Епоха вікінгів у Східній Європі: слов’янсько-сканди- навські зв’язки в період формування ранніх слов’янських держав

Abstract

Background : The problem of Slavic–Scandinavian relations in the Viking era is debatable in historiography. The research has traditionally been limited to exploring the impact of Scandinavians on the development of Slavic states. In doing so, researchers studying the activities of the Normans in the east of the European continent rarely resort to analogies and comparisons with Western Europe where the Viking era is well reflected in the sources and is better studied. Purpose : To establish the patterns and specific features of the initial stage of the Viking era in the West and East of the European continent; to find out the level of economic and political development of the Slavic nations of Central and Eastern Europe on the eve of the Viking era and in its initial phase; the nature of the contacts of the Slavs and Scandinavians in the VIII–IX centuries and their role in the international Baltic trade, as well as in the trade between the Arabian East and Byzantium which took place in the Caspian and Black Seas. Results : The study of the Viking era in the east of the European continent proves its universal character: at its first stage in the VIII–IX centuries, here as well as in Western Europe, the activities of the Normans were limited to short–term plunder raids on coastal settlements. According to Scandinavian sources, at that time the "sea nomads" were mainly attracted to the rich monasteries and churches of the West European coast, especially the British islands. In Central and Eastern Europe large state formations of the Slavs were formed before the beginning of the Viking Age (IV–VIII centuries): the Union of Ants, the Dolyubian–Volynian Union, Great Croatia, the state of Samo. In the Baltic region unions of ruyans, obodrits, lutych–viltst (state of velets), pomoryan were also formed. In this region where the most intensive Slavic – Scandinavian contacts took place there is clear influence of the Slavs on the development of crafts and trade of Scandinavians since in the VIII–IX centuries Slavs dominated on the southern coast of the Baltic region and in Baltic trade. Their cities such as Veligrad–Rerik, Starigrad, Volyn, Arkon and others served as international trade transits that united the Frankish kingdoms with the Arabian East. Only in the second half of the IX century Scandinavian cities such as the Danish Hedeby and the Swedish Birka began to play a prominent role in the Baltic trade. Slavic–Scandinavian contacts at that time also included mutual plunders, military–political alliances and dynastic ties, military mercenaries. The Slavic Rus with its center in Kyiv emerged on the European scene at the end of the VIII – the first half of the IX century, conducting maritime trade and plunder raids on the Caspian and Black Seas, trade with the Arabian East and Byzantium, establishing embassies in Byzantium and the Frankish kingdom. Sources indicate that its more or less regular contacts with the Normans began not earlier than in the Xth century. Therefore information and contemporary interpretations of the sources about the nature of Slavic–Scandinavian contacts in the VIII–IX centuries do not give grounds for concluding that at that time Scandinavians dominated in the Baltics and in international trade, and about their allegedly crucial influence on the formation of the early Slavic states. Key words : Viking Era, Normans, early states of the Slavs, Rus, Slavic–Scandinavian relations, Norman theory.