Norway 2: The Viking Age as a Concept Flashcards
Which archaeologist suggests the most updated reasons for the cause of the Viking Age/ raids?
James Barrett
He surveys the main proposed causes of Viking raiding an dismisses many
He dismisses ‘pull factors’ and favours ‘push ones’
List of factors which (according to Barrett) DID NOT motivate the Viking raids
1) Naval technology
2) A warmer climate
3) ‘Pull factor’ of weakness abroad
4) Population pressure
Why was naval technology probably NOT a cause of the Viking raids?
Obviously the Vikings needed ships to raid but the availability of the ships themselves was not a reason
—Archaeological evidence has shown that they had seafaring boats from the 4th century AD
Why was population pressure probably NOT a cause of the Viking raids?
Population pressure in general can be dismissed as a cause for the Viking raids— The expansion of settlement ran parallel to the Viking Age, it did not precede it.
Why were ‘Pull factors’ probably NOT a cause of the Viking raids?
The vikings started raiding England not when it was ruled by weak kings, but when it was ruled by strong ones, such as Offa of Mercia. — Thus the raids were not prompted by political unrest in target areas
Why was a warmer climate probably NOT a cause of the Viking raids?
There is disagreement as to when the warming started, or even if it happened at all.
List of factors which (according to Barrett) DID motivate the Viking raids
1) The centralisation of power in Scandinavia
2) The warfare associated with said centralisation
3) Gender imbalance
4) Cultural beliefs i.e. the notion of Valhalla
Why was a demographic gender imbalance probably a cause of the Viking raids?
a demographic gender imbalance may have meant there weren’t enough status roles for men to go round, leading to competition
It also meant that the scarcity of women drove their value up- raids were motivated by the need to pay a family a dowry in order to marry their daughter2 =-0e34=-08765
The impact of the raids on a wider European scale:
. The Viking raids were a significant part of european history and contributed much to the formation of states, such as Ukraine, Russia, England and Ireland
. They were also one of the main catalysts leading to the fragmentation of the Carolingian empire
. Their founding of Normandy had great consequences for England
Why was the Centralisation of power a factor that may have caused the raids
The centralisation of power in Scandinavia can be traced back to the expansion of the Carolingian empire— Charlemagne concurred Saxony which put pressure on Denmark and encouraged defensive and political centralisation– this would also have put pressure on Norway
– would also have disrupted trade
Why may valhalla be a factor that may have caused the raids
Valhalla offered the best afterlife to those who died in battle and thus warriors were motivated by the desire to enter Valhalla or to gain renown and riches
Why was the warfare that resulted from the Centralisation of power a factor that may have caused the raids
The warfare led to a preference of boys over girls- which led to female infanticide
OR potentially that a family needed to have several sons in case some of them died and that there would still be some to inherit the land
