Russian History HIS207: The Heirs of Rurik

[Chac1]

I would hope the exam at the end is focused on understanding and analysis not the regurgitation of dates and facts, so as long as the student is following along the trends and big picture this level of note taking is appropriate.

Totally agree with all of the sentiments expressed here and earlier in this thread by @El Pip . Right now, along these lines, I would guess the professor might ask you to write an essay on "What points to how the Rurikids were considered a cursed dynasty? Give three examples and how they are linked in your 500 word essay, please."

 

[HistoryDude]

I liked the snark as well.

Also, sheesh did Gnúpa sabotage himself. He reunited the realm, but he angered everyone enough that he couldn't keep it united after his death.

Is Bjarmaland independent now? Who rules there?

 

[Nikolai]

As this is somehow the @Wraith11B impending nuptials congratulations thread, I must add my voice to the throng. Congratulations indeed old friend, others have wished you have a great wedding day so I will instead wish you an amazing honeymoon.

On the actual AAR, I feel "Indecisive" would be a better moniker than "Greedy" for Gnúpa. In any event does not seem fated to be a well remembered monarch, any success in war more than outweighed by his poor choice of elective monarchy.

I must also agree that the length is fine, not every monarch needs (or deserves!) copious notes. I would hope the exam at the end is focused on understanding and analysis not the regurgitation of dates and facts, so as long as the student is following along the trends and big picture this level of note taking is appropriate.

I have the feeling this professor focuses on the longer lines, rather than the minute details.

Totally agree with all of the sentiments expressed here and earlier in this thread by @El Pip . Right now, along these lines, I would guess the professor might ask you to write an essay on "What points to how the Rurikids were considered a cursed dynasty? Give three examples and how they are linked in your 500 word essay, please."

See, these are the kinds of exams you should expect!

I liked the snark as well.

Also, sheesh did Gnúpa sabotage himself. He reunited the realm, but he angered everyone enough that he couldn't keep it united after his death.

Is Bjarmaland independent now? Who rules there?

Bjarmaland actually got retained within the realm, surprisingly enough.

 

[Nikolai]

King Búi “the Poet” of Gardariki (928-951)

High King Búi “the Poet” of Gardariki (951-951)

• Back to Norse culture and Åsatru, denounces his brother’s Russian flirt.
• With that in mind, ironic his first task is to beat back Norse adventurers who wants his lands. Wins against them, of course. Else we’d probably not be sitting here.
• Electors of either kingdom initially refuses to place any of his dynasty on either owned throne, could this be the end? Of course not, I’m sitting here listening to the professor, am I not?
• While taking Estonia in a quick war, his brother ruling in White Rus dies, and now he has no male heir! Also White Rus is ruled by another dynasty.
• Then the new king of White Rus dies, and Búi is elected king there. Goodness gracious, luck or foul play?
• In 938 the whole of the kingdom of Könugardr is taken in one war, enlarging the realm like a lot.

• However, his heir dies, apparently murdered by his sister! Worse than the worst TV drama, and in fashion he murders his sister back!
• In 948 he declares war on the kingdom of Finland and makes several smaller wars going forward.
• In 951 he declades the empire, or rather high kingdom, of Russia. Named Gardariki like his lower kingdom, for whatever reason. Probably to confuse future students of history.
• Founds the capital of the Rus in Novgorod the same day as empire and crowns himself king of Vladimir and Ruthenia as well. The size of the guy’s head…

• One week later, ONE week, he is murdered by snake. His nine-year-old son Áli inherits.

 

[Emissary of the Prophets]

A poetic end for a poetic king. I, too, sometimes wonder if confusing future historians factors into historical figures' decisions.

 

[Nikolai]

A poetic end for a poetic king. I, too, sometimes wonder if confusing future historians factors into historical figures' decisions.

Oh most definitely!

 

[Midnite Duke]

It seems the Rurikids need to clean out a nest of vipers. Finally a male reaches fifty, can we to sixty? Thanks for updating

 

[HistoryDude]

It's nice to see that the realm was reunited, and it's an empire now! We don't lose a large portion of the realm on succession anymore!

