Vikings is the general name for the sea robbers who have ravaged Europe for centuries. Interestingly, the Vikings themselves called themselves Noregs, Danes, but not Vikings. Since the hunt for the prey was called "go to the Vik", then the warriors were called the Vikings.
The first acquaintance of Europeans with northern warriors
In the summer of 789, the first historical meeting of the inhabitants of the kingdom of Wessex with the Vikings took place. The description of this meeting was recorded by local chroniclers. Three long drakkars landed on the English shores, from which light-haired and tall warriors came ashore, speaking a vaguely familiar but incomprehensible language. The newcomers were met by the ruler of the local lands, whose name was preserved in the chronicles. It was Tan Beokhtrik with his squad. There was a short conversation with the aliens, which ended with the Vikings grabbing their swords and axes and massacring the entire squad. After that, laughing, they loaded the trophy weapons and armor of the dead on their ships and sailed in an unknown direction.
Of course, given the harsh life of that era, there was nothing strange about this attack. Local residents were constantly at enmity with each other or with neighboring peoples. Why did the chroniclers capture this particular battle of the Vikings? Several unusual facts contributed to this:
- The Viking language was unfamiliar to the English warriors, so they could not understand who these warriors were;
- The appearance of the Vikings and their powerful physique astonished the British;
- Almost all of Europe had adopted Christianity by this time, and unknown soldiers prayed to their gods and shouted their names in battle.
This incident struck the British, although no one then could have thought that this was the beginning of the great expansion of the Vikings, which (judging by the historical documents of that era) lasted about three centuries.
Let's try to figure out who the Vikings are and where they came from.
Historical background that led to the appearance of the Vikings in Europe
People on the territory of Scandinavia appeared a long time ago, back in the 6th millennium BC. Even then, the ancestors of all ancient Germanic peoples began to populate the territories on which today's Sweden and Denmark are located.
After the fall of Rome, when the great migration of peoples began and all the barbarians began to accept Christianity, Scandinavia was left out of work, it was too far away. The stories about Christians reached the Vikings, if they did, then in a highly distorted form. The Viking gods were notable for their harsh disposition, so the rare missionaries who came to the territory of Scandinavia could only be surprised to see how the ancient Germanic gods reign supreme there. History has not preserved the names of those courageous preachers, but most likely they were simply taken into slavery.
It is still not clear to many why the Scandinavians suddenly decided to engage in massive robbery. If you read the historical chronicles of that era, the answer to this question suggests itself.
Around the 5th century AD, a global cooling began, which significantly reduced the amount of cultivated land, and in Scandinavia there were already few of them. These anomalies have reduced the population of Scandinavia by about 40 percent. Scientists came to a similar conclusion after studying many farms and other settlements of the ancient Scandinavians of that era.
The terrible cold lasted for about two centuries, after which the climate improved. History says that the dramatic rise in living standards is leading to a population explosion. The scanty nature of Scandinavia was not able to feed the sharply increased number of the population, especially since there were very few suitable lands in Norway.
Since there was no point in crushing the already small plots of land (all the same, the land will not be able to feed everyone), the issue of food shortages became acute. It is believed that this is what prompted the best warriors to look for opportunities to feed themselves in other ways.
Where did the ancient Scandinavians have such deep knowledge of shipping?
The Viking village could not feed all its inhabitants at the expense of agriculture. All Scandinavians were forced to become excellent fishermen. The best fishermen were the inhabitants of Norway, it was they who made a huge contribution to the formation of Viking shipping.
Since the inhabitants of Scandinavia were often at odds with each other, they often had skirmishes at sea. It was in such skirmishes that sailors learned how to fight perfectly, because already in the 4th century their boats could contain from 20 oarsmen, each of whom was a skillful warrior.
Since it was not profitable to rob each other (and what can you get from the same impoverished Scandinavian, except for the loss of the squad), the Vikings drew attention to their neighbors who prospered on their rich lands.
