Below is a list of the rulers of the Russian State (Kievan Rus') up to the Mongol invasion (before 1240). It covers the Grand Princes of Kiev, as well as key figures who actually controlled Kiev or were recognized as supreme rulers. Dates are approximate, as chronicle chronology is sometimes imprecise. The main periods of rule in Kiev are indicated. Early Period (9th–10th centuries)
Rurik — 862–879 (ruled in Novgorod/Ladoga; legendary founder of the Rurikid dynasty).
Oleg the Prophet (Veshchy) — 879–912 (captured Kiev in 882, united the north and south; “mother of Russian cities”).
Igor Rurikovich — 912–945.
Olga (regent) — 945–c. 962/969 (Igor’s widow, reformer, first ruler to accept Christianity).
Svyatoslav Igorevich — 945/962–972.
Yaropolk Svyatoslavich — 972–980.
Vladimir Svyatoslavich (the Great, Saint) — 980–1015 (Baptism of Rus' in 988).
Svyatopolk Vladimirovich (the Accursed) — 1015–1019 (with interruptions).
Yaroslav Vladimirovich (the Wise) — 1019–1054 (cultural flourishing, Russkaya Pravda, dynastic marriages).
Iziaslav Yaroslavich (Dmitry) — 1054–1068, 1069–1073, 1077–1078 (three periods; eldest son of Yaroslav). In 1075, during his exile, his son Yaropolk received a papal bull from Pope Gregory VII recognizing Iziaslav and Yaropolk as “Kings of the Rus” (Rex Ruscorum), granting Rus' as a fief of the Holy See. Iziaslav returned to Kiev, but the bull was never officially published in Rus'.
Vseslav Bryachislavich (the Sorcerer) — 1068–1069 (Prince of Polotsk, briefly seized Kiev during the uprising).
Svyatoslav Yaroslavich — 1073–1076.
Vsevolod Yaroslavich — 1078–1093.
Svyatopolk Iziaslavich — 1093–1113.
Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh) — 1113–1125 (stabilization, campaigns against the Polovtsians, “Instruction”).
Mstislav Vladimirovich (the Great) — 1125–1132.
Yaropolk Vladimirovich — 1132–1139.
Vyacheslav Vladimirovich — 1139 (briefly).
Vsevolod Olgovich — 1139–1146.
Igor Olgovich — 1146 (briefly).
Iziaslav Mstislavich — 1146–1154 (with interruptions).
Yuri Vladimirovich (Dolgoruky) — 1149–1151, 1155–1157.
Rostislav Mstislavich — 1154–1155, 1159–1167 (with interruptions).
Iziaslav Davydovich — 1157–1158, 1161.
Mstislav Iziaslavich — 1167–1169, 1170.
Gleb Yuryevich — 1169–1171.
Vladimir Mstislavich — 1171.
Roman Rostislavich — 1171–1173, 1176–1177.
Mikhalko Yuryevich — 1171 (briefly).
Vsevolod Yuryevich (Big Nest) — 1173 (briefly); later Grand Prince of Vladimir.
Rurik Rostislavich — 1173, 1180–1181, 1194–1201, 1203–1204, 1205–1206, 1207–1210 (multiple times with interruptions).
Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich — 1176–1180, 1181–1194.
Ingvar Yaroslavich — 1201–1202, 1204.
Rostislav Rurikovich — 1204–1205.
Vsevolod Svyatoslavich (the Red) — 1206–1207, 1210–1212.
Mstislav Romanovich (the Old) — 1212–1223.
Vladimir Rurikovich — 1223–1235 (with interruptions).
Iziaslav Mstislavich (or others) — 1235–1236 (brief reigns).
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich — 1236–1238 (also Grand Prince of Vladimir).
Mikhail Vsevolodovich (of Chernigov) — 1238–1239, 1240 (formally; killed in the Horde in 1246).
After 1240, following the fall of Kiev to Batu Khan’s forces, the title of Grand Prince of Kiev became largely nominal. The center of political life gradually shifted to the Vladimir-Suzdal principality and later to Moscow and Lithuania.
In 1075, Pope Gregory VII issued a bull in which he recognized Iziaslav Yaroslavich and his son Yaropolk Iziaslavich as Kings of the Rus' (Demetrio regi Ruscorum and his heir). Yaropolk swore fealty to the Holy See, and the Pope granted him his “father’s kingdom” as a fief of St. Peter. This was a diplomatic tool in the struggle for power during Iziaslav’s exile. However, the bull was never officially disseminated in Rus' due to the strong position of Orthodoxy and Byzantine traditions. Yaropolk Iziaslavich ruled in Volhynia and Turov (1078–1086), was killed in 1086, and was later canonized as a blessed prince in the Orthodox Church.
