Ru′rik, a Scandinavian adventurer, who in 862 A. D. became ruler or overlord of a part of Russia, with his court at Novgorod. He sometimes is styled the founder of the Russian monarchy: the Rurik dynasty gave 67 rulers to Russia and lasted 736 years (to 1598), becoming extinct then with Feodor. The seventh of the line (Vladimir I, the Great) introduced Christianity; Ivan the Great (or John III) unified the kingdom and first assumed the title of czar (tsar). See Romanoff, House of.