Viking village, first expeditions to England
Military campaigns of the Vikings began in their villages, where rich yarls gathered warriors for conquest campaigns. There is no historical document that would reveal the name of the person who made the first campaign to England, but one thing is clear - this campaign was reconnaissance. After the first successful campaign, others followed. The warriors who remained in the village, seeing what fabulous wealth the brave men had obtained, rushed to the next campaigns. One such trip could bring such wealth that an ordinary Scandinavian would not have earned in a lifetime.
English villages were full of defenseless peasants who, barely seeing the Viking's ax, rushed to flee and did not even think to resist. The troops of the English nobility did not have time to help the peasants, especially since the Viking raids were lightning fast.
Why European states were unable to resist the pagans of the north
A reasonable question arises why the European kings, hearing about the Vikings for the first time, could not really assess the scale of the threat. Even the Franks, who partially inherited the military secrets and developments of the Romans, possessing rather serious intelligence, could not resist the wild pagans.
Most likely, the Europeans simply initially reacted with disdain for the pagans, considering them a wild horde of barbarians who could easily be defeated by the troops of European states. The Vikings quickly proved that even the famous knightly cavalry of the Franks, which trampled any enemy into the ground, could not withstand the wall of shields of the harsh worshipers of the god Odin. The Europeans quickly developed respect for the Scandinavian fighting skills, and when they mastered the languages of the Franks and Angles (at the level of negotiation), they preferred to pay tribute to the Vikings.
The meaning of the word "viking" and the composition of the Scandinavian Hird
Scandinavian languages allow you to accurately translate the meaning of the word "viking". This word consists of two words:
- "Vik" - which means a bay or a bay;
- "Ing" - which most often meant the generic affiliation of a certain community of people.
The Viking squads consisted of:
- Younger sons who were left without a land plot;
- Poor Scandinavians who originally did not have land;
- Adventurers;
- Odin's warriors (who were all berserkers and ulfheadnars).
In addition, not only Scandinavians could have been part of the Hird (Viking squad). Any adventurer who knew how to fight could count on a place in the squad. After several joint battles, if the new member of the team did not die and showed himself to be a skillful warrior, he was solemnly accepted into the hird - a real brotherhood of warriors.
Viking moral principles
Despite the fact that most of the Vikings were Scandinavians, they did not hesitate to attack not only other peoples, but also each other. The Viking sagas (often based on historical truth) are full of descriptions of such battles. Most often, the attacks of the Vikings on their compatriots were explained by the following reasons:
- The return of the squad from a successful campaign could provoke an attack by less successful fellow craftsmen. We can recall more than one story, when several ships united and captured the squad weakened after a successful campaign;
- Inexperienced Vikings could attack a neighboring village while most of the combat-ready men sailed away on the campaign. These actions helped to better equip their squad and gave the newcomers combat experience;
- Blood feud could often be the reason for the attack.
Often, even with joint attacks, the hird could fight when dividing the spoils, if the leader of one of the squads felt that he had been deceived. It was better for a Viking to die than to endure such injustice.
Vikings - the first ever Marine Corps
It is the Vikings who can be considered the inventors of the tactics of the marines, which have survived practically unchanged to this day. The basis of a successful attack was a lightning attack and an equally fast retreat. The greedy and slow-moving Vikings, who plundered before the arrival of the royal troops, suffered heavy losses in skirmishes, gaining invaluable experience in warfare.
Although after the 10th century the Vikings became famous as discoverers of new lands, traders and mercenaries at the court of the Byzantine emperor, until the 10th century they were exclusively engaged in robberies, from which all inhabitants of the European coast trembled in fear. Since the drakkars walked well along the rivers, the Vikings easily penetrated inland, robbing the local population.
Viking names
The names of the Vikings may seem ridiculous to modern man. Many scientific works have been written about Scandinavian names. In addition to the names given at birth, each Viking had a nickname. The nickname was given based on any personal qualities of a warrior (for example, One-Eyed or Redhead) or in honor of any event in the life of this warrior (for example, Leaky Ass or Strangler). It is also interesting that some funny nicknames could even be worn by the famous yarls and kings, because it was given for life.
