Widewuto
Encyclopedia
Widewuto was a legendary king of the pagan Prussians
who ruled along with his elder brother, the high priest Bruteno in the 6th century AD. They are known from writings of 16th-century chroniclers Erasmus Stella, Simon Grunau
, and Lucas David
. Though the legend lacks historical credibility, it became popular with medieval historians. It is unclear whether the legend was authentically Prussian (i.e. recorded from Prussian mythology
) or was created by Grunau (possibly inspired by Biblical Moses
and Aaron
), though Lithuanian researchers tend to support in its authenticity.
According to the legend, Widewuto and Bruteno were kings of the Cimbri
. Driven out by the Goths
from their homeland, the Cimbri arrived to Ulmiganea, inhabited by rather primitive people who had no agriculture or cities. Widewuto and Bruteno civilized the region and named it Prussia
after Bruteno (Pruteno). Gintaras Beresnevičius
noted that such arrival has a lot in common with the origin legend of the Lombards
. Widewuto ruled wisely and issued laws regulating family life (for example, men could have three wives; burning of gravely sick relatives was allowed; infidelity was punished by death), public life (for example, slavery was prohibited; distinguished warriors with a horse were raised to nobility), and punishments for criminal activity. Bruteno was the high priest (criwo cyrwaito) in charge of religious life. Widewuto had twelve sons, whose names were memorialized in the districts of Prussia. For example, Lithuania
was named after eldest son Litvas, Sudovia
after Sudo, etc. At the age of 116, Widewuto burned himself
together with Bruteno in a religious ceremony in the temple of Romuva
. After their deaths the brothers were worshiped as god Wurskaito.
Widewuto had a white flag, measuring five by three ell
s. The flag had portraits of three Prussian gods, which Grunau reproduced in his work. On the left was the god of the underworld, Peckols – an old man with white beard and white scarf on his head. Middle-aged thunder god, Perkūnas
, with fiery hair was in the middle. The god of crops, Patrimpas, was portrayed as a young beardless man wearing a wreath of grain ears
. The flag also displayed mysterious symbols, somewhat similar to the Cyrillic alphabet
. Several linguists unsuccessfully attempted to decipher the writing hoping to discover the ancient Prussian writing system.
Old Prussians
The Old Prussians or Baltic Prussians were an ethnic group, autochthonous Baltic tribes that inhabited Prussia, the lands of the southeastern Baltic Sea in the area around the Vistula and Curonian Lagoons...
who ruled along with his elder brother, the high priest Bruteno in the 6th century AD. They are known from writings of 16th-century chroniclers Erasmus Stella, Simon Grunau
Simon Grunau
Simon Grunau was the author of Preussische Chronik,Full title: Cronika und beschreibung allerlüstlichenn, nützlichsten und waaren historien des namkundigenn landes zu Prewssen or Chronicle and description of the most amusing, useful and true known history of the Prussian land the first...
, and Lucas David
Lucas David
Lucas David was a Prussian historian, who from ca. 1550 on compiled extensive volumes on Prussian history....
. Though the legend lacks historical credibility, it became popular with medieval historians. It is unclear whether the legend was authentically Prussian (i.e. recorded from Prussian mythology
Prussian mythology
The Prussian mythology was a polytheistic religion of the Old Prussians, indigenous peoples of Prussia before the Prussian Crusade waged by the Teutonic Knights. It was closely related to other Baltic faiths, the Lithuanian and Latvian mythologies. Its myths and legends did not survive as Prussians...
) or was created by Grunau (possibly inspired by Biblical Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
), though Lithuanian researchers tend to support in its authenticity.
According to the legend, Widewuto and Bruteno were kings of the Cimbri
Cimbri
The Cimbri were a tribe from Northern Europe, who, together with the Teutones and the Ambrones threatened the Roman Republic in the late 2nd century BC. The Cimbri were probably Germanic, though some believe them to be of Celtic origin...
. Driven out by the Goths
Goths
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....
from their homeland, the Cimbri arrived to Ulmiganea, inhabited by rather primitive people who had no agriculture or cities. Widewuto and Bruteno civilized the region and named it Prussia
Prussia (region)
Prussia is a historical region in Central Europe extending from the south-eastern coast of the Baltic Sea to the Masurian Lake District. It is now divided between Poland, Russia, and Lithuania...
after Bruteno (Pruteno). Gintaras Beresnevičius
Gintaras Beresnevicius
Gintaras Beresnevičius was a Lithuanian historian of religions specializing in Baltic mythology. He together with Norbertas Vėlius is considered to be the best specialist in Lithuanian mythology....
noted that such arrival has a lot in common with the origin legend of the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
. Widewuto ruled wisely and issued laws regulating family life (for example, men could have three wives; burning of gravely sick relatives was allowed; infidelity was punished by death), public life (for example, slavery was prohibited; distinguished warriors with a horse were raised to nobility), and punishments for criminal activity. Bruteno was the high priest (criwo cyrwaito) in charge of religious life. Widewuto had twelve sons, whose names were memorialized in the districts of Prussia. For example, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
was named after eldest son Litvas, Sudovia
Yotvingia
Yotvingia was a region where the Baltic tribe known as Yotvingians lived. It was located in the area of Sudovia and Dainava; south west from the upper Neman, between Marijampolė, Merkinė , Slonim, Kobryn , Białystok, and Ełk ;...
after Sudo, etc. At the age of 116, Widewuto burned himself
Self-immolation
Self-immolation refers to setting oneself on fire, often as a form of protest or for the purposes of martyrdom or suicide. It has centuries-long traditions in some cultures, while in modern times it has become a type of radical political protest...
together with Bruteno in a religious ceremony in the temple of Romuva
Romuva (temple)
Romuva or Romowe was a pagan worship place in western part of Sambia, one of the regions of the pagan Prussia. In contemporary sources the temple was mentioned only once by Peter von Dusburg in 1326...
. After their deaths the brothers were worshiped as god Wurskaito.
Widewuto had a white flag, measuring five by three ell
Ell
An ell , is a unit of measurement, approximating the length of a man's arm.Several national forms existed, with different lengths, includingthe Scottish ell ,the Flemish ell ,the French ell...
s. The flag had portraits of three Prussian gods, which Grunau reproduced in his work. On the left was the god of the underworld, Peckols – an old man with white beard and white scarf on his head. Middle-aged thunder god, Perkūnas
Perkunas
Perkūnas was the common Baltic god of thunder, one of the most important deities in the Baltic pantheon. In both Lithuanian and Latvian mythology, he is documented as the god of thunder, rain, mountains, oak trees and the sky.-Etymology:...
, with fiery hair was in the middle. The god of crops, Patrimpas, was portrayed as a young beardless man wearing a wreath of grain ears
Ear (botany)
An ear is the grain-bearing tip part of the stem of a cereal plant, such as wheat or maize. It can also refer to "a prominent lobe in some leaves".The ear is a spike, consisting of a central stem on which grows tightly packed rows of flowers...
. The flag also displayed mysterious symbols, somewhat similar to the Cyrillic alphabet
Cyrillic alphabet
The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School...
. Several linguists unsuccessfully attempted to decipher the writing hoping to discover the ancient Prussian writing system.