The Varangians and the Kievan Rus

What happened

Swedish Vikings — known in the east as Varangians or 'Rus' — pushed down the great rivers of eastern Europe to trade with Constantinople and the Islamic world. Around 882 the Rus prince Oleg seized Kyiv, making it the center of a state, the Kievan Rus, that fused Norse rulers with Slavic subjects.

Why it matters

The Kievan Rus became a powerful medieval state at the foundation of Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian history, and Varangians even served as the elite bodyguard of the Byzantine emperors.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Kievan Rus · Reputable source