The names themselves most often denoted an animal or contained part of the name of a god. The Viking legend Rognar (Warrior of the Gods) was nicknamed "Hairy Pants" because he always wore fur pants with fur outside.
Viking kings and their gods
The king of the Vikings was the king. In his absence, the functions of the king could be performed by any noble jarl. It is noteworthy that the Viking king did not have any unlimited power and could be called to a duel by any free Scandinavian (although he did not have to fight himself, he could put up a professional fighter instead). The final of the duel was considered the will of the gods, and the warrior who defeated the jarl himself took his place.
The supreme god of the Vikings was Odin. Although every Scandinavian knew the gods of his pantheon thoroughly, the Vikings revered Odin and Thor most of all.
Initially, the main weapon of the Vikings was the ax, as it was the cheapest. Experienced warriors in battles acquired swords, although they did not let go of the ax. The standard set of weapons for an experienced Viking looked like this:
- The spear, which was the constant companion of the battle ax;
- The Viking sword was a standard Carolingian sword, although there were options with one-sided sharpening. The sword was owned only by experienced warriors who were able to take it in battle, or wealthy Vikings who could buy such a weapon for their own money from blacksmiths or more successful Hird friends;
- Ax of the Vikings. The ax is legendary as the main weapon of the Vikings. Axes were both one-handed, to work in tandem with a shield, and heavy "bearded" two-handed axes.
How the Icelanders appeared
After the king of Norway began to baptize all his subjects, many pagans had to flee to new lands. The discovery of Iceland in 861 came in handy. Between 872 and 930, up to 30,000 Norwegians migrated to Iceland. This island was able to preserve the traditional Viking faith to this day.
The Vikings were the best warriors of their time. Many rulers of distant lands hired Viking mobs to defend their lands from enemies. Although the mercenary army of elite fighters was expensive, they were excellent at protecting their employers.
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I am fond of martial arts with weapons, historical fencing. I am writing about weapons and military equipment because it is interesting and familiar to me. I often learn a lot of new things and want to share these facts with people who are not indifferent to military topics.
The role in the history of Russia of the Vikings - Scandinavian warriors and sailors - is not entirely clear. Some historians believe that the Vikings were the direct ancestors of the Russians, others that Ancient Rus had close contacts with the Scandinavian peoples. One way or another, they have had a certain impact on our culture, including giving us names, the true origin of which we sometimes do not even know.
How did Scandinavian names appear in Russia?
The inhabitants of Ancient Russia adopted the naming tradition from the Scandinavians, according to which one person could have several names or even nicknames. They could be associated with his family, some features of his appearance, character, biography. After the adoption of Christianity by Russia at baptism, they began to give names according to the calendar. So, the Russian prince Mstislav, who lived in the XIII century, in addition to the Slavic name, also had the Orthodox name Theodore, and he was also called Harald by his mother's birth.
Of course, if a person had a Scandinavian name or nickname, this did not mean that he was necessarily a descendant of the Vikings. Such names came to Russia from soldiers and merchants who traveled along the Greek route. In the sagas about heroes, the names of their ancestors were necessarily mentioned. This is how the tradition of using patronymics arose in Russia. True, at first this concerned only people of noble birth.
Varangian names of princes
The first Russian princes, according to The Tale of Bygone Years, were of Varangian origin and bore the names Rurik, Oleg, Igor, Olga. However, apart from Rurik, the rest of the names mentioned are only a blamed version set forth in the annals. In fact, these princes were called in a Scandinavian way, and by blood they were Scandinavians. For example, the real name of the same Prophetic Oleg, prince of Novgorod, Kiev and Smolensk, was Helgu, which translates as "Enlightened" or "Saint". The Kiev prince Igor Rurikovich was actually called Ingvar or Ingor - after the second name of the Scandinavian god Fairy - "Yngvi". And his wife, Princess Olga, bore a name pronounced as Elga or Helgu (the name Helga is closer to the Russian ear). The name of their son Svyatoslav Igorevich was Svendisleif, which means "a warrior who was born and raised among the Slavs."
