Polovinska V. Old Rus' and Scandinavia: political, social and cultural relations (XI - XII centuries)

The thesis deals with political, social and cultural aspects of medieval relations of Eastern Slavic and Scandinavian worlds in the system ofBaltic civilizational expanse within changing epochs. Primary attention is paid to definition of content, character, peculiarities, stages of development and outcomes of Rus'-Scandinavian interrelations over the specified chronological period. Period of XI - early XII centuries is the epoch of realization of prior cultural achievements and building of fundamentally new social and political systems and structures, followed by active value ideological and material exchange between the Old Rus' and Scandinavian states. Sociocultural approach, used by author, enabled to mention personal contributions to formation and development of Rus'-Scandinavian interrelations, as well as mental transformations, followed by them and reflected in political and religious ideas, dynasty relations, linguistic borrowings, in use of common fund of records while creating national literatures etc., and most intensively revealed in spreading values and norms of feudal and Christian statehood, bound due to its origin to Byzantine empire, throughout Rus'. An attempt has been made to prove, that Rus'-Scandinavian interrelations, being integral part of "theBaltic civilization" in general, were the example of mutually beneficial union of stadially close, but definitely sustainable cultures and societies.