Genealogical tables of the Rurikovichs. Names and dates of reign of princes in Rus'

The history of the founding of Rus' in the 9th century AD is shrouded in a dense veil of secrets, which sometimes contradict the statements of the official history of the Russian state. The name of Prince Rurik is associated with many hypotheses and studies that try to restore the chain of true events of that distant time.

Maybe there would be fewer of these hypotheses if not for one main circumstance: the name of Rurik is associated with the founding of the ruling dynasty, whose representatives occupied the Russian thrones until 1610, until the Time of Troubles, until the change from the Rurik dynasty to the Romanov dynasty.

So, Rurik.

Official details:
- year of birth unknown, from the Varangian princely family, family coat of arms - a falcon falling down.
- Called by the Slavs to suppress civil strife with the Finno-Ugric tribes in 862 AD.
- becomes the Prince of Novgorod and the founder of the princely, royal Rurik dynasty.
- died in 879 AD.

The arrival of Rurik with his family retinue, in historiography, is usually called the “Calling of the Varangians.” Brothers Sineus and Truvor came with Rurik. After the death of the brothers in 864, Rurik became the sole ruler of the Novgorod principality.

Versions of the origin of Rurik:
— The Norman version claims that Rurik comes from the Scandinavian Vikings. Some researchers associate Rurik with Rorik of Jutland from Denmark, and others with Eirik from Sweden.

— The West Slavic version claims that Rurik was from the Vagrs or Prussians. This theory was adhered to by M.V. Lomonosov.

After Rurik's death in 879, he was succeeded by his son Igor. Igor was raised by the Prophetic Oleg, whose involvement in the Rurik family is doubtful. Most likely, Prophetic Oleg was one of Rurik’s squad, or at least was distantly related.

The influence of the Rurik dynasty began to spread to all Slavic lands south of Novgorod.

The direct line of succession after Rurik continued. After Igor came Svyatoslav Igorevich, Vladimir Svyatoslavich (the Great), Yaroslav (the Wise). After the death of Yaroslav the Wise (1054), the process of branching of the Rurikovich genealogical line began.

The division was caused by the Ladder order and the increasing feudal fragmentation of Rus'. Individual descendants of the senior princes became sovereign princes of the separated principalities. The sons of Yaroslav the Wise led the so-called “Triumvirate”:

• Izyaslav ruled Kiev, Novgorod and the lands west of the Dnieper.
• Svyatoslav ruled Chernigov and Murom.
• Vsevolod reigned in Rostov, Suzdal and Pereyaslavl.

Of these three branches, the strongest was the branch of Vsevolod and his son Vladimir Monomakh. This branch was able to expand its possessions at the expense of Smolensk, Galich and Volyn. In 1132, the son of Vladimir Monomakh, Mstislav the Great, died. At this time, Kievan Rus completely collapsed. The formation and strengthening of local dynasties began, which, however, were also Rurikovichs.

We will focus on the Rurik dynasty from the main branch - the Monomakhovichs.

The following famous princes belonged to this branch: Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrei Bogolyubsky, Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the First Kalita, Simeon Ivanovich Proud, Ivan the Second Red, Dmitry Donskoy; hereditary princes: Vasily the First Dmitrievich, Vasily the Second Dark, Ivan the Third Vasilyevich, Vasily the Third Ivanovich; Moscow kings: Ivan the Fourth the Terrible, Fyodor the First Ioannovich.

The reign of Fyodor Ioannovich, the third son of Ivan the Terrible, became the last in a long line of offspring of the semi-legendary Varangian prince Rurik. With the death of Fyodor Ioannovich, the bloody Time of Troubles began for Russia, which ended with the capture of Kitay-gorod in Moscow on November 4, 1612 and the election of a new tsar.

