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Vikinger i krig
Vikingenes herjinger forente de spanske kongedømmene og stanset Karl den store og frankernes fremrykning i Europa. Overalt der vikingskipene ferdes fulgte enorme lidelser i deres kjølvann, men i møtet mellom kulturene forandres både de europeiske og nordiske samfunnene.
Aldri før har vikingtidens krigskunst, våpen og tokter blitt presentert samlet. Denne boken viser frem vikingenes offensive og defensive krigføring, deres våpenteknologi, militære tradisjon og taktikk. Underveis tas leseren med på de omfattende plyndrings- og erobringskampanjene som brakte vikingene helt til de muslimske rikene rundt Kaspihavet i øst, til Bagdad og Jerusalem i sør, til dagens Russland i nord og til indianerne i Amerika i vest.
Gjennom detaljerte rekonstruksjoner, illustrasjoner, kart og foto gir Vikinger i krig et levende innblikk i en av de mest spennende epoker i Europas historie.
Aldri før har vikingtidens krigskunst, våpen og tokter blitt presentert samlet. Denne boken viser frem vikingenes offensive og defensive krigføring, deres våpenteknologi, militære tradisjon og taktikk. Underveis tas leseren med på de omfattende plyndrings- og erobringskampanjene som brakte vikingene helt til de muslimske rikene rundt Kaspihavet i øst, til Bagdad og Jerusalem i sør, til dagens Russland i nord og til indianerne i Amerika i vest.
Gjennom detaljerte rekonstruksjoner, illustrasjoner, kart og foto gir Vikinger i krig et levende innblikk i en av de mest spennende epoker i Europas historie.
400 pages, Board book
First published January 1, 2011
120 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 10, 2020
An outstanding book.
February 6, 2020
Lavishly illustrated with remarkable accounts. May be the best Viking book published to date.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
November 12, 2016
Vikinger i krig meaning "Vikings at War" is a very good Norwegian book about Viking warfare. It tells about the Vikings as raiders and conquerors, and the book retells how they established long-lasting realms in Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Russia. The book is beautifully illustrated with a wealth of informative photos, drawings, maps and graphics. It describes Viking war strategies at sea and on land, and it contains an especially interesting chapter about Viking weapons: their use and the weapons mythological and religious significance.
The book will soon be available in English: Vikings at War
The book will soon be available in English: Vikings at War
January 20, 2018
Fighting and war were intricately woven in the tapestry of Viking life. It was brutal and raw, just like life itself, and Vikings were particularly good at mastering the components that constituted this lifestyle. Rather than examine the entire sphere of the Viking world from AD 750 to 1100, the authors focus on one facet of this society – the warriors, whose activities impacted the lives of many from America in the west, to the Caspian Sea in the east, from the Russian forests of the north, to Jerusalem to the south. Their intrusive raids ultimately led to upheavals that altered the course of European history.
Hjardar and Vike present this comprehensive examination in six chapters, each focusing on a particular aspect of a warrior’s life. It begins with the inside covers, which are full-color maps depicting the Viking world during a period of 350 years. Many histories of this era open with an account of the raid on the Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island or Iona Abbey in the Hebrides; these authors chose an even earlier incursion when King Beorhtric of Wessex sent his bailiff to confront the intruders into his realm in the summer of AD 789. This first record of a violent encounter at the hands of the Vikings did not end well for the bailiff.
Whether they were called Norsemen, Danes, heathens, Rus, Varangians, al-madjus, Finn Gall, or Dub Gall, they had two things in common. They came from North, the region we know as Scandinavia, and they were Vikings. Chapter one answers five basic questions: who they were; what “Viking” meant (both then and later); why the raids began; what technological advancements allowed them to venture far from land; and how Vikings, rather than Christians, saw the world. This section also examines Viking society and the role of the warrior in it, as well as their religion.
No book on warriors and military life would be complete without a discussion on “The Art of War,” which is the topic discussed in chapter two. This umbrella covers many facets: troops, homeland defense, trial by combat, training, raiding, battle formations, intelligence and logistics, strategy and stratagems, mercenaries, beserkers and wolfskins, warrior women, and tending the sick and wounded.
Chapter three looks at fortifications, both temporary and permanent, while chapter four focuses on Viking ships. The latter includes a double-page timeline that shows how the cargoes, barges, and longships developed. There is also an annotated list of archeological finds of these vessels.
Chapter five, the only one written by Vegard Vike, focuses on Viking weaponry. All freemen were expected to have and use three types of weapons to defend the land. Weapons were status symbols, in both life and death. The principal arms were the spear, shield, sword or axe, but also discussed are knives, bows and arrows, and personal armor. The arms trade is another topic Vike covers.
The final chapter, the longest of the six, centers on Viking invasions. Here Hjardar divides up the world into eight parts: Islands in the West, Ireland, England, the Frankish Empire and France, the Iberian peninsula, lands in the East, Byzantium, and Greenland and America. Each part includes a full-page color image of the Viking who invaded that region. This allows readers to see the similarities and differences, for example, between a Viking who went to Ireland and one who traveled as far as America. In addition to explaining how the invaders reached these destinations, Hjardar provides overviews of the raids and battles that occurred there and how that area’s Viking history unfolded. Readers are also introduced to specific Vikings whose names – such as the Earls of Orkney, Sigtrygg Silkbeard, Eirik Bloodaxe, Olav Tryggvason, Svjatoslav, and the Varangian Guard – and experiences are recounted in the historical record.
