X. FINNISH NORTH AND NOVGOROD VELIKIY

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Northern nature. – Finnish tribe and its division. – His life, character and religion. - Kalevala.

From the Valdai Plateau, the soil gradually decreases to the north and northwest to the shores of the Gulf of Finland; and then it rises again and passes into the granite rocks of Finland with their spurs leading to the White Sea. This whole strip represents the great lake region; it was once covered with a deep layer of ice; water, accumulated over thousands of years from the melting of ice, filled all the depressions of this strip and formed its countless lakes. Of these, Ladoga and Onega, in their vastness and depth, can be called inland seas rather than lakes. They are connected to each other, as well as to Ilmen and the Baltic by such high-water channels as the Svir, Volkhov and Neva. The Onega River, lakes Lache, Vozhe, Beloe and Kubenskoye can be considered approximately the eastern border of this great lake region. Further east of it, all the way to the Ural ridge, there is a strip of low, wide ridges, or “ridges,” cut through by three majestic rivers, the Northern Dvina, Pechora and Kama, with their numerous and sometimes very large tributaries. The ridges form the watershed between the left tributaries of the Volga and the rivers of the Northern Ocean.

The immeasurable pine and spruce forests that cover both of these stripes (lake and ridges), the further north you go, the more they are replaced by small shrubs and finally turn into wild, homeless tundra, i.e. low-lying marshy areas covered with moss and passable only in winter time, when they are constrained by frost, Everything in this northern nature bears the stamp of tedious monotony, wildness and immensity: swamps, forests, mosses - everything is endless and immeasurable. Its Russian inhabitants have long given apt nicknames to all the main phenomena of their nature: dark forests “dense”, winds “violent”, lakes “stormy”, rivers “fierce”, swamps “stagnant”, etc. Even in the southern half of the northern space, the poor sandy-clayey soil with a harsh climate and complete freedom for winds blowing from the Arctic Ocean could not contribute to the development of the agricultural population and feed its inhabitants. However, the enterprising, active character of Novgorod Rus' was able to subjugate this stingy, harsh nature and bring life and movement into it. But, before Novgorod Rus' spread its colonies and its industry here, the entire northeastern strip of Russia was already inhabited by the peoples of the vast Finnish family.

When our history begins, we find Finnish tribes in the same places where they live until now, i.e. mainly from the Baltic Sea to the Ob and Yenisei. The Arctic Ocean served as their northern border, and their southern limits can be approximately designated by a line from the Gulf of Riga to the middle Volga and the upper Urals. According to its geographical location, as well as some external differences in its type, the Finnish family has long been divided into two main branches: western and eastern. The first occupies that great lake region that we talked about above, i.e. a country between the Baltic, White and upper Volga seas. And the country of the Eastern Finns embraces an even more extensive strip of ridges, the middle Volga and Trans-Urals.

Ancient Rus' had another common name for the Finns; she called them Chudya. Distinguishing it according to individual tribes, she assigned the name Chudi to some primarily, namely those that lived on the western side of Lake Peipus, or Peipus (Ests), and on the eastern side (Vod). In addition, there was also the so-called. Chud Zavolotskaya, which lived near lakes Ladoga and Onega and apparently extended to the Onega River and Northern Dvina. Adjacent to this Zavolotskaya Chud was Ves, which, according to the chronicle, lived near Beloozero, but, without a doubt, spread south along the Sheksna and Mologa (Ves Egonskaya) and southwest to the upper Volga region. Judging by its language, this Ves and the neighboring part of the Zavolotskaya Chud belonged to that particular branch of the Finnish family, which is known under the name Em and whose dwellings stretched to the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia. The northwestern part of the Zavolotsk Chud was made up of another branch close to the Emi, known as the Karelians. One Karelian people who lived on the left side of the Neva River was called Ingrov or Izhora; and the other, which also advanced to the Gulf of Bothnia itself, is called Kveny. The Karelians pushed their fellow tribes further north into the tundra and rocks, but more wild people wandering Lapps; some of the latter, however, remained in their original places and mixed with the Karelians. For this western Finnish branch there is a common native name Suomi.