First Prince of Rus'

• 9th century - Eastern historians reported a large union of Slavic tribes - Slavia (with its center in Novgorod), Kujava (Kyiv), Artania
• 839 - the French “Annals of Saint-Bertin” mention representatives of the “Ros” people who were in the Byzantine embassy to the King of the Carolingian dynasty, Louis the Pious
• 859 - The northern Slavic tribes Chud, Slovenes, Meri, Vesi and Krivichi refused to pay tribute to the Varangians. Strife.
• 860 (or 867) - Calling the Varangians to restore order. Rurik settled in the town of Ladoga
  

  “Vastasha Slovene, killed the people of Novgorod and Merya and Krivichi against the Varangians and drove them overseas and did not give them tribute. We began to own ourselves and build cities. And there would not be righteousness in them, and the rise of generation upon generation, and armies, and captivity, and incessant bloodshed. And therefore the people gathered decided to themselves: “Who would be the prince in us and rule us? We will look for and recruit one either from us or from Kozar or from Polyany or from Dunaychev or from the Varangians." And there was a great rumor about this - for this sheep, for the other one who wants it. The same one, having consulted, sent to the Varangians"

  At the end of the 1990s. The finds of archaeologist Evgeny Ryabinin in Staraya Ladoga prove: Ladoga not only existed more than 100 years before Rurik, but also had the highest level of production development for that time. 2 km from Ladoga, Ryabinin dug up the Lyubsha fortress, which was erected in the 6th–7th centuries, rebuilt on a stone foundation around 700. The oldest lathe in Eastern Europe was also found near Ladoga (“Arguments of the Week”, No. 34(576) dated 08/31/2017)

• 862 (or 870) - Rurik began reigning in Novgorod.
  Russian historical science has still not come to a consensus about who Rurik was, whether he existed at all, whether the Slavs called him to reign and why. Here is what Academician B. A. Rybakov writes about this:

  “Was there a calling for the princes or, more precisely, for Prince Rurik? The answers can only be speculative. Norman raids on the northern lands at the end of the 9th and 10th centuries are beyond doubt. A proud Novgorod patriot could portray real raids as a voluntary calling of the Varangians by the northern inhabitants to establish order. Such coverage of the Varangian campaigns for tribute was less offensive to the pride of the Novgorodians than the admission of their helplessness. The invited prince had to “rule by right” and protect his subjects with some kind of letter.
  It could have been different: wanting to protect themselves from unregulated Varangian exactions, the population of the northern lands could invite one of the kings as a prince, so that he would protect them from other Varangian detachments. Rurik, in whom some researchers see the Rurik of Jutland, would be a suitable figure for this purpose, since he came from the most remote corner of the Western Baltic and was a stranger to the Varangians from southern Sweden, located closer to the Chuds and the Eastern Slavs. Science has not sufficiently developed the question of the connection between the chronicle Varangians and the Western, Baltic Slavs.
  Archaeologically, connections between the Baltic Slavs and Novgorod can be traced back to the 11th century. Written sources from the 11th century speak of trade between the Western Baltic and Novgorod. It can be assumed that if the calling of a foreign prince actually took place as one of the episodes of the anti-Varangian struggle, then such a prince could be Rurik of Jutland, whose original place of reign was located next to the Baltic Slavs. The considerations expressed are not sufficiently substantiated to build any hypothesis on them.”

• 864 - Seizure of princely power in Kyiv by the Varangians Askold and Dir
• 864 (874) - Askold and Dir's campaign to Constantinople
• 872 - “Oskold’s son was quickly killed by the Bulgarians.” “That same summer, the Novgorodians were offended, saying: “As if we would be a slave and suffer a lot of evil in every possible way from Rurik and from his family.” That same summer, Rurik killed Vadim the Brave and many other Novgorodians who were his companions.”
• 873 - Rurik distributed the cities of Polotsk, Rostov, Beloozero, he gave them into the possession of his confidants
• 879 - Rurik died

