We know very little about the first prince of Rus' Rurik from the chronicles. Rurik in The Tale of Bygone Years is a legendary figure. But the most important thing in the chronicle is still said: according to the chronicle, Rurik “with all Russia” came from across the sea, that is, from the West. Therefore, it is not surprising that historians, back in the 19th century, began searching for a historical figure in the West who could be associated with Rurik. According to many historians, the leader of the Normans, Rorik of Friesland, is suitable for this role. The hypothesis of the identity of Rurik and Rorik of Friesland allows us to answer most questions and explain a lot. So far, there are mainly indirect arguments in favor of this idea, only this hypothesis is confirmed by archaeological finds in Staraya Ladoga, where, apparently, Rurik came with his “Frisian Danes”.