The Rurik dynasty, also known as the Rurikid or Riurikid dynasty, as well as simply Rurikids or Riurikids, was a noble lineage allegedly founded by the
Varangian
The Varangians ( ; ; ; , or )Varangian ," Online Etymology Dictionary were
Rurik
Rurik (also spelled Rorik, Riurik or Ryurik; ; ; died 879) was a Varangians, Varangian chieftain of the Rus' people, Rus' who, according to tradition, was invited to reign in Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod in the year 862. The ''Primary Chronicle' ...
, who, according to tradition, established himself at
Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( ; , ; ), also known simply as Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the oldest cities in Russia, being first mentioned in the 9th century. The city lies along the V ...
in the year 862. The Rurikids were the ruling
dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others.
H ...
of
Kievan Rus'
Kievan Rus', also known as Kyivan Rus,.
* was the first East Slavs, East Slavic state and later an amalgam of principalities in Eastern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical At ...
and its principalities following its disintegration.
The ''Romanovichi'' ruled the southwestern territories, which were unified by
Roman the Great
Roman Mstislavich ( – 19 June 1205), also known as Roman the Great, was Prince of Novgorod (1168–1170), Volhynia (1170–1189; 1189–1205), and Galicia (1189; 1198/99–1205). He founded the ''Romanovichi'' branch of Rurikids, which wou ...
and his son
Daniel
Daniel commonly refers to:
* Daniel (given name), a masculine given name and a surname
* List of people named Daniel
* List of people with surname Daniel
* Daniel (biblical figure)
* Book of Daniel, a biblical apocalypse, "an account of the acti ...
, who was in 1253 crowned by
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV (; – 7 December 1254), born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 June 1243 to his death in 1254.
Fieschi was born in Genoa and studied at the universities of Parma and Bolo ...
as the
king of Ruthenia
King of Ruthenia, King of Rus', King of Galicia and Lodomeria, Lord and Heir of Ruthenian Lands (Latin: ''Rex Rusiae'', ''Rex Ruthenorum'', ''Rex Galiciae et Lodomeriae'', ''Terrae Russiae Dominus et Heres''; ) was a title of Kingdom of Galicia� ...
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
. The northern and northeastern territories were unified by the ''Daniilovichi'' of
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
; by the 15th century,
Ivan III
Ivan III Vasilyevich (; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia from 1462 until his death in 1505. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his blind father Vasily II be ...
threw off the control of the
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde, self-designated as ''Ulug Ulus'' ( in Turkic) was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the division of ...
and assumed the title of sovereign of all Russia.
Ivan IV
Ivan IV Vasilyevich (; – ), commonly known as Ivan the Terrible,; ; monastic name: Jonah. was Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia from 1533 to 1547, and the first Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia from 1547 until his death in 1584. ...
was crowned as the
tsar
Tsar (; also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar''; ; ; sr-Cyrl-Latn, цар, car) is a title historically used by Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word '' caesar'', which was intended to mean ''emperor'' in the Euro ...
of all Russia, where the Rurik line ruled until 1598, following which they were eventually succeeded by the
House of Romanov
The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning dynasty, imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russi ...
.
As a ruling house, the Rurikids held their own for a total of 21 generations in male-line succession, from Rurik () to
Feodor I of Russia
Feodor I Ioannovich () or Fyodor I Ivanovich (; 31 May 1557 – 17 January 1598), nicknamed the Blessed (), was Tsar of all Russia from 1584 until his death in 1598.
Feodor's mother died when he was three, and he grew up in the shadow of his ...
(), a period of more than 700 years. Numerous princely families have claimed to trace their lineage to Rurik. They are one of Europe's oldest royal houses, with numerous existing
cadet branch
A cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets (realm, titles, fiefs, property and incom ...
es.
Origins
Genealogical issues
The origins of the Rurikids are unclear, as its namesake
Rurik
Rurik (also spelled Rorik, Riurik or Ryurik; ; ; died 879) was a Varangians, Varangian chieftain of the Rus' people, Rus' who, according to tradition, was invited to reign in Veliky Novgorod, Novgorod in the year 862. The ''Primary Chronicle' ...
, a
Varangian
The Varangians ( ; ; ; , or )Varangian ," Online Etymology Dictionary were
Calling of the Varangians
The calling of the Varangians, calling of the (Varangian) princes or invitation to the Varangians (; ) is a legend about the origins of the Rus' people, the Rurik dynasty and the Kievan Rus' state, recorded in many divergent versions in various ma ...
", is considered to be a legendary, mythical and perhaps even entirely fictional character by modern scholars.
Nicholas V. Riasanovsky
Nicholas Valentine Riasanovsky (born Nicolai Valentinovitch Riasanovskiy;. (December 21, 1923 – May 14, 2011) was a professor at the University of California, Berkeley and the author of numerous books on Russian history and European intellectua ...
(1947) stated: '...no Kievan sources anterior to the ''
Primary Chronicle
The ''Primary Chronicle'', shortened from the common ''Russian Primary Chronicle'' (, commonly transcribed ''Povest' vremennykh let'' (PVL), ), is a Rus' chronicle, chronicle of Kievan Rus' from about 850 to 1110. It is believed to have been or ...
'' (early twelfth century), knew of Riurik. In tracing the ancestry of Kievan princes they usually stopped with Igor.' As an example,
Hilarion of Kiev
Hilarion or Ilarion was the first non-Greek Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus'. He held the metropolitan post before or during the ongoing 11th century East–West Schism. While there is not much verifiable information regarding Hilarion's biograp ...
's ''
Sermon on Law and Grace
The ''Sermon on Law and Grace'' () is a sermon written by Hilarion, the metropolitan of Kiev. It is one of the earliest Slavonic texts available, having been written several decades before the '' Primary Chronicle''. Since Hilarion was conside ...
'' (1050s), praising
Volodimer I of Kiev
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych (; Christian name: ''Basil''; 15 July 1015), given the epithet "the Great", was Prince of Novgorod from 970 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 978 until his death in 1015. The Eastern Orthodox ...
, only goes back to his father
Sviatoslav I
Sviatoslav or Svyatoslav I Igorevich (; Old Norse: ''Sveinald''; – 972) was Prince of Kiev from 945 until his death in 972. He is known for his persistent campaigns in the east and south, which precipitated the collapse of two great powers ...
and grandfather Igor of Kiev. Even if Rurik did exist, scholars have long doubted or rejected his
paternity
Paternity may refer to:
*Father, the male parent of a (human) child
*Paternity (law), fatherhood as a matter of law
* ''Paternity'' (film), a 1981 comedy film starring Burt Reynolds
* "Paternity" (''House''), a 2004 episode of the television seri ...
of Igor. The connections between Rurik,
Oleg
Oleg (), Oleh (), or Aleh () is an East Slavic given name. The name is very common in Russia, Ukraine, and Belаrus.
