{Read} {PDF EPUB} ~download The of the by Anonymous Literature / The Saga of the Jomsvikings. Jómsvíkinga saga , i.e. Saga of the Jomsvikings , is a 13th century saga, the author being an anonymous Icelander. It is a fanciful historical adventure set in the 10th century, recalling the days of the vikings. Its first part is dedicated to the rise of the Knytlings, the Danish royal dynasty that was the first to unite under their rule and built it into the northern European hegemonial power of the late The Age. The focus then shifts to a clan of Danish warlords, the descendants of the chieftain Toki, and their long history of both rivalry and collaboration with the Danish kings. King Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson’s ruthless pursuit of unrivalled power leads to a long-smouldering enmity with Toki's clan that only ends when Toki's grandson Palnatoki stirs up a rebellion that overthrows the king and puts Harald's bastard son Svein Forkbeard on the throne. But when Svein discovers the truth about his father's death, he cuts ties with Palnatoki, and the latter is forced to leave Denmark. A successful commander of viking cruises, he eventually establishes a new base of operations in Vindland note The "land of the Slavs" at the southern shore of the Baltic; not to be confused with "Vinland," which is a rather different place. , realm of the mighty king Burisleif note Fictional version of Boleslaw I of Poland , but the historical data does not really match up. , who cedes the Danish sea-rovers a stretch of coast in the land of Jom, where they build the mighty fortress of . note Likely at the Slavic settlement of , now in Poland. Having become somewhat snobbish by all their victories, Palnatoki and his lot, henceforward known as the Jomsvikings, decide that only the crème de la crème of warriors can join their club, and establish the law of Jomsborg that makes bravery and recklessness mandatory. Applicants arrive from whom Palnatoki picks the captains of Jomsborg – Sigvaldi, Thorkell the Tall, Búi the Stout, Cape, and Palnatoki's own grandson Vagn Akason with his veteran mentor, Bjorn the Welshman. Together, they form the most prestigious viking host to ever haunt the seas, and heap up fame and fortune in spades. King Svein is not exactly enthusiastic about the unchecked power of the Jomsvikings and their lack of proper obedience to the Danish king. When Palnatoki dies and Sigvaldi takes over the leadership, things seem to normalize - only for Sigvaldi’s double-dealing with Svein to fire a new grudge. Eventually, the crafty king devises a scheme to put the Jomsvikings back in their place—tricking them into a brazen undertaking that can only result in glory. or total destruction. Tropes in Jómsvíkinga saga : Adopted into Royalty: To hush up an incestuous affair, Jarl Arnfinn of Saxony abandons his newborn son in a forest so it will be found by king Gorm of Denmark. Gorm, who at once infers from the costly garments and the gold found along with him that the boy is of noble birth, has him raised like a son and eventually names him his heir. The boy, Knut, becomes king and gives his name to the royal house of Knytlings. Alcohol- Induced Idiocy: Sigvaldi and the other Jomsvikings get wasted at the memorial feast for Strut-Harald, the father of Sigvaldi and Thorkel, prepared for them by King Svein Forkbeard. The king then suggests for them all to make vows about heroic achievements they are going to accomplish; Sigvaldi takes the bait and vows that he will conquer Norway, and the other Jomsvikings vow they will support him in that. The next morning, a sobered-up Sigvaldi realizes they have publicly committed themselves to a goal that may be too big for them. Context implies this was all in the intent of King Svein, who saw to that the strongest beer would be served to the Jomsvikings. Badass Army: The Jomsvikings. The Berserker: Aslak Holmskalle and Vagn are the first to board Jarl Erik's ship and "each plowed forward on either side of the ship, clearing the deck, so that everybody fell back". They "[slay] many a man". Aslak is moreover invulnerable to weapons and though he wears no helmet, and gets hit on the head with swords, he stays unharmed. Aslak is only stopped when his skull is bashed in with an anvil; Vagn, who is not invulnerable but is nevertheless "killing men savagely", continues to advance until he takes a hit with an oaken club which splits his helmet and prompts him to jump back onto his own ship. Jarl Erik then retreats from the battle line, because he has lost too many defenders. Better to Die than Be Killed: Just as Sigvaldi is turning to flight from the Battle of Hjórunga Bay, Búi's ship is boarded and Búi gets both his hands cut off at the wrists by Brestisson. With his last strength, Búi picks up his two chests of gold with his arm stumps and jumps overboard while calling on his remaining men to do the same. Big Badass Battle Sequence: The Battle of Hjórunga Bay is the saga's climax. Black Comedy: Svein Buason tricking one of the Jarl's bodyguards into losing both of his hands. Cruel and horrible . and