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VikingsIDQuizStudyGuide SummaryofSnorrisSturlusonsTheProseEddapg.90106and114116 Characterstoremember:Thor,Odin,andLoki.ThorisabadassGodwhoisalways lookingtokillsomeone,andLokiisalwayscausingtrouble.Ihighlydoubtthedetailsof theseshortstoriesareimportant,butIdothinkwe’llneedtorecognizethemandsay wherethey’refrom.Also,anotherdetailtorememberisthatSnorri’sstoriesusually alwaysstartoffwithaquestionthatisexplainedinthestory.Forexample,“WhyisGold calledKraki’sseed?”JustanFYIforpassageidentification. ThorJourneystoGeirrod’sCourt ThestorystartsoffbyexplainingLoki’spredicament.Heturnedhimselfintoafalcon and,curioustoseethegiant(Geirrod),heflewintoGeirrod’scourt.Unfortunately,oneof Geirrod’smencaughtLokiandhandedhimtothegiant.Realizingthatthefalconwasa disguiseforahuman,Geirroddemandedtoknowwhomthepersonwas,butLoki remainedquiet.Afterbeingstarvedfor3months,LokifinallycapitulatedandtoldGeirod whohewas,andasaransomforhislife,Lokipromisedhe’dtakeThor’shammer,beltof strength,andironglove. ThorstayedwithGrid,agiantess,onhiswaytoGeirrod’s,andsheprovidedhimwithher beltofstrength,astaff,andanironglovebecausesheknewhowdangerousGeirrodwas. ThorcameincontactwithbothofGeirrod’sdaughtersonhisjourney,oncecrossinga riverandoncewhilesittinginachair.WhenThorwascrossingthefloodingriver,which wasbeingcausedbyGeirrod’sdaughter,hethrewarockatthegiantessallowinghimself tobesaved.Oncehearrivedatthecourt,Thorsatinachaironlytobepickedupby Geirrod’stwodaughters,butThorbrokebothoftheirbacks. WhenThorenteredGeirrod’scourt,GeirrodsthrewaglowingpieceofironatThor,but ThorcaughtitwithGrid’sirongloveandlauncheditbackatGeirrod,piercinghisbody. 1.

TheDwarvesMakeTreasuresfortheGods WhyisGoldcalledSif’shair?ThestorystartsoffwithLokicuttingoffSiff’shair,which gotThorenraged.InordertocalmThorn,Siffsaidthathe’dgetthedarkelvestoturnthe hairintogoldthatgrowslikehair.Sureenough,Lokiachievedthistaskandalsowasalso givenaspearandaSkidbladnir(asailthatalwaysreceiveswind). LokichallengedEitri,anotherdwarf,thathecouldn’tcreatethreetreasurersequallyas impressiveastheone’shejustreceived(thegold,thespear,andtheskidladnir).IfLoki lost,he’dletthedwarfcutoffhishead.Sureenough,Eitriwasdeemedthewinnerfor turningpigskinintohammer,creatingagoldenboar,andmakingagoldenring.Loki triedtorenegeonthebetbyrunningaway,butThorcaughthiminstantly.WhenLoki wasaboutbacktothedwarves,hislipsweresewnshut. 2.

Egir’sFeast WhyisgoldcalledthefireifEgir?HehadalloftheGod’svisithimandwhentheyall arrived,theysettheirGoldintheHallways,whichlookedlikefirebecauseitwasso bright. 3.

