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

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

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

"Rurik's Calling". Unknown author.

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

"Rurik's Calling".

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Old Russian chronicle of the 12th century “The Tale of Bygone Years” introduces us to a very interesting event that happened in 862. It was in this year that the Varangian Rurik was invited by the Slavic tribes to reign in Novgorod.

This event became fundamental in counting the beginning of the statehood of the Eastern Slavs and received the code name “Calling of the Varangians.” It is with Rurik that the countdown of the rulers of the Russian lands begins. Our history is very rich. It is filled with both heroic and tragic events, and all of them are inextricably linked with specific personalities that history has placed in chronological order.

Novgorod princes (862-882)

Novgorod princes of the pre-Kiev period. The State of Rurik - this is how the emerging Old Russian state can be conventionally called. According to the Tale of Bygone Years, this time is associated with the calling of the Varangians and the transfer of the capital to the city of Kyiv.

Kyiv princes (882-1263)

We include the rulers of the Old Russian state and the Principality of Kiev as the Kyiv princes. From the end of the 9th to the beginning of the 13th century, the Kiev throne was considered the most prestigious, and it was occupied by the most authoritative princes (usually from the Rurik dynasty), who were recognized by the other princes in the order of succession to the throne. At the end of the 12th century, this tradition began to weaken; influential princes did not occupy the Kiev throne personally, but sent their proteges to it.

Ruler	Years of reign	Note
Yaropolk Svyatoslavich
Svyatopolk Vladimirovich	1015-1016; 1018-1019
Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Vseslav Bryachislavich
Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Svyatoslav Yaroslavich
Vsevolod Yaroslavich
Izyaslav Yaroslavich
Vsevolod Yaroslavich
Svyatopolk Izyaslavich
Mstislav Vladimirovich the Great
Yaropolk Vladimirovich
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich
Vsevolod Olgovich
Igor Olgovich	August 1146
Izyaslav Mstislavich
Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgoruky
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich	August 1150
Izyaslav Mstislavich	August 1150
	August 1150 - early 1151
Izyaslav Mstislavich
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich		co-ruler
Rostislav Mstislavich	December 1154
Izyaslav Davydovich
Izyaslav Davydovich
Mstislav Izyaslavich
Rostislav Mstislavich
Izyaslav Davydovich
Rostislav Mstislavich
Vladimir Mstislavich	March - May 1167
Mstislav Izyaslavich
Gleb Yurievich
Mstislav Izyaslavich
Gleb Yurievich
Mikhalko Yurievich
Roman Rostislavich
Yaropolk Rostislavich		co-ruler
Rurik Rostislavich
Yaroslav Izyaslavich
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich	January 1174
Yaroslav Izyaslavich	January - 2nd half 1174
Roman Rostislavich
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich
Rurik Rostislavich	end of August 1180 - summer 1181
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich
Rurik Rostislavich	summer 1194 - autumn 1201
Ingvar Yaroslavich
Rurik Rostislavich
Rostislav Rurikovich	winter 1204 - summer 1205
Rurik Rostislavich
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny	August - September 1206
Rurik Rostislavich	September 1206 - spring 1207
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny	spring - October 1207
Rurik Rostislavich	October 1207 - 1210
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich Chermny	1210 - summer 1212
Ingvar Yaroslavich
Mstislav Romanovich
Vladimir Rurikovich
Izyaslav Mstislavich	June - end 1235
Vladimir Rurikovich	end 1235-1236
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich	1236 - 1st half of 1238
Vladimir Rurikovich
Mikhail Vsevolodovich
Rostislav Mstislavich
Daniil Romanovich
Mikhail Vsevolodovich
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich

Vladimir Grand Dukes (1157-1425)

The Vladimir Grand Dukes are the rulers of North-Eastern Rus'. The period of their reign begins with the separation of the Rostov-Suzdal principality from Kyiv in 1132 and ends in 1389, after the entry of the Vladimir principality into the Moscow principality. In 1169, Andrei Bogolyubsky captured Kyiv and was proclaimed Grand Duke, but did not go to reign in Kyiv. From this time on, Vladimir received grand ducal status and turned into one of the most influential centers of the Russian lands. After the start of the Mongol invasion, the Vladimir princes are recognized in the Horde as the oldest in Rus', and Vladimir becomes the nominal capital of the Russian lands.

