By people in the Frankish kingdom and on the British Isles the
Danes were first of all considered Vikings. Danish attackers, conquerors and
colonists played an important role in the remake of western Europe, but
they also had a strong influence in their own country.
Some Viking
chiefs, who had won riches, power and glory came home to Denmark and
tried to usurp royal power. King Horik and most of his family were
killed in such a power feud in 854. The old branch of the royal family
gained footfold , but other homecoming Viking chiefs - some from the
east - were more lucky in their fight about the throne. The fortification moats in Aarhus might have been built during that
period.
The diplomatic connections between the Danish kings and the Frank and
German rulers brought foreign influences to Denmark. King Harald was
baptized in Mainz in 826, and he was not the only Dane, who experienced
and was impressed by the court ceremoniel of the Franks. Maybe this
infected the life in the Danish royal castle in the 800s, but as for the
900s the big Jelling stone and the cross-marked coins show that Harald
Bluetooth fully understood the value of demonstrating his royal dignity.
The Jelling church was probably bigger than many other Danish
buildings, and its basic plan was inspired by the German churches.
The Franks and the Germans did not only affect their Danish
neighbours - they also wanted to have power over them, but they did not
succeed. The Danes could retriet from Jutland to security on the Danish Isles and
gather new strenght while the peninsula Jutland was attacked - and the Saxon hertug
Bruno and his army had to learn this in 880......the only Danish king
who in the 800s had to acknowledge the supremacy of the Franks was
Harald Klak, and he was deposed and driven into exile .
The feud between the various throne pretenders weakened seriously
the power of the Danish kings, and in 934 the Danes could not resist an
attack in southern Norway from the German army. The Danish supremacy broke down
and Harald Fairhairwas able to expand his Norwegian power while local rulers in the districts east of Storebælt (Danernes Mark) enjoyed a great independency.
Fyrkat , Jutland, photo:GB
Later the German king Henrik 1 forced the Danes to pay taxes, and two
generations later the Germans ruled in Sønderjylland (South Jutland) for a
short number of years (974-983). Nothing indicates that Harald Bluetooth
ever acknowledged German rulers as his overlords - but after 983 and in
the following century the Germans were too busy feuding their Slavic
neighbours to care about Denmark. Undoubtly it was the German occupation of Sønderjylland which
made Harald build the complicated system of fortifications and
roads which gave a clear expression of his power and talent of
organisation. In order to build the fortifications Trelleborg ,
Nonnebakken; Fyrkat and Aggersborg and the great bridges - which were
all
built at the same time - the king had to exploit his right to recruit
labor and demand other necessary services from the Danish population .
Most probably these heavy burdens made him unpopular among the Danes and
led to the rebellion which drove him into exile and death.
Runic inscriptions mention two earlier rulers at Funen, Roulv and
Alle. The Glavendrupstone was raised in the memory of Alle by his widow
Ragnhild and his sons. Ragnhild had the Danish rune-
master to carve the
inscription upon the runestone in Tryggevælde at Zealand
Glavendrupstone
for the
memory of her second husband, Gunulv, about whom it
was said that "few are born better than he". It is not known which stone
was raised first, but these men must have been contemporary to king Harald,
and they might even have been local chiefs, who by acknowledging Harald
as their king, took part in making it possible for him to announce that he
had "won himself all Denmark. "
Harald's kingdom was exposed for disturbances from Viking fleets. As the leader of the expeditions to the west Sweyn Forkbeardsaw
to that his men were awarded like other men of the Viking chiefs.
Torkel's fleet represented the biggest threat however. He was now in the service
of the English king, but it was Sweyn who in 1013 seized the English
throne and thereby got access to the rich sources in England.