Origins
''Oleg'' derives from the Old Norse ''Helgi'' ( Helge), meaning "holy", "sacred", or "blessed". The feminine equival ...
and Igor, as attested in the ''
Primary Chronicle
The ''Primary Chronicle'', shortened from the common ''Russian Primary Chronicle'' (, commonly transcribed ''Povest' vremennykh let'' (PVL), ), is a Rus' chronicle, chronicle of Kievan Rus' from about 850 to 1110. It is believed to have been or ...
'' and ''
Novgorod First Chronicle
The Novgorod First Chronicle ( rus, Новгоро́дская пе́рвая ле́топись, Novgoródskaya pérvaya létopisʹ, nəvɡɐˈrot͡skəjə ˈpʲervəjə ˈlʲetəpʲɪsʲ, commonly abbreviated as NPL), also known by its 1914 Eng ...
'', are tenuous at best; in all other cases, these two chronicles base any particular ruler's legitimacy on the fact that their father or grandfather previously "sat on the throne in Kiev", and never refer back to Rurik. Legitimacy in the ''
Kievan Chronicle
The ''Kievan Chronicle'' or ''Kyivan Chronicle'' is a chronicle of Kievan Rus'. It was written around 1200 in Vydubychi Monastery as a continuation of the ''Primary Chronicle''. It is known from two manuscripts: a copy in the '' Hypatian Codex'' ...
'' is also heavily based on a ruler being descended from his father and grandfather, with the exception of two 5-generation lists. Before the mid-15th century, no historical source claims that Rurik founded a dynasty; the
Hypatian Codex
The ''Hypatian Codex'', also known as Hypatian Letopis or Ipatiev Letopis, is a compendium of three Rus' chronicle, Rus' chronicles: the ''Primary Chronicle'', ''Kievan Chronicle'' and ''Galician-Volhynian Chronicle''. It is the most important sou ...
of 1425 began its list of ''
knyaz
A , also , ''knjaz'' or (), is a historical Slavs, Slavic title, used both as a royal and noble title in different times. It is usually translated into English language, English as 'prince', 'king' or 'duke', depending on specific historical c ...
i'' of Kiev with "Dir and Askold", then "Oleg", then "Igor", up to 1240, and does not mention Rurik anywhere. It was not until the 16th century that Rus' churchmen developed an explicit tradition, described in the 1560 '' Book of Royal Degrees'' by Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow, according to which the reigning Danilovichi house of the
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...
(Muscovy) was part of a "Rurikid dynasty", which not only traced back all the way to the legendary Rurik, but was purportedly descended from a certain Prus, a supposed kinsman of
Augustus Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
. According Ostrowski (2018), the Rus' churchmen developed this concept of a R(i)urikid dynasty for the purpose of "bolstering the Muscovite dynastic state". Although many later historians would accept the 16th-century Rus' churchmen's dynastic claim that the Danilovichi were descended from Rurik, they did not accept Prus as the ancestor of the Muscovite princes. Because of these issues, various scholars have instead named the dynasty the ''Volodimerovichi'', descendants of grand prince
Volodimer I of Kiev
Vladimir I Sviatoslavich or Volodymyr I Sviatoslavych (; Christian name: ''Basil''; 15 July 1015), given the epithet "the Great", was Prince of Novgorod from 970 and Grand Prince of Kiev from 978 until his death in 1015. The Eastern Orthodox ...
.
Ethnographic issues
The scholarly consensus is that the
Rus' people
The Rus, also known as Russes, were a people in early medieval Eastern Europe. The scholarly consensus holds that they were originally Norsemen, mainly originating from present-day Sweden, who settled and ruled along the river-routes between t ...
originated in what is currently coastal eastern Sweden around the eighth century and that their name has the same origin as
Roslagen
Roslagen is the name of the coastal areas of Uppland province in Sweden, which also constitutes the northern part of the Stockholm archipelago.
Historically, it was the name for all the coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, including the eastern par ...
in
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
(with the older name being ''
Roden
Roden is a name of Germanic origin, originally meaning "red valley" or an anglicization of the Gaelic name "O'Rodain". It may refer to:
Places
*Roden, Bavaria, a town in the Main-Spessart district of Bavaria, Germany
*Roden, Netherlands, a town ...
'').
According to the prevalent theory, the name ''Rus'', like the Proto-Finnic name for Sweden (''*Ruotsi''), is derived from an
Old Norse
Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
term for "the men who row" (''rods-'') as rowing was the main method of navigating the rivers of Eastern Europe, and that it could be linked to the Swedish coastal area of
Roslagen
Roslagen is the name of the coastal areas of Uppland province in Sweden, which also constitutes the northern part of the Stockholm archipelago.
Historically, it was the name for all the coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, including the eastern par ...
(''Rus-law'') or ''Roden'', as it was known in earlier times.Stefan Brink, 'Who were the Vikings?', in The Viking World '', ed. by Stefan Brink and Neil Price (Abingdon: Routledge, 2008), pp. 4–10 (pp. 6–7). The name ''Rus'' would then have the same origin as the Finnish and
Estonian
Estonian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Estonia, a country in the Baltic region in northern Europe
* Estonians, people from Estonia, or of Estonian descent
* Estonian language
* Estonian cuisine
* Estonian culture
See also ...
names for Sweden: ''Ruotsi'' and ''Rootsi''."Russ, adj. and n." OED Online, Oxford University Press, June 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/169069. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
The ''
Primary Chronicle
The ''Primary Chronicle'', shortened from the common ''Russian Primary Chronicle'' (, commonly transcribed ''Povest' vremennykh let'' (PVL), ), is a Rus' chronicle, chronicle of Kievan Rus' from about 850 to 1110. It is believed to have been or ...
'' gives the following account the "
Calling of the Varangians
The calling of the Varangians, calling of the (Varangian) princes or invitation to the Varangians (; ) is a legend about the origins of the Rus' people, the Rurik dynasty and the Kievan Rus' state, recorded in many divergent versions in various ma ...
", dating it to the Byzantine years of the world 6368–6370 (AD 860–862):
There is some ambiguity even in the ''Primary Chronicle'' about the specifics of the story, "hence their paradoxical statement 'the people of Novgorod are of Varangian stock, for formerly they were Slovenes. However, archaeological evidence such as "
Frankish
Frankish may refer to:
* Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture
** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties
* Francia, a post-Roman ...
swords, a sword chape and a tortoiseshell brooch" in the area suggest that there was, in fact, a Scandinavian population during the tenth century at the latest.
Genetic studies
A genetic study on the origins of Rurikids (Zhur et al. 2023) analysed "for the first time", remains belonging to Prince
Dmitry Alexandrovich
Dmitry Alexandrovich (; 1250–1294) was Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1276 to 1281, and again from 1283 until 1293.
Biography
Dmitry was the second son of Alexander Nevsky. When his elder brother Vasily died young, Dmitry remained the chief ...
. The study found that Dmitry Alexandrovich and most of the "medieval and modern Rurikids", starting with Prince
Yaroslav the Wise
Yaroslav I Vladimirovich ( 978 – 20 February 1054), better known as Yaroslav the Wise, was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1019 until his death in 1054. He was also earlier Prince of Novgorod from 1010 to 1034 and Prince of Rostov from 987 to 1010, ...
