One of the battle formations that Norse warriors formed was called the “svinfylking” (boar formation). The svinfylking was a battle formation where a group of heavily armed warriors (usually 20 to 30) would interlock their shields to form a wedge that had the center pointing towards the enemy's formation. The triangular wedge tapered back on each side from the center point to make a tight spearhead. The Viking warriors would get in a “boar formation” wedge and then charge forward in this tight interlocked formation, spearheading into the enemy's line and breaking through by sheer force alone. Much like a boar’s charge. The sheer force of this charge was tenacious enough that wedge would punch a hole right through the opposing force's shield wall formation. Spearheading through the enemy's formation in this “boar formation” would spread panic in the enemy and break their lines, turning the battle in favor for the Norseman. Several boar wedge formations could also be grouped side by side forming a zigzag line pattern against the enemy's line and break through their ranks.
Use of the “svinfylking” (boar formation) was unique to the Norse and early Germanic people at the time, as the Romans did not document this as a Saxon tactic.
The successful use of a formation of this type most probably required training and considerable practice. It was probably taught and practiced enroute to the battlefield by experienced warriors with irregular troops, as most called up Norse armies were levied (conscripted) and were farmers by trade. Although it is also likely to have been learned earlier, as most Norse were taught and practiced the use of weapons and tactics from boyhood.
Often the Boar formation not only consisted of warriors i...
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Quite often, legs and arms would be the only exposed targets that would be easy to hit. Obviously the most tempting target against a warrior that was wearing a mail shirt or other body armor that would also be protected by their shield. The head usually crowned with a helmet, the exposed legs, arms, face and neck would be the best areas to target.
Many of the fallen warriors are usually found with major leg injuries, where they were incapacitated and then left behind to bleed to death on the field as the battle went on to be decided. It was a common practice of the day for the victor to return and slay the enemy's wounded that remained.
Beyond standard formations, the Viking also had special troops that would reap fear into the enemy and instill encouragement on the friendly side. One kind of these special warriors were the infamous berserkers.
If a soldier had an injured limb they appear to have had little choice but to have it amputat-ed. Use of the “Guillotine” technique left many soldiers with infections and additional prob-lems
During the Viking era, men worn woolen tunics over trouser type leg coverings. There were at least two types of leg coverings: a wide, knee-length, baggy type and a narrow, fitted full-length type of trouser.
The pessimism of the poor Danes was palpable. They had even despaired of appealing to the Christian God and had reverted to offering sacrifice to their heathen idols. Grendel had killed 30 warriors the first night and had taken even more the next night. But their pessimism is dispelled by one Beowulf who is ready and willing to sacrifice himself to repay the debt of Ecgtheow, Beowulf’s father, to Hrothgar. This Geat warrior possesses almost miraculous qualities: “He was the strongest of men a...
“Beowulf,” a heroic epic passed down by word of mouth until the 6th century, tells of a brave soldier who gained glory by defeating different beasts. Beowulf, King of the Geats, chased riches and treasures every chance he got. His pride and desire for glory led him to Denmark to defeat the dreaded Grendel- a demonic beast who seeked vengeance for the intrusion of the Danes. Beowulf
"So,” begins poem. “The Spear-Danes in days gone by/ and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness./ We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns” (1-3). What follows is a brief history lesson, the story of “Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,/ a ...
The Vikings were a ruthless people. A historian by the name of Sherma tells the story of the ruthlessness of the Vikings, “The mother of all churches, . . . was taken and plundered by the Moors . . . moreover, [the Vikings] slaughtered all the Christians whom they found” (87). The Vikings were a fearsome people who made plundering and killing a way of life. The Norse were also heavily feared by the Christians. “The heathen from the North wrought havoc in Christendom as usual and grew greater in strength” (Sherma 87).
The berserkers are one of the most interesting and least understood aspects of the Viking warrior society. These were individuals who fought in such a blinding fury that they lost all sense of self and became unconscious killing machines without discrimination.
The Norse religion is the religion of the Norse people prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia. It may seem as though the religion’s influence has died out, but it still affects our culture today. The general mythology is well known, but the details, such as how the lore was passed down from generation to generation, is obscure.
When the story begins, Beowulf has gone to the land of the Danes to kill Grendel for the people, not for the glory. Beowulf brings his own hand picked, group of soldiers with him throughout his battles, and refuses to allow help from others. Beowulf also tells the readers he will not use weapons unless necessary. Before the battle against Grendel, a Denmark officer states, “A chosen warrior who bravely does battle with the creature haunting our people, who survives that horror unhurt, and goes home bearing our love” (ln. 210). Also, when Beowulf’s men abandon him in the battle against the dragon, he does not choose to run in fear, but to continue fighting. In this moment much like in his past, Beowulf shows how honorable he really
To the Anglo-Saxons, a hero was both brave and mighty as well as audacious and arrogant. In Anglo Saxon society, warriors were assumed to be loyal to their leaders in battle, even if the battle appeared to be hopeless, because they earned great honor and riches from protecting their leader. These warriors were alleged to be just as fearless as their heroes, and always as loyal as a dove. In the epic poem Beowulf, created by Anglo-Saxon storytellers, the loyalty of Beowulf’s warriors varies depending on the levels of security they feel in fights; they are more loyal to their leader when they believe they can prevail, and their loyalty wanes when the predicted outcome of the battle appears unfavorable, contradicting the appetite for eternal
Bierce lost friends during battles , and saw men loose limbs and sustain serious injuries
Vikings were a Norse-speaking, seafaring people who lived from the 8th to 11th centuries, mainly in Scandinavia. They were expert sailors who, starting in late 700s, looted and burned civilizations along rivers and coasts of Europe and Asia. They traded, sailed and explored across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, opening trade routes that connected Europe to the Mediterranean lands. During this time, some of the population settled in the kingdoms that they were exploring; namely England, Ireland, northern France and Russia. One of the main influences that the surrounding cultures had on them was through religion. As the Vikings came in contact with Christianity through their raids, it began to form a unique fusion of Christian influence, while still holding on to many aspects of their pagan lifestyle. Not many primary sources remain from pre-Christian Viking society as much of their culture was destroyed during the Christianization process. The extremely strong oral tradition and the artifacts that remain are what the knowledge of the culture is based on. The pagan culture interests me, as I can still examine influences of it on my Scandinavian family today.
In 1004 AD, Leif's brother Thorvald Eiriksson sailed to explore Newfoundland with a crew of 30 men and spent the winter at Leifsbir (Leif's camp). In the Springtime, Thorvald attacked nine of the local indigenous people, whom the Norsemen called “Skrlingar”(Skrling), that were sleeping under three skin-covered canoes. One of the victims survived the attack, escaping and came back to the Norse camp with a force. The indigenous people retaliated by attacking the Norse explorers and Thorvald was killed by an arrow that had passed through their defensive barricade. Brief hostilities continued as the remaining Norse explorers stayed through the winter until they left the following Spring.
When they would fight their enemies, they would kill them and stack the dead bodies in a pile. Before they would start a battle, they’d stab a spear in their decapitated enemies’ heads and wait while the stench of the dead bodies reached the city, causing panic to overcome them. The soldiers that were still alive