Swedish History, The Vendel era.

The Vendel era took place in Sweden from 550 to 793. It has been rich foundings which indicate that it was a Rich tribe living next to the River of Vendel, Which had strongly armoured Warriors with rich decoration on their armour. And the lords from that era were very rich, Probably because of their use of Mines.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Sweden
• Vendel
• era
• History
• Trading
• Warriors

[talitakoomi]

Anyone know where I might find a GOOD, professional documentary on the history of Scandinavia? English history has hundreds of choices, but try to learn the history of Sweden or Norway and all you get is Viking stuff! What about their general history, monarchy, foundation and all ot that? Surely SOMEONE has done a documentary on these countries! I don't care if there are english sub-titles, close enuf! I have Nordic blood in my veins and want to learn! thanx!

[joonte1010]

@talitakoomi Look at Coolthing100:s videos, He have made alot of Videos about Swedish history, Might be interesting for you :) And its not Viking videos xD

[GreedAndSelfishness]

@talitakoomi All you need to know is that swedes were liars.And snobs.Still are.

[joonte1010]

@GreedAndSelfishness Oh, I guess all the findings in Sweden just turned up mysteriously sometime during the 19th century or 20th century! How these findings are over a thousend years old in some places is still a mystery thou!..

[ArmaFennica]

THere you go.

You did not know about normal Viking freemen liking bright coloured clothes, did not study and look into matters, but instead went back into old knowledge, now obsolete and false.

(you do that a lot, and this is yet one more reason you clash with other people so often)

And I'd like to remind you that Viking sailors and warriors were common freemen, there was no warrior-caste and no profession as "warrior".

I never said that Finnic areas were Viking country..

[jagda09]

Sjukt dåliga färger på texten, kan inte läsa ett skit...

[ArmaFennica]

@tordengud

You provided lots of sources?

-Did you PM those?

In any case, I have litarature in Swedish, Norwigian and in Finnish about Vikings and their journeys, societies and lifestyle. Old and new books.

-I do know what you referr to, but see the context in which this topic was talked about.

Viking chiefs did not have the funds to uphold large body of soldiers, that is why house-Guards were always the small elite, backbone to any army the lord would muster.

[tordengud]

@ArmaFennica Well, it all depend on how you define the term "class". Historians, like the once i refered too, would disagree with you. As I said, the freeman made up the bulk (main part), while the houskarls were the core. Further more, i provided you with lots of sources regarding this subject. Actually, in Snorres Kongesaga, there is not a single example of the chieftain leaving his elite-men at home, while going on raids.

[ArmaFennica]

@tordengud

As I said, yes and no.

-Yes, there was a small core of soldiers. No, they did not form a class in the society and no, they were not nearly the only ones in the raids.

Naturally they would follow the lord, but also their duties dictated them to guard the home so that rival chieftain -a king- would not conquer that area while the lord was away.

-Ships were VERY expensive, only lords could upkeep them. But manpower was normal freemen of Viking society.

All in all, we agree.

[tordengud]

@ArmaFennica - this class did not go raiding by them self, but made up the core of a raiding party. Free farmers made up the bulk. To have a ship, large enough for raids, you had to be "someone" in the society.

[tordengud]

@ArmaFennica You had the "Huskarer", "Hirdmenn", "Gjester" osv. Huskarer was a lesser version of Hirdmenn, or a former one. They did indeed take part of raids, countless of sorces upon that, both in Icelandic sagas, Orkney saga, and in English and Irish sources them selfs. And why wouldnt a chieftains personal soldiers fallow him in raids? Its just dosent make seance at all.

Well, yes, the professional warriors with their chieftains made up a class, the "upper" class. However -

[ArmaFennica]

@tordengud

>I had to read our age old debate in order to present an answer. It's both yes and no.

-While you are right about the house-Guards, the only standing form of military... they did not partake the raids.

In addition, House-Guards were always a small group of soldiers, and they never formed a class in a society.

The debate was about Vikings having this entire class of society, conducting raids and pillaging.

[tordengud]

@ArmaFennica Actually now you are wrong. There was infact a profession as warrior. "Hird", "Huskar" and so on. This is well documented. Read a new book "Vikings in war" by Kim Hjardar (historian and lector at the uni of Oslo) and Vegard Vike (archeolog, museum in Oslo), or any other newer course letteratur on the subject.