List of Varangians in Gardarike

The list of Varangians in Gardarike includes Scandinavians who were mentioned in Gardarike from the 6th to 13th centuries . Gardarike was the Old Norse name for an area around the castles of Kiev , Novgorod , Ladoga and Polotsk .

It lists people who lived permanently in Gardarike and those who stayed there temporarily as merchants, warriors or guests. People who were born as children of Varangians in Gardarike are also taken into account.

The Varangians in the Baltic Sea region , in Hellespont , in the Byzantine Empire and in Serkland ( Sassanid Empire) are not included.

Historical background

By the 8th century at the latest, Varangians traveled from Scandinavia along the rivers Daugava, Dnieper and Volga to the south and east. Around 750 they founded a settlement on Lake Ladoga as a central place to stay and starting point for further trips.

Around 860 Rurik and his brothers came to Gardarike (Novgorod and other castles). They ruled as princes in Russia. All successors up to the 11th century had Varangians as soldiers at their court. Vladimir came from Scandinavia with 6,000 Varangians in 978 to conquer the principalities of Novgorod and Kiev. Yaroslav brought in 1018 600 warriors for the same purpose.

Princes

• Rurik (around 830 - around 879), Prince of Novgorod (862 - around 879)
• Sineus, prince of Beloosero (862–)
• Truvor , Prince of Izborsk (862-)
• Oleg , regent of Novgorod (878–912) and Kiev (882–912)
• Rogwolod (–978), Prince of Polotsk

Governor

• Ragnvald Ulfsson , governor of Ladoga (1019–)

Temporary stays

• Hvitserk (9th century), son of Ragnar Lodbrok, killed in Hunnaland (Kiev?)

Merchants

• Ravnur Hólmgarðsfari (around 975), trader from Norway

Sons and daughters of Varangians

2nd generation

• Askold and You , Princes of Kiev (around 880)
• Olga of Kiev (around 890–940), near Pskow, wife of Igor, Prince of Kiev
• Igor (around 905–945), son of Rurik, Prince of Kiev (912–945)
• Rogneda (around 962 – around 1002), Polotsk, daughter of Rogwolod, Prince of Polotsk, wife of Vladimir the Great, Grand Prince of Kiev

See also

• Tribe list of the Rurikids
• Varangian rune stones

literature

• Arnulf Krause:  Garðariki. In: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde (RGA). 2nd Edition. Volume 10, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1998, ISBN 3-11-015102-2 , pp. 435-440.
• Friedrich Braun: The historical Russia in the Nordic literature of the X. - XIV. Century . In: Festschrift Eugen Mogk. Max Niemeyer, Halle a. P. 1924, p. 157ff.
• Omeljan Pritsak : The Origins of Rus , Cambridge, Mass. 1981
• Откуда есть пошла Русская земля , Vol. 1 ( Века VI-X ), Moscow 1986, pp. 632f.

Remarks

1. ↑ Baltic States and Finland , cf. Baltic rune stones
2. ^ Principality, probably on the Riga Bay