Olav Trygvasons saga - Uvaeret, Hjoerungavaag - G

The Jomsvikings were purportedly a legendary order of

Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...

mercenaries A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...

or conquerors of the 10th and 11th centuries. Though reputed to be staunchly dedicated to the worship of the Old Norse gods, they would allegedly fight for any lord who could pay their substantial fees, even if they may be

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

. The institution of the Jomsvikings would itself foreshadow those of the later religious and

chivalric orders An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and paired with medieval concep ...

of the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

. The legend of the Jomsvikings appears in some of the Icelandic sagas from the 12th and 13th centuries. According to the

sagas is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, from the Super NES to the Play ...

(particularly the '' Jómsvíkinga saga'', ''King Olaf Tryggvasson’s Saga'', and stories found in the

Flatey Book ''Flatey'' may refer to either of two islands in Iceland: *Flatey, Breiðafjörður *Flatey, Skjálfandi See also * ''Flateyjarbók ''Flateyjarbók'' (; "Book of Flatey") is an important medieval Icelandic manuscript. It is also known as GkS 1 ...

), their stronghold of Jomsborg was located on the southern shore of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...

, but its exact location has been disputed by modern historians and archeologists. Jomsborg is also thought by some researchers to be identical with Jumne, Julin and

Vineta Vineta (sometimes ''Wineta'') 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 (with which Vineta is sometimes identified), Julin or s ...

, which are mentioned in both Danish and German records from the

. The only

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

source that mentions a precise location of Jomsborg () is ''

Gesta Wulinensis ecclesiae pontificum Gesta may refer to: Titles of works Gesta is the Latin word for "deeds" or "acts", and Latin titles, especially of medieval chronicles, frequently begin with the word, which thus is also a generic term for medieval biographies: *Gesta Adalberonis ...

'' that was alleged to have been discovered in the autumn of 2019. Sven Rosborn (2021)
''The Viking King’s Golden Treasure: About the discovery of a lost manuscript, Harald Bluetooth´s grave and the location of the fortress of Jomsborg''
Rivengate AB, ISBN 9198678116 Historians still debate the accuracy of the accounts of the Jomsvikings. Without a conclusively identified location for their headquarters, and because of a lack of primary or contemporary sources specifically mentioning the ''Jomsvikings'' or ''Jomsborg'', confirming the tales of their exploits has been difficult. However, there are three contemporary runestones, as well as passages in Old Norse poetry and the lausavísur, that refer to their battles.

Code

The ''

Saga of the Jomsvikings is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, from the Super NES to the Play ...

'' 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, which often took the form of a ritual

duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...

, or '' holmgang'', with a Jomsviking. Once admitted, the Jomsvikings required adherence to a strict code of conduct to instill a sense of military discipline among its members. Any violation of the rules could be punished with immediate expulsion from the order. Each Jomsviking was bound to defend his brothers and 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, but 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 was to be taken captive. It is unclear, however, whether members were forbidden marriage or liaisons with women outside the walls.

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 Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson ( non, Haraldr Blátǫnn Gormsson; da, Harald Blåtand Gormsen, died c. 985/86) was a king of Denmark and Norway. He was the son of King Gorm the Old and of Thyra Dannebod. Harald ruled as king of Denmark from c. 95 ...

, who gave it to the Swedish prince

Styrbjörn the Strong Styrbjörn the Strong ( non, Styrbjǫrn Sterki ; died about 985) 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 ...

. 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 Palnatoke or Palnatoki, sometimes written Palna-Toki or Palna Toki (Old Norse: or ), was a legendary Denmark, Danish hero and chieftain of the island of Fyn. According to the ''Jómsvíkinga saga'', Palnatoki founded the brotherhood of Jomsvikings ...

, receiving the location from the mythical Wendish ruler Burislav. ''

Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa ''Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa'' (''The Tale of Styrbjörn the Swedish Champion'') is a short story, a ''þáttr'' on the Swedish claimant and Jomsviking Styrbjörn the Strong preserved in the ''Flatey Book'' (GKS 1005 fol 342-344, ca 1387-1395 ...

