Who Were the Jomsvikings?
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2022
- Jomsvikings are a central part of the lore of the Viking age. If you like Vikings, you've probably come across them, whether it's through Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Vinland Saga, Crusader Kings, or because you've read the Icelandic Sagas or the works of Saxo Grammaticus.
But what's the evidence for these legendary Norse warriors? Did they exist? And where was their mythical city, Jomsborg? Join Jimmy and have a look at some of the evidence (trustworthy or otherwise!) that we have for this band of Vikings who terrorised the Baltic! Maybe.
Free copy of books 1-9 of the "Gesta Danorum" by Saxo Grammaticus: www.gutenberg.org/files/1150/...
A translation and commentary on fragments of Ibrahim Ibn Yaqub's travels in Europe: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ams.ceu.edu/1994_5/Mishin.pdf
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I’m ever disappointed that I’ve yet to come across a reenactment group that focuses on feasts and culinary recreations called the Nomsvikings.
Love it! I make my own Skyr, and brew my own Norskol with Norwegian heirloom Kveik yeast in Alaska and grow my own Scandinavian Heirloom Grains and Vegetables to attempt to make the most Authentic Old Style Scandinavian Dishes to eat and Drink!!
We also Keep and Raise Norwegian Elkhounds and Icelandic Sheep for milk and wool
I wonder if the Jomsvikings were reputed to be The Very Best At Fighting (TM) solely as a narrative plot device, so that when others defeated them in battle, that made the victors seem all the more impressive. "Whoa, someone beat the Unbeatable Jomsvikings?! Inconceivable?!"
On a total side note, speaking of Jomsvikings, this example of the dangers of too much extrapolation is frequently used in Norwegian maths classes and scientific method courses:
Legendary Norwegian humourist Kjell Aukrust recounts in a book how he and his brother as young boys, starting with the fact that the average height of modern day Norwegian soldiers increased by about 15 mm (2/3 ") for every decade of the 20th century up until then, "calculated" by working back over the centuries that the Jomsvikings (and their more-or-less contemporaries fighting the battle of Stiklestad in 1030) must have been scarcely a foot tall. So if the summer had been warm, and the grass on the battlefield not recently cut, all you would be able to see or hear would have been tiny voices screaming and cursing, and possibly the odd wee arrow flying.
Kinda puts a different spin on this battle reenactment thing, don't you think? 😁
Now i’m imagining the Night at the Museum mini figures duking it out on a meter square patch of grass somewhere in Poland
hahaha wee arrows
Wee free men!
@@Dreymasmith Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! Nae master! We willna' be fooled again!
This is my new head canon
Glad to see you back on camera!
Thanks! Nice to be back doing the thing :)
oh hello Mr Tasting
For an anime, Vinland Saga did it's research. 'The Jomsvikings failed to take the Swedish crown' in essence describes the ending of season 1, although with more embellishments and details for it's characters. It builds off the scant historical evidence in a good bit of storytelling. Good show.
Jomsvikings were a ridiculously OP unit in Medieval Total War: Viking Invasion. If you're a 10th century Norse king who's just won a battle, claiming that you'd defeated a semi-legendary brood of pagan supersoldiers makes you seem like more of a badass than admitting you beat up a gang of poorly-equipped itinerant pirates, so maybe not those claimed victories over Jomsvikings might not be 100% reliable. Also, that helmet looks haunted- there are evil eyes glaring out of it.
Tes for the helmet!
Yeah, that helmet was giving me the creeps ! 😬 Wee little squinty eyes watchin' me !
I like the creepy eyes on the Spectacle Helm over Jimmy's left shoulder.
"You must not be a git." The inhabitants of Gitland feel called out.
I guess that saying, "We saw off the Jomsvikings" is a good way to improve the reputation of the victors; like the way that Julius Caesar big-upped the Gauls to make his victories over them all the more impressive.
It is great to see Jimmy full of energy.
LOL! I was going to say the same thing about his helm on the book cupboard behind him ,but it is good to see Jimmy back.👍
Totally get the PhD problem. Keep steady, it'll get done. If I could complete mine with 2 babies 18 months apart, you can do it too.
The sci-fi society at the University of Cambridge has a parallel fantasy society (it used to be a separate society that split off, but is now fully reunited but without official status, with a parallel committee that get trotted out once a term to run a specifically fantasy meeting) called Jómsborg the New, its members Jómsvikingar, and its meetings Jómsthings (for some reason this one tends not to get a Norse plural)
It is, as most of the best things are, quite silly
First of all mead is passed around at all the Jómsthings in the society's horn (although I suspect this was suspended when covid hit and don't know it's current status), and the committee all get vaguely thematic names albeit with some bizarre mish-mashing going on: the chair is the reeve (who is said to be omnipotent), the committee are their companions, the secretary is the runecaster (who has the task of minuting every meeting, with each meeting's entry traditionally ending in some comment about it descending into chaos, with discussion after that going unminuted), the treasurer who is always identical to the sci-fi society treasurer is the geldjarl, there is a meadkeeper responsible for the mead and the horns, and a bard whose role is lost to the mists of time. The society wears long (12') orange scarves known as souls (originally these were called Jómscarves, their length originates from before the split with the sci-fi society and is a tribute to Tom Baker, with the name soul coming from some early knitted examples that were said to have been given the soul of their creator, and the colour is just because way back when it was the cheapest available from the scarf manufacturer
In addition to the Jómsthings there are also a few other major festivities. The first one in the academic year usually occurs in the second half of Lent term (so about a month before Easter), this is the Wake or the Afmælisdagr. This is a demonstration of the Reeve's power and benevolence. Every year the sun dies, and so they gather to mourn it, playing boardgames all night before gathering on Castle Mound (the motte of the old castle, and highest point in the city) and raising a new one. The Reeve reads a passage (usually in a dead language), the group then link hands and wind the sun up (by running widdershins for three turns), and the Reeve announces the shape of the new sun. Mead is passed around, the Runecaster records the raising (including the shape of the sun and any other pertinent details of the events) in the Jómsbook which is then passed around for the attending Jómsvikingar to sign, listing any particular titles they have or choose to claim. For the current or former Reeve and Companions this is typically just that information, with the added tradition that instead of referring to people as ex-[Title], the previous holder is referred to as the x-[title], the person before them the w-[title] etc (the current holder of the title is technically the y-[title] and the set of all future holders are collectively the z-[title]). It's generally agreed upon that the lettering goes to runes once you run out of Latin letters, but I'm not sure anyone's worked out which futhark or what to do after that
Then there is the Veisla, which is the annual dinner and occurs in May Week (which is in June, because Cambridge as a whole is silly, and not just Jómsborg) after exams are finished. Before the dinner the Reeve will issue a challenge and, over the course of the dinner the assembled Jómsvikingar are given the opportunity to share their tale of a time they rose to such a challenge (often telling the style in a deliberately misleading and melodramatic fashion to make grandiose boasts out of mundane events), again mead is passed around. It is at this event that the Reeve names their successor who is cocooned in a chrysalis of the assembled Jómsvikingar's souls, and carried a short distance before being hailed as the new Reeve. They then appoint the new companions (the geldjarl being the same person as the sci-fi society treasurer is de facto elected, whilst the other roles are typically chosen by informal discussion in the preceding weeks, but ultimately the decision is down to the incoming Reeve) who have to flee from the previous holder of the position but, once caught, take on the position (if someone is changing position the two handovers may be performed simultaneously for maximum shenanigans so that the person is both chasing and chased, likewise if someone continues their position they may be given a second so that the chase can still take place). This is all recorded in the Jómsbook which again is signed, with whatever titles people then hold or claim. The evening is finished off with boardgames continuing until dawn the next day although the number of people who stick around that long is much fewer than with the Wake
The next morning is the Invasion of Norway, when the society attempts to invade (punt to) Norway (Grantchester). Until recently the tradition was for the boats to make it only a small fraction of the distance before getting tired and returning, but around 10 years ago there were a bunch of good punters who showed up and it has recently been a successful invasion, reaching Norway, having a pub lunch, taking a group photo, and returning with loot (random objects picked up in the meadow or village as "proof" of the success). This is taken as a demonstration of the new Reeve's power, with a successful invasion being a good omen for recruitment the next year. As the invasion takes place the night after the Veisla and during a busy week of other events it's often got much smaller attendance and the Runecaster is frequently not their to minute it, instead it's usually just a footnote at the end of the entry for the Veisla
-> Supposedly unstoppable badasses
-> Lose the moment they're fighting real armies rather than just raiding settlements
Lies have been detected.
