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Hugrunar - The World of the Vikings
A group for the discussion of all aspects of the culture of the Vikings - their wars, voyages, art, literature, language and legacy. Hugrunar means 'Thought Runes' and encompasses discussion of the Viking Age from the Fifth to the Eleventh Centuries.

Fair Fame of Years - History of the Vikings (6 threads, 239 posts)
    Gesta Normanorum: The Norman Heirs of the Vikings (86 posts)
    Historical Thread 0 Featured March 6 , 2004

    The descendants of Vikings who settled in northern France, the Normans were to take the spirit of their Scandinavian ancestors far and wide. ...
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    Bayeux Tapestry Norman "pagan" banner
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    Author: * MerlintheMad Knudsson - 15 Posts on this thread out of 197 Posts sitewide.
    Date: Mar 9, 2004 - 21:34

    Top panel, second horseman from the left, you can see a "dagged" raven banner on the lance of a Norman knight.

    I should have said "banner" (singular) because this is the only example of a pagan banner on the Norman side. However, the heavy presence of mythic creatures on shields (wyrms, mostly) is also an indication that the Normans were anything but Christian warriors in their attitudes toward war. The fact that Harold's personal banner was a "Fighting Man", and that the windsock standard of Wessex was a dragon even at this late date is further evidence of a mixed pathematic: they hope for a Christian heavenly reward, but they are not beyond nursing an auxiliary belief in Valhalla too.


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