Ruler	Years of reign	Note
Mikhalko Yurievich
Yaropolk Rostislavich
Mikhalko Yurievich
Yuri Vsevolodovich
Konstantin Vsevolodovich
Yuri Vsevolodovich
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich	1246 - beginning of 1248
Mikhail Yaroslavovich Khorobrit	early 1248 - winter 1248/1249
Andrey Yaroslavovich
Yaroslav Yaroslavovich Tverskoy
Vasily Yaroslavovich Kostromskoy
Dmitry Alexandrovich Pereyaslavsky	December 1283 - 1293
Andrey Alexandrovich Gorodetsky
Mikhail Yaroslavovich Tverskoy
Yuri Danilovich
Dmitry Mikhailovich Terrible Eyes (Tverskoy)
Alexander Mikhailovich Tverskoy
Alexander Vasilievich Suzdalsky
		co-ruler
Semyon Ivanovich Gordy
Ivan II Ivanovich the Red
Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy	early January - spring 1363
Dmitry Konstantinovich Suzdal-Nizhegorodsky
Vasily Dmitrievich

Moscow princes and grand dukes (1263-1547)

During the period of feudal fragmentation, Moscow princes increasingly found themselves at the head of the troops. They managed to get out of conflicts with other countries and neighbors, achieving a positive solution to their own political issues. The Moscow princes changed history: they overthrew the Mongol yoke and returned the state to its former greatness.

Ruler	Years of reign	Note
	nominally 1263, actually from 1272 (no later than 1282) - 1303
Yuri Danilovich
Semyon Ivanovich Gordy
Ivan II Ivanovich the Red
Vasily II Vasilievich Dark
Yuri Dmitrievich	spring - summer 1433
Vasily II Vasilievich Dark
Yuri Dmitrievich Zvenigorodsky
Vasily Yurievich Kosoy
Vasily II Vasilievich Dark
Dmitry Yuryevich Shemyaka
Vasily II Vasilievich Dark
Dmitry Yuryevich Shemyaka
Vasily II Vasilievich Dark
		co-ruler Vasily II
Ivan Ivanovich Young		co-ruler
Dmitry Ivanovich Vnuk		co-ruler
		co-ruler of Ivan III

Russian Tsars

Rurikovich

In 1547, the Sovereign of All Rus' and Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Terrible was crowned Tsar and took the full title “Great Sovereign, by the grace of God Tsar and Grand Duke of All Rus', Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov, Ryazan, Tver, Yugorsk, Perm, Vyatsky, Bulgarian and others"; Subsequently, with the expansion of the borders of the Russian state, “Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Siberia”, “and ruler of all Northern countries” were added to the title.

Godunovs

The Godunovs are an ancient Russian noble family, which after the death of Fyodor I Ivanovich became the Russian royal dynasty (1598-1605).

Time of Troubles

At the very beginning of the 17th century, the country was struck by a deep spiritual, economic, social, political and foreign policy crisis. It coincided with a dynastic crisis and the struggle of boyar groups for power. All this brought the country to the brink of disaster. The impetus for the start of the Troubles was the suppression of the royal Rurik dynasty after the death of Fyodor I Ioannovich and the not very clear policy of the new royal dynasty of the Godunovs.

Romanovs

The Romanovs are a Russian boyar family. In 1613, a Zemsky Sobor was held in Moscow to elect a new tsar. The total number of electors exceeded 800 people representing 58 cities. The election of Mikhail Romanov to the kingdom put an end to the Troubles and gave rise to the Romanov dynasty.

Ruler	Years of reign	Note
Mikhail Fedorovich
Patriarch Filaret		Co-ruler of Mikhail Fedorovich from 1619 to 1633 with the title "Great Sovereign"
Fedor III Alekseevich
Ivan V Alekseevich		Ruled until 1696 with his brother
		Until 1696 he ruled jointly with his brother Ivan V

Russian emperors (1721-1917)

The title of Emperor of All Russia was adopted by Peter I on October 22 (November 2), 1721. This adoption took place at the request of the Senate after the victory in the Northern War. The title lasted until the February Revolution of 1917.

