Vikings Move On As Does Islamic Culture

Vikings Move On As Does Islamic Culture

The world weather has shifted from the earlier cold pattern and it has gotten warmer. As the Vikings sail the northern seas the lands they encounter are more suitable for crops than they are now. The Baltic area, Iceland and Greenland, are all much more likely places for farming and settlement. Christianity is spreading, especially through the diligent efforts of the Irish. Some trade returns, mostly by water, through the river networks and along the coastal rims of the Mediterranean and the North Sea.

800 In Ireland the famous and beautiful Book of Kells* has been finished but the Vikings are about to descend on the relatively peaceful and very productive Irish culture.

Charlemagne* is anointed Holy Roman Emperor* of the West in Rome. Manoralism, the economic and social system associated with feudalism* is really spread by

Charlemagne. It works like this: The lord would live in a "manor" and act as protector, governor and judge to his serfs (villeins who live in a village, derived from the Roman villa.) The manor is essentially a self-sufficient estate, just like the old Roman ones. Some might include a number of villages. The "lord" is essential to the system and every man has to "belong" to some lord. The crime of being a "masterless" man can result in death or slavery. This system of binding people together will persist for hundreds of years. Being "masterless" is the charge regularly brought against traveling players.

809 With the death of Haroun-Al-Raschid* the Islamic empire centered in Bagdad falls into civil war and confusion where it will remain for two hundred years (until the Turks take over leadership).

813 In Europe Charlemagne* crowns his son, Louis the Pious* his heir. 814 Charlemagne* dies (see above) and Louis*, very shortly thereafter, is left to face the

Viking attacks which will begin to threaten his empire. 822 The cultural splendor of Islam blossoms in Spain. Music schools sprout up in Medina

(Spain). In Cordoba* a musician named Ziryab* sets up a music school patterned after the old conservatories in Bagdad*. He becomes the defacto minister of culture and influences every part of Spanish cultural life. He introduces new styles and variations of musical instruments, (Spain). In Cordoba* a musician named Ziryab* sets up a music school patterned after the old conservatories in Bagdad*. He becomes the defacto minister of culture and influences every part of Spanish cultural life. He introduces new styles and variations of musical instruments,

839 Viking raids are increasing and the first great viking chief leads a big group to plunder and rule in Ireland. They rage through northern

840 Ireland and establish their rule from Dublin*. 840 The empire left to Louis the Pious* by Charlemagne* is split among Louis' three sons at

his death. Viking raids begin on France, Germany 841 and the low countries (now the Netherlands and Belgium). Viking raids begin on Rouen*

and proceed to Paris*. In Norway, a guy called Halfdan gets the best of the other nobles and founds a monarchy.

842 Turkish mercenaries are converted to Islam and join Arab armies. Eventually Turks will take over the eastern Islamic empire from the Arabs.

844 Vikings raid Spain, pillaging and sacking Seville*. Some of them stay. In Scotland a guy named Kenneth* defeats the Picts* and becomes the sole king.

[You may notice that some places are beginning to get a country together under a king.] 845 Vikings destroy Hamburg and penetrate into Germany. 846 The Arabs sack Rome, damage the Vatican and destroy the Venetian fleet. [You may also notice that these centuries are largely a time of sack, plunder, pillage and

burn.] 850 In Spain, Christians are so well treated that there is a backlash Christian movement to

renew the old martyr status and some Christians try hard to get the Moslems to make martyrs of them.

851 Vikings (called Danes in Britain) maraud up the Thames (England) and attack Canterbury*.

859 Another bunch of Vikings* go east into Russia*. Under Rurik* (later 860 known as the first Russian grand prince), they land on the Baltic coast of Russia (called

"Rus") enlarging their hold and setting up trading centers, notably Kiev*. Meanwhile the Vikings in Denmark unite Jutland and the Danish Isles under Gorm the

Elder*, the first king of Denmark.

861 Vikings ravage central Europe, sacking Paris, Tolouse. Cologne, Aix-la-Chapelle and Worms.

862 Back in Russia, Rurik* founds the city of Novgorod*. 865 These Russian Vikings push down the Dnieper* to the Black Sea* attacking

Constantinople*. The Vikings in England (Danes) occupy Northumbria and East Anglia and 866 they establish

a kingdom in York 869 The Arabs take the island of Malta. 871 Alfred the Great* comes to the English throne. 874 A different group of Vikings, under Ingol and Leif take a group to Iceland and start a

settlement. 878 Alfred* recaptures London from the "Danes" (English Vikings) and works out a treaty

with them establishing boundaries for each side. 880's Among the European Vikings, a system of military groups develops. These are Vikings

who, rather than just going off on the occasional raiding party, make a profession of fighting. One of the groups grows into the famous Jomsvikings*, an order of Viking knights. They have a stronghold in which they train rigorously when they aren't out fighting. They also live under a severe set of rules, much like monks. The later rise of European chivalry* and that of the religious military orders owe much to the standards of the Jomsvikings*.

903 The Arabs begin writing geography books based on the travels of the trading Jews and the Arabs: Book of Lands, The Wonders of India, The Book of the Roads.