A host of color photographs, diagrams, maps and battle movements, and artwork beautifully illustrate this 400-page coffee-table-sized book. Several double-page spreads of original artwork allow readers to visualize such things as a ship burial, the raid on Lindisfarne, and the Vikings’ winter camp in Repton, England. Throughout the text, the authors include excerpts from original sources to enrich and enhance the topic being discussed. Special boxed highlights, incorporated into every chapter, showcase such subjects as early warrior culture, a woman’s honor, loyalty oaths, traveling to the afterlife, and persons of particular renown. Aside from the end notes, there are a bibliography and an index with four separate divisions – people, places, subjects, and major battles. A list of maps is also included.
The only section with outdated information appears in chapter two and concerns warrior women. This isn’t the author’s fault, as results of DNA studies on a Viking warrior found in 1888 have only recently been shared publicly. Viking warrior women did exist outside of folklore; to the author’s credit, he did leave open the possibility that some women, and even men, stepped outside their sex’s normal societal constraints to follow a different path.
The authors’ purpose in writing this book was to provide readers with vivid look into the Viking Age, and this they consummately achieve. Even though the writing isn’t always riveting, nuanced insights and delightful historical tidbits make this volume not only a worthy addition to any collection specializing in Scandinavian history, but also a stellar resource for history buffs and authors seeking background for their novels.
Hjardar and Vike present this comprehensive examination in six chapters, each focusing on a particular aspect of a warrior’s life. It begins with the inside covers, which are full-color maps depicting the Viking world during a period of 350 years. Many histories of this era open with an account of the raid on the Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island or Iona Abbey in the Hebrides; these authors chose an even earlier incursion when King Beorhtric of Wessex sent his bailiff to confront the intruders into his realm in the summer of AD 789. This first record of a violent encounter at the hands of the Vikings did not end well for the bailiff.
Whether they were called Norsemen, Danes, heathens, Rus, Varangians, al-madjus, Finn Gall, or Dub Gall, they had two things in common. They came from North, the region we know as Scandinavia, and they were Vikings. Chapter one answers five basic questions: who they were; what “Viking” meant (both then and later); why the raids began; what technological advancements allowed them to venture far from land; and how Vikings, rather than Christians, saw the world. This section also examines Viking society and the role of the warrior in it, as well as their religion.
No book on warriors and military life would be complete without a discussion on “The Art of War,” which is the topic discussed in chapter two. This umbrella covers many facets: troops, homeland defense, trial by combat, training, raiding, battle formations, intelligence and logistics, strategy and stratagems, mercenaries, beserkers and wolfskins, warrior women, and tending the sick and wounded.
Chapter three looks at fortifications, both temporary and permanent, while chapter four focuses on Viking ships. The latter includes a double-page timeline that shows how the cargoes, barges, and longships developed. There is also an annotated list of archeological finds of these vessels.
Chapter five, the only one written by Vegard Vike, focuses on Viking weaponry. All freemen were expected to have and use three types of weapons to defend the land. Weapons were status symbols, in both life and death. The principal arms were the spear, shield, sword or axe, but also discussed are knives, bows and arrows, and personal armor. The arms trade is another topic Vike covers.
The final chapter, the longest of the six, centers on Viking invasions. Here Hjardar divides up the world into eight parts: Islands in the West, Ireland, England, the Frankish Empire and France, the Iberian peninsula, lands in the East, Byzantium, and Greenland and America. Each part includes a full-page color image of the Viking who invaded that region. This allows readers to see the similarities and differences, for example, between a Viking who went to Ireland and one who traveled as far as America. In addition to explaining how the invaders reached these destinations, Hjardar provides overviews of the raids and battles that occurred there and how that area’s Viking history unfolded. Readers are also introduced to specific Vikings whose names – such as the Earls of Orkney, Sigtrygg Silkbeard, Eirik Bloodaxe, Olav Tryggvason, Svjatoslav, and the Varangian Guard – and experiences are recounted in the historical record.
A host of color photographs, diagrams, maps and battle movements, and artwork beautifully illustrate this 400-page coffee-table-sized book. Several double-page spreads of original artwork allow readers to visualize such things as a ship burial, the raid on Lindisfarne, and the Vikings’ winter camp in Repton, England. Throughout the text, the authors include excerpts from original sources to enrich and enhance the topic being discussed. Special boxed highlights, incorporated into every chapter, showcase such subjects as early warrior culture, a woman’s honor, loyalty oaths, traveling to the afterlife, and persons of particular renown. Aside from the end notes, there are a bibliography and an index with four separate divisions – people, places, subjects, and major battles. A list of maps is also included.
