Who were the Berendei and why in the annals they were called "their filthy"
Who were the Berendei and why in the annals they were called "their filthy"

Video: Who were the Berendei and why in the annals they were called "their filthy"

Video: Who were the Berendei and why in the annals they were called
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The numerous people mentioned in the annals hold many mysteries for historians. Very little is known about him and, perhaps, therefore, school history textbooks usually do not write about him. Most often, when we say Berendey, we recall Ostrovsky's play The Snow Maiden, but the fairytale king who rules the “kingdom of good Berendey” has nothing to do with a real ancient people.

In literature, the Berendeys seem to us to be quite civilized peaceful people living in cities and villages. However, in Russian folklore, this word denotes werewolves that turn into bears. There is in our language such a forgotten word as "berendeyka" - a part of the old military ammunition - a sling to which accessories for loading guns were hung, and also this was the name of carved painted dolls. The significance of this word is evidenced by the fact that derivatives also existed from it: “Berendeiks” were the masters who “berenderized” - made berendeys.

This is, perhaps, all the linguistic memory that remained in our language from a whole people, which about a thousand years ago was a significant force in ancient Russia. True, even today the name "Berendey" is often given to various objects - from restaurants to forest recreation centers, but this trend is most likely associated with the same fairytale king created by Ostrovsky.

According to Ostrovsky, the Berendeys are a peaceful ancient Slavic people
According to Ostrovsky, the Berendeys are a peaceful ancient Slavic people

In official science, it is customary to consider the Berendeys as a nomadic tribe of Turkic origin. In 1097 they were first mentioned in Russian chronicles together with the Torks and Pechenegs. History has preserved information that this people was a vassal of the Russian princes - experienced equestrian warriors helped in the fight against the Polovtsians and sometimes participated in internecine wars in Russia. The ancient chroniclers called the nomadic allies "their filthy", however, a thousand years ago this word had a less derogatory connotation and simply meant the Gentiles (it comes from the Latin "paganus" - "pagan", "rural").

However, the relationship between the two peoples was not always peaceful. "Their filthy" tried to preserve the remnants of independence, and the Russian princes demanded vassal obedience from them. The chronicle reports about one of these conflicts in the year 1121: "In summer 6629. Volodimer Berendichi was driven out of Russia, and Tortsi and Pechenzi were bѣzhash themselves."

The chronicles of the X-XIII centuries are practically the only source of information about the Berendey
The chronicles of the X-XIII centuries are practically the only source of information about the Berendey

A little later, around 1146, nomadic tribes friendly to Russia entered the Black Klobuki tribal association. The Berendeys became its most important part, along with the Pechenegs. In the future, the Russian princes repeatedly awarded their loyal allies with cities and lands for them. Here, many scientists and simply lovers of ancient history have a question about some contradiction. The fact is that nomadic tribes could hardly have developed management and organizational skills in order not only to successfully rule the donated cities, but also to build their own! But it is known for sure that the Berendeys founded several settlements: Torchesk, Sakov, Berendichev, Berendeevo, Izheslavl, Urnaev and others. The first of them was the capital of the Blackbuck Union.

In addition, it is unclear why a free nomadic tribe suddenly began to voluntarily serve the Russian princes and fight against their kindred peoples, why, according to the chronicles, they themselves asked for land as a reward in order to build new cities. These inconsistencies today allow us to build alternative hypotheses about the origin of the mysterious tribe. Opinions are expressed that the Berendei are a primordially Slavic people, for some reason forced to look for a new refuge for themselves, and even that they were descendants of the Scythians. There is usually not much evidence for such versions, but their creators argue that the generally accepted version is “built on sand”.

According to scientists, the Berendei were a nomadic tribe of Turkic origin
According to scientists, the Berendei were a nomadic tribe of Turkic origin

It is known for sure that the mysterious Berendei really represented a significant military and political force in Russia, but they are mentioned in the annals only between the 10th and 13th centuries. Where they came from and where they went later - the chroniclers did not tell us. It is possible that during the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the Berendeys partially assimilated into the Golden Horde, and partially went to Bulgaria and Hungary. There is even a version that the Berendei and Polovtsians were the ancestors of the Cossacks.

Cossacks, along with the Russians and Maya Indians, are among the 20 most mysterious peoples in the world, about the origin of which scientists still argue.

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