, belong to paternal haplogroup N-M231 (N1a). The genetic results suggest that the formation of the Rurikid lineage included a population from eastern
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
(
Öland
Öland (, ; ; sometimes written ''Oland'' internationally) is the second-largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. ...
), a population from
Central Europe
Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...
or the
Iron Age
The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
Eurasian Steppe, and an
East Asian
East Asia is a geocultural region of Asia. It includes China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan, plus two special administrative regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau. The economies of Economy of China, China, Economy of Ja ...
component via Siberian geneflow to Northeastern Europe.
History
Rurik and his brothers founded a state that later historians called ''Kievan Rus′''. By the middle of the twelfth century, Kievan Rus′ had dissolved into independent
principalities
A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchical state or feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "principality" is often ...
, each ruled by a different branch of the Rurikid house. The dynasty followed
agnatic seniority
Agnatic seniority is a patrilineality, patrilineal principle of inheritance where the order of succession to the throne prefers the monarch's younger brother over the monarch's own sons. A monarch's children (the next generation) succeed only ...
and the ''
izgoi
Izgoi is a term that is found in medieval Kievan Rus'. In primary documents, it indicated orphans who were protected by the church. In historiographic writing on the period, the term was meant as a prince in Kievan Rus' who was excluded from succe ...
'' principle. The house underwent a major schism after the death of
Yaroslav the Wise
Yaroslav I Vladimirovich ( 978 – 20 February 1054), better known as Yaroslav the Wise, was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1019 until his death in 1054. He was also earlier Prince of Novgorod from 1010 to 1034 and Prince of Rostov from 987 to 1010, ...
in 1054, dividing into three branches on the basis of descent from three successive ruling Grand Princes: Iziaslav (1024–1078),
Sviatoslav
Sviatoslav (, ; , ) is a Russian and Ukrainian given name of Slavic origin. Cognates include Svetoslav, Svatoslav, , Svetislav. It has a Pre-Christian pagan character and means "one who worships the light" (likely in reference to the sun). In C ...
(1027–1076), and
Vsevolod Vsevolod or Wsewolod ( ; ) is a Slavic male first name. Its etymology is from Slavic roots 'vse' (all) and 'volodeti' (to rule) and means 'lord-of-everything/everybody', (similar to another princely name, "Vladimir" or "Volodymyr"). It is equiva ...
(1030–1093). In addition, a line of Polotsk princes assimilated themselves with the princes of
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
. In the 10th century the
Council of Liubech The Council of Liubech (sometimes referred to as the Liubech Conference) (, ) was one of the best documented princely meetings in Kievan Rus' that took place in Liubech (today in Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine) on October 19, 1097. The council ended the ...
made some amendments to a succession rule and divided
Ruthenia
''Ruthenia'' is an exonym, originally used in Medieval Latin, as one of several terms for Rus'. Originally, the term ''Rus' land'' referred to a triangular area, which mainly corresponds to the tribe of Polans in Dnieper Ukraine. ''Ruthenia' ...
into several autonomous principalities that had equal rights to obtain the Kievan throne.
Vsevolod's line eventually became better known as the
Monomakhovichi
The House of Monomakh or Monomakhovichi were a major princely branch of the Rurikid dynasty, descendants of which managed to inherit many princely titles which originated in Kievan Rus'.
History
The progenitor of the house is Vladimir II Monoma ...
and was the predominant one. The line of Sviatoslav later became known as Olegovychi and often laid claim to the lands of
Chernihiv
Chernihiv (, ; , ) is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within the oblast. Chernihiv's population is
The city was designated as a Hero City of Ukraine ...
and
Severia
Severia (, ; ) or Siveria ( / , ''Siveria'' / ''Sivershchyna'') is a historical region in present-day southwest Russia, northern Ukraine, and eastern Belarus. The largest part lies in modern Russia, while the central part of the region is the c ...
Volhynia
Volhynia or Volynia ( ; see #Names and etymology, below) is a historic region in Central and Eastern Europe, between southeastern Poland, southwestern Belarus, and northwestern Ukraine. The borders of the region are not clearly defined, but in ...
were eventually replaced by a Monomakhovychi branch.
According to
Jaroslaw Pelenski
Jaroslaw Pelenski (Warsaw, 12 April 1929 – New York City, 20 February 2022) was a Polish-born Ukrainian historian, political scientist and professor emeritus. He obtained his higher education in West Germany in the late 1940s and 1950s, and hi ...
,
This caused the Rurikid house to effectively dissolve into several sub-dynasties ruling smaller states in the 10th and 11th centuries. These were the ''Olgoviches'' of
Severia
Severia (, ; ) or Siveria ( / , ''Siveria'' / ''Sivershchyna'') is a historical region in present-day southwest Russia, northern Ukraine, and eastern Belarus. The largest part lies in modern Russia, while the central part of the region is the c ...
who ruled in
Chernigov
Chernihiv (, ; , ) is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within the oblast. Chernihiv's population is
The city was designated as a Hero City of Ukrain ...
, ''Yuryeviches'' who controlled
Vladimir-Suzdal
The Principality of Suzdal, from 1157 the Grand Principality of Vladimir, commonly known as Vladimir-Suzdal, or simply Suzdalia, was a medieval principality that was established during the disintegration of Kievan Rus'. In historiography, the ...
Olgovichi
The Olgovichi or Olhovychi were one of the four dominant princely clans of Kievan Rus' in the 12th and 13th century. First mentioned in the Hypatian Codex, Hypatian continuation of the ''Primary Chronicle'' (PVL) under the year 1116 and literally m ...
descended from
Oleg I of Chernigov
Oleg Svyatoslavich (Russian language, Russian and Ukrainian language, Ukrainian: Олег Святославич; 1052 – 1 August 1115), nicknamed Gorislavich (Гориславич, literally "of famous woe") was a prince from Kievan Ru ...
, a son of
Sviatoslav II of Kiev
Sviatoslav II Iaroslavich or Sviatoslav II Yaroslavich (; 1027 – 27 December 1076) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1073 until his death in 1076. He was a younger son of Yaroslav the Wise, the grand prince of Kiev. He is the progenitor of the '' ...
and grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. They continued to rule until the early 14th century when they were torn apart by the emerging
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
and
Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...
. The line continued through Oleg's son
Vsevolod II of Kiev
Vsevolod II Olgovich (died August 1, 1146) was Prince of Chernigov (1127–1139) and Grand Prince of Kiev (1139–1146). He was a son of Oleg I of Chernigov, Oleg Svyatoslavich, Prince of Chernigov.
Family
Vsevolod married Maria Mstislavna of Ki ...
, grandson
Sviatoslav III of Kiev
Sviatoslav III Vsevolodovich (died 1194) was Prince of Turov (1142 and 1154), Volhynia (1141–1146), Pinsk (1154), Novgorod-Seversk (1157–1164), Chernigov (1164–1177), Grand Prince of Kiev (1174; 1177–1180; 1182–1194). He was the son of ...
