The Viking origin of Kievan Rus: Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus | Lars Brownworth and Lex Fridman
Lars Brownworth explains how Swedish Vikings (Varangians) traveled east through Russian river systems in the 8th century, establishing the Kievan Rus state and eventually becoming the elite Varangian Guard protecting Byzantine emperors. After failed attempts to conquer Constantinople using Greek fire, they integrated into Byzantine society while maintaining extensive trading networks.
Summary
The discussion explores the eastward expansion of Swedish Vikings, beginning with Rurik's establishment of a settlement at Staraya Ladoga in 753 AD, which provided access to major river systems like the Volga and Dnieper. These waterways enabled Vikings to reach the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, and ultimately the Byzantine Empire and Abbasid Caliphate. The Varangians established the Kievan Rus state between 862-882, taking control of Novgorod and Kiev. Their encounters with Constantinople involved dramatic naval attacks in 941 and 944, where the Byzantines deployed the mysterious weapon known as Greek fire - a napalm-like substance that could burn on water and remained a closely guarded state secret. After these failed military campaigns, the Vikings pragmatically joined the Byzantine system, forming the famous Varangian Guard under Emperor Basil II in 988. This elite bodyguard unit became a prestigious career path for Vikings, offering high compensation and opportunities for wealth through military campaigns. The Vikings' mastery of river navigation gave them unprecedented mobility, allowing them to strike deep inland targets across Europe and establish trading networks that extended from Sweden to the Islamic world, with archaeological evidence including Buddhist artifacts found in Swedish coin hoards demonstrating the vast reach of these commercial connections.
Key Insights
- Brownworth argues that Vikings launched themselves in whatever direction their country was facing - Sweden went east, Denmark went toward Germany, and Norway went to England and the New World
- Brownworth describes Greek fire as a closely guarded Byzantine state secret that was so well protected it remains a mystery to this day, despite knowing some ingredients like naphtha and oil
- Brownworth explains that the Varangian Guard were famously loyal to the throne but not necessarily to the person sitting on the throne, making them major power players in Byzantine politics
- Brownworth notes that Norse runes carved by bored Varangian guards can still be found on marble railings in the Hagia Sophia, providing physical evidence of their presence during long sermons
- Brownworth observes that the Vikings' river-based geography transformed warfare because virtually every major European city was on a river, making targets hundreds of miles inland vulnerable to Viking attacks
Topics
Transcript
[0:02] Uh so like we mentioned the Vikings really went all over and one of the directions they went that end up touching the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople is they went east. What can you say about the 8th century journey east in the river and networks that the Vikings did, the Swedish Vikings, the Varangians as they began to explore the river systems of Russia. This was the most surprising part for me when I was first thinking about writing the book [0:34] and you know discovering where the the Vikings went. I never in a million years, it would have never occurred to me that the Vikings went east. Um but a good way to think of this…
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