EpiMedDat
The Open Data Collection for Historical Epidemics and Medieval Diseases

1224-00-00-Rus territory

From EpiMedDat

Map

Loading map...

Factbox

Date startStart date of the disease. 1224 +
Date endEnd date of the disease. +
SeasonSeason (spring, summer, fall or winter)
Date otherOther mentioned dates.
PlacePlace(s), city or location of the disease. Suzdal
RegionHistorical region(s) Rus
CountryCurrent country
RiverMentioned river(s) Volga
Natural eventMentioned natural event(s)
PersonMentioned persons(s)
GroupGroup(s) of people mentioned
VictimIndication of victims +
AnimalMentioned animal(s)
DiseaseMentioned disease(s)
Epidemic waveAssociated epidemic wave
Social responseSocial response that happened in reaction to the disease
LanguageLanguage of the original text Cyrillic
KeywordFurther keyword(s) Famine, Grain, Harvest, Hunger, Magic, Mortality
last edited 19. 12. 2025 by EpiMedDat-Bot.

Famine and plague/pest in the Rus territory. Upraising of magicians in Suzdal’ city.

Text originalOriginal text

[6532] В се же лѣто въсташа волъсви в Суждали, избиваху старую чадь къ дьӕволю наоущенью и бѣсованью, глаголюще, ӕко си держать гобино. Бѣ мѧтежь великъ и голодъ по всеи тои странѣ; идоша по Волзѣ вси людьє в Болгары, и привезоша [жито] и тако ѡжиша. Слъıшав же Ӕрославъ волхвы, приде Суздалю; изъимавъ волхвы, расточи, а другъıми показани, рекъ сице «Богъ наводить по грѣхомъ на куюждо землю гладом(ъ) или моромъ, ли ведромь, ли иною казнью, а человѣкъ не вѣсть ничтоже».[1]

Text translationEnglish translation of the text

In this year (1224), magicians appeared in Suzdal', and killed old people by satanic inspiration and devil worship, saying that they would spoil the harvest. There was great confusion and famine throughout all that country. The whole population went along the Volga to the Bulgars from whom they bought grain and thus sustained themselves. When Yaroslav heard of the magicians, he went to Suzdal'. He there seized upon the magicians and dispersed them, but punished some, saying, "In proportion to its sin, God inflicts upon every land hunger, pest[2], drought, or some other chastisement, and man has no understanding thereof".[3]

  1. Lаvrеnt’еvskаia lеtоpis’ in Polnoe Sobranie Russkikh Letopiseĭ, vol. I, Moscow 2001: Iazyki Slaviankoĭ Kul’tury, col. 147-148
  2. In source we have word „моромъ” (morom), what means exactly plague/epidemic.
  3. The Russian Primary chronicle: Laurentian text, transl. and edited by Samuel Hazzard Cross and Olgerd P. Sherbowitz-Wetzor, Cambridge-Massachusetts 1953: Mediaeval Academy of America, p. 134-135.

References

  1. ^ None 

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.