|
The Finnish–Novgorodian wars were a series of conflicts between Finnic tribes in eastern Fennoscandia and the Republic of Novgorod from the 11th or 12th century to early 13th century. The wars' effect on the Finns' society contributed to the eventual Swedish conquest of Finland in around 1249. The term used in Russian chronicles to refer to Novgorod's enemy, ''Yem'', is highly obscure and probably referred to several different groups. Some of the groups identified as Yem may have been the inhabitants of Tavastland, also called Häme in Finnish, in south-central Finland, the West Finns in general,〔About the association of the term ''Yem'' with Finns, see ''Suomen varhaiskeskiajan lähteitä''. Historian aitta XXI. Gummerus kirjapaino Oy. Jyväskylä 1989. ISBN 951-96006-1-2.〕 or a sub-group of Karelians on the northern coast of the Ladoga.〔Pirjo Uino: ''Ancient Karelia: Archaeological Studies''. Helsinki 1997.〕 ==Early developments== The only known written sources on the Yem-Novgorodian wars are contained in the medieval Russian chronicles. The Russians and ''Yem'' had frequent conflicts from the 11th or 12th century onwards. The eastern Finnic peoples Votes, ''Korela'' (interpreted as Karelians in general or more specifically as the Karelians on the southwest coast of the Ladoga) and Izhorians are all mentioned as allies to Novgorod, said to have been fighting against Yem even without Novgorod's direct involvement, possibly over control of land area in central and eastern Finland; this territorial feud manifested in annual retaliatory expeditions that featured merciless treatment of the settlers of the opposing tribe. The earliest possible mention of hostilities is from the Laurentian Codex which records in passing that the Novgorodian Prince Vladimir Yaroslavich was at war with the "Yam" in 1042 AD.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Laurentian Codex entry about a Yam war in 1042 ). In Swedish. Hosted by the (National Archive of Finland ). See () and ''Diplomatarium Fennicum'' from the menu.〕 The Yam are also mentioned as tributaries to Novgorod in the Primary Chronicle,〔(Primary Chronicle ). In Russian.〕 but they disappear from sources later on. It is disputed whether "Yam" was an earlier form of "Yem" or an altogether different people, perhaps living east of Lake Onega.〔At the time of the conflict, Sweden still controlled access to the Baltic Sea. Also, the Primary Chronicle does not mention the Karelians or Izhorians who lived between Russians and Finns. Furthermore, the said Vladimir attacked Constantinople in 1043, making it unlikely that he was fighting on the other side of the continent only a year earlier.〕 Conflicts certainly began in the early 12th century, however information on them remains very scarce. According to the Novgorod First Chronicle, another Prince of Novgorod, Vsevolod Mstislavich, and his troops from Novgorod were at war with Yem during a great famine in 1123. The chronicle leaves any further developments of the conflict open, including the whereabouts of the fight.〔Novgorod First Chronicle entry about the war, (【引用サイトリンク】title=1123 ). In Swedish.〕 Yem pillaged Novgorodian area in 1142, but were defeated near Ladoga with 400 casualties. Coincidentally or not, Swedes attacked Novgorodians in the same year as well.〔See (【引用サイトリンク】title=Chronicle entry ). In Swedish.〕 Korela, now under Novgorodian influence, were at war with Yem in the following year, but were forced to flee, losing two ships.〔Novgorod First Chronicle entries about Finnish wars, (【引用サイトリンク】title=1142 ), (【引用サイトリンク】title=1143 ). In Swedish.〕 Yem attacked Russian soil again in 1149 with 1000 men. Novgorodians, totaling 500, went in pursuit of the Yem, utterly defeating them with Votes, a Finnic tribe in alliance with Novgorod. Votes, today almost extinct, lived south of the present-day Saint Petersburg, probably making this the deepest attack that Yem ever made into Russian territory.〔Novgorod First Chronicle entry about the war, (【引用サイトリンク】title=1149 ).〕 After a long pause in open hostilities—at least in the chronicles—a Novgorodian called Vyshata Vasilyevich led his troops against Yem in 1186, returning unharmed with prisoners. It is not clear whether he took his forces to fight in the land of Yem or to defend his country against an intrusion. Reasons for the renewed fighting have not been identified.〔Novgorod First Chronicle entries about the war, (【引用サイトリンク】title=1186 ). In Swedish.〕 Korela accompanied Novgorodians for yet another attack against Yem in 1191. This time the fighting is clearly said to have taken place "the land of the Yem", the first such entry in Russian chronicles. The assailants "burned the country and killed the cattle".〔Novgorod First Chronicle entries about the war, (【引用サイトリンク】title=1191 ). In Swedish.〕 Very hypothetically this may have been the same attack that was mentioned in a much later Swedish chronicle ''Chronicon episcoporum Finlandensium'' by Bishop Paulus Juusten from the mid-16th century that knows Russians to have burned "Turku" in 1198, at the time of Bishop Folquinus.〔The chronicle has been published in Finnish, see e.g. Suomen piispainkronikka. Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seuran toimituksia 476. Pieksämäki 1988.〕 Russian chronicles have no information about a conflict that year. It should be noted that the town of Turku did not exist before the end of the 13th century. After this, there is no information on further Novgorodian conflicts for several decades. It is also impossible to confirm whether the 1191 war resulted in a brief Novgorodian rule in parts of Finland or Karelia. However, a later chronicle entry from the mid-1220s said that Russian princes had not been able to dwell in the land of Yem.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Finnish–Novgorodian wars」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|