The clashes lasting several decades between the Western Slavs - pagans and the Christian countries surrounding them, led to the fact that the first embarked on the path of piracy and corsairs.
What is piracy? It can be said that this is a powerless act of violence aimed at imprisoning someone or robbery carried out on the high seas on vessels not controlled by the state. It is very difficult to draw the line between conventional piracy and naval battles. In the latter case, one should speak of a corsair. There is a very shaky, sometimes almost imperceptible difference between piracy and corsair.
At first, the Slavs did not engage in piracy. Piracy became noticeable only in the 11th century. The predatory campaigns of the Vikings, which lasted several hundred years, reached the Slavic lands. At the same time, it should be remembered that the coast was the main territory of the Scandinavian expansion. Therefore, one should not overestimate the seaworthiness of the Slavs, although there is no doubt that they had such. Slavic piracy is to some extent a continuation of the activities carried out by the Vikings. Viking attacks continued from the end of the VIII century to the X. And the Slavs went for prey from the half of the XI century to the half of the XII century. The most important reason for the emergence and flourishing of piracy was the campaigns on the lands of the Western Slavs by German and Danish rulers.
Helmold wrote that the Slavs were engaged in piracy, because they were pressed by the Saxons. More correct is the assertion that it was a kind of reaction to the predatory expeditions of Scandinavian pirates and, above all, Danish ones. The Slavs, in contrast to the Normans, did not go on campaigns for glory and did not seek to seize new lands. Their only goal was to get as much booty as possible. However, how true is this? As mentioned above, it is difficult to distinguish between piracy and naval warfare. It should be remembered that these expeditions intensified during the struggle against the Saxons and Danes, that is, their own enemies were attacked. In summary, we can say that Slavic pirates went on sea voyages, first of all, for the sake of huge booty. Piracy became, in some respects, salvation for the further existence of the Slavs. However, it has never been a goal in itself. This trade was carried out not only by landless peasants, criminals or escaped slaves, but also by the rulers.
Among the Slavs, the Pomorians were engaged in piracy, they were encouraged, as well as the wounds that inhabited the island of Ruyan and knew the pirate trade well in the 11th century.
One of the nests of the sea robbers was the legendary Volin. This Slavic city, whose inhabitants were engaged in trade, willingly accepted fugitives from other lands. In 1098 Wolin received a large group of Danish pirates and robbers. Surprising is the fact that the inhabitants of Wolin let the Scandinavian pirates through their gates. One can only assume that either they themselves were engaged in piracy, or, not wanting to expose themselves to the danger of attack from the Scandinavian robbers, provided them with refuge. Another Slavic city whose inhabitants were also engaged in pirate fishing was Ologoszcza, a city located at the mouth of the Piana on the Baltic Sea. This city in the early 60s was besieged by the combined forces of the Danes and their subjects - wounds, who, like the Ologosans, were pirates. On the island of Ranov, the role of a pirate port was carried out by the center of the cult of Svyatovit on Arkon.
Slavic pirates attacked not only merchant ships, but also attacked the villages and cities of the Saxons and Danes. These attacks mainly affected settlements located by the sea or along the banks of rivers, for example, such as Lubeka, Konungakhela, Riskida, Ribe. Such Danish islands as Zealand, Falstera, Fiona were under the greatest threat of attacks. Slavic attacks were especially dangerous for the Danes: (…) "Denmark, for the most part, consisted of islands surrounded on all sides by the sea, so it was not easy to protect them from pirate raids." The Slavs needed, first of all, booty. They robbed everything that could later come in handy and represent at least some value. So, they took away weapons, valuables and livestock. The plundered city was often burned. The Slavs never settled in these cities forever - so,how the Vikings did it.
