Viking Timeline-(Late 8th Century A.D.- Late 11th Century A.

[Astiryu1]

The Vikings- (Late 8th Century A.D.- Late 11th Century A.D. )

1.Seafaring Raiders-
- For 300 years they raided the nations of the "civilized"
nations of Europe.
- The land itself brought about the need for a seafaring civilization
- They were explorers, settlers, traders, and most remembered they were raiders
- They traveled between North America (before Columbus) and Baghdad, Iraq. ( historians believe that the Vikings made it inland as far as Minnesota via the St. Lawrence River to the North Mississippi River )
- 1880, A.D. Norwegian archeologists unearth a Viking burial ship
- The family farm is the center of Norse economics
- Estimated time of building a Longship is a month
- Designs enabled the Vikings to sail open ocean, coasts, and rivers with basic structure yet small variation
-Light enough for portage (carrying), low draft and high adaptability made this a revolutionary technology.
- No central king or government guides the mass of the Viking civilization.

2. Motivated Explorers-
- The first recorded raid of a monastery was at Lindisfarne, England in June 793, A.D. (St.Cuthbert's Monastery)
- Viking tactics called on hit and run techniques, and stealth
- Viking Raiders armed themselves with knives, axes, spears and shields and wearing leather and/or fur armor.
-The more successful raiders or chiefs would also have swords and Ringmaille
- The Vikings go on to conduct many raids of monasteries and villages until they set their sights on major European cities (Paris, London, etc.)
- The main goals of Viking raids was silver and slaves
- Ragnar, with a fleet of 120 Longships attacks Paris via the Seine River
a) Before reaching Paris, Ragnar's Vikings meet the advance force of Paris, and quickly defeats them. Ragnar reportedly hangs 111 prisoners of war; the Vikings continue to raid the Seine and Loire Rivers for another 10 years.
b) Charles the Bald (King of France) pays Ragnar an est. 6 tons of silver and gold Bouillion to leave; it has the opposite effect
- Between 790 and 1100, A.D. Vikings spread through every major river on the European Continent to raid and trade
- Out of this period comes the colonization of Iceland and Greenland by Erik the Red and his son Leif Eriksson
- Banished from Iceland for murder Erik sets out for Greenland
a) Farming was not very productive but fishing was plentiful
b) The government conducted itself through an "Althing" a public assembly for law and community concern
- Leif sails on rumors of a promising land to the west found by a fisherman's account of being lost. He finds the land and aptly names it Newfoundland est. 1000 A.D.
a) The colony at L'anse aux Meadows lasts only a decade
yet still predates the Columbus expedition by 500 years
- Leif Eriksson converts to Christianity at the Norwegian
Kings request to Christianize Greenland
a) A religious duel between Christianity and the Norse religion was conducted by a Berserker and a monk.
"The two each start a fire for their respective gods
the Berserker passes through his first and then stops at the monks thereby Christianity wins because the Christian fire is stronger"

3. A King in the Making-
- Harald Haddrrade (half brother of Olaf King of Norway and heir)
a) At 15 years old he is wounded and exiled to Kiev, Russia for fighting on the losing side of a civil war in 1030 A.D. at Stiklestad against Canute the Great.
b) Harald realizes one needs a market for goods to have more power.
c) Harald eventually becomes the leader of a mercenary band quelling insurrections for eastern powers.
d) In Sicily during a battle, Harald reportedly captures birds and with pitch and string attached flaming twigs to the legs of the birds, lighting the city on fire thus defeating the inhabitants.
e) Snorri Sturllsson an Icelandic historian writes "King Harald's Saga" in the 13th Century.
f) In 1046, A.D. he returns to Scandinavia to claim his Kingship.
g) He convinces his nephew to let him co-rule alongside him.
h) The nephew dies within a year (possibly murdered by Harald).
i) Harald sets out to consolidate power by crushing all who oppose him.

4.Ruling By Force-
- In 1047 A.D. Harald becomes king of Norway.
a) With Kiev in mind he sets out to create a strategic trading center by the sea.This city becomes Oslo.
b) In 1066, A.D. Harald sets his sights on England.

