Swedes (Germanic tribe) 173473 223573734 2008-07-04T18:04:27Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other [[Image:Scandinavia-12th century.png|right|thumb|Sweden in the 9th century before the incorporation of [[Götaland]] during the 10th century, and [[Österland]] in the 12th. {{Legend|#fbe764|Swedes}} {{Legend|#4e4d9e|[[Geat]]s}} {{Legend|#92b78b|[[Gotlander]]s }}]] The '''Swedes''' ({{lang-sv|svear}}; [[Old Norse]]: ''svíar''; [[Old English language|Old English]]: ''Sweonas''; {{lang-la|Suiones}}, ''Suehans'' or ''Sueones'') were an ancient [[North Germanic tribe]] in [[Scandinavia]]. As the dominions of their kings grew, their land slowly evolved into the modern [[Sweden|Swedish nation]]. According to early sources, such as the [[Norse saga]]s, and especially ''[[Heimskringla]]'', the Swedes were a powerful tribe whose kings claimed descendence from the god [[Freyr]]. During the [[Viking Age]] they constituted the basis of the [[Varangian]] subset, the [[Vikings]] that travelled eastwards (see [[Rus' (people)|Rus']]). Their privileged position within the Swedish kingdom was [[Battle of Sparrsätra|abolished in the mid-13th century]].<ref name="Larsson1">Larsson 2002:178</ref> Until then, the Swedes had had semi-aristocratic status being only obliged to provide the [[Monarch of Sweden|King of Sweden]] with ships, warriors and their provisions during wars, whereas other nations within the kingdom, such as [[Geat]]s and [[Gotlander]]s were tributary nations who were regularly taxed.<ref name="Larsson1"/> ==On the name== As the dominions of the Swedish kings grew, the name of the tribe could be applied more generally during the [[Middle Ages]], to include the [[Geat]]s. Later it returned to referring only the people inhabiting the original tribal lands in [[Svealand]], in opposition to the Geats. In modern [[Scandinavian language|Scandinavian]], the adjectival form ''svensk'' and its plural ''svenskar/svensker'' have replaced the name ''svear'' and is, today, used to denote all the citizens of [[Sweden]]. The distinction between the tribal Swedes (''svear'') and modern Swedes (''svenskar'') appears to have been in effect by the early 20th century, when ''[[Nordisk familjebok]]'' noted that ''svenskar'' had almost replaced ''svear'' as a name for the Swedish people.<ref>[http://runeberg.org/nfcg/0605.html The article ''Sverige'', ''språkv.'' in ''Nordisk familjebok'']</ref> Although this distinction is convention in modern Norwegian, Danish and Swedish, [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] retains the traditional terminology and call both ''Svíar''. ==Location== [[Image:Royal mounds.JPG|thumb|right|450px|[[Gamla Uppsala]] was the main religious and political centre of the tribe.]] Their primary dwellings were in eastern [[Svealand]], i.e. the traditional ''[[Folkland]]s'' of [[Attundaland]], [[Tiundaland]], [[Fjärdhundraland]] and [[Roslagen]] in the area of the present cities of [[Uppsala]] and [[Stockholm]] and the modern province of [[Gästrikland]]. Their territories also very early included the provinces of [[Västmanland]], [[Södermanland]] and [[Närke]] in the basin of [[Mälaren]] which constituted a bay with a multitude of islands. The region is still one of the most fertile and densely populated regions of Scandinavia. Their territories were called ''[[Svealand]]'' ([[the Voyage of Ohthere]]: ''Swéoland''), ''[[Svitjod|Suithiod]]'' ([[Beowulf]]: ''Sweoðeod''), ''Svía[[realm|veldi]]'' or ''Svea [[rike]]'' (Beowulf: ''Swéorice''), and the unknown moment when they subjugated, or united politically with, the [[Geats]] in [[Götaland]], sometime between the 6th century and the 11th century is nowadays often regarded as the birth to the [[Sweden|Swedish kingdom]], although the Swedish kingdom is named after them, ''Sverige'' in [[Swedish language|Swedish]], from ''Svea rike'' - i.e. the kingdom of the Suiones. The English name ''Sweden'' is derived from an old name for Sweden and the land of the Suiones: ''Sweoðeod'' (''the people of the Suiones''). The [[Ásatrú]] [[Aesir]]-cult centre in [[Gamla Uppsala]], was the religious centre of the Swedes and where the Swedish king served as a priest during the sacrifices ([[blót]]s). Uppsala was also the centre of the [[Uppsala öd]], the network of royal estates that financed the Swedish king and his court until the 13th century. Some dispute whether the original domains of the Suiones really was in [[Gamla Uppsala|Uppsala]], the heartland of [[Uppland]], or if the term was used commonly for '''all''' tribes within Svealand, in the same way as old [[Norway]]'s different provinces were collectively referred to as ''Nortmanni''. ==Etymology== The