I think that these are different names for the Scandinavians, it’s just that the Varangians were simply more applicable when it came to trade, and the Vikings when it came to war.. http://www.lebed.com/2004/art3962.htm Everyone knows rich in semantic overtones the words “Normans”, Vikings, Varangians (in the Russian tradition): harsh warriors from the harsh Scandinavian countries, cruel conquerors who for centuries terrified the entire medieval Europe. The ancestors of modern Norwegians, Danes, Swedes and Icelanders were, to use L.N. Gumilyov’s terminology, “passionaries” in the fullest sense of this conceptual term. The Vikings, who set out on sea expeditions unimaginable at that time in terms of range and duration on their “dragon” ships, put entire countries to fire and sword. However, one should not think that the Vikings (from viks or wicks - the bays where they parked their ships) were “terrorists” in the modern sense and interpretation. “The Vikings were fiercely brave and daring and adhered to a chivalric code of honor…. The Vikings were required to swear an oath that they would not capture women and children, flee during a storm, or stop until the battle was over to treat their wounds” (p. 16). Of course, they were pirates, but noble pirates. The Normans, who captured a huge part of the territory of feudally fragmented France at the beginning of the 10th century, gave it the name Normandy, and they themselves began to call themselves Normans. According to the famous “Norman theory”, the Varangian prince Rurik became the founder of Russian statehood; in 862 he took the Novgorod throne. Many researchers trace the self-name of the Great Russian nation to the name of the Varangian tribe “Rus”. It is commonly believed that the Vikings were pagan savages who caused incalculable harm to cultural Europe, pushing enlightened countries back into the dark ages. The researcher thoroughly argues a different point of view: the Norman Vikings were an advanced nation of seafaring warriors, “their history, literature and social foundations were more perfect than those of the Anglo-Saxons and the Franks” (p. 11). “The more we learn about the Normans, the more convinced we are of how superior they were in their knowledge of useful crafts to the people they conquered” (p. 12). The sagas composed by the Scandinavian skald-bards are to this day an unsurpassed example of gloomy, menacing and original poetry. The Vikings had a strange, simple and at the same time complex belief in the gods: Odin, Thor and Balder, in an amazing “heaven” and “hell”. Warriors who fell on the battlefield ended up in the bright palace of Odin, the creator of all things, in Valhalla, where they feasted and fought forever; those who died from illness or old age ended up in the underworld, in darkness and gnashing of teeth. http://www.humanities.edu.ru/db/msg/37522 Varangians, Normans, Vikings - warriors - warriors from the Scandinavian peoples, who were often called Vikings, Normans. The Varangians are mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. In the IX - XI centuries. The Russian princes had many Varangian warriors - vigilantes - who served as mercenaries and were used both in internecine wars and with neighboring countries and peoples. In Rus', Scandinavian merchants who were engaged in trade on the way “from the Varangians to the Greeks” were also called Varangians, i.e. between Scandinavia and Byzantium. In the XII - XIII centuries. Varangian warriors and merchants became glorified, and the peoples of Scandinavia received different names. Thus, the Swedes began to be called Svei, the Norwegians - Murmans; sometimes they were called a common term for all Western peoples - “Germans”. Normans (Varangians, Vikings, Vikings - “people of the fiords”) - inhabitants of Scandinavia in 700-1100, whose raids terrorized the inhabitants of the coastal zone of Western Europe and Rus'. Around 750, the Swedes, as vassals of the Khazar Khaganate, established control over the tribes of the Ases and Rus. In the West, Norwegian and Danish Vikings were engaged in robbery and robbery of civilians.
In France they were called Normans, in Rus' - Varangians. Vikings were the name given to people who lived in what is now Norway, Denmark and Sweden from about 800 to 1100 AD.
Favorite activities of the Vikings
Wars and feasts are the two favorite pastimes of the Vikings. Swift sea robbers on ships that bore sonorous names, for example, “Bull of the Ocean”, “Raven of the Wind”, raided the coasts of England, Germany, Northern France, Belgium - and took tribute from the conquered. Their desperate berserker warriors fought like mad, even without armor. Before the battle, the berserkers gnashed their teeth and bit the edges of their shields. The cruel gods of the Vikings - the Aesir - were pleased with the warriors who died in battle.
Discoverers of new lands
But it was these ruthless warriors who discovered the islands of Iceland (in the ancient language - “ice land”) and Greenland (“green land”: then the climate there was warmer than now!). And the Viking leader Leif the Happy in the year 1000, sailing from Greenland, landed in North America, on the island of Newfoundland. The Vikings called the open land Vinland - “rich”. Due to clashes with the Indians and among themselves, the Vikings soon left and forgot America, and lost contact with Greenland.
