On a bloody sword -
A flower of gold.
The best of rulers
Honoring his chosen ones.
A warrior cannot be displeased
Such a gorgeous decoration.
Warlike ruler
Multiplies its glory
With your generosity.
(The Saga of Egil. Translated by Johannes W. Jensen)
To begin with, the topic of the Vikings is again being politicized for some reason. “Here in the West they do not want to admit that they were pirates and robbers” - I recently read something like this on VO. and it only says that a person is poorly aware of what he writes or that he has been thoroughly brainwashed, which, by the way, is being done not only in Ukraine. Because otherwise he would have known that not only in English, but also in Russian there is a book of the Astrel publishing house (this is one of the most massive and accessible editions) “Vikings”, the author of which is the famous English scientist Ian Heath, which was published in the Russian Federation back in 2004. The translation is good, that is, it is written in a completely accessible, by no means "scientific" language. and there, on page 4, it is directly written that in the Scandinavian written sources the word “viking” means “piracy” or “raid”, and the one who participates in it is “viking”. The etymology of this word is examined in detail, starting from the meaning of "pirate hiding in a narrow sea bay" and up to "vik" - the geographical name of the region in Norway, which the author considers unlikely. And the book itself begins with a description of the Viking raid on the monastery in Lindisfarne, accompanied by plunder and bloodshed. Frankish, Saxon, Slavic, Byzantine, Spanish (Muslim), Greek and Irish names are given - so there is simply nowhere to go in more detail. It is indicated that the growth of trade in Europe created favorable conditions for piracy, plus the success of the northerners in shipbuilding. So the fact that the Vikings are pirates is said in this book several times, and no one in it gloss over this circumstance. As, in fact, in other publications, both translated into Russian and not translated!
A depiction of events that took place in the 9th century by a 12th century Byzantine artist. The miniature shows the imperial bodyguards-Varangi ("Varangian Guard"). It is clearly visible, and you can count 18 axes, 7 spears and 4 banners. Miniature from the Chronicle of John Skylitsa of the 16th century, kept in the National Library in Madrid.
We will talk about the history of the Vikings some other time. And now, since we are on a military site, it makes sense to consider the weapons of the Vikings, thanks to which (and various other circumstances - who can argue?) They managed to keep Europe in fear for almost three centuries.
Animal head from the Oseberg ship. Museum in Oslo. Norway.
To begin with, the Viking attacks on England and France at that time were nothing more than a confrontation between the infantry, who arrived at the battlefield on ships, and the horsemen in heavy weapons, who also tried to arrive at the site of the enemy's attack as soon as possible in order to punish impudent "northerners". Many of the armors of the troops of the Frankish dynasty of the Carolingians (named after Charlemagne) were a continuation of the same Roman tradition, only the shields took the form of a "reverse drop" that became traditional for the era of the so-called early Middle Ages. This was largely due to the interest of Charles himself in Latin culture, it is not for nothing that his time is even called the Carolingian Renaissance. On the other hand, the weapons of ordinary soldiers remained traditionally Germanic and consisted of short swords, axes, short spears, and carapace armor was often replaced by a shirt of two layers of leather and a filler between them, quilted with rivets with convex hats.
The famous weather vane from Söderall. Such weather vane adorned the noses of the Viking drakkars and were signs of special significance.
Most likely, such "shells" were good at delaying lateral blows, although they did not protect against a prick. But the further from the VIII century, the more and more the sword stretched out and rounded at the end so that it became possible for them only to cut. Already at this time, parts of the relics are being placed in the heads of the hilts of swords, from which the custom began to apply to the hilt of the sword with his lips, and not at all because its shape resembled a cross. So leather armor was most likely no less widespread than metal armor, especially among warriors who did not have a solid income. And again, probably, in some kind of internecine fights, where the whole matter was decided by the number of the fighting, such protection would have been sufficient.
