Vikings were successful at invading, alright, but did they also bring.. wisdom?

http://www.beyondweird.com/high-one.html ^ | 02/09/2012 | WesternCulture

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

So many?

One is generally not considered "many".

[Cronos]

err.. no, Britain was not built by the Vikings. It's highest influences are the Normans and the Saxons with Latin and Celtic effects. The Norse brought blood, but no big impact to the culture.

Ditto for North America

And Germany? influenced by the Vikings? No.

[Bigg Red]

Interesting point, WC. Your poem brings to mind Polonius’ speech to Laertes in “Hamlet”.

So, I think you are saying that the success of Western Civilization is based on prudence and forethought.

[sphinx]

There's no question the Vikings had a civilizing influence. After all, they motivated the peoples of northern and western Europe to organize for robust, local self-defense; to develop vigorous feudal systams and in England at least, an armed peasantry; to fortify their towns; and in general to emphasize the warrior aspects of their cultures.

Whether this is the path one ideally wishes Europe had taken is of course a different question.

[R. Scott]

As interesting as the Vikings were they were pagan killers and thieves.

They were also farmers, craftsmen, shopkeepers and traders.

[vladimir998]

You wrote:

“err.. no, Britain was not built by the Vikings. It’s highest influences are the Normans and the Saxons with Latin and Celtic effects. The Norse brought blood, but no big impact to the culture.”

Well, the Normans were Vikings. Our English pronouns are from Old Norse if I am not mistaken. I think the author of the thread is overblowing things as he always does, but there’s no doubt the Vikings had an influence. What has to be understood is that at least 70% of all the really important influences came from or were moderated by the Catholic Church - including in Scandinavia!!!

[PowderMonkey]

"They brought us Spam..."

Try the lutefisk. "Submit now, or you'll get a second helping!"

[Ramius]

What is that?

[AnTiw1]

Odin’s standing orders to Nordic Caucasians...lol

[Cronos]

"The Vikings seem to have been underestimated civilizers. Ireland as a nation would not exist but for them."?

huh? could you give me clarity on why you say that about Ireland?

[blueunicorn6]

Grandpa used to put on his hat with the horns, drink a mug of mead and start talking about raiding to “get some gypsy maidens”.

Vikings - they were just the first door-to-door salesmen.
“Good afternoon young lady. Might I interest you in buying a battle ax or two? I’m working my way through college.”

[Eurotwit]

Like much of the Viking legacy, IFK’s achievements are ancient history too :P

Though I love Håvamål. You should perhaps have posted some of the more salient words of wisdom from it.

Cheers.

[Mitch86]

Most of northern England, that was under the Danelaw, is noticeably viking in place name, looks and accent, when compared with the Anglo-Saxon Midlands and South

[tanuki]

While the Vikings are (understandably) not remembered fondly in Ireland, most large cities in Ireland-especially Dublin-were originally established as Viking trading areas. They could be said to have started the path to Irish urbanization.

http://www.ncte.ie/viking/listt.htm

[Alas Babylon!]

Here's some verse back atcha!

Immigrant Song

Ah~ah~ahhh-ah!.
Ah~ah~ahhh-ah!.
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.

Hammer of the Gods
Will drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde, and sing and cry:
“Valhalla I am coming.”

On we sweep with, with threshing oar.
Our only goal will be the western shore.

Ah~ah~ahhh-ah!.
Ah~ah~ahhh-ah!.
An’ we come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.

How soft your fields so green
Can whisper tales of gore,
Of how we calmed the tides of war.
We are your overlords.

On we sweep with threshing oar.
Our only goal will be the western shore.

So now you better stop
And rebuild all your ruins.
For peace and trust can win the day
Despite of all your losing.

Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh.
Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh.
Ah hah hah hah hah hah.

Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh.
Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh.
Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh. Ooh~ooh.

[marsh2]

I believe that the Vikings/Danes contributed greatly to our American (and English) concept of individual rights. Their laws were framed in terms of “injuries” or tresspasses to the rights of others, valued as:

Physical rights of “were” (life or limb);

Psychological status rights of “mund” (peace or privacy); and

Ownership rights of private property.

Under their “customary” legal systems, trial and judgements were rendered by a tribunal of chiefs or the manorial assembly - the predecessor of the jury. Each injury was compensable through the award of monetary damages determined by the social rank of the parties and the severity of the injury which is the basis of tort law.

Trespass was originally considered to apply only to cases of immediate injury to personal liberty, security and physical property. Eventually, the concept of trespass also evolved to include aggression or encroachment of an injurious nature upon the relative rights of persons.

Meetings in large assemblys and votes taken were among the roots of democratic process and decision making. I think that they contributed a great deal to our culture.

[WesternCulture]

That post actually counts.

[WesternCulture]

IFK is nothing like the squadra that once defeated HSV.

On the other hand, what did they count for back then?

[SunkenCiv]

Can’t quote or excerpt, copyright complaint, basically the mtDNA of 1000 year old mice in Miceland, er, Iceland, and Greenland matches the mtDNA of the modern mouse; so far no remains have been found at L’anseaux Meadows, the known Viking site in Newfoundland.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/vikings-carried-mice-to-colonies-7576981.html

[Grizzled Bear]

...
always sweep
with threshing oar

our only goal will be your western shore