Norwegian Vikings

What would have been the equivalent of high-tech a thousand years ago? The fast-moving Viking ships, perhaps? These advanced constructions helped to build cultural coherence in Europe, and they were also crucial in the process of unifying the Norse tribes into a state.

The Vikings put their mark on northern Europe forever, and the many remains of Viking culture can transform any holiday into an adventure.

Viking history and culture

The Viking period began in the year of 793 with the attack on the Lindisfarne monastery in England, which is the first known Viking raid. The occasion that marks the end of the Viking glory days is the killing of king Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

The raids, systematic looting, colonisation, and trade brought the Vikings to many destinations in different directions. In the beginning, only a few seafaring Vikings survived the rough voyages, but the fleets grew and soon enough there were hundreds of so-called longships. They sailed across the Baltic Sea and down Russian rivers as far as the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea to Byzantium and the Caliphate of Baghdad. They were also the first Europeans to reach Greenland and North America. In fact, the Viking explorer Leiv Eiriksson sailed to the shores of the Americas around the year 1000, 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

The Vikings founded several cities and colonies, including Dublin in Ireland and the region of Normandy in France. Dublin was held as a significant settlement for more than three centuries. Between the years 879 and 920, the Vikings colonised Iceland, which in turn became the springboard for the colonisation of Greenland. Remains of a Viking settlement at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland have been carbon dated to around the year 1000.

How could a small and scattered people conquer so much territory? The Norwegian Vikings are characterised by their courageous, fatalistic outlook which made them naturally born risk takers. The raiding groups seem to have had a fantastic ability to shrug off losses, whether in land battles or in dangerous sea expeditions. The number of deaths caused by war was sometimes shockingly high in relation to the total Viking population, but it did not satisfy their hunger for conquest and exploration for around 250 years.

The Vikings are mostly known for their relentless robbing, and rightly so. At the same time, many Vikings lived peacefully as traders and farmers, and many expeditions were based on barter deals. Vikings who stayed away from seafaring robbery to work from home supported their families by simple farming activities. Their daily life might have been tough and demanding, but it was not without joy. The most well-known Viking drink is mead (“mjød” in Norwegian), an alcoholic beer-like brew sweetened by honey.

The Viking explorers brought their cultural identity to continental Europe, but they also imported foreign cultures, languages and knowledge. By the 1100s, the Vikings were weakened due to domestic disputes and resistance from other European countries, which had painfully learnt to defend themselves against attacks by building fortified targets.

Viking ships

Top speed? On a good day, the Viking rowers could move at around 15 to 17 knots.

The swiftness of the Viking ships is key to understanding how the Vikings could gain such a sudden and surprising momentum. The maritime innovations of the Vikings provided a link between northern and southern Europe, which had a strong effect on the continent.

The architecture of the Vikings’ archetypical vessels, known as longships, was adopted by several other cultures and influenced ship construction for centuries. In general, overlapping planks of oak were nailed together and protected by layers of tarred wool and sometimes animal hair.

The secret behind the fast-moving longships was the long, narrow body, kept stable by a keel. Light enough to be carried, it was designed for speed and easy navigation in shallow waters. The longship was double-ended, allowing it to reverse direction without the need to turn around. This was a significant advantage in a sea filled with concealed icebergs and sea ice.

Longships had oars along almost the entire length of the boat, and later versions combined rowing power with sailing power.

The Viking ships were used for plundering and other attacks, as well as for peaceful trade. Many Vikings died in battles in continental Europe, and in 876 the Vikings lost around 4,000 men and 120 ships in a great storm off the English south coast. When prominent Vikings died, they were placed in a burial ship with their clothes, jewellery, and even their animals.

One of the most significant graves found in Scandinavia is the so-called Oseberg burial mound. In the year of 834 the Oseberg queen was buried in an impressive ship together with her valuable belongings. The grave also contained the remains of another woman of unknown origin.

In the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, you can walk around the world’s best preserved Viking vessels and smell the scent of the tar of the Oseberg ship, the Gokstad ship, and the Tune ship.

Female power

What about women’s rights in Viking history?

Well, women are said to have had a stronger position in Viking society than in most other parts of Europe. They usually had the right to divorce, and if their spouse passed away, they would inherit him and could keep his belongings. In part, they were protected by law against sexual harassment and a woman was respected as the head of the farm when her husband was away, which he could be for a long time. Today’s growing appeal of the Viking culture is not only based on the image of them as relentless sea warriors, but also because of the way they lived and developed a new and more modern society.