What was Viking society like?
The Vikings were not all bloodthirsty raiders. Some came to fight, but others came to Britain to live peacefully.
| Viking | Who were they? | What did they do? |
|---|---|---|
| King | The most powerful person in all the land | Ruled the people and everyone looked up to him |
| Jarls (nobles) | Rich landowners or traders | They employed men to work for them |
| Karls | Everyday people like farmers and craft workers | They weren't as rich or important as jarls but they weren't poor either |
| Thralls (enslaved people) | Bottom of the hierarchy | They did the hardest, dirtiest jobs and if they tried to run away they could be killed. However, if thralls could earn enough money they could buy their freedom |
What jobs did Vikings do?
Many Vikings were farmers.
They grew oats, barley and wheat. They ground the grain to make flour, porridge and ale. They planted vegetables, and kept animals like cows, sheep, pigs and chickens.
Other jobs were:
- Craft workers who made plates, cups, belts and shoes.
- Jewellers who made rings and brooches from precious metals.
- Blacksmiths who turned red-hot iron into tools, knives and swords.
- Potters who baked clay pots in a wood fire oven.
What were Viking homes like?
- A Viking house was called a longhouse.
- It had just one room for all the family to share with their animals.
- It was built from wood or stone and had a thatched or turf roof on top.
- Vikings washed themselves in a wooden bucket or beside a stream.
- The toilet was a big hole in the ground outside.
Watch: What did the Vikings believe?
Find out more about what the Vikings believed
The gods were very important to the Vikings. They loved to talk about them, worship them and argue about them which was their favourite!
The Chief god was Odin. He created Midgard, the home of the humans, and Asgard, the home of the gods.
Thor was the god of thunder, who fought with a mighty hammer so powerful it could crush mountains.
He rode a chariot pulled by two goats, which he often ate and then brought back to life!
The Norse people loved Thor, because he was the god who protected them and their world.
His goats might not have been so keen on him though!
Loki was a trickster and he loved making trouble.
He also had the rather cool power of being a shape-shifter.
Eventually Loki went too far with his pranks and the gods punished him severely!
There were other gods too like Frigg, the wife of Odin, and Mani the god of the moon.
There were also gods for things like peace, winter and even old age!
The Vikings believed that they might wonder the world as ghosts if they weren’t given the right type of funeral.
And important Vikings, such as chiefs, wanted to be just as powerful in the afterlife, so they were often cremated on a burning ship along with their favourite treasures, weapons, pets and even servants.
If Vikings died bravely in battle they might be selected by Odin to go to great feasting halls such as Valhalla.
Flying warrior maidens called Valkyries would escort them from Midgard to the afterlife.
There they would fight, drink and eat all day and night with the gods – and Thor’s goats, of course.
How did the Vikings settle problems?
- Vikings had their own laws and government.
- People gathered at a meeting called a ‘Thing’. Here they would settle problems and make decisions.
- People could vote on what should happen. For example, the Thing might decide who owned a piece of land or how to punish a criminal.
Activities
Activity 1: Viking families
Click on each of the Viking family below to find out more about their life.
Activity 2: Viking homes
Click on the labels to find out more about what was inside a longhouse.
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
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