The Viking Era

  `Scandinavians' from what is now Norway, Sweden and Denmark, had
  a remarkable period of expansion, from before 900 (CE) through
  to early middle ages. 

  By colonizing (raiding or trading, and settling), Greenland, 
  N America, N Scotland, coastal Ireland & Wales, most of mainland
  England, and northern France all came under "Viking" rule, gaining
  Viking place-names, Viking laws - and Viking genes.

  Viking bands also travelled East (and south), fighting in Russia,
  the Mediterranean and Middle-East, some becoming early sort-of
  `janissaries' for the empire of Byzantium 

  History :

  Most of that written about the Vikings was actually generated by
  so-called "priests" making `anti-pagan' propaganda and cannot be
  trusted. Writings of contemporary Arab commentators tend to be
  more impartial and truthful.

  For instance, two "astonished Arab emissaries", to Hedeby and to 
  Viking Ireland around 950 - 970, wrote " ... the right to divorce
  amongst them belongs to the women; the wife divorces when she wants"

  Slavery (a world-wide actuality) was more or less forced on
  Scandinavia - if they hadn't fought and captured their neighbors
  they would themselves have been enslaved.

  However the Vikings, unlike the rest of the world, had a "democratic"
  approach to slavery: you could earn your freedom (and join the
  citizenship) by your work, your fighting ability or by marriage.

  Details (and more) from: "The Vikings" by Else Roesdahl,
  ISBN 0-713-99048-1 (Else is Reader at University of Aarhus (Denmark)
  and Professor in Viking Studies at University of Nottingham (England)

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  "Perceptions" thoery - that life in near-Arctic had evolved in the
  Vikings a sort-of "team spirit" approach to life. I.e - if you
  contributed (and did no harm) - you were an "equal".

  We see this in their law - while the punishment for rape was death, 
  as it was for (male) adultery (females were enslaved for a while),
  the punishment for hot-blooded murder was to be made "outlaw".
  That is, excluded from human contact or protection of law for a
  certain period of time (forced to live out "in the cold").

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  refs 

  http://www.perceptions.couk.com/laworjustice.html#Some
  Viking jury - an actual example

  http://www.perceptions.couk.com/reactions.txt 
  Viking jury - its ancient roots

  http://www.perceptions.couk.com/viking.txt 
  http://www.perceptions.couk.com/vikingnote.txt    
  http://www.perceptions.couk.com/vikingnote2.txt

  Viking divorce / `democracy', early towns / trade

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              FURTHER REFERENCES

  GO - "search perceptions" - in SEARCH-ENGINE


file-ID www.perceptions.couk.com/viking.txt