The Slav

From CANUTE The Great (1912) by Laurence Marcellus Larson

From the Elbe eastward along the Baltic shores, at least as far as the Vistula, where the Lithuanian settlements appear to have begun,¹ Slavic tribes were evidently in full possession all through the viking age. There was, however, no consolidated Slavic power, no organized Slavic state. The dominions of Bohemia and Poland were developing but neither had full control of the coast lands. The non-Slavic peoples who were interested in this region were the Danes and the Germans. The eastward expansion of Germany across and beyond the Elbe had begun ; but in Canute's day Teutonic control of Wendish territories was very slight.

We find the Danes in Wendland as early as the age of Charlemagne, when they were in possession of a strong and important city called Reric, the exact location of which is not known.² The Danish interest appears to have been wholly a commercial one : horses, cattle, game, fish, mead, timber products, spices, and hemp are mentioned as important articles of the southern trade.³ There was also, we may infer, something of a market for Danish products. At all times, the intercourse seems to have been peaceful ; Danes and Wends appear to have lived side by side on the best of terms. The Germans, on the other hand, were not regarded with much favour by their Slavic neighbours.   (Etc.)

    ¹ Steenstrup, Venderne og de Danske, 3.
    ² Ibid., 24-25.
    ³ Danmarks Riges Historie, i., 322-323.

The most famous of all Danish settlements in these regions was Jo, a stronghold near the mouth of the Oder, sometimes called Jumne, Jumneta, or Julin. In the eleventh century Jom was a great city as cities went in those days, tough it was probably not equal to its reputation. The good Master Adam, who has helped us to so much information regarding Northern lands and conditions in his century, speaks of the city in the following terms :

It is verily the greatest city in Europe. It is inhabited by Slavs and other peoples, Greeks and barbarians. For even the Saxons who have settled there are permitted to live with the rest in the enjoyment of the same rights ; though, indeed only so long as they refrain from public profession of their Christian faith.   (..)   In other respects, especially as to manners and hospitality, a more obliging and honourable people cannot be found.¹

The city was located on the east side of the island of Wollin, where the village of Wollin has since been built. For its time it enjoyed a very favourable location. built on an island, it was fairly safe from land attacks, while its position some distance from the sea secured it from the common forms of piracy.¹ Back into the land ran the great river highway, the Oder, while a few miles to the north lay the Baltic with its long coast line to the east, the west, and the north.

CANUTE THE GREAT   995 (circ)-1034 by L.M. Larson
New York and London : Putnam 1912, pp. 153-155..

Author Dobrovsk�, Josef, 1753-1829. Title Dobrowsky's Slavin. Bothschaft aus Boehmen an alle slawischen Voelker, oder Beitraege zu ihrer Charakteristik, zur Kenntniss ihrer Mythologie, ihrer Geschichte und Alterthuemer, ihrer Literatur und ihrer Sprachkunde nach allen Mundarten. Mit einem Anhange: Der boehmiche Cato, vollstaendige Ausgabe in vier Buechern... Edition 2. verb., berichtigte und verm. aufl. Von Wenceslaw Hanka...Mit sechs zum theile kolorirten kupfertafeln, drei facsimile und vier tabellen. Publisher Prag : von Mayregg ; 1834. Description 496 p. ; plates (some col.) ports., facsims., tab. , 18 cm. Note Paging irregular. "B�Eher-anzeige," pp. 11-22, 301-303, 405-417. Language German