5.1 harald bluetooth (958-985)

Question 1

jelling

Answer 1

-north mound and south mound, between them are a church and a cemetery
-features stand over a stone-marked enclosure in the shape of an enormous ship
-two large runestones in front of the church entrance (smallest of two was placed by gorm the old, harald’s father, in memory of his wife)
-when his wife thyra died, gorm chose to place a monument to her within the great stone ‘ship’ (proud of pagan roots)
-when gorm died, harald followed a similar pagan practice, burying his father in that same ship enclosure

Question 2

when did harald convert to christianity?

Answer 2

in 965 he was baptised as a christian

Question 3

2 possible reasons harald converted to christianity:

Answer 3

it was hard to stop the spread of christianity as missionaries kept asking him to be a christian and annoyed him

OR

a priest impressed him with a miracle

Question 4

the church of jelling as an example of christianity

Answer 4

-harald built a wooden church exactly on the central axis of the ‘ship’, opposite the north mound
-harald had brought christianity right into the pagan enclosure
-over the centuries, hundreds of christians were to be buried in its cemetery

Question 5

the runestone at jelling as an example of christianity

Answer 5

-harald ordered that a second, even more magnificent runestone be put up at Jelling. on one side the runes declared: harald ‘made the danes christian’
-the other side of harald’s great stone was carved with a viking version of christ on the cross (first known portrayal of christ in scandinavia)

Question 6

transition from pagan beliefs to christianity

Answer 6

-people continued to pray to the old viking gods (archaeologists know that thor’s hammer emblems were still being made and worn well into the twelfth century)
-nevertheless, it was a gradual and largely peaceful transition
-priests appointed, schools were started, churches were built
-christian baptisms and weddings became the normal custom

Question 7

when did harald rule norway?

Answer 7

-he exploited rivalries and weaknesses between norwegian rulers to take the region of Vik in southern norway in 963, but he lost it again in 974

Question 8

what was harald convinced of while he had lands in norway?

Answer 8

he would need to keep in close contact with his new lands in norway

Question 9

where did harald move his capital to and from?

Answer 9

from a site at jelling to roskilde on the island of zealand

Question 10

what were the advantages of roskilde?

Answer 10

-high ground
-seaways
-sheltered harbour
-central position allowed ships to move freely around the danish mainland

Question 11

when did harald build the bridge at ravning edge?

Answer 11

978

Question 12

what were the measurements of the bridge at ravning edge?

Answer 12

-760m long
-5.5m wide
-1500 large oak trees were used

Question 13

how did the bridge at ravning edge make travel and trade easier?

Answer 13

there was marshy ground which made travel and trade easier

Question 14

which towns did harald build walls around and why?

Answer 14

-important market towns of ribe, hedeby and aarhus
-these were where harald’s coins were minted (they greatly improved trade)
-he had to keep the towns safe from attackers, which may be why the walls were built

Question 15

where was denmark’s most vulnerable point of attack & what had it been defended by?

Answer 15

-where it joins the german mainland
-had long been defended by a ramparts that stretched for over 30 kilometres (the danevirke)

Question 16

what did harald do to the danevirke in 968?

Answer 16

he strengthened it with a new section built in 968

Question 17

what did the germans do in 974?

Answer 17

-the germans managed to beat harald’s armies and capture the valuable market town of hedeby
-in this moment of weakness, he also lost control of his lands in norway

Question 18

when did harald build the trelleborg fort?

Answer 18

timber foundations date to 980

Question 19

description of trelleborg fort:

Answer 19

-earth rampart is an exact circle, with a ditch outside.
-gateways are at the four points of the compass
-the two streets meet at the precise centre
-the outlines of four identical buildings in each quarter, with more buildings outside, are carefully arranged

Question 20

how many forts like the trelleborg fort exist in denmark?

Answer 20

three

Question 21

who lived in the forts?

Answer 21

not just soldiers but ordinary men, women and children

Question 22

why are the forts confusing?

Answer 22

-lots of hard labour & materials went into preparing the ground and building the forts, but they were used for only a short time and were never repaired
-they are not in the right places to defend denmark against invaders

Question 23

why do historians think that the forts were built?

Answer 23

to show power:
-able to call on heavy labour from his people -> perhaps as a form of tax
-making them build big fortresses might have enhanced his prestige and impressed his subjects

as military bases:
-designed to subdue local chieftains & warn them from rising against harald
-harald was aware that he might face resistance and rebellion at any time
-bases might have been designed to help him stabilize his country

Question 24

when did harald die?

Answer 24

-in 985 or 986, harald’s own son svein rose in rebellion against him
-he died from wounds received in battle
-he was buried at roskilde cathedral, in the heart of his new nation

Question 25

which lands did harald own?

Answer 25

directly:
-vik (region in southern norway)
-denmark

ruled by allies:
-norway
-wendland
-normandy
-a bit of sweden