funny. Blood Knight: Vagn. Brother–Sister Incest: Knut, the founder of the Danish royal house of Knytlings, is the result of an incestuous affair a Saxon jarl called Arnfinn had with his sister. The parents keep the boy a secret and abandon him in a forest so he will be found by King Gorm of Denmark. Jomsvikings. The Jomsvikings were an order of Viking mercenaries or conquerors of the 10th century and 11th century. They were staunchly Pagan and dedicated to the worship of such deities as and . They reputedly would fight for any lord able to pay their substantial fees and occasionally fought alongside Christian rulers. Although they were Pagan, the institutions of the Jomsvikings in some ways foreshadowed those of the Christian Knightly Orders of the later Middle Ages. [1] Contents. The Jomsviking code History Curmsun Disc In fiction See also Primary sources References Sources Related Reading External links. The legend of the Jomsvikings appears in some of the Icelandic from the 12th and 13th centuries. According to the sagas (particularly the Jómsvíkinga saga , King Olaf Tryggvasson’s Saga , and stories found in the Flatey Book), their stronghold Jomsborg was located on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, but the exact location is disputed by modern historians and archeologists. Most scholars locate it on the hill Silberberg, north of the town of Wolin on Wolin island in modern-day Poland. Jomsborg is thought by some researchers to be identical with Jumne, Julin and Vineta, which are mentioned in both Danish and German records from the Middle Ages. [2] [3] [4] [5] Historians still debate the accuracy of the accounts of the Jomsvikings. Since the site of their headquarters has never been conclusively located, confirming the tales of their exploits is somewhat difficult. The location of Jomsborg is a matter of debate in historical circles, due to the scarcity of primary sources. There are no contemporary sources mentioning the names Jomsvikings and Jomsborg , but there are three contemporary . Reference also appears in Old Norse poetry and Lausavísur which refer to their battles. [6] The Jomsviking code. The Saga of the Jomsvikings relates that the Jomsvikings were highly selective in deciding whom to admit to their order. Membership was restricted to men of proven valor between 18 and 50 (with the exception of a boy named Vagn Åkesson, who defeated Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson in single combat at the age of 12). In order to gain admission, prospective members were required to prove themselves with a feat of strength, often taking the form of a ritual duel, or holmgang , with a Jomsviking. Once admitted, the Jomsvikings required adherence to a strict code of conduct in order to instill a sense of military discipline among its members. Any violation of these rules could be punished with immediate expulsion from the order. Each Jomsviking was bound to defend his brothers, as well as to avenge their deaths if necessary. He was forbidden to speak ill of his fellows or to quarrel with them. Blood feuds between members were to be mediated by Jomsviking officers. Jomsvikings were forbidden to show fear or to flee in the face of an enemy of equal or inferior strength, though orderly retreat in the face of vastly outnumbering forces appears to have been acceptable. All spoils of battle were to be equally distributed among the entire brotherhood. No Jomsviking was permitted to be absent from Jomsborg for more than three days without the permission of the brotherhood. No women or children were allowed within the fortress walls, and none were to be taken captive. It is unclear, however, whether members were forbidden marriage or liaisons with women outside the walls. History. After the Battle of the Fýrisvellir, by Mårten Eskil Winge (1888) The Battle of Svolder, at which the Jomsvikings fought with Denmark and Sweden against Norway, maybe with a swap of allegiance to side with Forkbeard's advantage, of his 400 ships to Tryggvason's 100. (Otto Sinding painter). Accounts of their size vary. In various sources, Jomsborg was supposed to have held anywhere from 30 to 300 ships in its harbor. However some historians believe Jomsborg was largely a market center with its Danish garrison imposed on the Wends. [8] Curmsun Disc - obverse. According to the Heimskringla , King Magnus I of Norway decided to put an end to the Jomsviking threat. As part of consolidating his control of Denmark, he sacked Jomsborg in 1043, destroying the fortress and killing many of its inhabitants. [10] Curmsun Disc. A golden disc bearing the name of and Jomsvikings stronghold seat Jomsborg was re-discovered in Sweden in autumn 2014. The disc, also called the Curmsun Disc, is made of high gold content and has a weight of 25.23 grams. On the obverse there is a Latin inscription and on the reverse there is a Latin cross with four dots surrounded by an octagonal ridge. The inscription reads: "+ARALD CVRMSVN+REX AD TANER+SCON+JVMN+CIV ALDIN+" and translates as "Harald Gormsson king of Danes, Scania, Jomsborg, diocese of Aldinburg". [11] It is