Church legend has it that St. Andrew the Apostle of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ, during his evangelical missions traveled all the way up the Dnieper river in the then Scythian region of Sarmatia north of the Black sea, erected a cross, and prophesied that the site upon which he planted his cross was to become a great and powerful Christian city of many churches.[1] Through the ages, St. Andrew’s prophecy gradually came to life with the rise of a great and powerful city of Kiev under the rule of the Varangians: a city that eventually was inaugurated as the Christian capital of Kievan Rus’. However, the development of Kievan Rus’ was the later-stage product of a process of nation-building that was taken over from the Khazars (a political entity of Southeastern Europe and Eurasia) and put into motion by the Vikings, whom before that time, settled in the Northern steppes of modern day Russia in two proximal locations known as Staraya Ladoga and the city of Novgorod.
The Varangians traversed through the Baltic Sea on their
various expeditions, and made temporary settlements at Staraya Ladoga for
trading and crafting purposes.[2] They
were initially not welcomed by the indigenous population of that region (such
as the Balts and the Slavs) due to in-fighting amongst all the ethnic peoples there.
But eventually the climate was right for their welcomed (and desired)
re-arrival in the 9th century under the leadership of Rurik. It was
at this pivotal moment, with the introduction of Rurik and the Rurikid (his
followers/descendants) at Staraya Ladoga and Novgorod that Eastern Europe would
permanently change. With all the annals of history that describe the acts,
innovations, and feats of the political entities stemming from Novgorod and
Kievan Rus’; the Varangians, Rurik and his dynasty (which ruled Russia up until the 16th century) influenced Eastern Europe throughout the span of their existence. They not only established an elite
legacy of rulers, but also brought forth a rich Scandinavian culture; founded
an economy; expanded their boarders as to rival even their Byzantine neighbors,
and much more. In due time, the Rus' would grow to
become a political entity of purpose, prosperity and power.
With
the arrival of the Varangians in Northeastern Europe: one has to ask what was
the significance of such an expedition? What were the unyielding implications
of their arrival and upbringing, from Scandinavia to Northeastern Europe, and what
were the inescapable consequences of their forth-bearing impact? Simply put,
it was through the Rurikid dynasty and their successive assumption of authority
in Eastern and Northeastern Europe, the Varangians changed the way
Eastern Europe was shaped in all avenues of life through culture, economics,
and most importantly politics.
The
Varangians loved to trade, and because of this everlasting thirst for goods and
wares, their expansion into modern day Russia was of economic perpetuity. What
drove all merchants and tradesmen mad with desire were exotic goods from far-off lands. In this respect, the Varangians were no exception. They likewise were
spellbound by trade. The most intriguing of all markets during the Viking Age were the ones located in the Orient. As is a well-known
fact about the Orient, it was a fabulously wealthy land, and for the Scandinavians,
there was need for, and a good profit to be earned from the discovery of new
routes to the source of Oriental goods.”[3] They
eventually did find these necessary routes to reach the Orient that stretched
from the Donets and the Don leading them to the Sea of Azov.