, great-grandson
Vsevolod IV of Kiev
Vsevolod IV Svyatoslavich the Red or Vsevolod Chermnyi (died August 1212) was Grand Prince of Kiev (1203; 1206; 1207; 1208–1212). He was also Prince of Chernigov (1204–1206/1208) and Belgorod (1205).
Reign
In 1183 and 1191 Vsevolod took part ...
and great-great-grandson
Michael of Chernigov
Mikhail Vsevolodovich ( – 20 September 1246), known as Michael or Mikhail of Chernigov, was Grand Prince of Kiev (1236–1239; 1241–1243); he was also Prince of Pereyaslavl (1206), Novgorod-Seversk (1219–1226), Chernigov (1223–1235; 1242� ...
, from whose sons the extant lines of the Olegoviches are descended, including the Massalsky, Gorchakov, Baryatinsky, Volkonsky and Obolensky, including Repnin.
Descendants of Vsevolod I of Kiev
Vsevolod I of Kiev
Vsevolod I Yaroslavich (; – 13 April 1093) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1078 until his death in 1093.
Early life
He was the fifth and favourite son of Yaroslav I the Wise by Ingigerd Olafsdottir. He was born around 1030. On his seal f ...
was the father of
Vladimir II Monomakh
Vladimir II Monomakh (; Christian name: ''Vasily''; 26 May 1053 – 19 May 1125) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1113 to 1125. He is considered a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and is celebrated on May 6 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics), May 6 ...
, giving rise to the name Monomakh for his progeny. Two of Vladimir II's sons were
Mstislav I of Kiev
Mstislav I Vladimirovich Monomakh (; Christian name: ''Fedor''; February 1076 – 14 April 1132), also known as Mstislav the Great, was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1125 until his death in 1132. After his death, the state began to quickly disin ...
and
Yuri Dolgorukiy
Yuri I Vladimirovich (; ; c. 1099 – 15 May 1157), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy (, ) or the Long Arm, was a Monomakhovichi prince of Rostov and Suzdal, acquiring the name ''Suzdalia'' during his reign. Noted for successfully curbing t ...
.
The
Romanovichi
Roman Mstislavich ( – 19 June 1205), also known as Roman the Great, was Prince of Novgorod (1168–1170), Volhynia (1170–1189; 1189–1205), and Galicia (1189; 1198/99–1205). He founded the ''Romanovichi'' branch of Rurikids, which woul ...
(Izyaslavichi of Volhynia) were the line of
Roman the Great
Roman Mstislavich ( – 19 June 1205), also known as Roman the Great, was Prince of Novgorod (1168–1170), Volhynia (1170–1189; 1189–1205), and Galicia (1189; 1198/99–1205). He founded the ''Romanovichi'' branch of Rurikids, which wou ...
, descended from Mstislav I of Kiev through his son
Iziaslav II of Kiev
Iziaslav II Mstislavich ( at Izbornik – 13 November 1154)
and his grandson
Mstislav II of Kiev
Mstislav II Iziaslavich (died 19 August 1170) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1158 to 1159 and again from 1167 to 1169.
Life
Mstislav was the son of Grand Prince Iziaslav II of Kiev. Along with his father, he participated in the wars against Yur ...
, father of Roman the Great. The older Monomakhovychi line that ruled the
Principality of Volhynia
A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchical state or feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "principality" is often ...
were eventually crowned kings of Galicia and Volhynia and ruled until 1323. The Romanovychi displaced the older line of Izyaslavychi from Turov and Volhynia as well as Rostyslavychi from Galicia. The last were two brothers of Romanovychi,
Andrew
Andrew is the English form of the given name, common in many countries. The word is derived from the , ''Andreas'', itself related to ''aner/andros'', "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "brave", "strong", "c ...
and Lev II, who ruled jointly and were slain trying to repel
Mongol
Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...
incursions. The Polish king,
Władysław I the Elbow-high Władysław is a Polish given male name, cognate with Vladislav. The feminine form is Władysława, archaic forms are Włodzisław (male) and Włodzisława (female), and Wladislaw is a variation. These names may refer to:
People Mononym
* Włodzis ...
, in his letter to the Pope wrote with regret: "The two last Ruthenian kings, that had been firm shields for Poland from the Tatars, left this world and after their death Poland is directly under Tatar threat." Losing their leadership role, the Rurikids, however, continued to play a vital role in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
and the later
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
. Most notably, the
Ostrogski family
The House of Ostrogski (; ; ) was one of the more prominent families in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The family spanned from the 14th century Ruthenian noble Daniil Ostrogski ...
held the title of
Grand Hetman of Lithuania
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma, USA
* Grand, Vosges, village and commune in France with Gallo-Roman amphitheatre
* Grand County (disambiguation), s ...
and strove to preserve the
Ruthenian language
Ruthenian (see also #Nomenclature, other names) is an exonymic linguonym for a closely related group of East Slavic languages, East Slavic linguistic Variety (linguistics), varieties, particularly those spoken from the 15th to 18th centuries in ...
and
Eastern Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
in this part of Europe. It is thought that the Drutsk and related princely families may also descend from Roman the Great.
The
Rostislavichi
The Rostislavichi of Smolensk were one of the four dominant princely clans of Kievan Rus' in the 12th and 13th century. They were one of many branches of the House of Rurik.
History
They are named after Rostislav I Mstislavich of Kiev (died 11 ...
were the line of
Rostislav I of Kiev
Rostislav Mstislavich ( – 1167) was Prince of Smolensk (1125–1160), Novgorod (1154) and Grand Prince of Kiev (1154–1155; 1159–1161; 1161–1167). He is the founder of the Rostislavichi branch of Rurikid princes in Smolensk
Smolensk ...
, another son of Mstislav I of Kiev, who was
Prince of Smolensk
The Prince of Smolensk was the '' kniaz'', the ruler or sub-ruler, of the Rus' Principality of Smolensk, a lordship based on the city of Smolensk. It passed between different groups of descendants of Grand Prince Iaroslav I of Kiev until 1125, wh ...
and a progenitor of the lines descending from the princes of Smolensk and Yaroslavl.
The
Shakhovskoy
The House of Shakhovskoy is the name of a Russian nobility, noble family of the Russian Empire which claims descent from Konstantin Glebovich "Shah", a voivode of Nizhny Novgorod in 1481. Most members of the family fled the Russian Empire in 191 ...
s were founded by Konstantin "Shakh" Glebovich, Prince of
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl (; , ) is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historic part of the city is a World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl rivers. ...
, and traces its lineage to
Rostislav I of Kiev
Rostislav Mstislavich ( – 1167) was Prince of Smolensk (1125–1160), Novgorod (1154) and Grand Prince of Kiev (1154–1155; 1159–1161; 1161–1167). He is the founder of the Rostislavichi branch of Rurikid princes in Smolensk
Smolensk ...
through his son
Davyd Rostislavich
David Rostislavich (Cyrillic: Давыд Ростиславич) (1140 - 23 April 1197), Prince of Smolensk (1180–1198) was fourth son of Rostislav Mstislavich, Velikiy Kniaz (Grand Prince) of Kiev.