Prince Vladimir, the Baptist of Rus, was most likely the first of the Rurikovichs who began to bear the Slavic name, meaning "who owns the world." And then there is a hypothesis according to which the name Vladimir is just a variation of the Scandinavian name Valdemar. Perhaps it was Vladimir, the son of the concubine of Prince Svyatoslav, the housekeeper of Malusha, who became the first of the princes of the Rurik clan to speak Slavic, and the first to have Slavic blood in his veins.
Modern names
What names today indicate their origin from the Vikings, in addition to the already mentioned princely ones, which are quite common in Russia? Well, for example, this is the name Gleb, which comes from the Old Scandinavian name meaning "heir to God." After the canonization of Prince Gleb Vladimirovich, it entered the Orthodox namebook.
The name Inga ("winter", as well as one of the names of the goddess Freya) is often encountered. Probably, the even more common name Inna originated from him.
There are names of Scandinavian origin, which, in fact, are not Russian, but nevertheless, they can be found in Russia. For example, Eric or Erich (in the original - Eirik), which means in Scandinavian "very powerful and strong." Accordingly, the female version is Erica. Erna is "skillful". Kara is "curly". In Russia, a variant of the name is also common - Karina. Frida is "lovely, beloved." Nora comes from Norn (as the Scandinavians called the goddess of fate). The Slavic name Rogneda (that was the name of one of the wives of Prince Vladimir, the daughter of the Polotsk prince Rogvolod) is actually a Slavic variation of the Scandinavian name Ragned, meaning "honor of the gods." True, in our time, girls are rarely called that.
It should also not be forgotten that many Russian names have common European roots, and it is not always possible to say with absolute certainty that this is the heritage of a particular nation.
The Scandinavians are a harsh and warlike people, accustomed to the difficulties of life in a difficult climate and the constant struggle for existence. The Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians, who are natives of those rich forests and animals, but cold lands, are still considered to be extremely purposeful people, strong and serious in approaching any business. And even naming their children, the northern tribes reflected what they saw around them and what was their favorite craft. Scandinavian names for boys can be roughly divided into three categories - nicknames for warriors, totems and indicative ones that speak about the character of their wearer.
What were the warriors called
The names of the men of those regions, which speak of the glorious military past, the present or even the future of their owners and their many ancestors, amaze with their diversity, brightness and beauty. They hear the invincible power of ancient warriors and the pride and reverence with which the northern peoples treat their craft. The most colorful and euphonious from the point of view of our perception include the following options:
- Asver and Asbrand- respectively Asovo army and Asov sword. Ases are the supreme gods of the Scandinavian peoples under the leadership of Odin. These men were considered excellent warriors, protected by powerful gods.
- Brand- Sword. Its owner simply has to be the pride of his kind, straightforward and crushing, like the sharpest sword of the strongest steel.
- Vegeir and Vebrand- Holy spear and Holy sword. These people chosen by the higher powers were considered noble and decisive warriors, favored by the deities of war.
- Gunnar- Battle sword. Gunnar was invincible in any battle, the king could be proud of such a warrior.
- Ingvar- The king's army. Often the Ingvars became the leaders of the royal armed forces or were simply talented military leaders.
- Sigwald- Power wins. Sigwald was entrusted with the priceless banner of his army, which he had to plant in the camp of the defeated enemy.
- Thorbrand- Torah sword. Thor was the god of thunder in Norse mythology, so Thorbrand was the personification of power and invincibility, and his blows in battle were like thunderclaps.
- Freivar- Freya's army. The goddess of love and war gave Freivar the strength and ability to keep the bright ideals of the family.
- Hyarmod- Sword-courage. It is not hard to guess that Hyarmod had the ability not to lose his composure in a merciless battle and not to lose strength.
Names-totems
Often, Scandinavian boys were called in tune with the names of certain animals, which, according to popular beliefs, rewarded future men with useful "animal" qualities. As a rule, these animals were considered sacred by the people and protected their wards from evil spirits and the encroachment of enemies:
- Björn- The bear was supposed to grow incredibly strong and subjugate those around him, like the supreme god Odin, whom he personified.
- Orme- The snake possessed flexibility in body and mind and possessed remarkable mental abilities.
