Rurik or
Riurik was a Scandinavian
Varangian (
Viking) who gained control of
Novgorod in
862. There is debate over how Rurik came to control Novgorod. The later chronicles state that he was invited in by the local tribes who wanted order, but modern scholars consider this unlikely. Rurik remained in power until his death in
879. His successors (the
Rurikids[?]), however, moved the capital to
Kiev and founded the state of
Kievan Rus, which persisted until
1240. The ruling dynasty of this state is named
Riurikovich[?], after Rurik.