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The Vikings

The Vikings. Who were they?. Norse ( Scandinavian ) explorers , warriors , merchants , and pirates raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century

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The Vikings

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  1. The Vikings

  2. Who were they? • Norse (Scandinavian) explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates • raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century • They reached: Constantinople, the Volga River in Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland (Canada), Britain, Ireland, Sicily and some ports of the Mediterranean

  3. Reasons for travels and colonization • Outgrowth of farm lands in Scandinavia • Weakness of other kingdoms and settlements all over Europe • Supreme navy and expertise in warfare • Treasure and adventure

  4. Weapons and warfare • All free Norsemen were allowed to carry weapons • helmet, shield, chain mail shirt, sword, axe, knife, spear and bows and arrows • Typical battle: - attack the ports from ships with inflamed arrows - create confusion - land and quickly siege - destroy defense - raid, kill and take everything moveable - board back on ship and - leave (with booty, women, young boys, animals)

  5. Ships • the longship (called "drakkar", "dragon" in Norse) • the knarr (merchant vessel designed to carry cargo)

  6. Society • High lords • Warrior lords • Warriors • Priests • Women • Slaves

  7. Characteristics • They were literate (runes) • Heroic tales • Mysticism • Burial sites • Legends • mythology

  8. Norse gods and goddesses • Odin - the ruler of the gods, and the god of magic, poetry and war. • His wife was the motherly Frigg • their son was Balder, who was kind and gentle. • Freyja was goddess of love and fertility, and wept golden tears when she was unhappy. • She had a twin brother Freyr, and their sacred animal was the boar. • Red-headed Thor ruled the skies, storms and thunder. He had iron gloves, a magic belt and a hammer • People loved Thor but did not trust Loki, the mischievous 'trickster god'. By a trick, Loki caused the death of Balder.

  9. The dead and the Valhalla • A dead person was buried or cremated (burned) with some of their belongings • Some Viking chiefs were given ship-burials, with treasure, weapons, and favourite dogs and horses buried with them. • Vikings believed that a warrior killed in battle went to Valhalla, a great hall where dead heroes feasted at long tables • Odin sent his warror-maidens, the Valkyries to take them to Valhalla

  10. Stories and legends • Midgard or Middle Earth, along with giants, elves and dwarfs • The gods and goddesses lived in a sky world called Asgard. Linking Midgard with Asgard was a rainbow bridge. • tales of monsters, trolls, dragons, sea serpents, and the fierce wolf Fenrir (which the gods tried to keep chained up). • Odin rode a magical horse named Sleipnir, which had eight legs. • did not want to die in bed, because they were afraid they'd go to a foggy underworld called Niflheim

  11. Other beliefs • Vikings believed a flash of lightning meant Thor had flung his hammer. • People left gifts of milk for the elves in little bowls • Odin gave up one of his eyes to drink from a magical fountain of wisdom. • Odin had two ravens. Mugin and Hugin, who flew around to bring him news of the world. • Vikings believed the world was flat and surrounded by sea; it was held up by a giant tree called Yggdrasil.

  12. Legacy • 35% of European men and 40% of women have Viking genetic origin • The fascist imagery (blond, Arian, brave fighters, supreme of others) • Music (Wagner) • pop culture: Viking metal shows modern influence of the Viking myths. It was a popular sub-genre of heavy metal music, originating in the early 1990s connected to the black metal sub-genre.

  13. Common misconceptions • Horned helmets – no preserved helmets with horns • Skull cups – used regular wooden or metal cups • Uncleanliness - bathing every Saturday and combing their hair often.

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