While this is not a novel concept, it is important to emphasize how history can be skewed to a certain party’s interest or message. For the purposes of this class, this can be directly related to The Primary Chronicle. While this document is clearly biased toward the Christian faith, it is one of the very few documents in existence that records any type of history of Rus’. Sadly, this source is questionable due to its Christian references.
One excerpt, describing the dissension among the princes of the Rus’ dating 1012-1054, is particularly interesting regarding the blatant Christian propaganda it contains. This excerpt is fascinating because of the boldness in which its author placed Christian messages, leaving the story’s accuracy up for debate. For example, when explaining the execution of Boris, it states:
These emissaries came to the Alta, and when they approached they heard the sainted Boris singing vespers. For it was already known to him that they intended to take his life. Then he arose and began to chant, saying ‘Oh Lord, how are they increased who come against me! Many are they that arise up agaisnt me’ (Ps. iii.1) . . . . After finishing vespers, he prayed, gazing upon the icon, the image of the Lord, with these words: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, who in this image has appeared on earth for our salvation, and who, having voluntarily suffered thy hands to be nailed to the Cross, didst endure thy passion for our sins, so help me now to endure my passion. For I accept it not from those who are my enemies, but from the hands of my own brother. Hold it not against him as a sin, oh Lord!’
In this quote from The Primary Chronicle, it is quite clear how the language of the document very similarly resembles the language found in the Bible. Additionally, it is remarkable to note how the narrator retells how the emissaries find Boris, along with Boris’ final words. It is very skeptical that they found “the sainted Boris” in the middle of vespers, and even more dubious that Boris’ final words were so aligned with holy scripture.
It is rather apparent that the monks which wrote The Primary Chronicle had more for in mind than simply recording history as it originally happened. They instead wanted to weave Christianity into history in order to solidify the truth behind their religion, which in turn, rendering historians today to question which parts of the Chronicle can be trusted as accurate.