In the 11th century, the largest kingdom in Europe by territory was Kyivan Rus, but by 1240 and the successful siege of Kyiv by the Mongols, the empire had collapsed. The echoes of that kingdom continued in royal lines for centuries to come, but its lands were absorbed into new nations. More recently, the legacy of Rus has become a political football. Do the Rusian (not to be confused with Russian) leaders find their successor state in modern Ukraine? Does Russia have a reasonable claim to Kyivan Rus as its founder state? We spoke with Professor Christian Raffensperger of Wittenberg University, author of The Kingdom of Rus’, to pick through the webs of history to learn more about this medieval power.
ITS LEADERS HAD SCANDINAVIAN ORIGINS
The early rulers of Kyivan Rus are frequently referred to