Otter’sRansom:TheRhinegoldandSigurdtheDragonSlayer. WhyisGoldcalledOtter’sransom?TheEsir,Oden,LokiandHoenirweretravelingto seetheworld,andatthebeginningofthejourney,Lokithrewarockatanotterkillingit. TheGodsapproachedHreidan,arandommagician,toseeiftheycouldstayathishouse forthenight,butwhentheyshowedthemagicianthedeadotter,hebecameupset.The otterwasthemagician’sson.Asretribution,theGodshadtofillthedeadotter’sskin withredgold. Lokifoundadwarfandtookallofhisgold,includingagoldringthatwouldbringdeath toanyonethatheldit.Lokigaveallthegold,includingthering,toHreideninrepayment forhisdeadson. TheFatherrefusedtogivehisothertwosons,ReginandFafnir,theirportionofthegold sothesonskilledtheirfather,fulfillingthedwarfsprophecyofthering.Havingbeen forcedtofleebyhisbrother,ReginlefttoworkforSigurd,thefinestwarrioraround. ReginconvincedSigurdtostealFafnir’sgold.AfterSigurdkilledFafnir,hetastedhis bloodandheardthewhispersofthebirdssayingthatReginplanstoseekrevengeforthe deathofhisbrother.Asaresult,SigurdkillsRegin. SigurdmarriedGudrun,andhesworeoathswithherbrotherGunnar.Gunnarwantedto marryBrynhild,buthecouldn’tbecausehecouldmusterupthecouragetojumpthrough afire.Thus,inorderforGunnartomarryBrynhild,SigurdandGunnarswitched appearances,andSigurdjumpedthroughthefire.OnceBrynhildfoundoutherhusband wasn’ttheonewhojumpedthroughthefire,shewantedSigurdkilled,andhewasby Gothorm. GudrunmarriedKingAtli,whoisBrynhild’sbrother,butafterhekilledGunnar,Gudrun killedhertwosonsalongwithAtli. GudrungotremarriedtoKingJonak,andGudrun’sdaughter(withSugurd),Svanhild,was raisedthere.KingJormunreklearnedaboutherbeautyandsenthissontoaskhimin marriageonhisbehalf.TheideawasproposedforJormunrek’ssontomarrySvanhild insteadofKingJormunrek.Asaresult,Jormunrekkilledhisson.Later,Svanhildwas thentrampledbyJormunrekhorses.Gundrunsenthersonstoseekrevengeforthedeath ofherdaughterbuttheboyswerekilledtrying. 4.

8.Frodi’sMillandHisPeace WhyisGoldcalledFrodi’sflower?KingFrodi,adescendantofOdin,ruledtheland duringtheimplementationofChristiandoctrines.Frodihadamillthatcouldgrindup anything.Heorderedhistwolargeslavestogrindgold,peace,andprosperity,andhe gavetheslavesnorest.Instead,theslavesgroundoutanarmytoopposeFrodiandkilled him. Mysingthenstolethemillandslaves,instructingthemtogrindsalt.Theslavesground saltuntiltheshipsank,causingtheoceantobesalty.

9.Kraki’sSeedandKingHrolfKrakiofDenmark Ayoungman,namedVogg,enteredKingHrolf’scourtandsaidthatthekinglookedlike apole(Kroki).Fromthatpointon,HewasnamedHrolfKroki,andinreturnforhis nickname,HrolfgaveVoggagoldring. Hrolf’scousin,AdilswasatwarwithAli,soHrolfsentafewofhissoldierstohelpinthe

war.Hrolf’smenweresupposedtobepaidfortheirservicesbyAdil,buttheyweren’t.In response,KrolfwenttoUpsalla,thehomeofAdil,andhestolegold.Adilchasedafter HrolfandonceHrolfrealizedhewouldbecaught,hebegantodropthegoldasifthey wereseedsasherodeonhishorse. THEPROSEEDDA(pg114116) Therearenocharactersinthesepassages.Eachoneoftheseshortstoriesstartsoffwitha questionandtriestoexplainitinthestory.Forexample,thequestionsare,“Howshould Goldbereferredto?”or“Howshouldwomenbereferredto?”or“Howshouldbattlebe referredto?”ThestoriesthenlistoffworthlessBSaboutwhat“Gold,battlesandwomen” usedtobecalledandnowwhattheyshouldbecalled. Basically,themessagetobetakenawaythesetwopagesisifthepassage(onthetest tomorrow)startsoffwithaquestion,thenyoucanassumeit’sSnorrisSturulson’sThe ProseEdda.

SummaryofIbnFadlanandtheRussiyyah IbnFadlanwasanArabguywhodocumentedhisdealingswithtribesandpeoplesin InnerAsia(fareastonourmapquiz) HisbookiscalledtheKitab Normanist–apersonwhobelievesinVikingancestryinRussia.Hassparkedmuch debateamongstscholars. Rus–ThepeopleFadlanobservesinhisbook Russiyyah–whatFadlancalledtheRus Slavs–Easterndescent,noViking(againstnormanistdebate) Summary FadlandocumentedtheRusinhisbookcitingmanysimilaritiestoVikings.He mentionedtheirweapons,theirtreasure,andremarkedthattheywereverydirtypeople. Hementionstheirslavegirlsthattheyhadsexwithconstantly.ThepointisthatFadlan documentsmanythingsthatcoincidewithwhatwehavelearnedaboutVikingculture, whichsupportstheviewthatVikingswereapartofRussianancestry.However,the scholarswhowrotethisarticlebelievethattheRuswereamixofbothSlavicandViking cultures. Placesmentioned–Baghdad,VolgaBulghars,Khazars

