Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...
Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...
Scandinavian history in the Viking age - Department of Anglo-Saxon ...
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<strong>Scand<strong>in</strong>avian</strong> History <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vik<strong>in</strong>g Age<br />
papal correspondence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> period see <strong>the</strong> register <strong>in</strong> (B723-24). On <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> numismatic evidence for<br />
<strong>the</strong> political <strong>history</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> time see (C260 ff.) and:<br />
[D131] C.J. Becker, ‘Danske mønter som historisk kildemateriale i 1000-tallet’, (O50):123-36 (E.s.)<br />
Sa<strong>in</strong>t Knut<br />
[D135] Of Sve<strong>in</strong>’s various sons it is sa<strong>in</strong>t Knut, who reigned from 1080 until 1086, who attracts <strong>the</strong> most<br />
attention. His life and cult are illum<strong>in</strong>ated through various written sources composed soon after, such as<br />
<strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> Aelnoth (B647), but he was also responsible for a set <strong>of</strong> donations to Lund ca<strong>the</strong>dral <strong>in</strong> 1085<br />
which gave rise to <strong>the</strong> oldest <strong>Scand<strong>in</strong>avian</strong> charter whose text is still preserved (B273-74). His death<br />
seems to have been prompted by a rebellion aga<strong>in</strong>st his overbear<strong>in</strong>g royal demands, which has <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g<br />
implications for royal privileges even at this late date, particularly <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leidang (C220 ff.).<br />
For a range <strong>of</strong> studies see:<br />
[D136] T. Nyberg et al., (edd.), Knuds-bogen 1986: studier over Knud den hellige, Fynske studier 15<br />
(1986) [UL 597:01.b.2.15]<br />
The twelfth century<br />
As ever, an awareness <strong>of</strong> Danish <strong>history</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> twelfth century is <strong>in</strong>structive when consider<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> late<br />
Vik<strong>in</strong>g <strong>age</strong>; see (A35) and:<br />
[D140] H. Koch, Danmarks historie 3. Kongemagt og kirke 1060-1241 (1963) [UL 597:1.d.95.3]<br />
[D141] O. Fenger, ‘Kirker rejses alle vegne’: 1050-1250, Gyldendahl og Politikens Danmarkshistorie 4<br />
(1989) [UL S592.c.98.31]<br />
E. NORWAY<br />
The particularly dist<strong>in</strong>ctive terra<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> Norway has traditionally been held to be a factor <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> country’s<br />
‘old-fashioned’ social make-up right <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> mediaeval period; cf. (E6). For <strong>the</strong> Vik<strong>in</strong>g <strong>age</strong> itself,<br />
however, it is k<strong>in</strong>gs’ sagas (B290 ff.) and skaldic verse (B483 ff.) that constitute <strong>the</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> direct<br />
written evidence, and <strong>the</strong>se sources can only be asked very different historical questions.<br />
General surveys<br />
[E1] A.O. Johnsen, Fra ættesamfunn til statssamfunn (1948) [UL 593:2.d.90.2]<br />
[E2] P. Sveaas Andersen, Vik<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> west: <strong>the</strong> expansion <strong>of</strong> Norway <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early middle <strong>age</strong>s (1971)<br />
[UL 593:2.d.95.9]<br />
[E3] E. Gunnes, Norges historie 2. Rikssaml<strong>in</strong>g og kristn<strong>in</strong>g 800-1177 (1976) [UL 593:1.d.95.10]<br />
[E4] P. Sveaas Andersen, Saml<strong>in</strong>gen av Norge og kristn<strong>in</strong>gen av landet 800-1130, Handbok i Norges<br />
historie 2 (1977) [UL 593:01.c.1.2]<br />
[E5] K. Helle, ‘Tiden fram til 1536’, Grunntrekk i norsk historie fra vik<strong>in</strong>gtid til våre d<strong>age</strong>r (1991), 13-<br />
106 [UL 593:1.c.95.35]<br />
[E6] K. Helle, ‘Norway, 800-1200’, (O72):1-14<br />
[E7] C. Krag, Vik<strong>in</strong>gtid og rikssaml<strong>in</strong>g 800-1130, Aschehougs Norgeshistorie 2 (1995)<br />
[E8] J.V. Sigurðsson, Norsk historie 800-1300. Frå hövd<strong>in</strong>gmakt til konge- og kyrkjemakt (1999).<br />
Iron-<strong>age</strong> and early Vik<strong>in</strong>g-<strong>age</strong> Norway<br />
Norway seems to have been <strong>the</strong> least densely settled region <strong>of</strong> Scand<strong>in</strong>avia, at least by Germanicspeak<strong>in</strong>g<br />
cultures, at <strong>the</strong> beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christian era. However, <strong>the</strong>re is evidence for cultural l<strong>in</strong>ks with<br />
western Europe, particularly <strong>the</strong> British isles, from before <strong>the</strong> eighth century (N15 ff.), and although <strong>the</strong>re<br />
are few <strong>in</strong>dividual sites to compare with <strong>the</strong> splendid Iron-<strong>age</strong> trad<strong>in</strong>g centres <strong>of</strong> Denmark and Sweden<br />
(N144, N150 ff.), <strong>the</strong> onset <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Vik<strong>in</strong>g <strong>age</strong> certa<strong>in</strong>ly brought with it an <strong>in</strong>flux <strong>of</strong> luxury goods (N30<br />
ff.). For <strong>the</strong> <strong>history</strong> <strong>of</strong> settlement patterns and <strong>the</strong> move <strong>in</strong>to <strong>in</strong>land regions, cf. (M40 ff.).<br />
[E10] B. Magnus and B. Myhre, Norges historie 1. Forhistorien: fra jægergrupper til høvd<strong>in</strong>gsamfunn<br />
(1976) [UL 593:1.d.95.9]<br />
[E11] B. Myhre, ‘Agrarian development, settlement <strong>history</strong>, and social organization <strong>in</strong> southwest<br />
Norway <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Iron <strong>age</strong>’, New directions <strong>in</strong> <strong>Scand<strong>in</strong>avian</strong> archaeology, Studies <strong>in</strong> <strong>Scand<strong>in</strong>avian</strong><br />
76