Biography
David was born in Smolensk in 1140, ...
Ivan I of Moscow
Ivan I Danilovich Kalita (, ; – 31 March 1340) was Prince of Moscow from 1325 and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1331 until his death.
Ivan inherited the Moscow principality following the death of his elder brother Yury. In 1327, following a ...
, through the latter's daughter Evdokia Ivanovna Moskovskaya (1314–1342), who married , Prince of
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl (; , ) is a city and the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located northeast of Moscow. The historic part of the city is a World Heritage Site, and is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl rivers. ...
(died 1345). They were the great-grandparents of Andrey and Yuriy, the first Shakhovskoy princes. This is possibly the most senior extant branch of the Rurikids, with many Shakhovskoys living outside of Russia after having fled during the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution, social change in Russian Empire, Russia, starting in 1917. This period saw Russia Dissolution of the Russian Empire, abolish its mona ...
.
The
Yurievichi
Yuri I Vladimirovich (; ; c. 1099 – 15 May 1157), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy (, ) or the Long Arm, was a Monomakhovichi prince of Rostov and Suzdal, acquiring the name ''Suzdalia'' during his reign. Noted for successfully curbing t ...
were founded by
Yuriy Dolgorukiy
Yuri I Vladimirovich (; ; c. 1099 – 15 May 1157), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy (, ) or the Long Arm, was a Monomakhovichi prince of Rostov and Suzdal, acquiring the name ''Suzdalia'' during his reign. Noted for successfully curbing t ...
, the founder of Moscow and spread vastly in the north-east. Yuri's son
Vsevolod the Big Nest
Vsevolod III Yuryevich, or Vsevolod the Big Nest (; 1154–1212), was Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1176 to 1212. During his long reign, the city reached the zenith of its glory.
Family
Vsevolod was the tenth or eleventh son of Yuri Dolgoruk ...
was Prince of
Vladimir-Suzdal
The Principality of Suzdal, from 1157 the Grand Principality of Vladimir, commonly known as Vladimir-Suzdal, or simply Suzdalia, was a medieval principality that was established during the disintegration of Kievan Rus'. In historiography, the ...
, a precursor state to the
Grand Principality of Moscow
The Grand Principality of Moscow, or Muscovy, known as the Principality of Moscow until 1389, was a late medieval Russian monarchy. Its capital was the city of Moscow. Originally established as a minor principality in the 13th century, the gra ...
and thus of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
. Vsevolod's son
Konstantin of Rostov
Konstantin Vsevolodovich () (18 May 1186 in Rostov – 2 February 1218) was the eldest son of Vsevolod the Big Nest and Maria Shvarnovna.
In 1206 and 1207, he was the prince of Novgorod. In 1207, his father sent him to rule the towns of R ...
was Prince of Rostov and the progenitor of various Rostov princely lines. Another son, Ivan Vsevolodich, was Prince of
Starodub
Starodub (, , ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, on the Babinets (river), Babinets River in the Dnieper basin, southwest of Bryansk. Population: 16,000 (1975).
History
Starodub has been known ...
and progenitor of a number of extant lines, most notably the Gagarin line.
Vsevolod's son
Yaroslav II of Vladimir
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich (; Christian name: ''Theodor'' (); 8 February 1191 – 30 September 1246), also transliterated as Iaroslav, was Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1238 to 1246. He collaborated with Batu Khan following the Mongol invasion, be ...
was the father of
Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (; ; monastic name: ''Aleksiy''; 13 May 1221 – 14 November 1263) was Prince of Novgorod (1236–1240; 1241–1256; 1258–1259), Grand Prince of Kiev (1249–1263), and Grand Prince of Vladimir (1252–1263).
...
, whose son
Daniel of Moscow
Daniil Aleksandrovich ( Russian: Даниил Александрович; 1261 – 5 March 1303), also known as Daniil of Moscow, was the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky and forefather of all Princes of Moscow. His descendants are known as t ...
sired the ruling house of Moscow until the end of the 16th century; the princes of Moscow are often referred to as the ''Daniilovichi''.
Beginning with the reign of
Ivan the Terrible
Ivan IV Vasilyevich (; – ), commonly known as Ivan the Terrible,; ; monastic name: Jonah. was Grand Prince of Moscow, Grand Prince of Moscow and all Russia from 1533 to 1547, and the first Tsar of all Russia, Tsar and Grand Prince of all R ...
, the Muscovite branch used the title "Tsar of All Russia" and ruled over the
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia, also known as the Tsardom of Moscow, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of tsar by Ivan the Terrible, Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter the Great in 1721.
...
. The death in 1598 of Tsar Feodor I ended the rule of the Rurik dynasty. The dynasty was briefly revived in the person of
Vasili IV of Russia
Vasili IV Ivanovich Shuisky (, 12 September 1612) was Tsar of all Russia from 1606 to 1610, after the murder of False Dmitri I. His rule coincided with the Time of Troubles. He was the only member of Shuysky, House of Shuisky to become t ...
, a descendant of Shuyskiy line of the Rurik dynasty, but he died without issue. The unstable period known as the
Time of Troubles
The Time of Troubles (), also known as Smuta (), was a period of political crisis in Tsardom of Russia, Russia which began in 1598 with the death of Feodor I of Russia, Feodor I, the last of the Rurikids, House of Rurik, and ended in 1613 wit ...
followed Feodor's death and lasted until 1613.
In that year, Mikhail I ascended the throne, founding the
Romanov dynasty
The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russia. Ni ...
that would rule until 1762 and as
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning dynasty, imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russi ...
Patriarch Filaret of Moscow
Feodor Nikitich Romanov (, ; 1553 – 1 October 1633) was a Russian boyar who after temporary disgrace rose to become patriarch of Moscow as Filaret (, ), and became de facto ruler of Russia during the reign of his son, Mikhail Feodorovich.
B ...
was descended from the Rurik dynasty through the female line. His mother, Evdokiya Gorbataya-Shuyskaya, was a Rurikid princess from the
Shuysky
The House of Shuysky (Shuisky; ) was a Russian family of boyars and tsars, a cadet branch of the Rurikids.
The surname is derived from the town of Shuya, of which the Shuiskys gained ownership in 1403. From 1606 to 1610, Vasili Shuisky ...
branch, daughter of
Alexander Gorbatyi-Shuisky
Prince Alexander Borisovich Gorbatyi-Shuisky (; died 1565) was a Russian general during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.
Life
He belonged to the powerful Shuisky family, being the last scion of its junior branch. His father was one of the success ...
. Tsar Mikhail's first wife
Maria Dolgorukova
Maria Vladimirovna Dolgorukova (; 1608 – ) was the tsaritsa of all Russia as the first wife of Michael of Russia. She was the first tsaritsa of the Romanov dynasty.
Life
Maria Dolgorukova was born in 1608 into the family of the ''boyar'' an ...
was of Rurikid stock but their marriage produced no children.
Monomakhovichi
The House of Monomakh or Monomakhovichi were a major princely branch of the Rurikid dynasty, descendants of which managed to inherit many princely titles which originated in Kievan Rus'.
