Severia, Severshchina, Siveria,
Formed from:
From the Primary Chronicle, “They came from the Danube area and settled on the banks of the Desna, Seym and
Sula and matches quite closely the distribution and assemblages of the Volyntsevo Culture.” We also know they paid
a tribute to the Khazars.”
(These people were in what is now northern Ukraine and SW Russia)
Original Record of:
Late 1st millennium A.D
Migrations &
Changes:
According to the Primary Chronicle, the Severians, having paid tribute to the Khazars, along with the neighboring
Polans, were conquered by Oleg of Novgorod, who incorporated their lands into the new principality of Kievan Rus.
By the time of Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054), the Severian peoples had lost most of their distinctness, and the
areas of Severia along the upper course of the Desna River came to be controlled from Chernihiv.
In 1096, Oleg of Chernigov (also referred to as Oleh) created a large Severian Principality, which stretched as far as
the upper reaches of the Oka River. Until the end of the century, the principality served as a buffer state against
Cuman attacks. Its most celebrated ruler was Prince Igor (1150-1202), whose exploits are recounted in the 12th
century epic The Tale of Igor's Campaign.
After the Mongol invasion of Rus’, the principality fell into ruin, however it remained intact throughout repeated Tatar
invasions. Unfortunately, not much is known about this period as Severia was rarely mentioned in written accounts of
the 13th and 14th centuries. By the 15th century, it was taken over by the Great Duchy of Lithuania, whose
Gediminid princes (Ruthenian-speaking and Orthodox by religion) established their seats in the cities of Novhorod-
Siverskyi, Starodub, and Trubchevsk. After the Lithuanian defeat at the Battle of Vedrosha, the Severian Principality
passed to Moscow. It remained as part of Imperial Russia for centuries, except for the short period between 1618
and 1648, when it was incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth following the Truce of Deulino (1618).
In the 18th century, the hetmans of Ukraine established residences in the towns of Baturyn, Hlukhiv, and Pochep.
Hlukhiv, in particular, developed into a veritable capital of 18th-century Ukraine.
Cities or towns:
Was centered on Novgorod, but also included Chernihev, Putyyl, see also Vyatichi tribe
Hlukhiv (Glukhov) At first a territory, Glukhov came into being in 993. Located in a wooded and swampy area it
received it's name, Glukhov, because it means "deaf", hard to reach or out of the way. The name Glukhov can be
found in the "Russian Chronicle" in 1152. At that time it was not a town, but a village. After what was called "The
Black Plague" in 1352, there was nothing written about the town for 250 years.
, Liubech, Kursk, Rylsk, Sevsk, Bryansk , in Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk, and Detine.
Monastary: Pechersky 1473,
Neighbors
9th Century:
Poliane on west, Radimichi on North, Viatichi on NW, Nomads to South
Language:
Old Novgorod Dialect
-
Russian Personal Names:
Name Frequency in the Novgorod Birch-Bark Letters
By Masha Gedilaghine Holl (Predslava Vydrina)
Finnic Personal Names
Sources for Research:
Primary Chronicle
The Early Slavs P.M. Barford
Fragments from the History of Byelorussia (To 1700) Material for Historical Research and Study of the Subject by
Prof. R. Ostrowski
Hyapatian Codex
Vernadsky, Kievan Rus
Interesting Links:
History: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severia
Portion of the Novgorod Chronicle translated into English:
Links to Novgorod icons, manuscripts, and architecture information:
Some solid information on the archeology of Novgorod:
Recorded Names: