[gothic-l] Re: Sarmatians and Goths in Poland

[dirk at SMRA.CO.UK]

--- In gothic-l at y..., Xoxana at w... wrote:
>  
>             I learned today of a new indigenist 
> distortion of history I had never heard of before. During the 18th 
and
> 19th centuries, many Polish nobles entered a romantic cult called
> "Sarmatism." They thought they were the descendents of ancient 
warriors
> from the steppes called Sarmatians. 
>             I knew that the nobility of Poland
> were descended from Goths or vikings, so what about the myth? 




Hi,

I am quite sure that also the proposition that the Polish nobility is 
decended from Goths or Vikings is unfounded. These kind of myths have 
been invented in the past to give themselves a higher status through 
greater antiquitiy of their origins. Especially in Poland, where at 
times up to one third of the population claimed noble decend including 
many very poor peasants, the emergence of such myths is quite 
understandable as a way to make up for inferior self-esteem.


(snip)

    Sarmatians had invaded Poland nearly
> 2,000 years ago. But then they were conquered by the Goths. The 
Goths
> adopted some of the customs of the Sarmatians, and foreigners often 
had
> difficulty telling them apart. 
> The Sarmatians, also known as Alans, were very blond and warlike, 
just
> like the Goths. So the Polish nobililty were descended from blond
> warriors without any doubt. 




This obsession with blond and warlike ancestors has of course other 
much more sinister parallels as well. Also, I know that the Alans were 
reportedly fair haired and tall - on the other hand as an Iranian 
people I find this somewhat difficult to believe.


>It seems that everybody (except northwest
>                 Europeans) wants to invent a glorious history for 
>themselves. 


Well the British higher nobility once claimed to be decendents of the 
lost tribe of Israel!


cheers
Dirk




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