assumed that the disc was a part of a Viking hoard found in 1841 in the Polish village Wiejkowo near the town of Wolin by Heinrich Boldt. [12] [13] In fiction. Jomsvikings are the focus of E. R. Eddison's novel Styrbiorn the Strong [14] and Horned Helmet [15] a juvenile historical novel by Henry Treece. Fictionalized versions of the Jomsborg (under the name "Jormsvik") and the Jomsvikings appear in Guy Gavriel Kay's novel The Last Light of the Sun , which is set in a fictional world that closely parallels 9th-century Britain and Scandinavia. [16] In Tim Severin's Viking series, Thorgils spends time amongst the Jomsvikings, although they are a smaller, older, and weaker force. The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson retells an episode from the sagas, where a band of defeated Jomsvikings, about to be executed in Norway, are proud, undaunted and defiant to the end - winning their captors' grudging respect and some of them surviving against all odds. The legendary Jomsburgers also appear in Creative Assembly's Medieval Total War Viking Invasion expansion pack, though they are called Joms Viking. They are the most highly skilled warrior available to the Vikings. [17] Jomsvikings appear in Thrones of Britannia, another Total War game where they are one of the best units available to Norse- civilization factions. See also. Battle of Svolder Canute the Great Curmsun Disc Eric the Victorious Olof Skötkonung Heimskringla. Primary sources. This list is not exhaustive: Jómsvíkinga saga Jómsvíkingadrápa Heimskringla Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa Eyrbyggja saga Olaf Tryggvasson's Saga. Related Research Articles. Harald " Bluetooth " Gormsson was a king of Denmark and Norway. Olaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken, and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway. He is numbered as Olaf I . Vineta is the name of a mythical city at the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. The myth evolved around the tradition about the medieval emporium called Jumne, Jomsborg, Julin or similar names by the chronicles. Jomsborg or Jómsborg was a semi-legendary Viking stronghold at the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, that existed between the 960s and 1043. Its inhabitants were known as Jomsvikings. Jomsborg's exact location, or its existence, has not yet been established, though it is often maintained that Jomsborg was somewhere on the islands of the Oder estuary. Lauritz Weibull dismissed it as a legend. Flateyjarbók is an important medieval Icelandic manuscript. It is also known as Reykjavík, Stofnun Árna Magnússonar í íslenskum fræðum, GkS 1005 fol. and by the Latin name Codex Flateyensis . It was commissioned by Jón Hákonarson and produced by the priests and scribes Jón Þórðarson and Magnús Þórhallsson. Sigurd Ring was a legendary king of the Swedes mentioned in many old Scandinavian sagas. According to these sources he was granted rulership over Sweden as a vassal king under his uncle Harald Wartooth. Later he would take up arms against his uncle Harald in a bid to overthrow him and take the crown of Denmark, a conflict which Sigurd eventually won after the legendary Battle of the Brávellir, where it is said that Odin himself intervened and killed Harald. In the Sagas Sigurd is also known for being the father of the Norse Viking hero and legendary king of Denmark and Sweden, . According to Bósa saga ok Herrauds , there was once a saga on Sigurd Ring, but this saga is now lost. Styrbjörn the Strong according to late Norse sagas was a son of the Swedish king Olof, and a nephew of Olof's co-ruler and successor Eric the Victorious, who defeated and killed Styrbjörn at the Battle of Fyrisvellir. As with many figures in the sagas, doubts have been cast on his existence, but he is mentioned in a roughly contemporaneous skaldic poem about the battle. According to legend, his original name was Björn , and Styr- , which was added when he had grown up, was an epithet meaning that he was restless, controversially forceful and violent. Palnatoke or Palnatoki , sometimes written Palna-Toki or Palna Toki , was a legendary Danish hero and chieftain of the island of Fyn. According to the Jómsvíkinga saga , Palnatoki founded the brotherhood of Jomsvikings and established its laws. Haakon Sigurdarson was the de facto ruler of Norway from about 975 to 995. Sometimes he is styled Hakon the Powerful through Ágrip af Nóregskonungasögum and Historia Norwegiæ gives the less flattering name Hákon Illi , that is Hakon Bad . Thorkell the Tall , also known as Thorkell the High in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , was a prominent member of the Jomsviking order and a notable lord. He was a son of the Scanian chieftain Strut-Harald, and a brother of Jarl Sigvaldi, Hemingr and Tófa. Thorkell was the chief commander of the Jomsvikings and the legendary stronghold Jomsborg, on the Island of Wollin. He is also credited as having received the young Cnut the Great into his care and taken Cnut on raids. The Encomium Emmae, a document aimed at the movers and shakers of the Anglo-Scandinavian court in the early 1040s, describes Thorkell as a great war leader and warrior. Eric Håkonsson was Earl of Lade, Governor of Norway and Earl of Northumbria. He was the son of Earl Hákon Sigurðarson and brother of the legendary Aud Haakonsdottir of Lade. He participated in the Battle of Hjörungavágr, the Battle of Svolder and the conquest of by King Canute the Great. Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa is a short story, a þáttr on the Swedish claimant and Jomsviking Styrbjörn the Strong preserved in the Flatey Book . The Jómsvíkinga saga (Saga of the Jomsvikings) is a medieval Icelandic saga composed by an anonymous Icelander. The Saga was composed in Iceland during the 13th century. It exists in several manuscripts which vary from each other. There are many different versions and translations of the saga. Jarl Sigvaldi was the semi-legendary chieftain of the fabled Jomsvikings and commander of their stronghold - Jomsborg. He succeeded Palnatoke as the leaders of the Jomsvikings in the late 10th century. The character of Sigvaldi remains largely enigmatic. As a leader, he was said to be more wily than brave despite leading such a powerful force. The Battle of Fýrisvellir was fought in the 980s on the plain called Fýrisvellir, where modern Uppsala is situated, between King Eric the Victorious and an invading force. According to Norse sagas, this force was led by his nephew Styrbjörn the Strong. Eric won the battle, and became known as "the Victorious". The Battle of Hjörungavágr is a semi-legendary naval battle that took place in the late 10th century between the Jarls of Lade and a Danish invasion fleet led by the fabled Jomsvikings. This battle played an important role in the struggle by Haakon Sigurdsson to unite his rule over Norway. Traditionally, the battle has been set during the year 986. Wolin is a town in northwestern Poland, situated on the southern tip of the Wolin island off the Baltic coast of the historic region of Pomerania. The island lies at the edge of the strait of Dziwna in Kamień County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Strut-Harald was a semi-legendary jarl or petty king who ruled over the Danish territory of Scania during the late 10th century CE. Some of the Norse sagas identify him as the son of Gorm the Old, making him a brother or half-brother of Harald Bluetooth. Gyrid Olafsdottir of Sweden , also called Gyritha or perhaps Gunnhild (10th-century), according to legends was a Swedish princess and a Danish queen consort as the spouse of King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark. The Wolinians were a Lechitic tribe in Early Middle Age Pomerania. They were first mentioned as "Velunzani" with 70 civitates by the Bavarian Geographer, ca. 845. Associated with both the Veleti and the Pomeranians, they were based on the island of Wolin and the adjacent mainland. Compared to other tribes of these groups, the Wolinians' territory was relatively small but densely settled: in the 11th century, there was one settlement per four square kilometers. The Wolinians are described by Jan Maria Piskorski as the most powerful Pomeranian tribe. This position resulted from the multi-ethnic emporium at the site of the present-day town of Wolin (Wollin), then known as Jomsborg, Jumne, Julin or Vineta. The Saga of the Jomsvikings by Anonymous. From and To can't be the same language. That page is already in . Something went wrong. Check the webpage URL and try again. Sorry, that page did not respond in a timely manner. Sorry, that page doesn't exist or is preventing translations. Sorry, that page doesn't exist or is preventing translations. Sorry, that page doesn't exist or is preventing translations. Something went wrong, please try again. Try using the Translator for the Microsoft Edge extension instead. Jomsvikings. Jomsvikings fighting in a hail storm at the Battle of Hjörungavágr. The Jomsvikings were a possibly legendary company of Viking mercenaries or brigands of the 10th century and 11th century, dedicated to the worship of such deities as Odin and Thor. They were staunchly pagan, but they reputedly would fight for any lord able to pay their substantial fees, and occasionally fought alongside Christian rulers. According to the Norse sagas (particularly the Jómsvíkinga saga , King Olaf Tryggvasson’s Saga , and stories found in the Flatey Book), their stronghold Jomsborg was located on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, but the exact location is disputed by modern historians and archeologists. Most scholars locate it on the hill Silberberg north of the town of Wolin on Wolin island. [1] [2] [3] Jomsborg is thought to be identical with "Jumne", "Julin" and "Vineta" mentioned in medieval Danish and German records. [3] The legend of the Jomsvikings appears in some of the Icelandic sagas from the 12th and 13th centuries. The existence of Jomsborg is a matter of debate in historical circles, due to the scarcity of primary sources. There are no contemporary sources mentioning the names Jomsvikings and Jomsborg , but there are three contemporary