Yes.
Jomsvikings are, perhaps, a band of warriors who just raided settlements, and when they fought against real armies, they were just a bunch of newbs.
Average "badass vikings" in a nutshell. Always *bravely* killing unarmed monasteries or poorly guarded villages
@@viktorsilva4017
Fun fact:
The anglo-saxons did the same: King Ecgbeorht of Northumbria raided an irish monastery.
@@mercianthane2503 i mean "vikings" as profession, so, yeah, saxon vikings also did that
Jomsvikings, the original Russian Ground Forces
Welcome back! I hope the PhD stuff is going well. Also that is a great sweater.
I had never heard of these guys but this is very entertaining. It's always funny seeing how involved people get into these Manly Men In A Brotherhood Pure And Untainted By Women stories lol
Interesting information! As for the Ph.D. Just keep going! Once you have the letters, no one can ever take them away! (Jean K. Sando, Ph.D.) 😊
I am glad to see how, despite all the backlashes of PhD-related issues and life in general, you still manage to get yourself together and present the task as if you are optimistic and happy. It suits you, the happiness, level of irony and.. May it be so that after getting the degree you will remain that kind of a fine teacher/lecturer and person for all the time! Not just for videos. :)
YAY YOUR BACK!! As a teen aspiring to be a history teacher in the future you're a massive inspiration.
Good luck with achieving your noble goal!
@@nathaniellamb2154 things change. We can make them change. Lets do our best to better the situation so that Grady (and you) can have a fullfilling career.
No apologies necessary. Your quest for your PhD must take precedence soon to be Dr. Jimmy!
No need to apologize! Glad that you are feeling better and found some time to share more fun history stuff with us.
6:39 I have a particular love for inscribed/carved stones being reused in masonry. I know reusing stones happened all the time, hell, the 13th century castle right by which my parents used to rent a studio flat only had one corner remaining, the only one that couldn't be torn down without damaging the 17th century farm underneath, and most of the corner stones of the 19th century church in the village above are from the other three corners of the castle.
But I find it especially...idk, endearing ? Human ? When a carved or sculpted stone is reused in a way completely different to its original purpose. Just yesterday I was craning my neck to try and make out what is written on a stone which was included in one of the cathedral pillars, with the text rotated 90°.
Re Szczecin lagoon: From what Polish friends told me the "SZ" sound is similar to the "SH" sound in English while "CZ" is similar to "CH". That helped me a lot with pronouncing things back in 2018 when I went to Poland for three weeks spread over two trips 😅😅
Exactly! 'Sz' is 'sh' like in 'shave', 'cz' is 'ch' like in 'chess'; 'ci' is the problematic one in the mix, but it can be broadly approximated as 'chi'.
I feel like there's a really interesting story to be told about these semi-mythical warrior dudes who formed their own city of warriors purely out of looting and raiding, apparently, that everybody wanted to join because they were so Cool and Strong and Brave, and then they just lost all of their battles. This is either a story of how the Super Strong Pagan Super Soldier ahem Warrior Bro is Always Defeated by ye olde Good Christian Kings, OR it's a story of hubris and homoerotic bonds and betrayal, Coriolanus-style.
Thank you for the video! Hang in there, hope the PhD stuff gets better!
Hurrah! Sweater weather! The new jumper looks lovely, and I hope you are doing well; I know you were going through a rough patch, and I hope you’re doing better, or at least ok! Lots of love, and thank you for making such an interesting video. Very cool topic, and debunking nonsense is always good!
Thanks Jimmy for fitting us into your very busy schedule. And yes, most definitely keep going on your PHD!!!
