Finnish–Novgorodian wars
| Christianization of Finland |
|---|
 |
| People |
| Bishops: Thomas ● Henry ● |
| Rodulff ● Fulco ● Bero |
| Popes: Alexander III ● |
| Innocent III ● Gregory IX |
| Archbishops: Anders ● |
| Valerius |
| Others: Birger Jarl ● |
| Sergius ● Lalli ● King Eric |
| Locations |
| Kokemäki ● Köyliö ● |
| Nousiainen ● Koroinen ● |
| Turku Cathedral |
| Events |
| Finnish-Novgorodian wars |
| First Swedish Crusade |
| Second Swedish Crusade |
| Third Swedish Crusade |
The Finnish–Novgorodian wars were a series of conflicts between Finnic tribes in eastern Fennoscandia and the Republic of Novgorod from the 11th or 12th century to early 13th century. The wars' effect on the Finns' society contributed to the eventual Swedish conquest of western Finland in around 1249. The term used in Russian chronicles to refer to Novgorod's enemy, Yem, is unclear and probably referred to several different groups, eventough etymologically it derives from Finnish word Häme which means Tavastia. Some of the groups identified as Yem may have been the inhabitants of Tavastland in south-central Finland, the West Finns in general, or a sub-group of Karelians on the northern coast of the Ladoga who descended from western Finns who had moved to the area earlier.
The only known written sources on the Yem-Novgorodian wars are contained in the medieval Russian chronicles. The Russians and Yem had frequent conflicts from the 11th or 12th century onwards. The eastern Finnic peoples Votes, Korela (interpreted as Karelians in general or more specifically as the Karelians on the southwest coast of the Ladoga) and Izhorians are all mentioned as allies to Novgorod, said to have been fighting against Yem even without Novgorod's direct involvement, possibly over control of land area in central and eastern Finland; this territorial feud manifested in annual retaliatory expeditions that featured merciless treatment of the settlers of the opposing tribe.
The earliest possible mention of hostilities is from the Laurentian Codex which records in passing that the Novgorodian Prince Vladimir Yaroslavich was at war with the "Yam" in 1042 AD. The Yam are also mentioned as tributaries to Novgorod in the Primary Chronicle, but they disappear from sources later on.
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