It is difficult to determine what they were distinctive features the western Finns from the eastern ones, and also where the former ended and the latter began. We can only say in general that the former have more light color hair, skin and eyes; Already Ancient Rus' in its songs noted the western branch with the nickname “White-Eyed Chud”. The middle between them, due to its geographical position, was once occupied by the significant (now Russified) tribe of Meri, who lived on both sides of the Volga, especially between the Volga and Vyazma. Part of this tribe that lived on the lower Oka River was called Muroma. And further to the east, between the Oka and Volga, there was a large Mordovian tribe (Burtas of Arab writers), with its division into Erza and Moksha. Where the Volga does sharp turn to the south, on both sides of it lived the Cheremis. All these are Finns from the Volga region. To the north of them the Perm tribe (Zyryans and Votyaks) settled widely, which covered the river areas of the Kama with Vyatka and the upper Dvina with Vychegda. Going further to the northeast, we meet Ugra, i.e. Ugric branch of the eastern Finns. The part of it that lived between the Kama and Pechora is called in the Russian chronicle by the name of the last river, i.e. Pechory; and its own Yugra lived on both sides of the Ural ridge; then she became better known under the names Vogulov and Ostyakov. The Bashkir tribe (later almost Tatarized), which roamed the Southern Urals, can also be attributed to this Ugric branch. From the Bashkir steppes, in all likelihood, came the ancestors of that Ugric, or Magyar, horde, which was driven out of its homeland by Turkish nomads, wandered for a long time in the steppes of Southern Russia and then, with the help of the Germans, conquered the Slavic lands on the Middle Danube. The Samoyed people, which ethnographically occupies the middle between the Finnish and Mongolian families, in ancient times lived further south than in our time; but other tribes gradually pushed him to the Far North into the homeless tundras stretching along the coasts of the Arctic Ocean.

The ancient fates of an extensive Finnish family are almost beyond the reach of history. Several fragmentary and unclear news from classical writers, in medieval chronicles, Byzantine, Latin and Russian, from Arab geographers and in Scandinavian sagas - that’s all we have about the peoples of the Finnish North, who joined Ancient Rus' and from ancient times underwent gradual Russification . Our history finds them at low levels of everyday life, however, far from being the same among different tribes. More northern peoples live in dirty huts, dugouts or caves, eat grass, rotten fish and all kinds of carrion, or wander behind herds of deer, which feed and clothe them. Meanwhile, their other fellow tribesmen, Volga and Estonian, already have some signs of contentment, are engaged in animal hunting, cattle breeding, beekeeping and partly agriculture, live in large villages in log cabins, obtain various items of utensils and decorations from traders who visited their lands. These traders came partly from Kama Bulgaria, but mainly from Rus', Novgorod and Suzdal, and exchanged their own and foreign goods from the residents mainly for the skins of fur-bearing animals. That is why in the Chud burial mounds we often find not only native, Russian and Bulgarian products, but even coins and things brought from such distant countries as Muslim Asia, Byzantium, Germany and England. For all their rudeness and savagery, the Finnish peoples have been known since ancient times for their blacksmithing, i.e., metal processing. Scandinavian sagas glorify Finnish swords, which are credited with magical powers, since the blacksmiths who forged them were also known as people skilled in witchcraft. However, the language of the Finns and the monuments found in their country show that the glory of their forgers should be attributed to " copper age", i.e. to the art of processing copper, and not forging iron. The latter art was brought to the North by more gifted peoples.

The traits innate to the Finnish tribe have always sharply distinguished it from the Slavs, Lithuania and other Aryan neighbors. It is unenterprising, uncommunicative, does not like change (conservative), tends to be quiet family life and is not devoid of a fertile imagination, which is indicated by his rich poetic fiction. These tribal qualities, together with the northern gloomy nature and distance from educated peoples, were the reason why the Finns could not rise to higher levels for so long social development and almost nowhere did they create an original state life. IN last respect only one exception is known, namely the Ugro-Magyar people, who received an admixture of some Caucasian tribes, found themselves on the Danube in the neighborhood of Latin and Byzantine citizenship and founded a fairly strong state there thanks to the hostility of the Germans to the Slavs. In addition, from among the Finnish peoples comes the Perm, or Zyryan, tribe, which was more distinguished than others by its ability for industrial and commercial activities. Scandinavian legends about some rich, flourishing country of Biarmia could be attributed to it, if its coastal position did not rather point to Chud Zavolotskaya.

The pagan religion of the Finns fully reflects their gloomy character, limited worldview and the forest or desert nature that surrounded them. We almost never meet among them the bright, sunny deity who played such a prominent role in the religious consciousness, in the celebrations and traditions of the Aryan peoples. Terrible, unkind creatures here decisively prevail over the good principle: they constantly send various misfortunes to a person and demand victims to appease them. It is a religion of primitive idolatry; The humanoid idea of ​​gods that prevailed among the Aryan peoples was little developed among the Finns. The deities appeared to their imagination in the form of either unclear elemental images, or inanimate objects and animals; hence the worship of stones, bears, etc. However, already in ancient times the Finns had idols that had a rough likeness of a person. More and more important events Their lives are entangled in many superstitions, hence the veneration of shamans, i.e. sorcerers and fortune-tellers who are in relations with air and underground spirits can summon them with wild sounds and furious antics. These shamans represent a kind of priestly class that is in the first stages of development.