Ruler	Years of reign	Note
Peter I the Great
Catherine I
Anna Ioannovna
Elizaveta Petrovna
Catherine II the Great
Alexander I
Nicholas I
Alexander II
Alexander III
Nicholas II

Provisional Government (1917)

In February 1917, the February Revolution took place. As a result, on March 2, 1917, Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the Russian throne. Power was in the hands of the Provisional Government.

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Provisional Government was overthrown, the Bolsheviks came to power and began building a new state.

These people can be considered formal leaders only because the post of General Secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) - VKP(b) - CPSU committee after the death of V.I. Lenin was actually the most important government position.

Kamenev Lev Borisovich		Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
Sverdlov Yakov Mikhailovich		Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
Vladimirsky Mikhail Fedorovich		And about. Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee
Kalinin Mikhail Ivanovich		Chairman of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, from December 30, 1922 - Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, from January 17, 1938 -
Shvernik Nikolay Mikhailovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council
Voroshilov Kliment Efremovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council
Mikoyan Anastas Ivanovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council
Podgorny Nikolay Viktorovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich
Kuznetsov Vasily Vasilievich
Andropov Yuri Vladimirovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, at the same time General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Kuznetsov Vasily Vasilievich		And about. Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces
Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, at the same time General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Kuznetsov Vasily Vasilievich		And about. Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces
Gromyko Andrey Andreevich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council
Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeevich		Chairman of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council, at the same time General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee

General Secretaries of the Central Committee of the RCP(b), CPSU(b), CPSU (1922-1991)

Khrushchev Nikita Sergeevich		First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich		Until 04/08/1966 - First Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, from 04/08/1966 - General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee
Andropov Yuri Vladimirovich
Chernenko Konstantin Ustinovich
Gorbachev Mikhail Sergeevich

President of the USSR (1990-1991)

The post of President of the Soviet Union was introduced on March 15, 1990 by the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR with appropriate amendments to the Constitution of the USSR.

Presidents of the Russian Federation (1991-2018)

The post of President of the RSFSR was established on April 24, 1991 based on the results of the All-Russian referendum.

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.