'' and '' Eyrbyggja saga'' agree with all previously mentioned versions by making Styrbjörn take command of the Jomsvikings after they already had been established.''Eyrbyggja Saga'' § 29 (Palsson 83). ''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. Jomsviking chieftains included Palnatok, Styrbjörn the Strong, Sigvaldi Strut-Haraldsson,

Thorkell the High Thorkell the Tall, also known as Thorkell the High in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' (Old Norse: Þorke(ti)ll inn hávi; no, Torkjell Høge; Swedish: ''Torkel Höge''; da, Torkild den Høje), was a prominent member of the Jomsviking order and a ...

, 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 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 King Eric the Victorious at the

Battle of the Fýrisvellir A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...

Uppsala Uppsala (, or all ending in , ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the county seat of Uppsala County and the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inha ...

, 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 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"), relate to deaths with honour at Uppsala, probably three Jomsvikings. The battle is also commemorated, in poetry, by the Icelandic

skald A skald, or skáld (Old Norse: , later ; , meaning "poet"), is one of the often named poets who composed skaldic poetry, one of the two kinds of Old Norse poetry, the other being Eddic poetry, which is anonymous. Skaldic poems were traditionally ...

Þórvaldr Hjaltason Þórvaldr Hjaltason (Old Norse: ; Modern Icelandic: ) was a late 10th-century Icelandic skald in the service of the Swedish king Eric the Victorious. He is listed in ''Skáldatal'' as in Eric's service. ''Styrbjarnar þáttr Svíakappa'' recount ...

, who took part in the battle on the Swedish side. ''Jómsvíkinga saga'' tells that in 986, they attacked

Haakon Jarl Haakon Sigurdsson ( non, Hákon Sigurðarson , no, Håkon Sigurdsson; 937–995), known as Haakon Jarl (Old Norse: ''Hákon jarl''), was the ''de facto'' ruler of Norway from about 975 to 995. Sometimes he is styled as Haakon the Powerful ( n ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

and were defeated in the Battle of Hjörungavágr. 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 ''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. After these two decisive defeats, the power of the Jomsvikings waned, but ''

Olaf Trygvasson Olaf Tryggvason (960s – 9 September 1000) was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken (Vingulmark, and Rånrike), and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of N ...

'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 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 e ...

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 The Christianization of Scandinavia, as well as other Nordic countries and the Baltic countries, took place between the 8th and the 12th centuries. The realms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden established their own Archdioceses, responsible directly ...

, which had been forcibly promoted by Olaf. As it happened though, the Danish king

Sweyn Forkbeard Sweyn Forkbeard ( non, Sveinn Haraldsson tjúguskegg ; da, Svend Tveskæg; 17 April 963 – 3 February 1014) was King of Denmark from 986 to 1014, also at times King of the English and King of Norway. He was the father of King Harald II of D ...

, 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. The 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.

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 Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural. Danes generally regard t ...

Scania Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conte ...

, Jomsborg, diocese of Aldinburg". 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.

In fiction

*Jomsvikings are the focus of

E. R. Eddison Eric Rücker Eddison, CB, CMG (24 November 1882 – 18 August 1945) was an English civil servant and author, writing epic fantasy novels under the name E. R. Eddison. His notable works include ''The Worm Ouroboros'' (1922) and the Zimiamvian T ...

's novel ''Styrbiorn the Strong'' and ''Horned Helmet'' a juvenile historical novel by

Henry Treece Henry Treece (22 December 1911 – 10 June 1966) was a British poet and writer who also worked as a teacher and editor. He wrote a range of works but is mostly remembered as a writer of children's historical novels. Life and work Treece wa ...

. *Fictionalized versions of the Jomsborg (under the name "Jormsvik") and the Jomsvikings appear in

Guy Gavriel Kay Guy Gavriel Kay (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian writer of fantasy fiction. The majority of his novels take place in fictional settings that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Jus ...

