow, reigned from 1125 to 1157.
The genealogy of the Rurikovichs is voluminous and deserves very careful study. It is impossible to ignore such famous names as John “Kalita”, Dmitry “Donskoy”, who reigned from 1362 to 1389. Contemporaries always associate the name of this prince with his victory on the Kulikovo Field. After all, this was the turning point that marked the beginning of the “end” Tatar-Mongol yoke. But Dmitry Donskoy was remembered not only for this: his domestic politics was aimed at unifying the principalities. It was during his reign that Moscow became the central place of Rus'.
Fyodor Ioannovich - the last of the dynasty
The genealogy of the Rurikovichs, a diagram with dates, suggests that the dynasty ended with the reign of the Tsar of Moscow and All Rus' - Feodor Ioannovich. He reigned from 1584 to 1589. But his power was nominal: by nature he was not a sovereign, and the country was ruled by the State Duma. But still, during this period, the peasants were attached to the land, which is considered a merit of the reign of Fyodor Ioannovich.
The Rurikovich family tree was cut short, the diagram of which is shown above in the article. The formation of Rus' took more than 700 years, the terrible yoke was overcome, the unification of the principalities and the entire East Slavic people took place. Further on the threshold of history stands a new royal dynasty - the Romanovs.
Of which there are almost twenty tribes of rulers of Rus', they descend from Rurik. This historical character was presumably born between 806 and 808 in the city of Rerik (Raroga). In 808, when Rurik was 1-2 years old, the domain of his father, Godolub, was seized by the Danish king Gottfried, and the future Russian prince became half an orphan. Together with his mother Umila, he found himself in a foreign land. And his childhood is not mentioned anywhere. It is assumed that he spent them in Slavic lands. There is information that in 826 he arrived at the court of the Frankish king, where he received an allotment of land “beyond the Elbe”, in fact the land of his murdered father, but as a vassal of the Frankish ruler. During the same period, Rurik is believed to have been baptized. Later, after being deprived of these plots, Rurik joined the Varangian squad and fought in Europe, not at all as an exemplary Christian.
Prince Gostomysl saw the future dynasty in a dream
Rurikovich, family tree whom Rurik’s grandfather (Umila’s father) saw, as the legend says, in a dream, brought decisive contribution in the development of Rus' and Russian state, since they ruled from 862 to 1598. The prophetic dream of old Gostomysl, the ruler of Novgorod, showed precisely that from “the womb of his daughter a wonderful tree would sprout that would feed the people in his lands.” This was another “plus” in favor of inviting Rurik with his strong squad at a time when civil strife was observed in the Novgorod lands, and the people suffered from attacks from outside tribes.
The foreign origin of Rurik may be disputed
Thus, it can be argued that the family tree of the Rurik dynasty began not with foreigners, but with a person who by blood belonged to the Novgorod nobility, who long years fought in other countries, had his own squad and the age allowed to lead the people. At the time of Rurik’s invitation to Novgorod in 862, he was about 50 years old - quite a respectable age at that time.
Was the tree based on Norway?
How did the Rurikovich family tree form further? The image shown in the review gives a complete picture of this. After the death of the first ruler of Rus' from this dynasty (the Book of Veles testifies that there were rulers in the Russian lands before him), power passed to his son Igor. However, due to the young age of the new ruler, his guardian, which is allowed, was Oleg (“Prophetic”), who was the brother of Rurik’s wife, Efanda. The latter was a relative of the kings of Norway.
Princess Olga was co-ruler of Rus' under her son Svyatoslav
Rurik's only son, Igor, born in 877 and killed by the Drevlyans in 945, is known for pacifying the tribes subordinate to him, going on a campaign against Italy (together with the Greek fleet), trying to take Constantinople with a flotilla of ten thousand ships, and was the first military commander Rus', which he encountered in battle and fled from in horror. His wife, Princess Olga, who married Igor from Pskov (or Pleskov, which may indicate the Bulgarian city of Pliskuvot), brutally took revenge on the Drevlyan tribes that killed her husband, and became the ruler of Rus' while Igor’s son Svyatoslav was growing up. However, after her son came of age, Olga also remained a ruler, since Svyatoslav was mainly engaged in military campaigns and remained in history as great commander and conqueror.