1. The Rurikovichs ruled for 748 years - from 862 to 1610.
2. Almost nothing is known for certain about the founder of the dynasty - Rurik.
3. Until the 15th century, none of the Russian tsars called themselves “Rurikovich”. The scientific debate about the personality of Rurik began only in the 18th century.
4. The common ancestors of all Rurikovichs are: Rurik himself, his son Igor, grandson Svyatoslav Igorevich and great-grandson Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
5. The use of a patronymic as part of a family name in Rus' is a confirmation of a person’s connections with his father. Noble and ordinary people called themselves, for example, “Mikhail, Petrov’s son.” It was considered a special privilege to add the ending “-ich” to the patronymic, which was allowed to people of high origin. This is how the Rurikovichs were called, for example, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich.
6. Vladimir the Saint had 13 sons and at least 10 daughters from different women.
7. 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 oral traditions, Byzantine chronicles and the few existing documents.
8. The most prominent Rurik statesmen were the Grand Dukes Vladimir the Holy, Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir Monomakh, Yuri Dolgoruky, Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vsevolod the Big Nest, Alexander Nevsky, Ivan Kalita, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan the Third, Vasily the Third, Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
9. For a long time, the name Ivan, which was of Jewish origin, did not extend to the ruling dynasty, but starting from Ivan I (Kalita), it was used to refer to four sovereigns from the Rurik family.
10. The symbol of the Rurikovichs was a tamga in the form of a diving falcon. The 19th century historian Stapan Gedeonov associated the very name of Rurik with the word “Rerek” (or “Rarog”), which in the Slavic tribe of Obodrits meant falcon. During excavations of early settlements of the Rurik dynasty, many images of this bird were found.
11. The families of the Chernigov princes trace their origins to the three sons of Mikhail Vsevolodovich (great-great-grandson of Oleg Svyatoslavich) - Semyon, Yuri, Mstislav. Prince Semyon Mikhailovich of Glukhov became the ancestor of the princes Vorotynsky and Odoevsky. Tarussky Prince Yuri Mikhailovich - Mezetsky, Baryatinsky, Obolensky. Karachaevsky Mstislav Mikhailovich-Mosalsky, Zvenigorodsky. Of the Obolensky princes, many princely families later emerged, among which the most famous are the Shcherbatovs, Repnins, Serebryans, and Dolgorukovs.
12. Among the Russian models from the time of emigration were princesses Nina and Mia Obolensky, girls from the most noble princely family of the Obolenskys, whose roots go back to the Rurikovichs.
13. The Rurikovichs had to abandon dynastic preferences in favor of Christian names. Already at baptism Vladimir Svyatoslavovich was given the name Vasily, and Princess Olga - Elena.
14. The tradition of the direct name originates in the early genealogy of the Rurikovichs, when the Grand Dukes bore both a pagan and Christian name: Yaroslav-George (the Wise) or Vladimir-Vasily (Monomakh).
15. Karamzin counted 200 wars and invasions in the history of Rus' from 1240 to 1462.
16. One of the first Rurikovichs, Svyatopolk the Accursed, became an anti-hero of Russian history due to accusations of murdering Boris and Gleb. However, today historians are inclined to believe that the great martyrs were killed by the soldiers of Yaroslav the Wise, since the great martyrs recognized Svyatoslav’s right to the throne.
17. The word “Rosichi” is a neologism from the author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” This word as a self-name of the Russian times of the Rurikovichs is not found anywhere else.
18. The remains of Yaroslav the Wise, whose research could answer the question of the origin of the Rurikovichs, disappeared without a trace.
19. In the Rurik dynasty there were two categories of names: Slavic two-basic ones - Yaropolk, Svyatoslav, Ostromir and Scandinavian ones - Olga, Gleb, Igor. Names were assigned a high status, and therefore they could belong exclusively to a grand ducal person. Only in the 14th century did such names come into general use.
20. Since the reign of Ivan III, the version of the origin of their dynasty from the Roman Emperor Augustus has become popular among the Russian Rurik sovereigns.
21. In addition to Yuri, there were two more “Dolgorukys” in the Rurik family. This is the ancestor of the Vyazemsky princes, a descendant of Mstislav the Great Andrei Vladimirovich Long Hand and a descendant of St. Michael Vsevolodovich of Chernigov, Prince Ivan Andreevich Obolensky, nicknamed Dolgoruky, the ancestor of the Dolgorukov princes.
22. Significant confusion in the identification of the Rurikovichs was introduced by the ladder order, in which, after the death of the Grand Duke, the Kiev table was occupied by his closest relative in seniority (and not his son), the second in seniority relative, in turn, occupied the empty table of the first, and so all the princes moved by seniority to more prestigious tables.
23. Based on the results of genetic studies, it was assumed that Rurik belonged to the N1c1 haplogroup. The area of ​​settlement of people of this haplogroup covers not only Sweden, but also areas of modern Russia, such as Pskov and Novgorod, so the origin of Rurik is still unclear.
24. Vasily Shuisky was not a descendant of Rurik in the direct royal line, so the last Rurikovich on the throne is still considered the son of Ivan the Terrible, Fyodor Ioannovich.
25. Ivan III’s adoption of the double-headed eagle as a heraldic sign is usually associated with the influence of his wife Sophia Paleologus, but this is not the only version of the origin of the coat of arms. Perhaps it was borrowed from the heraldry of the Habsburgs, or from the Golden Horde, who used a double-headed eagle on some coins. Today, the double-headed eagle appears on the coats of arms of six European states.
26. Among the modern “Rurikovichs” there is the now living “Emperor of Holy Rus' and Third Rome”, he has the “New Church of Holy Rus'”, “Cabinet of Ministers”, “State Duma”, “Supreme Court”, “Central Bank”, “Plenipotentiary Ambassadors” ", "National Guard".
27. Otto von Bismarck was a descendant of the Rurikovichs. His distant relative was Anna Yaroslavovna.
28. The first American president, George Washington, was also a Rurikovich. Besides him, 20 more US presidents were descended from Rurik. Including father and son Bushi.
29. One of the last Rurikovichs, Ivan the Terrible, on his father’s side was descended from the Moscow branch of the dynasty, and on his mother’s side from the Tatar temnik Mamai.
30. Lady Diana was connected with Rurik through the Kyiv princess Dobronega, daughter of Vladimir the Saint, who married the Polish prince Casimir the Restorer.
31. Alexander Pushkin, if you look at his genealogy, is Rurikovich on the line of his great-grandmother Sarah Rzhevskaya.
32. After the death of Fyodor Ioannovich, only his youngest - Moscow - branch was stopped. But the male offspring of other Rurikovichs (former appanage princes) by that time had already acquired surnames: Baryatinsky, Volkonsky, Gorchakov, Dolgorukov, Obolensky, Odoevsky, Repnin, Shuisky, Shcherbatov...
33. The last chancellor of the Russian Empire, the great Russian diplomat of the 19th century, friend of Pushkin and comrade of Bismarck, Alexander Gorchakov was born into an old noble family descended from the Yaroslavl Rurik princes.
34. 24 British prime ministers were Rurikovichs. Including Winston Churchill. Anna Yaroslavna was his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother.
35. One of the most cunning politicians of the 17th century, Cardine Richelieu, also had Russian roots - again through Anna Yaroslavna.
36. In 2007, historian Murtazaliev argued that the Rurikovichs were Chechens. “The Rus were not just anyone, but Chechens. It turns out that Rurik and his squad, if they really are from the Varangian tribe of Rus, then they are purebred Chechens, moreover, from the royal family and speaking their native Chechen language.”
37. Alexandre Dumas, who immortalized Richelieu, was also Rurikovich. His great-great-great-great... grandmother was Zbyslava Svyatopolkovna, daughter of Grand Duke Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, who was married to the Polish king Boleslav Wrymouth.
38. The Prime Minister of Russia from March to July 1917 was Grigory Lvov, a representative of the Rurik branch descending from Prince Lev Danilovich, nicknamed Zubaty, a descendant of Rurik in the 18th generation.
39. Ivan IV was not the only “formidable” king in the Rurik dynasty. “Terrible” was also called his grandfather, Ivan III, who, in addition, also had the nicknames “justice” and “great”. As a result, Ivan III received the nickname “great”, and his grandson became “formidable”.
40. The “Father of NASA” Wernher von Braun was also Rurikovich. His mother was Baroness Emmy, née von Quisthorn.

