The Viking Age

The Viking Age

Author: Angus A. Somerville

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2019-11-20

Total Pages: 550

ISBN-13: 148757049X

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In this extensively revised third edition of The Viking Age: A Reader, Somerville and McDonald successfully bring the Vikings and their world to life for twenty-first-century students and instructors. The diversity of the Viking era is revealed through the remarkable range and variety of sources presented as well as the geographical and chronological coverage of the readings. The third edition has been reorganized into fifteen chapters. Many sources have been added, including material on gender and warrior women, and a completely new final chapter traces the continuing cultural influence of the Vikings to the present day. The use of visual material has been expanded, and updated maps illustrate historical developments throughout the Viking Age. The English translations of Norse texts, many of them new to this collection, are straightforward and easily accessible, while chapter introductions contextualize the readings.


Urbanization in Viking Age and Medieval Denmark

Urbanization in Viking Age and Medieval Denmark

Author: Maria Corsi

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9789462987203

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This study traces the history of urbanization in Denmark from c. 500 to 1350 and explores how interconnected political, religious, and economic factors were instrumental in bringing about the growth of towns. Prior to urban development, certain specialized sites such as elite residences and coastal landing places performed many of the functions that would later be taken over by medieval towns. Fundamental changes in political power, the coming of Christianity, and economic development over the course of the Viking and Middle Ages led to the abandonment of these sites in favour of new urban settlements that would come to form the political, religious, and economic centres of the medieval kingdom. Bringing together both archaeological and historical sources, this study illustrates not only how certain cultural and economic shifts were crucial to the development of towns, but also the important role urbanization had in the transition from Viking to medieval Denmark.


The Vikings and Their Age

The Vikings and Their Age

Author: Angus A. Somerville

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2013-03-27

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 1442605243

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This book, the first in our Companions to Medieval Studies series, is a brief introduction to the history, culture, and religion of the Viking Age and provides an essential foundation for study of the period. The companion begins by defining the Viking Age and explores topics such as Viking society and religion. Viking biographies provide students with information on important figures in Viking lore such as Harald Bluetooth, Eirik the Red, Leif Eiriksson, and Gudrid Thorbjarnardaughter, a female Viking traveler. A compelling chapter entitled "How Do We Know About the Vikings?" and a case study on the wandering monks of St. Philibert introduce students to the process of historical inquiry. The book concludes with a discussion of the impact of the Vikings and their legacy. Pedagogical resources include a detailed chronology, study questions, a glossary, 4 maps, and 14 images. Text boxes provide information on outsider perceptions of the Vikings, a detailed account of a Viking raid, and a description of a chieftain's dwelling in Arctic Norway. This study also benefits from a multi-disciplinary approach including insights and evidence from such diverse disciplines as archaeology, philology, religion, linguistics, and genetics.


A History of Denmark from the Viking Age to the 21st Century

A History of Denmark from the Viking Age to the 21st Century

Author: Mary Hilson

Publisher: Aarhus Universitetsforlag

Published: 2023-11-30

Total Pages: 353

ISBN-13: 8775973456

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Beginning with the emergence of a Danish kingdom during the Viking Age, this book provides an introduction to the history of Denmark as a political entity, from the eighth century to the present day. It shows how what we know as ‘Denmark’ has evolved – from Cnut the Great’s North Sea empire in the eleventh century, through disintegration and civil war in the Middle Ages, the Kalmar Union of 1397–1523 and the establishment of the absolutist state and its overseas colonies in the seventeenth century, to the emergence of the modern nation state during the nineteenth century. The book also deals with significant developments in the economic, social and cultural history of Denmark, and sheds light on complex problems such as the country’s relationship with its Nordic neighbours, the origins of the current border with Germany and the historical development of the Danish welfare state.


Scandinavia in the Age of Vikings

Scandinavia in the Age of Vikings

Author: Jon Vidar Sigurdsson

Publisher: Cornell University Press

Published: 2022-03-15

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 1501760483

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In Scandinavia in the Age of Vikings, Jón Viðar Sigurðsson returns to the Viking homeland, Scandinavia, highlighting such key aspects of Viking life as power and politics, social and kinship networks, gifts and feasting, religious beliefs, women's roles, social classes, and the Viking economy, which included farming, iron mining and metalworking, and trade. Drawing of the latest archeological research and on literary sources, namely the sagas, Sigurðsson depicts a complex and surprisingly peaceful society that belies the popular image of Norsemen as bloodthirsty barbarians. Instead, Vikings often acted out power struggles symbolically, with local chieftains competing with each other through displays of wealth in the form of great feasts and gifts, rather than arms. At home, conspicuous consumption was a Viking leader's most important virtue; the brutality associated with them was largely wreaked abroad. Sigurðsson's engaging history of the Vikings at home begins by highlighting political developments in the region, detailing how Danish kings assumed ascendency over the region and the ways in which Viking friendship reinforced regional peace. Scandinavia in the Age of Vikings then discusses the importance of religion, first pagan and (beginning around 1000 A.D.) Christianity; the central role that women played in politics and war; and how the enormous wealth brought back to Scandinavia affected the social fabric—shedding new light on Viking society.


Canute the Great

Canute the Great

Author: Laurence Marcellus Larson

Publisher: Franklin Classics Trade Press

Published: 2018-10-23

Total Pages: 472

ISBN-13: 9780344067747

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.


The World in the Viking Age

The World in the Viking Age

Author: Søren M. Sindbæk

Publisher: Viking Ship Museum/National Museum of Denmark

Published: 2014

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9788785180704

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The Viking Age was ignited by the art of building seaworthy sailing ships and the skills to sail them on the open sea. The growth in seafaring, trade, piracy, and exploration that began to gather momentum during the 8th century CE was not limited to Europe's northern seas, however. Ships, laden with cargo and with seafarers who met foreign cultures, created unexpected connections between people from the Arctic Circle to the oceans south of the equator. Travel accounts have handed down glimpses of these voyages to the present day. However, it is archaeological discoveries in particular which uncover the story of Viking-Age seafaring and voyages of exploration. The World in the Viking Age reveals a global history concerning ships, people and objects on the move. It is a story that challenges entrenched ideas about the past and present, and the skills and opportunities of previous generations.


The Age of the Vikings

The Age of the Vikings

Author: Anders Winroth

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2014-09-07

Total Pages: 327

ISBN-13: 1400851904

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A major reassessment of the vikings and their legacy The Vikings maintain their grip on our imagination, but their image is too often distorted by myth. It is true that they pillaged, looted, and enslaved. But they also settled peacefully and traveled far from their homelands in swift and sturdy ships to explore. The Age of the Vikings tells the full story of this exciting period in history. Drawing on a wealth of written, visual, and archaeological evidence, Anders Winroth captures the innovation and pure daring of the Vikings without glossing over their destructive heritage. He not only explains the Viking attacks, but also looks at Viking endeavors in commerce, politics, discovery, and colonization, and reveals how Viking arts, literature, and religious thought evolved in ways unequaled in the rest of Europe. The Age of the Vikings sheds new light on the complex society, culture, and legacy of these legendary seafarers.