Elsa Lang Lively
Declan, the Irish monk, strolls up the abbey stairs with his steaming bowl of chicken broth to get a bird’s eye view of the shoreline while saying his morning prayers. After several minutes of intense chanting he opens his eyes to witness the first rays of the morning light shoot out from the horizon. To his horror, the day’s dawn reveals three rapidly approaching boats with dragon heads fixed upon the ships’ bows. Gasping in horror, he recalls the stories of the infamous Vikings his father and grandfather would tell while sitting around the dinner table. Realizing he must alert his fellow brethren of these vicious marauders, he wildly stumbles over to the bell tower, his chicken broth ration sloshing out across the floor. He sounds the bells — one, two, three times — to give out the distress signal. Unfortunately for Declan, he also remembers he has taken a vow of silence just three days prior and is unable to vocalize his fears to the other monks living in the abbey under penalty of spiritual discipline. After some serious contemplation on the roof, he madly stumbles down the stone stairs before bumbling into a tall, strong, blond warrior with axe poised in hand.
When many think of the Vikings, they picture a scenario like this one, with Norsemen pillaging and destroying everything in sight, attempting to eradicate religion and peace in neighboring European countries. What many do not realize, however, is the Vikings had a more significant impact on developing Europe than many give them credit for. The Vikings contributed greatly to European political structure, economy, and culture.
The Vikings are defined by Collins English Dictionary as “any of the Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes who raided by sea most of northern and western Europe from the 8th to the 11th centuries, later often settling, as in parts of Britain” (Fitzhugh 41). Archaeologists have found artifacts from pre-Viking times in Scandinavia revealing modern-day Nordic countries of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were made up of multiple kingdoms or clans. Before Scandinavian people began to pillage and explore more southern nations, they were already forming economic centers and trading among other Scandinavian tribes. Kingdoms in southern Norway, for example, were already trading with other kingdoms throughout Norway as well as with the Saami in the far north and with the Danes and those in the western Baltic. Although these separate tribes traded among each other and shared the same pagan beliefs in Norse gods such as Odin, Thor, and Loki, the Scandinavian countries as we know them today did not exist during the time of the Vikings. The individuality of each tribe and kingdom was a defining characteristic of the Viking age (41).
There are several theories as to why the Vikings started to seek their fortunes overseas, such as the desire for land, wealth, and fame. “Only some three percent of the land in Norway is suitable for arable farming” (Fitzhugh 32). Scandinavians were limited in their sources of income during this time period and could really only make a living off of trading, some farming, and craftsmanship. Long and harsh winters made it difficult for Nordic peoples to earn an income year round because conditions were too brutal to work outdoors for extended periods of time. Not only did they want to bring resources from other lands back to Scandinavia, but also they also wanted to form settlements in places they invaded to have later access to their natural and produced resources.
Scandinavians who “went Viking,” meaning they temporarily left their villages or towns to seek wealth abroad, had adventurous spirits and showed bravery in combat. Part of the reason for this is due to the worship of pagan Norse gods during this time (Allan 65). Vikings sacrificed to their gods before they went out pillaging and believed by having success in combat they would bring honor to their gods and their clans. Because the Vikings were pagans, no sacred places were off-limits to them when they were set on pillaging. This meant the Vikings could take riches and relics from other countries in churches and monasteries and not feel guilty about their loot.
Viking society was very structured and operated under a three-part class system. The highest class was made up of the kings and nobles, who were families with wealth, land, and rank. Below them were the freemen, who made up the majority of the Viking people, and finally the slaves. Not all Scandinavians were Vikings, and a large percentage of the Nordic people were traders, craftsmen, or farmers. Scandinavians with these professions aided the Viking voyages by building long ships or providing supplies and food for the voyagers. Women, too, were raised to be strong and capable of providing for their families and taking on responsibilities of running farms and businesses while the men were off pillaging and colonizing (Lassieur 54).
