Vikings ... This word a few centuries ago became a household name. It symbolizes strength, courage, courage, but few pay attention to detail. Yes, the Vikings won victories and became famous for centuries, but they got it not only because of their own qualities, but primarily through the use of the most modern and effective weapons.
A bit of history
The period of several centuries from the VIII to XI century in history is called the Viking Age. These Scandinavian peoples were distinguished by militancy, courage and incredible fearlessness. The courage and inherent physical health of the soldiers were cultivated by all possible means at that time. During the period of their unconditional superiority, the Vikings achieved great success in martial art, and it was completely irrelevant where the battle took place: on land or at sea. They fought both in coastal areas and deep on the continent. Not only Europe has become a battleground for them. Their presence was also noted by the peoples of North Africa.
Excellence in Detail
The Scandinavians conducted military operations with neighboring peoples not only for the sake of extraction and enrichment - they based their settlements on the conquered lands. Vikings decorated weapons and armor with a peculiar finish. It was here that artisans demonstrated their art and talent. Today it can be argued that it was in this area that they most fully revealed their skills. Viking weapons belonging to the lower social strata, whose photos amaze even modern craftsmen, displayed entire plots. What can we say about the weapons of soldiers belonging to the higher castes and having a noble origin.
What weapons did the Vikings have?
The weapons of the warriors differed depending on the social status of their owners. Warriors of noble origin had swords and axes of various kinds and forms. Viking weapons of the lower classes consisted mainly of bows and pointed spears of various sizes.
Security features
Even the most advanced weapons in those days sometimes could not fulfill their main functions, because during the battle the Vikings were in close contact with their enemy. The main defense of the Viking in battle was a shield, since not every soldier could afford other armor. He protected mainly from throwing weapons. For the most part, these were large round shields. Their diameter was about a meter. He protected the warrior from knees to the chin. Often the enemy deliberately smashed a shield in order to deprive the Viking of protection.
How did the shield for the Vikings?
The shield was made of boards 12-15 cm thick, sometimes there were even several layers. They were fastened together by specially created glue, and the usual shingles often served as a layer. For greater strength, the shield was covered with the skin of dead animals from above. The edges of the shields were reinforced with bronze or iron plates. The center was a umbon - a semicircle of iron. He defended the hand of the Viking. Note that to hold such a shield in his hands, and even during the battle, not everyone could do it. This once again testifies to the incredible physical data of the soldiers of those times.
Viking shield - not just protection, but also a work of art
So that the warrior during the battle could not lose the shield, they used a narrow belt, the length of which could be adjusted. It was attached from the inside to the opposite edges of the shield. If it was necessary to use other weapons, the shield could easily be thrown behind. It was also practiced during the transitions.
Most painted shields were red, but they also met with various bright paintings, the complexity of which depended on the craftsman's skill.
But like everything that came from ancient times, the shape of the shield underwent changes. And by the beginning of the XI century. the warriors had the so-called almond-shaped shields, which favorably differed from their predecessors in shape, protecting the warrior almost completely until the middle of the lower leg. They were also distinguished by significantly lower weight compared to their predecessors. However, they were inconvenient for battles on ships, and they occurred more and more often, and therefore did not receive much distribution from the Vikings.
Helmet
The warrior's head was usually protected by a helmet. A distinctive frame was formed by three main bands: 1 - forehead, 2nd - from the forehead to the back of the head, 3rd - from ear to ear. Four segments were attached to this base. At the top of the head (at the place where the stripes crossed) there was a very sharp spike. The warrior's face was partially protected by a mask. A chain-link mesh called a barmitza was attached to the back of the helmet. To connect the parts of the helmet used special rivets. A hemisphere — a helmet cup — was formed from small metal plates.
Helmet and social status
At the beginning of the X century, the Vikings appeared conical helmets, and a straight nose plate served to protect the face. Over time, forged helmets with a chin strap came in their place. There is an assumption that inside the rivets a fabric or leather lining was attached. Fabric comforters reduced the power of a blow to the head.
Ordinary warriors did not have helmets. Their heads were protected by hats made of fur or thick leather.
