RURIK – The True House of Rurik is the House of O’Rourke

Prince Rurik of the Rus: the Rurik dynasty or Rurikids was a dynasty founded by the Varangian prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD. The Rurikids were the ruling dynasty of Kievan Rus’ (after 862), the successor principalities of Galicia-Volhynia (after 1199), Chernigov, Vladimir-Suzdal, and the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and the founders of the Tsardom of Russia. They are one of Europe’s oldest royal houses, with numerous existing cadet branches.

Rurik was the legendary founder of the Russian State, as a son of King Helgi Halfdan of Denmark who was a son of Machir Theodoric of Narbonne’s son Harald Hildetonn (Menachem/ Hernaut de Gironde). Thus Rurik should belong to R1b-L21 y-dna. However many descendants of the House of Rurik in Russia descend from N1cl (N-M178) y-dna or R1a.  However historians are not clear that the later Russian Princes of the House of Rurik are actually descended from Rurik on the male line. Rurik was a grandson of Halfdan whose son was Helgi Halfdan (also called Hemming).

The chronicles of the Khazars help us in solving this mystery as they refer to a Prince called Helgu who is identified with Oleg; which is synonymous with the name of Olaf or Aluf. Rurik’s father was also called Helgi Halfdan (Aluf Dan).  According to the Primary Chronicle, Oleg died in 912 and his successor, Igor of Kiev, ruled from then until his assassination in 945. The Schechter Letter, a document written by a Jewish Khazar, a contemporary of Romanus I Lecapenus, describes the activities of a Rus’ warlord named HLGW (Hebrew: הלגו), usually transcribed as “Helgu”. For years many scholars disregarded or discounted the Schechter Letter account, which referred to Helgu (often interpreted as Oleg) as late as the 940s.

Scholars such as David Christian and Constantine Zuckerman have suggested that the Schechter Letter’s account is corroborated by various other Russian chronicles, and suggests a struggle within the early Rus’ polity between factions loyal to Oleg and to the Rurikid Igor, a struggle that Oleg ultimately lost. Zuckerman posited that the early chronology of the Rus’ had to be re-determined in light of these sources. Among Zuckerman’s beliefs and those of others who have analyzed these sources are that the Khazars did not lose Kiev until the early 10th century (rather than 882, the traditional date), that Igor was not Rurik’s son but rather a more distant descendant, and that Oleg did not immediately follow Rurik, but rather that there is a lost generation between the legendary Varangian lord and his documented successors.

Of particular interest is the fact that the Schechter Letter account of Oleg’s death (namely, that he fled to and raided FRS, tentatively identified with Persia, and was slain there) bears remarkable parallels to the account of Arab historians such as Ibn Miskawayh, who described a similar Rus’ attack on the Muslim state of Arran in the year 944/5.

 Thus we see that the early accounts do not clearly know who the later Rurikvichi descend from on the male line. The problem is due to confusing Igor who is a son of Oleg (Helgu) with Ingwar who is the son of Rurik. Oleg (Helgu) is a son of Rurik’s daughter Arika who married his father Izborsk (who was of N1cl y-dna). The Little Lord Ingwar the son of Rurik married a daughter of the Irish King of Brefni where he was known as Tighearnan (the Little Lord). His son was the second Rurik (also Ruarc) who became a Ruling Prince of Brefni in Ireland and was the founder of the O’Rourke family (R1b-L21 y-dna) who ruled the Kingdom of Brefni (in modern day Cavan). 

The O’Hart pedigrees give the name of Tighearnan’s father as Aodh (Adon) but other sources call him Seallachan. Aodh alludes to Aude or Alda and it is probable that Tighearnan Ingwar married Adona (Lady) who was the daughter of Seallachan an Irish Prince descended from Brionn a brother of King Niall of the Nine Hostages.

