Vikings

Vikings

Viking warriors were synonymous with brutality and savagery. They raided religious centers, plundered the great cities of Europe, including London and Paris, and demanded huge payments to leave their victims in peace. But their reign was short. The Viking onslaight reached its peak at the end of the 9th century, and by the 11th century these fierce Scandinavian fighters were already fading into the past.


Warrior Profile : Vikings

• Profile Intro :

Viking warriors were adept at close-quarter combat and used all their weapons skillfully. Most Viking warriors could only afford the most basic weapons and armor. Shields were the most common defense mechanism; they could deflect weapons, but were also used to thrust at the enemy. Spears also had a double purpose, but Vikings preferred to use them to stab rather than throw at the enemy. Swords were crafted to be flexible and were more favored than axes, the tool most frequently shown with Viking warriors. But swords, as well as chain mail and helmets, were expensive and used only by the few who could afford them.



1 - Helmet :

The Viking helmet was made of leather or iron and, despite the popular myth, did not have horns. Since the Vikings had difficulty in mass-producing metal helmets, only the elite could afford to buy them. Metal helmets had nose guards or goggle-like protection for the eyes or chain mail to protect the neck.

2 - Sword :

Swords, the most prized weapon of the Viking warrior, were often given names by their owners such as Gleam of Battle. Vikings used their swords like an axe, to strike rather than thrust at the enemy. These double-edged swords weighed about four lbs and were about three feet long. They were made strong and flexible through pattern welding, a forging technique in which strips of iron are twisted together, then hammered out and polished smooth

3 - Axe :

The axe with its long wooden handle was built for heavy blows designed to split shields or limbs. Battleaxes were very similar to agricultural axes, but axeheads with "bearded" or elongated blades were developed specifically for use in battle.

4 - Spear :

There were two types of Viking spears: a longer and heavier spear used to thrust at an enemy, and a shorter spear thrown from a distance. The ironhead of the spears was pattern welded with sharp edges and point.

5 - Chain Mail :

Brynja, or chain mail, acted as armor to protect the body. Since it was difficult to manufacture, only chieftains or professional warriors wore them. Most Viking warriors wore padded leather coats over a wool or linen tunic.

6 - Shield :

The shield, a Viking warrior's main defense against all forms of attacks, is one item that every Viking warrior had -- sometimes more than one. Shields were round, about three feet in diameter, made of wood and trimmed with leather. They were brightly colored in red or yellow, and had a round metal knob at the center that protected the warrior's hand

• On The Job :

1. How would you become a Viking warrior?
Any Viking -- whether chieftains or farmers -- could organize a group of men for the purpose of raiding. Plundering expeditions such as the one in Lindisfarne were carried out by only small groups of men transported in three to six ships. Some of these foreign raids had royal approval, but for the most part these men acted on their own initiative for personal economic gain.

Viking warriors also served as volunteers in royal armies called lid in wars of conquest abroad or in neighboring lands. However, kings or local royal agents could gather men as part of levies for military campaigns at home.

2. What were the tactics of Viking armies?
Vikings did not have a professional standing army and their tactics and discipline were basic. They did not fight in organized formations and there was no formal weapons training; young Vikings learned how to use weapons through hunting. This is often the reason why Vikings were more successful in surprise attacks than in battling large, skilled armies.


A variety of Viking helmets

The Vikings, however, still had tactics they used in battle. A frequent defense tactic was the shieldburg, or shield wall. Warriors lined up and overlapped their shields to protect themselves from spears. The warriors then threw their own shower of spears, followed with hand-to-hand combat. Vikings also formed what were known as svinfylking or a "boar formation" -- a wedge formation of 20 to 30 warriors to overcome their enemies.

3. How would a warrior become an army leader?
A warrior could become a leader by virtue of noble birth or military prowess. Viking warriors skilled in the use of all weapons -- swords, axes, and spears -- and those who proved themselves in battle could become commanders of small units. Frequently, however, Viking leadership positions were held by those of noble birth -- kings, earls, or clan chieftains. Viking kings commanded armies through their unit commanders of earls or chieftains.


Viking warriors fought with swords -- often their most prized weapon.

4. When and how often would Viking warriors go on raids?
Viking raids began in the 790s and continued for decades. These surprise attacks were planned all throughout winter and were executed in the summer. The frequency of the raids ranged from once every few years to every year. Nomadic armies such as the Great Army that invaded England in 865 could travel for years plundering England and France.