The identity and impact of the Vikings on developing Europe are topics not often addressed or given much attention by today’s society. As the years pass, some aspects of history are remembered and taught to the next generations, while others are overlooked and often misconstrued because not enough attention is paid to the facts. It is important to be informed about many different people groups and events in history so they are not forgotten by future generations and so we can have a clearer, more accurate picture of the past, using what we observe from the past to improve our future as a society. If we preserve these areas of history through research and promotion of archaeological findings, then the history of the Vikings and Norse people groups will be preserved for many more years to come.
In order to prove my thesis, that the Vikings had a significant impact on developing European political structure, economy, and culture, I will first address these three areas of influence before refuting two counter-arguments: first, the Vikings were merely barbarians and destroyers of history, and there is no pressing need to study the Vikings and their impact on developing European countries.
The first point I will address to support my thesis is the Vikings had a significant impact on European political structure. Because the extent of the Vikings raids and exploration reached from the deserts of the Middle East to the shores of North America, the Vikings directly impacted each area in which they found themselves. The most significant impacts concerning early European political structure were largely centered in the British Isles, modern-day Russia, and France. In the British Isles specifically, “Viking settlers to Great Britain brought new ideas, such as the beginnings of the feudal system of government that became the norm long after the Vikings’ influence faded. The Vikings created and founded market towns. They introduced new ideas about law and justice that became the foundation for many modern justice systems” (Lassieur 9). Even after the Vikings ceased to directly control Great Britain, the British people still used the structure the Vikings employed in government and laws to promote prosperity and stability, and they added to the growth and success of economically powerful towns and ports the Vikings had founded.
Another lasting impact the Vikings had on developing British political structure was the emergence of British national pride. “The raids gave to the emergence of a sense of common identity among the English peoples, and the context they provided for the formulation of a distinctively Alfredian political order” (Sawyer 63). Because the Vikings had begun to threaten the political stability of various British provinces through raiding, the people of Britain, who had once been divided into multiple smaller kingdoms based on geographical location, were encouraged to join forces under a common British identity to have a better chance of protecting their heritage and culture during the time of Viking occupation. The Vikings may not have planned on having this kind of impact on British politics, yet their presence in Britain shaped the future of the British political structure. Even after the age of the Vikings was long over, the conditions for England to prosper politically and operate nationally were caused by the presence of the Vikings.
The Vikings did not only make this impact on English political structure but also on Irish and Scottish political structures as well. Specifically in Ireland, the frequent pillaging and looting caused Celts to realize their need for a more central form of government, which they chose to form into a royal sovereignty. “The idea that there should be a kingship of Ireland, pursued with great energy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, owed more to foreign example and to the economic and political changes brought about by the Vikings than to inherited concepts of power. They brought Ireland into closer political and economic contact with Britain and the European mainland” (Sawyer 109). When the Vikings settled in Ireland, they brought with them economic opportunity through trade, constructing coastal towns that grew enormously over the years in prosperity and population, such as Dublin, Wexford, Cork, and Limerick, even after the end of the Viking age. In this way, the European world became a more connected place as Viking rule united previously separate and remote people groups, especially those living in Ireland at the time.
Even before Viking longboats had started to frequent the British Isles, the feared Norsemen had already made a lasting political influence in France. Evidence of the Viking raids and ultimately colonization on French soil can be seen in the region of Normandy. The name of Normandy itself hearkens back to the age of the Nordic peoples who settled in France. As far as affecting French politics, the Vikings greatly influenced developing French political structure during the time period. “In 911 A.D. they founded Normandy as a virtually independent state in western France. Having established a well-run government there, they spread out to conquer England in 1066, laying the foundations for that modern nation” (“The Vikings and their Impact”). Other French states looked to the precedent of the Vikings in Normandy, as those living in Normandy were experiencing economic and political prosperity, while other areas of France were still struggling to establish a political structure that worked well.
Even further north, the Vikings were influential in the development of the Russian political state. “In the 850s and 860s, they made their way into Russia where they would found city-states that included Kiev & Novgorod” (“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture”). As a result, Novgorod and Kiev became influential cities in the formation of the Novgorod Republic, a large and powerful medieval Russian state which rose to power between the 12th and 15th centuries and set the framework for the developing Russian nation. Before the arrival of the Vikings, there was little to no political structure in developing Russia, and an external influence was necessary to cause early Russian cities to grow in economic and political influence at the time they did. As the Vikings had already done in the British Isles by promoting economic growth and trade among their neighboring European nations, they also caused these newly developing trade towns to grow at rapid rates, connecting Russia with the rest of Europe through trade by sea. The cities of Novgorod and Kiev, founded early on by the Vikings, grew into prosperous centers for political and economic wealth long after the end of the Viking age.
