DSBcB29 Vikings on the Sea and on the Mainland

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jarmila Bednaříková, CSc.
Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Jitka Erlebachová
Supplier department: Department of Classical Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 12:00–13:40 C33, except Wed 15. 11.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! DSBcB029 Vikings
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 200 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 131/200, only registered: 0/200, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/200
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to enable the students understand a difficult period of European history in both its positive and negative dimension. Students will get to know another transission period in history, when great developmental changes were happening in the environment of a certain part of the European society, namely in Scandinavia, and these changes were manifesting themselves by destabilization of a considerable part of the European space. Students will be able to compare the Viking era to other, similar periods of history, and thus to find main causes of great campaigns, migrations, but also to recognize the Normans as seafarers, explorers, poets, farmers, merchants and craftsmen.
Learning outcomes
The student will
- be able to evaluate the Viking age not only with regard to warfare, but he/she will also be able to describe common economic activities of the Viking
- be able to compare their actions in the Empire of Charlemagne and his successors, in Britain and on other islands in the North Sea, in the Mediterranean and in Russia
- gain the knowledge about the principles of transitional periods of history,
- about the integration processes of societies of the Viking age
Syllabus
  • The term Vikings, the Viking era and its causes (retinues, chieftains, kings, pirates); main sources for this period and their value
  • Odin and Christ (the Nordic polytheistic religion, burial rite and Christianization of the Germanic North)
  • Conflict and cooperation: the Normans in Britain and on the surrounding islands
  • A century of fights: the Vikings and the Carolingian Empire I and II
  • Between the emperors and the popes: the Vikings in the Mediterranean I and II
  • Normans or Slavs (Russia)
  • Viking ships and warfare, warlike magic
  • The Normans as farmers, merchants and craftsmen
  • Iceland, Greenland and the discovery of America
  • Viking ethic, poetry, sagas; iconography of the runestones
Literature
    required literature
  • BEDNAŘÍKOVÁ, Jarmila. Stěhování národů a sever Evropy. Vikingové na mořích i na pevnině (The Migration of peoples and the North of Europe. The Vikings on the Seas and Continent). Vydání první. Praha: Vyšehrad. 280 pp. Historica. ISBN 978-80-7429-744-1. 2017. info
  • BATEY, Colleen. Svět vikingů : kulturní atlas : Cultural atlas of the Viking world (Orig.). Translated by Ilona Gottwaldová. Vyd. 1. V Praze: Knižní klub. 240 s. : i. ISBN 80-7176-669-0. 1998. info
  • KAŇA, Jaroslav. Královské ságy. Illustrated by Ervín Urban. 1. vyd. Praha: Albatros. 238 s. 1980. URL info
    recommended literature
  • Cultural atlas of the Viking world (Orig.) : Svět vikingů : kulturní atlas. info
  • NYLÉN, E. Stones, Ships and Symbols. Stockholm 1988.
  • PRICE, N. Religion and War in the Late Iron Age in Scandinavia. Uppsala 2002.
  • BYOCK, J. L. Viking Age Iceland. London 2001
  • NORWICH, J. J. Die Wikinger im Mittelmeer. Das Südreich der Normannen 1016 –1130. II. vydání: Wiesbaden 1974.
  • BILL, J. The Oseberg Ship and Ritual Burial. In: G. WILLIAMS – P. PENTZ – M. WEMHOFF (Ed). Viking. Nationalmuseet (National Museum of Denmark, British Museum, Museum für Vor – und Frühgeschichte, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) 2013. S. 200–202.
  • ROESDAHL, E. The Vikings. New York 1987.
  • LOGAN, F. D. Die Wikinger in der Geschichte. Stuttgart 1987.
  • S. BRINK, N. PRICE (Ed.), Viking World. Oxford-New York 2008.
  • HOUBEN, H. Politische Integration und regionale Identitäten im normannisch-staufischen Königreich Sizilien. In: Fragen der politischen Integration im mittelalterlichen Europa. Ed. W. Maleczek. Ostfildern 2005. S. 171-184
  • BOYER, R. Les Vikings – histoire et civilisation. Paris, 2. vydání 2002.
  • BRØNSTED, J. Vikingové. Praha 1962.
  • BILL, J. The Oseberg Ship and Ritual Burial. In: G WILLIAMS – P. PENTZ – M. WEMHOFF (Ed). Viking. Nationalmuseet (National Museum of Denmark, British Museum, Museum für Vor – und Frühgeschichte, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) 2013. S. 200 –202.
  • GUNELL, R. Hof, Halls, God(ar)and Dwarves. An Examination of the Pagan Icelandic Hall. Cosmos 17 (1), 2004, s. 3 –36.
  • OXENSTIERNA, E. Die Wikinger. Mundus Verlag. 2002.
  • Vyprávění o minulých letech : Nestorův letopis ruský - nejstarší staroruská kronika. Edited by Nestor, Translated by Michal Téra. Červený Kostelec: Pavel Mervart. 276 stran. ISBN 9788074651199. 2014. info
  • BUSCK, Steen and POULSEN HENNING. Dějiny Dánska. 1. vyd. Praha: NLN, Nakladatelství Lidové noviny. ISBN 978-80-7106-908-9. 2007. info
  • HROCH, Miroslav, Helena KADEČKOVÁ and Elisabeth BAKKE. Dějiny Norska. Vyd. 1. Praha: Nakladatelství Lidové noviny. 340 s. ISBN 8071064076. 2005. info
  • TAVIANI-CAROZZI, Huguette. La terreur du monde : Robert Guiscard et la conquête normande en Italie : mythe et histoire. [Paris]: Fayard. 559 s. ISBN 9782213595986. 1996. info
  • ARBMAN, Holger. Vikingové. 1. vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta. 197 s. 1969. URL info
  • SNORRI STURLUSON. Heimskringla. Edited by Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson. Reykjavík: Íslenzka fornritafélag. cxv, 469. 1951. info
Teaching methods
Lectures.
Assessment methods
Written test based on topics taught in the lessons.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Autumn 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2023/DSBcB29