Was the war important to the Vikings?
War played a very important role within Viking society. It played, for example, political and religious roles. In addition, the war brought status for those involved in it – and survived. Naturally, it also brought riches.
On the religious side, the Vikings believed that those fallen in battle would join Odin in his hall, known as Valhalla. For the Vikings, warriors slain in battle had been chosen by the Valkyries to become einherjar, warriors who would spend the ages in Valhalla and who would fight during the Ragnarok.
Within Viking society, every free man could become a warrior. War training was usually carried out by a member of one's own family. You jarls (nobles), because of their superior financial situation, were able to finance more intense and specialized training.
Also access: Viking religion
What weapons were used by Vikings in battle?
The historian Sandro Teixeira Moita highlights that sword and Axe they were the most popular weapons the Vikings used in combat.
Other weapons, such as spears, knives and bows and arrows, were less used, but no less important.|1|. In matters of defense, the Vikings wore wooden shields, helmets (no horns) and chain mail.The sword was the most used weapon and, in addition to its military importance, it brought a great status to the one who owned it. Producing a sword was very expensive in Viking Age Scandinavia, so only those who were better off could afford the cost of production.
Swords were generally made in Scandinavia, but there is evidence that part of them was acquired from the Franks. The greater a person's financial capacity, the more adorned his sword would be. In certain families, this weapon was passed on to subsequent generations, but there were cases of warriors who preferred to be cremated in possession of their sword.
Axes were mainly used in piracy attacks. Because they are cheaper weapons, their use was widespread in the daily lives of the Vikings, which made many of them possess great skill in mastering this weaponry.
The spear, although less used, had great symbolic value, as it was the weapon used by Odin (Odin's spear was called Gungnir). Therefore, before battles, the Vikings hurled a spear in order to gain Odin's favor. In the case of knives, they were used in melee battles over short distances. The bow and arrow was more used in cases of looting and naval battles.
You shields were the most important defensive weapon of the Vikings. In naval raids, for example, only those who had a shield participated. Viking shields were made of wood and reinforced with a metal band in the center. They were painted in different colors and used in the most famous Viking war formation: the shield wall.
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These people also wore helmets to protect their faces. It is worth noting that Viking helmets did not have horns. In addition, chain mail, metallic armor and leather armor were also used for defense.
See too: Norman invasions in the Kingdom of the Franks
Were there female warriors among the Vikings?
This question divides historians and archaeologists, as the literary evidence is conflicting. Legendary records contain a number of examples of women who were at war, but in Icelandic or family sagas there is no record to that effect. Furthermore, archaeological research does not reveal concrete evidence that women's participation in the war was consistent.
Research in the area of Osteology, which investigates, in this case, bone injuries caused by combat weapons, also found no concrete evidence in female tombs. However, there is an archaeological exception to a case mentioned by Johnni Langer. This historian says that the tomb of a woman was found in Sweden, where there was a large amount of weapons along with the mortal remains.|2|.
Thus, the conclusion at this time is that there were some women who became warriors in society, but this type of behavior was not common at the time.
Viking warriors in popular culture
Vikings are one of the subjects that generate the most interest in pop culture. Therefore, a series of productions have been carried out in recent years. In literature, one of the best known names is the Saxon Chronicles, a series of books that follows the story of a Saxon raised by the Danes. This character fights Vikings who invaded Britain and the kingdoms that existed there. This series of books even generated a TV adaptation: The Last Kingdom, in Portuguese, The Last Kingdom.
Vikings is the name of another very famous series on the subject and tells the events of the life of the character Ragnar and his children.
Who were the Vikings?
The term “Viking” is used as a reference to the peoples who inhabited northern Europe, in the region of Scandinavia, during the period of the Viking Age, which extended from the 8th to the 11th century. This term is also directly related to a well-known practice: the naval expeditions. It is also common to use the expression “Nordic” to refer to these people, especially in situations where nautical expeditions are not the focus.
You vikings they became well known, especially in popular culture, as fearsome warriors. They invaded by surprise certain places, such as the Reino dos Francos (coastal region of Europe), seeking to plunder as much wealth as possible.
|1| LANGER, Johnni (ed.). Dictionary of Viking Age History and Culture. In.: MOITA, Sandro Teixeira. War and combat techniques. São Paulo: Hedra, 2017, p. 339.
|2| LANGER, Johnni (ed.). Dictionary of Viking Age History and Culture. In.: LANGER, Johnni. Nordic warriors. São Paulo: Hedra, 2017, p. 345-46.
By Daniel Neves
Graduated in History