History 271: The Viking World

Introductions

W 1/11 Introduction to the course
- Fun: Viking Quest. We are the Vikings. Viking Kittens.Viking Defense.The Vikings (1958 movie). And so much more ... (like this Manga!)

First Glimpses

F 1/13 To the West: "Graenlendinga Saga," Vinland Sagas - 47-72
- Questions
M 1/16 MLK DAY
W 1/18 To the West: "Eirik's Saga," Vinland Sagas - 73-105. Also skim the Introduction. You'll learn a lot. Read the historical background and notes on where your sources come from.
- Discussion Questions for today
- Take a look at The Vinland Map page. We'll discuss in class.

The Northmen in Europe

F 1/20 Before the Vikings: The Formation of the Medieval West
- Reading: Textbook, Chapter 3
  - 100 Years of English History - Read the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle from 787-887 C.E (in part 2). Take notes! Find 6 different appearances of "Vikings" in the text.
- Discussion Question: What can you extrapolate about English life and society from this primary source?
- Some class questions from Ferguson:
  1. What are the "causes" of the Viking age?
  2. What are the sources? I.e., how does Ferguson know?
  3. What else do we need to know to process these texts?
M 1/23 Attack!!!!!
- Textbook, Chapter 4
- Reader
  - Chapter Eight: "Sudden and Unforeseen Attacks of Northmen"
  - 39. On the Causes of the Viking Expansion
  - 40. Viking Raids on England, 789-850/1
  - 41. Alcuin's Letter to King Athelred, 793
  - 42. An English Gospel Book Ransomed from the Vikings
  - 43. Viking Raids on Ireland, 795-842
  - 44. The Martyrdom of Blathmac, 825
  - 45. Irish Resistance to the Norsemen
- Skim the textbook chapter, then read each source. Make a note on what each source tells us about the Viking raids and the response (cultural, political, military).
- Class Discussion:
  - What are the main themes from the textbook chapter?
  - In groups, find specifc instances in the primary sources that illustrate these themes.
W 1/25 Vikings in France
- Reading:
  - Textbook Chapter 5.
  - Reader
    - 46. Franks and Vikings, 800-829
    - 47. The Northmen in France, 843-865
    - 48. The Annals of St-Vast, 882-886
    - 49. An Account of the Siege of Paris, 885-886
    - 50. Vikings in the Iberian Peninsula
      - (a) Ibn al-Kutia
      - (b) Ibn Adhari

Discussion Questions

F 1/27Vikings in The (other) British Isles
- Reading: The Martyrdom of St. Edmund
  - Reader:
    - Chapter Nine: "The Heathens Stayed": From Raiding to Settlement
    - 51. Viking Activities in England, 851-900
    - 52. The Vikings in Ireland, 845-917
      53. Ketil Flatnose and his Descendants in the Hebrides
      54. Earl Sigurd and the Establishment of the Earldom of Orkney
      55. Runic Inscriptions from Maes Howe, Mainland, Orkney
      56. Runic Inscriptions from the Isle of Man

State-building

M 1/30 The Danelaw
- Reading: Textbook, Chapter 7 (and maybe 10)
  - Reader:
    - 97. Knut the Great and the North Sea Empire
    - 98. The Earldom of Orkney at Its Zenith
  - Maps.
  - Alfred's Life of Asser - Excerpt and Whole.
  - A silver penny of Canute.
- Class Plan
W 2/1 Normandy
- Reading: Catch up on the Ferguson reading and read ...
  - 57. Rollo Obtains Normandy from the King of the Franks
  - Some other snippets.
F 2/3 Test #1. Take-home. No class. The test will go online at 10:30 AM. Read the instructions carefully. Come talk to me in my office if you have questions or send me an email. Due on Monday by 10:30 AM.
- How do I study for this?

