The Viking Age: A Reader

Russell Andrew McDonald, Angus A. Somerville

University of Toronto Press, Jan 1, 2010 - History - 503 pages

The diversity of the Viking world is illuminated in more than 100 readings contained in this primary source reader. The Norse translations, many of them new, are straightforward and easily accessible for students. The introductions contextualize the readings while allowing the sources to speak for themselves. All unfamiliar terms are explained unobtrusively in the body of the text. Thirteen black-and-white illustrations and one map provide visual context.

Contents

• the sCandinavian hoMelands: 1
• sCandinavian soCietY: 17
• a gliMPse of ninthCentuRY: 41
• eaRlY Religion and Belief: 75
• 11: 92
• 14: 98
• King harald gormsson and the landspirits: 104
• the living dead: 114
• woMen in the viKing age: 125
• divorces from the sagas: 149
• viKing waRRioRs and theiR: 159
• weapons: 170
• fjoRdseRPents viKing shiPs: 193
• King olaf tryggvason Builds the Long Serpent: 194
• harald sigurdarsons splendid ship: 195
• King sverrirs Mariasud: 197
• the great ships of King hakon iv: 198
• animal heads on the Prows of ships: 201
• seaBattles in the sagas: 202
• b olaf tryggvason at the Battle of svold: 204
• c Rognvald and thorfinn the Mighty fight it out in the orkneys: 214
• d earl Rognvald Kali in the Mediterranean: 217
• e the Battle offimreite norafjord 1184: 221
• sudden and unfoReseen attaCKs of noRthMen: 227
• on the Causes of the viking expansion: 228
• viking Raids on england 7898501: 230
• alcuins letter to King athelred 793: 232
• an english gospel Book Ransomed from the vikings: 235
• the Martyrdom of Blathmac 825: 240
• irish Resistance to the norsemen: 242
• franks and vikings 800829: 245
• the northmen in france 843865: 252
• the annals of stvast 882886: 262
• an account of the siege of Paris 885886: 267
• vikings in the iberian Peninsula: 269
• a ibn alKutia: 270
• b ibn adhari: 271
• the heathens staYed fRoM Raiding to settleMent: 273
• viking activities in england 851900: 274
• the vikings in ireland 845917: 282
• Ketil flatnose and his descendants in the hebrides: 290
• earl sigurd and the establishment of the earldom of orkney: 291
• Runic inscriptions from Maes howe Mainland orkney: 293
• Runic inscriptions from the isle of Man: 294
• Rollo obtains normandy from the King of the franks: 295
• austRveg the viKing Road to: 301
• 61: 309
• 62: 316
• 65: 325
• sailing directions and distances in the north atlantic: 331
• skallagrims landtake in iceland: 343
• adam of Bremen on vinland: 349
• thorfinn Karlsefni in vinland: 355
• fRoM odin to ChRist: 397
• the Conversion of the danes under harald Bluetooth: 398
• olaf tryggvason and the Conversion of norway: 400
• a Poet abandons the old gods: 408
• the Christianization of norway under saint olaf: 409
• the Conversion of the icelanders: 417
• the Conversion of greenland: 419
• the Conversion of orkney: 420
• Christianity in sweden: 421
• Christianity and the Church in norway: 422
• the travels of King sigurd jerusalemfarer: 423
• stateBuilding at hoMe and aBRoad: 433
• harald finehair and the unification of norway: 434
• the jelling stone: 439
• unification and expansion: 441
• Knut the great and the north sea empire: 444
• the earldom of orkney at its zenith: 457
• the end of the viKing age: 463
• the Battle of Clontarf 1014: 464
• the Battle of stamford Bridge 1066: 471
• the decline of the earls of orkney: 479
• the Battle of largs 1263: 484
• advice from odin: 491
• souRCes: 495
• indeX of toPiCs: 499
• indeX of authoRs and souRCes: 502

About the author

R. ANDREW McDONALD is Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Fine Arts at the University College of Cape Breton.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Viking Age: A Reader; Volume 14 of Readings in medieval civilizations and cultures
• Editors: Russell Andrew McDonald, Angus A. Somerville
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press, 2010
• ISBN: 1442601485, 9781442601482
• Length: 503 pages
• Subjects: History / Europe / Medieval