Battle of Swold: Olaf – King of Norway

The Battle of Swold or “Svold,” is the most famous of the sea-fights of the ancient Norsemen. It took place on September 9th of 1000 CE. The place cannot be identified now because the formation of the Baltic Coast has changed in the course of subsequent centuries, partly by the gradual silting up of the sea, and partly by the storms of the 14th century. Swold was an island probably on the North German coast, near Rügen. The battle was fought between Olaf Tryggvason, and a coalition of his enemies, Eric Hakonson, his cousin and rival, Olaf the King of Sweden, and Sweyn Forkbeard the King of Denmark. The poets, and the poetically minded authors of the sagas, who are the only authorities, have told the story with many circumstances of romance. But when the picturesque details, which also have no doubt at least a foundation of truth, are taken at their true value, the account of the battle still presents a very trustworthy picture of the sea-fighting of the Norsemen. Read the rest of this entry »

Viking Age: Vinland medieval vikings

Vikings in North America: Vinland’s Medieval Vikings

In Old Norse, Vinland (or Vinlande)translates as "Wineland." The Norsemen visited Vinland, the eastern coast of North America, in the early 1000s. The Scandinavians were the first to reinvigorate marine navigation and geographical science in the Middle Ages. In the 6th and 7th centuries, the Irish ascetic monks were not interested in expanding geographical knowledge or colonization as they made their way to Iceland, Faroes, Orkneys, Shetlands, and the Hebrides. Read the rest of this entry »