Week V: Scandinavia in Mythic Time: Gods and Heroes

M 2/6 TEST #1 is due today. The test will go online at 10:30 AM on Friday. Read the instructions carefully. Come talk to me in my office if you have questions or send me an email. Due on Monday by classtime.
- How do I study for this?
- THERE IS CLASS TODAY, but no reading is due. Bring your Viking Reader.
- Havamal.
- Voluspa.
- Lay of Rig
W 2/8 The Old Religion
- Textbook, Chapters 1-2
- Reader, Chapter Four: Early Religion and Belief
  8. The Norse Creation-Myth
  9. Ragnarok: The Doom of the Gods
  10. A Prophetess in Greenland
  11. Odin's Wisdom and Arts
  12. Odin Welcomes Eirik Bloodax to Valhalla
  13. Odin Hangs on Yggdrasil
  14. Odin and Human Sacrifice
  (a) The Death of King Vikar
  (b) The Deaths of Domaldi and Olaf Tretelgj
F 2/10 Religious Practice
- Reader
  - 15. Sigurd, the Earl of Lade, Sacrifices to the Gods
  - 16. The Temple at Uppsala
  - 17. A Temple in Iceland
  - 18. King Harald Gormsson and the Land-Spirits
  - 19. Norse Funeral Practices
    - (a) An Arab Description of a Viking Funeral
    - (b) Snorri's History of Burial Practices
    - (c) Odin Orders Cremation and Becomes a God
    - (d) The Death of Baldur the Good
    - (e) Gunnar's Burial Mound
  - 20. The Living Dead
    - (a) Gunnar's Posthumous Poem
    - (b) Grettir's Fight with Glam
- Core class discussion question - What functions did pagan religion provide to Viking society?
- Modern norse pagans (Astaru)

Week VI

M 2/13 Women

Reader
- Chapter Five: Women in the Viking Age
  21. Unn the Deep-Minded Takes Control of her Life
  22. Queen Gunnhild Has her Way with Hrut
  23. The Prowess of Freydis, Daughter of Eirik the Red
  24. A Warrior-Woman
  25. Gudrun Drives her Sons to Take Revenge
  26. Gudrun Osvifrsdaughter's Incitement of her Sons
  27. The Goading of Hildigunn
  28. Betrothals from the Sagas
  (a) The Betrothal of Olaf Hoskuldsson
  (b) How Unn Mordsdaughter Found Herself Betrothed
  29. Divorces from the Sagas
  (a) How Gudrun Divorced Thorvald
  (b) Vigdis Divorces Thord Goddi
  (c) How Aud Dealt with her Humiliating Divorce
Classplan
- Consider the issue of "gender" in history.
- How do these sources give us a sense of gender roles and gender norms in the Viking past? Keep in mind that this is a different question than "what happens" in the sources or "what do women do."
A viking pirate princess.

Week VI Vikings in the East

W 2/15 The Rus and Islam: The Risala of Ibn Fadlan, translation and commentary by J. Montgomery.
- Discussion Questions
- A nice little article on Arabs among the Vikings (might be helpful)
- DU VIKING.
- What's Opera, Doc?
- Movie pt. 1
- Maps! - Scroll down for Kievan Rus maps.
- How the Ukraine Tourist board would like us to see it.
- The long Wikipedia article with great maps and images.
- The Khazars with maps.
F 2/17 The Origins of Kiev
- Textbook, Chapter 12
- Reader: Chapter Ten: Austrveg: The Viking Road to the East
  58. The Piraeus Lion
  59. The Rus
  60. The Rus Attack Constantinople
  61. On the Arrival of the Varangians
  63. River Routes to Constantinople
  65. Rus Expeditions to the Middle East

Week VII

M 2/20 Conversion and State-Building
- Reading: The Russian Primary Chronicle, Church Statute of Vladimir, Law Code of Iaroslav, Church Statute of Iaroslav, Martyrdom of Boris and Gleb. Print every one of these out.
- Discussion Questions posted here.