Helmets of wealthy owners were with decorations and color marks, they recognized the soldiers in battle. Hats with horns, which abound in historical films, were extremely rare. In the Viking era, they personified higher powers.
Chain mail
The Vikings spent most of their lives in battles and, therefore, knew that the wounds were often inflamed, and the treatment was not always qualified, which involved tetanus and blood poisoning, and often death. That is why the armor helped to survive in harsh conditions, but allow themselves to be worn in the VIII-X centuries. only wealthy warriors could.
In the 8th century, Vikings wore chain mail with short sleeves and hips.
Clothing and weapons of different classes were significantly different. Simple warriors used leather jackets for protection and sewed bone, and later metal plates. Such jackets were able to perfectly reflect the blow.
Particularly valuable component
Subsequently, the length of chain mail increased. In the XI century. Cuts appeared on the floors, which was very welcomed by the riders. More complex details appeared in chain mail - a face valve and a cap comforter, which helped protect the warrior's lower jaw and throat. Her weight was 12-18 kg.
The Vikings were very careful about chain mail, because the life of a warrior often depended on them. Protective clothing was of great value, so they were not left on the battlefield and did not lose. Often chain mail was inherited.
Lamellar Armor
It is also worth noting the lamellar armor. They entered the Viking arsenal after raids in the Middle East. Such a shell is made of iron lamellae. They were laid in layers, slightly covering each other, and connected by a cord.
Viking armor also includes banded bracers and leggings. They were made of metal strips, the width of which was about 16 mm. They were fastened with leather straps.
Sword
The sword dominates the Viking arsenal. This is an indisputable fact. For warriors, he was not just a weapon that brought imminent death to the enemy, but also a good friend, providing magical protection. The Vikings perceived all the other elements as required for the battle, but the sword is a different story. The history of the clan was associated with it; it was passed down from generation to generation. The warrior perceived the sword as an integral part of himself.
In the graves of warriors, Viking weapons are often found. Reconstruction allows us to get acquainted with its original appearance.
At the beginning of the Viking era, pattern forging was widespread, but over time, thanks to the use of better ore and modernization of furnaces, it became possible to produce blades that were more durable and light. The shape of the blade is also different. The center of gravity has moved to the handle, and the blades are narrowing towards the end. These weapons made it possible to deliver quick and accurate strikes.
Double-edged swords with rich handles acted as the ceremonial weapons of wealthy Scandinavians, and in battle were not practical.
In the VIII – IX centuries. in the arsenal of the Vikings appeared swords of the Frankish type. They are sharpened on both sides, and the length of the straight blade, tapering to a rounded point, was slightly less than a meter. This gives reason to believe that such a weapon was also suitable for cutting.
The hilt on the swords were of different types, they differed in the hilt and the shape of the head. Silver and bronze were used to decorate the handles in the early period, as well as coinage.
In the IX and X centuries, the handles are decorated with ornaments of copper stripes and tin. Later in the drawings on the hilt it was possible to find geometric figures on a tin plate that were inlaid with brass. Contours emphasized copper wire.
Thanks to reconstruction on the middle part of the handle, we can see a handle made of horn, bone or wood.
The scabbard was also wooden - they were sometimes covered with leather. Inside, the scabbard was covered with a soft material that still protected from the products of oxidation of the blade. Often it was oily skin, waxed fabric or fur.
The surviving drawings of the Viking era give us an idea of how the scabbard was worn. Initially, they were on the band across the shoulder. Later, the sheath began to be suspended from the waist belt.
Saxon
Edged weapons of the Vikings can be represented by Saxon. It was used not only on the battlefield, but also on the farm.
Sax is a knife with a wide butt, in which the blade is sharpened on one side. Judging by the excavation results, all Saxons can be divided into two groups: long, which is 50-75 cm long, and short, up to 35 cm long. It can be argued that the latter are the prototype of daggers, most of which modern masters also bring to status works of art.
Ax
The weapon of the ancient Vikings is an ax. After all, most of the soldiers were not rich, and such an item was available in any household. It is worth noting that the kongs also used them in battles. The ax handle was 60-90 cm, and the cutting edge was 7-15 cm. However, it was not heavy and allowed maneuvering during the battle.
