Note on identity of Rurik, konung of Novgorod and Ladoga (by Andrey Alexandrovich Frizyuk)
Roerik of Dorestad (see HERE)was born about 810/20. Frankish chroniclers mention
that he received lands in Friesland from the Emperor Louis I. This was
not enough for him, and he started to plunder neighbouring lands: he
took Dorestad in 850, captured Haithabu in 857, looted Bremen in
859... The Emperor was enraged and stripped him of all his possessions
in 860. After that Roerik disappears from the Western sources for a
considerable period of time.
The first Russian chronicle, that of Nestor, says that in 862 one
Rurik arrived to Slavic lands with his kin from the land of
"rus" (identified by Adam of Bremen with Jutland) in 862,
built the fortress of Ladoga, and then ruled in Novgorod. Nestor wrong
translated Scandinavian words 'sine hus' (with house) and 'tru voring'
(with loyal guard) as the names of Rorik's brothers: Sineus and
Truvor. Archaeologists discovered that the settlement of Ladoga was
really built about this time, and that earthenware, household
utensils, etc were imported from Jutland! These facts led many
scholars to identify the Viking prince Rurik of Russian chronicles
with Roerik of Dorestad.
Roerik of Dorestad reappeared in Frankish chronicles in 870, when his
Friesland demesne was returned to him by Charles the Bold; in 882 he
is already mentioned as dead. Nestor places the death of Russian Rurik
at 879. Quite striking for a coincidence!
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Last updated 22nd October 2003