runestones and several contemporary lausavísur held to refer to one of their battles. [4] Contents. The Jomsviking code [ edit | edit source ] The Sjörup is generally associated with the Jomsviking attack on Uppsala, the Battle of the Fýrisvellir. It says: Saxi placed this stone in memory of Ásbjörn Tófi's/Tóki's son, his partner. He did not flee at Uppsala, but slaughtered as long as he had a weapon . The Saga of the Jomsvikings relates that the Jomsvikings were highly selective in deciding whom to admit to their order. Membership was restricted to men of proven valor between 18 and 50 (with the exception of a boy named Vagn Åkesson, who defeated Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson in single combat at the age of 12). In order to gain admission, prospective members were required to prove themselves with a feat of strength, often taking the form of a ritual duel, or holmgang, with a Jomsviking. Once admitted, the Jomsvikings required adherence to a strict code of conduct in order to instill a sense of military discipline among its members. Any violation of these rules could be punished with immediate expulsion from the order. Each Jomsviking was bound to defend his brothers, as well as to avenge their deaths if necessary. He was forbidden to speak ill of his fellows or to quarrel with them. Blood feuds between members were to be mediated by Jomsviking officers. Jomsvikings were forbidden to show fear or to flee in the face of an enemy of equal or inferior strength, though orderly retreat in the face of vastly outnumbering forces appears to have been acceptable. All spoils of battle were to be equally distributed among the entire brotherhood. No Jomsviking was permitted to be absent from Jomsborg for more than three days without the permission of the brotherhood. No women or children were allowed within the fortress walls, and none were to be taken captive. It is unclear, however, whether members were forbidden marriage or liaisons with women outside the walls. History [ edit | edit source ] Historians still debate the accuracy of the accounts of the Jomsvikings. Some maintain that the order was entirely legendary. The site of their headquarters has never been conclusively located, so confirming the tales of their exploits is somewhat difficult. There are different accounts for the origins of the order. Gesta Danorum (book 10) tells that a settlement named Julinum was conquered by the King of Denmark, Harald Bluetooth, who gave it to the Swedish prince Styrbjörn the Strong. Harald then provided Styrbjörn with a strong force with which Styrbjörn terrorized the seas. The Knýtlinga saga agrees by giving Harald as the founder of the Jomsvikings, but the story of Styrbjörn is not connected to the Jomsvikings. The Jómsvíkinga saga says that the settlement was founded by Palnatoke, receiving the location from the mythical Wendish ruler . Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa and Eyrbyggja saga agree with all previously mentioned versions by making Styrbjörn take command of the Jomsvikings after they already had been established. [5] Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa also tells that among the Norse there were many men from the "East land" arriving at Jomsborg, suggesting that it was a settlement of mixed ethnicity. Accounts of their size vary. Jomsborg, in various sources, is supposed to have held anywhere from 30 to 300 ships in its harbor, with Jomsviking chieftains including Palnatoke, Styrbjörn the Strong, Sveyn Forkbeard, Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson, Thorkell the High, and Hemeng. Gesta Danorum (book 10), Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa and Eyrbyggja saga relate that in the early 980s, the exiled Swedish prince Styrbjörn the Strong brought the Jomsvikings to a devastating defeat against Styrbjörn's uncle Eric the Victorious at the Battle of the Fýrisvellir, Uppsala, in 984 or 985, while trying to take the crown of Sweden by force of arms. [5] The fact that the Jomsvikings lost was attributed to a pact that the Swedish king Eric made with Odin. Three runestones, the Högby Runestone ( the brave champion Asmund fell on the Fyrisvellir ), one of the Hällestad Runestones labelled DR 295 ( he did not flee at Uppsala ) and the Sjörup Runestone ( He did not flee at Uppsala, but slaughtered as long as he had a weapon ), from this time relate to deaths with honour at Uppsala, probably three Jomsvikings. The battle is also commemorated, in poetry, by the Icelandic Þórvaldr Hjaltason, who took part in the battle on the Swedish side. Jómsvíkinga saga tells that in 986, they attacked Haakon Jarl in Norway and were defeated in the Battle of Hjörungavágr. The Jómsvíkinga saga ends with a brief explanation of the battle's aftermath, and, in fact, points to this battle as the beginning of the end for the Jomsvikings. The Battle of Svolder, at which the Jomsvikings fought with Denmark against Norway, maybe with a swap of allegiance to side with Forkbeard's advantage, of his 400 ships to Tryggvason's 100. (Otto Sinding painter). After these two decisive