Bravlin
Encyclopedia
Bravlin was an apocrypha
l overlord of the Rus'
who supposedly devastated all the Crimea
from Kerch
to Sugdaea in the last years of the 8th century but was paralyzed when he had entered the church of St. Stephen in Sugdaea.
His Crimean campaign is mentioned in only one source, the Russian version of the Life of St. Stephen of Sugdaea, tentatively dated to the 15th or 16th centuries. Vasily Vasilievsky
, who was the first to publish this manuscript in the 19th century, reasoned that the core of the narrative might stem from the Early Middle Ages
, reflecting a vague memory of some 10th-century Russo-Byzantine
conflict.
Since St. Stephen of Surozh died in 786 and Bravlin's invasion is said to have happened "several years" after his death (during the term of Stephen's successor, archbishop Philaret), this Rus' expedition is usually dated to the 790s. Among those historians who view Bravlin as a historical figure, Nikolay Belyaev attempted to trace in his fanciful name some allusion to the Battle of Bravalla (770). Anyway, the name Bravlin is obviously of non-Slavic origin and may be attributed only to Vikings who at that time represented a serious force on ancient Slavic lands.
Alexander Vasiliev
discarded the account of this campaign as a typical pious legend, whose interest is purely literary rather than historical. Constantine Zuckerman
casts further doubts on the historicity of Bravlin and his raid against the Crimea.
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
l overlord of the Rus'
Rus' (people)
The Rus' were a group of Varangians . According to the Primary Chronicle of Rus, compiled in about 1113 AD, the Rus had relocated from the Baltic region , first to Northeastern Europe, creating an early polity which finally came under the leadership of Rurik...
who supposedly devastated all the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
from Kerch
Kerch
Kerch is a city on the Kerch Peninsula of eastern Crimea, an important industrial, transport and tourist centre of Ukraine. Kerch, founded 2600 years ago, is considered as one of the most ancient cities in Ukraine.-Ancient times:...
to Sugdaea in the last years of the 8th century but was paralyzed when he had entered the church of St. Stephen in Sugdaea.
His Crimean campaign is mentioned in only one source, the Russian version of the Life of St. Stephen of Sugdaea, tentatively dated to the 15th or 16th centuries. Vasily Vasilievsky
Vasily Vasilievsky
Vasily Grigorievich Vasilievsky was a Russian historian who founded the St. Petersburg school of medieval studies and was a major force in Byzantine studies during the second half of the 19th century.The son of a rural priest, Vasilievsky was born on 2 February 1838...
, who was the first to publish this manuscript in the 19th century, reasoned that the core of the narrative might stem from the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, reflecting a vague memory of some 10th-century Russo-Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
conflict.
Since St. Stephen of Surozh died in 786 and Bravlin's invasion is said to have happened "several years" after his death (during the term of Stephen's successor, archbishop Philaret), this Rus' expedition is usually dated to the 790s. Among those historians who view Bravlin as a historical figure, Nikolay Belyaev attempted to trace in his fanciful name some allusion to the Battle of Bravalla (770). Anyway, the name Bravlin is obviously of non-Slavic origin and may be attributed only to Vikings who at that time represented a serious force on ancient Slavic lands.
Alexander Vasiliev
Alexander Vasiliev
Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev was considered the foremost authority on Byzantine history and culture in the mid-20th century. His History of the Byzantine Empire Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev (1867-1953) was considered the foremost authority on Byzantine history and culture in the mid-20th...
discarded the account of this campaign as a typical pious legend, whose interest is purely literary rather than historical. Constantine Zuckerman
Constantine Zuckerman
Constantine Zuckerman is a French-Jewish historian and Professor of Byzantine studies at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris.-Biography:...
casts further doubts on the historicity of Bravlin and his raid against the Crimea.