Studia Islandica - 01.06.1960, Síða 39

37
Paszkiewicz says rightly that King Jaroslav’s reign
was characterized by the close connection between Rus
and Scandinavia, and that this fact had been pointed out
by many scholars.21
Now it may be added that King Jaroslav himself was
of Norse origin, and was the brother-in-law of King
Emund, the Old, of Sweden, being married to Ingigerðr,
his sister. He was also Harald Harðráði’s father-in-law,
as Harald was married to Ellisif (Elisaveta), his
daughter. Besides, King Jaroslav introduced genuinely
Byzantine forms of govemment with an independent
Church, although it lasted for only a few years. And
Harald’s reply to Adalbert smacks of this attitude, being,
according to Adam, as follows: “Se nescire quis sit
archiepiscopus aut potens in Norwegia nisi solus Haral-
dus”. (“I know no archbishop in Norway except for my-
self, Harald.”) The Eastern influence that was felt
concurrently in Norway and Sweden about the middle
of the llth century probably stems mostly from King
Jaroslav of Rus, although Harald Harðráði at one time
got acquainted with Byzantine forms of government and
rose to a high position in Constantinople.
The evidence of the above sources does not prove that
the “Armenian“ bishops came from Ermland on the Bal-
tic coast, but it makes it probable. Their travels may
have been caused by the tension in Poland between the
two Churches or by the raids of pagans from the North.
Yet it should be stated that a number of the churches
in the area around the City of Vladimir show distinct
Armenian influence.22 That city is situated a short way
to the south of Suzdal to the north-east of Moscow. Yet
there is little doubt that the bishops under discussion
came to Iceland via Russia.
On the other hand, we may assume that the word
girzkr in the Grágás manuscripts means “gerzkr” (i.e.
Russian). Yet it will perhaps depend on how literally