A History of the Vikings / Edition 2

by Gwyn Jones

Overview

"An utterly splendid book, quite the most brilliantly written, balanced, and explanative general work on the Vikings ever to appear in English or in any language."— Scandinavian Studies

The subject of this book is the Viking realms, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, their civilization and culture, and their many sided achievements at home and abroad.
A highly readable narrative follows the development of these Northern peoples—the Nordmenn—from their origins and the legendary pre-history to the military triumphs of Canute and the defeat of Harald Hardrádi at Stamford Bridge in 1066, which symbolically ended the Viking age.
The book recounts the Vikings' exploits in war, trade, and colonization: the assault on Western Christendom; the trading and military ventures to the Slav and Muslim worlds and to Byzantium; and the western voyages of discovery and settlement to Greenland, Iceland, and America.
Numerous photographs, maps, and drawings contribute to Gwyn Jones's rounded portrait of Viking civilization and vividly evoke the importance in their culture of religion, art, and seafaring.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780192801340
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	07/19/2001
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	552
Sales rank:	642,369
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 5.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Gwyn Jones is Emeritus Professor of English Language and Literature, University College, Cardiff

Table of Contents

Part 1 - The Northern Peoples to AD 7001. From Beginnings to the Age of Migrations2. The Legendary History of the Swedes and the Danes1. Part 2 - The Viking Kingdoms to the Close of the Tenth Century2. The Historical Traditions of Norway to 9503. Denmark to the Death of Gorm the Old4. Denmark and Norway from the Accession of Harald Bluetooth to the Death of Olaf TryggvasonPart 3 - The Viking Movement Overseas1. The Scandinavian Community, II: Aspects of Society2. Causes of the Viking Movement Overseas3. The Movement South and South-West to 954: the British Isles, the Frankish Empire, the Mediterranean4. The Movement East: The Baltic Lands, Russia, Byzantium5. The Movement West: Iceland, Greenland, AmericaPart 4 - The Viking Age Ends1. The Scandinavian Community III: Culture and Image2. Svein Forkbeard, Saint Olaf, Knut the Great3. The Viking Kingdoms to the Death of Harald Hardradi, 1066

Editorial Reviews

"Excellent revision and useful for both graduates and undergraduates."—Benjamin T. Hudson, Pennsylvania State University

"In this revised edition of his 1968 volume, hailed as the definitive study of the three hundred years during which Scandinavians changed the face of medieval Europe, Jones has updated his text to incorporate the latest scholarly findings from both Europe and North America."—The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Excellent survey - in-depth and well balanced."—Cassandra Potts, Middlebury College

From the Publisher