5. Could women Vikings become warriors?
Yes, there were women warriors in Viking society! Although for the most part, Viking women stayed home and ran the farm while their husbands were away, some women went along in Viking raids. Freydis, the sister of explorer Leif the Lucky, led an attack against natives in Vinland (now Newfoundland) and overpowered her two other brothers for control of the Viking colony. Apparently not one for competition, she even used her axe to kill all the women in their settlement.


Shields and axes were common weapons of Viking warriors

6. Who were berserkers?
Berserkers were Viking warriors who went into a frenzied state during battle. During this state they felt no pain, had superhuman strength and believed they were actually wolves or bears. These rages are thought to have been possibly initiated by hallucinogenic mushrooms, self-induced hysteria or epileptic seizures. Berserkers fought without concern for their own personal safety. Groups of berserkers -- often brothers and their sons -- were chosen to make the first attack against the enemy whom they shocked with their bravery and brazenness.

7. What happened to warriors who died in battle?
Viking warriors believed that Valkyries, warrior daughters of the principal Viking god Odin, presided over battles and chose those who were to die. Valkyries then brought the souls of the dead heroes back to Valhalla, Odin's banquet hall in the heavenly realm of Asgard. These warriors then became members of Odin's army, Einherjar who were then served beer and mead by the Valkyries in a feast. Chief among the Valkyries, and Odin's favorite was Brunhild, usually represented as riding through the air on horse, wearing a helmet and carrying a spear.

Tour a Viking Warship

• Intro :

The Vikings' instrument of conquest was their graceful yet fearsome warship. These swift vessels, also called drakkar, dragon ships, and longships, were highly valued by kings and chieftains -- the only people who could afford their expense. Proud of their seagoing prowess, Viking shipowners gave their crafts such names as Lion of the Waves, Reindeer of the Breeze or Long Serpent.

Tour a Viking warship and find out how these stunning ships gave the Vikings their strategic edge in building an empire that stretched from Europe to the Middle East.



1 - Keel :

The keel, the ship's backbone, gave Viking warriors greater control over their ship's direction. Since the keel supports the entire ship, it is made from the strongest and best quality oak. The keel was sculpted from one single oak tree so that it was thicker and deeper in the center where the greatest weight would be placed. Its tapered ends helped the ship to glide through water.

2 - Hull :

The unique shape of the hull (the main body of the ship) was what made a Viking ship so formidable. The base of the hull was made as flat as possible so that the ship could sail in shallow waters -- allowing warriors to raid any town along a shore or riverbank. The sides of Viking warships were built high to prevent water gushing in while under sail. But the high sides brought another advantage -- protection from spears and other missiles during sea battles

3 - Strakes :

Viking ships were built by overlapping the strakes (or planks) and then fastening them together by iron rivets. The strakes were then made watertight by caulking -- packing tarred wool or fur between each strake. This method allowed the hull to flex with the waves, thus avoiding being torn apart. To make the ship as light as possible and, therefore, faster, each strake was made as thin as possible. Although strakes were only about an inch thick, they were very strong because they were cut following the grain of the wood.

4 - Sail :

When Vikings wanted to go faster, they would switch from oars to sail. Hoisted on the mast, sails were easily raised with ropes made from leather. Under sail and during strong winds, a ship could go as fast as 15 knots or 17 mph! Sails were made from wool or linen, quilted in stripes or a diamond pattern and reinforced with leather and rope. They were often dyed blood red to make the ships look even more fearsome

5 - Mast :

The mast held the sail and was attached to a large block of oak called the kerling ("old woman" in Old Norse). The kerling rested on the keel and was fastened to two ribs of the ship, allowing it to evenly distribute the weight of the mast and sail near the center of the keel. Above the kerling was the mastfish, which held the mast erect. The kerling and the mastfish prevented the mast from toppling into rough seas. They also made it possible for the mast to be removed and laid on the deck during high winds and heavy seas so it would not break

6 - Rudder :

The rudder or steering oar was fastened onto the right side of the ship near the stern and onto the gunwale (the top strake) by a band of leather. Since the helmsman needed to twist the rudder to change the ship's direction, the rudder was fastened further down the hull with a flexible piece of willow branch and through a rib of the ship. This also allowed the rudder to swing out of the water when the ship was beached

7 - Oars :

Oars, about 18 feet long, were passed through small circular holes with a diagonal cut through which their blades were pushed. Under sail, oar holes were covered with a wooden plug to keep water out. When rowed, a Viking ship could reach a maximum speed of seven miles an hour.

