Studia Islandica - 01.06.1960, Blaðsíða 37

35
of the geography of Eastern Europe through their close
touch with Rus.
Of the pre-history of Prussia, Lithuania and the other
Baltic countries there is little known. It may be pointed
out, however, that Lithuania seems to have been ruled
by Novgorod (Hólmgarðr) for a time before the middle
of the lOth century.ii But all the Baltic countries were
subject to viking raids from Scandinavia and Rus. Be-
sides, the chieftains of Rus made attacks from the south
and the east.
Paszkiewicz points outi2 how important it was for
Eastern Europe that King Vladimir of Rus should have
been converted to the Greek Orthodox Religion in 988,
creating a new political attitude in Rus that was based
on t'ne views of the Greeks in Constantinople. Firstly,
there was the idea that monarchy was specially fav-
oured by the grace of God. Further, various tribes
united for one religion under a king of foreign (Scandin-
avian) origin. That was how this faith was to estab-
lish one king, one royal family and one capital. In this
way the Russian state came into being.
Now, it should be noted that the new faith that was
adopted in Rus was the Slavonic rite associated with
the saints Kyrillos and Methodios, the missionaries. It
is said to be Slavonic, as neither Greek nor Latin, but
a Slav language, was used in church services. The rites
of the Eastern church were, however, maintained for
the most part.
Paszkiewicz proves conclusively that a metropolitan
see of the Slav church was set up in Santomierz in the
year 1000, at the same time as an archbishopric of the
Roman Catholic Church was founded at Gniezno.13 The
two Churches competed for the allegiance of the Poles.
About 1060 the Roman Catholic party kept up a heavy
offensive, and there is evidence of severe struggle. The
Roman clergy had anything but friendly feelings to-