Don’t worry on the speaking Polish bit, it will come when it comes. I have a Prussian background with Irish and Scottish, but I mainly grew up with Polish being spoken in my Great grandmother and my Grams homes. When visiting Poland a few years back, most of those words came back and it was easy for me to order off a menu. 😁
You have been in my thoughts lately because I wanted to send my heartfelt condolences about the death of your Queen. Such a cool bird she was. Anyway, keep up the good work and looking forward to seeing the next video.
SO glad to see you back, Jimmy!!! PhD is very, very demanding........keep at it!!!!
So nice to see you. I’m sort of jealous that you get to wear sweaters. It’s still hot in southern Ontario but fall is coming.
Also I’m glad to hear that your still working on your PhD. I hope all is going well with your studies, your health and life.
Thanks for the interesting story I had never heard of it.
Glad to see you back! On a side note, the helmet looks properly scary, like it’s staring wildly at us!
Great video Jimmie! No need to apologize, and thanks for the story! Grats on the lovely jumper. 🖤
It is so good to see you back. This was great, as usual. I want to give a shout out to Snappy Dragon who recently did a vid on hair titled This Is Not Viking Hair, well worth catching. Also September issue of Scientific American is about Viking women and their role in the economy in terms of value of fabric. Since textiles and female/domestic archaeology are my main interest it is good to read about women although you would almost think there were nothing but viking men running things.
The start of many videos with "What do we really know about them? Well, not that much..." That always gives me comfort you aren't just taking us all for a ride ^_^
It's been a while but worth the wait😀
Thanks for the link to ibn Yaqub's fragmentary text. Its always nice to have access to the translated originals where possible.
Strangely, only minutes before you posted, I checked to see if you had posted and I'd not seen it. I missed you! I'm thankful you gave us a new video, but more so, I'm glad you are feeling better.
On another note, I know I'm going to wake up during the night, to see the eyes in that helmet staring at me in the dark.
Sounds to me like every country has some kind of legendary order of warriors. It's hard not to draw similarities between the Jomsvikings and the Round Table.
Lovely to see you again! I've missed your videos! Take care of yourself and good luck with your phd
Your content is growing on me. I was miffed when I realized I missed this video.
Super great to have ya back
Nice to see you back!
Many years ago I taught English in an American high school (in Texas). I was totally in love with Beowulf and had read a massive amount of history in support of that teaching endeavor. One year I was delighted to have a Scandinavian exchange student. He was a nice kid, but my excitement was based in my belief that he would tell me the correct pronunciation (I realized that my Texas accent might have led me to error there.) of the character names in my beloved saga. When I asked him, he just rolled his eyes. He rolled his eyes! I was so crushed - and had to accept the reality that those names were probably not in use any more. *sigh*
Hahaha oh No. As a German expat, i have to say I sympathize with your Exchange student. He probably got asked random stuff Like that all the time. I live in the UK and every single time I meet someone new, they want to know If ive Seen Rammstein, or If Berlin really is that cool. My Family lives nowhere near Berlin and dont particularly Like rammstein, so i might have done the eye Roll Thing once or twice 😅
@@annabeinglazy5580 Ich sag' nur Oktoberfest... warum glaubt jeder, dass alle Deutschen das Oktoberfest lieben und natürlich immer hinfahren?
its good to have u back
I missed you vids man. Glad you’re back. Keep up the stelar work on everything (and stelar fashion game). Much love my dude
Always happy to see a new video on this channel. :)
So happy to see you! thank you
Great to see you back. I hope you are well.
That was interesting. I had never heard of them. Thanks, Jimmy! I hope all is going a bit smoother.
So neat! Thanks for the video and all the work that went into it!
Great to see you back,
But also glad you were able to take a break
Very cool Vid, thank you! Entertaining and educational! Glad to know that you are doing well
Glad to see you back! Fascinating topic, love the helmet in the background too.
So glad you're back! Great video - fab sweater :D
Thank you for this interesting bit of Viking lore. I hope both you and the PhD stuff are doing well.
It’s good to see you! ❤ Thank you for sharing your research. Wishing you all the best
Glad to hear you are doing better. Mental health is extremely important. Thanks for yet another extremely informative video!
