About the book: 2020 / The book is dedicated to one of the most discussed and controversial periods of Russian history. Klim Zhukov, a military historian-medievalist and historical reenactor, highlights the most important events in the formation of the Old Russian state, from the founding of Kievan Rus to the Mongol invasion: the gathering of Russian lands, overcoming princely strife and feudal fragmentation, without forgetting about descriptions of battles and “action-packed” political intrigues . Who actually “called” Rurik and for what? Is it true that the name of the Rus tribe came from the Iranian language? Who made Kyiv the mother of Russian cities? Who benefits from increasing the size of the Mongol army? Read about these and other historical frauds and omissions in the book by Klim Zhukov “Ancient Rus': from Rurik to Batu».