5.Doomed Invaders-
-The Battle of Stamford Bridge (7 miles SE of York, England) Harald Haddrrade vs. Harold Godwinsson.
a) Haddrrade shows up thinking York will obey, he even leaves his armor behind. The English wear chain mail and carry Welsh longbows.
b) The English surprise the Vikings by marching double-time to cut them off.
c) The Vikings stand their ground even beat the English back once
A story states that "One Viking warrior held the bridge from the English" according to Harald's Saga he rallies his men with these words," Carry your head always high in battle, where swords seek to shatter the skulls of doomed warriors." The struggle is recounted in the Viking's saga," The fight sharpened leader's heart wavered not, the strong king showed all the greatest courage in the thunder of the fight. His bloody sword wounded the enemy... to death."
d) In the midst of the battle, an arrow strikes Harald Haddrrade in the throat killing him in September 1066.
e) Of the 270 ships that come to England 30 Longships return to Norway.
f) The Viking Age goes on the decline and they consolidated into separate countries.
- The Legacy of the Northmen
In 1066, A.D. King Harald entered a plan with King William of Normandy (also of Viking descent) to take over England. King Harald is defeated in the north at Stamford Bridge but King William invades the south and The Battle of Hastings is fought on Saturday October 14th. 1066, A.D.
Godwinsson after a short respite from Stamford Bridge undertakes a forced march 270 miles to Hastings. Godwinsson meets William and fights using a shield wall against Calvary and bows. The fight is sheer chaos and William's forces win the day. England's present royal family is founded in 1066, A.D.

- Notes that I took from The Vikings documentary that I rented from my local library. I thought it might prove useful in some form for re-enactment or reference purposes. If you see something that is inaccurate please P.M. me.

Extended Timeline-

793 A.D. (June 8th) - Vikings raid Lindisfarne Monastery in England ushering in the Viking Age. ( The Vikings - National Geographic Society )

1000 A.D.- Nordic mercenaries are commonplace among the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Varangians and the Rus tribesmen are counted among them. ( Byzantine armies,886-1118;By Ian Heath, Angus McBride/Osprey )

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

Werent Vikings used as troops by the Eastern Roman Empire?

M.VIB.m.

[Astiryu1]

"Werent Vikings used as troops by the Eastern Roman Empire?"

They could have been I will look into it. From many accounts and archeological evidence the Vikings made it as far as the Volga River. If they sailed south they could have made it as far as the Mediterranean again. Later the Normans ( Viking descent ) hired themselves out as mercenaries to the Eastern Roman Empire ( The Normans-Osprey ). I would like to keep adding to the time line and will probably post more in the future. Greeks,Romans and Egyptians are all that I am working on currently.

[Dan Howard]

Harald was an ex-Varangian so Scandinavians certainly served as Byzantine mercenaries during the Viking period.

[Arminius75]

The east frontier, a huge an epic tal do not related yet, why: becasue are a history line different from the wetern one, Russia were an inmense land with very brave and wild peoples living on the forest and the steppes, the Varangian peoples were Swedes fromn Uppland, Svealand and another central Sweden lands, a few norweians and a few danes, Russia were callesd after them because they were called "Rus" from the corrupt form of the finish word "Ruosti" that means Swede, they`re act more as mecenaries than as pirates, fighting for the another scandinavians merchants or rulers, then attack Bizantium, won sometimes, lose another ones..there is a lot of information, the Nestor chronicles and Novgorod chronicles are fine, with many mistakes because they are not contemporary, arab chronicles as Ibn Rustah or Ibn Fadlan are partial and no so well know, the Bizantine records show a lot of info of their attacks (Fosius Chronicles) and about commercial pacts and the service of these warriors on the differents bizantine militar formations as mercenaries till the foundation of the legendary Varangian Guard, another nordic peoples join the force as Harald Hardrada and after 1066 some English, but the Varangian guard were almost all swedish, similar of those "Germanicus corporis custodes" on a few years on roman times....there is a lot of information un runic stones and chronicles.....they were united for an oath mede to the goddess Var and this is the reason for the name, were very brave warriors and were organisated as the another nordic warrior formations on the military as on the reigious.

[Astiryu1]

As soon as I can I will collect some works on the Varangian Guard. Seems as though they are a popular bunch considering they served the Eastern Roman Empire. I think that it would be interesting to see a left flank of Varangians with a Roman center especially in a reenactment. Beauty part is this would bring the germanic and roman reenactors a little closer if it hasn't already. At least within striking distance!!! :lol:

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

They were the Imperial bodyguard, as far as I understand. Armed with a rather fearsom axe of some type.

[John Conyard]

Take a look at http://www.comitatus.net/armyages.html and the Khazar at the bottom of the page. I really enjoy the fusion of cultures available in that period and part of the world.

[authun]

The Vikings- (Late 8th Century A.D.- Late 11th Century A.D. )
- No central king or government guides the mass of the Viking civilization.

