Canoy, Raii Le Bohn K.

IV- AB History August 14, 2017

HIST. 145 (History of Russia)
MTh- 7:30 AM- 9:00 AM (A1)
POSITION PAPER
Origins of the Russian People:
Normanist Theory or Soviet Theory?

Russia is prominent for being the biggest and largest country in the world
considering that it sprawls across nearly one-sixth of the earth’s land mass. With its
people, it is diverse. Most of the inhabitants are ethnic Russian but accordingly, there are
also are more than 120 other ethnic groups, speaking various languages. Before, Russia
was formerly inhabited by the people from the place called “Kievan Rus” or “Kyivan Rus”
as others called it, starting in the early centuries by the Varangian, the nomadic people of
Ukraine. Still, some scholars and historians have argued to the origins of the Russia
people which resulted into two theories. The Normanist theory in which numerous of
scholars and historians believe that Varangians created state whereas the anti- normanist
theory, supported by the Soviet theorist telling that the Slavs has the major role in creating
the Kievan Rus.

On these two theories, I firmly believe the Normanist theory in which the
Varangians from the Norse Land created and built the Kievan Rus particularly, rulers like
Rurik and Oleg, who imparted leadership to the inhabitants already living in these areas
and expanded the civilization into something greater. Basically, the Normanist theory
originated in the early eighteenth century when three German Scholars- Gerhard
Friedrich Muller, August Ludwig Schlozer, and Gotlib Bayer- conjured up this theory
stating that the Varangians, a Germanic-Scandinavian people known as Vikings or
Normans in the West- founded the Kievan Rus’. Historically, numerous tribes who shared
common Slavic language and perform polytheistic religion however separated into three
branches. Later on, these tribes stretched from the eastern river through the Volga and
the Baltic Sea. By the time the Vikings sailed to Russia in the same moment in 7th century,
the region’s tribe revolted and resulted to a disunity within its place and some other tribes
join to the Vikings and ask to cooperate with them and for the meantime left to their own
places. Ironically, these said Vikings first was expelled by them before and turn to them
again and inviting them to return and established new order then the Vikings accept it
which afterwards find “Rurik” as a prince along with his two brothers to rule then moved
the capital to Kiev, Kievan Rus’ was born. Rurik appointed his clansmen to the outlying
towns and established a fortress in Novgorod, ultimately becoming the true leader of the
Kievan State and allowing his Varangian family to follow him in his leadership.
 On the other hand, the Rus were a group of "Varangians," possibly of Swedish
origin, who had a leader named Rurik as per Russian Primary Chronicle (ca. 1040-1118
AD). Additionally, it appears to be derive from the Finnish word for Sweden, *Rotsi, later
Ruotsi in which comes from Old Swedish “rother”, a word associated with rowing or ships,
meant "rowers" or "seamen." Another proof in supporting the Normanist were the writings
from the account of Bertinian Annals that says, the emissaries from the “Rhos” who
arrived at the court of Emperor Louis the Pious in Ingelheim in 839 from Byzantium, who
were thought by Louis to be Swedes. In accordance, there were treaties 912 and 944
created between the Byzantium and the Rus that contains the list of the names of Rus’
warriors who happens to have a Scandinavian origin. In a recent study, a project called
“Rurikhid Dynasty DNA Project” of Family Tree DNA that is based on the on several
triangulating results of reported descendants of Rurik belonging to the Y-DNA haplogroup
N1c1 however; the project is still ongoing which started from 2008 and adds in supporting
more the Normanist theory.

The Normanist theory and Soviet theory have had both good points in supporting
their theories and that should be taken seriously no matter wherever sides of the
arguments are view. In this case, the Normanist theory has more evidences and proofs
to back up their arguments in which made it them more believable and strong. Since, it
unites the writings and ideas from other invitation of Rurik to the Kievan state asking for
leadership, the complete Varangian rule over the remaining Slavs in Kiev, and present-
day scientific studies that supports the Normanist idea. But at the end, it always depends
on the people on how they perceive these types of notions and the same time, this is still
a theory and continuously debated.

Reference:

Daniel, D. (2014, August 5). Normanist vs. Anti-Normanist - Kiev-Muscovy. Retrieved August 11, 2017, from
https://sites.google.com/a/wpsstudents.org/kievan-muskovy/persuasive-essays/normanist-vs-anti-normanist-the-
origins-of-kievan-rus

Kravchenko, Stepan, et.al (n.d.) Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project – News. Date Accessed August 11, 2017 from
https://www.familytreedna.com/public/rurikid/default.aspx?section=news

Russia. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2017, from http://www.encyclopedia.com/places/commonwealth-independent-

states-and-baltic-nations/cis-and-baltic-political-geography/russia

Rus. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rus