Two of the most important military means of power for chieftains and kings during the Viking Age were the hird and the leidang.
The hird consisted of a group of warriors very loyal to their leader, acting as his or her bodyguard. They were considered an extended part of the family. The hird could very much vary in size, from a few men to thousands of warriors for the most powerful kings.
The king’s or chieftain’s role was to lead the men and be the fiercest warrior. Failing this they could lose their position.
The leidang was a form of conscription of free farmers to join the naval fleet. The country or county was divided into zones, and in each zone a fixed number of men should join the fleet for seasonal expeditions or defence, and contribute with ships, weapons and provisions.
The ones chosen to join were primarily unmarried men, or else free farmers who had thralls that could run the farm while they were away.
The trade- and raid expeditions took place twice a year, one in the spring just after the spring sowing, and lasted until July. The second took place after the harvest.
According to Viking Age law in most areas in Scandinavia, each free man should own three weapons – a spear, shield and a sword or axe. If you didn’t you could be heavily fined.
It was only the elite that could afford swords, and swords were a status symbol, often had names and were inscribed with magic runes. The poorer of the farmers used the same axe they used as a tool at home. The better-off farmers used battle axes, lighter and equipped with a long shaft they held with two hands.
The spear was the cheapest to make, and a very useful weapon in close combat due to its length. The Viking Age spears could be up to three meters long, a distinct advantage when fighting enemies with shorter-range weapons
The shields were usually round, made of wood and covered with rawhide. In Sweden fragments of shields with traces of paint have been found. One of them seemed to have been painted pink.
Armour and helmets were very expansive and were only worn by the richest or the professional warriors. The most common armour in the Viking Age was the chainmail.
The weapons were associated with different Gods. Tor used an axe or hammer, Oden a spear, Freyr and Tyr fought with swords and the shield was a symbol for Freyja – the most powerful shield maiden.
The next post will be about them – the legendary female warriors of the Viking Age.
Sources:
Hall, Richard. Stora boken om Vikingarna. (2007)
Hjardar, Kim. Vikingarnas Värld. (2016)
Lihammer, Anna. Vikingatidens Härskare. (2021)