The worship of a formidable, unkind deity was most dominant among the eastern Finns. It is mainly known under the name Keremeti. This name also began to be called the very place of sacrifice, arranged in the depths of the forest, where sheep, cows, and horses were slaughtered in honor of the deity; Moreover, part of the sacrificial meat is put aside for the gods or burned, and the rest is served for a feast along with a stupefying drink prepared for that occasion. Finnish concepts about afterlife very unpretentious; it seemed to them a simple continuation of earthly existence; why with the deceased, like other peoples, some of his weapons and household utensils were buried in the grave. We encounter a somewhat less gloomy religious mood among the Western Finns, who have long been in relations with the Germanic and Slavic tribes and were subject to some of their influence. Their prevailing veneration is the supreme elemental being Ukko, however, better known under the common Finnish name Yumala, i.e. God. He personifies the visible sky and commands air phenomena, what are clouds and wind, thunder and lightning, rain and snow. The Scandinavian sagas tell a curious story about the sanctuary of Yumala in the legendary Biarmia. In the first half of the 11th century (1026), therefore, during the time of Yaroslav I, the Norman Vikings equipped several ships and went to Biarmia, where they exchanged expensive furs from the natives. But this seemed to them not enough. Rumors about a nearby sanctuary filled with various riches aroused in them a thirst for spoils. It was the custom among the natives, they were told, that part of the property of the dead should be given to the gods; it was buried in sacred places and mounds were poured on top. There were especially many such offerings hidden around the idol of Yumala. The Vikings made their way to the sanctuary, which was surrounded by a wooden fence. One of them, named Thorer, who knew well Finnish customs, climbed over the fence and opened the gate to his comrades. The Vikings dug up the mounds and collected many different treasures from them. Thorer grabbed the bowl of coins that lay on the idol’s lap. A gold necklace hung around his neck; To remove this necklace, they cut off the neck. At the noise that arose from here, the watchmen came running and blew their horns. The robbers hastened to escape and managed to reach their ships.

Väinämöinen defends Sampo from the witch Louhi. Episode from the Finnish epic Kalevala. Painting by A. Gallen-Kallela, 1896

Scattered across the vast plains of the North of Eastern Europe, The Finnish family lived in separate clans and tribes in the wilderness of primeval forests at the stages of patriarchal life, i.e. was governed by its elders, and, apparently, only in some places did these elders acquire such importance that they could be equated with the Slavic and Lithuanian princes. Despite their unenterprising, non-warlike character, the Finnish peoples, however, were often in hostile relations with each other and attacked each other, and the stronger, of course, tried to enrich themselves with booty at the expense of the weaker or to take away a less barren strip of land from them. For example, our chronicle mentions mutual attacks by Karel, Emi and Chudi. These internecine fights, as well as the need to protect oneself from foreign neighbors, gave rise to a kind of native heroes, whose exploits became the subject of songs and tales and reached later generations in very fantastic images. At the same time, a Finnish folk trait is fully revealed. Meanwhile, among other nations, their national heroes are primarily distinguished by extraordinary physical strength, fearlessness and dexterity, and although the element of magic occurs, it does not always play main role, Finnish heroes accomplish their feats mainly with the help of witchcraft. Remarkable in this regard are the recently collected fragments of the Western Finnish and Karelian epics, called Kalevala (the country and together the offspring of the mythical giant Kalev, i.e. Karelia). In the songs or runes of Kalevala, by the way, memories of the former struggle of the Karelians with the Lapps were preserved. The main person of this epic - old Veinemoinen - is a great sorcerer, at the same time an inspired singer and player of the "kantele" (a type of Finnish bandura or harp). His comrades also have the gift of magic, namely the skillful merchant Ilmarinen and the young singer Leminkeinen. But their opponents are also strong in witchcraft, although, of course, not to the same extent; Both sides are constantly fighting with prophetic words, spells and other charms. In addition to the inclination to engage in witchcraft and compose runes, this epic also reflected a favorite feature of the Finns: an attraction to blacksmithing, the personification of which is Ilmarinen. It is impossible not to notice, however, that such fictions, with all the fecundity of imagination, suffer from a lack of liveliness, harmony and clarity, which are distinguished by poetic works Aryan peoples.

Although the Finns were sometimes able to stubbornly defend their independence from foreign conquerors, as we saw in the example of the Estonian Chud, but for the most part, with their fragmentation into small tribes and possessions, with a lack of military entrepreneurship, and, consequently, the military squad class, they gradually fell into dependence more developed neighboring peoples. Thus, already in the first centuries of our history we find a significant part of the western and northeastern Finns either completely subordinate or paying tribute to Novgorod Rus'; part of the Volga and Poka peoples is part of the lands of Vladimir-Suzdal and Murom-Ryazan, and another part of the Volga and Pokam natives is subordinate to the Kama Bolgars.