The compiler of the chronicles from Vagria writes that the Slavs (…) "they pinned their only hope on the ships, and they were their only wealth". The ships of the Slavs were similar to the boats of the Vikings, because it was from Scandinavia that the method of their construction and the idea of using the force of the wind as a source of movement were borrowed. They were not inferior to them in technical parameters. In contrast to the Scandinavian ships, they had a flatter bottom, a lower draft and more masts located in front. Unfortunately, the sails of that era have not survived. Presumably, they were made from linen or thin skins. These ships were very much like merchant ships. During the described period, the Slavs did not have any navigation equipment, just like their closest sea neighbors, the Danes. They were guided by the sun during the day, by the stars at night,taking into account also the strength and direction of sea currents and wind. During fogs and storms, they took refuge in the bays. Sea voyages were made near the coast. They tried to suddenly attack their victim, so they often attacked at night. The Slavs, like the Scandinavians once did, relied heavily on surprise attacks. Many small Danish islets and fiords were good hiding places, from which, as the German parish priest writes, "unexpectedly attack those who do not expect an ambush." The Slavs were especially adept at surprise attacks. The pirates tried to reach the target as quickly as possible without collisions at sea. Therefore, they could, on their part, begin plundering settlements without loss. They tried to suddenly attack their victim, so they often attacked at night. The Slavs, like the Scandinavians once did, relied heavily on surprise attacks. Many small Danish islets and fiords were good hiding places, from which, as the German parish priest writes, "unexpectedly attack those who do not expect an ambush." The Slavs were especially adept at surprise attacks. The pirates tried to reach the target as quickly as possible without collisions at sea. Therefore, they could, on their part, begin plundering settlements without loss. They tried to suddenly attack their victim, so they often attacked at night. The Slavs, like the Scandinavians once did, relied heavily on surprise attacks. Many small Danish islets and fiords were good hiding places, from which, as the German parish priest writes, "unexpectedly attack those who do not expect an ambush." The Slavs were especially adept at surprise attacks. The pirates tried to reach the target as quickly as possible without collisions at sea. Therefore, they could, on their part, begin plundering settlements without loss."Unexpectedly attack those not expecting an ambush." The Slavs were especially adept at surprise attacks. The pirates tried to reach the target as quickly as possible without collisions at sea. Therefore, they could, on their part, begin plundering settlements without loss."Unexpectedly attack those not expecting an ambush." The Slavs were especially adept at surprise attacks. The pirates tried to reach the target as quickly as possible without collisions at sea. Therefore, they could, on their part, begin plundering settlements without loss.
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The weapons of the Slavic pirates, like other warriors of this people, included a bow, a battle ax with a wide blade (the so-called "bearded"), a one-sided sharpened sword, a shield and a helmet. Shields, initially rounded, starting from the 9th century, take on an oblong shape with a narrowing downward (the so-called Norman shields). The cavalry of the corsairs was not of great importance, although with its help it was possible to quickly capture selected targets on the coast. According to Heinskringla's description, the ships could take on board 44 people and 2 horses. The riders had a prison, a sling, swords and stilettos. Horse harness was often covered with metal ornaments.
It is possible that at first the Slavic pirates did not know such personalities as William Kidd or Francis Drake, however, reading the sources, we can stumble upon the glorious pirates and corsairs of that era. One of them was a certain Vyshak. He created his wealth mainly through trade, large land tenure and, of course, sea robbery. The activities of Vyshak, who came from a noble family in Szczecin, are a good example of how trade and piracy could coexist closely. We can assume that entire families were engaged in piracy. An example is the story of Rochela and Raceka from the Kruta clan. The first of these was a famous corsair and pagan. As for the second, we do not know for sure whether he was a Slavic prince or a pirate leader. However, for sure,that in the late 30s of the XII century he undertook a pirate raid on the town of Pribyslav-Lubike. It was this expedition that brought him great fame. Referring to Ebbo, we can with complete confidence that the corsairs were primarily occupied by people with power and wealth. It was they who had the money with which they could organize pirate sorties and recruit fighters who were ready to entrust their lives to them. Finally, only they could lead pirates for rich booty. Sometimes such sea voyages were led by the princes themselves. Therefore, it is difficult to determine exactly whether such an expedition was military, corsair, or purely pirateIt was they who had the money with which they could organize pirate sorties and recruit fighters who were ready to entrust their lives to them. Finally, only they could lead pirates for rich booty. Sometimes such sea voyages were led by the princes themselves. Therefore, it is difficult to determine exactly whether such an expedition was military, corsair, or purely pirateIt was they who had the money with which they could organize pirate sorties and recruit fighters who were ready to entrust their lives to them. Finally, only they could lead pirates for rich booty. Sometimes such sea voyages were led by the princes themselves. Therefore, it is difficult to determine exactly whether such an expedition was military, corsair, or purely pirate
Deserted islands and coasts, deserted villages and settlements, abandoned fields. In 1153, a kind of order was formed in Denmark to fight the sea robbers. He had his own fleet. His goal was to fight pirates and protect the Danish borders from Slavic attacks. Such actions led to Slavic counter-attacks. The effect was terrible: “At this time, the pirates unbelted themselves from the borders of the Slavs as far as Edor, all the villages from the east, left by the inhabitants (…), lay in ruins with uncultivated land. Zealand, from east to south, gaped with emptiness (…), there was nothing left on Fionia but a few inhabitants.
Reading the chronicles, one can come to the conclusion that the suppression of corsairs and piracy was one of the methods (in addition to Christianization) of subjugating the Western Slavs to the Sakonian and Danish ruling layers. They mainly needed strategically important lands and commercial Slavic ports from where they could draw huge profits.
Slavic piracy undoubtedly had a significant impact on the development of the Baltic seafaring and at the same time was an important page in the history of the Western Slavs.