How many individual king vassals do you have now, though? Or were the electors happy enough about the relative peace to keep the demesne united?

Congrats on founding Novgorod!

Those Norse adventurers should go invade some Christian realms and leave their fellow Asatru alone...

 

[The Kingmaker]

So it's now been confirmed that the student at least resides within the modern borders of Garðaríki. I wonder how long the dynasty will last before the student reaches her final exam.

 

[Nikolai]

It seems the Rurikids need to clean out a nest of vipers. Finally a male reaches fifty, can we to sixty? Thanks for updating

Wonder upon wonders, right?

It's nice to see that the realm was reunited, and it's an empire now! We don't lose a large portion of the realm on succession anymore!

How many individual king vassals do you have now, though? Or were the electors happy enough about the relative peace to keep the demesne united?

Well, we do lose a lot of kingdoms as the years and reigns go by, so there is that. According to the notes, I lost most kingdoms upon his death...

Congrats on founding Novgorod!

Thanks! Gave some nice bonuses too.

Those Norse adventurers should go invade some Christian realms and leave their fellow Asatru alone...

They keep coming, quite often. Later on I ended up paying them to leave, as they kept coming every few years.

So it's now been confirmed that the student at least resides within the modern borders of Garðaríki. I wonder how long the dynasty will last before the student reaches her final exam.

Has it? Perhaps... As for how long the dynasty lasts...

 

[Chac1]

Well, it seems there were a lot of assassinations during this rule. Did "the Poet" get back what he dished out to others?

Then the new king of White Rus dies, and Búi is elected king there. Goodness gracious, luck or foul play?

Given the ending, I would say foul play.

But where are the academics fighting with each over about the various theories of death? With information like this there would be at least two people fighting about the facts for their entire academic career. This professor needs to step up his game. Obviously the assigned reading for the course needs to be richer with these details.

 

[Emissary of the Prophets]

But where are the academics fighting with each over about the various theories of death? With information like this there would be at least two people fighting about the facts for their entire academic career.

Knowing academics, there will be at least one who has written no fewer than eighteen monograms on the subject, is highly insulted you've never heard of him, is convinced that there's a conspiracy behind the general public's lack of interest in his work, and would probably challenge you to a duel if you even considered someone else's theory as to how King Búi the Poet died. "Of course the snake was planted there by his ex-wife's second cousin! Allow me to spend the next seventeen hours explaining in excruciating detail all the evidence and why Dr. Binghamton's theory that it was the king's jealous half-brother is pure ludicrousy!"

 

[Chac1]

Knowing academics, there will be at least one who has written no fewer than eighteen monograms on the subject, is highly insulted you've never heard of him, is convinced that there's a conspiracy behind the general public's lack of interest in his work, and would probably challenge you to a duel if you even considered someone else's theory as to how King Búi the Poet died. "Of course the snake was planted there by his ex-wife's second cousin! Allow me to spend the next seventeen hours explaining in excruciating detail all the evidence and why Dr. Binghamton's theory that it was the king's jealous half-brother is pure ludicrousy!"

That's exactly what I'm talking about!

 

[Bullfilter]

Back to Norse culture and Åsatru, denounces his brother’s Russian flirt.

Huzzah!

In 938 the whole of the kingdom of Könugardr is taken in one war, enlarging the realm like a lot.

The blob grows ... and then increases the reunification challenge on succession.

However, his heir dies, apparently murdered by his sister! Worse than the worst TV drama, and in fashion he murders his sister back!

Boo and hiss (pun on later murder intended). She got what she deserved, but then again so did Bui.

In 951 he declades the empire, or rather high kingdom, of Russia.

Congrats!

According to the notes, I lost most kingdoms upon his death...

Gotta get that succession thing fixed one of these days.

 

[Nikolai]

Well, it seems there were a lot of assassinations during this rule. Did "the Poet" get back what he dished out to others?

He actually didn't do more than the one against his sister. But that fact is lost in the mist of time.

