.
Fighting at the south border of Denmark
800 - 1000
.
When Karl the Great defeated the Saxons,
the Danish king Gudfred became afraid of the dangerous new neighbor.
He blocked the peninsular of Jutland from Østersalt to Vestersø by
means of ramparts, above all the very long Dannevirke, raided with his
fleet in Frisland and threatened Emperor Karl to visit him in Achen,
but was murdered (810). Then peace was obtained at the border river
Ejder.
.
Dannevirke
.
In the time to follow quarrels came among two branches of the Danish
kings family. One of the fighting kings, Harald, came more often to
Ludvig den Fromme and received help from him, but he then also had to
convert to Christianity (826).
Together with Harald came Ansgar to Denmark.
In the years to come
Karolingerriget disappeared (843), and a special German land emerged,
but normally it was week until Henrik 1st became the leader. He again
started up the fight against the heathen neighbors, The Madjars, The
Slavers and The Danes.
In the southern part of Jutland ruled a Swedish
Viking king, Gnupa. Together with his Danish warriors he raided the
German coasts, but Henrik went to fight him, made him pay taxes and
forced him to convert to Christianity (934).
Two runic stones, which
were placed by Slien, shows though, that Gnupa was buried in the
heathen way.
Possibly he was defeated and killed in fight against
Gorm
the Old,
whose queen Tyre had Danevirke rebuild. Therefore she got the nickname
Danmarksbod ( The Jelling stone) or Danebod.
Otto the Great lived rather in peace with Denmark. But Harald Blaatand
(Bluetooth) used the death of The Emperor (973) for a raid. This was revenged the
following year by Otto 2nd, who crossed Danevirke after having sat the
wood in Danevirke on fire. When he died he led behind a chief together
with a bunch of warriors in the not inhabitant land between Ejder and
Danevirke, the so called Markgrevskab Slesvig. But few years later the
Danes took back the land stripe , and
Knud the Great obtained from
Emperor Konrad 2nd entirely respite of Markgrevskabet.
Denmark becomes Christened
The peaceful cooperation with the Germans, which some times stopped
the Viking raids in that direction, helped Christianity to proceed in The
Northern countries.
Until short before year 1000 the German influence
was the most important, at first because of the Nordic trade connections
with Dorestad in Frisland, then because of Germanys dominant political
power, and because the Nordic church was originally organized as a branch of the
German.
During the period of
Svend Tveskæg
(Svend Forkbeard) and Knud the Great in
Denmark and Olav Tryggvasons and Olav den Helliges ruling in Norway, the influence
of the English church then became of greatest meaning.
Ansgar
He was a Frenchman from Pieardiet, who had moved from his hometowns monastery Corbie to the from here founded New Corvey in the land
of the Saxons. He was day and night busy about the thought of spreading the
evangelic.
In his dreams he often thought to receive the order of God
to live among heathens. Therefore he with pleasure followed king Harald
to Denmark 826.
But Harald was an untrustworthy man, and soon he was for
ever thrown out of the country. Therefore Ansgar in his time achieved
almost nothing in Denmark. He had greater luck, when he went to Sweden.
On an island in Mälaren a church was build. After he came back he was
promoted
archbishop for Danish, Swedish and Vender with home town in
Hamburg. It took though a long time, before he could restart his conversion work
in Denmark.
The Viking raids became wilder, even Hamburg was destroyed by
the Danish navy, and Ansgar saved his life only just.
Soon he had to make
Bremen his home city. But then the Franks became serious, so that the Danish
king Haarik had to make peace with his neighbor, Germany, and now Ansgar
behaved as the agent of the German king in Denmark, and by his honorable way
of living he won the trust of Haarik.
The king allowed building of a
church by Slesvig. His successor, the younger Haarik, gave Ansgar land for a
church in Ribe. In those for Denmark most important trading cities religious communities were formed. By that, strongholds for the further increase
of the faith were conquered.
The churches were granted the right to ring
their bells, which dismayed the heathens, who believed, that the bells sound
scared away the land pixies. The missionaries work in Sweden was taken
over by others, but it went wrong.
Then Ansgar again visited the church at
Mälaren and maid the small religious community stronger. To become a
blood witness for The Gods kingdom was his highest wish, but no Norse harmed
him, and he died the death of sot 865Ansgars successors in Hamburg-Bremen
did not have his power.
The weak beginning of a religious community in Sweden
was soon vanished. In Denmark Christianity did not get the necessary
support from Germany, who at that time was weak.
