The name of Gostomysl, either the prince, or the elders of the Ilmenian Slovenes, the father of Umila, the legendary mother of the legendary Rurik, sounds, as it seems to modern consciousness, from the very depths of the initial times of ancient Russian history. Who was this character? How does his personality appear in the interpretation of traditional sources, researches of scientists and inventions of folk history lovers?
Gostomysl in literary sources
Today, many believe that Gostomysl is mentioned in very ancient sources. However, it is not. For the first time this name appears in the first Novgorod chronicle not earlier than the 15th century. It is mentioned in the Resurrection Chronicle of the 16th century. Russian readers also knew the name of Gostomysl from the "Legend of Slovenia and Ruse and the City of Slovensk", the early lists of which date back to the 16th century. And finally, the history of Gostomysl is set forth by the so-called Joachim Chronicle, known today exclusively from Tatishchev's retelling.
In general terms, the name Gostomysl in these sources is associated with the vocation of the Varangians. In the first Novgorod chronicle, he is called the Novgorod elder. The Resurrection Chronicle says that the calling of Rurik and his brothers took place on the advice of the dying Gostomysl, who called the Novgorodians to him and told them: "I give you advice, but send wise men to the Pruyokuyu land and call the prince from the existing clans there."
Finally, the Joachim Chronicle, set forth by Tatishchev, reports that Gostomysl, who did not have sons, but had three daughters, married to neighboring princes, once saw in a dream that a huge tree had grown from the womb of his daughter Umila. The Magi interpreted his dream in such a way that a powerful dynasty would come from the heir to Umila. Then Gostomysl ordered to summon the son of Umila, his grandson Rurik, to reign in Novgorod. The Tale of Slovenia and Ruse also tells about this.
Historians - about Gostomysl
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Serious scientists consider the figure of Gostomysl to be fictional, the same product of literary fantasy as the figures of Rurik and his brothers Sineus and Truvor.
However, at the same time, the legend about Gostomysl and the vocation of the Varangians rests on some real, though hidden from us by the thickness of time, facts and circumstances.
Doubts about the existence of Gostomysl were expressed by the majority of Russian historians, starting with Karamzin. In the most ancient Russian annals, this name is not, and for this reason the legend itself was considered unreliable.
However, the name Gostomysl is well known to historians from Western European sources. Gostomysl was the name of the leader of the West Slavic tribe of the Wends, who died in 844 in a battle against King Louis II of Germany. This fact is mentioned by the Xanten and Fulda annals. And the very name Gostomysl is completely uncharacteristic for the East Slavic tradition and, on the contrary, is quite organic for the West Slavic.
Archaeological research shows that in the VIII-IX centuries in the early Novgorod and Ladoga strata there was undoubtedly the presence of objects and dishes of the West Slavic type. In this regard, some scientists - Ovcharev, Azbelev - believe that the appearance of the name Gostomysl in Russian sources is associated with the penetration of the West Slavic element into the lands of Priilmenye. Azbelev generally considers a likely version that the leader of the Wends, Gostomysl, was not killed, but was able to escape to the East Slavic lands and entered the Novgorod epic as the founder of a dynasty that came from overseas.
Academician Rybakov deciphered the name of Gostomysl in this way: "guest + think", that is, a person who thinks like guests, strangers, calling on the Varangians to rule.
Folk history about gostomysl
If representatives of academic science speak in connection with Gostomysl about the influences, some historical events that caused the legend, then the supporters of folk history, like Tatishchev or the anonymous author of "The Tale of Slovenia and Ruse", do not question at all not only the very existence Gostomysl, but also all the details of the legend about Umil and her son Rurik.
At the same time, Rurik from a Varangian turns into a representative of a Slavic tribe that lived on the island of Rugen. The name of this island is associated with the legendary Buyan island from Russian fairy tales. Thus, Rurik-Rereg arrives to us from the island of Ruyana-Buyan not as a Varangian invader, but as a completely legitimate descendant of an ancient princely family, the last representative of which was Gostomysl.
Magazine: History Russian Seven, Russian Seven