Karelians

Karelians
karjalaižet

Flag of Karelians
Regions with significant populations
Russia	60,815 (2010)
Finland	10,000 (1994)
Ukraine	1,522 (2001)
Belarus	524 (1999)
Estonia	363 (2011)
Languages
Karelian, Finnish, Russian
Religion
Orthodox Christianity Lutheran
Related ethnic groups
other Baltic Finns

The Karelians (Karelian: karjalaižet) are a nation that belongs to Baltic-Finnic ethnic group that are currently living in Finland and Russia. In Russia Karelians mostly settle in the Republic of Karelia and in other north-western parts of the Russian Federation. There are also significant Karelian enclaves in the Tver and Novgorod region, as some Karelians migrated to those areas after Swedish-Russian War of 1656-1658. In Finland they traditionally settle in the regions of Savonia and Northern and Southern Karelia. The historic homeland of the Karelians has been the Karelian Isthmus, Ladoga Karelia, Olonets Karelia in Russia and the provinces of Northern and Southern Karelia and Savonia in Finland.

The first written mention of Karelia and Karelians occurs in Scandinavian sources. Several old Scandinavian sagas and chronicles refer to Karelia sometimes as Karjalabotn, Kirjalabotnar or Kirjaland, which means that Karelians and Karelia were known to the Vikings as early as 7 century A.D. Another mention of Karelians in Scandinavian sources is The Chronicle of Erik. Part of the Chronicle mentions a Karelian raid to the, then notable, Swedish town of Sigtuna in 1187 A.D. and its subsequent pillage. This mention of Karelian raids on Sweden in the chronicle is given as the main reason to found Stockholm - the current capital of Sweden.

The first mention of Karelians in ancient Russian chronicles is dated 1143 A.D when the Novgorod chronicle mentions that Karelians raided neighbouring Tavastia (Häme). Ancient Russian chronicles referred to ancient Karelians as Koryela. Until the end of 13th century Karelians have enjoyed period of relative independence and self-government. However as Karelians came in contact with Novgorod some of them started to take part in the Novgorodian internal and external politics. Russian chronicles mention joint raid of Novgorod and Karelians on Tavastia in 1191 A.D. In 12th century Karelian relationship with Novgorod undergoes significant changes, from partnership and alliance to an attempt to dominance by the later: In 1227 A.D an attempt is made to convert Karelians to Greek Orthodoxy. In 1253 A.D Karelians are aiding Novgorod in its wars with Estonians. In 1269 A.D The duke of Novgorod is planning a raid against Karelians. Plans are abandoned as he is advised against it by his councilors. In 1278 A.D Novgorod makes war against Karelians and according to the chronicle puts Karelian lands "to sword and fire", which significantly reduces Karelian military power. While Novgorod was unsuccessfully trying to subdue Karelians, Sweden was successfully doing the same with the neighbouring Finnish tribes and in 1293 A.D Swedes raided Karelian lands and successfully founded a castle of Vyborg on the site of an ancient Karelian settlement. Novgorodian attempt to destroy the new Swedish castle fails. Sweden starts to convert local Karelian population to Roman Catholic Christianity. In 1295 A.D Sweden makes an attempt to establish a complete dominance of Karelian lands by founding a castle of Köxholm on the site of ancient Karelian settlement of Käkisalmi (Koryela in Russian chronicles). However this time Novgorod manages to repel Swedish attack by capturing and burning down the castle. After this both Sweden and Novgorod engage in the long conflict over dominance of Karelians and their lands.