Viking expeditions 
VIKING Togt
Much has been made of the expeditions "Viking" as simple assaults of pirates in small settlements or helpless monasteries, however, I intend with this article show you that, after a Norse expedition (one of the different types of outlets) had a huge load background and preparation, since we all agree in conceiving the Norse, as a man not prone to "improvisation."
Certainly, nothing was left to "chance" in one of these expeditions, Togt from now we should start because from the beginning, to make the concepts more understandable, a little fabulous, and we invent an avatar that Einarr call.
bondi Einarr is a really powerful and rich. Call it the most powerful in the landsby (a settlement where we can find several boer, ie, farms or family farms more or less near.) The common is that these landsby consist of a central farm, owned by a senior bondi, surrounded by the other satellite farms of relatives and friends, but this particular is not essential.
However, if it is a fact that every settlement has a leader, known as houvding. For its economic status, is the landowner who has the right to have a hird or personal army, is also, imvariablemente that builds the great hall, or Hall of which we have heard in the sagas. Einarr is because the leader of their community, the master of a Land, a large portion of land, and possibly also the owner of a ship. This was located above the other farms that orbit around him, made all for a great Skali or main building, surrounded by some business buildings can be stable, barn, built on the already well off ... and Of course, for status bondi average, Grubbe or huts of the most disadvantaged workers in their possessions. But Einarr this to another level, the farm has now not only a Hall, where he receives visitors and celebrate festivities, but also has forged for smitr a naustr or shipyard where he works on building a new ship smid, barns and everything imaginable utility building for a rich man. Perhaps, with appropriate support of close relatives and some friends interested, and of course counting on the support of some jarl, the equivalent of an earl or lord of war, may be proposed to be raised to Konungr, after all, is not that raw military power in the king of a fjord, but rather the potential to ensure its people peace and prosperity. And a rich man has that possibility, since the money warrants if necessary, the swords necessary in case of conflict.
Einarr But it was not always a wealthy man, started out as all bondi, perhaps helping to pay for a small Togt, with the capital that might have been bequeathed by Odal, or expensively met to start a new life if was not favored by the estate and did not want to spend a few long years of service to his brother named Bondi Boer. Little importance, such as meetings this first sum of money to become part of a commercial enterprise. What is known as felag possibly make contact with their first partners, as these expeditions were traditionally prepared. Keep in mind that Scandinavia is still extremely sparse ground today. So, the distances between settlements can be considerable, and must be an opportunity for reunion and social skills. And we have ample references to the "social event" Viking by definition, we refer, of course the assemblies of the Thing.
They not only all matters were settled judiricos, but are preparing all sorts of social events relevant to the community, as could be, arranged marriages, buying and selling livestock, the assistance needed between farms for harvesting crops, and of course, the deals were arranged to prepare the expedition!. And such arrangements were simple and could never take to complete.
Say, for Einarr now things are more simple, has a magnificent Knarr and is rich enough to afford much of the costs of a Togt, but when he started to carve out a name, things might be very different ... And put to imagine a more or less difficult for our man, say, with excasos 17 years, is a small amount that corresponds to the distribution of Odal of his late father. It had decided to leave the family farm in the hands of his older brother, perhaps as being more endowed for the government of the family estate. Not matter the reasons, there are not many options for Einarr its share of the inheritance does not allow more than that, buy a small portion in the gaard (fertile land). In any case, have the protection of his brother no doubt, but detract years orbiting around him, to go to thrive and make their own fortune. Therefore, in the encounter with other men in your situation, amid the bustle of the last thing, is his big chance.
So, deal with people at your level and condition, gives an opportunity to be part of an organized Togt contributions from several partners or Felag. Each member contributes a specified amount to help hire a ship and pay for the groceries needed for passage. Also, the felag unites them in a series of common duties and obligations, including forming a lid, that is, a force that is defensive in nature and property interests, but in practice, may well serve to give a little surprise attack if the opportunity arises the occasion. Although they are supposed to elect a chief orders (perhaps by social status or simply for being the most suited to the knob, the more experienced or any other mistreatment of convenience), the association that forms the lid as "armed group" is composed of free men which they provide service of protection of their interests. Quite Hird other than being a "private army", with characters and legal considerations. Only the great bondi have the right to protect their land with a personal army, and of course each has its jarl elite guard, made up of "professional warriors, but these adventurers along your little expedition for his benefit can only be covered by the right to form a lid and protect from all his own.
In terms of preparation, let's say the ship is necessary to prepare thoroughly, and that obviously depends on the nature of the expedition, the "necessary" is radically different, if it comes to selling and trading, or try the strandhogg. Generally, each Togt and is designed in advance, as trade mission or at drage i viking "(from looting and pillaging). In any case, will need food, water and buttermilk to drink (apparently despite the Norse myth, was not drinking and introduce stricter standard on board!), Crusty bread, dried meat and fish and plenty of salted butter. As our still very young Einarr saldra to try trading in a small and flourishing by (cities) coastal presumably embark vadmal bundles (thick woolen cloth), tanned hides, walrus ivory and possibly also quite abundant amber in the cold north and much appreciated by ofebres in sales positions.
is also necessary to find a good styrimadr, ie an experienced ship captain, both in the government of the ship, as in the handling of the rudder and knowledge of the routes. An interpreter will also tolk or valued as well as a shipwright smidur, and if some ask, also a smitr (blacksmith). Young arms will also need to take the oars, men, just as they begin to be Einarr a name with only 16 or 17. They are known as "Dreng", the "cast", which gathered the courage to seek a new life, many never returned home, will fall in battle if the expedition becomes violent, but those who pass the test, will be considered "men" and have passed the skapraum, proof of worth and character.
not fare badly in his first outing Einarr, returned home with a good amount from the sale of skins vadmal and his clan, and with some extra amount of money the result of some simple coup de . Of this money, will not have to account to his clan, his by right.
