Viking Fighting Moves from the Sagas: 2

A speculative reconstruction of one-on-one Viking combat based on fighting moves described in the Sagas of Icelanders, including:
--- hanging a sword from the wrist while using a spear: Egils saga, ch. 58
Egill var þar fyrir í runninum en engi björn og er hann sá hvar Berg-Önundur var þá brá hann sverðinu en þar var hönk á meðalkaflanum og dró hann hana á hönd sér og lét þar hanga. Hann tók í hönd sér kesjuna og rann þá fram í mót Berg-Önundi.
But it was Egill and not a bear that was hiding in the bushes, and when he saw Berg-Önundur, he drew his sword. There was a loop on the hilt which he drew over his hand to let the sword hang there. He took his spear in his hand and rushed towards Berg-Önundur.
---fighting with a spear in one hand and a sword in the other: Brennu-Njáls saga, ch. 146
Hann hafði spjót í annarri hendi en í annarri sverð en engan skjöld.
He had a spear in one hand and a sword in the other, but no shield.
--- jumping over an incoming spear thrust to deliver an attack: Eyrbyggja saga, ch. 45
En er þetta var tíðinda þá lagði Freysteinn bófi til Steinþórs og stefndi á hann miðjan. En er hann sá það þá hljóp hann í loft upp og kom lagið milli fóta honum... Eftir þetta hjó hann til Freysteins með sverðinu og kom á hálsinn og brast við hátt.
Freysteinn bófi lunged at Steinþórr aiming for his middle. But when he saw this, Steinþórr leapt into the air and the spear passed between his legs... After that, he struck at Freysteinn with his sword, and the blow landed on his neck and made a loud noise.

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Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Viking
• combat
• saga
• Sagas of Icelanders
• fight
• sword
• shield
• axe
• spear
• sax
• historical martial arts
• HEMA
• Hurstwic
• Higgins Armory Sword Guild