SummaryofKingsandMerchants ++++Thisreadingisalotdifferentfromtheotherassignedreadings.Itisnotaprimary

sourceandthereforewillmostlikelynothaveanynotablequotesfromit.Takeitfor whatitisandlookatitmoreasasummaryandclarificationonsomeofthegeneral themesandrelationshipsregardingthekingsandmerchants.++++ MerchantsandKingshadafairlypositiverelationshipwitheachother. 1.MerchantsprovidedtheKingswithexoticandraregiftsthatservedtobe valuablefortheKingdom.Thishelpedtoestablishtheeconomicpowerofthekingdom andensurethattheKinghadcontroloveritscitizens.Thiswasanimportantformof giftgiving. 2.Manytimes,theMerchantswerewaivedofnormaltradingfeesfromtheKings. However,theyweretaxedinotherwaysandthisprocessoftaxingallowedthemtohave agoodrelationshipbecausetheKingsdidnotfeelthreatenedbythemerchantsand theirpower. ImportantPlacesofMerchantsandtheirGifts Thereasonfortheseplacestobethecentralhuboftradingandgiftswerebecausethey werelocatedintheBalticregioninanareasofarnorththattheywerenotregularly controlledbyRomanrule.Thisallowedfortheexchangeofexoticandraregifts withoutalotofregulation 1.Scandinaviaproducedsomethingsthatweremuchneededintheempire, notablyleather,vastquantitiesofwhichwereusedinagreatvarietyofmilitary equipment,includingtents. 2.GermanyandSwedenarea–cattleandleatherproducts a.Onecommodityforwhichtherewasageneraldemandwassalt,andthe arrangementstomeetitshowhowcomplexthemethodsofdistributingcommoditiesin earlysocietycouldbe. b.“ThegeneralobligationonallfreemeninearlyGermanicand Celticsocietytoofferandreceivegiftsappliedparticularlytotheirleaders. Therulersandaristocratswererichnotonlyinlandbutalsointreasureand oneofthehallmarksofnobilitywastheostentatiousdisplayofwealth, coupledwithopenhandedgenerositytofriendsandfollowerswhodeserved it.46Likerichpeoplenowadaystheydelightedinthepossessionofbeautiful andexoticthings,whosevaluewasenhancedbyrarity,andsuchthingswere alsoappropriateasgifts.Exoticgoodscamefrommanypartsoftheworld, butforwesternEuropeoneespeciallyimportantandrelativelyaccessible sourceofmanyoftherawmaterialsthatwerehighlyprizedthen,asnow, wasScandinaviaandthelandsbeyondtheBaltic.” “TowardstheendoftheeleventhcenturyAdamofBremenwaswellawarebothofthe abundanceoffursintheBalticlandsandofthehighvalueputonthembyhisGerman contemporaries.When,twocenturiesearlier,theNorwegianOttarvisitedEngland,he toldKingAlfredaboutthetributepaidtohimbytheLapps:'thattributeisinthe skinsofbeasts,inthefeathersofbirds,inwhalebone,andinshipropeswhicharemade fromwhalehideandsealhide.Eachpaysaccordingtohisrank.Thehighestinrank hastopayfifteenmartenskins,fivereindeerskins,onebearskin,andtenmeasures offeathers,andajacketofbearskinorotterskin,andtwoshipropes.Eachofthese

mustbesixtyellslong,onemadefromwhalehideandtheotherfromseal'.” OneoftherulesbetweenthetraveloftheMerchantsandtheKingswasthatinthe lawsofAlfreditwasordainedthattradersshouldbringbeforetheking'sreevethemen theyintendedtotakewiththem.Thisisbecauseonetime,aKing’sexactorhad receivedwordthatthreeshipsofmerchantswereattheportawaitinghim.Hewentthere anditwasreallyasurpriseVikingsattackinwhichtheywereallmurdered.  TwoKeyTerms 1.Manyofthesecoastalorriversidetradingplaceswerecalledwics. 2.Theseburhswereinfactnewtowns,manywithplannedlayouts,91andtheir creationwasanearlystageinthatprocessofurbanexpansionthatspreadthrough Europeintheeleventhandtwelfthcenturies.