defeats, the power of the Jomsvikings waned, but Olaf Trygvasson's Saga relates that they played a decisive, if treacherous, role in the Battle of Svolder in 1000. At Svolder, a Jomsviking force led by Sigvald Jarl abandoned King Olaf of Norway and joined forces with his enemies to annihilate his fleet. This action may have been intended to fight the Christianization of Scandinavia which had been forcibly promoted by Olaf . As it happened though, the Danish king who won the Norwegian throne when the seabattle ended, , was (at least nominally) a Christian. He and his father, Harald Bluetooth, the king of Denmark are reported to have been baptized in 965. Jomsvikings are also reported to have raided eastern England in 1009, and made forays into various Scandinavian territories during the early 11th century. Around 1013 the Jomsvikings were campaigning in England on behalf of Sveyn Forkbeard, yet switched sides, maybe in a ruse to get their own Danegeld from the English, while the main Viking invasion force drove Ethelred the Unready to Normandy. Their decline continued over the next few decades. In 1043, according to the Heimskringla, Magnus I of Norway decided to put an end to the Jomsviking threat. He sacked Jomsborg, destroyed the fortress and put the surviving brethren to death. Though they were staunchly Pagan, the institutions of the Jomsvikings in some ways anticipated those of the Christian Knightly Orders of the later Middle Ages. Archaeological evidence [ edit | edit source ] Runestones are counted as historic documents about the events of the in Scandinavia. The following four runestones may mention Jomsvikings [ citation needed ] who died with Styrbjörn the Strong south of Uppsala. Note that the first runestone mentions a warleader named Toki Gormsson and he may be a son of the Danish king Gorm the Old, an interpretation which fits the fact that Styrbjörn was allied with another son of Gorm, Harald Bluetooth. One of the Hällestad Runestones labelled DR 295 in Skåne says: Áskell placed this stone in memory of Tóki Gormr's son, to him a faithful lord. He did not flee at Uppsala. Valiant men placed in memory of their brother the stone on the hill, steadied by . They went closest to Gormr's Tóki. The Sjörup Runestone, Skåne, relates: Saxi placed this stone in memory of Ásbjörn Tófi's/Tóki's son, his partner. He did not flee at Uppsala, but slaughtered as long as he had a weapon . On the Högby Runestone, it says The good freeman Gulli had five sons. The brave champion Asmund fell on the Fyris. The Karlevi Runestone was raised by Danish warriors in memory of the war chief on the island of Öland near the waterway which was passed by the Jomsvikings when they went to Uppsala and back. The stone is contemporary with the battle mentioned on the previous runestones and it is consequently possible that the stone was raised by Jomsvikings in memory of their lord. [6] In fiction [ edit | edit source ] Jomsvikings are the focus of the E. R. Eddison's novel Styrbiorn the Strong , [7] and Horned Helmet , [8] a juvenile historical novel by Henry Treece. Fictionalized versions of the Jomsborg (under the name "Jormsvik") and the Jomsvikings appear in Guy Gavriel Kay's novel The Last Light of the Sun , which is set in a fictional world that closely parallels 9th century Britain and Scandinavia. [9] In Tim Severin's Viking series, Thorgils spends time amongst the Jomsvikings, although they are a smaller, older, and weaker force. The legendary Jomsburgers also appear in Creative Assembly's Medieval Total War Viking Invasion expansion pack, though they are called Joms Viking. They are the most highly skilled warrior available to the Vikings. The Jomsvikings also appear in The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. The short story "The King of Norway" by Cecelia Holland has at its center the story of the Battle of Hjörungavágr. In the manga Vinland Saga, by Makoto Yukimura, the Jomsvikings play a crucial part, where some of the main characters are based on Jomsvikings from the Sagas such as Thorkell the High and Canute the Great. The manga depict them as an elite force under Sven then Knut during their invasion of England, while trying to keep their waning influence on the court. It is also said that Thorfinn's father was a Jomsviking until he converted to christianism, fleeing Jomsborg with his wife. This led him to be considered as a traitor and being ambushed by the band of Askeladd. In the The Old Gods DLC for the Paradox Interactive PC game Crusader Kings 2 the Jomsvikings serve as a Norse pagan version of the Christian holy orders. Modern reenactment [ edit | edit source ] The legend of the Jomsvikings has inspired a modern reenactment movement. The "Army of Jomsborg" seek to accurately portray Vikings of the 10th and 11th centuries. Their focus is on live-steel combat, though crafts are practiced by some members. The organization has branches in Europe, Canada, USA, and elsewhere.

