A thousand years ago…..or maybe it was earlier this year (!) I discussed Veliky Novgorod versus Yaroslavl.

Somehow, at sometime, the original Novgorod (Yaroslavl – HQ of the Great Empire) was shifted on the map to the modern Novgorod.

Looking into the trade routes etc of the Empire, it struck me as strange that modern V.N. is somewhat isolated from the coast. It stands on Lake Ilmen.

I already know that the 16th century English Muscovy Company traded in Russia via Kholmogory, Archangel.

“While the Russian market was for several centuries an important source of supply for … It was primarily in the Netherlands and England that the maritime build- …. As regards the Archangel trade in the sixteenth century, there are only sporadic.”

 

Veliky Novgorod to Kholmogory

Phew. Even today it would take at least 16 hours to get there!

 

“It is well known that the Scandinavians who traded with the chronicles of Novgorod called him Holmgrad. See, for example, [758]. This name immediately brings to mind the well-known place Kholmogory near Arkhangelsk. In old sources they speak not about Arkhangelsk, but about Kholmogory. Thus, Kholmogory is an old port on the White Sea, which was the beginning of the famous medieval North Dvina route. It retained its commercial significance until the founding of St. Petersburg. At the intersection of the North Dvina and Volga routes was Yaroslavl. Therefore, naturally, the Yaroslavl merchants traded through Kholmogory.”

 

Yaroslavl to Kholmogory, Archangel is a much easier route, methinks.