Viking King – How Was He Elected And What Was Expected From Him?

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - In Viking society, kings were the most influential people, but having the highest social status was associated with responsibilities and particular requirements. Unlike pharaohs, Viking kings were not considered divine or unique.

Travis Fimmel as Ragnar Lothbrok in the TV series Vikings. Credit: History Channel - Copyright, fair use.

Ragnar Lodbrok claimed to be a direct descendant of the god Odin, but most Viking leaders were "ordinary" people, and they were viewed as exceptionally commanding men.

A man must have certain qualities and attitudes to become a great Viking leader.

It brings us to questions such as – Who could become a Viking king? Who was considered a worthy leader in the Viking society?

Kings Appeared At The End Of The Viking Age

It's important to remember that there were no Viking kings during the early Viking Age. The Viking society was divided into three social classes -  the nobles or jarls, the middle class or karls, and the slaves or thralls.

Although the different social layers within the population were perceived as ordained by the Norse gods, it was still possible for one person to move from one class to another.

Vikings' kings appeared at the beginning of the Viking Age and were only regional leaders.  The most potent individual Viking kings who ruled most Scandinavian lands appeared at the end of the Viking Age.

How Was A Viking King Elected And What Was Expected From Him?

The title of a king could be inherited. A man could also become a king if he had a good reputation and prominent supporters or was a successful military force leader.

Some were considered better-qualified leaders than others. High intelligence and capacity for strategic thinking were a requirement. A Viking king was expected to be ruthless toward his enemies, and there was no room for softness.

A Viking king must attend many important meetings with other chiefs; physical appearance was significant to gain respect. It could be achieved if a king had a strong body and wore beautiful clothes.

A Viking King Must Be Generous And Rich

Generosity was also a central trait of a worthy leader. A Viking mustn't be greedy. He was obliged to distribute wealth in gifts and by other means.

Gifts were given in weapons, gold rings, clothes, and sometimes ownership of land.

Our previous article on Ancient Pages discussed the importance of a Viking king's hird.

Members of a hird were Viking warriors and professional bodyguards prepared to die for their leader. An influential Viking chief had many enemies lurking everywhere. He had to be protected to stay in power, but Norse warriors did not fight for free.

A Viking leader who had a hird must be able to pay his warriors through gifts such as gold and silver, clothes, and weapons. Warriors also needed proper accommodation, food, and drink to protect their leader all around the clock. So, a Viking king had to be rich.

It's also worth mentioning that even a Viking king could be sacrificed.

The poem Ynglingatal tells how a Viking king was sacrificed in Sweden to restore his relationship with the gods.

Written by  Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

Updated on April 11, 2023

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