History
The progenitor of the house is Vladimir II Monoma ...
, princes of Pereyaslav
** Izyaslavichi of Volhynia, princes of Volhynia, kings of Rus (senior branch)
**
Rostislavichi of Smolensk
The Rostislavichi of Smolensk were one of the four dominant princely clans of Kievan Rus' in the 12th and 13th century. They were one of many branches of the House of Rurik.
History
They are named after Rostislav I Mstislavich of Kiev (died 11 ...
, princes of Smolensk (middle branch)
***
Kropotkin
Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin (9 December 1842 – 8 February 1921) was a Russian anarchist and geographer known as a proponent of anarchist communism.
Born into an aristocratic land-owning family, Kropotkin attended the Page Corps and later ...
, princes Kropotkin (extant)
***
Lvov princely family
The House of Lvov () is a princely Russian family of Rurikid stock. The family is descended from the princes (''knyazes'') of Yaroslavl where early members of the family are buried.https://russiannobility.org/princes-of-the-russian-empire/
Not ...
, emerged in the 17th century as descendants of the Rostislavichi princes of Yaroslavl (before 1260 Yaroslavl was in Yurievichi hands)
*** Rzhesvsky, non-titled (extant)
***
Prozorovsky
The House of Prozorovsky () were a Russian nobility, Russian noble family descending from medieval rulers of Yaroslavl and Mologa and eventually the Rostislavichi of Smolensk. Their name is derived from the village of Prozorovo near Mologa, which ...
(extinct since 1914)
**
Yurievichi
Yuri I Vladimirovich (; ; c. 1099 – 15 May 1157), commonly known as Yuri Dolgorukiy (, ) or the Long Arm, was a Monomakhovichi prince of Rostov and Suzdal, acquiring the name ''Suzdalia'' during his reign. Noted for successfully curbing t ...
Daniilovichi
Daniil Aleksandrovich (Russian: Даниил Александрович; 1261 – 5 March 1303), also known as Daniil of Moscow, was the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky and forefather of all Princes of Moscow. His descendants are known as the ...
, princes of Moscow. This branch would reign in
Muscovy Muscovy or Moscovia () is an alternative name for the Principality of Moscow (1263–1547) and the Tsardom of Russia (1547–1721).
It may also refer to:
*Muscovy Company, an English trading company chartered in 1555
*Muscovy duck (''Cairina mosch ...
and the
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia, also known as the Tsardom of Moscow, was the centralized Russian state from the assumption of the title of tsar by Ivan the Terrible, Ivan IV in 1547 until the foundation of the Russian Empire by Peter the Great in 1721.
...
until it went extinct with the 1598 death of
Feodor I
Feodor I Ioannovich () or Fyodor I Ivanovich (; 31 May 1557 – 17 January 1598), nicknamed the Blessed (), was Tsar of all Russia from 1584 until his death in 1598.
Feodor's mother died when he was three, and he grew up in the shadow of his ...
, which caused the
Time of Troubles
The Time of Troubles (), also known as Smuta (), was a period of political crisis in Tsardom of Russia, Russia which began in 1598 with the death of Feodor I of Russia, Feodor I, the last of the Rurikids, House of Rurik, and ended in 1613 wit ...
.
***Konstantinovichi, princes of
Galich, Russia
Galich () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, located on the southern bank of Lake Galichskoye. As of the Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census, its population was 12,856.
History
It was first chro ...
(1247–1362). Progenitor: , son of
Yaroslav II of Vladimir
Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich (; Christian name: ''Theodor'' (); 8 February 1191 – 30 September 1246), also transliterated as Iaroslav, was Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1238 to 1246. He collaborated with Batu Khan following the Mongol invasion, be ...
****
Lyapunov family
The Lyapunov family () is a Russian noble family claiming descent from the Galich Rurikids, who lost their princely title in the 15th century.Their descent from Rurik is disputed by some historians, such as Sergey Soloviev. The family later se ...
, emerged in the 16th century as descendants from the Konstantinovichi princes of
Galich, Russia
Galich () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town in Kostroma Oblast, Russia, located on the southern bank of Lake Galichskoye. As of the Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census, its population was 12,856.
History
It was first chro ...
**
Shakhovskoy
The House of Shakhovskoy is the name of a Russian nobility, noble family of the Russian Empire which claims descent from Konstantin Glebovich "Shah", a voivode of Nizhny Novgorod in 1481. Most members of the family fled the Russian Empire in 191 ...
, princes of Yaroslavl (senior extant branch)
**
Lobanov-Rostovsky Lobanov-Rostovsky (), feminine: Lobanova-Rostovskaya () is a Russian surname of noble origin, associated with the House of Lobanov-Rostovsky. Notable people with the surname include:
* Aleksandr Lobanov-Rostovsky (disambiguation), multiple persons
...
, princes of Rostov (middle extant branch)
** Gagarin, princes of
Starodub-on-the-Klyazma
Starodub-on-the-Klyazma ( rus, Староду́б-на-Кля́зьме, p=stərɐˈdub nə ˈklʲæzʲmʲɪ) was a prominent urban centre of Russian Opolye from the 12th until the 14th century. Like so many towns in the vicinity, it was named ...
(junior extant branch)
*
Sviatoslavichi
Sviatoslav II Iaroslavich or Sviatoslav II Yaroslavich (; 1027 – 27 December 1076) was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1073 until his death in 1076. He was a younger son of Yaroslav the Wise, the grand prince of Kiev. He is the progenitor of the '' ...
, princes of Ryazan and Murom
**
Olgovichi
The Olgovichi or Olhovychi were one of the four dominant princely clans of Kievan Rus' in the 12th and 13th century. First mentioned in the Hypatian Codex, Hypatian continuation of the ''Primary Chronicle'' (PVL) under the year 1116 and literally m ...
, princes of Chernihiv
*** Skarzynski, Belarusian nobles
***
Gorchakov
The House of Gorchakov, or Gortchakoff (), is a Russian noble family claiming descent from Michael of Chernigov, although it did not gain prominence until the 18th century.
Aleksey Gorchakov
The family first achieved prominence during the reig ...
, princes Gorchakov (extant)
***
Massalski family
image:POL COA Masalski Książę III.svg, 200px, Coat of Arms of the Massalski family
The House of Massalski (Plural: Massalscy; , feminine form: Massalska), sometimes Masalski, Massalsky or Mosalsky, is a Rzeczpospolita, Polish-Lithuanian, Russ ...
, princes of Mosalsky (Massalsky)
***
Obolensky
The House of Obolensky () is an ancient Russian princely family, claiming descent from the Olgovichi branch of the Rurik dynasty.
History
Their name is said to derive from the town of Obolensk in the Upper Oka Principalities near Moscow. ...
, princes Obolensky (extant)
****
Dolgorukov
The House of Dolgorukov ( rus, Долгору́ков, p=dəlɡɐˈrukəf) is a princely Russian family of Rurikid stock. They are a cadet branch of the Obolenskiy family (until 1494 the rulers of Obolensk, one of the Upper Oka Principaliti ...
