Prūši – starp mītu un realitāti: kā vēsturnieki lasa senās hronikas

Today, there are only two surviving Baltic languages – Latvian and Lithuanian – but in ancient times there was a third: Old Prussian. Its speakers once lived in present-day northeastern Poland, the Kaliningrad region of Russia, and parts of Lithuania. We know much more about the history of Latvians and Lithuanians than about the Prussians – at least for the period from the 13th century to modern times. However, surprisingly, for the period before the 13th century, most historical written sources actually concern the Prussians. They provide unique accounts of their origins, early medieval events, laws, and mythology. Still, these texts were written centuries after the events they describe, which means they cannot always be fully trusted, and many historians believe they contain a great deal of invention. Even so, in this episode I explore the possibility that at least some part of these stories reflects historical truth. I compare Grunau’s Chronicle with other historical sources, as well as archaeological and linguistic research. At the same time, I must emphasize that these accounts are difficult, if not impossible, to verify, and should not be taken as unquestionable truth. In this episode, we will look at how Simon Grunau’s Chronicle of Prussia explains the origins of the Prussians, the formation of their statehood, and the foundations of their religious beliefs and laws. Further episodes will explore later chapters of Prussian history. Music used in this video: Ulf Söderberg - Tidvatten part II Ulf Söderberg - Vindarnas Hus Ulf Söderberg - Tidvatten Part I Ulf Söderberg - Tempel Och Katedral Reser Sig Ur Djupen Ulf söderberg - sådan var vintern om sommaren Ulf Söderberg - Nordvinterögon Ulf Söderberg - I Vargmanens Tid Ulf Söderberg - Blaeld Ulf Söderberg - Nattfrost Ulf söderberg - det vakande tinget i nordväst Ulf Söderberg - Den viskande solen