's novel ''

The Last Light of the Sun ''The Last Light of the Sun'' is a 2004 fantasy novel by Canadian writer Guy Gavriel Kay. Like many of his books, it is set in a world that draws heavily upon real times, events, places and people. In this particular book, the period is the Viking ...

'', which is set in a fictional world that closely parallels 9th-century Britain and

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

. *In

Tim Severin Timothy Severin (25 September 1940 – 18 December 2020) was a British explorer, historian, and writer. Severin was noted for his work in retracing the legendary journeys of historical figures. Severin was awarded both the Founder's Medal ...

'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 Frans Gunnar Bengtsson (4 October 1894 – 19 December 1954) was a Swedish novelist, essayist, poet and biographer. He was born in Tåssjö (now in Ängelholm Municipality) in Skåne and died at Ribbingsfors Manor in northern Västergötla ...

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 short story ''The King of Norway'' by Cecelia Holland, in the anthology ''Warriors'', has at its center the story of the Battle of Hjörungavágr.In ''Warriors'' (edited by

George R. R. Martin George Raymond Richard Martin (born George Raymond Martin; September 20, 1948), also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the author of the series of epic fantasy novels ''A Song ...

and Gardner Dozois. Tor Books. 2013) *In the

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

'' Vinland Saga'' by

Makoto Yukimura is a Japanese manga artist. Biography Early life Yukimura considered himself a laidback child at school. His first manga was Akira Toriyama's '' Dr. Slump'' at 5 and was particularly impressed by the cover. He then watched the anime much to his ...

, several of the main characters are based on Jomsvikings from the Sagas, such as

and

Canute the Great Cnut (; ang, Cnut cyning; non, Knútr inn ríki ; or , no, Knut den mektige, sv, Knut den Store. died 12 November 1035), also known as Cnut the Great and Canute, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway ...

. The manga depicts them as an elite force under Sven and then Canute during their invasion of England, while trying to keep their waning influence on the court. It is also said that the protagonist Thorfinn's father, Thors, was a Jomsviking until he became a pacifist, fleeing Jomsborg with his wife. *In the 2003

Polish film The history of cinema in Poland is almost as long as the history of cinematography, and it has universally recognized achievements, even though Polish films tend to be less commercially available than films from several other European nations. Af ...

'' An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God'' by

Jerzy Hoffman Jerzy Julian Hoffman (; born 15 March 1932) is a Polish director, screenwriter, and producer. He received the Polish Academy Life Achievement Award in February 2006. Hoffman is best known for his works in ''The Deluge'' (1974) and ''With Fire and ...

, Jomsvikings are portrayed as marauders in the service of the main antagonist Popiel. *Swedish melodic death metal band

Amon Amarth Amon Amarth () is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Tumba, formed in 1992. The band takes its name from the Sindarin name of Mount Doom, a volcano in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Their lyrics mostly deal with Viking mythology and hi ...

released the album '' Jomsviking'' in 2016. The album tells a story set in the world of the Jomsvikings.

Primary sources

This list is not exhaustive: *'' Jómsvíkinga saga'' *''

Jómsvíkingadrápa Jómsvikingadrápa is a 13th-century skaldic poem composed by Bjarni Kolbeinsson (d. 1222), Bishop of Orkney. It is a tribute in drápa form to the fallen Jomsvikings at the Battle of Hjörungavágr The Battle of Hjörungavágr (Norwegian: ''Sla ...

'' *'' Heimskringla'' *''

'' *'' Eyrbyggja saga'' *'' Gesta Danorum'' * ''Olaf Tryggvasson's Saga''

References

Sources

* * * * *

External links

''Jomsvikingernes saga'' from heimskringla.noNorthvegr.orgThe Jomsvikings - Army of Jomsborg
Viking Age re-enactment with chapters all over the world (

Combat Reenactment Combat reenactment is a side of historical reenactment which aims to depict historical forms of combat. This may refer to either single combat, melees involving small groups, or nearly full-scale battles with hundreds of participants. Depending o ...

Living History Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to ree ...

) {{Authority control Viking warriors History of Pomerania