Древняя Русь и Скандинавия: Избранные труды

Another and a much shorter version of Magnus’s stay in Rus’ is found in Snorri’s «Heimskringla». It is included in «Óláfs saga helga» as «Magnúss saga góða» starts with Magnus’s return to Norway. Snorri’s main sources for this part were «Morkinskinna», «Óláfs saga helga» (Styrmir’s variant and «the Oldest saga») and especially «Bergsöglisvísur» of Sigvat Thordarson.

Thus there exist two versions of the narration about Magnus’s stay in Rus, an extended one in «Morkinskinna» repeated in «Flateyjarbók» and «Hulda» and an abridged one in Snorri’s «Heimskiingla». The extended narration consists of four major episodes. The fi rst one tells how Magnus found himself at the court of Jaroslav the Wise, the great Russian prince. The second describes Magnus’s stay with Jaroslav. The third deals with the voyage of Björn and Karl and their later activities to prepare the return of Magnus to Norway. The fourth relates about a Norwegian embassy under Kalf Arnason and Einar Thambarskelfi r to Rus’ to bring Magnus back to Norway. In his version Snorri made use of only two subjects. He mentioned in passing that on his escape to Rus’, Olaf took Magnus with him (ch. CLXXXI) and told about the embassy of Kalf Arnason and Einar Thambarskelfi r (ch. CCLI). Neither Magnus’s deeds at Jaroslav’s court nor the voyage of Björn and Karl are mentioned by Snorri.

Before analyzing the retelling about this voyage, it seems important to say a few words about the nature of the preceding episodes. «Magnúss saga góða ok Haralds harðráða» begins with the fi rst episode telling about the events that caused Magnus’s arrival to Rus’. According to the saga, Jaroslav built a magnifi cent hall which Ingigerd, his wife, a Swedish princess, thought quite remarkable, but still inferior to the hall of Olaf Haraldsson. The king got angry and slapped Ingigerd in the face. As a compensation for the insult, Ingigerd demanded to invite Magnus, the son of Olaf Haraldsson, as a fóstri. Jaroslav forwarded an embassy to Olaf who accepted the invitation and sent Magnus to Rus’.

The episode seems to derive from the Old Norse tradition about the marriage of Ingigerd and Jaroslav[1249]. Ingigerd, the daughter of the Swedish king Olaf Skötkonung, was promised as a wife to Olaf Haraldsson, but the marriage was broken and she became the wife of Jaroslav the Wise. Later Olaf married her sister Astrid. The saga tradition about Ingigerd is dominated by two conceptions, her lasting love to Olaf Haraldsson and her mental superiority over Jaroslav. Sagas stress Ingigerd’s attachment to Olaf on many occasions and motivate many of her actions by «their secret love» («því at hvárt þeirra unni öðru með leyndri ást»)[1250]. Most common is Ingigerd’s comparison of Jaroslav and Olaf in favour of the latter. In the discussed episode Ingigerd’s estimation of his hall is explained by Jaroslav in full agreement with this conception: «oc synir þv enn ast þina viþ Olaf konvng» («and show you again your love for king Olaf»)[1251].

Another feature determining Ingigerd’s image in sagas, is her domineering personality. Ingigerd is described as a resolute, brave and wise woman, whereas the stereotype image of Jaroslav presents him as a weak and indecisive ruler, stingy and vindictive, always ready to employ Scandinavians and to shift off the burden of responsibility to his Scandinavian counselors or commanders-in-chief. The saga image of Jaroslav, profoundly diff erent from that in Old Russian sources, is subordinated to the tendency to glorify a Scandinavian konung in Rus[1252]. His relations with Ingigerd are depicted in sagas as dominated by her. In the narration under discussion, Ingigerd suggests to invite Olaf’s son not only to compensate the insult but to humiliate Jaroslav too. She stresses the fact that the one who upbrings a child is of lower status than the child’s father.

The whole episode thus fi ts the Old Norse tradition. It is in full agreement with the saga stereotype images of Ingigerd and Jaroslav and might well derive from the tradition dealing with the marriage and the married life of Ingigerd. The reliance on stereotypes makes the historical authenticity of this narration questionable. It looks more like a variation of a traditional theme than an account of real events.

The «Morkinskinna» romantic version of Magnus’s coming to Rus’ diff ers cardinally from the «Heimskringla» version. On leaving Norway (in 1028), Olaf was followed by a number of retainers, his wife Astrid and his son Magnus. He left Astrid with her relatives in Sweden and went to the east taking Magnus with him. While returning to Norway he preferred his son to stay with Jaroslav. The situation, as presented in «Heimskringla», lacks the romantic fl avour and is devoid of stereotype motifs. It is the version accepted in modern historiography.