After the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240 and the fall of Kiev, central authority in Rus' was greatly weakened. However, the Galicia-Volhynia Principality (Galician-Volhynian Rus') retained significant independence and became one of the most powerful states of the Eastern Slavs. It was here, in the 13th–14th centuries, that the idea of a royal title for the rulers of Rus' was revived.
Daniel Romanovich of Galicia (Danylo I, King of Rus') — 1253/1254–1264
Daniel Romanovich (1201–1264), son of Prince Roman Mstislavich, united the Galician and Volhynian lands. He successfully fought against boyar opposition, Hungarians, Poles, and Lithuanians. In 1240, he briefly became Grand Prince of Kiev.
Seeking allies against the Golden Horde, Daniel entered into negotiations with Pope Innocent IV. The Pope offered a royal crown in exchange for church union (recognition of Rome’s supremacy). Daniel agreed to accept the title but had no intention of converting from Orthodoxy to Catholicism.
The coronation took place in 1253 (according to some sources — in 1254) in the city of Dorohychyn (Dorogochin). The crown was placed by the papal legate Opizo (abbot of Mezzano). Daniel became King of Rus' (Rex Rusiae or Rex Ruthenorum — King of the Rus'/Ruthenians).
The chronicle emphasizes that Daniel accepted the crown “from his father the Pope” but retained the Orthodox faith. The promised military aid from the West against the Horde never materialized, so Daniel soon cooled toward the alliance with Rome. He died in 1264. The title of King of Rus' passed to his descendants, although not all of them were officially crowned.
Lev I Danilovich (Leo I of Galicia) — c. 1264/1269–1301
The eldest son of Daniel. After his father’s death, he inherited the Galician lands and later united them with Volhynia. In 1272, he moved the capital of the principality to Lviv (the city is named after him). Lev actively waged wars against Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary, and participated in campaigns under the control of the Horde, while trying to preserve autonomy. Some sources (especially Western ones) refer to him as King of Rus', although no direct act of coronation is recorded. Under his rule, the Galician-Volhynian Principality reached significant economic and military power. He died around 1301.
Yuri I Lvovich (Yuri I, King of Rus') — 1301–1308
Son of Lev I. After his father’s death, he united the Galician-Volhynian Principality under his rule. On his seal, he styled himself “Rex Rusiae” (King of Rus') on the obverse and “Dux Ladimiriae” (Duke of Vladimir/Volhynia) on the reverse.
In 1303, Yuri I obtained from the Patriarch of Constantinople the creation of a separate Galician Metropolis (Little Russian), which emphasized the independence of his state. He maintained alliances with the Teutonic Order and Mazovia against Lithuania and Poland. He died in 1308. He is considered one of the last strong independent rulers of Galician-Volhynian Rus'.
Andrew Yuryevich and Lev II Yuryevich (Andrew and Lev II) — 1308–1323 (co-rulers)
Sons of Yuri I. They ruled jointly: Andrew primarily in Volhynia, Lev II in Galicia. They continued to call themselves Kings of Rus' (Rex Russiae). The brothers fought against the Horde, relying on assistance from the Teutonic Order and the Mazovian princes.
In 1323, both died (according to one version — in battle against Lithuanians or Mongols). Their death ended the direct male line of the Romanovych dynasty (descendants of Daniel). After them, the Galician-Volhynian Principality entered a period of crisis.
Yuri II Boleslav (Boleslaus-Yuri II, Yuri II Troydenovich) — 1325–1340
Son of the Mazovian prince Troyden I and Maria Yuryevna (daughter of Yuri I Lvovich). He was invited to the throne after the death of Andrew and Lev II as the closest relative through the female line. He adopted Orthodoxy and the name Yuri but maintained ties with the Polish Piast dynasty.
Yuri II continued to use the title King of Rus' in his charters. He ruled relatively peacefully, but his policies (in particular, attempts to draw closer to Catholics and Poles) caused discontent among the local boyars. In 1340, Yuri II was poisoned by the boyars. His death led to a war for the Galician-Volhynian inheritance between Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary.
