Hist. 145- Position Paper.docx

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 presentday 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-theorigins-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-independentstates-and-baltic-nations/cis-and-baltic-political-geography/russia Rus. (n.d.). Retrieved August 11, 2017, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rus