Even vikingetogter saldra another, with his companions, perhaps no longer in charge Knarr, but in a snekja, snake boat, lighter and equipped to hand strikes in rivers. Are traded or acted militarily in carefully assaults studied under the circumstances. Every free man has the right to bear arms as part of a fight. This time, it is back over the ship's belly full of silver or alternatively, valuables. We must therefore move away from the Borg, city or fortified settlements, which may seriously endanger the expedition. All borg is necessarily a fyrd a group organized for defense, and although the Viking era is characterized by deep divisions within each state, it is also true that the Nordic and strandhogg away much of the myth that we have wanted make believe Christian writings. No hordes of hundreds of screaming Vikings to raid a town or an abbey, the Togt bondi organized by small, even if this second exit, where they have assembled a ship that belongs to all of society felag rarely spend of about fifty men.
This time, they have collected enough men to man two ships, however, do not reach the hundred. And despite that, they will not averse to the assaults, they are not suicidal, not to fight if they see that the settlement is well defended. They will return home, having traded a little with what they had in their output, and partly with abstracted, and return home with a good capital and now with his fosbroedralag well established. The sacred brotherhood, and join them for life, will be allies in the battle and business partners undertaken. Have prospered together, and fought together as well. So, now there are bonds of trust and brotherhood among them.
Einarr already has sufficient capital to make your own wedding, the union is considered appropriate for their own clan, and that of her family. Both are very similar to a fortune and even range, so their union not only reinforce and strengthen the two families.
Now, years pass and Einarr has prospered, trading and pillaging as opportunity. Take your life in a feat of arms that make him worthy of being soguligr, ie, a character of saga. Say your decrees konungr a Leba forced to go on an expedition of war. Rather, a full-scale invasion. It is in such raids, which forged the myth of the jarl, the lord of the battle. As we have seen and corresponds to his rank, a hird, an elite guard of warriors experts at your service. But they also offer their king a number of men set to form the fylki, the army of konungr. In times of Harald Bluetooth, Ringborg were created coastal forts round, where the warriors were trained. It is assumed that each settlement was to contribute to the cam, with provisions and possibly men to arm the Leding (float). The flyking (battle formation) was formed by several fani (banners), ie several smaller armies, united in "combat wing" at the top of which we have a specially equipped jarl as stallare (lieutenant or leader). All these troops will be under the orders of Konungr or AlgrHigh (the exalted), the leader of the whole army. Now if we are talking about a really powerful army, a fleet of hundreds of ships, and perhaps several thousand men, but is that whether we speak of a full-scale invasion, such as the Norsemen carried the English coast and that would eventually establish the Danegeld. Needless to say, that in these cases, the cam is compulsory in the army, would highlight the hird expertly trained warriors, but there will also be room for newbies it will be like all meat expendable army in battle.
returned with riches and honors bestowed by Konungr, and already we have become a man grn, owner of an expanse of land, abundantly rich to be owner of his own ship, capable of erecting a hall that give prestige and glory. We could almost stand as a candidate for "king" of its fjord, though, pay tribute to a supreme master of all the land of his nation (although this will not show until almost the end of the Viking era!). We still have a last exit, the most ambitious in the Einarr participate, since it's organized.
We will have an Kaupfer, a commercial expedition, in which the arming of his own ship, and help equip another 4 more. A full-fledged merchant fleet. High-value goods will be transported to the trade to koubsteder, trade settlements, large coastal cities, where trade with the rest of the rich neighboring countries and received goods from the most remote trade routes all the old Europe. These enclaves are endowed with great haun, ports and docks, where they arrived commercial ships. So, although it will not go unarmed, is not the idea of \u200b\u200blooting as they moved, but the trade with products they have and are coveted by other nations, and in turn, enriches, leading to their community, objects and properties that are virtually unknown in his homeland.
And here, where almost the end of our history, we find a Einarr rich and powerful, and far from the "Viking" as the looting, now, is more, a prosperous merchant and landowner, but not even, is free to face the sea and a commercial crossing, without confronting the sourouvere, known as "rats of the sea."
Remember the image of the "terrible Svein" in the popular series "Vicky the Viking"?. For such men existed, pirates in the broadest sense of the word. Do not forget that the goods they carry those ships, even guarded by men from the north, were a hearty booty, coveted by pirates (Nordic too!). Sourouvere were these men, regardless of any law, or sometimes, a kind of pirates in the service of rival clans and kings. In any case, large commercial cities, came to have a leding, a fleet intended purely to defend the enclave and to purge the seas of these pirates.
If all goes well, return to their domains, with a fortune in coins and really valuable goods, and little remains to Einarr to achieve, owns extensive land and livestock, a wealthy merchant, and prestige guaranteed support of the great jarl of the area.
His voice is taken into account in the assemblies, may soon be a king ... but that, my friends, would ya, another story ...
Given that far dominated the passive role of participation where there is clear both parties are players required, it is commendable to question how far it is true that speech that argues the impossibility of reversing profound inequalities. In this sense, each subject gives consent to time to play the role of 'dominated'. 
%5B5%5D.jpg "Comunicado por Gesic 01-10-2010 (10)")
With respect to the Trust in Government, the responses vary between: a lot of confidence, pretty, little and none at all. Equation would be: Index =% confidence (Much / Quite) -% (Little / No) +100 
