Bjarmaland

Assumed position of the area

The term could be assigned to the southern shores of the White Sea and the basin of the Northern Dvina. These areas are now part of the Arkhangelsk Oblast of Russia.

Anyway, the trade of the Bjarmen handed south-east to the Volga Bulgars, where she also met Scandinavians, however, who came from the Baltic Sea.

Probably Bjarmaland lay in the area of ​​today Arkhangelsk the Bjamischen a previous settlement succeeded. For the first time appeared the name Bjarmaland on in the journey of Otthar which is probably made ​​in the year 890. After the story Otthars it was the first trip of Norwegians there, although this figure does not appear safe. It is more likely that Otthar this story conceived in terms of its Anglo-Saxon audience and this held back in terms of the details of bjarmisch - Norwegian trade relations.

The name of the Bjarmen can also be found in the most ancient chronicles of the Rus, the Nestor chronicles from the years 1000 to 1100. Moreover, lists the names of other Finno- Ugric tribes in this, as the wasp, Mari, Mordvins and the Chud (proto -Estonians ).

The field name was later used by Adam of Bremen, and the Icelanders Snorri Sturluson, in the Bosa saga ok Herrauðs; They reported on the rivers which flowed from Bjarmaland after Gandvik. It is unclear whether they meant the same Bjarmaland, which is also mentioned in the travel Otthars. The name of the deity bjarmischen Jomali similar to the Finnish Jumala what God means or in other Finnish dialects or languages ​​has the corresponding meaning. From this it was also concluded that the Bjarmen of Finnish origin were. However, the description of the deity rather indicates a Siberian deity; especially the crown, which is described as decorated with 12 golden stars, would be characteristic of the headgear Siberian shamans.

Olaus Magnus Bjarmaland situate in the area of the Kola Peninsula, while John Scheffer said it was equated with the Lappmark ( Finnmark ). On the reproductions of Skalholt card from the late 16th century of Sigurd Stefánsson Biarmaland is placiert above Norway.

Descriptions in the sagas

After the writing of the report, the Norwegian Otthar from Halogaland the King Alfred gave the Great, he sailed for several days the northern coast of Norway along, and then south, after which he reached a large river, which is probably the Northern Dvina acted. At the mouth of the Beormas settled, which were equal to the nomadic seed sedentary; and their land was rich and well- populated. Their language was the Otthar unknown but he said that it was similar to the seeds. The Bjarmen told him of their country and of other countries bordering on the former.

Later it is reported to Bjarmaland of other expeditions and journeys that have been made from Norway. In the year 920 Erik Bloodaxe took a ride, as later Harold II and Haakon Magnusson in 1090th

The best known expedition was that of Tore Hund, who along with some friends (or even robbery journeymen ), arrived in 1026 to Bjarmaland. They started with the residents to act and bought a large quantity of furs; after which they pretended to leave. Later, she secretly landed on the coast, and plundered the tombs of the Bjarmen. There they had built an idol of their God Jomali. On the knees of these gods statue there was a bowl in which there was silver. Furthermore, the statue was a valuable chain hanging around his neck. Gates and his men resorted to, and managed to the - to escape Bjarmen along with their prey - they tracked.

Historical classification

Historians believe that the wealth of Bjarmen based on its profitable trade along the Dvina River Kama and the Volga to the Bulgarians and other settlements in the south. Along this route silver coins and other trade goods for furs and walrus bone were exchanged by the Bjarmen. Further north, negotiated the Bjarmen with the seeds, which they were probably tributary.

It seems that the Scandinavians benefits moved out of the Dvina trade - in addition to the trade routes across the Volga and the Dnieper. In 1217 two Norwegian traders came to Bjarmaland to buy there furs; one of them went further south to go to Russia and from there to the Holy Land, where he intended to participate in a crusade. The second dealer, who remained, was killed by the Bjarmen. This moved Norwegian captains to retaliation to undertake an expedition into Bjarmaland, which they plundered in 1222

The 13th century seems to have initiated the decline of the Bjarmalandes, because it was Novgorod tribute. While many Slavs before the Mongolian invasion northward direction and Belozersk Bjarmaland fled, who sought displaced from their land Bjarmen refuge in Norway. There they were assigned by Håkon IV country in Malangen in 1240. More significant for the decline was likely that the trade routes with the onset of the Crusades shifted more to the west or shifted considerably to the south. When the Novgorod founded in the early 13th century Veliky Ustjug, grew the Bjarmen a weighty trade competitor. More and more Pomors came in the 14th and 15th Century in the region, which led to the final subjugation and assimilation of Bjarmen by the Slavs.