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Attracted by considerable flow of trade
along the water routes of the two rivers, the Volga and the Western Dvina
(which almost connect the Arabic East with Northern Europe), the Varangian
groups crossed the Baltic Sea in the second half of the 8th century and quickly
found themselves almost at home among the Slavic tribes. The Varangians, also
known under the name of Norsemen, could be best described as a combination of
Scandinavian pirates, adventurers, merchant soldiers and mercenaries who, if
unable to make enough profit from the trade or services, would not hesitate to
get money and merchandise by other means. Well organized and armed they easily
imposed their rule over the Slavic tribes and forced them to pay tribute. This
process encountered little resistance from the people because of the disunity
of the local Slavic chieftains and their rough rule and exploitation of the
people, and because of the Varangians' readiness to learn the Slavic language,
and to bow to Slavic pagan Gods. This resulted in the Varangians' quick and
complete assimilation by the Slavs; an extraordinary phenomenon that has
repeated itself several times throughout the history of Eastern Slavs. More
frequent contacts with foreign merchants, and the benefits that resulted from
an increased trade and the close life with the Varangians brought about further
changes in the social structure of the Slavic tribes. The ancient patriarchal
leaders who had commanded the respect of the members of the tribe by their
courage, wisdom and impartiality, were gradually replace by a newly emerging
combination of military leaders and wealthy merchants, who in the 10th century
had already appropriated the titles of "Kniaz" (prince) and boyar. In
the following two centuries they would acquire vast lands possessions and
become huge land owners. Besides them and few slaves of alien origin, the
remaining large masses of Russian society at the time of the arrival of the
Varangians were mostly free peasants who continued to live in communes. Their
communal life was based on collective work and ownership, and on certain
democratic forms. The most important of these democratic ideas was the they
were free men. In time, the new nobility (znat') acquired not only land but
also an increased number of peasants who were turned into menials (cheliad') at
first and then into simple serfs.
The new class of Russian noblemen soon became involved into deep internal
struggle for power. At the same time the country became increasingly exposed to
the pillaging attacks carried out by the neighboring non-Slavic tribes and the
wandering nomads. An need for a central organ of government to unify Russian
tribes and to form a new state was clear. Unable to reach an agreement on the
election of a state leader among themselves and confronted with outside menace,
the princes resolved to invite a foreigner to rule their country. This is how
Riurik, a Scandinavian "Konungr" became a Russian "Kniaz.
"In the absence of other sources, the information about the formation of
the Russian first historically recognized state is based primarily on a host of
myths and legends and on the Russian Chronicle, a truly impressive and colossal
work of very early Russian scholars.
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