SummaryofÆlfric,LettertoBrotherEdward: When:Aletterwrittenjustbefore1000byafamousEnglishman Who: ÆlfricthemanwritingthelettertoBrotherEdward ● BrotherEdwardandunknownrecipientoftheletter;scholarsareunsureof ● whetherhewasactuallyrelatedtoÆlfricthroughblood,religion,orneither What: Fallsinto3sections dealswithprohibitionofconsumptionofblood—Ælfricdiscussesbible 1. referencesinwhichGodtellspeoplenottoeatthebloodofanyanimal,fish,orhuman thattheykill.Hetellspeopletosimplypoorthebloodofthosebeastsontotheearth beforeeatingthem(obviouslyreferringtotheanimalsandnotthehumans) urgesBrotherEdwardandotherpeoplenottoabandonEnglishwaysforDanish 2. ÆlfricseemsveryupsetthatEdwardhastakentowearingDanishfashionandcuttinghis hairthewaytheDanishhave.HereferstotheDanishas“heathens”andaccusesBrother Edwardofdisrespectinghisancestors asksBrotherEdwardtostopcountrywomenfromhavingthehabitofeatingand 3. drinkingwhilesittingontheprivy(ortoilet/outhouse)—Ælfricsaysthatthesewomen wouldbeatbeerpartiesandwouldeatanddrinkwhilesittingonthetoiletreferringto thisas“vilegluttony.” Where:Itneveroutrightsayswhere,butconsideringthatthiswaswrittenbyan Englishmanit’sprobablysafetoassumeEngland Themes: ÆlfricseemstoberamblingonabouthisproblemsacceptingtheDanishculture ● Healsokeepsstressingtheimportanceofreligionthroughouttheletter ●

SummaryoftheRiteoftheBloodEagle TheconceptoftheBloodEaglewassupposedlyamethodofVikingexecution, generallyreservedforsomeonewhohadkilledone’sfather ●

AccordingtoRobertaFrank’sarticletheliterarydescriptionsoftheritegetmore complicated,pagan,andtimeconsumingthrougheachcentury(thelatestaccountsbeing themostvivid) Ingeneral,theritesupposedlyconsistedoftheribsofthevictimbeingcutand ● pulledtothesidesalongwiththelungs,thevictimwasplacedfaceddownsothattheir corpseresembledthatofaneaglebutitalsoisdescribedassimplycarvingtheimageof aneagleinthebackofthevictim However,Frankclaimsthatallaccountsofthepracticestemfromasinglehalf ● stanzaofskaldicversewrittenbySIGHVATRdescribingthedeathofELLAbyaman namedÍVARR ItwaswrittenintheELEVENTHCENTURY ● FrankessentiallyclaimsthattheRiteoftheBloodEagleisamyththatresulted ● fromliteraturebeingtwistedthroughtime IfyoudiscountSighvatr’sverse(duetoitsinconsistency)thenthereisabsolutely ● noVikingagebackingforthepractice

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SummaryofAudun’sTaleandHaywood(Atlas) Someuseful,generalnotesfromtheAtlasbook(Haywood): Wealthwouldgainwarriors.Competitionforpowerwasintense.Succession ● disputeswerefrequentandbloody.Forthelosersinthesestruggles,therewaslittle choicebuttogoinexile.Someoftheseexileswentraidingtobuilduptheirwealthand reputation.Thiswouldgainthemafollowingofwarriors,whowouldsupportabidfor powerathome.(mainpoint:neededwealthtokeepthewarriorshappywithgifts) ThereisevidencethattheVikingswererewardedbytheRomansforbattle ● victoriesbecausetheVikingswerefightingtheGermantribesthattheRomanswerealso fighting.MostofthegiftstotheVikingswereRomanweapons. ComitatustermusedtodescribeaVikinggroupmadeupofyoungwarriorswho ● becamethefollowersofasuccessfulchieftainorking.Inreturnfortheirloyalty,the warriorsexpectedtoberewarded,andthewarbandwouldonlystaytogetheraslongas theleaderhadthewealthtorewardthem.Createdasocietyinwhichsuccessinwarwas keytopowerandstatus. Vikingkingswereprimarilyrulersofmenratherthanrulersofterritory.Though ● usuallythetwowenttogether,itwasnotalwaysnecessarytohaveakingdomtobe recognizedasaking;manyofthe9thcenturyVikingleaderswerekingswho,apparently possessednolands. Blooddisputesforthethronewereverycommon(successiondisputes).Exiles ● oftenwouldconvincerulersofaneighboringkingdomtoprovidethemwithmilitary supportorraiseawarriorbandandgoplunderingforwealth.Theseexileswould eventuallyreturnandwouldbeamajordestabilizingforcefortheVikingkingdoms. HistoricalExample:EricBloodaxetookoverforHarald.However,Erik’s ○ youngerbrotherHakonkickedhimout,soErikwentintoexileandgainedafierce reputationasaVikingleader,becomingtheKingofYork.Erik’ssonHaraldGreycloak wouldeventuallyreturnandkillHakonandtakethethrone. ThethirdphaseofVikingactivity,characterizedbyconquestandsettlement, ● beganin865.

