Garðaríki

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Gardariki (Icelandic Garðaríki or Garðaveldi, Scandinavian Gårdarike) is the Norse term used in medieval times for the states of Rus' Khaganate and Kievan Rus'. The shortened form Gardarna also refers to the same country, as does the general term for "East", Austr, with its various derivations: Austrvegr ("Eastern way"), Austrlönd ("Eastern lands") and Austrríki ("Eastern realm").

The meaning of the word is usually interpreted as "the kingdom of cities", which probably referred to a chain of Norse forts along the Volkhov River, starting with Lyubsha and Ladoga. Gardar contains the same root as Slavic grad ("town") and English garden. For Germanic etymology of the second element, see the article on Reich.

As the Varangians dealt mainly with Northern Russian lands, their sagas regard the city of Holmsgardr (Holmgarðr, Novgorod the Great) as the capital of Gardariki. Other local towns mentioned in the sagas are Aldeigjuborg (Old Ladoga), Kœnugarðar (Kiev), Pallteskja (Polotsk), Smaleskja (Smolensk), Súrsdalar (Suzdal), Móramar (Murom), and Ráðstofa (Rostov).

[edit] See also

• Gord (Slavic settlement)

no:Gardarike nn:Gardarike sv:Gårdarike