Colonization

W 2/22 Iceland - MAP!
Discussion question - What is Ferguson's "thesis" here? How do our sources link to Ferguson?
- Readings:
  - Textbook, Chapter 8
  - Reader:
    - Chapter Eleven: Into the Western Ocean, The Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland
      66. The Islands in the Northern Ocean, ca 825
      67. Sailing Directions and Distances in the North Atlantic
      68. The Western Ocean
      69. Adam of Bremen on Iceland
      70. Icelandic Accounts of the Discovery and Settlement of Iceland
      (a) The Book of the Icelanders
      (b) The Book of Settlements
      (c) The Saga of the People of Eyri
      71. Skallagrim's Landtake in Iceland
      (a) The Book of the Icelanders
      (b) The Book of Settlements
F 2/24 Greenland and the Lesser Islands
- Reading
  - Textbook, Chapter 14
  - Reader,
    - 72. The Settlement of Greenland
    - 73. The King's Mirror on Greenland

Week VIII Viking Society

M 2/27 Society
Reading:
- We will refer back to the Havamal and the Lay of Rig in class. Read the sources below. For each source, come to class prepared to discuss what they reveal about the structure of Viking society.
- Reader:
  - Chapter Twelve: Viking Life and Death
    77. Advice for Sailors and Merchants
    78. Egil in Youth and Old Age
    79. Svein Asleifarson's Viking Life
    80. The Jomsvikings Meet Their End
    81. The Death of Gunnar
    82. The Burning of Njal
    83. The Death of Thormod Kolbrunarskald
W 2/29 Begin organizing FINAL PROJECT. Get your book RIGHT NOW!
R 3/1 REQUIRED TALK ON NORTHERN EUROPE. THURSDAY, 3/1.
- 3:00
- INSTITUTE FOR THE HUMANITIES
  
  University of Illinois at Chicago
  
  701 South Morgan, Lower Level
  
  Stevenson Hall, Chicago, IL
  
  http://bit.ly/yEVvVZ
F 3/2 NO CLASS. Take-Home #2 due at 9:00 P.M. on Friday. Exam posted at 5:00 P.M. on Monday.

Week IX - SPRING BREAK

Mon, 3/9 - Pillage
Wed, 3/11 - Explore
Fri, 3/13 - Trade

Week X The Scandinavian Realms

M 3/12 Society
- Reading: Norwegian Law Codes (handed out prior to Spring Break)
- Due: Fictional Writing project due.
- In class, we will discuss HOW we used the laws to craft a life. Meet in groups for 20 minutes to discuss your stories and approaches, then we'll discuss as a whole.
- When you are finished, start talking about all the other issues you can understand about Viking society by studying the laws.
W 3/14 St. Canute & St. Olaf - New Kingdoms & New Religions
- Reader Chapter Thirteen: Pragmatic Christianity: Read the chapter and come to class with a clear outline of its findings. Then skim the documents and think about how they support Ferguson's reading.
- 84. The Conversion of the Danes under Harald Bluetooth
  85. Olaf Tryggvason and the Conversion of Norway
  86. A Poet Abandons the Old Gods
  87. The Christianization of Norway under Saint Olaf
  88. The Conversion of the Icelanders
  89. The Conversion of Greenland
  90. The Conversion of Orkney
  91. Christianity in Sweden
  92. Christianity and the Church in Norway
F 3/16 Politics
- Reading: Ferguson, Chapter 11. Focus on the Jelling Stone. Outline it. We'll discuss both outlines from W and F today.
  - Reader:
    - Chapter Fourteen: State-Building at Home and Abroad
      94. Harald Finehair and the Unification of Norway
      95. State-Making in Denmark: The Jelling Stone
      96. State-Making in Denmark: Unification and Expansion

Week XI - PROFESSOR IN ITALY NO CLASS ALL WEEK

M 3/19 Meet this week for 50 minutes to discuss and plan your final project. Past classes have featured video games, game shows, horned helmets, and hitting fellow classmates with axes. You can do even better! You will need to turn in a signed statement from the group about when and where you met. It will count for attendence.
W 3/21 Read Harald Hardrada
F 3/23 Read Harald Hardrada - Paper Due 5:00 P.M. on Friday.