On the contrary it might
happen that Danish chiefs converted, when they raided in The West. With
Henrik 1st and Otto the Great Germany at last grew strong enough to give the
Christian missionaries support.
Gorm the Old (died 958-59) and Tyre Danebod were
though still heathens and were buried in heathen way. But their son Harald
Bluetooth
(? - 986) gained Christianity victory. He is told to be a man, who
was ready to listen, but late to give his own opinion. He had been the
king for more than twenty years, before he made the ultimate resolution.
In
these years the new faith spread fast, and Hamburg-Bremen's archbishop
ordinated the first Danish bishops (in Slesvig, Ribe and Aarhus). More and more
believed, that Christ was a stronger God than Odin and the old land
pixies.
About 965 a clerk, Poppo, offered to prove the truth of the new
faith by iron proof. He carried glowing iron, without damaging his hands,
and at that time it then was verified, that the new God was the
strongest.
Harald then converted to Christianity.
.
At the kings residences and where the
kings power reached,
the worshiping of the old Gods ended. He himself build
a church in Roskilde. Correctly
Harald Bluetooth
calls himself, at
the stone he
gave over his parents in Jelling, for
"the Harald who christened The
Danes". Further out beyond
the borders of Denmark he tried to pave the road
for the
new faith.
The conversion of Viken was started by him, because he was
the ruler of Norway for more years.
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.
At the kings residences and where the
kings power reached, the worshiping of the old Gods ended. He himself build
a church in Roskilde. Correctly Harald calls himself, at the stone he
gave over his parents in Jelling, for "the Harald who christened The
Danes". Further out beyond the borders of Denmark he tried to pave the road
for the
new faith.
The conversion of Viken was started by him, because he was
the ruler of Norway for more years.
The foundation of the Norwegian kingdom
Unionization of Norway into one country took place from Viken, where
the mountains were lower and the valleys wider, so it was easier to
unite,
and they were closer to the Danish and Swedish grand nation.
The Danish
kings had even around the year of 800 had the governing power over parts of
Viken, and the king, who founded the united Norway, had most likely family
relations to the Danish crown, who always had great power.
In Viken
and surroundings Harald Haarfager had a land of more Fylker. From here he
went past Dovre and conquered Trøndernes Fylker. The area around Trondhjem
was from now on considered the most important part of the country.
In West Norway he though met long lasting resistance, which first was crushed,
when
he 872 defeated the united Fylke kings in Havrsfjord. Then Norway was
united
under one king. But among the most mighty chiefs, many would not
accept the overruling by Harald.
They colonized the Scotch islands, and when
Harald went west over and conquered these islands, they sailed further on and
founded independent communities in Island. Harald Haarfager`s
influence in Norway was based particularly on the huge land areas, which he won by
taking the land of the people, who had gone abroad.
They believe that he took
800 hølders (huge landowners) farms under the crown. But also over the
smaller farms he ruled his power and demanded taxes, which the Norwegians had
never before known.
They thought it was an incredible attack on their right
of ownership (Odel). In the various Fylker the kings power was prosecuted
by Earls and Herser. Usually Harald tried to persuade the old Chiefs from
the area to become his men and gave them in return king farms for their
own use, then they thus were called Lendermænd.
The Lendermænd was thus at
the same time the kings servants and the heads of the old Ætte
aristocracy.
But it was on that latter function, that their reputation rested, and as soon
as the country had a week king, their power was almost just as
independent as before Harald`s days. After having ruled the country for 60 years
Harald gave the country 930 to his two sons, in such a way, that one of them
Erik Blodøkse, became over king.
Erik and his queen Gunild, who had
more of the brothers killed, caused normal hatred by their extreme hunger for
power and blood and were chased away.
The Trønderne took the youngest
brother Haakon as their king.
Haakon Adelstensfostre (935 - 960), so called, because
he was raised by king Æthelstan in England, had been taught the Christian
faith and tried to convert the Trønderne.
That he had to give up, well at last
he even accepted to participate in their offerings and eat horse leaver. And
thus he was beloved. He should have build bavner (fireplaces) on top of the
mountains, which were sat on fire, when the enemy arrived to the
country.
In this way warnings of arrival of enemies could reach all of Norway in
seven days. He was killed by Erik Blodøkse`s sons at Stordøen 960.
The
skjald (poet) Øyvind made a splendid poem telling about the great honor he
received when he arrived to Valhal by the Gods.
