Historical Dictionary of the VikingsThe Historical Dictionary of the Vikings traces Viking activity in Europe, North America, and Asia for over three centuries. During this period people from Scandinavia used their longships to launch lightning raids upon their European neighbors, to colonize new lands in the east and west, and to exchange Scandinavian furs for eastern wine and spices and Arab silver. The Viking age also saw significant changes at home in Scandinavia - kings extended their power, Norse paganism lost ground to christianity, and new towns and ports thrived as a result of increased contact with the wider world. This book provides a comprehensive work of reference for people interested in the Vikings, including entries on the main historical figures involved in this dramatic period, important battles and treaties, significant archaeological finds, and key works and sources of information on the period. It also summarizes the impact the Vikings had on the areas where they traveled and settled. There is a chronological table, detailed and annotated bibliographies for different themes and geographical locations, and an introduction discussing the major events and developments of the Viking age. |
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Common terms and phrases
10th century Æsir Æthelred Æthelred II Alfred Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Annals Ansgar archaeological Baltic battle Birka Björn British Isles brother burial Christian church Cnut Cnut's Danelaw Danish king death defeated Denmark Dublin Earl Early Viking Age East Anglia Edinburgh edited by James English Erik the Red Europe evidence excavations Frankish grave Greenland Hákon Harald Blue-Tooth Hebrides Hedeby Heimskringla Iceland included Irish island killed king of Norway kingdom known land later Loki London Magnus married medieval meters ninth century Normandy North Atlantic Northern Northumbria Norwegian king Odense Odin Olaf Haraldsson Olaf Tryggvason Olaf's Old Norse Orkney Oxford pagan place-names poem present-day Prose Edda recorded reign River royal rule rune rune-stones runic inscriptions Russia Saga Scandi Scandinavian Settlement Scotland ship Sigtrygg Sigurd skaldic poetry Snorri Sturluson sources stone suggests Svein Forkbeard Sweden Swedish town Universitets Oldsaksamlings Uppsala Viking Age Viking army Viking Congress Viking-Age Vinland York