, princes Dolgorukov (extant; cadet branch of the Obolensky family)
*
Rostislavichi of Tmutarakan
Rostislav Vladimirovich ( – 3 February 1066) was a landless prince (''izgoi'') from the Rurikid dynasty of Kievan Rus’. He was baptized as Mikhail. According to the Russian genealogist Nikolai Baumgarten, the mother of Rostislav was Oda of ...
, princes of
Tmutarakan
Tmutarakan (, ; ) was a medieval principality of Kievan Rus' and trading town that controlled the Cimmerian Bosporus, the passage from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, between the late 10th and 11th centuries. Its site was the ancient Greek col ...
* Rostislavichi of Halych, princes of Halych
*Vadbosky, a branch of the princes Belozersky (extant)
*Volkonsky, a branch of the princes of Tarusa (extant)
Disputed
*Possibly the
Ogiński family
The House of Ogiński, feminine form: Ogińska, plural: Ogińscy (, ) was a noble family of Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland (later, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), member of the Princely houses of Poland and Lithuania.
They were most ...
; various "Rurikid" branches have been proposed, as well as Lithuanian ones.
*Possibly the
Ostrogski family
The House of Ostrogski (; ; ) was one of the more prominent families in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The family spanned from the 14th century Ruthenian noble Daniil Ostrogski ...
, a branch of the
Romanovichi
Roman Mstislavich ( – 19 June 1205), also known as Roman the Great, was Prince of Novgorod (1168–1170), Volhynia (1170–1189; 1189–1205), and Galicia (1189; 1198/99–1205). He founded the ''Romanovichi'' branch of Rurikids, which woul ...
, but could also be descended from the Lithuanian
Gediminids
The House of Gediminas (), or simply the Gediminids, were a dynasty of monarchs in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that reigned from the 14th to the 16th century. A cadet branch of this family, known as the Jagiellonian dynasty, reigned also in th ...
.
*Possibly the
Wiśniowiecki
The House of Wiśniowiecki () was a Princely houses of Poland and Lithuania, Polish-Lithuanian princely family of Ruthenian origin, notable in the history of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. They were powerful magnates with estates predo ...
family, a branch of the House of
Zbaraski
200px, Korybut coat of arms, for comparison
The House of Zbaraski () was a Polish-Lithuanian princely family of Ruthenian origin in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland domiciled in Volhynia (today Ukraine). The name is derived from the town o ...
(extinct), but could also be descended from the Lithuanian
Gediminids
The House of Gediminas (), or simply the Gediminids, were a dynasty of monarchs in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that reigned from the 14th to the 16th century. A cadet branch of this family, known as the Jagiellonian dynasty, reigned also in th ...
.
Legacy
Russian
Russian(s) may refer to:
*Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*A citizen of Russia
*Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages
*''The Russians'', a b ...
and Ukrainian historians have debated for many years about the legacy of the Rurikid dynasty. The Russian view sees the
Principality of Moscow
A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchical state or feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "principality" is often ...
ruled by the Rurikid dynasty as the sole heir to the Kievan Rus' civilisation, this view is "resting largely on religious-ecclesiastical and historical claims" because Eastern Russian lands managed to establish themself as independent state that was ruled by the Rurikid dynasty until 16th century. This view started in
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
as ruled by the original Rurikid dynasty between the 1330s and the late 1560s. At the same time Ukrainian view of sole succession is based on continuity from the Kievan Rus and its subsequent
Kingdom of Ruthenia
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchic state or realm ruled by a king or queen.
** A monarchic chiefdom, represented or governed by a king or queen.
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and me ...
Cossack Hetmanate
The Cossack Hetmanate (; Cossack Hetmanate#Name, see other names), officially the Zaporozhian Host (; ), was a Ukrainian Cossacks, Cossack state. Its territory was located mostly in central Ukraine, as well as in parts of Belarus and southwest ...
. For that it had utilised mainly territorial, ethnodemographic, social, and institutional arguments.
The predominant Ukrainian view had gradually changed over time. After decline of Kievan Rus rulers of Galicia-Volhynia claimed sole succession and the title of ruler of all former Rus lands as was noted in Kievan and then
Galician–Volhynian Chronicle
The ''Galician–Volhynian Chronicle'' (GVC) (, called "Halicz-Wolyn Chronicle" in Polish historiography), also known as ''Chronicle of Halych–Volhynia'' and by other names is a prominent work of Old Ruthenian literature and historiographyKotl ...
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
claimed sole succession as well, which in turn was supported by Ruthenian population and historians at the time. But that view had shifted by mid 17th century, especially after
Pereiaslav Agreement
The Pereiaslav Agreement or Pereyaslav AgreementPereyaslav Agreement Bri ...
and publication of
Kievan Synopsis
The ''Synopsis'', also known as the ''Kievan Synopsis'' or ''Kyivan Synopsis'' () is work of history, first published in Kiev (Kyiv) in 1674. It interprets history through a Christian conception of time focused on the narratives of creation, fal ...
in 1674 that viewed people of
Great Russia
Great Russia, sometimes Great Rus' ( , ; , ; , ), is a name formerly applied to the territories of "Russia proper", the land that formed the core of the Grand Duchy of Moscow and later the Tsardom of Russia. This was the land to which the e ...
,
Little Russia
Little Russia, also known as Lesser Russia, Malorussia, or Little Rus', is a geographical and historical term used to describe Ukraine.
At the beginning of the 14th century, the patriarch of Constantinople accepted the distinction between wha ...
and
White Russia
White Russia, White Russian, or Russian White may refer to:
White Russia
*White Ruthenia, a historical reference for a territory in the eastern part of present-day Belarus
* An archaic literal translation for Belarus/Byelorussia/Belorussia
* Rus ...
as single
All-Russian nation
The All-Russian nation or All-Russian people () or triune Russian people (), also called the triune Russian nation or pan-Russian nation, is the term for the Imperial Russian and modern Russian irredentist ideology that sees the Russian nation ...
under leadership of Tsar. Though latter was challenged, but eventually became predominantly accepted until
History of Ruthenians
''History of Ruthenians or Little Russia'' () also known as ''History of the Rus' People'' is an anonymous historico-political treatise, most likely written at the break of the 18th and 19th centuries. It had a great influence on the formation ...
was written at the break of the 18th and 19th centuries underlying foundation for separate Ukrainian historiography with later monolineal and exclusivist Ukrainian national theory being advanced by national historiography between the 1840s and the end of the 1930s. It was summarised most clearly by
Mykhailo Hrushevsky
Mykhailo Serhiiovych Hrushevsky (; – 24 November 1934) was a Ukrainian academician, politician, historian and statesman who was one of the most important figures of the Ukrainian national revival of the early 20th century. Hrushevsky is ...
in his
History of Ukraine-Rusʹ
''History of Ukraine-Rus'' () is a monumental 10-volume monographic series by Mykhailo Hrushevsky. The work is generally considered a magnum opus and a foundation of the contemporary history of Ukraine. It covers the period from ancient times to ...
laying foundation for current sole succession view.
