Just as the princes of medieval Rusˈ were frequently engaged in intradynastic conflict, so the scholars who have studied them and the society they ruled have often become in embroiled in controversy over interpretations of events of the past. The preceding eleven chapters have presented one set of perspectives on the history of the states and society governed by the Riurikid princes from the reign of Prince Vladimir I the Saint (980–1015) through the reign of Ivan IV the Terrible (1533–84). Viewed from those perspectives, several themes and arguments were highlighted in the narrative. This chapter will review those themes, but will also offer direction to literature containing both supporting arguments and alternative interpretations of major developments in the history of medieval Rusˈ.

Five major themes have been developed in the preceding chapters. The first is implied by the definition of their subjects and the time span they cover. The subject matter, the development of the states and society of the lands of Rusˈ, was examined from the reign of Prince Vladimir, who monopolized political power in the eastern Slav lands for his dynasty and converted his realm to Christianity, to the death of Ivan IV, who six hundred years later sealed the end of his dynasty's rule. Inherent in these factors is the premise that it is both useful and informative to treat the eras of Kievan Rusˈ, Mongol dominance, and Muscovy together.