Audun’sStory:(polarbeargiftexample) Overview: AuduntraveledtoGreenlandandtradedeverythinghehadtobuyaPolarbear.He plannedtotravelsouthtoDenmarktomeetKingSveinandgivehimthebear.Before this,however,hewasinNorwaywhereKingHaraldreigns.Haraldheardofthebearand summonedAudun.KingharaldoffereddoublewhatAudunpaidforitbutAudunstill refusedtosellit.KingHaraldthenaskedwhatAudunplannedondoingwithit.Audun repliedthatheplannedtogiveittoKingSvein,whowasarivalofKingHarald“Are yousoignorantthatyouhavenotheardabouttheenmitybetweenourcountries?” Surprisingly,KingHaraldlethimgoeventhoughhecouldhavekilledorimprisonedhim fordealingwiththeenemy.SooffAudunwenttoKingSveininDenmark.Sveinaccepts thebearandisveryimpressedwithAudun’sloyalty.Auduntellsthekingthathewants tomakeapilgrimagetoRome,andSveinisimpressedwiththisnoblecausesohegives himatonofsilveraswellastravelarrangementsforAudun’sjourney.Auduneventually returnedfromRome,andKingSveinwantedtomakehimhiscupbearerandhonorhim highly.Instead,AudunsaidhewantstosailtoIcelandbecausehismotherneedsherhelp (she’soutofmoney).OnceagainSveinisimpressedbyAudun’snoblecauseandgives Audunashiptomakethevoyage.“Iwanttogiveyouthisshipasrepaymentforthe bear.”However,SveinwantsAuduntohaveproofofhisgenerosityingivingSveinthe bear,soSveingiveshimapouchfullofsilver“justincaseyougetshipwreckedyoustill haveproofthatyoumetKingSveinandgivenhimatreasure.”Lastly,Sveingavehima veryvaluableringoffofhisarm,onceagainsayingthat“itwillstillbeevidentthatyou havemetKingSvein.”Atdeparture,Sveinsays(important):“Iwouldadviseyouthough nottogivethearmringawayunlessyoufeelyoumustrepayaverygreatfavourdone youbyanobleman.Thengivethatmanthearmring,foritwouldbefitmenofhigh standingtoacceptit.Nowfarewell!”SoSveinsailsbacktoNorwaytomeetKingHarald. Whentheymeet,Audunsays,“KingSveintoldmenottogiveit(thearmring)toanyone unlessIfeelobligedtorepayanoblemansodearlythatIwouldbewillingtopartwithit. AndIhavenowfoundthatman,foryouhadthepowertodeprivemeofboththebear andmylife,yetyouletmetravelinpeacetoaplacewhereotherscouldnotgo.”King HaraldthenacceptedtheringandgaveAudunmanyfinegiftsinreturnbeforethey parted. Keypoints: Emphasisonthepolarbearasaveryspecialgift ● Reciprocity. ●

SummaryofExcerptfromAdamofBremenandExcerptsfromOddr Snorrason AdamofBremen AdamwasaschoolmasteratthecathedralofNorthBremen.Afterthedeathof kingErictheVictorious(manybelievethatAdamproclaimedthatEricruledDenmark forcingkingSveinintoexile),KingSveinreturnedfromExileandmarriedhiswidow ●

(ThemotherofOlaf)andborehimCanute. TheSagaofOlafTryggvason ThissagawaswrittendownbyOddrSnorrasonins...