- Swann- The swan was pure in soul and high in thoughts, like Freya, the goddess of fertility and love, which he personified.
- Ulv- The wolf was merciless to the enemy and was not subject to fear.
- Hawk- The hawk had the vigilance and speed of a bird of prey and always attacked the enemy unexpectedly. In addition, the Hawk personified the sun and its life-giving light.
- Hrut- The ram was indestructible, and nothing could turn him off the intended path.
- Egil- The owl should have grown up wise and perfectly navigate where others do not see the way.
The values
You can often find among the peoples of the Scandinavian peninsula names that, in exact or approximate translation, mean a certain character trait that, apparently, parents would like to see in their child:
- Alrik the Almighty or Almod the Almighty, whose father and mother probably wished their sons to achieve fabulous heights.
- Aud-Rich, which should sooner or later become the owner of significant capital.
- Bolly the Angry, as a rule, was born into a poor family, where it was believed that excessive kindness and modesty would not allow the boy to break out into people.
- Bruni-Strong was a common name in ancient Scandinavia, because one of the main crafts of the local inhabitants was military affairs, in which the fortress did not interfere with anyone.
- Wagni-Calm they often named children who, in infancy, gave their parents a lot of trouble, and at least in this way they wanted to calm down the noisy child.
- Goody-Good appeared in friendly and gentle families, such boys were often distinguished by their modesty and kindness.
- Dyarvi the Brave and Modi the Brave in the harsh northern world, they were not afraid of practically anything and anyone, which should have helped them a lot in life.
- Magni-Strong could help the weak in trouble and was just a person capable of strong deeds.
Of course, the nickname given to the Scandinavian boy did not always mean that a person would grow out of him, fully meeting the expectations and aspirations of his parents. In addition, it could easily change as a person grows up, depending on the qualities, abilities and inclinations displayed by him, and as a result, it was very different from what he was called in infancy. Often the names were compound and combined the nicknames of the parents or immediate family of the newborn Scandinavian.
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Books
- Scandinavian myths and legends, For those who have heard the names of Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki and many others, our book will serve as a great help in replenishing knowledge about German-Scandinavian mythology. For those who are just starting ... Series: Entertaining Encyclopedia Publisher: Eksmo,
- Scandinavian myths and legends, For those who have heard the names of Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki and many others, our book will serve as a great help in replenishing knowledge about German-Scandinavian mythology. For those who are just starting ... Series:
Scandinavian male names sound mesmerizing. There is something in them that reminds of the military prowess of the ancient Vikings. They are associated with the harsh northern nature, and also with the legends and tales of the harsh people. Therefore, it is not surprising that these names began to be borrowed by the Scandinavian neighbors - the Danes, the Germans. The Varangians once ruled Russia. And their names - Igor, Oleg, Harold, Martin, Robert, Rudolph - adapted and took root in the Slavic environment. Of course, the penetration of Christianity into the Scandinavian Peninsula enriched the local onomasticon. Now the vast majority of names have biblical roots. However, the descendants of the Vikings sacredly honor their traditions and history rich in military exploits. That is why they often name boys with sonorous names of ancient heroes or characters of epics. Let's figure it out and see what they mean.
Names-totems
Oddly enough, but Scandinavian male names still bear a tangible imprint of pagan beliefs. At the dawn of the development of civilization, human tribes gave themselves under the protection of animals. Among the Scandinavians, these totems were a bear (Bjorn), a wolf (Olv or Ulv), and a boar (Yofurr). Also, although rare, there are names such as "Hedgehog" (Igull), "Fox" (Refr), "Reindeer" (Hrain), "Falcon" (Valr), "Hawk" (Haukr) and even "Chick seagulls "(Scari) or" Sparrow "(Spörr). But Bjorn is the most common. This is due to the fact that the name of the supreme god Odin was not assigned to people. But the boys were named after one of his incarnations - the bear. In addition to the female version of Byrne and Baer, Bjorn was part of numerous composite names. Suffice it to recall Guðbjörn, or "Divine Bear" - a direct reference to Odin.
