A Brief History of the Vikings (31 page)

While the Vikings are inhabitants of the past, the forces that created them are not. Ours is still a world with famines, floods and incidents of overpopulation. Our battles over resources are fought by proxy in distant lands, but they are still fought. You do not lead a band of men to take from those less able to protect themselves, but somewhere far away, others do on your behalf. It takes only the tiniest turn of fate, the slightest lapse of law, to make Vikings of us all.

APPENDIX

RULERS DURING THE VIKING AGE
Kings of Norway

Harald Fairhair	?–930s (SW Norway)
Erik Bloodaxe	?–c.948 (SW Norway)
Hakon the Good	c.940–c.960 (S Norway)
Harald II Greycloak	c.960–c.968 (S Norway)
Olaf ‘Crowbone’ Tryggvason	995–999
Olaf II the Stout (St Olaf)	1015–28
Svein Alfivason (regent for Denmark)	1030–34
Magnus the Good (see Denmark)	1035–46
Harald III the Ruthless	1045–66
Magnus II	1066–69
Olaf III the Peaceful	1067–93
Hakon Magnusson	1093–95
Magnus III Barelegs	1093–1103

Kings of Denmark

Gorm the Old	c.936–58
Harald Bluetooth	958–87
Svein Forkbeard	987–1014
Harald II	1014–18?
Canute the Great (K. of England)	1019–35
Harthacanute (K. of England)	1035–42
Magnus the Good (K. of Norway)	1042–46
Svein Estridsen	1046–c.1075
Harald III	c.1074–80
Canute the Holy	1080–86
Olaf Hunger	1086–95
Erik the Evergood	1095–1103

Kings of Sweden

Erik the Victorious	980–95
Olaf Skötkonung	995–c.1018
Onund Jacob	c.1018–c.1050
Emund the Old	1050–60
Stenkil Ragnvaldsson	1060–66
Halsten	1066–70

Law-Speakers of Iceland

Hrafn Haengsson	c.930–49
Thorarin Oleifsson	c.950–69
Thorkel Moon Thorsteinsson	970–84
Thorgeir Thorkelsson	985–1001
Grim Svertingsson	1002–3
Skrafti Thoroddsson	1004–30
Stein Thorgestsson	1031–3
Thorkel Tjorvason	1034–53
Gellir Bolverksson	1054–62
Gunnar the Wise Thorgrimsson	1063–5
Kolbein Flosason	1066–71
(post survives until 1271, when Iceland is annexed to Norway)

Princes of the Rus

Rurik	c.862–79 (legendary)
Oleg	c.879–913 (legendary)
Igor (Ingvar)	c.913–45
Svyatoslav I	945–72
Jaropolk	972–c.980
Vladimir the Great (Valdemar)	c.980–1015
Jaroslav the Wise	1019–54
Svyatopolk II	1093–1113

Rulers of Normandy

Hrolf the Walker	911–c.925
William Longsword	c.925–42
Richard the Fearless	942–96
Richard the Good	996–1026
Richard III	1026–7
Robert the Devil/Magnificent	1027–35
William the Bastard	1035–87
(King of England, ‘the Conqueror’ 1066)

Kings of Wessex and the English

Aethelred I, King of Wessex	866–71
Alfred the Great (Wessex)	871–99
Edward the Elder (Wessex)	899–924
Athelstan (England)	924–39
Edmund I	939–46
Eadred	946–55
Eadwig	955–59
Edgar	959–75
Edward the Martyr	975–79
Aethelred II Unraed (‘Unready’)	979–1016
Svein Forkbeard	1013–14 (5 weeks)
Canute the Great	1016–35
Harold I	1037–40
Harthacanute	1040–42
Edward the Confessor	1042–66
Harold II Godwinson	1066
William I ‘the Conqueror’	1066–87