The Age of the Vikings

The Age of the Vikings

by Anders Winroth
The Age of the Vikings

The Age of the Vikings

by Anders Winroth

Paperback

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Overview

A major reassessment of the vikings and their legacy

The Vikings maintain their grip on our imagination, but their image is too often distorted by myth. It is true that they pillaged, looted, and enslaved. But they also settled peacefully and traveled far from their homelands in swift and sturdy ships to explore. The Age of the Vikings tells the full story of this exciting period in history. Drawing on a wealth of written, visual, and archaeological evidence, Anders Winroth captures the innovation and pure daring of the Vikings without glossing over their destructive heritage. He not only explains the Viking attacks, but also looks at Viking endeavors in commerce, politics, discovery, and colonization, and reveals how Viking arts, literature, and religious thought evolved in ways unequaled in the rest of Europe. The Age of the Vikings sheds new light on the complex society, culture, and legacy of these legendary seafarers.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780691169293
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Publication date: 03/01/2016
Pages: 328
Sales rank: 164,023
Product dimensions: 5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Anders Winroth is the Birgit Baldwin Professor of History at Yale University.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction: The Fury of the Northmen 1

2 Violence in a Violent Time 15

3 Röriks at Home and Away: Viking Age Emigration 45

4 Ships, Boats, and Ferries to the Afterworld 71

5 Coins, Silk, and Herring: Viking Age Trade in Northern Europe 99

6 From Chieftains to Kings 131

7 At Home on the Farm 157

8 The Religions of the North 181

9 Arts and Letters 213

10 Epilogue: The End of the Viking Age 241

Further Reading 249

Acknowledgments 253

Abbreviations 255

Notes 257

Bibliography 275

List of Illustrations 289

Index 293

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Comprehensive and colorful, Anders Winroth's The Age of the Vikings paints a lively picture of the era when northern raiders altered the political and social complexion of much of Europe. With its cross-disciplinary approach, engagement with recent archaeological developments, and striking narrative style, The Age of the Vikings offers students of medieval history a vivid portrayal of life among Vikings, non-Viking Scandinavians, and those impacted by Viking activities during one of the West's most tumultuous periods."—Stephen Mitchell, Harvard University

"This stimulating book draws on contemporary texts and the latest archaeological evidence to bring the Viking age to life. Winroth's lucid discussion of the problems posed by runic inscriptions and skaldic verse is especially welcome. So too is his insistence that, in their efforts to obtain the treasure on which their power depended, Viking chieftains were no more violent than their Christian contemporaries."—Peter Sawyer, editor of The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings

"The Age of the Vikings is an excellent book. The writing is clear, engaging, and brimming with historical insights. First class."—Peter Heather, author of The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians

"I know of no other book quite like this one."—Janet L. Nelson, coeditor of The Medieval World

"This entertaining and informative book provides valuable insights into not only the Viking expeditions themselves but also the social and cultural life of early medieval Scandinavia."—Sverre Bagge, author of Cross and Scepter: The Rise of the Scandinavian Kingdoms from the Vikings to the Reformation

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