Haskuldr / Askold

Based on Writings By Yekaterina II, Russian ruler. ("Сочинения императрицы Екатерины II") She writes, that Efanda from first marriage had a son Askold, who was a ruler of Kiev in 868-883. https://books.google.com/books?id=jPzvAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA41&dq=%...

In Russian Wikipedia https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%90%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%8C%...

There is referral to Dir and Askold, brothers and comrades of Rurik, ruler of Novgorod. Dir and Askold concurred and ruled Kiev Rus' together. They together went to concur Constantinople in 866 (or 860 from other sources). And later, after taking Smolensk, Oleg came to Kiev; he killed Dir and Askold and became the ruler of Kiev Rus', later Igor inherited this post from his uncle.

Askold (Haskuldr in Old East Norse and Höskuldr in Old West Norse), according to the Primary Chronicle, was one of two of Rurik's men who ruled Kiev in the 870's. He might have been the same person as Dir, who is said to have been his co-ruler.

There is no evidence he was thought to be a son of Rurik. According to the Tale of Ragnar's Sons, Askold was the son of Hvitserk, and the grandson of Ragnar Lodbrok, a semi-legendary king of Sweden (ca. 770-785). Hvitserk was a contemporary of Rurik, and was said to have waged a war of conquest in Eastern Europe.

Sources

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8072 _ "Legendary founder of Kiev."
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Askold_and_Dir
• Wikipedia: Српски, English