Harald Blaatand`s ( Bluetooth`s) regime
When Erik Blodøkse had died as a refugee in England, his three sons
found shelter at Harald Bluetooth, who liked the eldest, Harald Graafel. By
the help of Denmark they won 960 the Norwegian kingdom.
They were
Christians, but obtained Harald Bluetooth`s refusal, when they wanted to terminate
his role as over king. Their enemy, Trønder Earl Haakon from Lade, who's
father the sons of Erik had burned, then came to the Danish king, and they
planned against the sons of Erik.
Harald Graafel was tricked to Denmark and killed, where after Harald Bluetooth went to Norway and was crowned king. He
himself took Viken to govern, Haakon Jarl became master of Trøndelagen and
surroundings, but at the same time Harald Bluetooth`s earl in the west
Norwegian Fylker.
Norway's unity and independence was then again
terminated (976). But as soon as Haakon Jarl felt, that he was safe behind the
Norwegian mountains, he no longer liked the Danish kings role as over
king.
Though he was christened in Denmark he worshipped the Norse Gods, and
the warriors again turned to offerings. Then Harald Bluetooth sent his well
known Jomsvikings against him. They met him in Hjørungavang. Harald prayed
to the heathen Gods and offered his son to them. Harald Bluetooth`s warriors
were defeated, many were killed, the earl Sigvald was killed.
Harald Bluetooth made himself hatred in his late years, among other
things by using force in religion, and many heathens maid protests and elected
his son, Svend Tveskæg as their king. In this fight Harald was killed.
His faithful Jomsvikings escorted the corpse to Roskilde church.
The Jomsvikings
Harald Bluetooth`s regime also reached to the coast of Vendland, where
he in Jomsborg gave some of his herdsmen firm order to stay to control the
mouth of the river Oder. The legend, which tells, that Jomsborg is founded
by Palnatoke in hostility toward Harald, is simply not correct. The Jomsviking`s society was famous all over The Northern countries
because of its severe laws, and because the warriors were not afraid of death.
One of the first earls in Jomsborg was the Swedish kings son Styrbjørn, who
attacked his fathers brother, the Swedish king Erik.
Norway being Christened
After the battle in Hjørungsvang Haakon Jarl thought his power
secured, but annoyed the Norwegians by his roughness. The farmers rose against
him,
and he had to hide in a pig house, where his own thrall Kark killed him
(995).
Under these circumstances one of Harald Haarfager`s family members,
Olav Tryggvason, came to Norway and had no difficulties in being accepted
as the king of the whole kingdom. He was impulsive, easy going and friendly,
the most skillful in use of weapons and in sports. A man, who knew, what
he wanted.
Furthermore he had lived an exceptional Viking life. In
England he had been baptized, and he was full of excitement for the faith. He
fought the heathen ways and build the first baptizing churches in Norway.
If
the people would not deliberately baptize, he forced them by way of
weapons. The Trønderne kept to their old Gods longest time. To support his power
up there Olav built the small village Købing and a royal castle.
He promised
the Trønderne to watch their offering. When the gathered people were
ready, he went alone ahead and beheaded the picture of Thor. At the same time
his herds men killed one of the greatest chiefs, and Olav yelled to the
angry gathering: "Let us not give blot (offerings) by way of thralls
and outlived old people.
No, take your women and the most skilful men, and give
them to your Gods;". Many ordinary people became scared, and many were
baptized. That way "Olav broke men for Christianity".
Five years after
his crowning he was killed in battle at Svolder (1000). Thus a huge union against him
was formed between Haakon Jarl`s sons, Svend Forkbeard, who was convinced
to hate Olav by his wife Sigrid Storraade, whom Olav had made jokes of, and
the king of Sweden, Olav Skotkonge. On "Ormen den Lange" Olav and his
men fought for a long time (among them the young Ejnar Tambarskælve). At last Olav
had to jump into the sea.
The defeater parted Norway between them. The earls
Erik and Svend, Haakon`s sons, governed the most, partly in the names of
the foreign kings, partly in own name. Viken came to Denmark. The kingdom
had then gone again as before the time of Olav.
Olav den Digre
He was in the family of Harald Haarfager, and had been warrior in
England, Normandy and other places. He came 1015 to Norway, chases away the
earls and was taken as king.
The earls had given freedom to the people in
Trossager, and many had again become heathens. But Olav Digre continued Olav
Tryggvasons work and "fought Norway to Christianity".
In
every fylke (community) he build a church, gave land to the church and asked the
farmers to take care of the priest. Soon he came so far, "that there was
no far off valley or far off island, where there lived heathen men". Strong
in will, but also tough and ruthless he was in his way of governing and
fulfilled by the idea of the greatness of the kingdom.
