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<blockquote data-quote="Yaarel" data-source="post: 7505407" data-attributes="member: 58172"><p>During the Viking Period, Norse men have both a right and an obligation to carry weapons. The men of a clan serve as the clan militia to defend fellow clan members.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The aboriginal Norse government is the local parliament, the Þing. It is a democracy, where all adults arrive to vote. The main responsibility of the elected leader, the jarl, is to coordinate the clan militias to function as a collective army for the common defense of the locality.</p><p></p><p>The jarl was necessarily elected because each clan needed to be able to trust him or her with the lives of their fellow clan members. The jarl must also resolve conflicts between clans before combat between clans becomes mass violence, and must be trusted to be impartial.</p><p></p><p>During the Viking Period, the increasing expansionism, conquest, violence, as well as continental European imperialistic influences strained the sacred democratic traditions. Different Þing made different arrangements. Some Þing replaced the jarl with a konungr. Etymologically, konungr is the origin of the term ‘king’. But in this Viking Period context, the konungr is essentially a jarl who is elected from the family of the previous jarl. This transition of leadership helped stabilize succession during an era of military emergencies. Even so, democratic processes still remained in play, and there were Þing whose clans impeached the konungr. </p><p></p><p>In the process of the unification of Noregr (roughly today Norway), various local Þing allied with each other to create a regional Þing. This federal Þing included representatives (usually the law sayer) from each local Þing. The prevailing regional Þing elected a konungr as its executive and military leader. This konungr led the armies of multiple Þing. Yet the local Þing remained intact, each one making its own arrangements with the federal konungr, according to the desires of the local voters. Thus the extent of ‘unification’ remains complex and debatable.</p><p></p><p>In the Post-Viking Period, 1100s-1200s, the power of the konungr gradually becomes more autocratic, such as having the military power to force the appointment or the replacement of a local jarl or a local konungr. By the Late Medieval Period, 1300s-1400s, the konungr is effectively a ‘king’.</p><p></p><p>Note, sometimes women who were effective militarily leaders also served as a jarl or konungr, with the feminine title dróttning (‘master’). In Ísland, the jarl is called a goði, and the female jarl a gyðja.</p><p></p><p>The Viking Period is still mainly democratic and local.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Certain Þing voted to pass laws that require all men to have and maintain weapons, including an annual inspection where the men of each clan must bring their weapons to ensure satisfactory military readiness. Failure to pass inspection incurred financial penalties, fines.</p><p></p><p>Note, even tho both men and women trained in combat from childhood, serving in the clan militia tends to be a requirement for males and an option for females. There were men who, for various reasons, failed to fulfill their military responsibilities, but the ergi, one who failed to ‘man up’ for the clan militia, suffered dishonor and shame.</p><p></p><p>In the Post-Viking Period, documents from certain Þing survive that itemize the local legal obligations relating to clan militias. Two Þing in particular required every man to have one shield and one spear, plus a choice of either an ax or a sword. The spear is mainly for mass combat, while the sword or ax is mainly for one-on-one combat. Additionally every twosome of warrior buddies, must have at least one longbow. In other words, about half of an army can also function as the artillery. All weapons must be in working order and pass inspection each year. These laws generally describe the Viking Period culture, relating to the weapons and the obligation of Norse men to have them, whether or not a particular Þing legally or socially enforced it.</p><p></p><p>A good sword is extremely difficult to make − and extremely expensive. Yet the sword is such a status symbol, Norse men make extreme efforts to acquire one. Virtually all fulltime warriors have a sword. Even warriors who prefer to fight with a different weapon are still likely to own a sword because of its status, and wear it in social contexts. Even men who rarely fight might have a sword. In a fight for ones honor, even one without a sword is likely to borrow one from a friend. The Viking Period culture cherishes swords and are knowledgeable and discerning regarding the sword quality and design.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>In result, roughly equal numbers of Norse warriors fight with a sword, ax, or spear, as Viking Period burials evidence.