The Complete Viking Sagas.

[Lord Sidious]

Greetings avalonuggets.
I am proud of my Norse ancestors, so I present to you their history as done in metal by Rebellion, a German band.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_(band)

These are the men that the catholic church added an extra line to their morning prayers about ‘’spare us the fury of the Norsemen’’, but it didn’t work.

This is what everyone feared, the Vikings coming ashore from their drakkars.

This is one of the legendary dragon heads, the bow of the Oseberg ship which is in the museum in Oslo.
The head was removable and designed to scare the land spirits of the place they were going to attack.
It certainly scared their enemies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseberg_ship

This isn’t from the Gokstad ship, but this is another removable dragons head.

This is the Gokstad ship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gokstad_ship

The drakkar was the most advanced ship of it’s time and was capable of taking the Norsemen from Scandinavia to America, the middle east, through the arctic, the Mediterranean and down the rivers of Russia and the east.

[Lord Sidious]

We start with volume one.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagas_o...kings_Volume_1
Most of this is from the Eddas of Snorri Sturluson.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddas
What they sing is historically accurate and true to the Eddas. They put a lot of work into these songs.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=oIqpGA1PDTw

Lindisfarne was the first ‘’official’’ Viking raid, on the 8th June 793, when they attacked the monastery on holy island off the coast of Northumberland, England.
The Vikings were especially vicious to Christian targets and I surmise that this was in revenge for the trouble that they had back home from the Christian missionaries preaching the new creed and turning the Norse world upside down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindisfarne

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=iJvDgW8qvWY

This one tells the story of the bloodlines of the original Norse kings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Yngling

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=TMmf2xP5pUo

This one tells us of the Blood Eagle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_eagle

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qpCta5nsKjg

This one tells us of the king Halfdan the Black and his wife, Ragnhild. They had the son in the next video, Harald Hårfagre.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halfdan_the_Black

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=uvRI2e3Vfv8

Harald Hårfagre, or Harald Fairhair was the king that united all of Norway under the one crown. I recall my stepfather telling me of the legend that Harald swore to not comb or cut his hair until he was king of Norway, just as the intro to the song says.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_Fairhair

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=_-6TgCWU0mU

Eric the Red was the father of Leif ‘’The Lucky’’ Ericsson, the Norwegian who went to Vinland, which is surmised to be in Canada.
Eric was an habitual fighter and repeatedly banished from kingdom after kingdom until he settled Gronland – Greenland and convinced others to come too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_the_red

[Lord Sidious]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Zejt8xupMkE

Hrolfr Ganger, or Rolf the Walker is the man who became the first duke of Normandy. He was also known as Rollo and when baptised, became Robert. Smart man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hrolf_Ganger

This is one of the statues of Rollo that you will find around the place in Normandy, this one being in Falaise.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=fFUNA0oryNc

This one is about the murder of Jarl Haakons father by Harald Greyhide.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd_Haakonsson

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9QQHtRPO6o4

This one is about Jarl Haakon Sigurdsson.
A jarl is the Norse word for earl. This man was known to be a great warrior and very brave. For a Viking to be known as very brave is no mean feat, cowards were reviled, so there wasn’t much room in that society for the weak.
He was a vassal of Harald Bluetooth of Denmark, the father of Sven Forkbeard, whom we will hear about in Ruling the Waves below.
Harald Bluetooth has the honour of his name being used for the pc devices and the symbol is the two runes for his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarl_Haakon
Jarl Haakon fought the Jomsvikings, as we hear in the song.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jomsvikings
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_I_of_Denmark

http://www.fundevices247.com/2009/04...ooth-logo.html

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=e1chDjBQ4X0

This one is about King Olav Tryggvason converting to Christianity and converting others by force.
He is known to Norwegian Christians as Saint Olav.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaf_I_of_Norway

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cRVezLOa-co

This one is about Harald Bluetooth’s son, Sven Forkbeard, King of Denmark, England and part of Norway.
His nickname is because of his beard and the style he wore it in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweyn_I_of_Denmark