Finns (self-name - Suomi) are the main population of Finland, where there are over 4 million people (more than 90% of all residents of the country) 1 . Outside of Finland, Finns live in the USA (mainly in Minnesota), northern Sweden, as well as in Norway, where they are called Kvens, and in the USSR (in the Leningrad region and the Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic). In total, over 5 million people around the globe speak Finnish. This language belongs to the Baltic-Finnish group of the Finno-Ugric language family. The Finnish language has several local dialects, which are grouped into two main groups - Western and Eastern. The basis of the modern literary language is the Häme dialect, that is, the dialect of the central regions of southern Finland.

Finland is one of the northernmost countries on the globe. Its territory lies between 60 and 70° northern latitude, on both sides of the Arctic Circle. The average length of the country from north to south is 1160 km, and from west to east - 540 km. The area of ​​Finland is 336,937 square meters. km. 9.3% of it consists of inland waters. The climate in the country is relatively mild, which is explained by the proximity of the Atlantic.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH

The territory of Finland was inhabited by humans during the Mesolithic era, i.e. approximately in the 8th millennium BC. e. In the 3rd millennium BC. e. Tribes penetrated here from the east and created Neolithic cultures of pit-comb ceramics, probably the ancestors of Finnish-speaking peoples.

In the 2nd millennium BC. e. The Letto-Lithuanian tribes, who were characterized by the culture of corded pottery and boat-shaped battle axes, came to the southwest of Finland through the Gulf of Finland from the Baltic states. The newcomers gradually merged with the local population. However, there are still some differences between the population of southwestern Finland and the population of the middle and eastern parts. Material culture The eastern and central regions of Finland indicate strong ties with the Ladoga, Priongezhye and Upper Volga regions. For the southwestern part, connections with Estonia and Scandinavia were more typical. In the north of Finland lived the Lapp (Sami) tribes, and the southern border of their settlement gradually retreated to the north as the Finns moved in this direction.

The tribes that inhabited southwestern Finland constantly communicated with the population of the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, from where at the end of the 1st millennium BC. e., there were probably direct migrations of ancient Estonian groups. The eastern and central part of Finland was occupied at that time by the northern branch of the eastern group of Baltic Finns - the ancestors of the Karelian tribes. Over time, three main tribal groups were formed in Finland: in the southwest - the Suomi (the sum of Russian chronicles), in the south-central part of the country - the Häme (in Russian ем, in Swedish - Tavasty) and in the east - the Karjala (Karelians) . In the process of merging the Suomi, Häme and Western Karelian tribes, the Finnish people were formed. The development of Eastern Karelians, who entered the XI-XII centuries. into the Novgorod state, went a different way and led to the formation of the Karelian people. From the Finnish settlers to Scandinavia, who belonged to different tribes, a special group of Finno-E-kvenas was formed.

In the 1st millennium AD e. Finnish tribes began to switch to agricultural activities and a sedentary lifestyle. The process of decomposition of the communal-tribal system and the development of feudal relations took place in specific conditions: at this stage, the Finnish tribes had to face Swedish aggression. The expansion of Sweden, which began already in the 8th century, turned the territory of Finland into a field of fierce and lengthy struggle. Under the pretext of converting pagan Finns to Christianity, Swedish feudal lords undertook in the 12th-13th centuries. three bloody crusades in Finland, and the country for a long time (until early XIX c.) fell under the authority of the Swedish king. This left a noticeable imprint on all subsequent development of Finland. Traditions that have developed under the influence of Swedish culture are still felt in various areas of Finnish life (in everyday life, in legal proceedings, in culture, etc.).

The takeover of Finland by Sweden was accompanied by violent feudalization. Swedish feudal lords seized the lands of Finnish peasants, who, although they remained personally free, bore heavy feudal duties. Many peasants were driven off the land and were forced to become small tenants. Torpari (landless peasant tenants) paid for rented plots (torpas) in kind and in labor. The Torpar form of tenancy came to Finland from Sweden.

Until the 18th century peasants jointly used forests, pastures, and fishing grounds, while arable land was for household use. Since the 18th century The division of land was also allowed, which was distributed between households in proportion to the size of the arable plots.

Due to the collapse of the rural community, the number of landless peasants grew.

The class struggle of the Finnish peasantry against feudal oppression was intertwined with the national liberation struggle against the Swedes, who made up the majority of the ruling class. The Finns were supported by Russia, which sought to win access to the sea from the Swedish crown.

The land of Finland became the arena of struggle between Sweden and Russia. In this struggle, each side was forced to flirt with Finland. This is precisely what explains the concessions of the Swedish kings, and then the granting of partial autonomy to Finland by Russian tsarism.

