Vikings Impact on Dark Age Scotland - Essay Example

Vikings were one of the most powerful nations during the early ages. They had the most- barbarian but also positive influential effect in Europe. TheDark Ages in Scotland are known as a period spanning from the fifth to the late eleventh century, occurring immediately after the fall of the Roman Empire. The time period is characterized as dark because of its chaotic nature of warfare and division. The Vikings are historically known as a group of Scandinavian origin, primarily comprised of Norsemen, notorious for invading and waging wars during the Dark Age period with the natives of nearby lands, mainly the British Isles, or what is at present Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Even though well documented sources for this time period are lacking and a lot of the available information is believed to have a mythical and folktale nature, nevertheless, the Vikings were present and have managed to leave their mark on Scotland during this historical period. Also- called the era of the Dark Ages in Europe Vikings were often called Scandinavian warriors or Norse, due to their primary origins. The Vikings nation was known with its polygamy meaning that men had more than one wife (Flow of History, 2007). Thus plenty of children were born and soon enough the nation had to expand. The younger ones were determined to find new lands, in far better and warmer places. Adventure was in their blood. Soon Northern Europe had plenty of Vikings in their lands (Flow of History, 2007). In the early ninth century Vikings occupied, Italy, France and England, later on even Byzantium, they were so brave to travel that even reached North America. Having the best sailing ships, fearless Vikings soon invaded many lands. A remarkable body of Scottish Gaelic oral tradition has survived into the twentieth century, some part of which relates to the Vikings and other Norse themes. Its content cannot, however, be taken at face value as a straightforward form of historical sources material. For instances, the heroic ballads and legends containing a ‘Viking’ element are set within a marvelous and magical world. (Graham-Campbell & Batey 2005, p. 46) In the late 8th century huge ships arrived at the coast of North Britain and Scotland. Viking warriors were said to raid and plunder what is now Edinburgh in the 793 AD (Barett, 2003). Many of the associations with the Vikings include terror and savage. Many preserved paintings from this period depict Vikings and their horrible invasions and attacks which still carry a significant connotation even in modern Scottish perceptions (Barett, 2003). However, these Scandinavian people had much enduring impact on Scotland and England as a whole. Baldwin (1985) describes them as ambitious for power and longing to find land where to settle trade and dominate around. During the time of their first invasions in England the Viking world was stretching from Newfoundland to the Middle East (Barett, 2003). Baldwin (1985) remarked that even thought they were referred to as cruel warriors, they also were excellent farmers, traders and skilled craftsmen. Ambrosiani (1992) is one of the scholars that extensively researched the evidence left by the Vikings, historical, linguistic or archeological and concluded that it varies and it is limited. Many approaches to the fundamental questions concerning the influence of the Vikings in Scotland have been taken. Ambrosiani (1992) says that if we want to fully understand the impact of the Vikings in Dark Aged Scotland, scholars have to profoundly observe and analyze the data. Townend (2002) is preoccupied with the question how the Viking activity in the 8th and 9th century transformed the written sources and how good written records appear in the 12th century to be unrealistic to some of the events at that time. The impact of the Viking Christian Church is claimed to be damaging, however in order to this assumption to be researched there should be more studies carried out about the social and political effects of Viking Scotland (Foot, 1991). The earlier raids of the Viking seem to be for the purpose of plunder only. Around the middle of the 9th century the attacks became more selective and involved greater tactic and strategy, pursuing military and political goals (Foot, 1991). During the Dark ages there was a lack of naval opposition by sea and land which made travelling for the Vikings far easier, and far less complicated. That factor contributed greatly to the creation of international trading opportunities. Slowly but securely the Vikings reached Scotland. Their impact over the country had a tremendous effect. Almgren et al (1999) described how extensive excavations were made during the late 1940s. Blindheim in particular took part in excavations that were taking place in 1947 and published her material as part of Almgren et al. (1999) study book. Blindheim concentrated on pottery, coins and objects made of iron. She linked her discoveries directly with trade, gift exchange and political alliances that the Viking imposed on the Scottish regions. The patterns that Blindheim describes are visible from the late 7th century and perceivers through the next 2-3 centuries. Furthermore Ambrosiani (1992) uncovered over 1000 Viking Age artefacts in the North Sea regions and Ireland. The evidence obtained shows that the Viking were good glass bead makers and they left a considerable influence over the North parts of the British Islands. Scotland was a newly established by two main tribes country. Those were the “Picts-(who had fought successfully against the Romans) and the Scots who has come to this area from Ireland – (UK Student Life 2002-2009). The country was divided on four parts and ruled by three different Masters. Vikings invaded Scotland easily because the country was a chaos itself. At first Viking tribes settled in narrow coast lines of the country. Mainly: the west the south west and later on the north. The city of “Orkney-Viking Scotland” was well inhabited by the Vikings There Vikings were hiding or resting after a battle for land or potential invasion. Orkney was the first Scottish city where one could notice a change in the genetic population. A mixture of Vikings and Scottish blood created a new population - the Celtics (Barett, 2003). Only in two centuries Scotland was filled with them. Along with the invasion, the mass murder and the barbarian activities, the Vikings brought plenty of useful and helpful information. According to Barett (2003) there are four factors that attributed to the Viking influence in Scotland from 8th century onward – the political power, the economic power, the ideological power and the military power. The political power can be felt with the establishment of the Norse Elite and perhaps notably with the institutions of Earldom of Orkney. In the 11th century Irish Annals tells us that the Earldom of Orkney was seen as recognizable circle. Thus, with important marriage alliance the Norse Elite was able to spread its influence over Scotland (Barett, 2003). The Vikings were considerable economic power too, exporting silver and gold, which was primarily associated with their plunders. Their severe raids secured a powerful economy too. Moreover, they exported fish, cattle, milk and butter. The strength of their ideological power was hidden in the unification of Earldom under single Christian Earls in the 10th century. So, Christianity played significant role in Viking influence over Scottish regions (Barett, 2003). The Earldom helped the Viking to create notable armies which were able to unite in military forces and to exercise control. It was the Vikings that gave literacy to Scottish people. They brought the “Gaelic-Viking Scotland” language and showed Scottish how to speak. Vikings also played a great role in Scottish economy and agriculture. They were very good at cattle husbandry- they mainly used the animals for milk and butter. In two centuries Scotland was one of the most developed agricultural countries in Europe. Vikings brought to Scotland new forms of Art, landscaping and movement (Ambrosiani, 1992). The new shapes and styles quickly intrigued and inspired the local population. Soon many artists and craftsman began to create, what they learned. Scotland had its economic boom in between 10th and 12th century thanks to the Vikings again. They sold a lot of fish and grains on the market and had a tremendous financial growth. Vikings hated Christianity and the churches. In a matter of fact every time they invaded a new land they would attack the churches which were the wealthiest and the most powerful of all. Vikings liked Bishops, and many bishoprics were established in Scotland during the Dark ages. Much has been written about the existence and conquests of the Vikings during the Dark Age period. Many critics believe that some, most or all of the supporting evidence of their historical existence is primarily fiction due to the legend-like nature of the recordings of the events at that time. Therefore, a lot of the existing literature is questioned in terms of its validity and authenticity. Poetic tales or not, ‘for some thirty years from the attack on Iona in 795 there are numerous references in the Irish annals to Viking raids both against the islands and against the mainland of Scotland’ (Blair 2003, p. 65). All of the references of the Vikings are of a descriptive nature, writings of witnesses during this time period. Some are quite poetic and written in prose, describing adventures and tales of quests full of wonder and illusion and are therefore believed to be quite exaggerated and blown-up in their scope and glory. A remarkable body of Scottish Gaelic oral tradition has survived into the twentieth century, some part of which relates to the Vikings and other Norse themes. Its content cannot, however, be taken at face value as a straightforward form of historical sources material. For instances, the heroic ballads and legends containing a ‘Viking’ element are set within a marvelous and magical world. (Graham-Campbell & Batey 2005, p. 46) Therefore, how far the truth is stretched remains quite unknown. Furthermore, the dates of these records also vary greatly. They lack precision and coherence because of the vague estimation of time that fosters discrepancies ranging in the decades. There is a strong possibility that a lot of the Viking attacks have not been documented. However, it is the dominant theme of fear that they managed to instill in people during these invasions that has been mostly covered in a lot of literary works. Still, the Vikings and their presence in Scotland during the ninth, tenth and eleventh centuries cannot be ousted altogether and deserves to be considered and studied in greater detail. Given the lack of written records, scholars must depend mainly on archaeology, but archaeology cannot give dates as refined as decades, unless one is lucky with dendrochronology or writing in the form of coin hoards. One may fall back on toponomy, but toponomy is a surly, inarticulate and ambiguous witness, even in the hands of the best counsel. Add to this the difficult Scottish written sources for the ninth century and chronology becomes very difficult. (Ó Corráin 1998, p. 26) The period of the Viking raids is considered to be a really dynamic time in history. Their presence in Scotland during the Dark Ages is relatively constant and as a result, quite significant. The first Viking invasion of Scotland dates 793 AD in Lindisfarne. According to Graham-Campbell & Batey (2005, p. 1). The Viking period has traditionally been considered to begin with the fist Scandinavian raids in the West, as recorded in contemporary written sources, given that the word Viking is not a Scandinavian ethnic label, but is descriptive of what they did. The Vikings were pirates. The fist western raid to be well documented took places on the Northumbrian island monastery of Lindisfarne in AD793, although there is some evidence for piratical activity beginning slightly earlier in the English Channel. Within a few years, many such offensives were carried out at other religious institutions, namely monasteries and churches. It was not on account of the anti-religious sentiment of the Vikings that guided their attacks but the fact that the churches and monasteries were easy targets as a result of their vulnerability and lagging defense mechanisms. As well, these religious places of worship were abundant in wealth and valuable goods. As per the records, the Vikings have invaded Scotland on numerous occasions. This was by and large due to the close proximity, easy waterfront accessibility, climate and overall physical environmental Norway shared with the British Isles. Furthermore, as stated by Smyth (2005, p.144) ‘by the close of the eight century the Vikings had perfected a primitive ship technology and weaponry which ensured their military superiority over their Scottish and English neighbours on the other side of the North Sea, and which made it possible for them to cross that sea with ease.’ It is believed that over the five centuries, the Vikings had a presence in Shetland, Sutherland, Western Isles, Galloway, Caitness, Orkney. ‘The archaeological evidence is very slight compared with the corresponding evidence for the Anglo-Saxon invasions. It consists mainly of objects recovered from Viking burials in Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles, Man, Ireland and the north-western counties of England’ (Blair 2003, p. 64). According to Ó Corráin (1998, p. 1) Viking Scotland at this time period was also known as Lothlend, Laithlinn, Lochlainn and covered the northern and western isles and parts of the mainland. Since the Vikings were rural dwellers, farming conditions in Scotland were very similar to those in their Nordic home. During this historical period, many people from Scandinavia relocated to settle in Scotland and the surrounding territories of the British Isles, where the Vikings had already consolidated their well-established presence. ‘In the north and west of Scotland, a generation of raiding was followed by settlement’ (Graham-Campbell 2001, p. 26). The Viking settlers mixed easily with the Celts fostering a stable coexistence. They occupied the most fruitful lands characterized by rich and fertile soil. This helped to further strengthen their economic might as tradesmen. Part of the established coexistence included intermarriages and interbreeding. During this period, the Vikings exerted great influence on the lands they occupied. They were able to pass on a lot of their skills and knowledge to the local inhabitants, in terms of craftsmanship, the art of warfare, shipbuilding, language and literature, farming and agriculture. As written by Edwards (2004, p.192) ‘The impact of the Vikings on native technology should also be mentioned. As far as the archaeological evidence is concerned this is most clearly demonstrated in the sophistication of Viking smithing, especially in the manufacture of weapons. However, the Vikings also passed on their skills in boat building and navigation to the native population’. The Vikings excelled in shipbuilding and woodworking. Their well-deserved reputation has been illustrated in various carvings, artwork and writings. Graham-Campbell (2001, p.40) confirms this claim when he states the following: Ships and impressions of ships in other burial mounds in Scandinavia and Britain have provided some of this additional information. Sagas, sea laws, poetry and travelers’ tales (such as those recounted to King Alfred) have also helped to fill out the picture, as has the evidence from woodcarvings, stone engravings and the eleventh-century Bayeux Tapestry. Blair (2003, p. 55) also argues that ‘it should not be forgotten that the Vikings, whose very name is synonymous with piracy, themselves introduced the word ‘law’ into the English language.’ These examples proceed to show the impact, which is to a great extent positive, that the Vikings had on the region. Townend (2002) claims that linguistically, the inscriptions in many of Scottish settlements speak of the Norway, rather than Denmark or Sweden connections. However, this is clearly suggested already by Ambrosiani (1992) who outlines that on the bases of runic materials there are few influential directions in the indigenous languages in Scotland. Great deal of the inscriptions’ origin is from Scandinavia, which established itself as the dominant tongue at that time. Inevitably, there are interactions with Gaelic and other languages, however, the runic collected evidence offers scarce information (Townend, 2000). An indisputable evidence of the interaction between the cultures is the erection of crosses instead of stones. In the regions where Norse settlers were residing together with people from Gaelic culture the practices of raising crosses have merged with the Scandinavian traditions of building commemorative stones (Townend, 2002). A rather disappointing fact is that it is impossible to determine by the runic inscriptions how long forms of Scandinavian language lasted in Scotland. Townend (2002) gives examples with Shetland, Orkney and North-eastern Caithness, where runic writing survived for a considerable period of time. Other evidence of inscriptions do not offer enough details about the language development. In general, the Scandinavian runic inscriptions found throughout Scotland support the concept that Viking settlements exited and influenced the lifestyle and traditions. Viking involvement in the area is notable, and adds to the Scandinavian cultural transplant transmitted in the Scottish areas. The Vikings, notorious for their barbaric, violent and ruthless tactics were able to spread their power and influence over four continents: Europe, Africa, Asia and America. ‘No one who has considered the evidence can well deny that the Viking attack on Britain was accompanied by great violence and widespread destruction, yet evidence for such a judgment comes largely from the people who suffered most’ (Blair, 2003, p. 55). However, by 1000AD, the Vikings supremacy over Scotland began do diminish as they proceeded to lose battles to the Scots. The last ever Viking struggle in was in 1014 at the Battle of Clontarf. The Viking era was one of the most barbarian eras in our history. But they were not so bad they contributed good things to the lands they conquered. They were fast, fearless, good traders and warriors but all in all they were the greatest humans for their times. The Dark Age period in Scotland is one that bears great historical weight as a remarkable period of conflict and warfare. During this historical time period, the Vikings have managed to leave their mark not only on Scotland and the European continent but in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Numerous accounts of raids have been widely documented on account of the wide appeal and unique nature of this Scandinavian group of warriors. Many writings describe in great detail of tales of these conquests and settlements. There is frequent discrepancy of time periods where there are gaps in time unaccounted for and significant dates that vary from one source to another. Nevertheless, if a wide range of literature is examined, a prominent pattern begins to stand out, highlighting the essence of the Vikings existence, their activities and overall character. A large variety of information channels provide undisputable evidence that the Vikings had a great degree of influence over their occupied territories in terms of cultural, religious, linguistic and technical nature. References Almgren, Bertil, Blindheim, C, et al, 1999. The Viking. Senate Publishing, Twickenham. Ambrosiani, 1992-2001. Excavations in the black earth, Birka Studies. Stockholm Baldwin, J.R. and Whyte I.D. 1985. The Scandinavians in Cumbria . Edinburgh. Barett, J.H., 2003. Contact, continuity and collapse. The Norse Colonization of the north Atlantic. Turnhout. Blair, PH 2003, An introduction to Anglo-Saxon England, 3rd edn, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Edwards, N 2004, The archaeology of early medieval Ireland, 4th edn, Routledge, UK. Foot, S. 1991. ‘Violence against Christians? The Vikings and the Church in Ninth Century England’, Medieval History 1, pp. 316 Graham-Campbell, J 2001, The Viking world, 3rd edn, Frances Lincoln Publishers Limited, London, UK. Graham-Campbell, J & Batey, CE 2005, Vikings in Scotland: an archaeological survey, 4th edn, Edinburgh University Press, UK. Ó Corráin, D 1998, ‘Vikings in Ireland and Scotland in the ninth century’, Peritia 12, p.p. 296-339. Retrieved from: http://celt.ucc.ie/Vikings in Scotland and Ireland.pdf Smyth, AP 2005, Warlords and holy men: Scotland AD 80-1000, 6th edn, Edinburgh University Press, UK. The Flow Of History-A Dynamic and Graphic Approach to Teaching History,2007-Chirs Buttler,FC42 Viking and their impact (C.800-1000CE). Available at: http://www.flowofhistory.com/units/birth/5/FC42 [Accessed on 09.December.2009]. Townend, M. 2002. Language and History in Viking Age England. Linguistic Relations Between Speakers of Old Norse and Old English. Brepols Publishers UK Student Life, 2002-2009. The Dark Ages (409-1066). Available at: http://www.ukstudentlife.com/Britain/History/Early.htm [Accessed on 09.December.2009]. Welcome to My Scotland, Tour Scotland, 2007. Viking Scotland Available at: http://www.fife.50megs.com/vikings.htm [Accessed on 09.December.2009]. Read More