"A Thracian woman kills a warang." Miniature from the Chronicle of John Skylitsa of the 16th century, kept in the National Library in Madrid. (As you can see, there was not always a good attitude towards the Varangians in Byzantium. He let go of his hands, here she is and …)
But here, at the end of the VIII century, the Norman raids from the North began and European countries entered the three-century “Viking Age”. And it was they who became the factor that most strongly influenced the development of military art among the Franks. It cannot be said that Europe faced the predatory attacks of the "northern people" for the first time, but the numerous campaigns of the Vikings and the seizure of new lands by them now acquired the character of a truly massive expansion, comparable only to the invasion of the barbarians in the lands of the Roman Empire. At first, the raids were disorganized, and the number of the attackers themselves was small. However, even with such forces, the Vikings managed to capture Ireland, England, plunder many cities and monasteries in Europe, and in 845 they took Paris. In the 10th century, Danish kings launched a massive offensive on the continent, while the heavy hand of sea robbers was experienced by the northern lands of distant Russia, and even imperial Constantinople!
Throughout Europe, a feverish collection of so-called "Danish money" begins in order to somehow pay off the invaders or return back the lands and cities they had seized. But it was also required to fight the Vikings, so the cavalry, which could be easily transferred from one area to another, was extremely necessary. This was the main advantage of the Franks in the battle with the Vikings, since the equipment of the Viking warrior as a whole did not differ much from the equipment of the Franks horsemen.
An absolutely fantastic depiction of the victory of the Franks, led by King Louis III and his brother Carloman, over the Vikings in 879. From the Great Chronicle of France, illustrated by Jean Fouquet. (National Library of France. Paris)
First of all, it was a round wooden shield, the material for which was usually linden planks (from which, by the way, its name as "War Linden" comes), in the middle of which a metal convex umbon was fortified. The diameter of the shield was approximately equal to one yard (about 91 cm). Scandinavian sagas often talk about painted shields, and it is interesting that each color on them occupied either a quarter or half of its entire surface. They assembled it by gluing these boards together in a criss-cross manner, in the middle they strengthened a metal umbon, inside which there was a shield handle, after which the shield was covered with leather and also its edge was strengthened either with leather or metal. The most popular shield color was red, but it is known that there were yellow, black and white shields, while colors such as blue or green were rarely chosen for coloring. All 64 shields found on the famous Gokstad ship were painted yellow and black. There are reports of shields depicting mythological characters and entire scenes, with colored stripes and even … with Christian crosses.
One of 375 runestones of the 5th - 10th centuries. from the island of Gotland in Sweden. This rock shows a fully equipped ship below, followed by a battle scene and warriors marching to Valhalla!
The Vikings were very fond of poetry, moreover, metaphorical poetry, in which words that were quite ordinary in meaning were replaced by various flowery names associated with them in meaning. This is how shields appeared with the name "Victory Board", "Network of Spears" (the spear was called "Shield Fish"), "Protection Tree" (a direct indication of its functional purpose!), "Sun of War", "Hild Wall" (" Wall of Valkyries ")," Country of Arrows ", etc.
Next came a helmet with a nosepiece and chain mail with rather short wide sleeves that did not reach the elbow. But helmets from the Vikings did not receive such magnificent names, although it is known that the helmet of King Adils had the name "Battle boar". Helmets were either conical or hemispherical, some of them were equipped with half masks that protected the nose and eyes, well, and a simple nosepiece in the form of a rectangular metal plate that went down to the nose had almost every helmet. Some helmets had curved eyebrows trimmed in silver or copper. At the same time, it was customary to paint the surface of the helmet to protect it from corrosion and … "to distinguish between friends and foes." For the same purpose, a special "battle sign" was drawn on it.
A so-called "Wendel era" helmet (550 - 793) from a ship burial at Wendel, Upland, Sweden. Exhibited at the Museum of History in Stockholm.
The chain mail was called "a shirt of rings", but it, like the shield, could be given various poetic names, for example, "Blue shirt", "Battle cloth", "Arrow network" or "Cloak for battle". The rings on the Vikings' chain mail that have come down to our time are made together and overlap each other, like rings for key chains. This technology dramatically accelerated their production, so that chain mail among the "northern people" was not something unusual or too expensive a type of armor. She was looked upon as a "uniform" for a warrior, that's all. Early chain mail had short sleeves, and they themselves reached the thighs. Longer chain mails were uncomfortable as the Vikings had to row in them. But already in the 11th century, their length, judging by some specimens, increased markedly. For example, Harald Hardrad's chain mail reached the middle of his calves and was so strong that "no weapon could break it." However, it is also known that the Vikings often threw off their chain mail because of their weight. For example, this is exactly what they did before the battle at Stamford Bridge in 1066.