He would not accept the self determination of the Lender men (chiefs), but then got the most
powerful men as his enemies, especially Ejnar Tambarskælve and Kalv Arneson.
Many displeased chiefs went to Knud the Great in Denmark, and when Olav in
return made a raid to Sjælland and Skaane, Knud revenged himself by
secret to win even more Norwegian earls.
Without fighting he then took Norway.
Abandoned by the most Olav fleet together with his small son Magnus to Gardarige
(1028), and when he came back, he was killed by the farmers army at Stiklestad (1030).
The Lendermen, who had hated Olav`s strong ruling, became just as dissatisfied with the powerful king power, Knud imposed through his
son Svend and his mother Alfifa, whom he had arranged to rule Norway. Very
soon the way they regarded Olav altered definitely.
His corpse was taken up
and the coffin placed on the church alter in Nidaros.
Olavs worst enemies,
Ejnar Tambarskælve and Kalv Arneson, went themselves to Gardarige to bring
back Magnus, who right away was taken as king by all (1035). While Knud
the Great died without having tried to recover Norway, pilgrims already traveled
to Holy Olavs silver coffin.
It is Olav den Hellige (Holy), who
christened Norway, and who for all future determined the kingdoms
unity.
Svend Forkbeard (985 - 1014)
Short after Harald Bluetooth`s death was Svend by way of trick taken
prisoner by Sigvald and his Jomsvikings, and the Danes had to buy their young
king to freedom.
Svend thought from that time, that he had a bad spot to his name.
Thus he tried to gain new reputation by restarting his Viking raids to
England. He did not take care of Denmark, why Erik Sejrsæl made
himself master.
The English king, Æthelred den Raadvilde, could not protect
his country and bought the Vikings away by a charge called Danegæld
After some years Svend came back to Denmark with large treasures and won back
Denmark.
Two big runic stones over slain huskarls confirm the rough fight,
which Svend fought against the Swedes in Hedeby surrounded by tall
ramparts.
Then he took part in the fight by Svolder and renewed Danmarks right to
rule over Viken.
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He was the first Danish king to make his own
coins.
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The Conquest of England.
Æthelred, who could not by means of money buy peace from the Vikings,
because they went on coming, 1002 began to have all Danes
murdered, who stayed in the Anglo Saxon part of England.
But this only excavated the desire for revenge in Denmark. Year after year the English coastlines
were raided, until king Svend in 1013 in three months conquered all
England. The next year he died in England, loved by his warriors.
In Denmark his
son Harald became king, the army in England crowned the other son Knud.
The English then again took to weapon under Æthelreds son, Edmund Jærnside,
and Knud had to get hold of new fighting power in Denmark.
During the
following fights both Æthelred and Edmund died, where after Knud without was
crowned as the king of England.
When his brother Harald died, he also became
king in Denmark (1018).
Knud den Store (Knud the Great) (1018 - 1035)
He governed a greater area, than any other Danish king had ever done.
Besides Denmark and England he took a part of the Vendiske Coast. Olav
den
Digre and Amund Jakob (Olav Skotkonge`s son) felt threatened and
attacked Denmark, while Knud the Great was in England.
Knud came soon home though, and
the enemies had to fly, but they succeeded in giving him a defeat in
Helgeaa. In spite of that Knud was the strongest.
The two kings had to go back
right away, and Knud the Great could safely go on pilgrim tour to Rom. But after his
arrival back he destabilized Olavs power, sailed to Norway and became the king
of Norway (1028 - 1035).
He was considered equal to the mightiest rulers
in Europe, and the Emperor restrained all request of the Markgrevskabet
at Ejdern.
Knud the Great stayed mostly in England, and he, who until now had been
vice-king, altered fast and took upon him the great mission to unite the two
peoples of the country.
He married Æthelreds widow Emma, tied to him the English bishops, killed the most dominating men by tricks and violence, and
bought with his treasuries Danish Vikings to leave.
Thus he succeeded in
bringing peace to the country. The huge Hird (army), "Tingmannalid",
which Æthelred had kept as safeguard against the Vikings, Knud the
Great altered. He made it
shared for both countries and gave this Hird its own laws, Vederloven.
The
one, who betrayed his king, should be discharged from the Hird and become
outlaw. And the one, who was unfriendly, became a lower place at the table.
Knud
himself was the first to break the law by killing one of his huskarls. But he
accepted the decision of the Hird and paid huge fines.