No matter where the Vikings chose to settle and gain political control in Europe, they employed their own political styles of central leadership of a head of a clan or state to govern a larger people group. Although the native people groups of countries such as England, Ireland, Scotland, and France probably did not like the idea of being ruled by foreigners, the Vikings did bring order to the areas which they ruled and set a precedent for political structure these countries used as a framework for their own national rule after the Viking age came to an end.
The Vikings’ ideas about law continued to influence governments throughout the Western world. Their system of allotting land to trusted members of a leader’s army was the foundation for the feudal system, a governmental philosophy that was in place in Europe for more than four hundred years after the Viking Age. And the Viking idea of allowing ordinary citizens to have a say in government, developed in the Viking civilization … was the basis of many democracies and republics founded in later centuries. Some historians suspect that the Founding Fathers of the United States may have looked to the ancient Vikings for ideas on how to develop their new governmental system.
(Lassieur 98)
The feudal system greatly shaped the developing European political system, especially in the British Isles. This goes to show politics and divisions of power were centered around philosophies the Vikings previously introduced, and the people living in these feudal societies continued to incorporate their own political views over the years to follow.
My second argument in support of my thesis is the Vikings also significantly influenced the developing European economic system. The Vikings focused on establishing trade ports along British, Irish, French, Scandinavian, and Russian coastlines to further their trade productivity. Because the Vikings were seafaring people, it made sense for them to continue making a living in a way connected to the sea and river systems. The Vikings traded with and pillaged towns connected to nearly every waterway in Europe, from northern seas to the Mediterranean and even across the Atlantic Ocean. “They were the first to pioneer trade routes down the Volga and the Dnieper; they opened the routes to Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire; they traded with the Franks and the Baltic; and they even opened up the routes to the Far East” (“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture”). Long after the Viking age came to an end, the trade routes they previously established and made famous across Europe continued to be used by European traders for years to follow.
Not only did the Vikings establish necessary trade routes to connect various European nations during the time period, but their innovation also led to a new kind of economy in northern Europe — one based on the use of currency derived from metals. This type of economic system was a newer, more advanced system than the system of trading and bartering for goods that had been so popular in many parts of developing northern Europe up until that point. “This led to the creation of international markets and trading across the ‘known world’ of the time” (“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture”). Northern European countries were now more capable of developing their own mercantile markets based upon a uniform currency and could start to build up their regional economies.
My third confirmation argument is the significant impact the Vikings had on developing Europe through various nations’ various cultures. Because the Vikings settled and had temporary control over countries such as modern-day England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and France, they influenced the cultures of these developing nations in multiple ways, some of which are still evident today. For example, “Place names are an invaluable source of information on the extent of Scandinavian influence, and their distribution mirrors the geographical spread of colonisation [sic] known from historical and archaeological evidence. In England, for instance, Scandinavian names are concentrated within the Danelaw, the area of northern and eastern England that was in Danish hands” (“Viking Colonists”). Names of towns and villages in the British Isles still in existence today can often trace their names back as far as Viking rule. Places names ending in –by, –thorpe, and –thwaite, for example, are sure signs of previous Viking occupation and influence. Even a thousand years later, the establishment of towns by the Vikings still plays a role in geography and culture today.
In Normandy, the Norsemen who had established their own separate political state in France integrated into French culture, borrowing from French customs while still maintaining their own distinct Scandinavian traditions. The result of intermarriage and the passing of years led to a new people group — the Normans (Ringler 57). This caused the region of Normandy both to have a French identity by geographical location and remain a distinctly Norse people group as well in their customs and manner of living. Even today, the region of Normandy has its own distinct dialect and traditional dress, setting it apart from the rest of France.