Rurik Dynasty

• Oleg 879-912
• Igor 912-945
• Olga 945-957
• Svyatoslav 957-972
• Yaropolk 972-980
• Vladimir Saint 980-1015
• Svyatopolk 1015-1019
• Yaroslav I the Wise 1019-1054
• Izyaslav Yaroslavich 1054-1078
• Vsevolod Yaroslavich 1078-1093
• Svyatopolk Izyaslavich 1093-1113
• Vladimir Monomakh 1113-1125
• Mstislav Vladimirovich 1125-1132
• Yaropolk Vladimirovich 1132-1139
• Vsevolod Olgovich 1139-1146
• Izyaslav Mstislavich 1146-1154
• Yuri Dolgoruky 1154-1157
• Andrey Bogolyubsky 1157-1174
• Mstislav Izyaslavich 1167-1169
• Mikhail Yurievich 1174-1176
• Vsevolod Yuryevich (Big Nest) 1176-1212
• Konstantin Vsevolodovich 1216-1219
• Yuri Vsevolodovich 1219-1238
• Yaroslav Vsevolodovich 1238-1246
• Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky 1252-1263
• Yaroslav Yaroslavich 1263-1272
• Vasily I Yaroslavich 1272-1276
• Dmitry Alexandrovich Pereyaslavsky 1276-1294
• Andrey Alexandrovich Gorodetsky 1294-1304
• Mikhail Yaroslavich 1304-1319
• Yuri Danilovich 1319-1326
• Alexander Mikhailovich 1326-1328
• John I Danilovich Kalita 1328-1340
• Simeon Ioannovich the Proud 1340-1353
• John II the Meek 1353-1359
• Dmitry Konstantinovich 1359-1363
• Dmitry Ioannovich Donskoy 1363-1389
• Vasily I Dmitrievich 1389-1425
• Vasily II Vasilievich the Dark 1425-1462
• John III Vasilievich 1462-1505
• Vasily III Ioannovich 1505-1533
• Elena Glinskaya 1533-1538
• Ivan IV the Terrible 1533-1584
• Fyodor Ioannovich 1584-1598
• Boris Godunov 1598-1605
• Vasily Shuisky 1606-1610

There were Rurikovichs for sure, but was there a Rurik... Most likely he was, but his personality still raises many more questions than answers.

The Tale of Bygone Years tells about the calling of Rurik by the Eastern Slavs. According to the Tale, this happened in 862 (although the calendar in Rus' in those years was different, and the year in fact was not 862). Some researchers. and this can be seen in particular from the diagram below, Rurik is called the founder of the dynasty, but its foundation is considered only from his son Igor. Probably, during his lifetime, Rurik did not have time to recognize himself as the founder of a dynasty, because he was busy with other things. But the descendants, after thinking about it, decided to call themselves a dynasty.

Three main hypotheses regarding the origin have been formed.

• The first - the Norman theory - claims that Rurik with his brothers and retinue were from the Vikings. Among the Scandinavian peoples at that time, as proven by research, the name Rurik really existed (meaning “illustrious and noble man”). True, there are problems with a specific candidate, information about which is also available in other historical stories or documents. There is no clear identification with anyone: for example, the noble Danish Viking of the 9th century, Rorik of Jutland, or a certain Eirik Emundarson from Sweden, who raided the Baltic lands, is described.
• The second, Slavic version, where Rurik is shown as a representative of the princely family of the Obodrites from the West Slavic lands. There is information that one of the Slavic tribes living on the territory of historical Prussia was then called Varangians. Rurik is a variant of the Western Slavic “Rerek, Rarog” - not a personal name, but the name of the Obodrit princely family, meaning “falcon”. Supporters of this version believe that the coat of arms of the Rurikovichs was precisely a symbolized image of a falcon.
• The third theory believes that Rurik really did not exist at all - the founder of the Rurik dynasty emerged from the local Slavic population during the struggle for power, and two hundred years later his descendants, in order to ennoble their origins, ordered the author of The Tale of Bygone Years a propaganda story about the Varangian Rurik.

Over the years, the princely dynasty of Rurikovich was fragmented into many branches. Not many European dynasties can compare with it in the ramifications and large number of offspring. But this was the very policy of this ruling group; they did not set out to sit firmly in the capital; on the contrary, they sent their offspring to all corners of the country.

The branching of the Rurikovichs begins in the generation of Prince Vladimir (some call him the Saint, and some the Bloody), and first of all the line of the princes of Polotsk, descendants of Izyaslav Vladimirovich, separates.