[Lord Sidious]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=6-erH9W2PH8

This one is about Sven Forkbeards legendary son, Knut the Great, king of Denmark, Norway, parts of Sweden and England.
There is a story of Knut taking his throne down to the beach, in England.
He had it put at the low tidewater mark and sat in it, to wait for the tide to come in.
When the tide wet his feet, he stood and commanded the water to retreat, of course, it did not.
People say because of this, he was mad, but the lesson was that even the king stands under the natural laws.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnut_the_Great
The Danes ended up owning much of England and it was known as Danelaw.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danelaw

The English thought they could stop the raids by paying a bounty to the Danes to go away, Danegeld, but it didn’t work, they came back and demanded more.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danegeld

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=VFjQ1wSadYU

And this one is about my all time favourite Viking, Harald Hardrada, Harald the Hard Ruler. Now, for a Norseman to say you are hard, you must be damn hard, the Norse were some of the toughest men in the history of earth.
This mans life reads like a roll call of heroic actions. He fought all over and as you hear in the song, he had to flee from the battle of Stiklestad at the age of 15 to save his life.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stiklestad
He ended up going east, to the land of the Rus, the warriors whom Russia – Russland is named after. Russland means land of the rowing men, you can guess who they mean, no?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus
From Russland, Harald went to Miklagard and we will hear about that in part two.
Miklagard is now known as Istanbul, was formerly Constantinople and before that Byzantium. Harald was in the service of the Byzantine emperor and rose to be commander of the Varangian guard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangian_Guard
He fought all over the Mediterranean for the byzantine empire and when he got word that the king of Norway had died, he set sail for home, to take the throne for himself.
He eventually landed on the coast of England in 1066 when the king of England died to take that throne as well.
The initial combat in the north against the fyrd went well, they annihilated two of them before reaching Stamford bridge, where they met Harald Godwinson, the other claimant to the English throne.
Due to tactical errors, in that they took their armour off in the heat and sent a lot of equipment and men back to the ships, the Norwegians were wiped out by the English army.
Haralds Huscarls were all killed in a circle around him, to the last man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stamford_Bridge
Not only did Harald die, but with him, the Viking era died as well.
In the future, Norse kings went on crusade to get the rage out of their blood.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald_III_of_Norway

This is Harald with his Huscarls and Land Ravager, his legendary banner with the raven on it. After the battle, it was said that the banner was blank, the raven had left them and so their fortunes changed.

This is Land Ravager.

[Lord Sidious]

And now, for part 2, the eastern adventures of the Norwegians, the Swedes, the Danes and their allies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miklaga...kings_Volume_2

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-MkECybzDg0

This one is the intro, vi seglar mot miklagard, We sail to Miklagard and the next tune Sweden rolled into one.
This tune is about a Norseman preparing to sail east and seek his fortune.
You hear him speak of the freedom of being at sea and the typical trade items the Norse traded those days.
Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t all violence and raiding. Only a Viking is a raider, the majority of Norseman were not Vikings.
Many were traders and explorers.
The Swedish in the first part is as follows.

Posted by Vi Seglar Mot Miklagard
Speaking:
They went bravely far away for gold to the east, feeding the eagle. They died in the south, in Sarkland.
Singing:
I went away, with the western wind in my back, with men on the way, I bought safety, far we have come, on water on land, When I approach the far away I miss my own beach. Through valley over moor, we sail on the eastern track. In hard storms we approach Miklagard.
Speaking:
Only the one who travels far knows, and far away has been, what mood leads one.
Singing:
Through valley over moor, we sail on the eastern track. In hard storms we approach Miklagard.

Mange Takk, Jorr Lundstrom for the translation.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=TGLmj3O9R1s

Here, they are on their way to Lake Ladoga, but on the way they are going around collecting goods for trade in the east.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=8KApcTXZisM

This one describes the way the Norseman sailed towards the Gulf of Finland to enter the Russian river systems at Lake Ladoga and head for Novgorod and Staraya Ladoga, two of their strongholds in the east.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staraya_Ladoga

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=PaRQsdoDE2A

This one is about a Norseman singing of his weapon, Ulfberth, his sword.
Someone tries to ambush Norse traders, dumb move, Norsemen were known for their proficiency with weapons.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Lfi5IU_-1y4

And now we get to The Rus.
We hear them mention the legendary Viking chief Rurik.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rurik

This is the statue of Rurik in Novgorod.

