Vikings

VIKINGS

EINHERJAR Ð'- THE CHOSEN ONES

Kenneth Dunn

History 115

Professor Gordon

"Never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race. Ð'... Behold, the church of St. Cuthbert, spattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments; a place more venerable than all in Britain is given as a prey to pagan peoples." - Alcuin of York, in a letter to Ethelred, King of Northumbria in England.

Vikings were a truly diverse and fascinating people. As they rode the waves of the Atlantic Ocean to many different lands, the warriors struck terror into the hearts of people throughout the many countries they raided. Just the sight of the long, carved beasts at the bows of their ships slinking toward the shores through the mist was enough weaken even the strongest soul. However, while being vicious, inhumane barbarians, a different lifestyle prevailed in their homelands as they faced the same daily struggles as any other society. They were farmers, traders, explorers, and accomplished shipbuilders. There followed laws and customs for which there were punishments if those laws were not followed. They prayed to their Gods and loved their families. In the end, the Vikings traveled over most of the world and left a lasting impression that still excites our imaginations to this day.

Social Structure and Aspects of Everyday Life of the Vikings

By Wendy Latimore

Vikings were a fierce and barbaric societyÐ'....or were they? Most Vikings were farmers and traders. They hunted and fished and grew the foods they needed to sustain their families. According to Ingmar Jansson, a professor of archaeology at Stockholm University in Sweden, "The Norsemen were not just warriors, they were farmers, artists, shipbuilders, and innovators. More than anything, they were excellent traders who connected peoples from Baghdad to Scandinavia to the mainland of North America." (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0217_040217_vikings.html)

The definition of the word "Viking" is highly disputed. The definitions range from "pirate", describing the actions of the raiders from Scandinavia; some say it is a reference to the people from Viken (Oslo Fjord); still others use the word to describe the entire ethnic group originating in the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Sweden. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0217_040217_vikings.html) The word "Viking" is actually derived from "the Old Norse word vikingar" and "is exclusively applied to men, usually those who sailed from Scandinavia in groups to engage in the activities of raiding and trading in Britain, Europe and the East." (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/women_01.shtml)

Even though the definition suggests that women could not be Vikings, evidence suggests that women maintained an honored and important role in their society, remaining behind while the men went trading, Viking, or hunting to keep the children and homesteads safe. The women had to ensure that their food would last through the long, cold winters of their homelands. They were expected to have a thorough knowledge of herbs for medicinal purposes and were responsible for the success of the farm while the men were away. (http://www.viking.no/e/life/ewomen.htm) Fortunately for the women, who married between the ages of 12 and 15 years, "the Vikings lived in large groups" and extended families were common. (http://www.viking.no/e/life/ewomen.htm) Many generations of several families, sometimes up to 20 people, lived in one lodge and the oldest son was expected to be responsible for the well-being of all who entered his lodge, whether family or slave. His young wife held responsibilities that today's society would never dream of placing on a 15 year old child.

Marriage was more of a business proposition than a matter of love and courtship was "frowned upon by the woman's family as unseemly." (http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/Demographics.htm) However, emotions did have at least some effect on the arrangement because "WhileÐ'...poems of praise were prohibited by law (GrÐ"ÐŽgÐ"ÐŽs K 238), there are plenty of examples of them, so the law must have been routinely ignored." (http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/Demographics.htm) Marriages were arranged to form alliances to ensure greater protection and distribution of wealth to the next generation. The betrothal was the initial contract bound only by a handshake and the woman was not required to agree with her guardian's choice of husband. The dowry, known as a bride-price or "brudhkaupÐ'... consisted of three payments: from the groom would come the mundr and morgengifu, while the bride's family provided the heiman fylgia." (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/wedding.htm) The couple was betrothed for one to two years before the marriage and, barring climactic difficulties, weddings were held on Friday, or "Friggas Day", in honor of the Goddess Freya, Goddess of Fertility. Of the many customs involved in a Norse wedding, most interesting are that they exchanged swords. "The ancestral sword signified the traditions of the family and the continuation of the bloodline, while the sword given to the groom by the bride symbolized the transfer of the father's power of guardianship and protection over the bride to her new husband." (http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/wedding.htm) A Norse marriage was binding until "at least six witnesses saw the couple openly go to bed together (GrÐ"ÐŽgÐ"ÐŽs St 58)." (http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/daily_living/text/Demographics.htm.) The day after the marriage, the husband presented his wife with the keys to his lodge and, while he was responsible for the people, she effectively owned everything inside. Divorce was not unheard of in Norse society. Either the husband or the wife could obtain a divorce, however there were strict rules as to reasons for divorce and property rights were generally in favor of the wife and children.

The Norsemen had an advanced democratic legal system in which all men were able to speak freely and