Viking weapons, beard axes, were mainly used in naval battles, as they had a square ledge at the bottom of the blade and were great for boarding.
A special place should be given to an ax with a long handle - an ax. The poleaxe blade could be up to 30 cm, the handle 120-180 cm. It was not for nothing that this was the Viking's favorite weapon, because in the hands of a strong warrior it became a very formidable weapon, and its impressive appearance immediately undermined the morale of the enemy.
Viking weapons: photos, differences, meanings
The Vikings believed that weapons had magical powers. It was stored for a long time and inherited. Warriors with wealth and position decorated axes and poleaxes with ornaments, precious and non-ferrous metals.
Sometimes they ask the question: what is the main weapon of the Vikings - a sword or an ax? Warriors perfectly possessed these types of weapons, but the Viking always chose.
A spear
Viking weapons cannot be imagined without a spear. According to legends and sagas, the northern warriors greatly honored this type of weapon. The purchase of a spear did not require special expenses, since the shaft was made by ourselves, and the tips were simple to manufacture, although they differed in appearance and purpose and did not require a lot of metal.
Any warrior could be armed with a spear. The small size made it possible to hold it with both two and one hand. They used spears mainly for close combat, but sometimes as a throwing weapon.
It is especially worthwhile to dwell on the tips of the spear. Initially, the Vikings had spears with lancet tips, the working part of which was flat, with a gradual transition to a small tulle. Its length is from 20 to 60 cm. Later on there were spears with tips of various shapes from leaf-shaped to triangular in cross section.
The Vikings fought on different continents, and their gunsmiths skillfully used elements of the enemy’s weapons in their work. Viking weapons 10 centuries ago underwent a change. Spears were no exception. They became more durable due to the strengthening in the place of transition to the tulle and were quite suitable for ram attacks.
Perfection of the spear, in fact, knew no bounds. It has become a kind of art. The most sophisticated warriors in this matter not only simultaneously threw spears from both hands, but could catch him on the fly and send him back to the enemy.
Dart
To conduct hostilities at a distance of about 30 meters, a special Viking weapon was needed. Its name is a dart. He was quite capable of replacing many more massive weapons with skillful use by a warrior. These are light one and a half meter spears. Their tips could be like ordinary spears or similar to a harpoon, but sometimes petiolate with a double-studded part and sleeve ones were found.
Bow
These weapons, common in the Viking era, were usually made from a single piece of elm, ash or yew. It served to conduct combat at a great distance. Arrows for onions up to 80 centimeters long were made of birch or coniferous trees, but always old. Wide metal tips and special plumage distinguished Scandinavian arrows.
The length of the wooden part of the bow reached two meters, and the braid was most often braided hair. It took tremendous power to work with such weapons, but that was what the Vikings were famous for. The arrow hit the enemy at a distance of 200 meters. The Vikings used bows not only in military affairs, therefore the arrowheads were very different, given their purpose.
Sling
This is also a throwing weapon of the Vikings. It was not difficult to make it with your own hands, since only a rope or belt and a leather "cradle" were needed, where a rounded stone was placed. A sufficient number of stones were collected when landing on the coast. Caught in the hands of a skilled warrior, a sling is able to send a stone to hit an enemy a hundred meters from a Viking. The principle of operation of this weapon is simple. One end of the rope was fastened in the area of the warrior’s wrist, and the other he held in a fist. The sling was rotated, increasing the number of revolutions, and at the maximum, the fist was opened. The stone flew in a given direction and fought the enemy.
The Vikings always kept their weapons and armor in order, as they perceived them as part of themselves and understood that the battle result depended on it.
Undoubtedly, all these types of weapons helped the Vikings gain fame as invincible warriors, and if the enemies were very afraid of the Scandinavian weapons, the owners themselves treated him very respectfully and reverently, often endowing them with names. Many types of weapons that participated in bloody battles were inherited and served as a guarantee that the young warrior would be brave and decisive in battle.