Very briefly about some of the Rurikovichs

After the death of Rurik, power passed to Saint Oleg, who became the guardian of Rurik’s young son, Igor. Prophetic Oleg united the scattered Russian principalities into one state. He glorified himself with intelligence and belligerence, with a large army he went down the Dnieper, took Smolensk, Lyubech, Kyiv and made the latter his capital city. Askold and Dir were killed, and Oleg showed little Igor to the clearings:

“Here is the son of Rurik - your prince.”

As you know, according to legend, he died from a snake bite.

Further Igor grew up and became the Grand Duke of Kyiv. He contributed to the strengthening of statehood among the Eastern Slavs, extending the power of the Kyiv prince to the East Slavic tribal associations between the Dniester and the Danube. But in the end he turned out to be a greedy ruler, for which he was killed by the Drevlyans.

Olga, Igor's wife, brutally took revenge on the Drevlyans for the death of her husband and conquered their main city of Korosten. She was distinguished by a rare intelligence and great abilities. In her declining years she accepted Christianity and was later canonized.

One of the most famous princesses in Rus'.

Svyatoslav. Known as one of the most prominent commanders from the Rurik family, for the most part he did not sit still, but was on military campaigns. His son Yaropolk considered responsible for the death of his brother Oleg, who tried to claim the Kiev throne.

But Yaropolk was also killed, and again by his brother, Vladimir.

The same one Vladimir that Rus' baptized. The Kiev Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich was at first a fanatical pagan; he is also credited with such traits as vindictiveness and bloodthirstiness. At least he did not regret his brother and got rid of him in order to take the princely throne in Kyiv.

His son Yaroslav Vladimirovich, to whom history added the nickname “Wise,” was truly a wise and diplomatic ruler of the Old Russian state. The time of his reign was not only internecine feudal wars between close relatives, but also attempts to bring Kievan Rus to the world political arena, attempts to overcome feudal fragmentation, and the construction of new cities. The reign of Yaroslav the Wise is the development of Slavic culture, a kind of golden period of the Old Russian state.

Izyaslav - I- the eldest son of Yaroslav, after the death of his father he took the Kiev throne, but after an unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsians, he was driven out by the people of Kiev, and his brother became the Grand Duke Svyatoslav. After the death of the latter, Izyaslav returned to Kyiv again.

Vsevolod - I could have been a useful ruler and a worthy representative of the Rurikovichs, but it didn’t work out. This prince was pious, truthful, loved education very much and knew five languages, but the Polovtsian raids, famine, pestilence and turmoil in the country did not favor his principality. He held onto the throne only thanks to his son Vladimir, nicknamed Monomakh.

Svyatopolk - II- the son of Izyaslav I, who inherited the Kiev throne after Vsevolod I, was distinguished by his lack of character and was unable to pacify the civil strife of the princes over the possession of cities. At the congress in Lyubich Pereslavl in 1097, the princes kissed the cross “to each one own his father’s land,” but soon Prince David Igorevich blinded Prince Vasilko.

The princes gathered again for a congress in the year 1100, and deprived David of Volhynia; at the suggestion of Vladimir Monomakh, they decided at the Dolob congress, in 1103, to undertake a joint campaign against the Polovtsians, the Russians defeated the Polovtsians on the Sal River (in 1111) and took a lot of cattle: cattle, sheep, horses, etc. The Polovtsian princes alone killed up to 20 people . The fame of this victory spread far among the Greeks, Hungarians and other Slavs.

Vladimir Monomakh. A widely known representative of the Rurik dynasty. Despite the seniority of the Svyatoslavichs, after the death of Svyatopolk II, Vladimir Monomakh was elected to the Kiev throne, who, according to the chronicle, “wanted good for the brethren and the whole Russian land.” He stood out for his great abilities, rare intelligence, courage and tirelessness. He was happy in his campaigns against the Polovtsians. He humbled the princes with his severity. The “teaching to children” he left behind is remarkable, in which he gives purely Christian moral teaching and a high example of the prince’s service to his homeland.