They were invited to rule over the locals in the area of Kiev.
These men were the ones that evicted the khazars and others from the area of Kiev and set up the kingdom that became known as the Kievan Rus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khazars
We hear mention of Sviatoslav as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sviatoslav_I_of_Kiev

[Lord Sidious]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=1weRLWcSLnQ

This one is further to the one above, about the kingdom of the Kievan Rus.
It also mentions Rurik.
This is about a group of traders on their way to Miklagard.

This is what their kingdom was like before Sviatoslav began his campaigns for more land.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=asru6uSS6Qk

From what I can gather, Aifur was the name for some rapids on the river Dnepr that the Vikings used to sail down to reach Miklagard.
Funny enough, I found this about a Knarr that was built and sailed like her predecessors a millennia before.
http://www.lkf.lv/vikingi/ENG/aifur.html
http://web.comhem.se/aifur/varangians.html
When navigating the rivers, the Norseman would have to take the boats out of the rivers at certain points and roll them on logs for miles to the next river.
And some people believed they had a chance at defeating men such as this!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dnieper_River

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ULkChkLE0wc

This one is about an ambush on Norseman by Pecheneg nomads.
The Vikings come ashore and fight, ultimately beating off the attack and taunting the retreating Pechenegs as cowards.
As you do, of course.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pechenegs

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MjZVMa_ZmEc

This one is about a group of Norseman sailing down the Dnepr and seeing an ideal place to make a sacrifice to Thor, the god of thunder.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=rPqduA_yJ5Q

This one continues the saga, they are still on the Dnepr on their way to the city of stone, Miklagard.

[Lord Sidious]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=-jSOT3JGT_g

And finally, they are there, in Miklagard, the great city.
The subject of the song joins the Varangian Guard that we already heard about.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=gb9frGEEoro

This one is about Harald Hardrada and his service to the Byzantine emperor.
They end up rebelling against the emperor and his mother, killing the child emperor and leaving for home.

[Lord Sidious]

And now, for the final part, this one revolves around Ragnarok.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arise:_...kings_Volume_3

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=APJuqqOUHQY

This one is about Odin, the all father, chief of the Norse gods.

This is Odin riding Sleipnir, the 8 legged horse.

This is Odin with Huginn and Munin, the ravens.

Wednesday is the day of the week named for him.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=fyqyS33IPRQ

This one is about the creation of Midgard.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midgard

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=egwSY7aha90

This one is about Asgard, the home of the gods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asgard
We hear mention first up of Yggdrasil, the world tree, well here it is.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dmW7BOGeIaM

This one is more of the story of Odin and we hear mention of Huginn and Munin, the ravens, we hear of Odin losing his eye and some of his deeds.

[Lord Sidious]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=cnPisHLuef8

This one is about Odin hanging upside down in the tree, his sacrifice for man and his journey towards the knowledge he needed.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=0R0yMbNrTdk

Bolverk is another name for Odin. From what I can gather of this, he is the good and evil in one, depending on what he has to achieve and this is about some of his deeds as the evil one.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eNJbzyIg5Z8

Here is the story of the son of Odin, Thor, the god of thunder.
Thursday is the day of the week named for him.

This is Mjollnir, a symbol of Thor, it is his hammer.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=bjndYOfx6ig

This is about the gods battling the forces of evil.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ADxrWzG8Z2A

This one is about Loki, the trickster.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki

[Lord Sidious]

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Hwj0XFgc1S8

This is the eve of Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=p7zuSgLV_aA

And here it is, Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods. Not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.
After the age of the gods is the age of man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnarök

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=PRx_4gMhWLs

And to end our journey with Rebellion through the history of my Norse ancestors, we have the story of the Einherjar, the dead warriors in Valhalla who will assist the gods in the battles of Ragnarok.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einherjar


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Age

To finish, I have a treat for you all.
The actual Havamal being recited in Old Norse by Svenbjorn Beinteinsson, an Icelandic priest of the religion they now call Asatru.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hávamál
It has subtitles in Old Norse and English, so you can read as we go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sveinbjörn_Beinteinsson

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=yY7dtuYH7B0

Thanks for reading and for honouring the Norse of years past, their spirit lives on in some of their descendants.
Mange Takk.