After Sweden's defeat in the war with Russia, Finland, according to the Treaty of Friedrichsham in 1809, became part of Russia as a grand duchy. Finland was guaranteed a constitution and self-government. However, the Finnish Diet was convened only in 1863. late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century, in the conditions of the economic rise of Finland, tsarism embarked on the path of open Russification of Finland and began a campaign against its autonomy. According to the manifesto of 1899, the tsarist government arrogated to itself the right to issue laws binding on Finland without the consent of the Finnish Sejm. In 1901, independent Finnish military formations were abolished.

In the struggle for their social and national interests, Finnish workers relied on the revolutionary movement in Russia. This was clearly demonstrated during the revolution of 1905. The Russification policy of tsarism was dealt a serious blow joint performances Russian and Finnish proletariat. “The Russian revolution, supported by the Finns, forced the tsar to unclench his fingers, with which he had been squeezing the throats of the Finnish people for several years,” wrote V.I. Lenin \ The working people of Finland achieved the expansion of political rights; in 1906, the statute of the Sejm was adopted, introducing universal suffrage.

According to the constitution of 1906, the unicameral Sejm of Finland was elected on the basis of universal, direct, equal suffrage for a period of three years. At the same time, laws on freedom of speech, assembly and unions came into force in Finland. At the same time, however, the governor-general appointed by the tsar remained at the head of the administration, and the Senate, whose members were appointed by the tsar, remained as the highest government body.

A notable feature public life The country at that time had the active participation of women who held rallies and mass demonstrations, demanding that they be given political rights on an equal basis with men. As a result, Finnish women were the first in Europe to achieve voting rights.

After the defeat of the first Russian revolution, the tsarist government several times curtailed the rights of the Finnish people and gradually eliminated the role of the Finnish Sejm.

After the February Revolution of 1917, the Provisional Government was forced to announce the restoration of Finland's autonomy, but it refused to satisfy the workers' demands for democratic changes. The provisional government tried to prevent Finnish national self-determination and in July issued a decree dissolving the Sejm. However, the Social Democratic faction of the Sejm continued to work, despite the decree of the Provisional Government. Behind the backs of the Finnish people, bourgeois circles in Finland began negotiations with the Provisional Government on an amicable division of power. With the draft agreement reached, Governor General Nekrasov left for Petrograd on October 24 (November 6), 1917, but the project was never considered by the Provisional Government, which was overthrown on November 7, 1917.

Only after October revolution The Finnish people gained independence. On December 6, 1917, the Finnish Diet adopted a declaration declaring Finland an independent state. On December 31, 1917, the Council of People's Commissars recognized the state independence of Finland. This decision was in full accordance with Lenin's principles of national policy.

However, the Finnish Workers' Republic lasted only three months - from January to early May 1918.

The main reason for the defeat of the revolution in Finland was the intervention of German invaders. Soviet Russia, busy fighting internal counter-revolution and intervention, was unable to provide sufficiently effective assistance to the people of Finland. The absence of a Marxist party also had a negative impact on the course of the revolution. The revolutionary wing of Finnish social democracy (the so-called Siltasaarites) was still inexperienced and made many mistakes, in particular, it underestimated the importance of the alliance of the working class with the peasantry. The Red Guard was not strong enough to resist the German regular armed forces. After the suppression of the revolution in Finland, a period of brutal police terror and an attack on the working class began. A reactionary regime was established in the country. Communists who operated underground were persecuted. Left-wing progressive labor organizations were banned. Thousands of members of the labor movement were sentenced to long prison terms.

IN difficult years economic crisis (1929-1933) in Finland, the reactionary fascist movement of the Lapuans revived, the activities of the Shutskor and other fascist organizations. Fascist

Germany established contact with reactionary circles in Finland. Between Soviet Union and Finland concluded a non-aggression pact in 1932, but relations between them were strained. The Soviet Union's attempts to reach a new agreement during the spring and fall of 1939 did not lead to the desired result. The Finnish government, which disrupted the negotiations, did not seek to normalize relations. On November 30, 1939, hostilities began between Finland and the USSR, which ended in the spring of 1940 with the defeat of Finland.

In 1941, the Finnish reaction, obsessed with revanchist ideas, again plunged its country, as an ally of Nazi Germany, into a war with the Soviet Union.

But when the fascist German troops found themselves on the eve of final defeat on the Soviet-German front, under pressure from the growing anti-war movement in the country, the Finnish government was forced to begin negotiations with the Soviet government on a way out of the war. The armistice agreement between Finland and the USSR created the preconditions for new Soviet-Finnish relations, which subsequently strengthened and gave the whole world a vivid and concrete example of the peaceful coexistence of two different social systems.

The progressive forces of the country waged a determined struggle for a democratic Finland. They advocated democratic changes in all areas of the country's life and for the approval of a new foreign policy course, called the Paasikivi-Kekkonen line. This policy was aimed at establishing friendship and cooperation with the USSR and was fully consistent with the national interests of Finland.

