Grand Prince Rurik. Let There Be Rus!

“A clan rose against a clan, and there was civil strife among them, so they began to fight each other. And they said to themselves: ‘Let’s look for a prince who will rule over us and judge according to right.’ And they went overseas to the Varangians, to the Rus. And the Rus said to the Chud, the Slovenes, the Krivichs, and the Vesi: ‘Our land is great and abundant, but there is no order in it. Come and rule over us.’” — so the “Tale of Bygone Years” tells us about the “calling” of Prince Rurik. Disputes about this key figure in our history have not subsided to this day. Where did Prince the Falcon come from, and what blood did he have — Norse or Slavic? Why, precisely from him, do we count the existence of the Russian state? And how far back do the roots of our civilization truly go? Despite all the arguments, the “Slavophiles” agree with the “Normanists” on one thing: Rurik was a great statesman, a true GENIUS OF POWER, who united scattered tribes into a mighty realm. This book puts an end to a two-century controversy by giving simple, clear answers to the most complex questions. This historical investigation refutes many common myths about the birth of Rus’ and explains how it really happened.