Week XII

M 3/26 King Harald's Saga - Discussion of the Saga
W 3/28 The Norman Conquest
- Class Activity - Prepare for class discussion on the Bayeux Tapestry. I will assign groups on Monday, 3/26. If you miss class, you must email me for an assignment.
- You might also look at - "The Essential Norman Conquest" - Explore the site and read the history. This is a bit "high-schooly," but fun for a change of pace. It's a good example of what's on the internet.
F 3/30 Other Kings of Norway.
- Saga of the Kings of Norway: Hakon
- Discussion Questions
  - I particularly like this little piece of the history of the kings of norway for drilling down into some issues of kingship, power, and religion. Once we put this, Harald Hardarada, and St. Olaf together, we'll have a great picture of the development of the Kingdom of Norway. So here are some questions we will discuss.
    1. What are the important events here?
    2. What does it mean to be a king as evidenced by the text? What are the key features that Hakon has that enables him to be successful? What roles do the democratic institutions play?
    3. What about religion? How do Christianity and the pagan religions, and the practitioners of said religions, interact in the text?
    4. What do you make of the poetry? What purpose does it play in the otherwise prose-narrative? Pick a poem and discuss it.
    5. How do people resolve disputes?
    6. What kinds of virtues and values and vices can we extrapolate from the text?

Week XIII

M 4/2 St. Olaf:
- Death and Miracles of St. Olaf .
  - Backup source! Click to download and print. Skim the battle stuff and focus on the cultural history + sanctification.
- A nice essay on the sanctification of St. Olaf's memory
- Discussion Topics
  - This is the final section of 8 parts (over 200 pages) of text on King Olaf Haraldson. In it, he loses a battle and dies. So why and how does he become so important? Why is he credited with Christianizing Norway? How do we move from disaster to eternal victory (in memory). Read both primary and secondary source and come to class with ideas.
W 4/4 URSCI - YOU MUST ATTEND
- Response form.
F 4/6 - EASTER

Week XIV

M 4/9 Norman Sicily and Viking Pilgrimage. Today we will wrap up the Normans.
- Turn in URSCI forms please.

Reading: Career of Robert Guiscard. Deeds of Robert Guiscard. Short selections from a medieval poem.
Here's the whole poem on Guiscard.
ASSIGNMENT - Read the excerpts (first link) and pages 1-30 of the bigger poem. Please print out both the excerpt and the assigned pages of the poem.
- Discussion questions: Compare Robert to the other rulers - Olaf, Hakon, Harald.
- What seems to be "Viking" here and what "European?" How can we make such distinctions? Come to class with specific examples.
And a pretty keen site on Medieval Sicily.
Images of Guiscard

W 4/11 REPEAT MONDAY!
Norman Sicily and Viking Pilgrimage. Today we will wrap up the Normans.
- Turn in URSCI forms please.

Reading: Career of Robert Guiscard. Deeds of Robert Guiscard. Short selections from a medieval poem.
Here's the whole poem on Guiscard.
ASSIGNMENT - Read the excerpts (first link) and pages 1-30 of the bigger poem. Please print out both the excerpt and the assigned pages of the poem.
- Discussion questions: Compare Robert to the other rulers - Olaf, Hakon, Harald.
- What seems to be "Viking" here and what "European?" How can we make such distinctions? Come to class with specific examples.
And a pretty keen site on Medieval Sicily.
Images of Guiscard

F 4/13 "Viking Pilgrimage." Test #3 posted today. A few images.

We will look at "The Siege and Capture of Antioch," one of the pivotal events of the First Crusade.
Sigurd the Crusader - Primary Source
Discussion Questions
1. What is a pilgrimage?
2. Why, according to Browner, did Vikings go on pilgrimage?
3. Where did they go, and why?
4. How might the pre-Christian Viking religion connect to Christian ideas on pilgrimage?

Week XV

M 4/16 Designated Group Work Day. Report mandatory.
- TEST #3 DUE at 10:30 A.M. on MyDU
W 4/18 Wrap up
- Political history of Scandinavia
- Vikings - Imdb search
F 4/20 Work with your groups!