Alexander Taranov17.12.2015

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The legends associated with his name and the names of his followers date back to the ninth century and last for seven long centuries. Our article today will examine the Rurik dynasty - its family tree with photos and years of reign.

Where did the old family come from?

The existence of the commander himself and his wife Efanda is still questioned by most scientists. But some researchers of the origins of Rus' claim that the future governor was born between 806 and 808 in the city of Raroga. His name, according to several versions, has Slavic roots and means “falcon”.

When Rurik was still a baby, the possessions of his father Godolub were attacked by the Danes, led by Gottfried. The future founder of the royal family turned out to be half orphan and spent his entire childhood in a foreign land with his mother. At the age of 20, he arrived at the court of the Frankish king and received his father's lands from him as a vassal.

Then he was deprived of all land plots and sent to fight in a squad that helped the Frankish king seize new lands.

According to legend, the dynastic diagram of the complete family tree of the Rurik family with dates and years of reign was seen in a dream by his grandfather, the Novgorod prince Gostomysl. The theory about the foreign origin of the entire royal family was refuted by Mikhail Lomonosov. By blood, the future Novgorod ruler belonged to the Slavs and was invited to his native lands at a fairly respectable age - he was 52 years old.

Second generation of rulers

After Rurik's death in 879, his son Igor came to power. The situation was complicated by the fact that he was still too young to become the ruler of Rus'. Oleg, Igor’s uncle, was appointed his guardian. He was able to establish relations with the Byzantine Empire and called Kyiv “the mother of Russian cities.” After Oleg's death, Igor came to power in Kyiv. He also managed to do a lot for the benefit of the Russian lands.

But during his reign there were also unsuccessful military campaigns. The most famous of them is the attack on Constantinople from the sea. Having encountered the famous “Greek fire” as the first of the rulers of Rus', Igor realized that he had underestimated the enemy and was forced to turn the ships back.