The Vikings were not just raiders, fighters, traders, and rulers, but also innovators and explorers as well. Through excavations in early Viking settlements in Britain, archaeologists have found items that have demonstrated the superb craftsmanship and skill of Viking settlers during the time period.
They were very skilled craftsman capable of creating a wide range of high quality material goods. Artifacts from Viking Dublin include wooden spindles, a wide variety of bone needles, hundreds of examples of cloth and wool and spools of thread, and a huge variety of leather goods, including boots and shoes. Excavations at Jorvik, which demonstrate that the city greatly expanded in population and wealth under Viking rule, produced an equally rich assortment of pins, needles, spindles, cloth, leather, and other artifacts that indicate their prowess at creating clothing and garments from leather and cloth.
(“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture”)
One of the most referenced cultural and technological contributions the Vikings made to developing Europe was undoubtedly the Viking long ship. The Viking long ship was a highly advanced form of nautical engineering for the time period, and many other European nations attempted to copy the design of the Viking long ship due to its speed, sleek design, and durable structure. Excavated long ships in Scandinavia and northern Britain support what some have called folklore — that the Vikings did, in fact, make the voyage across the Atlantic as far as North America, as their long ships were built solidly enough and could travel fast enough to complete the voyage.
The Vikings made natural explorers as well. It makes sense the Vikings would be so good at exploration, due to their love of the seas, their ability to survive and adapt to harsh climates, and their cultural beliefs that caused them to seek adventure and bring honor to their gods and to their families. “They were the pre-eminent explorers of their time, being the first to discover the Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland, North America, and Spitzbergen, the farthest point North that had ever been reached by explorers in 1194. Discovered in 1961 by the Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad, an international team of archaeologists excavating the site at L’Anse aux Meadows unearthed the remains of eight Viking long houses as well as a blacksmith’s shop complete with anvil, iron fragments and slag” (“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture”). These archaeological finds and more have solidified the proof of Viking exploration to the ends of the earth, despite rough conditions that would it make it near impossible for people to survive. Because the Vikings journeyed to parts of the world where no European settlers had previously been, they increased their global spread of Norse culture and colonization to other northern territories.
Although their settlements in North America were not destined to last, they proved the voyage to a “New World” truly was possible to other neighboring cultures, which followed Vikings’ example in exploration and colonization for years to come. They also had a lasting impact on Iceland, which is still considered to be a Scandinavian country today. After exploring various lands outside of close neighboring European countries, the Vikings looked onward to see what other wealth and opportunity could be found elsewhere, establishing colonies in both Greenland and Iceland. Specifically in Iceland, the Vikings contributed to the formation of the local language, place names, and the style of open government, which included the jury system. Their development of a distinctive Icelandic culture can be seen in their literature, the Icelandic Sagas. “The Sagas in Iceland, which told of family, feuds, and the great kings and their voyages, was the height of medieval literature of the time” (“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture”).
The extent of the Vikings’ influence may be even greater than historians and archaeologists speculate, as more evidence and artifacts are dug up in Britain, France, and Scandinavia with each passing year. With every new piece of evidence found, the case for a significant impact on developing Europe due to the Viking age only grows stronger. Yet the evidence and history already available about the Vikings has truly changed the way many perceive the Vikings and has caused many to realize the significant impact the Vikings had on developing European political structure, economy, and culture.
The first counter-argument people often make against the Vikings is the Vikings were purely barbarians and destroyers of history, as they frequently burned records and removed historical and religious artifacts from houses of worship. It cannot be denied the Vikings pillaged and ransacked monasteries and churches, especially in the British Isles; however, many believe these are the only contributions, or lack thereof, the Vikings made in Europe. This is simply not true. They built prosperous towns, established governments, and promoted trade among other European nations. Their goal was not just to bring prosperity back to their clans in Scandinavia by taking resources, but also to branch out and colonize other areas of Europe as well.
It is important to remember the Vikings were pagans and were not really concerned with sacred religious artifacts and the respecting of church leaders. Because of a lack of Christian influence in their culture, there was no Biblical moral code they were compelled to follow. They targeted monasteries and houses of worship simply because they housed the most wealth and monetary resources they could take back to their clans in Scandinavia, not because they wanted to kill all the Christians in Europe.
