Hi Hakan,
The Vikings have an intriguing history (if you don't mind
my putting in my twopence worth). Originally a collection of pagan
seafarers, the Vikings developed into a military force when they struck easy
pickings in the wake of the Roman pullout from their northern colonies,
including England. From about the Eighth Century onwards, driven by
overpopulation at home and attracted by the relative helplessness of the
abandoned Roman colonies, they spilled out from the Scandinavian homelands -
today demarcated by Denmark, Norway and Sweden - in small fleets of war
canoes that swept across much of the known world.
In Europe, mostly around the sea coasts, they raped, pillaged and destroyed
much of the post-Roman culture, bringing about the so-called Dark Ages in
which literacy was kept alive in a few isolated monastries that escaped the
invaders.
They invaded the British isles in force and also set up settlements in
Greenland, Iceland and North America. Their kings ruled in Ireland, England
and Scotland and also held sway over the Atlantic Ocean islands of the
Orkneys, the Faroes, the Shetlands and the Isle of Man. The Duchy of
Normandy in France was founded by Vikings. Their war canoes also raided as
far south as the Mediterranean and some Viking chiefs set up trade treaties
with the Greeks.
Eastwards they penetrated far into Russia (the name Russia is from the
Scandinavian word "Rus"). and were for a time dominant in the Russian cities
of Novgorod, Kiev and other centres.
They were finally stopped at the borders of the Byzantine Empire, founded on
Constantinople. The Byzantine was the eastern half of the Roman Empire that
survived for a thousand years after the west had collapsed. The Vikings were
so highly regarded by the Byzantines that they served as mercenaries to the
Emperor in the form of the famed, and feared,Varingian Guard.
The Vikings faded as a military force at the end of the 11 century just as
European nationhood began to arise and with it the use of trained armies.
However they left traces of their culture, and genes, throughout most of the
western world.
In England today, in any town north of line across the English midlands, you
will still find Scandinavian influences in the local accent, with Newcastle
being the most heavily accented from standard English. English towns with
names ending in "by" (as in Whitby, Newby) indicate their Viking origins.
Given the history of the Brits, and the number of blondes and redheads among
them, the Vikings obviously also left a lot behind a lot of their seafaring
and fighting genes.
Regards,
Bob.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hakan Falk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <Biofuel@sustainablelists.org>
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: Re[2]: [Biofuel] Re: Environmentalism is dead. What's next?
Chris,
Maybe I am adding more to it than it is, but the connection is there. A
very common
Viking name, that we know existed from the Vikings and I think that it was
a Hakon
in the Ericsson crew, that discovered America. The Roman Empire and their
conscript
armies, was going far up North in Europe, including England. When it comes
to my
name, I am very sure. I discussed this with some people from Turkey and
that were
those who made me aware of the similarities between the "rune stones" and
the
Turkish writings. I saved the link to the web site, but lost it when my
old
computer crashed.
If you find it, tell me, because I have not looked for it since then.
Regarding my name, it made something clear and that was why I got so many
email in Turkish.
If you then start to look at the Viking villages, with its clear
structure
of advanced military
fortifications etc. It also explain the mobility of the Vikings, the
highly
sophisticated
shipping and navigation knowledge. The question is, from where came the
Vikings and
their tales about far away countries and Gods.
It is two years since I looked closer on this, but I will see if I can
find
something again.
Hakan
At 08:06 PM 6/26/2005, you wrote:
hello, hakan.
ok, i thought you meant something along those lines. still, i don't get
the
link between the roman legions and the turks. or are you referring to
the
byzantines (if so, they didn't have 'legions')?
i'll have to try and google the website you speak of, and see what they
say.
though, unless i'm reading more into it than you mean to suggest, i must
say
it seems highly dubious.
-chris
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