Krigarenve (A Warriors Ways) A Northern European Fighting Arts System Introduction to the Research for the Creation of the Krigarenve Introduction to the established research used to recreate a modern functioning, realistic martial art system developed from the traditional practices and techniques of our northern European ancestors. Preface The Krigarenve is not a Historical Martial art. The Krigarenve is a modern functional martial art based on the traditional Northern European Martial tactics, techniques and fighting styles that make up the entire pre- Christian European Tribes. Keep in mind that all of the information presented here is only the beginning of this documents completed form. The research for the Krigarenve covers historical information ranging the time frame of 1000 BC to 1500 AD and covers Northern European cultures from the Rus to the Icelanders and includes Gaul, Goths, Celts, Germans, Swedes, Irish, Norwegians, Fins and many others that make up the pre-Christian Northern European Cultures, but the information presented in the document so far only presents a sample of the research spanning 800 AD to 1500 AD and is mostly a representation of the cultures of Iceland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. Body The Norse during the Viking Age were a very mobile society. Now I don't mean that they moved a lot from place to place (even though they did), what I mean is that a person had the ability to move socially. It was possible for a person to be born into slavery, be freed as an adult, and eventually become a very powerful person in the district. The reason that this would be possible is due to something called idrottir. Idrottir could be defined as skills. These skills can be academic, athletic, and/or craft. Examples of each would include languages spoken, rune reading and writing, and genealogy under academic; weapons usage (each weapon known would be counted separately), swimming, rock lifting and throwing (counts as two), and climbing cliffs for athletic; carpentry, carving (count individually if you know how to carve on more than one medium, i.e. stone, bone, wood, etc.), blacksmithing, and fishing would be areas under crafts. The more one knows, the more one is worth. This worth is both figurative and literal. People in Scandinavian society had a price fixed to them at birth. This was called a rett, or blood-price. This was the amount of silver that a person was worth based on what social level they belonged to when they were born. This amount was fixed only in that a persons worth could never go below this amount. Thus, if a person was born, say, into the level of a landless freeman, he or she would be worth two marks of silver (this is a arbitrary amount. I have no documentation that lists actual rett for the various social standings). This means two things: one, if the person is killed the family is entitled to two marks of silver from the killer (or the killers family) as long as the death did not occur as part of a battle during war or from a holmgang. Two, and this is the more important to this article, a person could not put themselves into more debt then their rett unless they were in a thriving business. If this freeman borrowed two marks silver and was unable to repay the loan at the specified time, he or she could be made a slave to the lender until such time as the amount of the loan was repaid. This then brings me back to the topic of idrottir. Like I said earlier, the more one knows the more one is worth. For example, a boy is born to a family that owns a small farm. The family holds their own but is unable to hire anyone to help work the farm. So as the boy grows he is taught a number of skills that he needs to work the farm. First he is taught to herd geese, next how to cut hay. When he is a bit older he is taught to plow and cast seed. Still later he will be taught the skills to repair farm equipment. Once this is learned he can learn how to make furniture. He will also learn some blacksmithing as part of the need to be able to repair equipment. If he shows skill he will be able to work at creating other items; tools, utensils, etc. When the boy reaches the age of seventeen he will start going to market with his father to learn how to buy and sell the goods needed and grown. Since the market places usually have a number of foreigners in them the boy, if he is quick witted, will start to learn the languages of at least some of the foreign merchants (at least enough to do business). Thus this young man by the time he has reached twenty winters in age can list the following as his idrottir: Herding geese Herding cattle Herding goats (or sheep, or both) Sowing grain Plowing, harvesting Carpentry (possibly carving as well) Blacksmithing (at least of iron, but possibly Gold and silver smithing as well) Trading Languages (list each known separately) And because he lives on a farm and needs to clear land, he can usually add the lifting and throwing of rocks. So our young man can list at least twelve idrottir. Although my example has been of that of a young man, the same holds true of women. A woman can list all the same farming skills as the young man above. However she most likely would not list carpentry, smithing, or rock lifting and throwing. She would, though, list such skills as weaving (both regular and tablet), sewing, cooking, baking, brewing (this one was highly prized and could bring a higher bride price), and tanning of hides. Now we can get into the "worth" part in more detail. First, all this knowledge gave the person more personal worth. They would be a more confident and likable person (unless they became braggarts). Second, all these skills would make the person more sought after. If a chieftain knew of a young man that could work a farm, be a smith, speak to foreigners, and use a number of weapons, that chieftain would want that person probably as a foreman to look over one, or possibly more, of the chieftains farms. If you throw in that the young man is also a competent poet, he could become sought after by a king. In the case of a young woman, she could be sought after by all the most powerful men in the district, if not the country. Her father can demand high bride-prices, especially if she knows how to brew good beer. In the case of men, the offers from chieftains, jarls, and kings can lead to very comfortable lives. These leaders pay their employees well for the knowledge that their foremen hold. Also, if their skills are of a high enough caliber, the leading men of the district would ask to send their children to those with knowledge to be fostered so that the child can become wise and much learned. This applies to female children also. Then there is the possibility for those who know a great deal to attract their own followers. This is how the person born the slave can become a power in the district or country. To close this up and give an example that is easier to see, I will list my idrottir. History Teaching Poetry Story telling Rune reading Public speaking Trading Herding cattle Herding pigs Carving (wood and antler) Leather working Carpentry Plumbing Fermenting Martial arts Stav use Archery Knife use Fire arms Sword use Spear use Shield use Fishing Hunting Riding a horse Driving a car / motor cycle Metal working Painting Sketching Framing Rowing Swimming Weight lifting Riding a bike Play chess Sewing Cooking. This makes a list of 40 idrottir. I have a feeling that I have forgotten some, but it doesn't matter. Also, I have included some that are not period to the Viking Age. But that is because I live in the modern world. So go make a list of your idrottir, it will make you feel better about yourself to realize just how much stuff you really know. Make sure you list everything, even if you only have a passing understanding of the subject. If you know something about it, it's enough to allow you to be of some aid to someone who knows less. Bodily as well as mental exercises were known under the name of Idrottir. In no ancient records have we so many detailed accounts of games as we have in the Sagas. The education of the Northman was thoroughly Spartan in its character. To this day the love of athletic games is one of the characteristics of their most direct descendants, the English people; and other countries have awakened to the importance of physical training. Their exercises or games may be classified under three heads. 1st. Athletic games or gymnastic exercises, such as wrestling (Glima), free fighting, swimming, running, jumping, leaping, balancing, climbing, playing ball, racing on snowshoes, skin-pulling and so on. 2nd. Warlike exercises with weapons, which embraced fencing, spear-throwing, arrow-shooting, horse riding, slinging and so on. 3rd Mental exercises, consisting of poetry, Saga-telling, riddles, games of chess and draughts, and harp playing. In those days of incessant warfare, physical training was considered of the highest importance. Old and young constantly practiced games of strength and dexterity; they knew that it was only by constant exercise that they could become or remain good warriors.