To whom war is a mother
This proverb, like no one else, suits the Varangians. Hardened in numerous campaigns, this people of warlords have introduced rather strange Scandinavian male names into their onomasticon. Of course, other peoples also called the boys "winners." But the Scandinavians, in addition to numerous names that have a particle of "Zig" (Victoria) in them, also have such nicknames, which indicate with what weapon a person will get it. Ivar with a bow and arrow, Hildibrandr with a sword, Harðgeirr with a spear, Hlégunnr in a naval battle, Hildigunnr in a conning tower. There are also exotic names such as "Sentinel", "Army Commander" and even "Wishing for War" (Vígfúss). Surprisingly, girls are also often given the same cocky nicknames, for example, Hjordis - "Goddess of the sword". And it does not fit in my head at all how you can call your son Wigmarr ("Glorious War"). With the evangelization of the peninsula, the name Georg became very popular - in honor of another sword-bearer.
Nicknames
In many nations, at the early stages of civilizational development, a person was not given a permanent name. The baby was named according to his appearance or childish habits. These names include Njord (energetic), Sverr (restless), Ruben (son), Rasmus (beloved), Leddin (thick-haired). But later, when a person revealed some special qualities, he was given a nickname. The name given at birth was forgotten. This is how the wise Ragne, the wanderer Stig, the powerful leader Rikard, the famous ruler Roald and Herlif who grew up in battles, appeared in the Scandinavian Onomasticon. Such nicknames later turned into Scandinavian male names, and their meaning no longer played such a role. The origin of man also gave rise to its special designation. Of the ethnonym names, the following can be mentioned: Dan (Danish), Goet, Fleming (Fleming) and Finn. And Urban simply means "citizen".
Guarded by the ancient gods
The meek teaching of Christ was for a long time rejected by the warlike people. And even after baptism, people remained faithful to their pagan gods. For a long time, the names given by the priest were ignored. Children were given under the protection not of guardian angels, but of spirits (ases), elves and old deities. As an example, we can cite Asleifr (heir to the Ases), Alfwaldr (lord of the Alves), Thor (lord of the thunderstorm), Freyra (god of fertility) and other ancient Scandinavian names. Male nicknames, announcing the military prowess of the wearer, and totems alternated with references to the idol. But still, Christianity won. How? It's just that the Catholic Church canonized several ascetics from the Scandinavian Peninsula. Thus, they were included in the calendar, and the priests named babies in their honor.
Aristocratic Scandinavian names (male) and their meaning
But this was not the way it was with the kings and among the military nobles. The name of the son, according to Scandinavian customs, was given by the father. The choice was predetermined: the baby was to be named after his glorious male ancestor. In this tradition, echoes of ancient beliefs in the transmigration of the souls of the ancestors into the bearers of the scepter are visible. Therefore, the list of Scandinavian male ruler names is not that wide. So, from the eleventh to the twelfth century, 6 Magnus ("Great", "Majestic"), 4 Olafs ("Wolf") and 3 Sigurds ("Winner") visited the throne of Norway. And the kings called their illegitimate children by Christian names. This emphasized the son's lack of a chance to ascend the throne. According to tradition, the child could be named so that the elements of the names of the father and mother merged in his name. So, Steinbjorn and Thorgunnra could have given birth to Troshtein, Gunnbjorn or Gunntor.
Composite Scandinavian male names
They own the lion's share in the rich onomasticon. The so-called "northern dialect" (norrœnt mál) is short and capacious. It made it possible to merge two or even three words in one name. Composites were named in honor of totemic animals (for example, Hrossbjörn, a bear-horse, or Arnulfr, a wolf-eagle), and for the sake of the gods (Reginleif is the heir to the high council). Nicknames (Wise Wolf, Sacred Bear) were also connected. As for surnames, the Scandinavians did not have them until the beginning of the last century. They were replaced by patronymics. Johansson meant "son of Johan", but if such was named Andre, then the grandson already had the last name Andreson. Composite male names of Scandinavian origin also penetrated into Russia. There they were translated into Slavic languages. And now we have Bronislavov, Vladimirov and others.