Viking helmet from the Archaeological Museum of the University of Oslo.
The English historian Christopher Gravett, who analyzed many ancient Norse sagas, proved that due to the fact that the Vikings were wearing chain mail and shields, most of the wounds were on their feet. That is, by the laws of war (if only war has some kind of laws!) Blows with a sword on the legs were completely allowed. That is why, probably, one of its most popular names (well, except for such magnificent names as "Long and Sharp", "Odin's Flame", "Golden Hilt", and even … "Damaging the Battle Canvas"!) Was "Nogokus "- the nickname is very eloquent and explains a lot! At the same time, the best blades were delivered to Scandinavia from France, and already there, on the spot, local craftsmen attached to them handles made of walrus bone, horn and metal, the latter usually being inlaid with gold or silver or copper wire. The blades were usually also inlaid, and could have letters and patterns laid out on them. Their length was about 80-90 cm, and both double-edged and single-edged blades, similar to huge kitchen knives, are known. The latter were the most common among the Norwegians, while in Denmark archaeologists have not found swords of this type. However, in both cases, they were equipped with longitudinal grooves from the point to the handle to reduce weight. The handles of the Viking swords were very short and literally clamped the fighter's hand between the pommel and the crosshair so that in battle it would not move anywhere. The scabbard of the sword is always made of wood and covered with leather. From the inside, they were also pasted over with leather, waxed cloth or sheepskin, and oiled to protect the blade from rust. Usually, the fastening of the sword on the belt of the Vikings is depicted as vertical, but it should be noted that the horizontal position of the sword on the belt is more suitable for the rower, in all respects it is more comfortable for him, especially if he is on board the ship.
Viking sword with the inscription: "Ulfbert". National Museum in Nuremberg.
The Viking needed a sword not only in battle: he had to die with a sword in his hand, only then could one expect that you would get to Valhalla, where valiant warriors feasted in gilded chambers, along with the gods, according to the Viking beliefs.
Another similar blade with the same inscription, first half of the 9th century from the National Museum in Nuremberg.
In addition, they had axes of several types, spears (skillful spear throwers were highly respected by the Vikings), and, of course, bows and arrows, from which even kings who were proud of this skill shot accurately! It is interesting that for some reason the axes were given either female names associated with the names of gods and goddesses (for example, King Olaf had an ax "Hel" named after the goddess of death), or … the names of trolls! But in general, it was enough to put the Viking on a horse so that he would not yield to the same Frankish riders. That is, chain mail, a helmet and a round shield at that time were quite sufficient means of protection for both the infantryman and the horseman. Moreover, such a weapon system spread in Europe almost everywhere by the beginning of the 11th century, and chain mail practically ousted armor made of metal scales. Why did it happen? Yes, only because the Hungarians, the last of the Asian nomads who came to Europe before, had already settled on the plains of Pannonia by this time and now they themselves began to defend it from outside invasions. At the same time, the threat from horse-drawn archers from a bow immediately weakened sharply, and the chain mail immediately pressed against the lamellar shells - more reliable, but also much heavier and not very comfortable to wear. But the crosshairs of swords by this time began to be more and more often bend to the sides, giving them a sickle-shaped side, so that it would become more convenient for riders to hold them in their hands, or to lengthen the handle itself, and such changes took place at that time everywhere and among the most different peoples! As a result, since about 900, the swords of European warriors have become much more convenient compared to old swords, but most importantly, their number among horsemen in heavy weapons has increased significantly.
Sword from Mammen (Jutland, Denmark). National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen.
At the same time, in order to wield such a sword, a lot of skill was required. After all, they fought with them in a completely different way, as it is shown in our cinema. That is, they simply did not fence, but infrequently delivered blows, but with all their might, attaching importance to the power of each blow, and not to their number. They also tried not to hit the sword with the sword, so as not to spoil it, but dodged the blows, or took them on the shield (by placing it at an angle) or on the umbon. At the same time, sliding off the shield, the sword could well injure the enemy in the leg (and this, not to mention the specially targeted blows to the legs!), And maybe this was just one of the reasons why the Normans so often called your Nogokus swords!
Stuttgart Psalter. 820-830 biennium Stuttgart. Regional Württemberg Library. Miniature depicting two Vikings.