Week XVI

M 4/23 Presentations
- History of the Kings of Norway
W 4/25 Presentation
- Saxo Grammaticus
- Prose Edda
F 4/27 Presentations
- Njal's Saga
- Volsunga Saga

FINAL EXAM WEEK 4/30-5/3

Final paper is due on Tuesday, 5/1, by 5:00 PM. Please turn it in at my office, Lewis Annex 2C


Introductions W 1/11 Introduction to the course Fun: Viking Quest. We are the Vikings. Viking Kittens.Viking Defense.The Vikings (1958 movie). And so much more ... (like this Manga!) First Glimpses F 1/13 To the West: "Graenlendinga Saga," Vinland Sagas - 47-72 Questions M 1/16 MLK DAY W 1/18 To the West: "Eirik's Saga," Vinland Sagas - 73-105. Also skim the Introduction. You'll learn a lot. Read the historical background and notes on where your sources come from. Discussion Questions for today Take a look at The Vinland Map page. We'll discuss in class. The Northmen in Europe F 1/20 Before the Vikings: The Formation of the Medieval West Reading: Textbook, Chapter 3 100 Years of English History - Read the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle from 787-887 C.E (in part 2). Take notes! Find 6 different appearances of "Vikings" in the text. Discussion Question: What can you extrapolate about English life and society from this primary source? Some class questions from Ferguson: What are the "causes" of the Viking age? What are the sources? I.e., how does Ferguson know? What else do we need to know to process these texts? M 1/23 Attack!!!!! Textbook, Chapter 4 Reader Chapter Eight: "Sudden and Unforeseen Attacks of Northmen" 39. On the Causes of the Viking Expansion 40. Viking Raids on England, 789-850/1 41. Alcuin's Letter to King Athelred, 793 42. An English Gospel Book Ransomed from the Vikings 43. Viking Raids on Ireland, 795-842 44. The Martyrdom of Blathmac, 825 45. Irish Resistance to the Norsemen Skim the textbook chapter, then read each source. Make a note on what each source tells us about the Viking raids and the response (cultural, political, military). Class Discussion: What are the main themes from the textbook chapter? In groups, find specifc instances in the primary sources that illustrate these themes. W 1/25 Vikings in France Reading: Textbook Chapter 5. Reader 46. Franks and Vikings, 800-829 47. The Northmen in France, 843-865 48. The Annals of St-Vast, 882-886 49. An Account of the Siege of Paris, 885-886 50. Vikings in the Iberian Peninsula (a) Ibn al-Kutia (b) Ibn Adhari Discussion Questions F 1/27Vikings in The (other) British Isles Reading: The Martyrdom of St. Edmund Reader: Chapter Nine: "The Heathens Stayed": From Raiding to Settlement 51. Viking Activities in England, 851-900 52. The Vikings in Ireland, 845-917 53. Ketil Flatnose and his Descendants in the Hebrides 54. Earl Sigurd and the Establishment of the Earldom of Orkney 55. Runic Inscriptions from Maes Howe, Mainland, Orkney 56. Runic Inscriptions from the Isle of Man Discussion Questions State-building M 1/30 The Danelaw Reading: Textbook, Chapter 7 (and maybe 10) Reader: 97. Knut the Great and the North Sea Empire 98. The Earldom of Orkney at Its Zenith Maps. Alfred's Life of Asser - Excerpt and Whole. A silver penny of Canute. Class Plan Discuss test #1. Alfred of Wessex and the Danelaw Aethelred the Redeless and the Big Oops! Cnut's empire - Map. What does it mean to be a king, anyway? W 2/1 Normandy Reading: Catch up on the Ferguson reading and read ... 