form '''[[Suiones]]''' appears in the Roman author [[Tacitus]]'s ''[[Germania (book)|Germania]]''. A closely similar form, ''Sweon(as)'', is found in [[Old English language|Old English]] and in the work of [[Adam of Bremen]] about the Hamburg-Bremen archbishops who are denoted ''Sueones''. According to one theory (Schagerström 1931), the name is derived from [[Proto-Germanic]] *''saiwi-'' meaning "lake" or "sea" resulting in *''siwíoniz'' and later *''swi-oniz'' meaning the "sea people". However, this root is not known to have produced any other derived names, and is considered unlikely. Noréen (1920) proposed that ''Suiones'' is a Latin rendering of [[Proto-Germanic]] *''Swihoniz'', meaning "one's own (tribesmen)", derived from the same [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] root as the [[Latin]] ''suus'' (i.e. not from Latin but from the same [[reflexive pronoun|reflexive pronominal]] root, a root also existing in Slavic languages). In modern Scandinavian, the same root appears in words such as ''svåger'' (brother-in-law) and ''svägerska'' (sister-in-law). The form *''Swihoniz'' would in [[Ulfilas|Wulfila]]'s [[Gothic language|Gothic]] become *''Swaíhans'', which later would result in the form ''Suehans'' that [[Jordanes]] mentioned as the name of the Swedes in ''[[Getica]]''. Consequently, the [[Proto-Norse]] form would have been *''Swehaniz'' which following the sound-changes in Old Norse resulted in Old West Norse ''Svíar'' and Old East Norse ''Swear''. However, this root has not gained wide acceptance, which leads to the oldest theory of which the proposed root is widely accepted. According to a third theory (v. Friesen 1915), it is not derived from the root *''swih'', but from the root *''Swe'' and being originally an adjective, [[Proto-Germanic]] *''Sweoniz'', meaning "kindred". Then the Gothic form would have been *''Swians'' and the H in ''Suehans'' a [[pleonasm]]. The [[Proto-Norse]] form would then also have been *''Sweoniz'' which also would have resulted in the historically attested forms. [[Image:Dr344 Runsten.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The [[Runestone DR 344]] is one of the earliest surviving instances of the name ''Svíþjóð'', in Scandinavia (only [[Runestone DR 216]], ''[[Beowulf]]'' and probably also the ''[[Getica]]'' are earlier).]] Although, scholars differ on the origins of the name, they agree that ''Suiones'' is the same name as [[Old Norse]] ''svíar'' and [[Old English language|Old English]] ''Sweon(as)''. Even though the '''n''' has disappeared in the plural noun ''svear''/''svíar'', it is still preserved in the old adjective which has become the noun designating modern Swedes: ''sve'''n'''sk''. The name became part of a compound, which in Old West Norse was ''Svíþjóð'', (The Suione People), in Old East Norse ''Sweþiuð'' and in [[Old English language|Old English]] ''Sweoðeod''. This compound appears on [[runestone]]s in the locatives ''i suiþiuþu'' ([[Runestone Sö Fv1948;289]], Aspa Löt, [[Sörmland]]), ''a suiþiuþu'' ([[Runestone DR 344]], Simris, [[Skåne]]) and ''o suoþiauþu'' ([[Runestone DR 216]], Tirsted, [[Lolland]]). The 13th century Danish source ''[[Scriptores rerum danicarum]]'' mentions a place called ''litlæ swethiuthæ'', which is probably the island ''Sverige'' (Sweden) near Stockholm. The earliest instance, however, appears to be ''Suetidi'' in [[Jordanes]]' ''[[Getica]]'' (6th century). The only Germanic nation having a similar naming was the [[Goths]], who from the name *''Gutans'' (cf. ''Suehans'') created the form ''gut-þiuda''. The name ''Swethiuth'' and its different forms gave rise to the different Latin names for Sweden, ''Suethia'', ''Suetia'' and ''Suecia'' as well as the modern English name for the country. A second compound was ''Svíariki'', or ''Sweorice'' in [[Anglo-Saxon language|Anglo-Saxon]], which meant "the realm of the Suiones". This is still the formal name for Sweden in [[Swedish language|Swedish]], ''Svea rike'' and the origin of its current name ''Sverige'' with the "k" in the old form "Sverike" changed to a "g" through Danish influence. In contemporary Latvian the word ''zviedri'' means "Swedes" and the word ''Zviedrija'' (originating from ''Svea rike'') is the name for Sweden, showing the very old relations between the ancestors of Swedes and Latvians since the first scandianavian settlements in [[Grobiņa]] and [[Apuole]] in 6th century AD. ==History== The history of this tribe is shrouded in the mists of time. Besides [[Scandinavian mythology]] and Germanic legend, only a few sources describe them and there is very little information, in spite of the fact that the tribe existed already during the first century