The prince died unexpectedly - having fought against enemy troops all his life, he died at the hands of his own people - the Drevlyans. Igor's wife, Princess Olga, brutally avenged her husband and burned the city, turning it into ashes.

Having besieged the Drevlyans, the princess ordered them to send her three doves and three sparrows from each house. When her wish was fulfilled, she ordered her warriors to tie tinder to their paws and set it on fire as soon as dusk came. The warriors carried out the princess's order and sent the birds back. So the city of Iskorosten was completely burned.

Igor left two sons - Gleb and Svyatoslav. Since the heirs to the princely throne were still small, Olga began to lead the Russian lands. When Svyatoslav, Igor’s eldest child, grew up and took the throne, Princess Olga still continued to rule in Rus', since the descendant spent most of his life on military campaigns. In one of them he was killed. Svyatoslav wrote his name in history as a great conqueror.

Scheme of the pedigree chronological tree of the Rurikovich family: Oleg, Vladimir and Yaropolk

In Kyiv, after the death of Svyatoslav, Yaropolk ascended the throne. He began to openly quarrel with his brother Oleg. Finally, Yaropolk managed to kill his own brother in battle and lead Kyiv. During the battle with his brother, Oleg fell into a ditch and was trampled by horses. But the fratricide did not remain in power for long and was overthrown from the Kyiv throne by Vladimir.

The history of the genealogy of this prince is extremely interesting: being illegitimate, according to pagan laws, he could still lead Rus'.

Having learned that one brother had killed the other, the future Kiev ruler gathered his army with the help of his uncle and teacher Dobrynya. Having conquered Polotsk, he decided to marry Rogneda, the bride of Yaropolk. The girl did not want to tie the knot with a “rootless” person, which greatly offended the baptist of Rus'. He took her as his wife by force, and then killed her entire family in front of the future bride.

Next, he sent an army to Kyiv, but decided not to fight directly, but to resort to cunning. Having lured his brother into supposedly peaceful negotiations, Vladimir set a trap for him and, with the help of his warriors, stabbed him to death with swords. So all power over Russia was concentrated in the hands of the bloody prince. Despite such a cruel past, the Kiev ruler was able to baptize Rus' and spread Christianity throughout all the pagan lands under his control.

Rurikovich: tree of the royal dynasty with dates and surnames - Yaroslav the Wise

After the passing of the baptist of Rus', disputes and civil strife began again in the large family. This time, 4 brothers wanted to lead the Kiev throne at once. Having killed his relatives, Svyatopolk the Accursed, the son of Vladimir and his Greek concubine, began to lead the capital. But the Accursed One did not manage to stand at the helm of power for long - he was removed by Yaroslav the Wise. Having won the battle on the Alta River, Yaroslav ascended the princely throne, and declared Svyatopolk a traitor to the family line.

Yaroslav the Wise decided to radically change the style of government. He became related to the European royal family by marrying the Swedish princess Ingigerda. His children were related by marriage to the Greek and Polish heirs to the throne, his daughters became queens of France and Sweden. Before his death in 1054, Yaroslav the Wise honestly divided the lands between his heirs and bequeathed to them not to wage internecine wars.

The most important figures in the political arena of that time were his three sons:

• Izyaslav (ruler of Kiev and Novgorod).
• Vsevolod (Prince of Rostov and Pereyaslavl).
• Svyatoslav (ruled in Chernigov and Murom).

As a result of their unification, a triumvirate was formed, and the three brothers began to reign in their lands. To increase their authority, they entered into many royal marriages and encouraged families created with noble foreigners and foreigners.
Rurik dynasty - complete family tree with years of reign and with photos: the largest branches

It is impossible to talk about any former unity of the family: the branches of the princely family multiplied and intertwined, including with foreign noble families. The largest of them were:

• Izyaslavichy
• Rostislavichy
• Svyatoslavichy
• Monomakhovichi

Let's look at each of the branches in more detail.