Given the ending, I would say foul play.

No, not Búi this time. He got elected after the old king died. He was in his 60s when elected.

But where are the academics fighting with each over about the various theories of death? With information like this there would be at least two people fighting about the facts for their entire academic career. This professor needs to step up his game. Obviously the assigned reading for the course needs to be richer with these details.

This is a valid point.

Knowing academics, there will be at least one who has written no fewer than eighteen monograms on the subject, is highly insulted you've never heard of him, is convinced that there's a conspiracy behind the general public's lack of interest in his work, and would probably challenge you to a duel if you even considered someone else's theory as to how King Búi the Poet died. "Of course the snake was planted there by his ex-wife's second cousin! Allow me to spend the next seventeen hours explaining in excruciating detail all the evidence and why Dr. Binghamton's theory that it was the king's jealous half-brother is pure ludicrousy!"

Loving it!

The blob grows ... and then increases the reunification challenge on succession.

Now we've got an empire though! Even though kingdoms are lost, it's all good! Or, better. Still needs to have the vassals like me. Which they mostly don't...

Gotta get that succession thing fixed one of these days.

Primo is centuries, plural, off...

 

[Nikolai]

High King Áli “the Impaler” of Gardariki (951-975)

• Weak start, lost most of his father’s kingdoms and all of his demesne except Novgorod. Gosh, dividing up all lands between heir, such a recipe for failure…
• Did nothing until 957, basically. Just chilled, I guess. But then he became a attested lunatic. Weird erratic behavior. Like reigning naked from here-on out. Gross. And he gets his best friend the king of Sweden on it too. Sick.
• 959: Goes on a crazy war to subjugate the entire empire of Khazaria. Celebrates by impaling a courtier. Thus the moniker.

• 964: Somehow manages to win the war for Khazaria, so he now has two empires. And of course, that means division at the end of his reign. Silly medieval people.
• Then he murders his regent, who somehow kept power of a sort after he became an adult. Probably lunacy related. Regent being his half-sister, who coveted the throne. I mean, I get it, but I don’t. Family matters. Or, should matter.

• So now he is a lunatic kinslayer and the rebellions start happening. First a dissolution war for the empires, which he wins. Then an independence war, which he loses. Then a war for the Khazarian throne, which he wins. Another round of dissolution war, which he wins.
• But in 975 he dies of a fatal apoplexy. I need to check the dictionary for that. Silly professor just expects us to know medical terms like that, now?
• His 11 year-old son Húnthjófr inherits Gardarikie, while Khazaria goes to his breother Búi. How on Earth am I supposed to be able to pronounce that name if we get an oral exam?

 

[El Pip]

After his entirely unpoetic predecessor it is reassuring to see a monarch who lives up to their nickname, though it seems impaling is probably one of the least bad things he did. Being friends with the King of Sweden? Did the man have no morality at all?

And now onto Húnthjófr the unpronounceable, striking fear into the tongues of his enemies whenever they had to talk about him.

 

[Emissary of the Prophets]

Given his successful conquest of Khazaria and probably expanding the realm more than any of his predecessors, perhaps his reputation for madness was actually the slander of jealous rivals. Or maybe he was just crazy enough to pull it off.

 

[Wraith11B]

Is his wife naked...?

 

[Nikolai]

After his entirely unpoetic predecessor it is reassuring to see a monarch who lives up to their nickname, though it seems impaling is probably one of the least bad things he did. Being friends with the King of Sweden? Did the man have no morality at all?

Yeah, who wants a Swedish friend? And Sweden, oh Sweden will be such a problem later on...

And now onto Húnthjófr the unpronounceable, striking fear into the tongues of his enemies whenever they had to talk about him.

It's harder than my first given name (before Nikolai), Frithjof. But as such I have an advantage...

Given his successful conquest of Khazaria and probably expanding the realm more than any of his predecessors, perhaps his reputation for madness was actually the slander of jealous rivals. Or maybe he was just crazy enough to pull it off.

Huge expansion, for sure. But he was legit crazy.