Of great importance was the agreement on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance concluded between Finland and the Soviet Union in April 1948. The agreement was concluded on the basis of complete equality of both parties. He made it easier successful development economic, political and cultural ties between both states. On the basis of this agreement, Finland pursues a policy aimed at preserving the country's national independence, adhering to neutrality and refusing to participate in military blocs.

Finland is a small northern country with a unique flavor. The birthplace of Santa Claus, the land of a thousand lakes - such associations arise when mentioning Finland. And also a sauna, fishing, and special Finnish humor.

However, few people know that “Finland” is not at all Finnish word. What do Finns call their country, if not Finland? Suomi is the name of the state. Let's figure out where it came from.

A little history. State formation

For almost seven centuries Finland was under Swedish rule. All this time Russian empire fought for Finnish lands. Only at the beginning of the 19th century Finland ceded to Russia, and gained independence in 1917. Nevertheless (or perhaps precisely for this reason), the Finns are very sensitive to the issue of self-determination and nationality. Anxiously, but patiently, accepting the fact of a multilingual and multinational society. Swedish has second status state language, and Russian, although not officially recognized, is studied in many schools and used in everyday life. Signs, price tags in stores, announcements in Russian are the norm, especially in border areas.

Why Suomi?

The way Finns call their country has several interpretations. According to one version, the name comes from the word “suomaa” - swamp, swampy land. According to another, from the word "suomu" - fish scales.

In modern Russian there is also a consonant word “Sami”, the name small people, living in Lapland, as well as in the northern part of Norway. The Sami are a nomadic tribe of reindeer herders who have preserved their language (in Norway it is the second state language), traditions, and customs.

If you dig deeper, the root of the word "suomi" echoes the Baltic "zeme", which simply means "land".

Finland vs Suomi. What do Finns think?

There is no clear explanation of where the word Finland comes from. Historians only agree that it dates back to the times of Swedish rule. The Scandinavian word "finnland" literally means "beautiful land". This is exactly what the Swedes called part of the territories of modern southwestern Finland back in the 12th century.

The Finns themselves, with their characteristic equanimity, accept both names. Loving your country is a national trait. Moreover, this love is deep, not subject to feeling false patriotism. What is the Finnish country? The homeland for the Finns is thousands of lakes, endless forests, northern lights and self-esteem. What word this is called outside the country is a secondary matter.

The national idea is not a political system or territorial integrity. For Finns, this is, first of all, silence, peace and respect for nature.

- (self-name Suomalayset) nation, the main population of Finland (4.65 million people), total number 5.43 million people (1992), incl. Russian Federation 47.1 thousand people (1989). Language Finnish. Believing Protestants (Lutherans) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

FINNS, Finns, units. Finn, Finn, husband 1. The people of the Finno-Ugric group, inhabiting the Karelo Finnish SSR and Finland. 2. The general name of the peoples of the Finnish branch of the Finno-Ugric peoples. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

FINNS, ov, units. Finn, ah, husband. The people who make up the main population of Finland. | wives Finnish, I. | adj. Finnish, aya, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (self-name suomalay set), people. In the Russian Federation there are 47.1 thousand people living in Karelia, the Leningrad region, etc. The main population is Finland. Finnish language of the Baltic Finnish branch of Finno Ugric family languages. Believers... ...Russian history

People living in the northwestern region of Europe. Russia and mainly in Finland. Dictionary foreign words, included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

FINNS- FINNS, see Cysticercosis. FISTULA, see Fistula... Great Medical Encyclopedia

Finns- residents of the state in Northern Europe, Finland. However, they themselves do not call their country that way. This is a foreign name for them of Germanic origin. Finnish doesn't even have the f sound itself. For them, their country is Suomi, and they themselves are suoma layset (people... ... Ethnopsychological Dictionary

Ov; pl. Nation, main population of Finland; representatives of this nation. ◁ Finn, a; m. Finka, and; pl. genus. nok, dat. nkam; and. Finnish, oh, oh. F. epic. F. language. F. knife (short knife with a thick blade, worn in a sheath). F e sleigh, sleigh (sleigh,... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

FINNS- in a broad sense, a number of Ural-Altai peoples. They were divided into four groups: a) Finnish in the narrow sense (Finns, Ests, Livs, Korels, Lapps); b) Ugric (Magyars, Ostyaks, Voguls); c) Volga region (Meshcherya, Merya, Muroma, Mordva, Cheremisy, Chuvash) and... ... Cossack dictionary-reference book

Books

• Finns serving in the SS troops during the Second World War, V. N. Baryshnikov. The monograph, based on Russian, Finnish and German sources, examines key events concerning relations between Finland and Germany in the 1920-1930s, as well as the period of the so-called...
• Finns serving in the SS troops during the Second World War. Second edition, corrected and expanded, Baryshnikov V.. The monograph, based on Russian, Finnish and German sources, examines key events relating to relations between Finland and Germany in the 1920-1930s, as well as the period of the so-called...

