Ingvar the Far-Travelled (Old Norse:Yngvarr víðfǫrli, Swedish:Ingvar Vittfarne) was aSwedishViking who led anexpedition that fought in theKingdom of Georgia.
The Rus' undertookseveral Caspian expeditions in the course of the 10th century. TheYngvars saga víðförla describes the lastViking campaign in the Caspian in 1041, embellishing the historical facts with a great deal of legend. The expedition probably aimed to reopenold trade-routes after theVolga Bulgars and theKhazars no longer proved obstacles. Ingvar the Far-Travelled launched this expedition fromSweden, travelling down theVolga River into the land of theSaracens (Serkland). While there, the Vikings apparently took part in the 1042Battle of Sasireti between theGeorgians and Byzantines.
No less than twenty-sixIngvar runestones – twenty-four of them in the LakeMälaren region ofUppland in Sweden – refer to Swedish warriors who went out with Ingvar on his expedition to the Saracen lands. A stone to Ingvar's brother indicates that he went east for gold but died in Saracen land.[1]
Aside from theIngvar runestones, there are no surviving Swedish sources that mention Ingvar, but there is theYngvars saga víðförla and three Icelandic annals which mention his death under the year 1041:Annales regii, theLögmanns annáll and theFlateyarbók annals.[2] These three annals are probably based onSturla Þórðarson's compilation.[2] Swedish archeologist and historian Mats G. Larsson notes thatThe Georgian Chronicles mentions a visit from a Viking expedition in the year 1040, which correlates with the description of such a meeting inYngvars saga víðförla.[3]
There are three theories on Ingvar's origin. According to one theory, prominently held byOtto von Friesen and Elena Mel'nikova, Ingvar's saga has transmitted his origin correctly, and so he was the son of theVarangian Eymundr, who in turn was the son of a Swedish chieftain named Áki and the daughter of the Swedish kingEric the Victorious.[4]
A second theory suggests that Ingvar was the son of a Swedish prince named Eymundr, who would have been the son of Eric the Victorious and the brother ofOlof Skötkonung.[4] The existence of this prince Eymundr has been suggested byLauritz Weibull (1911) and J. Svennung (1966).[4] The theory is based on a re-evaluation of the age of the Ingvar runestones, proposed byElias Wessén and Sune Lindquist, which suggests that the Ingvar runestones were carved earlier in the 11th century than previously believed.[4]
According to a third theory, proposed by F. Braun, and which is based on the runestonesU 513,U 540,Sö 179, andSö 279, Ingvar was the son of the Swedish kingEmund the Old and the grandson of Olof Skötkonung.[4] Emund the Old would have had two wives, Tola and Ragnhildr.[5] Tola would have been the mother of Haraldr ofSö 179, and Ragnhildr would have been the mother of Önundr, Eiríkr, Ragnarr, and Hákon of runestones U 513 and U 540.[5] Önundr would beAnund Gårdske, who was raised in Russia, Eirík would be one of the twopretenders named Eric, Hákon would beHåkan the Red, and Ingvar would be Ingvar the Far-Travelled.[5]
Ingvar's origin was, however, debated as early as the saga writers, or to put it in the words ofOddr Snorrason:
It is possible that it was KingAnund Jakob or his brother and successorEmund the Old who mustered the Swedishleidang.
The participants were evenly distributed along thehusbys, and 24 of the 26Ingvar runestones were from Sweden (in the contemporary sense, i.e.Svealand) and the remaining two from theGeatish district ofÖstergötland. Thefolkland ofAttundaland did not take part and this was probably done on purpose in order to keep a defensive army in Sweden while the main force was away.
Anund Jacob was the brother ofIngegerd Olofsdotter, who was married toYaroslav I ofNovgorod and who conqueredKiev in 1019 from his brotherSviatopolk. This was done with the help of theVarangians, and according to Ingvar's saga, they were led by Ingvar's fatherEymund.
In 1030, he had visitedAni, the capital of theArmenian Kingdom.[7] Later Yaroslav had trouble with thePechenegs, a nomad tribe. The expedition stayed for a few years in Kiev fighting against the Pechenegs, then in 1042 continued to theBlack Sea and the Christian countrySärkland ("Land of theSaracens", which here meantGeorgia), where they took part in theBattle of Sasireti along with theGeorgian Royal Army against Georgian rebels and Byzantine auxiliaries.
According to thelegendary saga about Ingvar, only one ship returned. The 26 remaining runestones testify to this, as not one mentions a surviving combatant. The most common phrases are similar to the one on theGripsholm Runestone:
They died in the East, inSerkland.
Adam of Bremen considered the disaster to be a punishment for the king's rejection of bishopAlvard ofBremen and his electing his bishop,Osmundus, instead. Larsson suggests that the expedition was partly decimated by combat and that the saga's description of them being ravished by disease is a realistic scenario.
Yngvars according to the saga had a son Svein. Svein also gathered a large armada of Swedish ships and sailed to Kievan Rus. Svein asked the East Slavic queen to have a church dedicated to his father Yngvar and declare Yngvar a saint. The Russian queen, however, declined and said only people performing miracles could be called a saint. Then Svein said that his father had god in his heart and served him his entire life and said that should be enough for sainthood. The Gårdariki queen then let the Swedes call this local church Yngvars church. However, he was not declared a saint. Svein married a local girl and settled down in Russia as a noble or king. Sven told before the marriage he could not marry a heathen girl. The Swedish priest did not speak East Slavic so Sven had to use an interpreter for her conversion ceremony and his marriage. The girl thought that Sven had beautiful eyes and wanted to kiss Sweyn. She however had to wait for the marriage ceremony and conversion ceremony until she could kiss him.
His expeditions into Russia went better after killing heathens and converting heathens his host of Swedish soldiers decided to settle down. Svein troops engaged in many wars in Kievan Rus against heathen nations and helped the Grand Prince of Kiev several times. After a long time, he arrived in his old homeland. He was treated as a hero when he arrived. With many Swedes admiring Svein. He and his men also apparently killed a dragon. They told so in the Swedish court.
Many Swedes even wanted Yngvars son Svein to be the next king of Sweden. He refused however his large host of soldiers decided to settle down in Kievan Rus' since the climate was more fruitful and the Swedish lands were barren and cold. Kettil the source of the saga said farewell to Sven. The last time he saw Sven he was sailing down the rivers of Russia. While Kettil returned to Iceland and told the tale.[8]
Names initalics are settlements whoseNorse names are not recorded | ||
| Volkhov-Volga trade route |  | |
| Dvina-Dnieper trade route | ||
| Other locations | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