Sagas
And their songs about heroes and travelers - sagas and the Icelandic parliament, the Althing - the first people's assembly in Europe, have survived to this day. The beginning of the Viking Age is considered to be 793. This year there was a famous attack by the Normans on a monastery located on the island of Lindisfarne (north-east of Great Britain). It was then that England, and soon the whole of Europe, learned about the terrible “northern people” and their dragon-headed ships. In 794 they “visited” the nearby island of Wearmus (there was also a monastery there), and in 802-806 they reached the Isles of Man and Iona (west coast of Scotland)
Wars, history of conquests
Twenty years later, the Normans gathered a large army for a campaign against England and France. In 825 the Vikings landed in England, and in 836 London was sacked for the first time. In 845, the Danes captured Hamburg, and the city was so devastated that the episcopate located in Hamburg had to be moved to Bremen. In 851, 350 ships again appeared off the coast of England, this time London and Canterbury were captured (and of course plundered).
In 866, a storm carried several ships to the shores of Scotland, where the Normans had to spend the winter. The following year, 867, the new state of Danelaw was formed. It included Northumbria, East Anglia, part of Essex and Mercia. Danlo existed until 878. At the same time, a large fleet attacked England again, London was captured again, and then the Normans moved on to France. In 885, Rouen was captured, and Paris was under siege (in 845, 857 and 861, Paris was already sacked). Having received the ransom, the Vikings lifted the siege and retreated to the northwestern part of France, which in 911 was transferred to the Norwegian Rollon. The region was named Normandy.
At the beginning of the 10th century, the Danes again tried to capture England, which they succeeded only in 1016. The Anglo-Saxons managed to overthrow their power only forty years later, in 1050. But they did not have time to enjoy freedom. In 1066, a huge fleet under the command of William the Conqueror, a native of Normandy, attacked England. After the Battle of Hastings, the Normans reigned in England. In 861, the Scandinavians learned about Iceland from the Swede Gardar Svafarsson. Soon after, in 872, the unification of Norway by Harald Fairhair began, and many Norwegians fled to Iceland. According to some estimates, between 20,000 and 30,000 Norwegians moved to Iceland before 930. Later they began to call themselves Icelanders, thus distinguishing themselves from the Norwegians and other Scandinavian peoples.
In 983, a man named Eirik Raud (Red) was exiled from Iceland for three years for murder. He went in search of a country rumored to have been seen to the west of Iceland. He managed to find this country, which he called Greenland (“Green Country”), which sounds rather strange in relation to this snowy and cold island. In Greenland, Eirik founded the settlement of Brattalid.
In 986, a certain Bjarni Bardsson sailed from Iceland, intending to get to Greenland. He stumbled upon unknown land three times until he reached the southern coast of Greenland. Having learned about this, Leif Eiriksson, son of Eirik Raud, repeated Bjarni's journey, reaching the Labrador Peninsula. Then he turned south and, walking along the coast, found an area he called “Vinland” (“Grape Country”). Presumably this happened in the year 1000. According to the results of work carried out by scientists, Leif Eiriksson's Vinland was located in the area of modern Boston.
After Leif's return, Thorvald Eiriksson, his brother, went to Vinland. He lived there for two years, but in one of the skirmishes with local Indians he was mortally wounded, and his comrades had to return to their homeland.
Leif's second brother, Thorstein Eiriksson, also tried to reach Vinland, but he was unable to find this land.
There were only about 300 estates in Greenland. The lack of forest created great difficulties for life. The forest grew in Labrador, which was closer than in Iceland, but everything needed had to be brought from Europe, due to the very difficult conditions of navigation to Labrador. Settlements existed in Greenland until the 14th century.
Some believe that Varangians are just a Russian term for Vikings. In fact, there are many significant differences between the Varangians and the Vikings.
Origin of names
The concepts “Viking” and “Varangian” have completely different origins. Most historians believe that "Viking" originates from the word "vík", which is translated from Old Norse as "cove" or "fjord". However, there are other versions. Thus, Doctor of Historical Sciences T. Jackson claims that the name “Viking” comes from the Latin “vicus” - a small settlement of artisans and traders. This word was used back in the Roman Empire. Such settlements were often located on the territory of military camps. The Swedish scientist F. Askerberg stated that the basis for the noun “Viking” was the verb “vikja” - to leave, turn. According to his hypothesis, the Vikings are people who left their native places in order to earn a living. Askerberg’s fellow countryman, researcher B. Daggfeldt, suggested that the word “Viking” has much in common with the Old Scandinavian phrase “vika sjóvar,” which meant “the interval between the changes of oarsmen.” Therefore, in the original version, the term “víking” most likely referred to long journeys across the sea, involving frequent changes of rowers.
The version about the origin of the term “Varangian” was one of the first to be expressed by Sigismund von Herberstein, the Austrian ambassador, historian and writer. He suggested that the name “Varangians” is associated with the city of Vagria, where the Vandals lived. The expression “Varyags” came from the name of the inhabitants of this city “Vagrs”. Much later, the Russian historian S. Gedeonov considered that the word “warang”, meaning sword and discovered by him in Pototsky’s Baltic-Slavic dictionary, is perfectly suited to the role of the primary source of the term. Many historians associate “Varangian” with the ancient Germanic “wara” - oath, vow, oath. And the linguist M. Vasmer considered the Scandinavian concept “váringr” - loyalty, responsibility - to be the progenitor of the “Varangian”.
Miscellaneous activities
The concepts of “Viking” and “Norman”, according to historians, should not be identified, since the Normans are a nationality, while the Vikings are rather just a way of life. In particular, Irish researchers F. Byrne and T. Powell speak about this. Byrne, in his book A New Look at the History of Viking Age Ireland, argues that the only term that can be equated with the term “Viking” is the term “pirate”. Because robberies were the main source of income for the Vikings. The Vikings were not sedentary and did not follow laws.
The Varangians were a unique social layer of society. These were warriors for hire who guarded the borders of Byzantium from the attacks of the same Vikings. The eldest daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexios Komnenos, Anna, wrote about the Varangians in her work entitled “Alexiad”. The princess argued that the Varangians understood their service in protecting the state and its head as an honorable duty transmitted by inheritance.
Also called Varangians were peaceful merchants who transported goods along the route called at that time “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” This route ran through water from the Baltic Sea to the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Moreover, the Baltic Sea then had a different name - the Varyazh Sea. And, according to the Soviet historian A. Kuzmin, absolutely all inhabitants of the sea coast were previously called Varangians.
Different religions
The Vikings, who no doubt considered themselves warriors, but not pirates, worshiped the god Odin, like all Scandinavians. Odin's eternal companions were ravens - birds that were not favored in Rus' because of their tendency to eat carrion. In addition, since ancient times, Russians considered ravens to be symbols of all kinds of dark forces. But it was the raven that was depicted on the flag that adorned the ship of the famous Viking leader Ragnar Lothbrok.
The sacred bird for the Varangians was the falcon, which honestly hunted for live prey. The falcon was the bird of Perun himself - the pagan Slavic god, in whom the Varangians believed. Since ancient times, the falcon has been revered as an image of courage, dignity and honor.
Some believe that Varangians are just a Russian term for Vikings. In fact, there are many significant differences between the Varangians and the Vikings.
Origin of names
The concepts “Viking” and “Varangian” have completely different origins. Most historians believe that "Viking" originates from the word "vík", which is translated from Old Norse as "cove" or "fjord". However, there are other versions. Thus, Doctor of Historical Sciences T. Jackson claims that the name “Viking” comes from the Latin “vicus” - a small settlement of artisans and traders. This word was used back in the Roman Empire. Such settlements were often located on the territory of military camps. The Swedish scientist F. Askerberg stated that the basis for the noun “Viking” was the verb “vikja” - to leave, turn. According to his hypothesis, the Vikings are people who left their native places in order to earn a living. Askerberg’s fellow countryman, researcher B. Daggfeldt, suggested that the word “Viking” has much in common with the Old Scandinavian phrase “vika sjóvar,” which meant “the interval between the changes of oarsmen.” Therefore, in the original version, the term “víking” most likely referred to long journeys across the sea, involving frequent changes of rowers.
The version about the origin of the term “Varangian” was one of the first to be expressed by Sigismund von Herberstein, the Austrian ambassador, historian and writer. He suggested that the name “Varangians” is associated with the city of Vagria, where the Vandals lived. The expression “Varyags” came from the name of the inhabitants of this city “Vagrs”. Much later, the Russian historian S. Gedeonov considered that the word “warang”, meaning sword and discovered by him in Pototsky’s Baltic-Slavic dictionary, is perfectly suited to the role of the primary source of the term. Many historians associate “Varangian” with the ancient Germanic “wara” - oath, vow, oath. And the linguist M. Vasmer considered the Scandinavian concept “váringr” - loyalty, responsibility - to be the progenitor of the “Varangian”.
Miscellaneous activities
The concepts of “Viking” and “Norman”, according to historians, should not be identified, since the Normans are a nationality, while the Vikings are rather just a way of life. In particular, Irish researchers F. Byrne and T. Powell speak about this. Byrne, in his book A New Look at the History of Viking Age Ireland, argues that the only term that can be equated with the term “Viking” is the term “pirate”. Because robberies were the main source of income for the Vikings. The Vikings were not sedentary and did not follow laws.