8 - Shields :

Shields were placed into a rack that ran along the side of the ship. The shields protected warriors from arrows and spears during sea battles. Like the blood red sail, the shields in the rack were designed to be a terrifying sight

9 - Chest :

Viking boats did not have seats for oarsmen. Instead, these warriors probably sat on sea chests. Warships, unlike cargo or merchant ships, did not have storage below deck, so the chests doubled as storage for weapons and other belongings.

10 - Figurehead :

The prows of Viking ships were often carved into dragonheads to ward off sea serpents and evil spirits of the sea that the Vikings believed were responsible for sunken ships. Viking warships were nicknamed "dragon ships" because of these boldly painted figureheads.

Ship Tips

Size
Viking warships varied in size, but were mostly between 60 and 90 feet long and 8.5 to 13 feet wide. They required 20 to 30 oarsmen and could carry as many as 120 warriors into battle. According to Viking sagas, one of the largest ships ever built was the Long Serpent, made for King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway. Built in 1000 AD, it was over 120 feet long and carried 200 men.

Navigation
Vikings are famous for their navigational ability -- using the sun and the stars, bearing dials, and even birds to help them in their journey. But since warships were not designed to sail into the deep sea -- especially at full capacity with warriors ready for raiding or battle -- warships were more likely to sail along the coast and hop from island to island.


Shipbuilders as portrayed in the Bayeux Tapestry.

Life on Board
Since the boats were narrow and there were many men on board, Vikings took every opportunity to leave the crowded ship. They would go ashore, steal the nearest livestock -- which they called "strand-hogg" or "beach kill" -- and cooked them. The crew, made up mostly of freeborn men, had to be on constant alert for other ships that could attack and rob their own.

Sea Battles
Viking sagas describe sea battles being fought by lining up two opposing fleets with the bows of the ships facing the enemy. The defending fleet would fasten their ships alongside each other with the strongest and largest ship in the center. Attackers would climb upon the smaller boats, fighting warriors along the way and throwing spears and arrows at the center ship. Once a smaller ship had been commandeered, the attackers would set it adrift from the rest of the defending fleet. Depending on the strength of the two armies, the attackers would either retreat with the captured boat and booty or would continue to fight until the center ship was taken

Time Capsule

Throughout the Viking Age, which lasted for 300 years from 793 AD to the 11th century, the Vikings' spirit of adventure and swift ships brought them to great lands. Vikings, Scandinavians from the modern day countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, were great warriors skilled in raiding and looting. But they were also successful merchants and farmers who settled in newly discovered lands. Travel with the Vikings in search of fortune and land from Britain to the North Atlantic and from Russia to the Middle East!

Britain

The first recorded Viking raid took place in 793 AD, when these pagan warriors shocked the Christian inhabitants of England by looting the sacred Lindisfarne monastery off the coast of Northumbria. Financially motivated raids would soon lead to military campaigns with territorial conquest as a goal. In 866, the landing of the largest Viking army yet seen in England -- called the Great Army -- set off a long and bitter war against the Anglo-Saxons for control of England. By 878 the Vikings controlled the kingdoms of Northumbria and East Anglia. Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, successfully held off the Vikings. In 885, a treaty of coexistence between the two powers gave the Vikings control of England's north and east -- an area that became known as Danelaw and whose Viking legacy is present to this day in town names.

However, the fight for control of England continued for centuries. The English were able to regain all lands lost to the Vikings by 954. During this time, the Scandinavian warriors terrorized England and demanded danegeld, payment to ensure peace. The English lost control again when the Danish King Svein launched an attack in 1012. His son, Cnut, became the sole ruler of England, but Cnut's death triggered another power struggle. Harold Hardrada, king of Norway, arrived in 1066 to fight for the throne. The English King Harold defeated this Norwegian claimant at the Battle of Stamford Bridge, but the struggle for England would rage on. Not long after crushing the Norwegian invasion, Harold would face an historic defeat at the Battle of Hastings by William of Normandy, a Viking descendant who was later crowned king of England and known thereafter as William the Conqueror. The course of British history had forever changed.


William the Conqueror was a descendant of Vikings who settled in Normandy.