The Finns appeared on the historical scene quite early. Long before our era, Finno-Ugric tribes lived in some part of the forest belt of Eastern Europe. The tribes settled mainly along the banks of large rivers.

Finno-Ugric tribes. Photo: kmormp.gov.spb.ru

The sparse population of the forest belt of Eastern Europe, its flat nature, and the abundance of powerful rivers favored the movement of the population. A major role was played by commercial (hunting, fishing, etc.) seasonal trips that covered thousands of kilometers of distance, so it is not surprising that the ancient Finno-Ugric speech was very similar over long distances. Many groups adopted Finno-Ugric speech instead of any other, especially if these groups had a special economic structure. These are, for example, the ancestors of the Sami (Lapps), nomadic reindeer herders. Among such groups, the Finno-Ugric speech acquired exceptional features. By the 1st millennium BC. Part of the Finno-Ugric population was drawn to the shores of the Baltic Sea, between the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Riga. Living on the same territory leveled the speech and contrasted it with the speech of the internal parts of Eastern Europe. A special type of Finno-Ugric speech was developed - the ancient Baltic-Finnish speech, which began to oppose other varieties of Finno-Ugric speech - Sami, Mordovian, Mari, Perm (Komi-Udmurt), Ugric (Mansi-Khanty-Magyar). Historians identify four main tribes that influenced the formation of the Finnish people. These are Suomi, Hame, Vepsa, Vatja.

The Suomi tribe (Sum - in Russian) settled in the southwest of modern Finland. The location of this tribe was convenient in terms of trade: the waters of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland merged here. The Hame tribe (in Russian Yam or Em or Tavasts) settled down near a system of lakes from where the rivers Kokemäenjoki (to the Gulf of Bothnia) and Kyuminjoki (to the Gulf of Finland) flow. The location of this tribe was also convenient: the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland were close, to Moreover, the internal situation provided fairly reliable protection. Later, by the end of the 1st millennium AD, the Karjala tribe (in Russian, Karela) settled on the northwestern and northern coast of Lake Ladoga (in Russian). The place of this tribe had its own amenities: at that time. , in addition to the route along the Neva, there was another route from the Gulf of Finland to Lake Ladoga - through the modern Vyborg Bay, a number of small rivers and the Vuoksi River, and Korela controlled this route; moreover, its position at some distance from the Gulf of Finland provided fairly reliable protection from it; attacks from the west. The Vepsa tribe settled near the southeastern coast of Lake Ladoga, in the corner between Volkhov and Svir. The location of this tribe made it possible to control trade in the Volga and Zavolotsk directions. (Zavolochye was the name given to the territory in the river basins flowing into the White Sea).

South of 60 degrees. With. w. the Vatja tribe, in Russian Vod (in the corner between Lake Peipsi and the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland), several Estonian tribes and the Liivi tribe, in Russian Livi (along the coasts of the Gulf of Riga) were formed.

The tribes inhabiting Finland, long before the settlement of the East Slavic tribes across the Russian plain, occupied lands along the middle reaches of the Volga, under the common name Suomi (Sum), were divided into two main branches: Karelians - more in the north and Tavasts (or Tav-Ests, as they were called in Swedish, and in Finnish hame) - to the south. In the northwest, from the Volga to Scandinavia, the Lapps roamed, who once occupied all of Finland. Subsequently, after a series of movements, the Karelians settled along Lakes Onega and Ladoga and further west into the interior of the country, while the Tavasts settled along the southern shores of these lakes, and partly settled to the west, reaching the Baltic Sea. Pressed by Lithuania and the Slavs, the Tavasts moved to present-day Finland, pushing the Lapps to the north.

By the end of the 1st millennium AD. The Eastern Slavs fortified themselves at Lake Ilmen and Pskov. having paved the “path from the Varangians to the Greeks.” The prehistoric cities of Novgorod and Ladoga emerge and trade relations are established with the Varangians and others Western countries. In the north, in Novgorod, a node of connections was created between the culture of the Eastern Slavs and Western cultures. The new state of affairs causes an increase in trade, an increase in trade - the development of new northern territories by the Baltic Finns. Tribal life among the Baltic Finns was decomposing at this time. In some places mixed tribes were sent to form, for example the Volkhov Chud, elements of Vesi predominated in it, but there were many people from other Baltic-Finnish tribes. Of the Western Finnish tribes, the Yam settled especially heavily. People from the Yami descended along the Kokemäenjoki River to the Gulf of Bothnia and from the river developed vigorous activity in a northerly direction. Particularly famous was the activity of the so-called Kvens or Kainuu (Kayans), who at the end of the 1st millennium AD. began to rule the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia.