</p><p></p><p>• shield</p><p>• spear</p><p>• sword</p><p>• ax</p><p>• longbow</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Yaarel, post: 7505407, member: 58172"] During the Viking Period, Norse men have both a right and an obligation to carry weapons. The men of a clan serve as the clan militia to defend fellow clan members. The aboriginal Norse government is the local parliament, the Þing. It is a democracy, where all adults arrive to vote. The main responsibility of the elected leader, the jarl, is to coordinate the clan militias to function as a collective army for the common defense of the locality. The jarl was necessarily elected because each clan needed to be able to trust him or her with the lives of their fellow clan members. The jarl must also resolve conflicts between clans before combat between clans becomes mass violence, and must be trusted to be impartial. During the Viking Period, the increasing expansionism, conquest, violence, as well as continental European imperialistic influences strained the sacred democratic traditions. Different Þing made different arrangements. Some Þing replaced the jarl with a konungr. Etymologically, konungr is the origin of the term ‘king’. But in this Viking Period context, the konungr is essentially a jarl who is elected from the family of the previous jarl. This transition of leadership helped stabilize succession during an era of military emergencies. Even so, democratic processes still remained in play, and there were Þing whose clans impeached the konungr. In the process of the unification of Noregr (roughly today Norway), various local Þing allied with each other to create a regional Þing. This federal Þing included representatives (usually the law sayer) from each local Þing. The prevailing regional Þing elected a konungr as its executive and military leader. This konungr led the armies of multiple Þing. Yet the local Þing remained intact, each one making its own arrangements with the federal konungr, according to the desires of the local voters. Thus the extent of ‘unification’ remains complex and debatable. In the Post-Viking Period, 1100s-1200s, the power of the konungr gradually becomes more autocratic, such as having the military power to force the appointment or the replacement of a local jarl or a local konungr. By the Late Medieval Period, 1300s-1400s, the konungr is effectively a ‘king’. Note, sometimes women who were effective militarily leaders also served as a jarl or konungr, with the feminine title dróttning (‘master’). In Ísland, the jarl is called a goði, and the female jarl a gyðja. The Viking Period is still mainly democratic and local. Certain Þing voted to pass laws that require all men to have and maintain weapons, including an annual inspection where the men of each clan must bring their weapons to ensure satisfactory military readiness. Failure to pass inspection incurred financial penalties, fines. Note, even tho both men and women trained in combat from childhood, serving in the clan militia tends to be a requirement for males and an option for females. There were men who, for various reasons, failed to fulfill their military responsibilities, but the ergi, one who failed to ‘man up’ for the clan militia, suffered dishonor and shame. In the Post-Viking Period, documents from certain Þing survive that itemize the local legal obligations relating to clan militias. Two Þing in particular required every man to have one shield and one spear, plus a choice of either an ax or a sword. The spear is mainly for mass combat, while the sword or ax is mainly for one-on-one combat. Additionally every twosome of warrior buddies, must have at least one longbow. In other words, about half of an army can also function as the artillery. All weapons must be in working order and pass inspection each year. These laws generally describe the Viking Period culture, relating to the weapons and the obligation of Norse men to have them, whether or not a particular Þing legally or socially enforced it. A good sword is extremely difficult to make − and extremely expensive. Yet the sword is such a status symbol, Norse men make extreme efforts to acquire one. Virtually all fulltime warriors have a sword. Even warriors who prefer to fight with a different weapon are still likely to own a sword because of its status, and wear it in social contexts. Even men who rarely fight might have a sword. In a fight for ones honor, even one without a sword is likely to borrow one from a friend. The Viking Period culture cherishes swords and are knowledgeable and discerning regarding the sword quality and design. In result, roughly equal numbers of Norse warriors fight with a sword, ax, or spear, as Viking Period burials evidence. • shield • spear • sword • ax • longbow [/QUOTE]
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