ⓘ Jomsvikings. The Jomsvikings were an order of Viking mercenaries or brigands of the 10th century and 11th century. They were staunchly Pagan and dedicated to th .. The Jomsvikings were an order of Viking mercenaries or brigands of the 10th century and 11th century. They were staunchly Pagan and dedicated to the worship of such deities as Odin and Thor. They reputedly would fight for any lord able to pay their substantial fees and occasionally fought alongside Christian rulers. Although they were Pagan, the institutions of the Jomsvikings in some ways foreshadowed those of the Christian Knightly Orders of the later Middle Ages. The legend of the Jomsvikings appears in some of the Icelandic sagas from the 12th and 13th centuries. According to the sagas, their stronghold Jomsborg was located on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, but the exact location is disputed by modern historians and archeologists. Most scholars locate it on the hill Silberberg, north of the town of Wolin on Wolin island in modern day Poland. Jomsborg is thought by some researchers to be identical with Jumne, Julin and Vineta, which are mentioned in both Danish and German records from the Middle Ages. Historians still debate the accuracy of the accounts of the Jomsvikings. Since the site of their headquarters has never been conclusively located, confirming the tales of their exploits is somewhat difficult. The location of Jomsborg is a matter of debate in historical circles, due to the scarcity of primary sources. There are no contemporary sources mentioning the names Jomsvikings and Jomsborg, but there are three contemporary runestones. Reference also appears in Old Norse poetry and Lausavisur which refer to their battles. 1. The Jomsviking code. The Saga of the Jomsvikings relates that the Jomsvikings were highly selective in deciding whom to admit to their order. Membership was restricted to men of proven valor between 18 and 50 with the exception of a boy named Vagn Åkesson, who defeated Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson in single combat at the age of 12. In order to gain admission, prospective members were required to prove themselves with a feat of strength, often taking the form of a ritual duel, or holmgang, with a Jomsviking. Once admitted, the Jomsvikings required adherence to a strict code of conduct in order to instill a sense of military discipline among its members. Any violation of these rules could be punished with immediate expulsion from the order. Each Jomsviking was bound to defend his brothers, as well as to avenge their deaths if necessary. He was forbidden to speak ill of his fellows or to quarrel with them. Blood feuds between members were to be mediated by Jomsviking officers. Jomsvikings were forbidden to show fear or to flee in the face of an enemy of equal or inferior strength, though orderly retreat in the face of vastly outnumbering forces appears to have been acceptable. All spoils of battle were to be equally distributed among the entire brotherhood. No Jomsviking was permitted to be absent from Jomsborg for more than three days without the permission of the brotherhood. No women or children were allowed within the fortress walls, and none were to be taken captive. It is unclear, however, whether members were forbidden marriage or liaisons with women outside the walls. 2. History. There are different accounts for the origins of the order. Gesta Danorum book 10 tells that a settlement named Julinum was conquered by the King of Denmark, Harald Bluetooth, who gave it to the Swedish prince Styrbjorn the Strong. Harald then provided Styrbjorn with a strong force with which Styrbjorn terrorized the seas. The Knytlinga saga agrees by giving Harald as the founder of the Jomsvikings, but the story of Styrbjorn is not connected to the Jomsvikings. The Jomsvikinga saga says that the settlement was founded by Palnatoke, receiving the location from the mythical Wendish ruler Burislav. Styrbjarnar þattr Sviakappa and Eyrbyggja saga agree with all previously mentioned versions by making Styrbjorn take command of the Jomsvikings after they already had been established. Styrbjarnar þattr Sviakappa also tells that among the Norse there were many men from the "East land" arriving at Jomsborg, suggesting that it was a settlement of mixed ethnicity. Jomsviking chieftains included Palnatok, Styrbjorn the Strong, Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson, Thorkell the High, and Hemeng. Accounts of their size vary. In various sources, Jomsborg was supposed to have held anywhere from 30 to 300 ships in its harbor. However some historians believe Jomsborg was largely a market center with its Danish garrison imposed on the Wends. Gesta Danorum book 10, Styrbjarnar þattr Sviakappa and Eyrbyggja saga relate that in the early 980s, the exiled Swedish prince Styrbjorn the Strong brought the Jomsvikings to a devastating defeat against Styrbjorns uncle King Eric the Victorious at the Battle of the Fyrisvellir, Uppsala, in 984 or 985, while trying to take the crown of Sweden by force of arms. The fact that the Jomsvikings lost was attributed to a pact which the Swedish king Eric made with Odin. Three runestones from this time, the Hogby Runestone "the brave