Archaeology: What's Hot Now: Viking Social Structure

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Viking Social Structure Aug 17th 2011, 10:00 See the glossary entry on Viking Trade for more information on trading networks Pre-Viking Social Structure According to Thurston (cited below), Viking social structure had its origins with the warlords, called drott, an established figure in Scandinavian society by the late 2nd century. The drott was primarily a social institution, resulting of a pattern of behavior in which warriors selected the most adept leader and pledged fealty to him. The drott was an ascribed title of respect, not an inherited one; and these roles were separate from the regional chieftains or petty kings. Other members of the drott's retinue included: drang, a young warrior thegn, a mature warrior skeppare, captain of a chiefly vessel himthiki, housekarls or the lowest rank of elite soldiers folc, the population of a settlement Power struggles among Scandinavian warlords and petty kings developed in the early 9th century, and these conflicts resulted in the creation of dynastic regional kings and a secondary elite class which competed directly with the drotts. An early important Scandinavian king was the Danish Godfred (also spelled Gottrick or Gudfred), who by 800 AD had a capital at Hedeby, inherited status and an army set to attack his neighbors. Godfred was assassinated by his own son and other relations in 811. Read about the chiefly settlement of Hofstaðir, Iceland Read about the estate of Erik the Red's sister Freydis, at Garðar, Greenland By the 11th century, Late Viking societies were led by powerful, aristocratic dynastic leaders with hierarchical networks including lesser religious and secular leaders. Sources This glossary entry is a part of the Guide to the Viking Age and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. See the Viking bibliography for more research areas. Lund, Niels 1995 Scandinavia, c. 700-1066. Chapter 8 in The New Cambridge Medieval History c.700-c.900, Rosamond McKitterick, editor. Pp. 202-227. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Thurston, Tina L. 2001 Social Classes in the Viking Age: Contentious relations. Pp. 113-130 in Landscapes of Power, Landscapes of Conflict: State Formation in the South Scandinavian Iron Age. Tina L. Thurston. Springer: London.

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