The Princes each had their following of druzhina, who would often be called upon by the king to march with him into war. The senior princes also served as advisors to the king, in wartime and peace. First and foremost, they were administrators and governors. Although these didn't necessarily have to be related to the king, they did have to be a part of the upper Nobility - who would later be known as the Boyars. Underneath the Khagan or king there were the Princes. He also had minor administrative duties, although it was mainly watching over the lesser nobility and princes to make sure they did their own duties. The king was also the religious leader in pagan times, much like the Scandinavian kings. He had the Druzhina at his command for when he wished to march to war, and he could also call the Voi - the general levy - out to war with him.
One of his jobs was to be the military chieftain. The Khagan ruled over all of the classes, including the lesser princes. Although the later Rus' rulers would be referred to as "Velikiy knyaz" ("Grand Prince" or "Grand King"), the term Khagan would continue to be used in ceremonies and texts well into the eleventh century.
It is thought that the Rus' wished to be as powerful as their neighbors and so copied many of their policies and customs to become more like them. A term borrowed from the neighboring Khazar Empire, Khagan can be loosely translated as "King of Kings" in old Turkic. At the top of the social ladder was the Khagan.