The Varangian is an ethnic group that is professionally ambiguous. First of all, these are mercenary warriors, as well as in Russia and in Byzantium, the merchants were called Vikings. In the ancient manuscript “The Tale of Bygone Years”, the formation of the Old Russian state was associated with the Vikings. Thus, his story is closely intertwined with the Vikings. So who are they? Let's try to figure this out.
Varangians. Three versions
Historians have not yet found a single explanation for the definition of the term "Varangian". There are several versions of the existence of this people. This is an Old Russian, Byzantine and Scandinavian definition. Some Russian historians associate them with the annalistic concept of “calling the Vikings”, who came from overseas, presumably the Baltic, our ancient ancestors called it Varyazhsky.
Since the XI century, these are mercenary warriors who were in the service of the emperors in Constantinople. According to Byzantine sources, the Varangian is an ethnic concept of the people who lived in the North. The Byzantines called them the Varangians. The exact geographical location - in which country, in which lands they lived - is not given.
Some Scandinavian and Russian scholars associated the Vikings with the Vikings, whose detachment served under the Byzantine emperors. In this case, the Byzantine version of the homeland of the Varangians is confirmed by Scandinavian sources.
Varangians: the definition of peoples in Russian history
The concept of "Vikings" in Russia is significantly different from the definitions of Western scholars, who often identify them with the Vikings. Russian historians proceeded from the information contained in the annals of Nestor, although it was written 200 years after the events described.
In the "Tale of Bygone Years" the word "Varangian" does not mean any specific people, several peoples enter into this concept. The Varangians are the Rurik tribes bearing the names Rus, the Swedes - Svei, Normans, in our time they are called Norwegians, Angles, Goths - peoples who lived on the shores of the Baltic.
Russian historian Karamzin N.M. the word "Varangians" means the Scandinavian peoples. Some modern Russian historians adhere to this version. But at different times, a number of researchers identified them with the Finns, Prussians, Slavs of the Baltic, as well as the Vikings of the salt (Russian) crafts in the south of Primenmenye.
Before the revolution, there was another cultural and political version put forward by the German scientist and historian Johann Evers. She was accepted as official, and she had many followers. According to her, the Vikings are both the northern Scandinavian peoples and the southern ones - the ancestors of the Cossacks, descending from the Khazars. This theory had many followers. Based on archaeological data and Nikon’s annals, they went even further, claiming that the Varangians are a Slavic-Turkic people.
Varangians: professional definition
Russian historian Klyuchevsky V.O. a distinction was made between two concepts, such as Vikings and Varangians. He pointed out that the Vikings (like the Normans) are pirates and robbers, while the majority of the Vikings are the professional definition of armed merchants or their protection. This is also confirmed on the basis of such an expression as "the trade waterway from the Varangians to the Greeks."
Ethnically, they are representatives of many nations. Mostly they came from the ancient German tribe of Danes. In their ranks were many unknown clan tribes of runaway slaves. They were engaged in trade or protection of merchants on the Varyazhsky way.
The origin of the word "Varangians"
What is the Varangian from the point of view of etymology, where did the word "Varangian" come from in Russian? There are no less versions than when defining their concept as a people. A brief look at some of them:
- There is a version that in Russian the word "Varangian" comes from the Old Icelandic name of the Viking squad (félag). In the Russian pronunciation the word "Varangian" was formed, which came to Byzantium and began to be pronounced in the Greek manner of "Varangian".
- V. Tatishchev - a Russian historian and geographer - made the assumption that the word "Varangian" came from another German word varg, which translates as "wolf" or "robber".
- There is another version of another Germanic origin from the word wara, which translates as "oath" or "oath". This version of the origin of the word "Varangian" is confirmed by the fact that the Varangian troops swore allegiance to the Byzantine emperors and Russian princes. It is confirmed by the statement that the word "Varangian" comes from the Scandinavian word vár, translated as "oath".
Some scholars suggest that the word vár is also in the Celtic language. It translates as "water." It is well known that the Baltic Sea was called Russian by the Varyazhsk Sea , “glorifying” the Celts - this, according to some scholars, is Pomors (Slavic tribes living on the Baltic shores were called “Vagra”, “Varna”).
Varangians in "Tales of Bygone Years"
In this ancient chronicle, the earliest of which have come down to us, the Vikings have a special place. The formation of the Russian state is connected with them, since before the “calling of the Varangians” its territory was inhabited by separate Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes. After the Varangians from the Rus tribe were called up, this name was given to the state.
Rurik with his tribe Rus came at the call of the Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes in Novgorod lands to eradicate civil strife between the tribes. The educated state began to be called Rus. The annals describe where the Vikings lived. They were on the Varyazhsky Sea, to the west to the lands of English and Voloshsky.
Most Russian scientists believe that in addition to real events, there are many exaggerations in the annals (the creation of the Russian state by the Vikings). Real events coexist with far-fetched ones, they include the waterway from the Greeks to the Vikings. Assuming that part of this path was land. This is what makes many scientists consider it a fiction.
Varangians in the service of Russian princes
It just so happened that in Russian history almost all the information about the calling of the Varangians to Russia is connected with the "Tale of Bygone Years". But some facts cited in the annals contradict various historical information. For example, three brothers came to rule Russia: Rurik, Truvor and Sineus. Were they Scandinavian Vikings? Probably not.
According to some sources, the Scandinavian Vikings were in the service of the Russian princes much earlier than the time described by Nestor. That is, they were mercenaries. Could Russian princes call their mercenaries?
From this we can conclude that the Varangians meant completely different, presumably Slavic tribes of the Varangians living on the shores of the Varyazhsky Sea. It is known that the Scandinavian Varangians raided the northern lands. In 859, the Slavs built the fortress New Town (Novgorod), which protected the Slavs from Varangian raids. Could they be invited to build the Russian state? Not. After all, it was Rurik who began to rule Novgorod. This is a version of Professor Rybakov.
For all the controversy, who are the Vikings, it must be recognized that they existed and were really attracted to the Russian service. There is confirmed evidence that, starting with Prince Vladimir, the baptist of Russia, the Vikings were often used by princes in the internecine struggle. He seized with their help the throne in Kiev. Yaroslav the Wise to fight the Svyatopolk also appealed to the help of the Scandinavian Vikings.
Varangians in Byzantium
In the Greek chronicles of the 9th century there are references to the Fargans, who served as the guard of the emperor. Since the 11th century, Varangians (Varangians) appear in Byzantine chronicles, who, together with the Rus, Saracens and Franks, are in the service of the emperors. The Varangians were not close to the emperors, they served for food and clothing. They were treated as a people, but did not indicate where they came from.
In the chronicles of the Skilica, they were identified with the Celts. The Varangians participated in all the campaigns of the Byzantines, but already in the XII century, of all the foreigners who were in military service, only they were entrusted to be the personal guard of the emperors.
The Varangians and Slavs in the 9th-10th centuries were in close contact, the Russian princes have the blood of the Varangians. For Novgorodians and residents of Kiev, all who lived on the shores of the Varangian Sea were called Vikings.
And the version of the creation of the Russian state by the Varangians seems doubtful, since at the time of their calling there were cities, principalities. True, this was a time of internecine strife, in which the Varangians most likely played the role of unifiers.