Mstislav - I. Resembling his father Monomakh, Monomakh's son, Mstislav I, lived harmoniously with his brothers in mind and character, inspiring respect and fear in the disobedient princes. So, he expelled the Polovtsian princes who disobeyed him to Greece, and instead of them, he installed his son to rule in the city of Polotsk.

Yaropolk, Mstislav's brother, Yaropolk, son of Monomakh, decided to transfer the inheritance not to his brother Vyacheslav, but to his nephew. Thanks to the discord that arose from here, the Monomakhovichs lost the Kiev throne, which passed to the descendants of Oleg Svyatoslavovich - the Olegovichs.

Vsevolod - II. Having achieved a great reign, Vsevolod wanted to consolidate the Kiev throne in his family and handed it over to his brother Igor Olegovich. But not recognized by the people of Kiev and tonsured a monk, Igor was soon killed.

Izyaslav - II. The people of Kiev recognized Izyaslav II Mstislavovich, who vividly resembled his famous grandfather Monomakh with his intelligence, brilliant talents, courage and friendliness. With the accession of Izyaslav II to the grand-princely throne, the concept of seniority rooted in ancient Rus' was violated: In one family, a nephew could not be a grand duke during his uncle’s lifetime.

Yury Dolgoruky". Prince of Suzdal from 1125, Grand Duke of Kiev in 1149-1151, 1155-1157, founder of Moscow. Yuri was the sixth son of Prince Vladimir Monomakh. After the death of his father, he inherited the Rostov-Suzdal principality and immediately began to strengthen the borders of his inheritance, erecting fortresses on them. So, for example, under him the fortress of Ksyantin arose, as modern Tver was previously called. By his order, the following cities were founded: Dubna, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Zvenigorod, Gorodets. The first chronicle mention of Moscow in 1147 is also associated with the name of Yuri Dolgoruky.
The life of this prince is unusual and interesting. The youngest son of Vladimir Monomakh could not claim more than an appanage principality. He received the Rostov principality as his inheritance, which became prosperous under Yuri. Many settlements arose here. The tireless son of Monomakh received his nickname “Dolgoruky” for his ambitions, for constantly interfering in other people’s affairs and for his constant desire to seize other people’s lands.
Owning the Rostov-Suzdal land, Yuri always sought to expand the territory of his principality and often raided neighboring lands owned by his relatives. Most of all, he dreamed of capturing Kyiv. In 1125, Yuri moved the capital of the principality from Rostov to Suzdal, from where he made campaigns to the south, strengthening his squad with mercenary Polovtsian troops. He annexed the cities of Murom, Ryazan, and part of the lands along the banks of the Volga to the Rostov Principality.
The Suzdal prince occupied Kyiv three times, but he never managed to stay there for long. The struggle for the great reign with his nephew Izyaslav Mstislavich was long. Yuri entered Kyiv three times as Grand Duke, but only the third time did he remain so until the end of his days. The people of Kiev did not like Prince Yuri. This was explained by the fact that Yuri more than once resorted to the help of the Polovtsians and was almost always a troublemaker during periods of struggle for the throne. Yuri Dolgoruky was a “newcomer” for the people of Kiev, from the North. According to the chronicler, after the death of Yuri in 1157, the people of Kiev plundered his rich mansions and killed the Suzdal detachment that came with him.

Andrey Bogolyubsky. Having accepted the title of grand duke, Andrei Yuryevich transferred the throne to Vladimir on the Klyazma, and from then on Kyiv began to lose its primacy position. The stern and strict Andrei wanted to be autocratic, that is, to rule Russia without a council or squads. Andrei Bogolyubsky mercilessly pursued the disgruntled boyars, they plotted against Andrei's life and killed him.