[Lord Sidious]

And now the album artwork for the three parts, in order presented above.

[Lord Sidious]

Believe it or not avalonuggets, I can feel their influence in my beliefs and in the way I see the world.
I am trying to break free of the beserker and become the diplomat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserker
The talking heads say that the rage comes from the inducing of things.
Trust me, this isn't the source, it is in the blood.

[Terra]

Cheers Lord Nugget. Inspiring stuff, want to learn more now.. Many of these names I have seen before in the game "Eve Online", developed by an Icelandic studio called CCP. They have named the ships in game with the likes of Munin, Ragnarok, Sleipnir, Loki and Hugginn etc, didn't realise where they came from.

Here's a little light animation for you. I'm off to sharpen my Gränsfors Bruks

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MV5w262XvCU

[modwiz]

Posted by Terra (here)
Cheers Lord Nugget. Inspiring stuff, want to learn more now.. Many of these names I have seen before in the game "Eve Online", developed by an Icelandic studio called CCP. They have named the ships in game with the likes of Munin, Ragnarok, Sleipnir, Loki and Hugginn etc, didn't realise where they came from.

Here's a little light animation for you. I'm off to sharpen my Gränsfors Bruks

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MV5w262XvCU

I absolutely loved that clip. Brilliant in so many ways. Thank you. I will watch it a few times, for sure.

UPDATE:
Second watch, many laughs. This little piece has a profound statement to make as well.

[13th Warrior]

Insert tracking device here for ease of navigation...

[RedeZra]

nice presentation Sith and those were the days ; )


I can trace my line - together with probably millions of others and the current king of Norway - back to Olav the Holy the eternal King and patron saint of Norway - who was the great-great-great-grandson of the Vika king Harald Fairhair who united Norway in 872

this dynasty of Vika kings traced their ancestry back to the Ynglings who were in the bloodline of Odin or Wotan - one of the heroes of old and possibly a Nephilim ; )

[Cidersomerset]

Thanks Lord Sid I look forward to reading the thread in detail later for now I will add my favourite Vikings apart Harold Bluetooth King of Denmark 940 AD and famous warrior and inventor of a early mobile phone
using a rams horn to which the 'bluetooth mobile phone, is named after....And Sveyn Forkbeard King of Denmark & England 960 AD who as his name suggested had a tendency to remove food from his beard with his cutlery..

My favourite North Hero was Hagar The Horrible and his formidible spouse Helga.......Brought to life by Bruce blitz....

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Lh2cDAjZM

As a boy the only part of the newspaper I read was the Hager comic strip.....

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=xlWsxppAtOo

Some of Hagars comic strips

http://thedailyfunnies.wordpress.com...-the-horrible/

This is how kids today learn about Them in 'Horrible Histories'

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=8qSkaAwKMD4

'Skoal' ..Sven CiderBellies...

[Cidersomerset]

In 1066 England was no more. The three great Norse kingdoms of the age came head to head to create the foundations of Great Britain......Harold 1 Anglo saxon/Danish King of England.....Harold Hadrada Viking King of Norway and William Duke of Normandy, Norse Lord of Normandy.....All do battle for middle earth and the throne of future Britain..

This Channel 4 Docu/movie bring these dramatic times to life.....

Parental Guide Scenes of violence...

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=OXavlkfWVc0

Cheers Steve...

[13th Warrior]

A Thousand Thank You's to Lord Sidious for this thread!

I can feel a deep racial memory and a heavy influence from the Norse Folk of old; you need only look to my given screen name and avatar.

I am Beowulf!

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=UATg4wpNges

I will savor perusing this thread, though it shall take me some time...

Lord Sidious; a little Viking Metal for your head banging pleasure:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=P3WJX1cIuY4

[GCS1103]

Posted by Lord Sidious (here)
Believe it or not avalonuggets, I can feel their influence in my beliefs and in the way I see the world.
I am trying to break free of the beserker and become the diplomat.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berserker
The talking heads say that the rage comes from the inducing of things.
Trust me, this isn't the source, it is in the blood.

Your ability to be a diplomat, when necessary, will serve you much better in the future. You have the knowledge, the humor and the ability to be a peacemaker- that is a winning combination that will come in handy one day.