The Sea Wolves: A History of the Vikings Read online

  THE SEA WOLVES

  A History of the Vikings

  LARS BROWNWORTH

  The Sea-Wolves: A History of the Vikings

  First published in the United Kingdom in 2014 by Crux Publishing Ltd.

  ISBN: 978-1-909979-11-6

  Copyright © Lars Brownworth, 2014

  Lars Brownworth has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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  About the Author

  Lars Brownworth is an author, speaker, broadcaster, and teacher based in Maryland, USA. He has written for the Wall Street Journal and been profiled in the New York Times, who likened him to some of history’s great popularizers. His books include Lost to the West: The Forgotten Byzantine Empire that Rescued Western Civilization, and The Normans: From Raiders to Kings.

  For more information about Lars, please visit:

  www.larsbrownworth.com

  For Thomas, just beginning his own adventures

  A Who’s Who of the Viking World

  Ælla (mid 9th century) King of Northumbria who according to legend executed Ragnar Lothbrok. He was killed in 867 by Ivar the Boneless and the Great Heathen Army, supposedly as revenge for Ragnar’s death.

  Athelred the Unready (c. 968 - 1016) King of England during the last great wave of Viking attacks.

  Aethelwulf (c. 795 - 858) King of Wessex and father of Alfred the Great.

  Athelstan (c. 894 - 939) First Anglo-Saxon monarch accepted as ‘King of the English’.

  Alcuin of York (c. 735 - 804) English scholar who was one of the leading intellectuals of Charlemagne’s court.

  Alfred the Great (c. 849 - 899) King of Wessex who defeated the Great Heathen Army. Laid the foundations of the medieval kingdom of England.

  Aud the Deep Minded (c. 834 - 900) Norwegian wife of the king of Dublin, Olaf the White, later settled in Iceland.

  Basil the Bulgar-Slayer (958 - 1025) Byzantine Emperor who founded the Varangian Guard.

  Bjarni Herjólfsson (10th century) Norwegian explorer who first sighted mainland America.

  Bjorn Ironside (9th century) Son of Ragnar Lothbrok; In 860 he led a semi-legendary raid into the Mediterranean with his brother Hastein.

  Brian Bóruma (c. 941 - 1014) High King of Ireland who tried to unite the island under his rule. Killed at the battle of Clontarf.

  Brodir of Man (11th century) Danish Viking mercenary who according to legend killed Brian Bóruma at the battle of Clontarf.

  Cnut the Great (c. 985 - 1035) Viking king of England, Denmark, and parts of Norway. He was the son of Svein Forkbeard and conquered England from Athelred the Unready and his son Edmund Ironside.

  Columba (c. 521 - 597) Irish missionary credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland. The monastery he founded on the island of Iona in western Scotland became an early Viking target.

  Cuthbert (c. 634 - 687) Patron saint of northern England, his remains were kept at the monastery of Lindisfarne, target of the first major Viking raid.

  Charlemagne (c. 747 - 814) Frankish king and first monarch of the reborn Western Roman Empire.

  Charles the Bald (823 - 877) Frankish emperor, son of Louis the Pious. He confronted Ragnar at the first siege of Paris and bribed him to leave.

  Charles the Fat (839 - 888) Frankish emperor, great-grandson of Charlemagne. He was the last member of Charlemagne’s dynasty to rule over a united empire. He relieved a siege of Paris in 886 by bribing the Vikings to leave.

  Charles the Simple (879 - 929) Frankish king, cousin of Charles the Fat. He attempted to stop Viking raids by allowing them to settle in Normandy.

  Edmund Ironside (c. 989 - 1016) King of England and son of Athelred the Unready. He agreed to divide England with the Viking king Cnut.

  Erik Bloodaxe (c. 885 - c. 955) Viking king of Norway and York, son of Harald Fairhair.

  Erik the Red (c. 950 - c. 1003) Norwegian Viking who colonized Greenland. Father of Leif Erikson and Freydis.

  Freydis (10th century) Daughter of Erik the Red; early colonizer of Vinland.

  Garthar (9th century) Swedish merchant who was the first Viking to deliberately sail to Iceland. He spent a single winter on the island.