Alexander Nevskiy". Grand Duke of Novgorod (1236-1251). Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky consistently pursued a policy aimed at strengthening the northwestern borders of Rus' and reconciliation with the Tatars.
While still the Prince of Novgorod (1236-1251), he showed himself to be an experienced commander and wise ruler. Thanks to the victories won in the “Battle of the Neva” (1240), in the “Battle of the Ice” (1242), as well as numerous forays against the Lithuanians, Alexander for a long time discouraged the Swedes, Germans and Lithuanians from taking possession of the northern Russian lands.
Alexander pursued the opposite policy towards the Mongol-Tatars. It was a policy of peace and cooperation, the purpose of which was to prevent a new invasion of Rus'. The prince often traveled to the Horde with rich gifts. He managed to achieve the release of Russian soldiers from the obligation to fight on the side of the Mongol-Tatars.

Yuri - III. Having married the sister of Khan Konchak, in Orthodoxy Agafya, Yuri acquired great strength and help from the Tatars who were related to him. But soon, thanks to the claims of Prince Dmitry, the son of Mikhail, who was tortured by Khan, he had to report to the horde. Here, at the first meeting with Dmitry, Yuri was killed by him, in revenge for the death of his father and for a violation of morality (marriage to a Tatar).

Dmitry - II. Dmitry Mikhailovich, nicknamed “formidable eyes”, for the murder of Yuri III, was executed by the khan for arbitrariness.

Alexander Tverskoy. The brother of Dmitry II, executed in the horde, Alexander Mikhailovich, was confirmed as khan on the grand-ducal throne. He was distinguished by his kindness and was loved by the people, but he ruined himself by allowing the Tver people to kill the hated Khan's ambassador Shchelkan. The Khan sent 50,000 Tatar troops against Alexander. Alexander fled from the khan's wrath to Pskov, and from there to Lithuania. Ten years later, Alexander of Tver returned and was forgiven by the khan. Not getting along, however, with the Prince of Moscow Ivan Kalita, Alexander
He was slandered by him in front of the khan, the khan summoned him to the horde and executed him.

John I Kalita. John I Danilovich, a cautious and cunning prince, nicknamed Kalita (money purse) for his frugality, devastated the Tver principality with the help of the Tatars, taking advantage of the opportunity of violence of the indignant Tver residents against the Tatars. He took upon himself the collection of tribute from all over Rus' for the Tatars and, greatly enriched by this, bought cities from appanage princes. In 1326, the metropolitanate from Vladimir, thanks to the efforts of Kalita, was transferred to Moscow, and here, according to Metropolitan Peter, the Assumption Cathedral was founded. Since then, Moscow, as the seat of the Metropolitan of All Rus', has acquired the significance of a Russian center.

John -II Ioannovich, a meek and peace-loving prince, followed in everything the advice of Metropolitan Alexei, who enjoyed great importance in the Horde. During this time, Moscow's relations with the Tatars improved significantly.

Vasily - I. Sharing the reign with his father, Vasily I ascended the throne as an experienced prince and, following the example of his predecessors, actively expanded the boundaries of the Moscow principality: He acquired Nizhny Novgorod and other cities. In 1395, Rus' was in danger of an invasion by Timur, the formidable Tatar khan. Between
Thus, Vasily did not pay tribute to the Tatars, but collected it into the grand ducal treasury. In 1408, the Tatar Murza Edigei attacked Moscow, but after receiving a ransom of 3,000 rubles, he lifted the siege from it. In the same year, after long disputes between Vasily I and the Lithuanian prince Vytautas, both cautious and cunning, the Ugra River was designated as the extreme border of Lithuanian possessions on the Russian side.

Vasily - II Dark. Yuri Dmitrievich Galitsky took advantage of Vasily II's youth, declaring his claims to seniority. But at the trial in the horde, the khan leaned in favor of Vasily, thanks to the efforts of the smart Moscow boyar Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The boyar hoped to marry his daughter to Vasily, but was disappointed in his hopes: Offended, he left Moscow to Yuri Dmitrievich and assisted him in taking possession of the grand-ducal throne, on which Yuri died in 1434, when Yuri’s son Vasily the Oblique decided to inherit his father’s power, then all the princes rebelled against him.