Izyaslavichy

The founder of the family was Izyaslav, a descendant of Vladimir and Rogneda. According to legend, Rogneda all the time dreamed of taking revenge on the prince because he forced her to marry him and went on to kill members of her family. One night, she snuck into the bedroom to stab her husband in the heart. But the husband slept lightly and managed to fend off the blow. In anger, the ruler wanted to deal with his unfaithful wife, but Izyaslav ran to the screams and stood up for his mother. The father did not dare to kill Rogneda in front of his son, and this saved her life.

Instead, the baptist of the Slavs sent his wife and child to Polotsk. This is how the line of the Rurikovich family began in Polotsk.

Rostislavichy

After the death of his father, Rostislav could not lay claim to the throne and was an exile. But a warlike spirit and a small army helped him lead Tmutarakan. Rostislav had three sons: Volodar, Vasilko and Rurik. Each of them achieved considerable success in the military field.

Izyaslav Yaroslavich headed Turov. A fierce struggle was waged for this land for many years, as a result of which the prince and his descendants were expelled from their native lands by Vladimir Monomakh. Only Yuri, a distant descendant of the ruler, was able to restore justice.

Svyatoslavichy

The sons of Svyatoslav fought for a long time for the throne with Izyaslav and Vsevolod. Young and inexperienced warriors were defeated by their uncles and lost power.

Monomakhovichi

The clan was formed from the heir of Monomakh - Vsevolod. All princely power was concentrated in his hands. It was possible to unite all the lands, including Polotsk and Turov, for several years. The “fragile” world collapsed after the death of the ruler.

It is worth noting that Yuri Dolgoruky also came from the Monomakhovich line and subsequently became the “gatherer of Russian lands.”

Numerous descendants of representatives of the royal family

Did you know that some members of the famous family had descendants with 14 children? For example, according to historians, Vladimir Monomakh had 12 children from two wives - and that’s just the famous ones! But his son, Yuri Dolgoruky, surpassed everyone. The famous founder of Belokamennaya gave birth to 14 successors of the family. Of course, this gave rise to many problems: every child wanted to reign, considered himself truly right and the most important heir to his famous father.

Family genealogical tree of the Rurikovichs with years and dates of reign: who else belongs to the great dynasty

Among the many outstanding figures, it is important to note Ivan Kalita, Ivan the Terrible, Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy. The bloody history of the family gave future generations great rulers, generals and politicians.

The most famous cruel king of his time was Ivan IV the Terrible. There were many stories about his bloody glory and the incredible atrocities of the guardsmen loyal to him. But Ivan IV was able to do a lot of good for his country. He significantly expanded the territory of Rus', annexing Siberia, Astrakhan and Kazan.

Theodore the Blessed was to become his successor, but he was weak psychologically and physically, and the tsar simply could not entrust him with power over the state.

During the reign of his son Ivan Vasilyevich, Boris Godunov was the “gray eminence”. He took the throne after the death of the heir.

The Rurikovichs also gave the world great warriors - Alexander Nevsky and Dmitry Donskoy. The first received his nickname thanks to his victory on the Neva in the famous Battle of the Ice.

And Dmitry Donskoy was able to free Rus' from the Mongol invasion.

Who became the last in the family tree of the Rurikovich rule

According to historical data, the last in the famous dynasty was Fyodor Ioannovich. The “blessed” ruled the country purely nominally and passed away in 1589. Thus ended the history of the famous family. The era of the Romanovichs began.

Fyodor Ioannovich was unable to leave offspring (his only daughter died at 9 months). But some facts indicate a relationship between the two families.

The first Russian Tsar from the Romanovich family descended from Filaret - at that time the Patriarch of All Rus'. The head of the church was the cousin of Fyodor the Blessed. Thus, it can be argued that the Rurikovich branch did not break off, but was continued by new rulers.

Studying the history of princely and royal dynasties is a difficult task, to which many scientific studies are devoted. Civil wars and numerous descendants of representatives of an ancient family still remain a relevant topic for the work of specialists.

During the formation of Rus' as the basis of the statehood of the future Russia, a lot of large-scale events took place: the victory over the Tatar and Swedish conquerors, baptism, the unification of princely lands and the establishment of contacts with foreigners. An attempt to unite the history of the glorious family and tell about its milestones was made in this article.