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Holmgardr's District of
Sofijskaja storona
District Leader:
Position is currently vacant
Sophia District
'Sophia' the Greek for wisdom 'Σoφíα,' from the words philosophia or philosophy – lit' - "the love of wisdom."
The Primary Chronicle is the earliest written record of history from Ukraine. Existing in several versions, it contains a mixture of oral legend, even older literary material and official documents - a sort of encyclopedia of knowledge of the Rus. A section entitled "The Tale of By-gone Years" was long thought to have been written by a Monk named Nestor and was known as "The Chronicle of Nestor". It is now generally believed that it is the result of several contributors. Another section entitled "Ruskaia Pravda" contains a list of early laws.
A ruling prince of the Varangian Rus could typically draw on three different sources for support. After time and integration with the local Slavs, the Varangians gradually took on their ways and customs, adopting as their own, the local Slav words for various bodys and institutions. Each prince had his 'druzhina' (личная охрана) his personal retinue. This was a more or less permanent group of close family members and followers who would accompany the prince while collecting tribute or consolidating his lands. Similar to the hird (hirÞ) of the Scandinavians or the huscarls of the English, they functioned as something of a cross between bodyguards and drinking friends. In battle they were to be found in the company of the prince. These same men in turn were also considered members of the supreme body of power in Holmgadrd, a general assembly known as the 'Veche.'
A second source of troops was the Voi, called up from the villages and surrounding hinterland controlled by the prince. These troops weren't continually in arms but would be called up for specific campaigns. Finally, the prince could draw on outsiders. Scandinavian mercenaries and fellow Varangians (Vikings) were frequently recruited. Horsemen from the steppe could be recruited or called on as subjects to fight for the Rus and defend the city.
The 'Veche' ruled the city and it's lands from the district of the Sofijskaja storona, which included the mighty fortress of the Detinet. The 'veche' elected their champion and spokesman from amongst the local nobles to decide on all problems of vital importance and reporting in council to the prince. This 'Posadnik' (governor) was the second most important figure in Holmgardr. The courts of Holmgardr were formally presided over by the prince but his verdicts had to be confirmed by the posadnik to become binding.
'A bell summoned the members of the veche to a meeting on the trading area square on the northwest side of the city bridge across the Volkhov. Only men were permitted to take part. A many thousand strong crowd would care little for order or the need to respect the speakers and each other, so the meetings were often noisy and stormy with matters decided by the strength of cries, rather than by the number of votes. If differences arose, the men of the Veche and their supporters would break in two with one assembly gathering in the Trading area, while the other gathering on the south east of the bridge on the Detinets side of the river.' The opposing factions met each other on the bridge across the Volkhov, and sometimes it came to fist fights. Bloodshed would have been a regular occurrence but ultimately, the final decision of most issues were left for the prince to decide.
It was said, perhaps in awe, that
Holmgardr was one of Russia's major centers of literacy and book production. It was in the early 10th century that regular schools were opened by the various merchant guilds and by the 11th century, under the direction of the great Prince Yaroslav The Wise, Holmgardrian citizens were completely literate. A fate driven by the commercial activity of the city fathers. 'In 1951 archeologists found the first of 10 birch-bark letters in the cultural layer of Holmgardr. Today these beautifully preserved artifacts number over 1000. The contents of the birch-bark letters were daily messages, correspondence between children, farmers discussing matters of importance to them, invitations to household gatherings, instructions on economic matters, political and military reports. These early records have brought to us the living language of medieval Holmgardr. These scraps of bark present us with convincing proof of the mass literacy of the population, their readiness to perceive not only the oral, but the written word as well.'
Return to the Holmgardr Entrance.
Visit the district of Torgovaja storona.
Return to Germania's Varangian Way.
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