The only section with outdated information appears in chapter two and concerns warrior women. This isn’t the author’s fault, as results of DNA studies on a Viking warrior found in 1888 have only recently been shared publicly. Viking warrior women did exist outside of folklore; to the author’s credit, he did leave open the possibility that some women, and even men, stepped outside their sex’s normal societal constraints to follow a different path.
The authors’ purpose in writing this book was to provide readers with vivid look into the Viking Age, and this they consummately achieve. Even though the writing isn’t always riveting, nuanced insights and delightful historical tidbits make this volume not only a worthy addition to any collection specializing in Scandinavian history, but also a stellar resource for history buffs and authors seeking background for their novels.
May 25, 2021
Si alguna vez os ha interesado los vikingos, este es vuestro libro. Es un libro sencillo, increíblemente detallado con ilustraciones y fotos y se nota la profesionalidad de los autores en cada letra.
July 9, 2025
En bok som går nøye gjennom mange forskjellige aspekter ved vikingene alt fra kvinners rolle til hvordan vikingenes historie i de ulike områdene der oppholdt seg.
November 12, 2016
Vikinger i krig meaning "Vikings at War" is a very good Norwegian book about Viking warfare; now coming in English. It tells about the Vikings as raiders and conquerors, and the book describes how they established long-lasting realms in Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Russia. The book is beautifully illustrated with a wealth of informative photos, drawings, maps and graphics. It describes Viking war strategies at sea and on land, and it contains an especially interesting chapter about Viking weapons: their use and the weapons mythological and religious significance.
July 26, 2015
Herlig bok som er lett å lese og forstå. Jeg er spesielt glad i kartene og resten av illustrsjonene
October 27, 2018
Hér er allt sem maður þarf að vita um vopn, skip og annan búnað víkinga, og líka um sögu þeirra svona til að draga lærdóm af henni, svo nú er bara að græja sig og halda til hafs....
June 30, 2018
The first half of the book deals with general aspects of Viking warfare, like weapons, armour, battle formations, fortifications and ships. This part may be too detailed for those who are only fairly interested. The second half describes historic events: Which Vikings went where and when. I found this part to be much more interesting, as it contained a lot of information which is not covered in school. The book is successful in describing just how vast the Vikings' influence was in Europe at the time, which was partly unknown to me.
What I miss in this book is more information on battles between the Vikings within Scandinavia. Also, the book focuses on what is established as "known," due to information deduced from archaeological findings and written sources. The authors choose not to speculate in what an individual Viking warrior may have thought and felt, for instance before and during a battle. While this of course cannot be known, I think such speculations, based on the vast knowledge of the authors, could have improved the reader's perception of the period.
What I miss in this book is more information on battles between the Vikings within Scandinavia. Also, the book focuses on what is established as "known," due to information deduced from archaeological findings and written sources. The authors choose not to speculate in what an individual Viking warrior may have thought and felt, for instance before and during a battle. While this of course cannot be known, I think such speculations, based on the vast knowledge of the authors, could have improved the reader's perception of the period.
November 4, 2024
An excellent book about the Vikings! The first part deals with the Vikings in general: their belief, weaponry, training, fortresses and ships. The second part deals with the Vikings geographically, from America in the west to Azerbaijan in the east.
The book is concise with good maps and pictures/reconstructed artwork of Vikings, easy to read and good for someone new to the topic as well as people who are Viking buffs.
This book doesn’t deal so much on Scandinavia as the Vikings went abroad to plunder. If you want to read about Scandinavian Viking history in general you should supplement this book with another one as well.
The book is concise with good maps and pictures/reconstructed artwork of Vikings, easy to read and good for someone new to the topic as well as people who are Viking buffs.
This book doesn’t deal so much on Scandinavia as the Vikings went abroad to plunder. If you want to read about Scandinavian Viking history in general you should supplement this book with another one as well.
February 23, 2022
The best book on Viking warfare I've read. It strikes the perfect balance between accessibility and historical accuracy.
A precious source about the often overlooked Viking fortifications on land and sea.
A precious source about the often overlooked Viking fortifications on land and sea.
August 16, 2025
Very well researched, lots of interesting facts, nicely illustrated.
But also a bit dully written, and sometimes to much listing of raids, plunders and more raids, plunders. And when some more raids, plunders.
But also a bit dully written, and sometimes to much listing of raids, plunders and more raids, plunders. And when some more raids, plunders.
July 29, 2021
Detaljert og uhyre interessant bok om vikingene i Norge. Visste du at når vikingene gikk på do, så gikk de alltid fire personer sammen? Det var for å unngå å bli ranet.
February 7, 2023
This was full of history, daily details, and wonderful anecdotes. Sometimes, history books are dry, but this one danced with delight.
February 12, 2022
expansive and useful
Very comprehensive guide go Viking History that was organized based on main topics of culture. It was a bit overwhelming at times for someone outside the medieval history realm, but still very educational.
Very comprehensive guide go Viking History that was organized based on main topics of culture. It was a bit overwhelming at times for someone outside the medieval history realm, but still very educational.
April 18, 2017
Fantastic book that gives you everything you need to know about Viking warfare.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews