Vikings

Who were the Vikings?

Most of them came from the areas now know as Denmark, Norway and

Sweden.

They came from a foreign land, and they were not “civilized”.

Navigation

Vikings were really good in the sea.

They were known for having the

fastest ships

They were really good at

interpreting the sun’s position for

guidance.

Economy

Their strongest income was from

commerce. They transported large

quantities of certain materials and

sold them in Europe and Oriental

ports.

The materials they sold were:

Linen

Silk

Wool

Camel Wool

Viking cities were a great place for

blacksmiths and craftsmen since selling

products was their main income

economically.

Ivory

Metals

Gold

Silver

Society

Although Vikings were considered barbarians, their society was well

established, and advanced.

They had a kind of political hierarchy.

Many historians believe that Viking society was one of the first ancestors of

today’s democracy.

Society

They had 3 Social classes:

Jarl

They were the Noble class

Karl

They were the Middle class

Thrall

They were slaves.

Jarl

They were the Noble Class

They were in charge of the land

They were distinguished for their wealth & their

followers.

They were expected to lead their people to annual

raids, and to share the loot in a fair, and honest way.

If a Jarl couldn’t fulfill these requirements, people had

the right to substitute him with another one.

Karl

They were the middle class.

Most of the Vikings were Karls

They were free men, farmers, cattle raisers, craftsmen,

blacksmiths, etc.

They accompanied Jarls into raids

They usually worked in the land owned by Jarls

Thrall

They were slaves

Vikings didn’t use their own people as slaves

They used prisoners from previous raids.

Problem solving

When there was a legal issue (stealing, homicide,

betrayal) Karls were called into a meeting called a

“Thing” so they could give their opinion and solve the

problem.

Since honor was a very important value for Norse men,

if they considered you have dishonored them, they

have the right to dare you to a Holmgang.

Women

Believe it or not, Viking women had rights that protected them from

abuse.

If they were mistreated, or kissed without consent, they had the right to

accuse the culprit, and he was taken to a Thing, were he had to pay a

large amount of money as forgiveness.

They had the right to divorce and get married again.

They went to raids with men. But mainly, they stayed in their

home, taking care of their children, and the familiar economy.

War

They went to war with other countries and civilizations to conquer

land and to loot the enemies.

They went to war with other Viking clans to gain power, respect

and to expand their territory.

Their favorite way of fighting was on water. They used their fast

ships and tried no to harm the enemy ships so they could keep

them.

End Of The Viking Edge

The events of 1066 in England effectively marked the end of the Viking

Age.

Today, signs of the Viking legacy can be found mostly in the

Scandinavian origins of some vocabulary.

In Iceland, the Vikings left an extensive body of literature.