He was a friend
of the church, who supported him in his peace giving work, and gave the
monasteries valuable gifts.
Knud the Great`s activities in Denmark are less known. The Danish church
strengthened under him.
The huge bishopric in Roskilde was parted by establishing
of a new bishop's place in Lund. Many new clerks came to Denmark, and the
first monasteries were established. When he was in England, Denmark was
ruled by an earl. For some years that was his sister Estrid`s husband, Ulv
Jarl.
It is told, that when the people were dissatisfied with Knud`s common
absents,
Ulv let Hardeknud (Knud`s and Emma`s son) crown as king. Knud then had
Ulv killed in Roskilde Church and was too proud to make sacrifices for
that.
Knud looks from his deeds as gruesome, bloodthirsty and revengeful.
But his wild Viking mind could bend in regret and compassion. In his letters
to his people he confesses honestly, that he often has acted wrongly, but
promises God for the future to live right and properly.
On the other hand he
feels his heavenly mission, and with importance he commands over both
country and church.
The last Kings of the Era of the Vikings (1035 - 1066)
Shortly after the Norwegians 1035 had taken Magnus as their king, Knud
died in England and was in Denmark followed by Hardeknud (1035 - 1042), and
in England by another son.
When Hardeknud would attack Norway, decided
the chiefs in both countries, that the young kings should live in
peace,
and that the longest living of them should inherit the kingdom after the
other.
When the brother in England died Hardeknud also got that kingdom, but
then he suddenly died himself 1042. By that Knud the Great`s kingdom then
was gone. England went back to the Anglo Saxons (Edvard Confessor).
In
Denmark Magnus became king. Magnus had much of his families roughness, but
became as time went by milder and won the nickname "The Good". In
Denmark he is remembered for his victory at Lyrskov Hede over a large Vendisk army,
which had crossed the boarder.
Ulv Jarls son, Svend Estridsøn, who Magnus
made earl in Denmark, made uprising against him, but was not lucky in the
fight and lookes for support from his friends in Sweden, from where he
actually repeated his raids.
A half-brother to Olav den Hellige, Harald Haardraade, who had been chieftain in Miklegaard, came home to Norway, and Magnus
had to share the kingdom with him. Before his death 1047 Magnus decided, that
Svend should be king in Denmark, Harald in Norway.
Harald Haardraade (1047 - 1066) would not let go on Denmark and made
from Oslo, which he founded, many raids toward Svend Estridsen, but had at
last to accept him as king of Denmark.
Harald was harsh and strict and had
the old, grand Ejnar Tambarskælve killed. He was the last of a long line
of kings, who lived their childhood and youth in foreign countries, and
he was the last Viking-king. He thus was slain on a raid to England.
The results of the era of the Vikings
Denmark
Denmark consisted of three "countries": Skaane (included
Halland, Bornholm and perhaps Bleking), Sjælland (included Laaland-Falster and Møn)
and Jylland (included Fyn) to Ejderen.
Each of these had its own Court of Justice (at Lund, Ringsted and Viborg) with own laws. Jylland was
divided into "Sysler". The most important tie between "the
countries" was power of the kingdom, which related on the Courts.
In Denmark it perhaps gave
just as much recognition to be the men of the king as belonging to a great and
independent farmer family. The king power was to be inherited within
the kings family. But the people demanded its right to choose between the
deceased kings sons.
Christianity had won all over except in some
remote areas (Bleking and Bornholm), which were christened in the following
decades.
Sweden
Sweden was parted in Svea- and Gøtaland. Svealand (Nordan- or
Ofvanskog) consisted of the land areas: Upland, Sødermanland, Närike,
Vestmanland with Dalarne, Helsingland (the small villages along the Botniske Bugt`s
west coast).
Gøtaland (Sunnanskog) consisted of the main towns Vester-
and Øster-Gotland, Värmaland, the slight inhabited areas in the
south,
which were named Småland, furthermore Gotland, which until Magnus Ladelås
was almost independent. Each of these areas had own Court of Justice and
laws.
Between Svear and Gøter was often hostility, which got worse when the
Gøterne little by little became Christians, while the Svearne kept to
their old Gods.
From Olav Skotkonge the kings were Christians.
Norway
Norway consisted of following parts. The North Mountain area (Trondhjem,Haalogaland), The West Mountain Fjord areas, Viken, areas north of
Viken, east of Kølen Jæmteland, the Scottish Islands and Faeroe
Islands. The
country consisted of about 30 "fylker".
.
.
