Viking Leather Helmet
Stories similar to this that you might like too.
The helmet of the Vikings was made from wood, but they also used leather to make helmets. These helmets were often decorated with elaborate designs and patterns on the outside. The inside had thick padding that kept the wearer’s head from getting damaged.
Some even used iron bands to give their helmets extra weight or protection. They also attached wooden horns to their helmets so that they could be heard by those around them when fighting.
Some men carried two shields in battle, one over each shoulder. Others strapped a shield between their knees. This is called a knee shield; it protected the legs while providing a large target for an enemy to attack.
In addition, these shields had a special feature: they would fold up when they weren’t needed, allowing for greater flexibility when carrying them. If the wearer fell down in combat, he could easily put his shield back on again.
In addition, Vikings used weapons such as spears and axes during battles. Many of their spears were made of ash wood. Their swords were straight blades that were about five feet long. They were sometimes decorated with silver or gold leaf to make them shine brightly in the sunlight.
The Norsemen often wore mail shirts under their armor. These mail shirts consisted of metal pieces sewn together tightly enough not to rattle or move at all when they moved. In addition, they also used metal armbands, which protected their forearms, wrists, and hands.
Viking Shields
The Viking warriors’ shields were typically made out of wicker. Wicker shields had thin, flexible ribs and looked like huge flower baskets. The wicker had to be treated well before being placed over another material so that it wouldn’t break apart and fall away while the user fought.
If a Viking warrior wanted to carry more than one shield, he could strap a second shield directly onto his right arm using straps that went through holes cut into the rim of the first shield. Then, the warrior would hold both shields in front of him with his left hand, while wielding his sword or spear in his right.
The most important piece of equipment a warrior took with him in battle was his sword. Most blades were about six feet long and three inches wide. These swords often had decorative metal designs engraved on them, as well as gold, silver, and bronze plates that hung off the hilt. These decorations made it hard for other warriors to grab hold of the blade while fighting.
Many blades were shaped like snakes or animals, or they were simply round. One common shape was known as the “dragon’s tail,” because its blade tapered sharply at the tip; this made the sword harder to parry. The dragon’s tail design gave the sword a distinctive appearance, but it also made it easier for a skilled fighter to control it when striking an opponent.
Most people think that if you want to know what happened in medieval times, you need to go back in time yourself. But there are some books written today that can help us understand exactly what life was like in these times and places.
Among the best books for understanding, ancient Norse society is A History of the Vikings: From the Earliest Accounts to the End of the Middle Ages by Peter Brown.
It describes events from the fifth century AD all the way until 1204, including how the Vikings traveled between North America and Europe, fought the Anglo-Saxons and Saxon raiders, built settlements, established trade routes, founded cities such as York and London, and created new ways of living for themselves.
It is also interesting to read about why the Vikings came here in the first place. They had already settled in Scandinavia, which includes Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. But then, in the eighth century, they decided to leave and try something else: sailing across the ocean, seeking new lands to settle. Why did they do this?
Well, some scholars believe that many of them were tired of war and wanted to live free from conflict. They were looking for somewhere where they could build their lives and raise their families without fear of constant danger.
Other historians disagree, however, believing that the Vikings didn’t care much for peace at home; rather, they wanted to travel farther and discover more things. They wanted to become powerful rulers who controlled everything from land to sea and beyond. As a result, they chose to leave the safety of their own homes and risk life and limb to cross vast oceans to places like Iceland, Greenland, and Britain.
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that the Vikings were very different people from those of us in modern times. They lived by a code of honor and respect. They cared deeply about family, friends and neighbors. And they were fearless fighters. When we look back at how they lived, we can see ourselves in their faces.
***
Vikings – The New World Voyages
After King Alfred of Wessex defeated the Danes in 871, English law began to spread to all parts of the country. It wasn’t long before it also spread across England’s borders. This law allowed the people of the British Isles to govern themselves, while also giving them some measure of independence from the rest of Christendom.
Alfred, known as a wise king, was born in 852 and became King of Wessex in 879, just before his twenty-eighth birthday. He ruled his kingdom until his death in 924, making him a good example of a strong leader. While he did not invent the concept of a monarchy, he understood how to rule effectively, and he established a reputation for honesty and integrity.
His reign marked an important point in the history of England. His efforts to bring stability to his kingdom made him a hero to all the English people and earned him the name “the Good Lord King.”
He was able to accomplish all this during a time of great change. After the Romans departed England around 410 AD, the Saxons invaded the island. The Saxons were a Germanic tribe that had settled along the River Thames after their conquest of the Roman Empire.
At first, Saxon leaders accepted Alfred’s authority and allowed him to establish himself as king, but soon their demands grew larger. Soon Saxon kings wanted greater influence over local politics, taxes, and even lawmaking.
