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03.02.2020

Viking political institutions

During much of the Viking Age, political power within Norse society was largely held by chieftains, who were warlords governing relatively small groups of people. These chieftains led bands of raiding warriors, and it was their exploits across Europe that defined the Viking Age. The emergence of kings who would unify Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had not yet occurred, resulting in Scandinavia being a patchwork of chieftains' domains, varying in size.

Norse chieftains engaged in constant competition with one another for power and influence. To surpass their rivals, chieftains needed a loyal group of warriors who would fight alongside them. The more warriors a chieftain commanded, the greater his power tended to be. In order to attract and maintain loyal warriors, the chieftain had to possess certain qualities, as described by historian Anders Winroth:

1. Generosity: A chieftain needed to be generous to his men, often distributing wealth and rewards to them.
2. Victories in Battles: Achieving success in battles and demonstrating prowess in warfare was crucial.
3. Fame and Reputation: The chieftain needed to have a good reputation and be renowned in his community.

These qualities were interlinked. Winning battles allowed the chieftain to accumulate wealth, which he could then distribute generously to his warriors. Such generosity often inspired poets to compose poetry praising the chieftain, further enhancing his fame. This, in turn, attracted more warriors to join his ranks, leading to more victories and an even better reputation, resulting in a cycle of prestige and influence.

Traditional Norse poetry frequently contained expressions and phrases related to wealthy chieftains sharing their riches with their followers. This concept was deeply ingrained in Norse culture, especially in the minds of poets who composed poetry for specific chieftains, as they had an economic incentive to bolster their employer's reputation.

During the Viking Age, true currency as we understand it today did not exist in Scandinavia. Instead, chieftains distributed wealth primarily in the form of precisely weighed arm rings made of gold and silver. These arm rings could vary from simple to highly ornate but were essentially valued based on the weight of the precious metals used. Land and agricultural products were also granted as forms of wealth.

Chieftains further demonstrated their generosity by hosting lavish feasts for their followers. These feasts often contained elements of religious ritual, imbuing the relationship between the chieftain and his warriors with a sense of sacred significance.

Viking political institutions

Of course, the generosity of chieftains was no mere charity. Their gifts were given to their warriors in exchange for the warriors’ gift of their loyalty, which couldn’t be taken for granted. The bonds of fealty had to be continually renewed if they were to remain intact.

But this wasn’t only a calculated economic transaction. Honor, pride, and belongingness were also at stake. While fighting and economic reward were the concrete means of maintaining the relationship between chieftain and warrior, the relationship was what really mattered. An extreme – but common – example of this is that, in the eyes of Viking society, one of the noblest deeds a warrior could perform was to fall in battle alongside his leader – proving loyal even to the point of death, forsaking not only his wealth, but his very life.

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