Ragnar Lothbrok and the Rus Khaganate: A Viking State

Episode 115 of Fexingo History's Ragnar Lothbrok series examines the Rus Khaganate, the earliest known Viking polity in Eastern Europe. Lucas and Luna explore archaeological evidence from Staraya Ladoga and Gnëzdovo, the controversial 9th-century 'Rus Khagan' title found in Frankish and Persian sources, and the role of the silver trade with the Abbasid Caliphate. They discuss recent scholarship questioning whether the Khaganate was a unified state or a network of chieftains, and how this entity paved the way for Kievan Rus'. The episode also touches on the possible link between Ragnar Lothbrok and the Rus through his sons, using the Primary Chronicle and Ibn Rusta's writings. Without rehashing prior episodes, this deep dive focuses on the political structure, trade networks, and identity of the Rus before Rurik.

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