It would seem that Oleg (Helgu of the Khazar accounts) a maternal grandson of Rurik of Novgorod and  Prince Ingwar the Little Lord the youngest son of Rurik  had a falling out and Ingwar and his supporters retreated to Ireland where they became established in Brefni (Cavan). Rurik and Ruarc can mean red haired warrior (rua arg).

While accepting Christian and Zuckerman’s identification of Helgu as Oleg, their confusion of Ingwar with Igor brings them to the wrong conclusion. It is Oleg who is victorious and the the true male line Rurik dynasty that is defeated and exiled. Oleg achieves great things as does his son Igor and his descendant St Vladimir of Kiev. They are descendants of Rurik as well but only on a maternal line. This has parallels with the Romanov Dynasty whose later descendants are only Romanov through a maternal lineage but belong to the House of Oldenburg on the direct male line.  When the Romanov Czars of Russia acknowledged the O’Rourke family in exile in Russia as Earls and Counts little did they know that they were welcoming back to Russia the male line dynasty of Prince Rurik of the Rus. The Rus are the people of the Rosh Galuta (Gudrod-God’s ruler).

The Royal House of Rurik-O’Rourke of Breffn

Machir Todros (b.710-d.765) King of Septimania and Jews  (aka Rurik I or Ha Rurik the Red Ruler or Rosh Galuta)- Princess Aude (Alda) of Franks
Menachem (aka Harald Hidetonn / Hernaut de Gironde) King of Jutland
King Halfdan (Sigfried) (b.760 d.807) of Denmark
Helgi Halfdan (aka Hemming Halfdansson)(b.790 d.837)) King of Denmark (Rhodanites) and Jutland (Jews)
Rurik II (b.830 d.879)) the Ruling Prince of the Rus and Radbards (Red Jews)
Ingwar (Tighearnan/ Little Lord) (b.850 d.892) the Ruling Prince of the Rus and King of Breffni in Ireland
Rurik III (Ruarc) (b.875 d.910) King of Breffni
Prince Arthur of Breffni (b.900)
King Sean Fergal O’Rourke of Connaught and Breffni (b.925 d.967)
King Aedh (Hugh) O’Rourke of Breffni (b.955 d.1015)
King Arthur the Righteous of Connaught and Breffni (b.980 d.1046)
King Niall (b.1010 d.1047) of Breffni
King Ualgarg (b.1040 d.1085) of Breffni
Prince Tigernan (b.1065) of Breffni
King Domnall (b. 1080 d.1102) of Connaught and Breffni
King Fergal (b.1100 d.1157) of Breffni
King Domnall (b.1135 d.1207) of Breffni
King Arthur (b.1155 d.1210) of Breffni
King Amlaib (b. 1180 d.1258) of Breffni
King Domnall Carrach (b.1230 d.1311) of Breffni
King Ualgarg Mor (b.1270 d.1346) of Breffni
King Tigernan Mor (b.1330 d. 1418) of Breffni
King Tadgh (b.1370 d. 1435) of Breffni
King Tigernan Og (b.1430 d.1468) of Breffni
Prince Donogh (b. 1460) of Breffni
King Eoghan (Owen) (b.490 d. 1528) of Breffni
King Brian Ballach Mor O’Rourke (b.1520 d.1562) of Breffni
King Brian Murta O’Rourke (b.1550 d.1591) of Breffni
King Tadgh O’Rourke (b.1580 d.1605) of Breffni
Earl Brian O’Rourke (b.1600) titular King of Breffni
Earl Tadgh (Tigernan) O’Rourke (b.c.1620) tit. King of Breffni
Earl Owen O’Rourke (b.c.1640) tit. King of Breffni
Earl Owen O’Rourke (b.c.1660) tit.King of Breffni
Lady Bridget O’Rourke (bc. 1680) tit Queen of Breffni married Earl Brian O’Rourke a descendant of Lady Owna O’Rourke daughter of Earl Brian O’Rourke (b.1600) and wife of Lord Shane Oge O’Rourke
Earl Owen O’Rourke (b.c.1700) tit King of Breffni
Earl Cornelius Orurk of Russia titular King of Breffni
Earl George Orurk of Russia titular King of Breffni