A.D. ===Romans=== [[Image:Gaius Cornelius Tacitus.jpg|thumb|Gaius Cornelius Tacitus]]There are two sources from the 1st century A.D that are quoted as referring to the Suiones. The first one is [[Pliny the Elder]] who said that the Romans had rounded the ''Cimbric peninsula'' ([[Jutland]]) where there was the ''Codanian Gulf'' ([[Kattegat]]?). In this gulf there were several large islands among which the most famous was ''Scatinavia'' ([[Scandinavia]]). He said that the size of the island was unknown but in a part of it dwelt a tribe named the ''[[Hilleviones|Hillevionum gente]]'', in 500 villages, and they considered their country to be a world of its own. What strikes the commentators of this text is that this large tribe is unknown to posterity, unless it was a simple misspelling or misreading of ''Illa'' '''S'''''vionum gente''. This would make sense, since a large Scandinavian tribe named the ''Suiones'' was known to the Romans. Tacitus wrote in AD 98 in [[s:Germania#XLIV|Germania 44, 45]] that the Suiones were a powerful tribe (''distinguished not merely for their arms and men, but for their powerful fleets'') with ships that had a [[prow]] in both ends ([[longship]]s). Which kings (''kuningaz'') ruled these Suiones is unknown, but [[Norse mythology]] presents a long line of legendary and semi-legendary kings going back to the last centuries BC. After Tacitus' mention of the Suiones, the sources are silent about them until the 6th century as Scandinavia still was in pre-historic times. Some historias have maintained that it is not possible to claim that a continuous Swedish [[ethnicity]] reaches back to the Suiones of Tacitus<ref>Dick Harrison: ''Sveriges historia - Medeltiden'' (2002); Fredrik Svanberg: ''Decolonizing the Viking Age'' (2003).</ref>. According to this view the referent of an ethnonym and the ethnic discourse have varied considerably during different phases of history. ===Jordanes=== [[Image:Bild 942.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Vendel era]] helmet, at the [[Swedish Museum of National Antiquities]].]]In the 6th century [[Jordanes]] named two tribes he calls the '''Suehans''' and the '''Suetidi''' who lived in [[Scandza]]. The ''Suehans'' are considered to be the Suiones, and they were famous for their fine horses. [[Snorri Sturluson]] wrote that the contemporary Swedish king [[Adils]] (Eadgils) had the finest horses of his days. The Suehans were the suppliers of black fox skins for the Roman market. Then Jordanes names a tribe named '''Suetidi''' a name that is considered to refer to the Suiones as well and to be the Latin form of ''Sweþiuð''. The Suetidi are said to be the tallest of men together with the [[Dani]] who were of the same stock. ===Anglo-Saxon sources=== There are three Anglo-Saxon sources that refer to the Swedes. The earliest one is probably the least known, since the mention is found in a long list of names of tribes and clans. It is the poem [[Widsith]] from the 6th or the 7th century: {| | :Wald Woingum, Wod þyringum, :Sæferð Sycgum, Sweom Ongendþeow, :Sceafthere Ymbrum, Sceafa Longbeardum, | :Wald [ruled] the Woings, Wod the [[Thuringian]]s, :Saeferth the Sycgs, Ongendtheow the Swedes, :Sceafthere the Umbers, [[Sceaf]]a the [[Langobards]], | |} On line 32, [[Ongentheow]] is mentioned and he reappears in the later epic poem ''[[Beowulf]]'', which was composed sometime in 8th, 9th and the 10th centuries. [[Image:Bild 950.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Vendel era]] helmet, at the [[Swedish Museum of National Antiquities]].]]The poem describes [[Swedish-Geatish wars]], during the 6th century, involving the Swedish kings [[Ongentheow]], [[Ohthere]], [[Onela]] and [[Eadgils]] who belonged to a royal dynasty called the ''[[Yngling|Scylfing]]s''. These kings were probably historical kings as they appear in many Scandinavian sources as well (see [[Swedish semi-legendary kings]]). There appears to be a prophecy by [[Wiglaf]] in the end of the epic of new wars with the Swedes: {| | :Þæt ys sio fæhðo and se feond-scipe, :wæl-nið wera, þæs þe ic wen hafo, :þe us seceað to Sweona leode, :syððan hie gefricgeað frean userne :ealdor-leasne, þone þe ær geheold :wið hettendum hord and rice, :æfter hæleða hryre hwate Scylfingas, :folcred fremede oððe furður gen :eorl-scipe efnde.<ref>Lines 3000-3008.</ref> | :Such is the feud, the foeman's rage, :death-hate of men: so I deem it sure :that the Swedish folk will seek us home :for this fall of their friends, the fighting-[[Yngling|Scylfings]], :when once they learn that our warrior leader :lifeless lies, who land and hoard :ever defended from all his foes, :furthered his folk's weal, finished his course :a hardy hero.