France

The earliest Viking raids in France occurred in the beginning of the 9th century in the wealthy coastal towns of Frisia (in modern Belgium and the Netherlands), a territory controlled by the Frankish or Carolingian Empire. When civil war broke out within the Franks' empire, Vikings took advantage of the chaos to mount an unsurpassed campaign of raiding and as in England, demanded large amounts of danegeld. Three large Viking armies ravaged France: the Army of the Loire, the Army of the Somme and the Army of the Seine.

Lasting Viking settlements, however centered in Normandy. Suffering devastating Viking raids, Charles the Simple, a Frankish king, in desperation offered the Vikings a land grant north of his kingdom. This area became known as Normandy. The Vikings there rapidly integrated with the Frankish population, making it difficult for the Frankish kings to reconquer their lost land. Instead, the Normans -- as these Vikings became known -- saw their power steadily increase throughout Europe and reach its zenith with the conquest of England in 1066

Ireland & Scotland

Like England and France, Scotland and Ireland suffered from seasonal raiding by Vikings along its coasts in the early 800s. In Scotland, Vikings soon settled in the Shetlands and in the Orkneys, where Scandinavian influence would prove lasting; Norn, a Scandinavian dialect, was spoken until the 18th century and many Scandinavian place-names are still used today. Norway ruled the Orkneys until 1468 and the Shetlands until 1468. Although these Scottish lands were sometimes used as jumping-off points for raids on Ireland and England, the Vikings' main occupation here was farming and fishing.

In Ireland, decades after their initial raid in 795, Viking armies began staying the winter, rather than returning home, in order to set up bases for further looting. By the mid-ninth century, Vikings had established small enclaves such as Dublin, which developed into a short-lived Viking kingdom. Although the Irish eventually gained supremacy in Dublin, the Vikings were integrated into the community as merchants, controlling international trade.


Jarlshof was a Viking farming settlement on the southern tip of the Shetlands.

North Atlantic

The Vikings who first arrived in the Faeroes -- (meaning "sheep islands") in the early 9th century -- discovered an uninhabited land. Farmers stayed to cultivate the island while still more moved further west to Iceland. By the 860s, large numbers of settlers had arrived and within 60 years an estimated 20,000 Vikings had come to Iceland. The Vikings exploited Iceland's fertile coastal lands including Reykjavik, the country's modern capital. The development of the Althing, a judicial assembly of all the island's free men, was one of the most important aspects of Viking settlement in Iceland. It was a regional Althing that banned explorer Erik the Red, guilty of murder, from Iceland in 980. After banishment, Erik the Red sailed on to a largely unknown land, a territory that this intrepid Viking would call Greenland to attract settlers.

The Vikings' first forays towards North America began with Bjarni Herjolfsson, one of the original Greenland settlers, who was blown off course en route to Greenland and sailed within sight of North America. Bjarni eventually reached Greenland where news of his sightings reached Erik the Red's son, Leif the Lucky. Fifteen years later, in 1000, Leif retraced Bjani's route and discovered Vinland -- what is now called Newfoundland. The name Vinland, meaning "Wine Land", may have come from giant huckleberries that Leif thought were grapes.


L'Anse-aux-Meadows in Newfoundland is the only existing proof of a Viking presence in North America

Russia and the Middle East

Viking adventures east and south of Scandinavia were carried out by Swedes traveling to the Baltic region, Russia and the Middle East. These Vikings were mostly in search of wealth through trade rather than raids. The Swedish Vikings began their eastward movement in the Baltics, where they traded in the coastal markets of modern day Germany and Poland. They continued south on the Vistula River to the Black Sea where they were within reach of the great riches of the Byzantine Empire. Others opted for a more eastern route that took them through Russia. Vikings, in the East known as Rus, from the Finnish word meaning "Swedes," developed the trading center of Novgorod to become the capital of a Rus state in 860. By 900, the Rus state expanded to the west, into present-day Ukraine, and Kiev, en route to Byzantium, became the capital.

Instead of moving southwards to Byzantium, daring Vikings ventured further east via the Volga River and the Caspian Sea to Central Asia and the Middle East, where they encountered the western route of the Silk Road and large supplies of Arab silver. Trading furs, slaves and walrus ivory, the Vikings hoarded these silver coins -- archaeological finds of over 60,000 Arab coins were later found in Scandinavia and many others in former Viking colonies.


A silver treasure of German, Byzantine and Arabic coins from about 1000 AD, found in Sweden

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