The Varangians were a unique social layer of society. These were warriors for hire who guarded the borders of Byzantium from the attacks of the same Vikings. The eldest daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexios Komnenos, Anna, wrote about the Varangians in her work entitled “Alexiad”. The princess argued that the Varangians understood their service in protecting the state and its head as an honorable duty transmitted by inheritance.
Also called Varangians were peaceful merchants who transported goods along the route called at that time “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” This route ran through water from the Baltic Sea to the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Moreover, the Baltic Sea then had a different name - the Varyazh Sea. And, according to the Soviet historian A. Kuzmin, absolutely all inhabitants of the sea coast were previously called Varangians.
Different religions
The Vikings, who no doubt considered themselves warriors, but not pirates, worshiped the god Odin, like all Scandinavians. Odin's eternal companions were ravens - birds that were not favored in Rus' because of their tendency to eat carrion. In addition, since ancient times, Russians considered ravens to be symbols of all kinds of dark forces. But it was the raven that was depicted on the flag that adorned the ship of the famous Viking leader Ragnar Lothbrok.
Some believe that Varangians are just a Russian term for Vikings. In fact, there are many significant differences between the Varangians and the Vikings.
Origin of names
The concepts “Viking” and “Varangian” have completely different origins. Most historians believe that "Viking" originates from the word "vík", which is translated from Old Norse as "cove" or "fjord". However, there are other versions. Thus, Doctor of Historical Sciences T. Jackson claims that the name “Viking” comes from the Latin “vicus” - a small settlement of artisans and traders. This word was used back in the Roman Empire. Such settlements were often located on the territory of military camps. The Swedish scientist F. Askerberg stated that the basis for the noun “Viking” was the verb “vikja” - to leave, turn. According to his hypothesis, the Vikings are people who left their native places in order to earn a living. Askerberg’s fellow countryman, researcher B. Daggfeldt, suggested that the word “Viking” has much in common with the Old Scandinavian phrase “vika sjóvar,” which meant “the interval between the changes of oarsmen.” Therefore, in the original version, the term “víking” most likely referred to long journeys across the sea, involving frequent changes of rowers.
The version about the origin of the term “Varangian” was one of the first to be expressed by Sigismund von Herberstein, the Austrian ambassador, historian and writer. He suggested that the name “Varangians” is associated with the city of Vagria, where the Vandals lived. The expression “Varyags” came from the name of the inhabitants of this city “Vagrs”. Much later, the Russian historian S. Gedeonov considered that the word “warang”, meaning sword and discovered by him in Pototsky’s Baltic-Slavic dictionary, is perfectly suited to the role of the primary source of the term. Many historians associate “Varangian” with the ancient Germanic “wara” - oath, vow, oath. And the linguist M. Vasmer considered the Scandinavian concept “váringr” - loyalty, responsibility - to be the progenitor of the “Varangian”.
Various...
Activity
The concepts of “Viking” and “Norman”, according to historians, should not be identified, since the Normans are a nationality, while the Vikings are rather just a way of life. In particular, Irish researchers F. Byrne and T. Powell speak about this. Byrne, in his book A New Look at the History of Viking Age Ireland, argues that the only term that can be equated with the term “Viking” is the term “pirate”. Because robberies were the main source of income for the Vikings. The Vikings were not sedentary and did not follow laws.
The Varangians were a unique social layer of society. These were warriors for hire who guarded the borders of Byzantium from the attacks of the same Vikings. The eldest daughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexios Komnenos, Anna, wrote about the Varangians in her work entitled “Alexiad”. The princess argued that the Varangians understood their service in protecting the state and its head as an honorable duty transmitted by inheritance.
Also called Varangians were peaceful merchants who transported goods along the route called at that time “from the Varangians to the Greeks.” This route ran through water from the Baltic Sea to the Black and Mediterranean Seas. Moreover, the Baltic Sea then had a different name - the Varyazh Sea. And, according to the Soviet historian A. Kuzmin, absolutely all inhabitants of the sea coast were previously called Varangians.
Different religions
The Vikings, who no doubt considered themselves warriors, but not pirates, worshiped the god Odin, like all Scandinavians. Odin's eternal companions were ravens - birds that were not favored in Rus' because of their tendency to eat carrion. In addition, since ancient times, Russians considered ravens to be symbols of all kinds of dark forces. But it was the raven that was depicted on the flag that adorned the ship of the famous Viking leader Ragnar Lothbrok.
The sacred bird for the Varangians was the falcon, which honestly hunted for live prey. The falcon was the bird of Perun himself, the pagan Slavic god in whom the Varangians believed. Since ancient times, the falcon has been revered as an image of courage, dignity and honor.