So good to see you back on form. Love your channel, one of the very best! Oh yes, Love ❤️ the beard!
Cozy sweater! It brings out your eyes :) I find it so funny that people still think that the Capital C Church being against pagan religions meant there were no paganism at all. In Brazilian history those beliefs are so entangled we learn in high school the phrase "Religious syncretism", because the Cristian god and saints were being worshipped in lieu of African and African-american entities, miths from the indigenous people would become cautionary tales regarding naughty priests and so on. So cool to see an example of it during the viking age as well.
i mean look at the MASSIVE amounts of syncretism surrounding christmas and easter...
Yay! Glad to see you back! I hope everything's going okay, and you're looking after yourself. :) Super interesting video!
So happy to see you back. My your health continue to improve!
I always enjoy your videos! Keep going with the PhD!
I love listening to you. I learn so many interesting things.
I hope you are taking good care of yourself and things are progressing well for your phd.
Always enjoy your videos mate, more the merry haha 👌
Been catching up and wanting you to know that we care and hope to see you prosper! And continue sharing your wonderful research with us all!
Hwyl Jimi . Glad to see you back on form in these uncertain times.
JIMMY! Bless you for posting today to make an absolutely pants day more bearable.
Yay, glad you're back! I was just thinking how I hope to be able to read your ph.d (not that anyone understands anything outside their own field...) when you finish it - hopefully my super secret access to journals through my uni works for wherever you end up publishing!
Dr. Jimmy you make these historical narratives fun and entertaining! 👏🏻 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Bravo
Glad you're back.
We love ya, Jimmy! Great to see you, and see you looking good in your spiffy jumper. Fascinating video, thanks for sharing. Also, nice to see Editing Jimmy being a little nicer and more supportive to you. Good job!
just found your channel through a tumblr post, I look forward to watching your backlist and videos to come!
Welcome back! That is a very snazzy jumper :)
Dig it!
Yay! Jimmy is back! ❤❤❤
The bars without the tone! Omg thank you thank you I sincerely appreciate you listening and remembering.
Hey Jimmy. I hope things go better for you for at least a while.
People have such amazing imaginations when it comes to history. "This idea is cool, therefore it must be true". Another wonderful video. I hope all is going well with the PhD. It's great to see you again. Take care.
Right.
Also, Viking lore and historiography have been so entangled with romanticism, nationalism, and white-supremacy ideology, that a lot of people here in Scandinavia don't want anything to do with the subject at all.
One of the leading politicians in the Swedish far-right party (Sverigedemokraterna), has taken the constructed surname "Jomshof"
Go figure...
I had to come back to this video. It sent me down a week long rabbit hole of which I've only now climbed out of
Jimmy, you are a sight for sore eyes. Glad you are back.
Excellent jumper, great video.
Not sure that anyone is good at Polish pronunciations, unless they are Polish.
I am looking for pre-Viking Era Scandinavian clothing sources for inspiration. As winter is knocking at the door, it is time to stitch.
Hi. Been slowly making my way through your entire catalog. Saddlery I am. A larper, but I love making my own kit. But let's get to the crux of me message. I love the way you present your information and please keep it up, it's bloody magic. I will be instructing my group to at least try and use your guidance when it comes to building their day wear. We have gone a bit later for arms and armour drawing on Wisdy mainly cause coats of plate are really easy to make. Any hoo, ty for all the work you have done, keep it up. Your f'ing brilliant.
My covid brain is really not processing all you're saying but it's still nice to watch your videos 😊
Also, props to the runestone holding up the building, way to go!
And I should mention that I've been to the Irish national museum of history in Dublin 2 weeks ago an it was awesome. Lots of stuff that you'd love, and some very questionable reproductions😅 (the "viking man" was pretty much wearing polyester tights😬)
Keep up the good work!
I was struck by how uncomfortable and empty the repro house was. Less than 24 hours in that house and there would have been a stool near the hearth and a bench or low table to put stuff on . . . Plus bowls, pans, a poky stick for the fire, a chest or two . . .
