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The Real Vikings  - Ragnar and Lagertha

6/21/2014

 
 L'Anse aux Meadows L'Anse aux Meadows
Like many people I’m absolutely enthralled by History Channel's The Vikings, but as usual I can’t just enjoy the show I have to know if there are any facts behind the fiction. Unfortunately after days of research I’ve come to realize that I’ll probably never know if Ragnar Lothbrok, and his wife, Lagertha, were real because the Scandinavian people of the Viking age left no written records.

The accounts we have of Ragnar come mainly from The History of the Danes written by Saxo Grammaticus in the 12th century. Scholars disagree as to whether Ragnar really existed. Some say there is historical fact behind the legend, others state that he is a composite of many kings. And if the experts don’t know, how can I? But if I had to guess I’d say there was some truth behind the myth.
My reasoning lies with another Viking, Leif Erikson. For centuries it was believed that the saga describing Erikson’s voyage to Vineland was merely a myth and had no basis in fact, and yet in the early 1960’s Norwegian explorer, Helge Ingstad, and his wife, archeologist Anne Stine Ingstad, discovered proof that the Vikings had, in fact, sailed to North America, and had settled at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.


PictureViking Long Ship
So maybe we can look again at the evidence, take for example, the idea that shield-maidens existed only in myth. My common sense tells me that in a warring society, there must have been women who were proficient with the sword. They would have to be, especially when you consider that the men were gone for long periods, raiding. It’s human nature to protect your home and family no matter what your gender.

Like most pagan peoples the Norse buried their dead with grave goods, so one could assume that shield-maidens were buried with their swords. Once again it’s not that straightforward. Marianne Moen in the January 2013 article Don’t Underestimate Viking Women, says

“There have also been cases of male graves with beads and woven cloths, and women were sometimes buried with smaller weapons, for instance arrowheads. Generally it is fairly obvious what constitutes male or female objects, but the lines were sometimes blurred.”

It seems that archeologists have assumed gender roles based on their own skewed perception rather than the facts. In 1904 a grave ship containing the skeletons of two women was found. Instead of assuming that this was the burial of powerful women in their own right archeologists assumed it was the wife or mother of a powerful man. But could this in fact have been the burial of a Lagertha-like character? Maybe. In the same article Moen also says

“To assume that Viking men were ranked above women is to impose modern values on the past, which would be misleading,”

The experts are now re-examining the evidence, hopefully with fresh eyes. Perhaps one day soon we will have a better glimpse into the the real lives of the Vikings.

Mahrie B Reid link
6/21/2014 02:04:59 am

The premise here is fascinating. We do tend to think "inside our own boxes" when we get information. Keeping an open mind - both about the past and the present, is an excellent habit to develop. Follow the evidence - not your preconceived notions of it. Excellent blog.

Marlow
6/21/2014 07:13:14 am

Thank you Mahrie, I have to admit to being a little frustrated by my research. I wanted to discover real proof, perhaps documentation written by contemporaries, who would have been Ragnar’s victims, but I just couldn’t find any. It was even worse for Lagertha. There are scholars out there who insist that shield maidens are just a myth and never existed.

Diana link
6/21/2014 05:53:29 am

Fascinating blog, Marlow. I don't know much about Viking society but this makes me want to read more. Wouldn't you just love - sometimes - to be able to time-travel and find out the truth?

Marlow
6/21/2014 07:17:25 am

LOL. I would time travel in a heartbeat if it wasn't for their lack of indoor plumbing. I don't even camp.
There is also the fact that there was a lot of sword wielding back then. I don't believe there were any good old days, they should just be called the brutal old days and I'm just not equiped to deal with them.

Sandra Dailey link
6/21/2014 07:59:00 am

I don't care what anyone says, I believe in Vikings. We need big, strong blonde heroes with romantic hearts, and women with the courage to match them.
I'm a romance writer. I'm allowed to have a strong imagination...and indoor plumbing.

Marlow
6/21/2014 08:07:05 am

OMG, I love your attitude. You would have made great Lagertha.

Mary Morgan
6/22/2014 02:42:57 am

Loved this post, Marlow! I love to research history, too. One thought as I'm doing any research, "Historical facts are only as good as the bard telling them." Just my insight... Looking forward to your book!

marlow
6/22/2014 04:53:51 am

Great insight. Thanks Mary. I'll keep that in mind while I write.

P. L. Parker link
6/24/2014 01:20:31 am

I too love The Vikings and had it in my mind to research the truth, but you had all I needed here. Great post, enjoyed every word.

Marlow
6/24/2014 04:26:25 am

I glad you enjoyed it. It's so good to hear from another fan. It's a really gripping show. With a wonderful storyline. I was surprised how closely the TV show sticks to the legend.
Thanks P.L.

BL
6/26/2014 08:12:48 am

don't know how I found this website but, googled vikings and here I am.
As a Swede I tend to belive in most viking legends.
Take for ex Björn, Ragnars son, he is said to have ruled Munsö Island in Ekerö. Well, there is a huge viking grave in Munsö, but we have no clue who's grave it is.
Well, Italian monks wrote about a viking leader named Berno (Bear in Italian) Björn is by the way Bear in Swedish, well thats enough evidence for me.
Why would monks in Italy make up stories about viking leader who plunder them named Björn? It make no sense.

Like, I believe Jesus existed but I dont think he walked on water or raised the dead.
I Belive Muhammed existed as well, but not split the moon in two and put it together, or flew to heaven on his personal horse that had wings and could fly.

And I would expect others to use the same logic with vikings, just because a woman, like Aslaug claimed her father slayed a dragon, it doesnt mean suddenly her father didnt exist or she didnt either etc.

Only problem I have with viking lore is the shieldmaidens.
The weapons weigh too much and the armor+shield would be too heavy for a small woman to carry, especially since women those days were in avg 157 cm tall.


Marlow
6/26/2014 09:35:38 am

Thank you so much for sharing your opinion B.L.
While I tend to agree that the average woman would not have made a good shield maiden, I still can’t say that they definitely didn’t exist. Before the modern period men and women were a lot stronger than we are today, with more muscle mass. They would have to be because just the physically intensive rigors of daily life, fetching water, chopping wood, farming, and hunting would have meant that they were incredibly fit.
Then there are the Vikings. I don’t know that there are many men today who could sail across the sea, and even if they only had to row for a few days that had to be gruelling, and then once they reached landfall they would start fighting. It’s hard to comprehend such stamina.
My last argue rest with the Walpurgis Fechtbuch otherwise known as MS I.33. It is a German fencing manual believed to have been written between 1290 and 1320. The engravings in the manual clearly show a priest giving fencing lessons. What is intriguing is that some of the pictures are of the priest instructing a woman. The woman holds a sword and shield. Now I know that medieval Europe is different from Viking Scandinavia, but had metallurgy developed so much in the five hundred years so as to make weapons substantially lighter. I don’t know, but I think the difference would have been minimal.
It’s just my opinion and you’re welcome to disagree with me, but please keep in mind I don’t know if shield maidens ever existed, but I’m disappointed that the archeologists, who are supposed to be the scientific experts in the field failed to keep an open mind when examining the evidence and until they look at the artifacts with a clinical eye we will never know the truth.


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Photos used under Creative Commons from mararie, libertygrace0, Renaud Camus, David Holt London
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