The Vikings were active for a period of 300 years, from about 789 AD to 1100 AD. They appear suddenly attacking the coasts of Britain, Ireland, and Francia. Before the Viking period, Scandinavia had been a remote region that was almost unknown to most of the rest of Europe.
Viking raids affected and changed much of Britain, Ireland, the coastal regionds of Francia, and a huge area of central Europe, giving Russia its name, derived from the Viking Russ, who were Viking adventurers and settlers who were mostly from Sweden. They used the great rivers of Russia to reach the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, and onward to Constantinople and the Arab Caliphates.
Vikings settled and setup their own realms in Britain, Ireland, Normandy, and Russia. They crossed the Northern Seas to reach and settle the Faeroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland. Viking ships even visited North America, but they were unable to establish lasting settlements in North America.
Vikings were not only raiders, they were also traders, and hunters, that ranged far and wide discovering new lands and spreading their culture over many lands. The term Viking meant someone who went raiding, but most Scandinavians were not raiders. They were farmers, craftsmen, hunters, fisherman, and traders. Many Vikings only went on raids to raise the funds to set themselves up as farmers and traders, and when they had enough money, they settled done to more peaceful pursuits. But there were those who craved the life of raider and went Viking for the sake of combat and booty, they craved to make an heroic name for themselves, and to hear their name added to the Sagas.
Many of the Viking leaders were jounger sons of powerful Jarls, who were looking for lands to call their own. Others were political exiles also looking for a new home.
Scandinavian society was broken into classes as were most societies of the period. At the top was the RigsJarl or King, then came the Jarls who were lesser rulers, next were the Karls or Noble Warriors, and Thegnes or Bondi who were free warriors of lesser standing, last came the Thralls who were owned slave labour.
During most of the period the Scandinavian people were pagan, worshipping Odin, Thor, and a host of other gods and goddesses. Odin was the God of Kings, Wisdom, and War. Odin was mostly worshipped by the Jarls and Nobles. Thor was the God of the Storm and Weather, he was worshipped by the average man, farmers, and seafarers who needed good weather. These were warlike gods and the people who worshipped them were a warrior people.
The main power of the Vikings stemmed from their swift seagoing ships that made them able to strike anywhere along a coast without warning and then retreat if need arose before a larger, more powerful force could strike them.
The earliest Viking raid we have a record for was the raid on the monastery of St. Cathbert on the Isle of Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumbria, which was considered one of the holiest places in the British Isles. From this time on for a period of 300 years the Vikings would bring raids of pillage and terror to the lands of the British Isles and the Coasts of Europe.
Viking Tactics
Most battles between Viking rulers and their followers took place at sea. These naval battles though were more like land battles than what most people would envision as a naval battle. They would often rope together their longest ships to form a platform from which to fight. Some of the larger ships would have armoured prows called bardi to take the brunt of impact with the enemy fleet. Some of these ships would also have a series of iron spikes called a skegg (beard) around the prow, to hole enemy ships that came close enough for boarding.
Lighter ships would be positioned on the flanks and in the rear, to be used as skirmishers and to attack the enemy's platform if possible. They could also put troops onto their own platform as reinforcements when needed. These independent ships could also be used to pursue fleeing enemy ships.
Throughout the period the main naval tactic was simply to row against an enemy ship and grapple it and board it, and fight a melee against the enemy crew.
When raiding the Vikings would try to find a beach to land their ships upon that could be defended with an easily built rampart and stockade.
The Vikings used the spear, axe, and sword as close combat weapons, and carried a large round shield. They used bows, javelins, thrown axes, and stones as missile weapons. Many Vikings wore conical helms of leather and iron and leather jerkins. Wealthier Vikings would often have mail armour and wear helms that were formed of laminated sheets of iron. Their favoured weapon was the sword.
The favoured battle formations for battles were the Shieldwall and the Svynfylking, or Swine Array. The Shieldwall was a massed formation several ranks deep, with the better equipped men in the front ranks. They would approach the enemy with shields overlapping opening up just before impact, just enough enough for the warriors to use their weapons. The Svynfylking, or Swine Array, was a wedge-shaped formation of several ranks. Often both of these formations would have Archers in the rear ranks. The Svynfylking could be used singly or in multiples with their rear ranks connecting forming a line with a zig-zag frontage.
The leaders would have their own bodyguards of picked men, who were sworn to portect both his body and his honour.
There were often units of missile troops with Viking armies whose main purpose was to support the Shieldwall or Swine Array, adding missile fire to that of the archers assigned to their units.
Though Vikings mostly fought on foot they did occasionally use cavalry as they did at the Battle of Sulcoit in Ireland in 968 AD, and at Montfaucon in France in 888 AD. At Montfaucon the Abbot of Fleury gives the impression that a large contingent of Viking cavalry was present. Most of the time they just used horses to increase their mobility as transport to the battle where they mostly fought as infantry.
Challenges were very important in Viking battles, and they would sometimes fight battles in a specially laid out battlefield called the Hazelled Field. The battlefield would be agreed upon by both sides and it would be laid out and fenced with hazel branches. According to the Sagas it was a grave dishonour to refuse a challenge, and a leader who refused would often find his followers deserting him.
Many Jarls included Berserkirs within the ranks of their Huscarls. Often these would be formed into groups of 12 and used in the forefront of battle to break the enemy's line. These were men who fought without flinching and it was thought that they were gifted by Odin with supernatural powers.
The Raven Standard
These were thought to have mystical powers and that they brought the favour of Odin to any army carrying them. Famous examples of Reafan (Raven) Standards were those of Ragnar Lothbrok and Harald Hardrada's Standard Landeythan (Landwaster).
The Jomsvikings
The most famous of the warrior brotherhoods, or mercenary bands of Vikings, was the Jomsvikingelag or Jomsvikings which was the subject of its own Saga. Danish accounts say the Jomsvikings were established in Wendland in the 10th century by Harald Blue Tooth of Denmark who was banished from his own kingdom by his son Swein Forkbeard. The fortress of Jomsborg was at or near Wollin at the mouth of the Oder. It had an artificial harbour, with its entrance guarded by a great tower built upon an archway with iron gates.
The harbour was said to hold over 300 ships but 30-36 is a more likely figure. The Jomsvikings lived by extremely strict rules, and trained to fight as a unit. Membership in the brotherhood was limited to men of outstanding strength, courage, and fighting ability, between 18 and 50 years of age. They were never to show any fear no matter how hopeless matters were. Flight from battle was forbidden and carried a death penalty. To abandon a brother in combat was a death penalty.
Each summer they went forth and fought in wars in many lands, and their reputation grew, a reputation of winning and never giving in to the enemy. A reputation of courage and martial ability.