Kings of Rus' after Yuri II Boleslav
The death of Yuri II Boleslav (Boleslaus-Yuri II Troydenovich) in 1340, poisoned by Galician boyars, marked a turning point in the history of the western lands of Rus'. The direct male line of the Romanovych dynasty — descendants of Daniel of Galicia — came to an end, triggering a severe dynastic crisis and a series of prolonged Galician-Volhynian Wars (1340–1392). The independent Kingdom of Rus' (Regnum Rusiae or Kingdom of Ruthenia), established by Daniel in 1253/1254, ceased to exist as a unified sovereign state. The title “King of Rus'” (Rex Rusiae, Rex Ruthenorum, or Rex Russiae) survived but lost its real political substance and became a tool for territorial claims by neighboring powers — the Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Boyar Rule and Nominal Lithuanian Authority (1340–1349)
After Yuri II’s death, real power in Galicia passed to the influential Galician boyar Dmitry Dedko (Demetrius Dedko). He ruled approximately from 1340 to 1349 as the de facto governor (“lord of Rus'” or regent) under the nominal suzerainty of the Lithuanian prince Liubart (Liubart-Dmitry Gediminovich), son of Grand Duke Gediminas.
Dmitry Dedko successfully repelled a Polish invasion in 1341 and sought to preserve the region’s autonomy by maneuvering between Lithuania, Poland, and the Golden Horde. In Volhynia, Prince Liubart himself ruled. He adopted Orthodoxy and married a representative of the local dynasty. He controlled the eastern Volhynian lands and was occasionally referred to in sources as a ruler of Ruthenian territories, but he never held an official royal title. This period became one of boyar dominance and attempts to maintain the remnants of Galician-Volhynian independence.
Polish Expansion: Casimir III the Great 1333–1370
Casimir III the Great (1333–1370), King of Poland from the Piast dynasty, actively intervened in the conflict. In 1349, following the death of Dmitry Dedko, Polish-Hungarian forces captured most of Galicia (including Halych, Lviv, Przemyśl, and other key centers). By 1366, Casimir had secured control over western Galicia.
In Polish royal documents, Casimir began using an expanded title: “King of Poland and Rus'” (Rex Poloniae et Russiae / Rex Polonie et Russie), sometimes with additions such as “lord and heir of the lands of Kraków, Sandomierz…” etc. The full formula read: Kazimirus, Dei gratia rex Polonie et Russie, nec non Cracovie, Sandomirie… Dominus et Heres.
This was not a restoration of Daniel of Galicia’s independent “Kingdom of Rus'”, but rather the incorporation of Ruthenian lands into the Polish crown as a hereditary patrimony. In 1434, Galicia was fully transformed into the Ruthenian Voivodeship (Palatinatus Russiae) within the Kingdom of Poland, with its center in Lviv. The region’s autonomy gradually diminished.
After Casimir III’s death in 1370, the rights to “Rus'” (Galicia) passed to his nephew — the Hungarian king Louis I the Great (Lajos I of Anjou), who ruled Poland from 1370 to 1382. Hungarian and Polish monarchs continued to use variations of the title connected with Galicia and Lodomeria (Galiciae et Lodomeriae Rex).
Louis I the Great (Lajos I of Anjou) 1370–1382
Louis I the Great (Lajos I of Anjou, 1326–1382), also known as Louis the Hungarian or Louis the Great, holds a special place in the history of the title “King of Rus'”.
Louis belonged to the Anjou dynasty (a branch of the French Capetians). From 1342 he ruled Hungary as the successor of his father, Charles I Robert. His mother — Elizabeth of Poland, daughter of Władysław I the Elbow-high and sister of Casimir III — secured his rights to the Polish throne.
In 1338, an agreement was concluded under which Louis was to inherit Poland if Casimir III had no sons. This agreement also concerned the disputed Galician-Volhynian lands (“Kingdom of Rus'”).
On 4 April 1350 in Buda, Louis and his brother Stephen signed an act with Casimir, according to which Hungary ceded to Poland its rights to the “Kingdom of Rus'” (Galicia) for Casimir’s lifetime. However, in the event of Casimir’s death without male heirs, Poland and Rus' were to pass under Louis’s or his descendants’ scepter. If Casimir were to have a son, Louis retained the right to repurchase Rus' for 100,000 florins.
After Casimir III’s death in 1370, Louis smoothly became King of Poland (1370–1382). He also inherited the claims to Galicia. In Hungarian and Polish documents, Louis used the title “King of Galicia and Lodomeria” (Rex Galiciae et Lodomeriae). In 1372, he incorporated the Galician lands directly into the Kingdom of Hungary and appointed Vladislaus of Opole (Władysław Opolczyk, a Piast prince) as governor (he ruled as viceroy from 1372 to 1378).