Vasily II took him prisoner and blinded him: Then Dmitry Shemyaka, brother of Vasily Kosoy, captured Vasily II by cunning, blinded him and took the Moscow throne. Soon, however, Shemyaka had to give the throne to Vasily II. During the reign of Vasily II, the Greek metropolitan Isidore accepted the Florentine Union (1439), for this Vasily II put Isidore in custody, and the Ryazan Bishop John was installed as metropolitan. Thus, from now on, Russian metropolitans are appointed by a council of Russian bishops. During the last years of the Grand Duchy, the internal structure of the Grand Duchy was the subject of the main concerns of Vasily II.

John - III. Accepted by his father as a co-ruler, John III Vasilyevich ascended the grand-ducal throne as the complete owner of Rus'. He first severely punished the Novgorodians who had decided to become Lithuanian subjects, and in 1478, “for a new offense,” he finally subjugated them. Novgorodians lost their veche and
self-government, and the Novgorod mayor Maria and the veche bell were sent to John’s camp.

In 1485, after the final conquest of other appanages more or less dependent on the Moscow principality, John finally annexed the Tver principality to Moscow. By this time, the Tatars were divided into three independent hordes: Golden, Kazan and Crimean. They were at enmity with each other and were no longer afraid of the Russians. In official history it is believed that it was John III in 1480, having entered into an alliance with the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, tore apart the Khan's basma, ordered the Khan's ambassadors to be taken to execution, and then overthrew the Tatar yoke without bloodshed.

Vasily - III. The son of John III from his marriage to Sophia, Palaeologus Vasily III, was distinguished by his pride and inaccessibility, punishing the descendants of appanage princes and boyars under his control who dared to contradict him. He is “the last collector of the Russian land.”
Having annexed the last appanages (Pskov, the northern principality), he completely destroyed the appanage system. He fought twice with Lithuania, following the teachings of the Lithuanian nobleman Mikhail Glinsky, who entered his service, and finally, in 1514, he took Smolensk from the Lithuanians. The war with Kazan and Crimea was difficult for Vasily, but ended in the punishment of Kazan: Trade was diverted from there to the Makaryev fair, which was later moved to Nizhny. Vasily divorced his wife Solomonia and married Princess Elena Glinskaya, which further aroused the boyars who were dissatisfied with him against him. From this marriage Vasily had a son, John.

Elena Glinskaya. Appointed ruler of the state by Vasily III, the mother of three-year-old John Elena Glinskaya immediately took drastic measures against the boyars who were dissatisfied with her. She made peace with Lithuania and decided to fight the Crimean Tatars, who boldly attacked Russian possessions, but in the midst of preparations for a desperate struggle she died suddenly.

John - IV the Terrible. Left at the age of 8 in the hands of the boyars, the intelligent and talented Ivan Vasilyevich grew up amid the struggle of parties over the rule of the state, among violence, secret murders and incessant exile. Having himself often suffered oppression from the boyars, he learned to hate them, and the cruelty, riotousness and violence that surrounded him
rudeness contributed to the hardening of his heart.

In 1552, Ivan conquered Kazan, which dominated the entire Volga region, and in 1556 the kingdom of Astrakhan was annexed to the Moscow state. The desire to establish himself on the shores of the Baltic Sea forced John to start the Livonian War, which brought him into conflict with Poland and Sweden. The war started quite successfully, but ended with the most unfavorable truce for John with Poland and Sweden: John not only did not establish himself on the shores of the Baltic, but also lost the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The sad era of “searches,” disgrace and executions began. John left Moscow, went with his entourage to the Alexandrovskaya Sloboda and here surrounded himself with guardsmen, whom John contrasted with the rest of the land, the zemshchina.

The Rurikovichs are a princely, royal and later royal family in Ancient Rus', descended from the descendants of Rurik, which over time split into many branches.

The Rurik family tree is very extensive. Most of the representatives of the Rurik dynasty were rulers, as well as the Russian principalities that were formed after. Some of the representatives of the dynasty later belonged to the royal family of other states: the Hungarian-Croatian Kingdom, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Bulgarian Kingdom, the Georgian Kingdom, the Duchy of Austria, etc.

