RUS

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

What is the origin and meaning of the word RUS relating to the Middle Ages?

Thank you for any answer... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Cebei]

Hi Aymar RUS is the medieval Russian state established by Scandanavian traders in the 9th century; the capital was first in Novgorod and then in Kiev. We can say that they are the viking founders of Kievan Russia.

[-Isapostolos-]

That's not completely true. The Rus were indeed of Scandinavian orgin (early Rus rulers had Scandinavian names) and advanced slowly along the rivers from the cold north to the warmer south. But the Rus weren't a united people from the start. Novgorod and Kiev were just two Rus states. The most notable Rus of the early medieval age were the Volga Rus, who traded alot with the Arabs, and thus became the richest Rus in the Region.

I believe Rus were what these kind of vikings called themselves although it could also have been the Byzantines how gave them that name since they referred to them as 'Rhos'.

[Kalle]

According to Bonniers Lexikon the Rus were a germanic people that appeared in Russia durig the times of the vikings and founded mighty kingdoms (the once others have mentioned). The dominating opinion is that they came from Sweden.
It is likely that the word Rus comes from the word Roden which was the area in Uppland (Swedish province) where the people was divided into "shipteams" Nowadays this area is called "Roslagen".

Indeed the very word Russia most likely comes from this Rus people.

The founder of the kingdom of Novgorod (city was founded in the year 862 a.d.) was Rurik who most likely was one of these Rus. Until the year 1598 a.d. the rulers of russia claimed to originate from Rurik as did the oldest nobility in Russia.

Kalle

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Once again the knowledge flows http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-smile.gif

More precious information makes me happy http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-grin2.gif

Thanks for the great answers, Cebei, Isopostolos and Kalle

[Brutal DLX]

I've also read that, at least in Germany, Russian were also called "Reussen" and that apparently stems from a Germanic term connected to a row or rowing, which would describe their prefered way of travel on the rivers.

[Rosacrux]

According to some authors the term Rus is a Finnish term for the Swedes, referring to the period when the Vikings would come down the Dnieper from the Dvina.

The Viking by the name of Rurik, thought to be Rurik of Jutland, set himself up at Novgorod. Vladimir Prince of Kiev is descended from him. According to the histoy of Vikings Rus comes from the Finnish name for Sweden, Ruosti.
The name Ruosti, it is argued, arose from roosmenn,
men of the rowing-way, the people of today's Roslagen,
the Rowing-Law, the coastal area of Swedish Uppland.

There is though some opposition to this, for instance by Boris Rybakov, who argues that the word Rus' originally referred to a geographical area to the West of R. Dnieper. (There is also a tribute of Dnieper named Ros'.) Some indirect support for this theory is found in the fact that early Arab sources mention the country before the times of the Vikings.

The Byzantines named "Ros" or "Rus" those who were also known as "Varaggi".

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

So, there are possible different origins for almost the same designation and meaning... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-surprised.gif




Quote[/b] ]The Byzantines named "Ros" or "Rus" those who were also known as "Varaggi".
Therefore Varangian Guard...

Most gratefull for your explanation, Freiherr Brutal DLX and Lord Rosacrux http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/ht_bow.gif

[Kalle]

Yes, "varjager" (swedish form of the word) was nothing else then the slavic peoples name for the vikings or norsemen.

Kalle

[Cebei]

P.S.: Not sure with this but did anybody read RUS as a nordic ancient boat type?

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Quote[/b] ]Not sure with this but did anybody read RUS as a nordic ancient boat type?
I don't understand. Please refrase your question... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif

[Cebei]

Is RUS also the name of an ancient nordic boat type? As in Vikings sailed with their rus

[Aymar de Bois Mauri]

Well, I'm the wrong guy for you to ask that question. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-wink.gif

Maybe someone more knowledgable in such affairs can answer it. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wave.gif

[Cebei]

Well that was a question directed to everybody, but it seems only you want to answer http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Kalle]

I have never heard of a type of vikingboat named rus. The big ones were called Snakes (one of the most famous ships is Ormen Långe - the long snake - and later on the ships were called drakar or drakskepp - dragons or dragonships.

The smaller boats used by the rus (why they were called rus is explained above somewhere) were as far as i know called Snipa (singularis) or Snipor (pluralis), small boats for being able to transport them between the riversystems in russia.

I made a very quick internet search using the phrase vikingaskepp (vikingships) which came up with numerous hits of wellrespected univeritys. Make a search and go there and im sure u will find the names of all the diffrent types of vikingships :)

Kalle

[Cebei]

Thanks. Just somewhere I read some Finnish shipbuilders are reconstructing ancient Viking ships and the title was "reconstructing rus".

[Kalle]

Aha :)

Well maybe they mean reconstructing "the way or life of the rus", following in the footprints of the rus or something like that, in which building this boat is a necessery step.

Anyways i cant swear that the boat wasnt called Rus but it would surprise me a lot.

Kalle

[Cebei]

Yeah probably. Thanks againz.

[Knight Keimo]

Quote[/b] (Cebei @ Feb. 06 2004,19:39)]Thanks. Just somewhere I read some Finnish shipbuilders are reconstructing ancient Viking ships and the title was "reconstructing rus".
I´ve seen that ship, but it is called Uiskohere. Finns were famous for their shipbuilding skills at viking period.

Word RUS has usually something to do with Russia, Russians. One explanation that I´ve read, is that those varjags who founded Novgorod, were sometimes called RUS, because there was a important town called Roslagen/Ruslagen in Sweden. Perhaps they came from there.

[squippy]

Whats the literal english translation of "varjag"?

[Cebei]

Quote[/b] ]Whats the literal english translation of "varjag"?

Isnt that directly translated as "Varangian"? Varyags (in Russian) means Varangian in English. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-book2.gif

[Knight Keimo]

Yeah, varjag means same as varangian. I forget to use a proper term..
Both are/were names that eastern peoples called swedish vikings and also finns that time. Swedish weren´t such "real" agressive vikings like example danes, they were mainly merchants and had trade as far Arabia, Byzantium and all around east. Often alongside with finnish traders, Byzantines coins are the most numerous historicle pieces found in Finland.

[Dead Moroz]

Quote[/b] (Cebei @ Feb. 19 2004,11:46)]
Quote[/b] ]Whats the literal english translation of "varjag"?

Isnt that directly translated as "Varangian"? Varyags (in Russian) means Varangian in English. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-book2.gif
Verbatim "varjag" in Russian is "viking", "norman".
In a figurative sense it means "alien man who was invited to solve our problems".
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/gc-toff.gif

[squippy]

Hmm, but "varangian" does not mean anything in English, its a proper noun.

I was wondering that perhaps "jag", being the Germanic root for "hunt", might mean this was a compound term meaning something like "wandering hunter" ('Var' being a similar root for 'journey' or the like.)