The family tree of the Rurik dynasty, in addition to the main ruling line, had many branches that became famous for unseemly deeds. For example, Svyatoslav's son, Yaropolk, fought against his brother Oleg, who was killed in battle. His own son from the Byzantine princess, Svyatopolk the Accursed, was something like the biblical Cain, since he killed the sons of Vladimir (another son of Svyatoslav) - Boris and Gleb, who were his brothers by his adoptive father. Another son of Vladimir, Yaroslav the Wise, dealt with Svyatopolk himself and became the prince of Kyiv.
Bloody feuds and marriages with all of Europe
We can safely say that the family tree of the Rurikovichs is partially “saturated” with bloody events. The diagram shows that the reigning ruler from his presumably second marriage with Ingigerda (daughter of the Swedish king) had many children, including six sons who were rulers of various Russian appanages and married foreign princesses (Greek, Polish). And three daughters who became queens of Hungary, Sweden and France also by marriage. In addition, Yaroslav is credited with having a seventh son from his first wife, who was taken into Polish captivity from Kiev (Anna, son Ilya), as well as a daughter, Agatha, who presumably could have been the wife of the heir to the throne of England, Edward (the Exile).
Perhaps the distance of the sisters and interstate marriages somewhat reduced the struggle for power in this generation of Rurikovichs, since most of the time of the reign of Yaroslav's son Izyaslav in Kiev was accompanied by a peaceful division of his power with the brothers Vsevolod and Svyatoslav (the Yaroslavovich triumvirate). However, this ruler of Rus' also died in battle against his own nephews. And the father of the next one famous ruler Russian state, Vladimir Monomakh, was Vsevolod, married to the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh the Ninth.
In the Rurik family there were rulers with fourteen children!
The Rurik family tree with dates shows us that this outstanding dynasty was continued for many years to come by the descendants of Vladimir Monomakh, while the genealogies of the remaining grandchildren of Yaroslav the Wise ceased in the next hundred to one hundred and fifty years. Prince Vladimir had, as historians believe, twelve children from two wives, the first of whom was English princess in exile, and the second, presumably Greek. Of this numerous offspring, those who reigned in Kyiv were: Mstislav (until 1125), Yaropolk, Vyacheslav and Yuri Vladimirovich (Dolgoruky). The latter was also distinguished by his fertility and gave birth to fourteen children from two wives, including Vsevolod the Third (Big Nest), so nicknamed, again, for the large number of offspring - eight sons and four daughters.
What outstanding Rurikovichs do we know? The family tree, extending further from Vsevolod the Big Nest, contains such eminent surnames as Alexander Nevsky (grandson of Vsevolod, son of Yaroslav the Second), Michael the Second Saint (canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church due to the incorruptibility of the relics of the murdered prince), John Kalita, who gave birth to John the Meek, who, in turn, gave birth to Dmitry Donskoy.
Formidable representatives of the dynasty
The Rurikovichs, whose family tree ceased to exist at the end of the 16th century (1598), included in their ranks the great Tsar John the Fourth, the Terrible. This ruler strengthened autocratic power and significantly expanded the territory of Rus' by annexing the Volga region, Pyatigorsk, Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms. He had eight wives, who bore him five sons and three daughters, including his successor on the throne, Theodore (the Blessed). This son of John was, as expected, weak in health and, possibly, in mind. He was more interested in prayers, the ringing of bells, and the tales of jesters than in power. Therefore, during his reign, power belonged to his brother-in-law, Boris Godunov. And subsequently, after the death of Fedor, they completely switched to this statesman.
Was the first of the reigning Romanov family a relative of the last Rurikovich?
The family tree of the Rurikovichs and the Romanovs, however, has some points of contact, despite the fact that the only daughter of Theodore the Blessed died at the age of 9 months, around 1592-1594. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - the first of the new dynasty, was crowned in 1613 Zemsky Sobor, and came from the family of boyar Fyodor Romanov (later Patriarch Filaret) and noblewoman Ksenia Shestova. He was a cousin’s nephew (to the Blessed), so we can say that the Romanov dynasty to some extent continues the Rurik dynasty.