Male descendants of David from the Middle East had come to Narbonne in southeast France and been given the Kingdom of Septimania. As well as being the temporaral rulers of this semi-autonomous region they were also the spiritual heirs of the Exilarchy. Like the Jewish Kingdom of Mahoza, the new Jewish Kingdom of Septimania in Southern France and Northern Spain did not last long. As a Kingdom or Principality Septimania was to last three generations or so but as the seat of the Western Exilarch it lasted for three centuries when the head of the male line transferred to Barcelona, Spain. The Jewish female line descendants continued in Narbonne until the expulsion in the 14th century. Ermengarde the Viscountess of Narbonne in the 12th century married into the Halevi family and from then on the Jewish leaders in Narbonne were only of the Davidic family on the female line. The male line of the Exilarchs continued in Barcelona and then Toledo and transferred to Portugal at the time of the expulsion in 1492. Joseph Nasi the Duke of Naxos was the last great Nasi Exilarch of the Royal House of David. Solomon Abenaes, Duke of Mytilene, succeeded him.

It was in the 11th century that the Catholic descendants of Machir and Gershom had conquered Palestine and established the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Descendants of Muirdeach Tireach

1. Muirdeach Tireach (born Abt AD310)
2. Eochu Mugmedon (D abt AD360)
3. Brion (Ancestor of Ui Briuin of Connaught)
4. Duach Galach
5. Eoghan Sreibh
6. Muiredeach Mal
7. Fergus (May have been Muiredeach Mals brother)
8. Fergna
9. Aedh Find
10. Scanlan
11. Crimhthann
12. Fedlim
13. Blaithmac
14. Baithin
15. Donchadh
16. Dub Dothra (D AD743)
17. Cernach (Or Cearnachan)
18. Sellachan
19. Tighernain Mac Seallachan Ua Ruarc (King of Breffni 888, B abt 830)
20. Ruarc Mac Tighernain Ui Briun Breffni Ua Ruarc (King of Breffni 893)
21. Art Mac Ruarc Ui Briun Breifne(B875)
22. Sean Fearghaill Ua Ruairc(1^st Ruairc king of Connacht)
23. Aedh Mac Sean Fearghaill O’Ruairc(King of Breifne 1015)
24. Art Uallach(oirdnide) O’Ruairc(2^nd king of Connacht B965)
25. Niall Mac Airt O’Ruairc(King of Breifne 1047)
26. Ualgharg Mac Niall O’Ruairc (B1010)
27. Tighernain Mac Ualgairg O’Ruairc(B1035)
28. Domnall Mac Tighernain O’Ruairc(4^th King of Connacht)
29. Fergal Mac Tighernain(5^th King of Connacht 1157)
30. Domhnaill Mac Ferhaile(Lord 1207)
31. Art Mac Domhnaill(King of Breifne 1209-1210)
32. Amlaib Mac Airl (King of Breifne 1257-1258)
33. Domhnaill Charrach Mac Amlaib (King Of Breifne 1307-1311)
34. Ualgharg Mac Domhnaill Charraig (King of Breifne 1316-1346)
35. Tighernain Mor Mac Ualgharg (King of Breifne 1376-1418)
36. Tadhg Mac Tighernain Mhorn (king of breifne 1419-1435)
37. Tighernain Og Mac Mhoirn (King of Breifne 1449-1468)
38. Eoghan Mac Tighernain (B1468, D1528. King of Breifne 1500-1528)
39. Brian Ballach Mor (D1562, King of Breifne 1528-1562)
40. Tigheaman Ban (D abt 1629)
41. Eoghan Mor (D abt 1661)
42. Eoghan Og (Chief in 1662)
43. Donnchadh
44. Sean
45. Rev Thaddeus O’Rorke (D1799)
46. Rev John O’Rorke (1776-1849, Married three times and had many children)