«Danes» in Rus’ and Byzance at the Beginning of the XI cent.

Abstract

Article analyses a number of witnesses that proves the positive conjuncture for transfer of Danish warriors towards Byzantium by the Austerwegr at the beginning of XI cent. First is the allusion by Leo of the Marsi for the Danes in the Byzantine army in Italy already at the second half of the X cent. The information from “Chronic” of Thietmar of Merseburg about Danes in Kiev at the time of struggle for power between Vladimir sons Yaroslav and Svyatopolk is of particular importance. Thietmar used ethnonym Danes as usual not to indicate all Scandinavians but exactly descendants from Jutland peninsula. So we can concern Danes in this very case to be also from Denmark, which reveal the possibility of peaceful relations between knyaz Yaroslav and Canute the Great, king of Denmark. “Yomsvikinga-saga» points out the possibility of Danish detachment ingress at the Rus after the death of Sweyn Forkbeard even without his son Canute will.