champion Asmund fell on the Fyrisvellir", one of the Hallestad Runestones, labelled DR 295 "he did not flee at Uppsala", and the Sjorup Runestone "He did not flee at Uppsala, but slaughtered as long as he had a weapon", relate to deaths with honour at Uppsala, probably three Jomsvikings. The battle is also commemorated, in poetry, by the Icelandic skald Þorvaldr Hjaltason, who took part in the battle on the Swedish side. Jomsvikinga saga tells that in 986, they attacked Haakon Jarl in Norway and were defeated in the Battle of Hjorungavagr. The saga recounts that Jomsvikings captured by the Norwegians and about to be executed exhibited courage and defiance, some being eventually spared by their captors. The Jomsvikinga saga ends with a brief explanation of the battles aftermath and, in fact, points to this battle as the beginning of the end for the Jomsvikings. After these two decisive defeats, the power of the Jomsvikings waned, but Olaf Trygvassons Saga relates that they played a decisive, if treacherous, role in the Battle of Svolder in 1000. At Svolder, a Jomsviking force led by Sigvald Jarl abandoned King Olaf of Norway and joined forces with his enemies to annihilate his fleet. This action may have been intended to fight the Christianization of Scandinavia, which had been forcibly promoted by Olaf. As it happened though, the Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard, who won the Norwegian throne when the sea battle ended, was at least nominally a Christian. He and his father, King Harald Bluetooth of Denmark, are reported to have been baptized in 965. Their decline continued over the next few decades. According to the Heimskringla, King Magnus I of Norway decided to put an end to the Jomsviking threat. As part of consolidating his control of Denmark, he sacked Jomsborg, destroyed the fortress and many of the inhabitants were killed in 1043. 3. Curmsun Disc. A golden disc bearing the name of Harald Bluetooth and Jomsvikings stronghold seat Jomsborg appeared in Sweden in autumn 2014. The disc, also called the Curmsun Disc, is made of high gold content and has a weight of 25.23 grams. On the obverse there is a Latin inscription and on the reverse there is a Latin cross with four dots surrounded by an octagonal ridge. The inscription reads: "+ARALD CVRMSVN+REX AD TANER+SCON+JVMN+CIV ALDIN+" and translates as "Harald Gormsson king of Danes, Scania, Jomsborg, town Aldinburg". It is assumed that the disc was a part of a Viking hoard found in 1840 in the Polish village Wiejkowo near the town of Wolin by Heinrich Boldt, the maternal great-great-grandfather of Hollywood actors and producers Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck. The Saga of the Jomsvikings. Jómsvíkinga saga – Saga of the Jomsvikings – is a 13th century Old Norse saga, the author being an anonymous Icelander. It is a fanciful historical adventure set in the 10th century, recalling the days of the vikings. Its first part is dedicated to the rise of the Knytlings, the Danish royal dynasty that was the first to unite Denmark under their rule and built it into the northern European hegemonial power of the late Viking Age. The focus then shifts to a clan of Danish warlords, the descendants of the chieftain Toki, and their long history of both rivalry and collaboration with the Danish kings. King Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson’s ruthless pursuit of unrivalled power leads to a long-smouldering enmity with Toki’s clan that only ends when Toki’s grandson Palnatoki stirs up a rebellion that overthrows the king and puts Harald's bastard son Svein Forkbeard on the throne. But when Svein discovers the truth about his father’s death, he cuts ties with Palnatoki, and the latter is forced to leave Denmark. A successful commander of viking cruises, he eventually establishes a new base of operations in Vindland [1] , realm of the mighty king Burisleif [2] , who cedes the Danish sea-rovers a stretch of coast in the land of Jom, where they build the mighty fortress of Jomsborg. Having become somewhat snobbish by all their victories, Palnatoki and his lot, henceforward known as the Jomsvikings, decide that only the crème de la crème of warriors can join their club, and establish the law of Jomsborg that makes bravery and recklessness mandatory. Applicants arrive from whom Palnatoki picks the captains of Jomsborg – Sigvaldi, Thorkell the Tall, Bui the Stout, Sigurd Cape, and Palnatoki’s own grandson Vagn Akason with his veteran mentor, Bjorn the Welshman. Together, they form the most prestigious viking host to ever haunt the seas, and heap up fame and fortune in spades. King Svein is not exactly enthusiastic about the unchecked power of the Jomsvikings and their lack of proper obedience to the Danish king. When Palnatoki dies and Sigvaldi takes over the leadership, things seem to normalize – only for Sigvaldi’s double-dealing with Svein to fire a new grudge. Eventually, the crafty king devises a scheme to put the Jomsvikings back in their place - tricking them into a brazen undertaking that can only result in glory. or total destruction.