Preferring to fight their enemies hand-to-hand, the Vikings, however, skillfully used bows and arrows as well, fighting with their help both at sea and on land! For example, the Norwegians were considered "famous arrows", and the word "bow" in Sweden sometimes meant the warrior himself. The D-shaped bow found in Ireland is 73 inches (or 185 cm) long. Up to 40 arrows were carried at the waist in a cylindrical quiver. The arrowheads were very skillfully made and could be both faceted and grooved. As noted here, the Vikings also used several types of axes, as well as the so-called "winged spears" with a cross-bar (it did not allow the tip to enter the body too deeply!) And a long, faceted tip of a leaf-shaped or triangular shape.
Viking sword hilt. National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen.
As for how the Vikings acted in battle and what techniques they used, we know that the favorite technique of the Vikings was the "wall of shields" - a massive phalanx of warriors, built in several (five or more) rows, in which the most well-armed were in front, and those with worse weapons were in the back. There is much debate about how such a shield wall was built. Contemporary literature questions the assumption that the shields overlapped each other, as this impeded freedom of movement in combat. However, the 10th-century tombstone at Gosfort of Cumbria contains a relief depicting overlapping shields for most of their width, which narrowed the front line by 18 inches (45.7 cm) for each person, that is, almost half a meter. Also depicts a wall of shields and a tapestry from the Oseberg of the 9th century. Modern filmmakers and directors of historical scenes, using reproductions of weapons and structures of the Vikings, noticed that in a close fight, the soldiers needed enough space to swing a sword or ax, so tightly closed shields are nonsense! Therefore, the hypothesis is supported that, perhaps, they were closed only in the initial position in order to reflect the very first blow, and then they opened by themselves and the battle turned into a general fight.
Ax replica. According to Petersen's typology Type L or Type M, modeled on the Tower of London.
The Vikings did not shy away from a kind of heraldry: in particular, they had military banners with the image of dragons and monsters. The Christian king Olaf seemed to have a standard with a cross, but for some reason he preferred the image of a serpent on it. But most of the Viking flags carried the image of a raven. However, the latter is just understandable, since the ravens were considered the birds of Odin himself - the main god of Scandinavian mythology, the ruler of all other gods and the god of war, and was most directly associated with the battlefields, over which, as you know, the crows always circled.
Ax of the Vikings. Docklands Museum, London.
The most famous Viking hatchet, inlaid with silver and gold, from Mammen (Jutland, Denmark). Third quarter of the 10th century. Stored at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.
The basis of the battle formation of the Vikings was the same "pig" as that of the Byzantine horsemen - a wedge-shaped formation with a narrowed front part. It was believed that it was invented by none other than Odin himself, which speaks of the importance of this tactical technique for them. At the same time, two warriors stood in the first row, three in the second, five in the third, which gave them the opportunity to fight very harmoniously, both together and separately. The Vikings could also build a wall of shields not only frontally, but also in the form of a ring. This was, for example, done by Harald Hardrada in the Battle of Stamford Bridge, where his soldiers had to cross swords with those of King Harold Godwinson of England: "a long and rather thin line with wings bending backward until they touch, forming a wide ring to capture the enemy."The commanders were protected by a separate wall of shields, the soldiers of which deflected the projectiles flying at them. But the Vikings, like any other infantrymen, were inconvenient to fight with the cavalry, although even during the retreat they knew how to save and quickly restore their formations, and gain time.
Viking saddle bow from the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen.
The Franks' cavalry (the best at that time in Western Europe) inflicted the first defeat on the Vikings at the Battle of Soukorte in 881, where they lost 8-9 thousand people. The defeat came as a surprise to them. Although the Franks could have lost this battle. The fact is that they made a serious tactical mistake, disuniting their ranks in pursuit of prey, which gave the Vikings an advantage in the counterattack. But the second onslaught of the Franks again threw the foot Vikings back, although they, despite the losses, did not lose their ranks. The Franks were also unable to break through the shield wall bristling with long spears. But there was nothing they could do about it when the Franks began throwing spears and darts. Then the advantage of the cavalry over the infantry Franks proved to the Vikings more than once. So the Vikings knew the strength of the cavalry and had their own horsemen. But they still did not have large cavalry units, since it was difficult for them to transport horses on their ships!