57. Rollo Obtains Normandy from the King of the Franks Some other snippets. F 2/3 Test #1. Take-home. No class. The test will go online at 10:30 AM. Read the instructions carefully. Come talk to me in my office if you have questions or send me an email. Due on Monday by 10:30 AM. How do I study for this? Week V: Scandinavia in Mythic Time: Gods and Heroes M 2/6 TEST #1 is due today. The test will go online at 10:30 AM on Friday. Read the instructions carefully. Come talk to me in my office if you have questions or send me an email. Due on Monday by classtime. How do I study for this? THERE IS CLASS TODAY, but no reading is due. Bring your Viking Reader. Havamal. Voluspa. Lay of Rig W 2/8 The Old Religion Textbook, Chapters 1-2 Reader, Chapter Four: Early Religion and Belief 8. The Norse Creation-Myth 9. Ragnarok: The Doom of the Gods 10. A Prophetess in Greenland 11. Odin's Wisdom and Arts 12. Odin Welcomes Eirik Bloodax to Valhalla 13. Odin Hangs on Yggdrasil 14. Odin and Human Sacrifice (a) The Death of King Vikar (b) The Deaths of Domaldi and Olaf Tretelgj F 2/10 Religious Practice Reader 15. Sigurd, the Earl of Lade, Sacrifices to the Gods 16. The Temple at Uppsala 17. A Temple in Iceland 18. King Harald Gormsson and the Land-Spirits 19. Norse Funeral Practices (a) An Arab Description of a Viking Funeral (b) Snorri's History of Burial Practices (c) Odin Orders Cremation and Becomes a God (d) The Death of Baldur the Good (e) Gunnar's Burial Mound 20. The Living Dead (a) Gunnar's Posthumous Poem (b) Grettir's Fight with Glam Core class discussion question - What functions did pagan religion provide to Viking society? Modern norse pagans (Astaru) Week VI M 2/13 Women Reader Chapter Five: Women in the Viking Age 21. Unn the Deep-Minded Takes Control of her Life 22. Queen Gunnhild Has her Way with Hrut 23. The Prowess of Freydis, Daughter of Eirik the Red 24. A Warrior-Woman 25. Gudrun Drives her Sons to Take Revenge 26. Gudrun Osvifrsdaughter's Incitement of her Sons 27. The Goading of Hildigunn 28. Betrothals from the Sagas (a) The Betrothal of Olaf Hoskuldsson (b) How Unn Mordsdaughter Found Herself Betrothed 29. Divorces from the Sagas (a) How Gudrun Divorced Thorvald (b) Vigdis Divorces Thord Goddi (c) How Aud Dealt with her Humiliating Divorce Classplan Consider the issue of "gender" in history. How do these sources give us a sense of gender roles and gender norms in the Viking past? Keep in mind that this is a different question than "what happens" in the sources or "what do women do." A viking pirate princess. Week VI Vikings in the East W 2/15 *The Rus* and Islam*: The Risala* of Ibn Fadlan, translation and commentary by J. Montgomery. Discussion Questions A nice little article on Arabs among the Vikings (might be helpful) DU VIKING. What's Opera, Doc? Movie pt. 1 Maps! - Scroll down for Kievan Rus maps. How the Ukraine Tourist board would like us to see it. The long Wikipedia article with great maps and images. The Khazars with maps. F 2/17 The Origins of Kiev Textbook, Chapter 12 Reader: Chapter Ten: Austrveg: The Viking Road to the East 58. The Piraeus Lion 59. The Rus 60. The Rus Attack Constantinople 61. On the Arrival of the Varangians 63. River Routes to Constantinople 65. Rus Expeditions to the Middle East Week VII M 2/20 Conversion and State-Building Reading: The Russian Primary Chronicle, Church Statute of Vladimir, Law Code of Iaroslav, Church Statute of Iaroslav, Martyrdom of Boris and Gleb. Print every one of these out. Discussion Questions posted here. Colonization W 2/22 Iceland - MAP! Discussion question - What is Ferguson's "thesis" here? How do our sources link to Ferguson? Readings: Textbook, Chapter 8 Reader: Chapter Eleven: Into the Western Ocean, The Faeroes, Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland 66. The Islands in the Northern Ocean, ca 825 67. Sailing Directions and Distances in the North Atlantic 68. The Western Ocean 69. Adam of Bremen on Iceland 70. Icelandic Accounts of the Discovery and Settlement of Iceland (a) The Book of the Icelanders (b) The Book of Settlements (c) The Saga of the People of Eyri 71. Skallagrim's Landtake in Iceland (a) The Book of the Icelanders (b) The Book of