Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share History Raids with Fjorn
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
History Raids with Fjorn
History Raids with Fjorn episodes
- Raid 7: What Made a Raid ‘Viking’?
To bake a Viking raid, one needs a few more ingredients than a Norseman with an axe. Naturally, you’ll have to listen to this episode to get the recipe. I will say this, though: we cover the developments in Scandinavia that provided the foundation for the first Viking raids, the main factors used to differentiate ‘Viking’ raids from ‘normal’ raids, and how those raids evolved over time.
Key moments:- 00:10 – Defining a ‘Viking’ raid
- 00:20 – The prerequisites
- 02:08 – The range of Viking raids
- 02:53 – Wave 1
- 03:34 – Wave 2
- 04:15 – Wave 3
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
6 min - Raid 6: The Viking Age (c. 750-1050 CE)
What was the First ‘Viking’ Raid? To be honest, the ‘first’ raid of the Viking Age (c. 750-1050 or, more conventionally, 793-1066) isn’t as straightforward as you might think. You might have heard about Lindisfarne before, if you’ve been into Vikings and Norse things for a while—but, spoiler alert, that’s not really the first raid. It’s impactful, but not the ‘original.’ This raid will explain how and why.
Key Moments:- 00:00 – The True Beginnings
- 01:18 – Date ranges
- 02:49 – Lindisfarne
- 05:07 – Earlier raids
- 06:10 – Complications
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
8 min - Raid 5: The Vendel Period (c. 550-750 CE)
How did the Norse ‘become’ Vikings? Okay, so “becoming Vikings” is hardly historically appropriate…but let me explain. In this raid, we ‘conclude’ the prequel to the Viking Age by covering the Vendel Period. Dates vary, as always, but we’ll be using 550 to 750 CE. During this discussion, we’ll learn how the North quite literally rose from the ashes of the Migration Period (c. 400-550 CE). In doing so, they begin to develop the hall-based society that would, in turn, set the stage for the Viking Age.
Key Moments:- 00:10 – Consolidation begins
- 01:20 – The dynasties of Norse legend
- 02:35 – The power centers of the Vendel Period
- 03:20 – Halls as the heart of Norse society
- 04:25 – Maintaining the hall system
- 06:00 – Conclusions
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
8 min - Raid 4: The Migration Period (c. 400-550 CE)
Let’s raid the Migration Period (dates vary, but 400-550 CE is what we’re using) to show how it set the stage for the Viking Age. It’s just a brief overview, but we talk about how the ‘fall’ of the Roman Empire was a bit more complicated than most assume, how catastrophic eruptions a world away triggered a “real” Ragnarok, and how that mess enabled the North to reshape itself into what would, eventually, give way to the Vikings.
Key Moments:- 00:10 – “A longue durée” and what that means for history
- 01:00 – “Barbarians” (aka the fall of Rome and migrations form the north)
- 03:48 – The “real” Ragnarok (environmental catastrophe)
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
8 min - Raid 3: Wends, Balts, and Finnar
We’re wrapping up our coverage of the people inhabiting the Viking Age North! This time we focus on the ‘side’ characters: Wends, Balts, and Sámi/Finns. As you’ll learn in the raid, these groups frequently mingled with the Norse, creating complex settlements and cultural expressions. We’ll also emphasize just how much environment affects cultural development, including seafaring.
And, of course, you can explore the digital map used in the video version of this raid for yourself at fjorntheskald.com/digital-maps
Key Moments:- 00:00 – Wends
- 01:30 – Eastern Balts and Slavs
- 02:30 – Balts
- 02:55 – Gotland
- 03:52 – Sámi/Finns
- 05:35 – Gender-defying, cross-cultural burial
- 06:12 – Conclusion
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
8 min - Raid 2: Northmen, Danes, and Swedes
The ‘Viking’ homeland was more diverse than you’d think—but of course we’re going to start with the classics: Northmen (aka Norwegians), Danes, and Swedes. We’ll cover their Old Norse names, the regions where each group primarily lived, and even talk about their natural resources and how they survived/shaped their cultural identities in their respective environments (from farming to animal husbandry).
For most of the raid, we’ll break away from the traditional lecture-style approach to go through a digital map together, which you can explore for yourself here: fjorntheskald.com/digital-maps
Key Moments:- 01:00 – One Norseman’s version of the Medieval North
- 02:30 – How landscapes shape cultural identity
- 03:00 – The Northmen / Norsemen / Norwegians
- 05:55 – The Danes
- 08:00 – The Swedes (Götar / Svíar)
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
11 min - Raid 1: The Vikings
Vikings. What do you think when you hear that word? Whatever comes to mind, this raid will help separate popular fantasy from historical reality. Presented by a medievalist with a master’s degree in history, Fjorn offers another way to access the academic side of the complex and often misunderstood medieval world.
Key moments:- 00:00 – What do you think of when you hear the word “Viking”?
- 01:55 – What does the word “Viking” mean?
- 03:22 – Who could be a Viking?
- 04:43 – Were Vikings more violent than other medieval people?
- 07:40 – What sources do we have to study the Vikings?
Reminder: this raid is originally a YouTube video! If you want visual aids, wander here: youtube.com/@fjorntheskald
Looking for more to plunder? Try Fjorn’s website: fjorntheskald.com
♫ = “Firesong” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
11 min - 06 – Feuding, I: What is Feud? Solving Problems with an Axe (ft. Beowulf)Many of the great sagas and ancient lore from the medieval North recount endless, bloody feuds between generations of prominent families: a conflict ends, peace...0 min
- Landvættir: The Land-Spirits of the Medieval NorthWinter Nights is nearly upon us! And what better time is there to chat about spirits? In this gathering, we explore the roles and importance of the land-spirits in Norse […]0 min
- 04 – Rímur: Reciting Part I of Gisli Sursson’s EpicBehold! a modern Viking's poem! Hear a skald recite the first part of an epic poem inspired by Gisli Sursson's Saga, a work of medieval Icelandic literature written during the 13th century. This part of the poem recounts the first chapter of that saga, which takes place in Norway just a few generations before Gisli’s time. Quick … Continue reading 04 – Rímur: Reciting Part I of Gisli Sursson’s Epic0 min
About History Raids with Fjorn
From the publisher's feed
Plundering the past is Fjorn’s specialty—but instead of wielding an axe, he’s armed with a Master’s degree in History. His hoard of knowledge covers Viking history, Norse mythology, and medieval…
sagas—but, unlike a dragon, he’s sharing it with you! And if you’re listening while wandering, please remember that each episode is originally a YouTube video with visuals—so don’t forget to watch them, too, if that sort of thing helps you!