Матроним как маркер власти женщины-соправительницы в древнесеверном историческом нарративе

Vox Medii Aevi. 2020. Т. 1-2(6-7). С. 229–251.

Orlovskaya M.

By the 12th-13th c. the Icelandic saga narrative developed specific techniques and formulas that were used to describe kings and their typical functions. These formulas are highly relevant to such a phenomenon as the woman’s reign in the 10th c., which is also called the Saga Age. Although usually the king description fromulas are formed around the patronym, there are several known cases when the patronym is replaced by the matronym. The analysis of matronyms allows to claim the existence of the co-reign of Gunnhildr konungamóðir and her sons. Based on Heimskringla, Jómsvíkinga saga and skaldic poetry, the following research shows that the matronymic construction Gunnhildar synir is regularly used in sagas towards Gunnhild’s children as a frequent substitute for the patronym Eiríks synir. The paper considers a specific model of coregency “mother + son/sons” and analyzes functional distribution of patronyms and matronyms in the corresponding saga narratives. Moreover, the article examines a similar example of the co-reign found in the Old Russian Primary Chronicle, namely the case of Olga of Kiev and her son Svyatoslav I.

Keywords: Древняя Русь, patronymic, историческая ономастика, Medieval Rus', Historical onomastics, Средневековая Скандинавия, древнеисландские саги, Old Norse Literature, Icelandic Sagas

Publication based on the results of: Древняя Русь и Петровская эпоха в рукописях: комментированное чтение и издание текстов (2020)