Settlements F 2/24 Greenland and the Lesser Islands Reading Textbook, Chapter 14 Reader, 72. The Settlement of Greenland 73. The King's Mirror on Greenland Week VIII Viking Society M 2/27 Society Reading: We will refer back to the Havamal and the Lay of Rig in class. Read the sources below. For each source, come to class prepared to discuss what they reveal about the structure of Viking society. Reader: Chapter Twelve: Viking Life and Death 77. Advice for Sailors and Merchants 78. Egil in Youth and Old Age 79. Svein Asleifarson's Viking Life 80. The Jomsvikings Meet Their End 81. The Death of Gunnar 82. The Burning of Njal 83. The Death of Thormod Kolbrunarskald W 2/29 Begin organizing FINAL PROJECT. Get your book RIGHT NOW! R 3/1 REQUIRED TALK ON NORTHERN EUROPE. THURSDAY, 3/1. 3:00 INSTITUTE FOR THE HUMANITIES University of Illinois at Chicago 701 South Morgan, Lower Level Stevenson Hall, Chicago, IL http://bit.ly/yEVvVZ F 3/2 NO CLASS. Take-Home #2 due at 9:00 P.M. on Friday. Exam posted at 5:00 P.M. on Monday. Week IX - SPRING BREAK Mon, 3/9 - Pillage Wed, 3/11 - Explore Fri, 3/13 - Trade Week X The Scandinavian Realms M 3/12 Society Reading: Norwegian Law Codes (handed out prior to Spring Break) Due: Fictional Writing project due. In class, we will discuss HOW we used the laws to craft a life. Meet in groups for 20 minutes to discuss your stories and approaches, then we'll discuss as a whole. When you are finished, start talking about all the other issues you can understand about Viking society by studying the laws. W 3/14 St. Canute & St. Olaf - New Kingdoms & New Religions Reader Chapter Thirteen: Pragmatic Christianity: Read the chapter and come to class with a clear outline of its findings. Then skim the documents and think about how they support Ferguson's reading. 84. The Conversion of the Danes under Harald Bluetooth 85. Olaf Tryggvason and the Conversion of Norway 86. A Poet Abandons the Old Gods 87. The Christianization of Norway under Saint Olaf 88. The Conversion of the Icelanders 89. The Conversion of Greenland 90. The Conversion of Orkney 91. Christianity in Sweden 92. Christianity and the Church in Norway F 3/16 Politics Reading: Ferguson, Chapter 11. Focus on the Jelling Stone. Outline it. We'll discuss both outlines from W and F today. Reader: Chapter Fourteen: State-Building at Home and Abroad 94. Harald Finehair and the Unification of Norway 95. State-Making in Denmark: The Jelling Stone 96. State-Making in Denmark: Unification and Expansion Week XI - PROFESSOR IN ITALY NO CLASS ALL WEEK M 3/19 Meet this week for 50 minutes to discuss and plan your final project. Past classes have featured video games, game shows, horned helmets, and hitting fellow classmates with axes. You can do even better! You will need to turn in a signed statement from the group about when and where you met. It will count for attendence. W 3/21 Read Harald Hardrada F 3/23 Read Harald Hardrada - Paper Due 5:00 P.M. on Friday. Week XII M 3/26 King Harald's Saga - Discussion of the Saga W 3/28 The Norman Conquest Class Activity - Prepare for class discussion on the Bayeux Tapestry. I will assign groups on Monday, 3/26. If you miss class, you must email me for an assignment. You might also look at - "The Essential Norman Conquest" - Explore the site and read the history. This is a bit "high-schooly," but fun for a change of pace. It's a good example of what's on the internet. F 3/30 Other Kings of Norway. Saga of the Kings of Norway: Hakon Discussion Questions I particularly like this little piece of the history of the kings of norway for drilling down into some issues of kingship, power, and religion. Once we put this, Harald Hardarada, and St. Olaf together, we'll have a great picture of the development of the Kingdom of Norway. So here are some