Relations between Rus' and the Finns begin. In the 10th century, the southern shores of Lake Ladoga, the Neva and the Gulf of Finland, inhabited by peoples Finnish tribe Chud were conquered by the Russians. Around the 11th century, the son of Yaroslav the Wise, Vladimir, annexed the Tavasts (1042). Novgorodians force Karelians to pay tribute. Then in 1227 the Karelians accepted Christianity from the Russian Orthodox clergy. East Slavic borrowings rushed into the Baltic-Finnish languages. All Christian terms in all Baltic-Finnish languages ​​are of East Slavic origin.

Chroniclers claim that both Slavic-Russian and Finnish tribes took part in the formation of the Russian state. Chud lived the same life with the Ilmen Slavs; she took part in the calling of Rurik and other Varangian princes. The Finns who inhabited the Russian Plain settled mostly with Slavic-Russian tribes.

"Chud goes underground", artist N. Roerich. Photo: komanda-k.ru

By the 12th century, Scandinavia had become Christian, and from that time on - for the first time in 1157 under Eric IX the Saint - the Swedish crusades began in Finland, which led to its conquest and political merger with Sweden. The first campaign established the southwestern corner of Finland behind Sweden, which they called Nylandia. Soon clashes between the Swedes and the Novgorodians began on the territory of the Finnish peninsula for religious dominance. Already under Pope Innocent III, the first Catholic bishop, Thomas, was sent to Finland. Thanks to him, Roman Catholicism was established in Finland. Meanwhile, in the east the general baptism of Karelians was forgiven. In order to protect their borders from the spread of papal power, the Novgorodians undertook a large campaign into the interior of Finland under the leadership of Prince Yaroslav Vsevoldovich and conquered the entire area. The Swedes, in response to this, at the request of Pope Gregory IX, went to the Novgorod region itself, taking advantage of the difficult times for Rus' (the Mongol-Tatar yoke) and enlisting the support of Lithuania and the Livonian Order. The Swedes were led by Jarl (first dignitary) Birger with bishops and clergy, while the Novgorodians were led by the young prince Alexander Yaroslavovich. In the battle at the mouth of Izhora, and then on the ice of Lake Peipsi in 1240 and 1241, the Swedes were defeated, and the Prince of Novgorod began to be called Nevsky.

"Battle on the Ice", artist S. Rubtsov. Photo: livejournal.com

Having entered the administration of Sweden as the king's son-in-law, Birger in 1249 conquered the lands of the Tavasts (Tavastland) and built the Tavastborg fortress as a stronghold against the Novgorodians and Karelians. But Alexander Nevsky undertook a new campaign deep into Finland to its northern outskirts. In 1252, he concluded an agreement on borders with the Norwegian king Gakon II, but not for long.

In the middle of the 12th century, a sharp confrontation arose between two strong northern states - Russia and Sweden. By this time, Russia had acquired the strongest influence in all the territories inhabited by the Baltic Finns. In the middle of the 12th century, Sweden conquered the territory of Sumi. Yam found itself in the wake of Swedish military policy. Karela, fighting against the Swedish offensive, entered into an alliance with Russia and then became part of the Russian state. As a result of stubborn battles, the Swedes in 1293, the ruler of Sweden, Torkel Knutson, conquered southwestern Karelia from the Novgorodians and built the Vyborg fortress there. On the contrary, in order to maintain their influence on Karelia, they fortified the city of Karela (Kegsholm) and at the sources of the Neva, but on the island of Orekhovoy they founded the fortress Oreshek (Shlisselburg, in Swedish Noteborg). Here, on August 12, 1323, the Novgorod prince Yuri Danilovich and the young king of Sweden Magnus signed a peace treaty for the first time, which precisely defined the borders of Rus' with Sweden. Sweden lost part of Russian Karelia. The Orekhov Treaty was very important because it served as the legal basis for the original Russian rights to the eastern part of Finland. In the 14th century it was confirmed three times and was referred to until late XVI century. According to this agreement, the border began at the Sestra River, went to the Vuoksi River, and there it turned sharply northwest to the northern part of the Gulf of Bothnia. Within the borders of Sweden were Sum, Yam, and two groups of Karelians: Karelians who settled near Vyborg and Karelians who settled in the area of ​​Lake Saimaa. The remaining Karelian groups remained within the borders of Russia. On the Swedish side, on the ethnic basis of Sumi, Yami and two groups of Karel, the Finnish - Suomi people began to form. This people got its name from Suomi, which played the role of an advanced tribe - located on its territory main city then Finland - Turku (Abo). In the 16th century, a phenomenon arose among the Suomi Finns that especially contributed to the unification of heterogeneous ethnic elements - the literary Finnish language.