It is also necessary to keep in mind the Vikings lived during a very bloody time in European history in general. The Vikings were not the only ones invading and pillaging other towns. This does not justify their actions but does go to show during times of unrest and instability, men act based upon their needs of survival and desire to prosper. The goal of the Vikings was simply to acquire more resources and wealth to provide for their villages, bringing honor to their gods and their families in the process. Being a Viking for a period of time was a way of life for many Scandinavians. Most would become Vikings temporarily to bring back enough wealth to start a business or to make sure their families would be financially stable. Usually, men that became Vikings participated in several expeditions before returning to a lifestyle that involved either trade or industry.
A second major counter-argument is there is no need to study the Vikings and their impact on developing European countries. Some might argue other empires lasted much longer than the Vikings and had more significant impacts or contributions on society. Although the age of the Vikings did not last as long as the Roman Empire or the Egyptian Empire did, this does not mean the Vikings should be forgotten simply because some believe they are not as worthwhile of a subject to study. If we pick and choose which portions of history should be studied, then we lose sight of many important aspects of history that have equally contributed to and influenced society today. Because historical events are built upon other historical events preceding them, no aspect of history has not influenced another key part of history. To ignore a certain event or people group would mean ignoring the cause of another event or development in history. The Vikings truly did influence history — it is just a matter of how much attention society wants to devote to them today.
The study of history affects different people in different ways. One popular way in which many people devote time to studying history is through researching their ancestors and finding out how far back their roots can be traced. Many find their identities in the past, since the past shapes the present and the future, either positively or negatively. Since researching the past is a way in which history truly comes alive for many, people can trace their roots back to Scandinavian origins or to locations in Europe that were once Viking colonies. In this way, the studying of Viking culture and impact on Europe does still influence people today. Scandinavian countries certainly have been impacted by their Viking heritage, but the influence of the Vikings has stretched much further than just these countries through settlements and colonization in other European countries. Through storytelling and record-keeping, both the stories and the folklore of the fierce Vikings have been kept alive over the years. Even in the United States are groups of people with either Norse ancestry or who are simply passionate about Scandinavian heritage called Sons of Norway. Organizations like these keep history alive, and old Scandinavian culture is remembered and studied. With every passing year, however, these historical groups shrink with a lack of interest in younger generations for the stories of the past. By studying and learning more about people groups like the Vikings, not only is history preserved, but the next generations are taught how to appreciate and learn from the past as a way to cherish their heritage and incorporate the past with today’s culture.
While there is some truth to the modern cultural stereotype of the Norse Vikings, it is important to remember there is much more to the identity and impact of the Vikings than many realize. From a Christian perspective, the Vikings did not add to the spiritual enlightenment of Europe because they were pagans. The goal of the Vikings was not to promote morality and ethics but to acquire land and wealth to have a higher standard of living. This does not mean, however, the Vikings could not or did not have a significant, or even positive, impact on developing Europe. They not only caused their own territory in northern Europe to expand and become prosperous for years to come with their necessary establishment of trade routes that set the standard for Scandinavian economy, but they also built up other developing European nations in the process. From looking at the historical facts objectively, overwhelming evidence exists in support of a positive Viking influence. To ignore the positive impacts of the Viking age would mean ignoring a vital part of European history, a part from which many derive their culture and ancestry. Like all other aspects of history, it is necessary to research and learn from all we can to have a more accurate and clear perception of the past and to grow as a society.
Works Cited
Allan, Tony. Exploring the Life, Myth, and Art of the Vikings. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2012. Print.
Fitzhugh, William W. and Ward, Elizabeth I. Vikings: the North Atlantic Saga. Washington D.C: Smithsonian Institution, 2000. Print.
“The Influence of Vikings on European Culture.” Sourcing Innovation, April 2009. Web. Feb. 2013.
Lassieur, Allison. The Vikings. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001. Print.
Sawyer, Peter. The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings. New York: Oxford University Press Inc., 1997. Print.
“Viking Colonists.” BBC History, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. Feb. 2013.
“Vikings.” Collins English Dictionary. 5th edition. 2003. Print.
“The Vikings and their Impact.” Flow of History, 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.
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