That is more to do with the lack of stable central government. Although state formation had started in Norway and Denmark, the situation is still one of competing dynasties. These dynasties did have wide ranging spheres of influence, men they could rely on and directed raids. This is clear from the English Runestones found in Sweden:

Áli/Alli had this stone raised in memory of himself. He took Knútr's payment in England. May God help his spirit. (Uppland 194)

And Danr and Húskarl and Sveinn had the stone erected in memory of Ulfríkr, their father's father. He had taken two payments in England. May God and God's mother help the souls of the father and son. (Uppland 241)

And Ulfr has taken three payments in England. That was the first that Tosti paid. Then Þorketill paid. Then Knútr paid. (Uppland 344)

There are about 30 that mention England, other than one in Norway and one in Denmark, the rest are in Sweden with the majority being towards the lakes Mälaren and Vättern.

The payments refer to danagäld and invariably these are expeditions organised by a Danish king and referred to in these runestones:

Eybjôrn raised this stone in memory of Skerðir. He died in the retinue in England (Södermanland 160)

Arnsteinn raised this stone in memory of Bjórr his son who died in the retinue when Knútr attacked England. (Norway 184)

The Tosti referred to in Sö 344 is probably Skoglar Toste, a chieftain in Västergötland. He was the father of Sigríð Storråda. Sigríð first marries Erik Segersäll. Their son, Olof Skötkonung, was accepted as king by both the Svear around Lake Mälaren and the Götar around Lake Vättern. Sigríð's second husband is Sweyn Forkbeard and their son is Knútr, Canute the Great. Olof and Knútr are therefore half brothers and Knútr appears to have established an organisation of thegns from Västergötland to Lake Mälaren, at one time also controlling Öland on Sweden's east coast, and he draws on these areas for his expeditions to England.

An interesting aspect of the runestones from around lakes Mälaren and Vättern is their use of the term viking and, according to some linguists Vikingr as a personal name, though some disagree that the two are linguistically related. Two other groups of swedish runestones, the Greece Runestones and the Ingvar Runestones show that the majority of expeditions were to the south east. England therefore was quite different. Whilst England, Ireland and France were de facto destinations for Norwegians and Danes, there was no need to mark them in any particular way. This was obviously not the case in Sweden. In Sweden, the term viking may have meant someone who went to England:

Tóla placed this stone in memory of Geirr, her son, a very good valiant man. He died on a viking raid on the western route (Västergötland 61)

"Ginnlaug, Holmgeirr's daughter, Sigrøðr and Gautr's sister, she had this bridge made and this stone raised in memory of Ôzurr, her husbandman, earl Hákon's son. He was the viking watch with Geitir" (Uppland 67)

Use of Vikingr as a personal name is widespread in Sweden:

"Bjôrn and Gerðarr had the stone cut in memory of their brothers Víkingr and Sigfastr" (Södermanland 197)

"Klakki's sons had the stone cut in memory of their father and in memory of Kali/Kalli/Galli and Víkingr, their brothers" (Småland 11)

"Sveinn and Halfdan and Þóra had this stone raised in memory of Víkingr, their father, and in memory of Þegn, their brother." (Uppland 34)

It is as if, In Sweden, being called a viking or having the Vikingr personal name identified you as one of Swein's or Knútr's men. Skoglar Toste by the way is reputed to have been the first to have demanded payment in England. Although it becomes known as danagäld, he was of the Götar and distinctly swedish in modern day terms.

best
authun

[Arminius75]

The Vikings- (Late 8th Century A.D.- Late 11th Century A.D. )
- No central king or government guides the mass of the Viking civilization.

I agree with many aspects of your info here show, not with all but are very good information, is hard to understand when really the scandinavians rulers begin to have a real political power instead of those religious, Sweden have a very long tradition but the absence of historical sources as on Danmark and Norway give us a headache when we are trying to recreate some historical aspects, the triumph os christendom over the pagans were an important issue, the new religion destroy many of the past becasue were made under pagan principles (Oral litarature) because paganism on Sweden were stronger than on Danmark or Norway (Sweden refuse the new religion till XII century perhaps remains till XIII on isolated places) ..another issue is the fact Slavs do not wrote till centuries before, there is not direct sources as on france or England, well the scandinavians have not "national" routes many danish were traveling on Russia and many Swedes were traveling to England with other scandinavians or by themselves is hard to say "That is the only reason or the only way" there is a lot of independent chieftains with the resources enough to made thier own raids on a different scales, the principal raids were made of course under the guide of a king, but there is a lot of raids made against other scandinavians or english etc.. about the term Viking mmm there si a polemic without end i think...ilike polemics nice job

[Astiryu1]

I have started to collect the Osprey series on ebooks. How about one timeline spanning each culture. It is something I have been thinking about for a while?