Viking revival

The Viking revival was a movement that brought new interest in and appreciation for Viking medieval history and culture. This interest began to grow in the late 18th and 19th centuries, often with a sense of heroism that was common during the Romantic era.

The revival started earlier with important discoveries and books about Old Norse culture. The first printed edition of the 13th-century Gesta Danorum or the Legend of the Danes by Saxo Grammaticus was published in 1514, just as book printing was becoming more common. Another important book, Olaus Magnus's Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus, or "History of the northern peoples," was printed in 1555. During the 17th century, more books were published, including Latin translations of the famous Edda, such as Peder Resen's Edda Islandorum in 1665. The Edda includes two important Medieval Icelandic works about Norse mythology, known as the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda. These books are our main sources for learning about medieval skaldic poetry and storytelling from Iceland and Norse mythology.

The word Viking is not a term from the Viking time. It was introduced into Modern English during the 18th century. During the Romantic Era, stories about Vikings were often mixed together and seen as exciting adventures. The word Viking comes from the Old Norse word víkingr, meaning a sea-rover or pirate. Because of this, our modern understanding of Viking history is shaped by how people in the Romantic era studied and wrote about them.

Norway

The rediscovery of the Viking past began in Norway during the 1800s as Norwegians felt a new pride in their history. After many years under the rule of Denmark and later Sweden, people started to look back at their Viking kings and stories. In 1867, the first Viking ship, called the Tune ship, was found in Østfold. This ship helped everyone learn more about Viking life. Other important finds, like the only complete Viking helmet, the Gjermundbu helmet, and the big Gokstad Ship, showed how skilled Viking craftsmen were. These discoveries made Norwegians even more interested in their Viking history.

Denmark

In Denmark, a man named Carl Christian Rafn believed that Vikings had reached North America long before famous explorers like Christopher Columbus and John Cabot. He shared his ideas in a book called Antiquitates Americanæ in 1837. Another important person, poet Adam Oehlenschläger, helped start the Viking revival in Denmark with his poem "Guldhornene" in 1802, which celebrated Denmark’s ancient stories and myths.

Sweden

At the start of the 19th century, a writer named Erik Gustaf Geijer helped make the word “Viking” popular. In his poem called The Viking, he described Norse seafarers and warriors as brave and heroic. This idea matched the feelings of the time, known as Romanticism, where people looked back to history with great admiration. Geijer was part of a group called the Geatish Society, which helped spread these heroic ideas. Another important writer, Esaias Tegnér, also in the Geatish Society, wrote a new version of an old story called Frithiof's Saga. It became very well-known in many countries, including England, the United States, and Germany. Per Henrik Ling also played a big role in this movement. He helped start the Götiska förbundet and talked a lot about the strong and brave image of Vikings.

Germany

The German composer Richard Wagner used stories from Nordic mythology in his music. His famous set of four operas, called the Ring cycle, is based on old Germanic and Norse tales. These stories come from sources like the Poetic Edda and the Volsunga Saga.

Jacob Grimm, a scholar who studied old languages, also helped people learn more about Germany’s ancient past. His big book, Deutsche Mythologie, collected many Norse and Germanic myths. This work inspired many people in the 1800s to become interested in the stories and culture of the North.

Britain

English writers from the 1500s knew about the Vikings' influence on the land. Later, in the 1700s, people in Britain became very interested in Northern cultures, like the Vikings. They even thought some old forts and famous places like Stonehenge might be from Viking times. This interest grew even more in the 1800s, with poems celebrating Viking heroes and their bravery.

United States

Rasmus B. Anderson, the first head of the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, started a company called The Norrœna Society. This company published books about the history and stories of Northern Europe. Anderson wrote many books about Scandinavian topics. He helped people in America learn that Viking explorers might have been the first to reach the New World, and he started the idea of Leif Erikson Day.