questions we will discuss. What are the important events here? What does it mean to be a king as evidenced by the text? What are the key features that Hakon has that enables him to be successful? What roles do the democratic institutions play? What about religion? How do Christianity and the pagan religions, and the practitioners of said religions, interact in the text? What do you make of the poetry? What purpose does it play in the otherwise prose-narrative? Pick a poem and discuss it. How do people resolve disputes? What kinds of virtues and values and vices can we extrapolate from the text? Week XIII M 4/2 St. Olaf: Death and Miracles of St. Olaf . Backup source! Click to download and print. Skim the battle stuff and focus on the cultural history + sanctification. A nice essay on the sanctification of St. Olaf's memory Discussion Topics This is the final section of 8 parts (over 200 pages) of text on King Olaf Haraldson. In it, he loses a battle and dies. So why and how does he become so important? Why is he credited with Christianizing Norway? How do we move from disaster to eternal victory (in memory). Read both primary and secondary source and come to class with ideas. W 4/4 URSCI - YOU MUST ATTEND Response form. F 4/6 - EASTER Week XIV M 4/9 Norman Sicily and Viking Pilgrimage. Today we will wrap up the Normans. Turn in URSCI forms please. Reading: Career of Robert Guiscard. Deeds of Robert Guiscard. Short selections from a medieval poem. Here's the whole poem on Guiscard. ASSIGNMENT - Read the excerpts (first link) and pages 1-30 of the bigger poem. Please print out both the excerpt and the assigned pages of the poem. Discussion questions: Compare Robert to the other rulers - Olaf, Hakon, Harald. What seems to be "Viking" here and what "European?" How can we make such distinctions? Come to class with specific examples. And a pretty keen site on Medieval Sicily. Images of Guiscard W 4/11 REPEAT MONDAY! Norman Sicily and Viking Pilgrimage. Today we will wrap up the Normans. Turn in URSCI forms please. Reading: Career of Robert Guiscard. Deeds of Robert Guiscard. Short selections from a medieval poem. Here's the whole poem on Guiscard. ASSIGNMENT - Read the excerpts (first link) and pages 1-30 of the bigger poem. Please print out both the excerpt and the assigned pages of the poem. Discussion questions: Compare Robert to the other rulers - Olaf, Hakon, Harald. What seems to be "Viking" here and what "European?" How can we make such distinctions? Come to class with specific examples. And a pretty keen site on Medieval Sicily. Images of Guiscard F 4/13 "Viking Pilgrimage." Test #3 posted today. A few images. We will look at "The Siege and Capture of Antioch," one of the pivotal events of the First Crusade. Sigurd the Crusader - Primary Source Discussion Questions What is a pilgrimage? Why, according to Browner, did Vikings go on pilgrimage? Where did they go, and why? How might the pre-Christian Viking religion connect to Christian ideas on pilgrimage? Week XV M 4/16 Designated Group Work Day. Report mandatory. TEST #3 DUE at 10:30 A.M. on MyDU W 4/18 Wrap up Political history of Scandinavia Vikings - Imdb search F 4/20 Work with your groups! Week XVI M 4/23 Presentations History of the Kings of Norway W 4/25 Presentation Saxo Grammaticus Prose Edda F 4/27 Presentations Njal's Saga Volsunga Saga FINAL EXAM WEEK 4/30-5/3 Final paper is due on Tuesday, 5/1, by 5:00 PM. Please turn it in at my office, Lewis Annex 2C
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This site last updated: 1/8/09 Comments to: David Perry Homepage URL: http://domin.dom.edu/faculty/dperry/hist271viking/ © 2009 by David Perry and Dominican University. All rights reserved. Olaf Magnus's map of Scandinavia used by permission of the James Ford Bell Library.