Louis regarded Galicia as a Hungarian possession, but real control remained fragile due to resistance from the local population, Lithuanian raids, and internal conflicts. He died on 10 September 1382 without leaving sons.
Louis’s Heiresses: Mary and Jadwiga
Louis I had two daughters from his marriage to Elizabeth of Bosnia:
Mary (1371–1395) — the elder daughter. In 1382 she inherited the Hungarian throne as Queen of Hungary (nominally until 1395). Her husband — Sigismund of Luxembourg (future Holy Roman Emperor) — effectively ruled Hungary. Mary and Sigismund maintained claims to Galicia as part of the Hungarian inheritance.
Jadwiga (Hedwig, 1374–1399) — the younger daughter. In 1384 she was crowned Queen of Poland (reigned 1384–1399). To strengthen the alliance with Lithuania, in 1386 Jadwiga married the Lithuanian Grand Duke Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło). This marriage led to the Union of Krewo in 1385 and the Christianization of Lithuania.
In 1387, Jadwiga (with the support of Jagiełło) incorporated Galicia into the Kingdom of Poland. Thus, the Polish crown finally secured the western Ruthenian lands for itself, while Hungarian claims receded into the background.
Lithuanian Expansion and the Partition of the Lands
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, under the Gediminid dynasty, seized eastern Volhynia and later the Kyiv region. Prince Liubart and his successors controlled a significant portion of the former Volhynian and Ruthenian territories. Lithuanian rulers occasionally used formulations in diplomatic acts such as “King of the Lithuanians and many Ruthenians” (Rex Lithuanorum et Ruthenorum).
The final division of the Galician-Volhynian inheritance was formalized by the Ostrów Agreement of 1392: Poland received Galicia, while Lithuania gained most of Volhynia.
In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (from 1569), kings continued to include references to “Rus'”, “Volhynia”, “Podolia”, and “Kyiv” in their full title, but as integral parts of the kingdom rather than a separate state. In 1772, after the First Partition of Poland, the Austrian Habsburgs established an administrative unit on the territory of former Galicia — the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria (Königreich Galizien und Lodomerien). Austrian emperors, beginning with Maria Theresa, officially bore the title King of Galicia and Lodomeria. This entity existed until 1918 and represented a purely administrative province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where the historical title served to legitimize possession.
The era of the Galician-Volhynian Kingdom became the last vivid manifestation of princely Rus' in its western lands. After its partition, the cultural and political legacy of the region continued to develop within Poland, Lithuania, and later the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austrian Empire, significantly influencing the formation of Ukrainian, Polish, and Belarusian identities.
Dmitry III (Dmytro) — 1982- (from 1996, the new dynastic order, from 2012 - the whole territory of Ukraine).
Vladimir (Volodymyr) as Grand Prince of Kiev from 1982 (from 1996, the new dynastic order).
Dmitry of Chernigov, Galicia and Volhynia etc.
Originally Vasily Vladimir Dmitry Rogvolod of Tver, Polotsk and Chernigov (Vasily Dmitry Alexandrovich Lavrenov*).
In this case, the full ortodox baptismal name - Vasily Dmitry Alexander Lavrentiy, initially "Dmitry".
["Monomakh"].
Canonically Rogvolod Dmitry of Polotsk, Chernigov and Tver.
Traditionally "Vladimir Rogvolod". Vladimir "Monomakh".
The Rurik dynasty
The House of Tver, the Yurievichi, originally the House of Monomakh, or the Monomakhovichi, was a prominent princely branch of the Rurikid dynasty. The progenitor of the house was Vladimir II Monomakh, the son of Vsevolod. The name “Monomakh” derives from Vladimir’s grandfather, the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos of the Monomachos family.
The Cap of Monomakh is one of the most recognizable symbols of power in the history of medieval Rus. It is a royal headdress that signifies a special position and the right to supreme status among the descendants of the Monomashich lineage.
Its meaning is primarily connected with the idea of seniority.
The Yurievichi branch was a line of the Rurikid dynasty, descending from Yuri Dolgorukiy, a son of Vladimir II Monomakh. Its members ruled in the northeastern principalities of Rus’, particularly in the Vladimir-Suzdal land, and later played a central role in the political development of what would become the Grand Duchy of Moscow.
"Ragnvaldr" — The House of Denmark–Norway.
From 1996 — The House of Sweden (de jure the House of France). From (1996)/2012 — The House of Germany.
The Amals, The House of Italy, de facto. The Moravian Dynasty (The House of Hungary).
King of the Slavs
The House of Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia, originally.
- Lavrenov - Lavrenov of Drutsk (Polotsk-Drutsk).