History of the Rurik dynasty

According to the chronicles, in 862 several tribes (Ilmen Slovenes, Chud, Krivich) called three Varangian brothers Rurik, Truvor and Sineus to reign in Novgorod. This event was called the “calling of the Varangians.” According to historians, the calling occurred due to the fact that the tribes living on the territory of future Rus' were constantly overwhelmed and they could not decide who should rule. And only with the arrival of the three brothers, civil strife ceased, the Russian lands began to gradually unite, and the tribes became a small semblance of a state.

Before the calling of the Varangians, numerous scattered tribes lived on Russian lands that did not have their own state and governance system. With the arrival of the brothers, the tribes began to unite under the rule of Rurik, who brought his entire clan with him. It was Rurik who became the founder of the future princely dynasty, which was destined to rule in Rus' for many centuries.

Although the first representative of the dynasty is Rurik himself, very often in the chronicles the Rurik family is traced back to Prince Igor, the son of Rurik, since it was Igor who was not a conscript, but the first truly Russian prince. Disputes about the origin of Rurik himself and the etymology of his name are still ongoing.

The Rurik dynasty ruled the Russian state for more than 700 years.

The reign of the Rurik dynasty in Rus'

The first princes from the Rurikovich family (Igor Rurikovich, Oleg Rurikovich, Princess Olga, Svyatoslav Rurikovich) began the process of forming a centralized state on Russian lands.

In 882, under Prince Oleg, Kyiv became the capital of a new state - Kievan Rus.

In 944, during the reign of Prince Igor, Rus' for the first time concluded a peace treaty with Byzantium, stopped military campaigns and was given the opportunity to develop.

In 945, Princess Olga for the first time introduced a fixed amount of quitrent - tribute, which marked the beginning of the formation of the state tax system. In 947, the Novgorod lands underwent administrative-territorial division.

In 969, Prince Svyatoslav introduced a system of governorship, which helped the development of local self-government. In 963, Kievan Rus was able to subjugate a number of significant territories of the Tmutarakan principality - the state expanded.

The formed state came to a feudal system of government during the reign of the Yaroslavichs and Vladimir Monomakh (second half of the 11th - first half of the 12th century). Numerous internecine wars led to the weakening of the power of Kyiv and the Kyiv prince, to the strengthening of local principalities and a significant division of territories within one state. Feudalism lasted quite a long time and seriously weakened Rus'.

Starting from the second half of the 12th century. and until the middle of the 13th century. the following representatives of the Rurikovich ruled in Rus': Yuri Dolgoruky, Vsevolod the Big Nest. During this period, although princely feuds continued, trade began to develop, individual principalities grew greatly economically, and Christianity developed.

From the second half of the 13th century. and until the end of the 14th century. Rus' found itself under the yoke of the Tatar-Mongol yoke (the beginning of the Golden Horde period). The ruling princes more than once tried to throw off the oppression of the Tatar-Mongols, but they failed, and Rus' gradually declined due to constant raids and devastation. Only in 1380 was it possible to defeat the Tatar-Mongol army during the Battle of Kulikovo, which was the beginning of the process of liberation of Rus' from the oppression of the invaders.

After the overthrow of the Mongol-Tatar oppression, the state began to recover. During the reign of Ivan Kalita, the capital was moved to Moscow, under Dmitry Donskoy it was built, and the state actively developed. Vasily the 2nd finally united the lands around Moscow and established the practically inviolable and sole power of the Moscow prince over all Russian lands.

The last representatives of the Rurikovich family also did a lot for the development of the state. During the reign of Ivan the 3rd, Vasily the 3rd and Ivan the Terrible, the formation began with a completely different way of life and a political and administrative system similar to an estate-representative monarchy. However, the Rurik dynasty was interrupted by Ivan the Terrible, and soon it came to Rus' - it was unknown who would take the post of ruler.

The end of the Rurik dynasty

Ivan the Terrible had two sons - Dmitry and Fyodor, but Dmitry was killed, and Fyodor was never able to have children, so after his death he began to rule in Rus'. During the same period, it began to gain strength and political authority, whose representatives became related to the royal Rurik family and soon ascended the throne. They ruled for several centuries.

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 population, 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.