Thank you so much for this video! Before ww2 my family lived in Pommerania and Poland so it's fascinating to learn more about the complex history of the land 🖤
Question Jimmy: I thought that the Jomsvikings, or at least some of them like Thorkell the Tall, were part of Cnut's conquest of England and that some of the details of these guys are mentioned by the anglo-saxon historians. Do we not have info from the anglo-saxons about them?
I made my master thesis on the great heathen army and had to compare it to cnut's conquest. And yeah, I can confirm I did stumble on medieval sources that mentioned Cnut and Thorkell were indeed Jomsvikings. Can't remember which tho
HELLO! You're BACK!!
No apology needed for your absence. It's very good to see the new video though.
Good to see you Jimmy!! Thanx for delving into the mystery of fact vs fiction regarding pagan vs Christian !
I always feel a pagan vibe at the little church I go to sometimes( it’s Episcopal) and just keep it to myself, ha!! May I add to the chorus of keep going with your PhD, you deserve it !!
🥰
The 'No image found' made me actually laugh. Love your humour.
I hope your PhD is going as it should and that you find time to take care of you. :)
Good to see you again.
As always, a great video... Even if you do go on a rant on occations, but i think it adds spice to the narration... Hail from Denmark...
Its funny yesterday i wondered where you were, i couldn't remember if I had unsubbed or if you just have been away, and here you are today :))
Such an interesting video...best luck with your PhD! Also will you make some basic info video on Slavic tribes in middle Europe? I get that it's so far from your field of interest, I've just been wondering...your videos are always great no matter what you're talking about🙂
Welcome back! :D
The eyes in your helmet are both cool, and freaking me out a bit... :)
Missed you mate!
I don't know what happened, but I got massively unsubscribed from my favorite channels. So here we go, Jimmy - resubscribed! I hope this isn't widespread and doesn't negatively impact your channel. Of course, it is possible this was user error. If that's the case, I really need to lay off the ale. No idea how I would have unsubscribed from every single channel I've subscribed to since setting up my account all at once.
Great video!
I don't comment much but it's good you're back. Hope this drives a wee bit of traffic/algorithm goodness as well.
Jomsviking related: in various miniatures games Jomsvikings always seem to be Very Good at Fighting, though some of them are more raiding type games so maaaaybe less of a stretch.
This was GREAT! I am re-reading Ibn Fadlan at the moment, I'm just about to reach the chapter by Ibn Ya'qub so this gives me incentive.
oo. and. I assume you have read this book - what do you think of Miskawayh on the Rus raid on Bardha'a 943? Have you done a video on it? What do YOU think of the rather marvellous statement that the Rus came from a land with no fruit? I have been dying to discuss this with someone.
'allo 'allo glad to see you back
Obviously it was WonderWoman who was at D-day! Glad you’re back. Stay well!
There is an English translation of the saga he mentioned available as a free PDF download. It isn’t very long and does make an interesting read. It reads as a highly exaggerated version of what might have happened.
Thank you, Jimmy! The first time I heard about the Jomsberg was in Vinland Saga. Since that was usually spot on, I wrongly assumed it was right... Oopsie!! Now I know better.
Also... Nice knitwear, mate!!
What is really funny about Gesta Danorum is its ideas of morality. Saxo was against swearing oaths in legal matters, because oaths could be falsified. Trials by combat, however, could not harm the immortal soul. He also had the opinion that his contemporaries (so people in the late 1100s) were "too soft" compared to the men who came before them.
Singing to your research work, as loud as we can: 🎵 You won't break my soul, you won't break my soouuul... 🎵
Thanks! This was fun!
Nice Rolleiflex there in the background!
@TheWelshViking thank you for sharing your research, if they lasted more or less 18 yrs it makes sense (IMHO) . Since their numbers would fall from battle to battle. So unless hundreds were banging on their door to join or they were actively recruiting. They would have to rely on their off spring to join the battle hardened rankings ( “Spartan way”) & definitely would be at the loosing end with new recruits being not yet battle hardened warriors. Greetings from Norway 🙂
and if no women are allowed (for now assuming that's true), offspring probably wouldn't be coming about very quickly