Young Harald Hardrada and the Crucible of Stiklestad
Before he was the “Hard Ruler” of Norway or the legendary commander of the Varangian Guard, Harald Sigurdsson was simply … Read More
Vasilis Megas
The Island of Judgment: Honor, Blood, and the Viking Holmgang
In a society without a centralized police force or a complex court of appeals, the Vikings relied on something much … Read More
Viking mentality: strategy, risk and sense of the game
Stories and ideas about the Vikings conjure up images of longboats sailing across the cold plains of northern Europe, warriors … Read More
Viking Faith: Gods, Fate, and the Hard Norse Worldview
Viking stories keep turning up everywhere on bookshelves, on screens, and in the kind of pop-culture aesthetics people can’t resist. … Read More
The Granite Heart: Thor, Hrungnir, and the Viking Anatomy of Bravery
In the modern world, we often think of bravery as the absence of fear, or perhaps the confidence that we … Read More
What Vikings Traded Most—And Why Those Goods Mattered
Trade stood at the center of Viking life long before raids shaped their image abroad. Exchange connected scattered communities, supported … Read More
Law, Honor, and Conflict: How Vikings Settled Disputes without Kings on Speed Dial
Viking Age Scandinavia was not a lawless wilderness of axes and smoke; it was a society with sturdy norms, public … Read More
Hamingja – How the Vikings Viewed Risk and Luck
Long before the neon lights of modern casinos flickered to life, the rugged seafarers of the North were already masters … Read More
Gambling and Risk in the Viking Age
Vikings are often remembered as fierce warriors, daring explorers, and traders navigating distant lands. But beyond battles and voyages, they … Read More
The Wolf Age: A Deep Dive into the World of the Vikings
When the monks of St. Cuthbert’s monastery on the island of Lindisfarne saw the square sails appear on the horizon … Read More