The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings

by Sawyer, Peter

• ISBN13: 9780192854346
• ISBN10: 0192854348
• Edition: Illus.
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-09-20
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

With settlements stretching across a vast expanse and with legends of their exploits extending even farther, the Vikings were the most far-flung and feared people of their time. Yet the archaeological and historical records are so scant that the true nature of Viking civilization remains shrouded in mystery. In this richly illustrated volume, twelve leading scholars draw on the latest research and archaeological evidence to provide the clearest picture yet of this fabled people. Painting a fascinating portrait of the influences that the "Northmen" had on foreign lands, the contributors trace Viking excursions to the British Islands, Russia, Greenland, and the northern tip of Newfoundland, which the Vikings called "Vinlund." We meet the great Viking kings: from King Godfred, King of the Danes, who led campaigns against Charlemagne in Saxony, to King Harald Bluetooth, the first of the Christian rulers, who helped unify Scandinavia and introduced a modern infrastructure of bridges and roads. The volume also looks at the day-to-day social life of the Vikings, describing their almost religious reverence for boats and boat-building, and their deep bond with the sea that is still visible in the etymology of such English words as "anchor," "boat," "rudder," and "fishing," all of which can be traced back to Old Norse roots. But perhaps most importantly, the book goes a long way towards answering the age-old question of who these intriguing people were. From sagas to shipbuilding, from funeral rites to the fur trade, this superb volume is an indispensable guide to the Viking world.

Author Biography

Peter Sawyer is Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at the University of Leeds.

Table of Contents

List of Colour Plates	ix
List of Maps and Figures	xi
List of Contributors	xiii
Note on Personal Names	xv
The Age of the Vikings, and Before	1	(18)
Peter Sawyer
The Frankish Empire	19	(29)
Janet L. Nelson
The Vikings in England, c. 790-1016	48	(35)
Simon Keynes
Ireland, Wales, Man, and the Hebrides	83	(27)
Donnchadh O Corrain
The Atlantic Islands	110	(24)
Sveinbjorn Rafnsson
Scandinavians in European Russia	134	(22)
Thomas S. Noonan
The Danish Empire and the End of the Viking Age	156	(26)
Niels Lund
Ships and Seamanship	182	(20)
Jan Bill
Religions Old and New	202	(23)
Preben Meulengracht Sorensen
The Vikings in History and Legend	225	(25)
Lars Lonnroth
The Viking Legacy	250	(13)
Peter Sawyer
Further Reading	263	(10)
Chronology	273	(10)
Illustration Sources	283	(2)
Index	285