Ideology and Power in the Viking and Middle Ages: Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland, Orkney and the Faeroes (The Northern World, 52)

Ideology and power are central elements in the political, social, religious and cultural development of the North during the transition from the Viking to the Middle Ages. While the medieval European Christian ideology of rulership has been widely discussed, an analysis of the Nordic pre-Christian ideology, and of its confrontation with the new European ideals has so far been lacking. This book examines the concepts and practices associated with chieftains, earls and kings from the ninth to the thirteenth century: the myths and rituals surrounding their position in a northern European warrior culture. The analysis seems to indicate that important elements of the pre-Christian ideology of rulership survived into the Christian Middle Ages, either transformed or even simply transferred.Contributors are Ian Beuermann, Anders Hultg??rd, Jan Erik Rekdal, Jens Peter Schj??dt, J??n Vi?°ar Sigur?°sson, Joanna Sk??rzewska, Gro Steinsland and Olof Sundqvist. Introduction : Ideology And Power In The Viking And Middle Ages : Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland, Orkney, And The Faeroes / Gro Steinsland -- Origin Myths And Rulership : From The Viking Age Ruler To The Ruler Of Medieval Historiography : Continuity, Transformations And Innovations / Gro Steinsland -- Kings, Earls And Chieftains : Rulers In Norway, Orkney And Iceland C. 900-1300 / Jón Viðar Sigurðsson -- Jarla Sögur Orkneyja : Status And Power Of The Earls Of Orkney According To Their Sagas / Ian Beuermann -- An Arena For Higher Powers : Cult Buildings And Rulers In The Late Iron Age And The Early Medieval Period In The Mälar Region / Olof Sundqvist -- From Wine In A Goblet To Milk In Cowdung : The Transformation Of Early Christian Kings In Three Post-viking Tales From Ireland / Jan Erik Rekdal -- The Warrior In Old Norse Religion / Jens Peter Schøjdt -- Óðinn, Valhöll And The Einherjar : Eschatological Myth And Ideology In The Late Viking Period / Anders Hultgård -- Family Matters? : The Cultus Of The Scandinavian Royal Martyrs / Joanna A. Skórzewska -- Conclusions: The Long Adaptation Of Pagan And Christian Ideologies Of Rulership / Ian Beuermann. Edited By Gro Steinsland ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents 6 List of Contributors 8 List of Maps and Figures 10 Preface 12 Introduction. Ideology and Power in the Viking and Middle Ages: Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland, Orkney and the Faeroes 14 Chapter One. Origin Myths and Rulership. From the Viking Age Ruler to the Ruler of Medieval Historiography: Continuity, Transformations and Innovations 28 Chapter Two. Kings, Earls and Chieftains. Rulers in Norway, Orkney and Iceland c. 900–1300 82 Chapter Three. Jarla Sogur Orkneyja. Status and Power of the Earls of Orkney According to Their Sagas 122 Chapter Four. An Arena for Higher Powers. Cult Buildings and Rulers in the Late Iron Age and the Early Medieval Period in the Mälar Region 176 Chapter Five. From Wine in a Goblet to Milk in Cowdung. The Transformation of Early Christian Kings in Three Post-Viking Tales from Ireland 224 Chapter Six. The Warrior in Old Norse Religion 282 Chapter Seven. Óðinn, Valholl and the Einherjar. Eschatological Myth and Ideology in the Late Viking Period 310 Chapter Eight. Family Matters? The Cultus of the Scandinavian Royal Martyrs 342 Conclusions. The Long Adaptation of Pagan and Christian Ideologies of Rulership 380 Index 400 9789004205062 BRILL NV Introduction: Ideology and power in the Viking and Middle Ages : Scandinavia, Iceland, Ireland, Orkney, and the Faeroes / Gro Steinsland Origin myths and rulership : from the Viking Age ruler to the ruler of medieval historiography : continuity, transformations, and innovations / Gro Steinsland Kings, earls, and chieftains : rulers in Norway, Orkney, and Iceland, c. 900-1300 / Jón Viðar Sigurðsson Jarla sögur Orkneyja : status and power of the earls of Orkney according to their sagas / Ian Beuermann An arena for higher powers : cult buildings and rulers in the late Iron Age and the early medieval period in the Malar region / Olof Sundqvist From wine in a goblet to milk in cowdung : the transformation of early Christian kings in three post-Viking tales from Ireland / Jan Erik Rekdal The warrior in Old Norse religion / Jens Peter Schjodt Oðinn, Valhöll, and the Einherjar : eschatological myth and ideology in the late Viking period / Anders Hultgard Family matters? : the cultus of the Scandinavian royal martyrs / Joanna A. Skorzewska Conclusions: The long adaptation of pagan and Christian ideologies of rulership / Ian Beuermann. Ideology and power are central elements in the political, social, religious and cultural development of the North during the transition from the Viking to the Middle Ages. While the medieval European Christian ideology of rulership has been widely discussed, an analysis of the Nordic pre-Christian ideology, and of its confrontation with the new European ideals has so far been lacking. This book examines the concepts and practices associated with chieftains, earls and kings from the ninth to the thirteenth century: the myths and rituals surrounding their position in a northern European warrior culture. The analysis seems to indicate that important elements of the pre-Christian ideology of rulership survived into the Christian Middle Ages, either transformed or even simply transferred. Contributors are Ian Beuermann, Anders Hultgård, Jan Erik Rekdal, Jens Peter Schjødt, Jón Viðar Sigurðsson, Joanna Skórzewska, Gro Steinsland and Olof Sundqvist "This book analyses the Nordic pre-Christian ideology of rulership, and its confrontation with, survival into and adaptation to the European Christian ideals during the transition from the Viking to the Middle Ages from the ninth to the thirteenth century"--Provided by publisher