During
Soviet
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
times by 1930s prior
All-Russian nation
The All-Russian nation or All-Russian people () or triune Russian people (), also called the triune Russian nation or pan-Russian nation, is the term for the Imperial Russian and modern Russian irredentist ideology that sees the Russian nation ...
ideology was a modified to "allot equal rights to the Kievan inheritance to the Three Slavic peoples, that is the Russians, the Ukrainians, and the
Belorussians
Belarusians ( ) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Belarus. They natively speak Belarusian, an East Slavic language. More than 9 million people proclaim Belarusian ethnicity worldwide. Nearly 7.99 million Belarusians reside ...
", but later elevated the Russian nation as the elder brother to give the others "needed guidance in revolutionary struggles and socialist construction."
There are currently various extant branches of the Rurikids, for instance: the Houses of
Shakhovskoy
The House of Shakhovskoy is the name of a Russian nobility, noble family of the Russian Empire which claims descent from Konstantin Glebovich "Shah", a voivode of Nizhny Novgorod in 1481. Most members of the family fled the Russian Empire in 191 ...
, Gagarin, and
Lobanov-Rostovsky Lobanov-Rostovsky (), feminine: Lobanova-Rostovskaya () is a Russian surname of noble origin, associated with the House of Lobanov-Rostovsky. Notable people with the surname include:
* Aleksandr Lobanov-Rostovsky (disambiguation), multiple persons
...
Rostov
Rostov-on-Don is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East European Plain on the Don River, from the Sea of Azov, directly north of t ...
. The three of them are of the
Monomakhovichi
The House of Monomakh or Monomakhovichi were a major princely branch of the Rurikid dynasty, descendants of which managed to inherit many princely titles which originated in Kievan Rus'.
History
The progenitor of the house is Vladimir II Monoma ...
branch. While the Shakhovskoys claim descent from
Mstislav I of Kiev
Mstislav I Vladimirovich Monomakh (; Christian name: ''Fedor''; February 1076 – 14 April 1132), also known as Mstislav the Great, was Grand Prince of Kiev from 1125 until his death in 1132. After his death, the state began to quickly disin ...
, the Gagarins and the Lobanov-Rostovskys are descendants of Vsevolod III of Vladimir, which makes the Shakhovskoys the most senior.
Gallery
File:COA Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov chivalric.svg, Arms of the House of
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov
The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning dynasty, imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russi ...
File:RU COA Dolgorukov.svg, Coat of arms of the Dolgoruky family
File:RU COA Beloselsky-Belozersky.svg, Coat of arms of the
Belosselsky-Belozersky family
The House of Belosselsky-Belozersky is a Rurikid Russian princely family family that descends in a direct male line from the Earliest Kievan Rus rulers and later of the medieval sovereigns of the Principality of Beloozero.
Origins
The family ...
File:RU COA Kropotkin.svg, Coat of arms of the
Kropotkin family
The House of Kropotkin ({{langx, ru, Князья Кропоткины, translit=Knyaz'ya Kropotkiny) is an ancient Russian nobility, Russian noble family of Rurik dynasty, Rurik stock descending from Prince Dmitry Vasilyevich nicknamed ''Kropotk ...
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow.
First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest cities in Russia. It has been a regional capital for most of ...
and
Belozersk
Belozersk (), known as Beloozero () until 1777, is a town and the administrative center of Belozersky District in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the southern bank of Lake Beloye, from which it takes the name, northwest of Vologda, the admi ...
emblems.
File:Coats of arms of the house of Gagarin.svg,
Gagarin family
The House of Gagarin () is an ancient Russian princely family descending from Monomakhovichi, sovereign rulers of Starodub-on-the-Klyazma, a branch of the Rurik dynasty.
Origins
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich II of Vladimir (died 1246) gave to his you ...
/ Khilkoff Coat of arms
File:Golitsyn dukes v1 p2.png, Coat of arms of the Golitsyn family
File:Gorchakov arms.jpg, Coat of arms of the
Gorchakov
The House of Gorchakov, or Gortchakoff (), is a Russian noble family claiming descent from Michael of Chernigov, although it did not gain prominence until the 18th century.
Aleksey Gorchakov
The family first achieved prominence during the reig ...
family
File:RU COA Mosalsky XV, 2.jpg, Coat of arms of the Mosalsky family
File:Herb Ostrogski.jpg, Coat of arms of the
Ostrogski
The House of Ostrogski (; ; ) was one of the more prominent families in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. The family spanned from the 14th century Rut ...
family
File:Repnin coat.jpg, The
Obolensky
The House of Obolensky () is an ancient Russian princely family, claiming descent from the Olgovichi branch of the Rurik dynasty.
History
Their name is said to derive from the town of Obolensk in the Upper Oka Principalities near Moscow. ...
–
Repnin
The House of Repnin (), is an ancient Russian princely family, claiming descent from the Olgovichi branch of Rurik dynasty. They held the hereditary title of Knyaz in the Empire of Russia.
History
The family traces its name to Prince Ivan Mikh ...
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
is composed of the emblems of
Kyiv
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
and
Chernigov
Chernihiv (, ; , ) is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within the oblast. Chernihiv's population is
The city was designated as a Hero City of Ukrain ...
.
File:RU COA Romodanovsky.svg, Coat of arms of the Romodanowski family
File:RU COA Shujski.png, Coat of arms of the Shuyski family
File:RU_COA_Tatischev_II,_17.png, Coat of arms of the Tatischev family
image:POL COA Korybut.svg,
Korybut coat of arms
Korybut is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by the Princely House of Wiśniowiecki-Zbaraski and several branches of the House of Nieświcki in the times of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Notable bearers
Notable bearers of this coat of ...
See also
*
Grand Prince of Kiev
The Grand Prince of Kiev (sometimes also Grand Duke) was the title of the monarch of Kievan Rus', residing in Kiev (modern Kyiv) from the 10th to 13th centuries. In the 13th century, Kiev became an appanage principality first of the grand prin ...
*
Shum-gora
200px, Shum-gora, August 2013, as viewed from the North-East
Shum Gora () is a massive kurgan (tumulus) situated in Peredolskaya Volost, near the bank of the Luga River, Batetsky District, Novgorod Oblast, northwestern Russia, about 60 km w ...
*
Prince of Tver
The Prince of Tver () was the ruler of the Principality of Tver. The princes of Tver descended from the first prince, Yaroslav Yaroslavich (). They are also known as the "Iaroslavichi" or "Yaroslavichi of Tver", or the "Mikhailovichi of Tver". In ...
*
Knyaz
A , also , ''knjaz'' or (), is a historical Slavs, Slavic title, used both as a royal and noble title in different times. It is usually translated into English language, English as 'prince', 'king' or 'duke', depending on specific historical c ...
*
Symbols of the Rurikids
Throughout the early Middle Ages, the Rurikid knyazes of the Kievan Rus' used unique symbols to denote property rights over various items. They are depicted on Punch (tool), punches, Seal (emblem), seals, and coins of the Rurikids. In contrast to ...