By Alfred’s time, there was increasing friction between the two cultures. Many believed that the Saxons were becoming too powerful as a result of Alfred’s rule. So Alfred made a decision that changed the course of his kingdom forever.
In 892, Alfred led the greatest naval invasion of his lifetime and sailed from Dover to attack the Danish stronghold of Lindesfarne on the Faroe Islands. The raid turned out to be successful, and the Danish people were forced to pay tribute for the next three decades.
The victory gave Alfred the power he needed to begin building fortresses to protect his border, as well as to extend England’s influence northward into Scotland.
As Alfred continued to gain support across his kingdom, the Saxon leaders finally came to realize that if they did not work with him instead of against him, he could defeat them. In 911, Alfred married Ealhswith, the daughter of a rich Saxon merchant and queen consort.
She was beautiful, intelligent, and loyal; Alfred loved her dearly and took her advice as often as he could. They were happy together and would have nine children together before Alfred’s death.
The marriage brought peace to both countries. Both sides recognized Alfred’s authority and respected his decisions as a ruler. And as Alfred’s power increased, so did the strength of the kingdom. Over the course of Alfred’s reign, he built castles at Winchester, Carlisle, York, and elsewhere. He expanded trade routes and encouraged the growth of towns throughout his territory, including London and Nottingham.
While Alfred’s achievements are impressive, he is most famous for what happened in 899 when the English army marched into southern Wales with a large number of ships, landing them safely at their destination, Caerleon.
There, they fought against the Welsh and won, destroying much of their city and forcing the locals to submit to Alfred’s leadership. The battle was so decisive that many Englishmen named it “Caesar’s Victory,” a phrase that Alfred used frequently as a rallying cry for future battles.
The campaign was another sign of Alfred’s growing strength. The English fleet, which he had borrowed from Denmark, returned to the shores of England with a cargo of plunder, which Alfred’s army divided up among themselves.
But Alfred’s victory did not come without cost. One of his sons, Edmund, died in the fighting and another, Alfred’s eldest son Edward, was captured by the Welsh, never to return home again.
Despite its costs, Alfred’s victory helped strengthen the bonds between England and other European monarchs and made his country more prosperous than ever before. Alfred, like many of his contemporaries, was interested in establishing trading relations with foreign lands and was willing to explore new territories beyond the British Isles.
As his empire grew, Alfred realized it was vital to maintain good relationships with other countries and avoid conflict with any group, no matter how powerful or threatening. He knew the value of diplomacy and understanding other people’s motivations.
For instance, he met with King Louis VII of France to discuss the possibility of joint raids in Ireland. And though Alfred had defeated Alfred I of Sweden, he made every attempt to keep peace with him and to make sure that Swedes would respect English borders.
For all his successes, Alfred was still a man of action, as seen by his decision to invade Normandy in 908. With an army of over 50,000 men and ships carrying almost twice as many sailors, Alfred landed troops on the beaches of Caen and quickly overwhelmed the French forces, killing hundreds of enemy soldiers and capturing several towns. It was a decisive victory that showed Alfred’s military prowess.
But he didn’t stop there. He followed up the victory with another assault, taking Caen completely and burning the surrounding countryside. His victory was so decisive, and his losses few, that it earned Alfred the nickname “the Hammer of God.”
Alfred was also known for his concern for the common people, who were considered to be less important by some. When Alfred decided to build his magnificent palace at Westminster Abbey, he did not want it to just be a place where he lived; he wanted it to serve as a meeting place for the entire community and provide a home for all those suffering poverty-related illnesses, such as smallpox.
Alfred’s wife Ealhswith supported him in this endeavor, which included opening a hospice for the poor. In addition, Alfred worked diligently to help farmers improve their crops, making his kingdom more self-sufficient.
When Alfred passed away in January of 924, a great sorrow spread through the kingdom. The people felt lost without Alfred and mourned his death deeply, calling for a day of fasting. But even after his death, the king had one last surprise in store.
That summer Alfred’s youngest child, Eadgifu (or Athelwulf), became queen of Wessex. While she was only twelve years old, Athelwulf proved to be a strong leader and soon became a friend to Alfred’s widow. He was crowned at her request two months later and was named co-king.
The next year, Athelwulf was killed while leading another campaign against the Danes. His death left Eadgifu a young widow and once again raised questions about how she would rule.
Fortunately for the kingdom, Alfred had prepared for this eventuality; he had given control of the throne to his younger daughter, Emma, who had served as regent since Eadgifu had been married to William, the future Emperor of Constantinople.
With Emma ruling the country on behalf of her father, Alfred’s influence continued to grow until he finally conquered the last of his enemies, ending the threat of invasion from the north. After this final victory, Alfred died peacefully in 924 and was buried in the church at Winchester, leaving behind a legacy of peace and prosperity for Britain.
The End