  Godfred (late 8th century) Danish Viking warlord responsible for constructing the first sections of the Danevirke.

  Godwin (c. 1001 - 1053) Earl of Wessex, powerful advisor to Edward the Confessor and father of Tostig and Harold Godwinson.

  Gorm the Old (d. 958) First Viking king of Denmark, father of Harald Bluetooth.

  Guthrum (d. 890) Leader of the Great Heathen Army during its invasion of Wessex.

  Håkon the Good (c. 920 - 961) Third king of Norway, youngest son of Harald Fairhair and brother of Erik Bloodaxe.

  Halfdan (d. 877) Son of Ragnar Lothbrok and one of the leaders of the Great Heathen Army. Briefly controlled London 871-2.

  Harald Bluetooth (c. 935 - 986) Viking king of Denmark and parts of Norway; Son of Gorm the Old, responsible for the Christian conversion of Denmark.

  Harald Fairhair (c. 850 - 932) First king of Norway, father of Erik Bloodaxe and Håkon the Good.

  Harald Greycloak (d. 970) Son of Erik Bloodaxe, king of Norway. Assassinated by Harald Bluetooth.

  Harald Hårdrada (c. 1015 - 1066) King of Norway and half-brother of Saint Olaf. Served in the Varangian Guard, conquered Norway, and died at the battle of Stamford Bridge.

  Harald Klak (c. 785 - c. 852) Danish Viking warlord that the Frankish emperor Louis the Pious attempted to use to Christianize Denmark.

  Harold Godwinson (c. 1022 - 1066) Last Anglo-Saxon king of England. Killed at the Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror.

  Hastein (9th century) Possibly a son of Ragnar Lothbrok. Led a semi-legendary raid into the Mediterranean with his brother Bjorn Ironside.

  Helgi (d. 912) Swedish Viking who succeeded Rurik and moved the Rus capital from Novgorod to Kiev. Also known by the Slavic name Oleg.

  Horik (d. 854) Son of the Danish warlord Godfred, exiled Ragnar Lothbrok after the latter’s raid on Paris.

  Ingólfur Arnarson (9th century) First permanent settler of Iceland. Settled and named Reykjavík.

  Ingvar of Kiev (d. 945) Swedish Viking who succeeded Helgi in Kiev. Led the Rus on an attack on Constantinople.

  Ivar the Boneless (9th century) Most famous son of Ragnar Lothbrok. Led the Great Heathen Army in a successful attack on England.

  Leif Erikson (c. 970 - c. 1020) Son of Erik the Red, first European to land in North America.

  Louis the Pious (778 - 840) Frankish emperor, son of Charlemagne who unsuccessfully attempted to deal with Viking attacks on continental Europe.

  Máel Sechnaill
(948 - 1022) ex High King of Ireland who reclaimed the title after Brian Bóruma’s death at the battle of Clontarf.

  Naddodd (9th century) Viking explorer who is credited with discovering Iceland.

  Odin Chief of the Viking gods, known as the ‘All-father’.

  Olaf Haraldsson (995 - 1030) Norway’s patron saint. Viking king who attempted to Christianize Norway and was killed at the battle of Stiklestad. Half-brother of Harald Hardråda.

  Olaf Sitricsson (c. 927 - 981) Viking king of York and Dublin, son of Sitric One-Eyed.

  Olaf the White (c. 820 - 871) Viking king of Dublin; co-ruled with Ivar the Boneless.

  Olaf Tryggvason (c. 960 - 1000) Viking king of Norway, attempted to forcibly Christianize Norway and died at the battle of the Svold.

  Olga of Kiev (c. 890 - 969) Regent of Kiev, wife of Ingvar of Kiev. Her acceptance of Christianity set the stage for the conversion of the Rus.

  Ragnar Lothbrok (9th century) Legendary Danish Viking. Led a successful raid on Paris in 845. Father of Ivar the Boneless, Hastien, Halfdan, Ubba, and Bjorn Ironside.

  Raven Flóki (9th century) Norwegian Viking who named Iceland and started its colonization.

  Rollo (9th century) Norwegian Viking who settled in France and founded Normandy.

  Rurik the Rus (d. 879) Swedish Viking who settled in Novgorod and founded the first Viking state in Russia.

