Five years earlier, Novgorod had experienced a rebellion.
Rurik survived the uprising, but his brother Sineus was not so fortunate—he was cut down amid a storm of blades.
After suppressing the revolt, Rurik learned his lesson. He reduced the agricultural tax, easing the burden on common people and lowering resentment among the lower classes.
With less tax revenue, he turned his attention back to his old profession: trade.
Rurik began sending more caravans to Constantinople, buying and selling goods along the route. Each year, this business brought in roughly £2,000.
But every profit had its price.
Through this trade, he became entangled in the conflicts of the middle and lower Dnieper River region. His caravans were frequently harassed by nomadic tribes, forcing him to fight battles every so often. Peace never lasted long.
The Rise of a Nomad Chief
That spring, a young chief named Hulus rose among the nomadic tribes along the middle and lower Dnieper.
He led his followers in raids across the region, severely disrupting local order.
At first, Rurik tried diplomacy.
He sent an envoy to negotiate, hoping to buy peace and persuade the nomads to leave his caravans alone.
After many days, the envoy returned to Novgorod—with one ear cut off.
He delivered the chief's reply.
The nomads demanded annual tribute:
200 slaves50 shiploads of grainGold and silver vesselsAmber, honey, and other luxury goods
Altogether, the protection fee amounted to over 70% of Rurik's trade income.
If he accepted the deal, he would essentially be working for someone else.
After careful consideration, Rurik made his decision.
He took out his lifelong savings and purchased weapons from Vig, vowing to destroy these greedy nomads.
Preparing for War
Since joining Novgorod, Nils had been training Rurik's army.
This expedition mobilized 3,000 soldiers. Thanks to the newly purchased 600 suits of armor, the number of heavy infantry approached 800 men—enough to form a solid fighting force.
"Your Majesty," someone asked,
"the weather grows colder every day. Are you certain we should launch a campaign now?"
Rurik answered without hesitation.
"Of course."
"I've fought these nomads many times. I know their habits."
"In winter, nomadic tribes stop migrating. They gather in carefully chosen winter camps to prevent their livestock from dying in large numbers."
Captured nomads had revealed the criteria for such camps:
Sheltered from the wind
Usually located on the southern slopes of mountains or hills (sunlit and protected from northern winds)
Often near the edge of forests
Always close to a reliable water source
Additionally, the surrounding land was deliberately protected during summer and autumn, with grazing forbidden so that grass could grow naturally. This grass served as winter fodder for their animals.
Rurik calculated the timing.
At this moment, the nomads were likely preparing their winter camps—erecting thick felt yurts and harvesting hay.
Once their preparations were nearly finished, the Viking army would suddenly appear.
At that point, the nomads would be forced to stand and fight, losing their greatest advantage: mobility.
(Historically, powerful nomadic states sometimes fortified their winter camps, known as royal courts—such as the Xiongnu capital Longcheng.)
Rurik's Resolve
"Cutting off my trade route is the same as killing my entire family," Rurik declared.
"In that case, I might as well wager everything I have. Either that chief dies—or I do."
Then he reassured his newest and most valuable warrior.
"Don't worry. I've already reached agreements with the local Rus tribes. Their chiefs are willing to provide food and lodging."
"If we destroy this nomad tribe, some of them might even proclaim me king."
Southward Along the Rivers
Two days later, Rurik set out with more than a hundred longships, sailing toward the southern shore of Lake Ilmen.
From there, the fleet turned into a river and continued south.
At a shallow stretch of water, the sailors jumped ashore.
Looking at the familiar landscape, Nils fell into memories.
Twenty-one years ago, a hunting party had landed here as well. Back then, they had to cut trees and build wooden rollers to drag their ships across the portage.
Thanks to Rurik's construction efforts, the route was now paved with logs, forming a crude road.
Instead of chopping timber and carrying it themselves, the men only needed to pull ropes, greatly increasing their speed.
Reaching the Dnieper
Several days later, the fleet arrived at the upper reaches of the Dnieper River.
Autumn winds blew cold.
The wild grass had turned yellow, and a broad river flowed quietly through the plains. Occasionally, flocks of migratory birds passed overhead, pausing briefly to rest and feed before continuing south.
With the sailors pushing together, the longships slid into the river.
Leaning over the side, Nils watched the reflections on the water, trying to recover the memories of his youth.
Back then, he had been young.
His only wish had been to marry Eve, the woman he loved.Ivar and Bjorn wanted revenge.Gunnar and Orm sought fame.Rurik wanted wealth.
As for Vig, he had been quiet and withdrawn, rarely joining conversations. Occasionally he would say strange, meaningless things that made everyone laugh.
Now, thinking back, it all felt like a long dream.
Nils touched the scar on his face, a trace of regret rising in his heart.
"Twenty-one years have passed," he thought.
"What exactly have I achieved?"
He had gained neither the woman he loved nor true power.
All that remained with him now were his archery skills and the experience of countless battles.
If he had chosen differently back then—if he had helped Halfdan unify Sweden instead of attacking Denmark—would everything have turned out differently?
A Battle on the Dnieper
In October, the fleet reached the middle Dnieper.
By coincidence, they arrived just as a battle erupted between Rus warriors and nomadic riders on the western bank.
Climbing the mast, Nils observed the battlefield.
The nomads used their familiar tactics:
Horse archers sweeping around the enemy's flanks
Shooting arrows while shouting strange war cries
"Firing from a bouncing horse," Nils muttered,
"their accuracy is far too low."
The Rus shield wall was full of gaps, but the nomads still lacked the courage for close combat charges.
"Twenty years have passed," Nils said,
"and they've learned nothing."
The Rus warriors were not much better.
Their chiefs and fighters were hot-tempered and tactically untrained. With the slightest provocation, individuals would break formation and charge recklessly, throwing the line into chaos.
"They're evenly matched," Nils concluded.
"A rare case of two equally poor armies."
Reinforcements Arrive
Soon, Rurik's forces intervened and rescued over two hundred Rus warriors who had been on the verge of defeat.
At the survivors' invitation, Rurik set up camp along the riverbank.
He and Nils then visited a nearby Rus tribe as honored guests.
Over the next several days, scouts searched for the location of the young nomad chief.
The man commanded 5,000 tribesmen, and with his allied clans he could field at least 3,000 cavalry.
"No matter how many men he has," Rurik declared,
"this battle must be fought."
His determination moved the Rus chiefs.
They sent messengers to gather other tribes, vowing to settle accounts with the nomads once and for all.
Planning the Battle
Late one night, Rurik discussed tactics with Nils.
They decided to adopt a familiar strategy.
"Mix the spearmen and archers together," Rurik said.
"The spearmen will stop cavalry charges. The archers will drive off the horse archers."
The concept clearly came from Vig's spear-thrust square formations.
If that formation could withstand the devastating lance charges of knights, then against poorly equipped nomads, it should work even better.
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