<ref>Gummere's translation</ref> | |} When more reliable historic sources appear the Geats are a subgroup of the Swedes. The third Anglo-Saxon source is [[Alfred the Great]]'s translation of [[Orosius]]' ''Histories'', where are told the voyages of [[Ohthere from Hålogaland]] and [[Wulfstan of Hedeby]], who in the 9th century described the ''Sweon'' and ''Sweoland''. Ohthere's account is limited to the following statement about Swēoland: :Ðonne is toēmnes ðǣm lande sūðeweardum, on ōðre healfe ðæs mōres, Swēoland, oð ðæt land norðeweard; and toēmnes ðǣm lande norðeweardum, Cwēna land.([http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/iallt2003/oldenglish/OEparagraph-5.html Excerpt presented by the University of Victoria] :Then Sweden is along the land to the south, on the other side of the moors, as far as the land to the north; and (then) Finland (is) along the land to the north.([http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/iallt2003/oldenglish/OEparagraph-5.html Translation of the University of Victoria] Wulfstan only mentions a few regions as being subject to the Sweons (in translation): :Then, after the [[Bornholm|land of the Burgundians]], we had on our left the lands that have been called from the earliest times [[Blekinge]]y, and [[Möre|Meore]], and [[Öland|Eowland]], and [[Gotland]], all which territory is subject to the Sweons; and Weonodland was all the way on our right, as far as Weissel-mouth.[http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4076] ===Frankish sources=== During the 8th century and 9th century Suione traders and raiders settled in the north of eastern Europe, a country of rivers and Baltic, Slavic and Finnish tribes. The ''[[Annales Bertiniani]]'' relate that a group of [[Vikings]], who called themselves ''[[Rus' (people)|Rhos]]'' visited [[Constantinople]] around the year 838. Fearful of returning home via the steppes, which would leave them vulnerable to attacks by the [[Magyars]], these Rhos travelled through [[Germany]]. They were questioned by the [[Frankish]] [[King of the Franks|Emperor]] [[Louis the Pious]] somewhere near [[Mainz]]. They informed the emperor that their leader was known as ''chacanus'' (the [[Latin]] for "[[Khagan]]") and that they lived in the north of Russia, but that they were '''Sueones'''. ===Adam of Bremen=== Dealing with Scandinavian affairs, [[Adam of Bremen]] relates in the 11th century that the '''Sueones''' had many wives and were severe on crime. Hospitality was an important virtue and refusing a wanderer to stay over the night was considered shameful. The visitor was even taken to see the hosts' friends. It is interesting that even if 1000 years separate Adam of Bremen from Tacitus both describe the '''Suiones''' as being composed of many tribes, probably identical to the traditional provinces of eastern [[Svealand]]. Like Tacitus, he also notes that they are powerful warriors at sea, a power that they use to keep their neighbours in order. Their royal family is of an old dynasty (see [[House of Munsö]]), but the kings are dependent on the will of the people (the [[Thing (assembly)|Ting]]). What has been decided by the people is more important than the will of the king unless the king's opinion seems to be the most reasonable one, whereupon they usually obey. During peacetime, they feel to be the king's equals but during wars they obey him blindly or whoever among them that he considers to be the most skillful. If the fortunes of war are against them they pray to one of their many gods ([[Aesir]]) and if they win they are grateful to him. ===Norse sagas=== The [[Norse saga]]s are our foremost source for knowledge and especially [[Snorri Sturluson]] who is probably the one who has contributed the most (see for instance the [[Heimskringla]]). His descriptions concur to a large extent with those of the previous sources. For a continuation, see ''[[Early Swedish History]]''. ==Notes and references== {{reflist}} ==Sources== *Larsson, Mats G (2002). ''Götarnas Riken : Upptäcktsfärder Till Sveriges Enande''. Bokförlaget Atlantis AB ISBN 9789174866414 ==See also== *[[Mythical kings of Sweden]] *[[Semi-legendary kings of Sweden]] *[[Swedish people]] *[[Svea]] *[[Mother Svea]] *[[Trial by combat]] *[[Trial by ordeal]] [[Category:Ancient Germanic peoples]] [[Category:Ancient peoples]] [[Category:Ethnic groups in Europe]] [[Category:History of the Germanic peoples]] [[Category:Scandinavia]] [[Category:Viking Age]] [[Category:Viking Age people]] [[ca:Suions]] [[cv:Свейсем]] [[de:Svear]] [[fr:Suiones]] [[it:Sueoni]] [[la:Suehans]] [[hu:Sveák]] [[no:Svitjod]] [[pl:Swionowie]] [[ru:Свеи]] [[fi:Svealaiset]] [[sv:Svear]]