  Sigfred (9th century) Viking warlord who led an unsuccessful siege of Paris in 885.

  Sitric One-Eyed (late 9th century) Viking king of Dublin and York, grandson of Ivar the Boneless. Attempted to create a Hiberno-English kingdom.

  Sitric Silkbeard (c. 970 - 1042) Viking king of Dublin. Last major Viking figure of Ireland. Started a revolt against the High King Brian Bóruma but withdrew before the battle of Clontarf.

  Snorri Sturluson (1179 - 1241) Icelandic poet who composed the Heimskringla, a history of the Norse Kings.

  Sven Estridsson (c. 1019 - 1074) Viking king of Denmark. Fought a fifteen year war with his neighbor Harald Hardråda.

  Svein Forkbeard (c. 960 - 1014) Viking king of Denmark, son of Harald Bluetooth. Conquered England in 1013.

  Sviatoslav of Kiev (c. 942 - 972) Ruler of Kiev, succeeded Ingvar. He was ambushed trying to cross the Dneiper River and his skull was made into a drinking cup.

  Thor Most popular of the Viking gods, especially with farmers and sailors.

  Thorfinn Karlsefni (11th century) Viking explorer who attempted a permanent settlement in Vinland.

  Thorgils the Devil (9th century) Viking sea-king who founded Dublin.

  Thorvald Erikson (9th century) Viking explorer, brother of Leif Erikson. Was the first European to be killed in the Americas.

  Tostig Godwinson (d. 1066) Brother of king Harold Godwinson, invited Harald Hardråda to attack England in 1066.

  Ubba (9th century) Son of Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the leaders of the Great Heathen Army.

  Vladimir of Kiev (c. 958 - 1015) Ruler of Kiev, converted the Rus to Christianity and provided the first Viking recruits to the Varangian Guard.

  Places

  Armagh Spiritual center of Ireland; burial place of St. Patrick

  Brattahlíð Erik the Red’s farm in Greenland

  Constantinople Capital of the Byzantine Empire

  Denmark Southernmost Viking kingdom

  Dneiper River Major Rus water route to Constantinople

  Dorestad Important trading center of Charlemagne’s empire; present day Wijk bij Duurstede in the Netherlands

  Dublin Most important city settled by the Vikings in Ireland.

  Essex One of the minor kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England. Controlled the land around London

  East Anglia One of the major kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England. Located in the southeast of the island

  Eastern Settlement First and largest colony started by Erik the Red in Greenland

  Frisia Coastal region along the southeastern shores of the North Sea; present day Netherlands and Germany.

  Greenland Largest island on earth, settled by the Vikings in the 10th century

  Hebrides Archipelago off the northwest coast of Scotland

  Hedeby Most important trading center in the Danish peninsula; near present day Schleswig

  Iceland Volcanic island in the North Atlantic just below the Arctic Circle; settled by the Vikings in the 9th century

  Iona Monastery on an island off the west coast of Scotland, founded by St. Columba

  Kent One of the minor kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England. Controlled the land around Canterbury

  Kiev Most important Rus city in the east; capital of first centralized state in Russia

  Landnámabók Medieval Icelandic book detailing the settlement of Iceland.

  Lindisfarne Burial place of Cuthbert, patron saint of northern England; site of the first major Viking raid in 793

  Mercia One of the major kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England. Located in the center of the island

  Miklagård Viking name for Constantinople

  Northumbria Northernmost of the seven kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England

  Norway Westernmost Viking kingdom of the Scandinavian peninsula

  Novgorod First major city of the medieval Rus state.

  Orkney Islands Archipelago in northern Scotland southwest of the Shetlands

  Reykjavik Capital of Iceland

  Shetlands Archipelago located roughly sixty miles north of the Scotland

  Staraya Ladoga First outpost settled by the Rus

  Sussex One of the minor kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England. Located on the Channel coast

  Sweden Easternmost Viking kingdom of the Scandinavian peninsula

  Vinland Viking name for the North American continent; most likely Newfoundland

  Wessex One of the major kingdoms of early Anglo-Saxon England. Located in the southwest of the island

  Western Settlement Second Viking colony in Greenland; located northwest of the Eastern Settlement

  York Major city of Northumbria, center of Viking power in England

  Volga River Major Rus water route to the Caspian Sea and Islamic markets

  Other

  Althing Assembly of all free Viking men, usually summoned to vote on important decisions

  Battle of Clontarf Most famous battle in Irish history, fought between the Irish High King Brian Bóruma and an alliance of Irish and Viking rebels

  Battle of Stiklestad Fought between the exiled king Olaf Haraldsson and his former subjects

  Danegeld Literally ‘Danish-money”; bribes paid by English and Frankish kings to convince Vikings to leave their lands

  Danelaw Area of northern England originally held by Guthrum and settled by the Vikings

  Danevirke Massive earthen wall extending along the neck of the Jutland peninsula to protect Denmark from Charlemagne’s empire

  Dubgaill ‘Black Foreigners’; Irish name for Danish Vikings

  Findgaill ‘White Foreigners’; Irish name for Norwegian Vikings

  Gallgoidel ‘Foreign Irish’; Irish name for those with mixed Viking-Irish blood

  Gothi Icelandic elder respected for his reputation, knowledge of the law, and generosity

  Greek Fire Byzantine secret incendiary weapon

  Hagia Sophia Main cathedral of Byzantium and the Orthodox world

  Heimskringla History of the Norse Kings written by the Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson

  Jarl Viking noble

  Khazars Powerful barbarian tribe controlling the Volga River access to the Caspian Sea

  Land-Waster Harald Hardråda’s battle flag

  Longphort Viking shore fortress which allowed them to winter in enemy territory

  Ragnarok Mythical Last Battle where the gods would be overwhelmed by the ice giants

  Raven Banner Woven in a single day by the daughters of Ragnar Lothbrok, it carried the favor of Odin

  Skræling Viking name for the Natives populations of the North American continent

  Treaty of St.
Clair-sur-Epte Agreement between king Charles the Simple and Rollo which created Normandy

  Varangian Guard Viking bodyguard of the emperors of Constantinople

  On Romans, Holy Romans, and Byzantines

  Clarity about the past is often sought by oversimplifying it. History is broken down into digestible chunks with neat borders and labels which, however useful, can sometimes be misleading. Dates which were hardly noticed at the time become watershed years, and epochs and ages are given names which would have been unrecognizable to those living during them.

  When national or imperial pride gets involved, the resulting propaganda usually muddies the water even further. The Middle Ages had two rival empires both claiming to be the true Roman Empire. For most of their history neither of them actually controlled Rome, yet both had claims on its legacy.

  The confusion stems from the third century AD when the Roman emperor, Diocletian, decided to split the old Roman Empire in half. The western half, with its capital in Italy, collapsed in the fifth century (the traditional date is 476), but the eastern portion survived until 1453 when a Turkish invasion and the guns of the modern world finally brought it down.

  Since the eastern half was centered on Constantinople, the old Greek city of Byzantium (modern day Istanbul), modern historians refer to it as ‘The Byzantine Empire’ or simply ‘Byzantium’. Its location in the thoroughly hellenized east meant that Greek became the preferred language, so Byzantium is sometimes referred to as the Greek empire. Nonetheless, it is important to note that while it existed, both friends and enemies alike viewed it as Roman, and drew no artificial distinctions between the empire of Rome and that of Byzantium.

  The medieval competitor to the ‘Byzantine’ Empire arrived on Christmas Day in the year 800. During a Mass in Rome, Pope Leo III (for political reasons of his own) placed a crown on the Frankish king Charlemagne’s head and named him Imperator Romanorum, announcing that the defunct Western Empire had been reborn. This version of the empire, however, which spanned both French and Germanic lands, was based in present day Germany and never completely controlled Italy. Because of this, and in an attempt to simplify a complex series of events, most historians refer to Charlemagne’s coronation anachronistically as the start of the Holy Roman Empire or the German Empire. Politically, Charlemagne’s state fell apart almost immediately, and when his direct line petered out in less than a century, the title of Roman Emperor soon followed it. In 962 the German Otto I (a distant relative of Charlemagne) revived the title, and in 1157 his successor Frederick Barbarossa officially added the term sacrum (holy) to his title.