The
riches of Englands made Cnut the Great able to realise the Danish
demand on the supremacy of a large part of Scandinavia, much more than
his predecessors had ever been able to. Still before Cnut drove the
Norse king Olav into exile he demanded to be king of the Norwegians -
and at the same time he declared he was king of a part of the Swedes. It
is not known what he actually meant - he might have thought of the
West Goths, whose access to the sea went through Danish territory, but
it was more probable that he considered himself as the overlord of the
Swedes who had been warriors in his army. As king of England Cnut
advised one of the most advanced and
effective Governments of Europe - and it did not last long before
this English influence was evident in Denmark. The attempts to establish
a
well-functioning coin was finally successfull and much was done
to promote the development of cities which became metropols for the
royal power. In some cities were established bishoprics - and the
bishops were
fetched from England or at least educated there. Cnut's great kingdom
sank
into the gravel after his death but the changes he had started were
continued by his successors and long after the separation of Denmark and
England the
English influence was noticed in the Danish church.
Merchants, wandering craftsmen, Christian missionaires, diplomats and
the Vikings themselves were all the cause of influences from abroad in
Denmark. The Danes connected more and more to the outside world during
the Viking period than ever before and the consequences began to show in
the beginning of the 1000s - cities were founded, bishoprics and a
royal coinage were established. It is clear via archaeology that all
parts of society were affected by the contact to the outside world. In
each archaeologically examined village from the Viking period are rests
of mill stones from the Rhine district and soapstone-vessels and
grindstones from the northern Scandinavia. In Jutland are found western
European ceramics - and Slavic clay ware or Danish copies are found in
the eastern part of Denmark . More perishable goods like clothes and
wine were probably also widespread. The imported goods were spread all
over Denmark - but they were not for free. Wealthy Danes who lived in
the 1000s were capable of paying their shopping with coins and other
silver - but the import was through the whole period generally paid
with Danish export products or with services and catering to the foreign
merchants who visited the Danish harbours on their tour between the
Baltics and Western Europe. Cattle was one of the most important export
products
Highland cattle, foto:GB
. An early phase of this traffic is proved by the archaeological
find of a large heap of cow dung which had accumulated in the town of
Ribe. This indicates that cattle was gathered here, probably in order
to transport them by sea.
Ansgar
village and church, Hjerl hede, foto:GB
Except from Willibrord's visit in the beginning of the
700s the Christian mission began in 823 among the Danes when archbishop
Ebbo baptized a great number of Danes. Ebbo's, Ansgar's and the preaching
of their successors might have convinced many that the Christian God
was a mighty God, but it was not until king Harald's conversion 150
years later that Christianity became the only legal religion. The
Christian message was being preached by missionary bishops. In the
beginning of the 1000s were established bishpoprics, and in the middle
of the same century were churches built all over Denmark. In most regions of
Denmark church services and new rituals were provided in a foreign
language by men who rarely had any education. Gradually the church
seized several areas of daily life, also the marriage - and eventually
the top officials of the Danish church were incorporated in the elite of
the Holy Church. Several rituals, like cremation and eating horsemeat
were quickly submitted, while other rituals like some fertility rituals
lived on in a Christian disguise.
During
the reign of Sven Estridsen the church began receiving estates as gift
or inheritance, which had great consequences gradually, when large areas
were added to the church. The Christian doctrine brought a still more
perceptible change, namely the abolition of the old custom to expose
infants. The restriction in this form of child restraint reulted in an
increase of population - and new settlements occurred.
Hedeby trading center
Archaeological
finds show that the Danes in the Viking period were relatively wealthy.
The farmers in the wellknown settlement Vorbasse did generally not own
their land, but they had much cattle, and their descendants in the 1000s
had even more. The houses in Vorbasse were large and spacious. Houses
of the Trelleborg-type which were built in the 1000s were larger and
free inside .Another change was that the stables were now in separate
buildings in an appropriate distance from the houses.
Trelleborg, house, foto:GB
Excavations
in other places also indicate that the Danish farmers were really well
in the Viking period - also the landlords who received various benefits
from the farmers. The king was the greatest landlord - and when Harald
Bluetooth won all Denmark he must have expanded the royal estate
enormously. His son and grandson increased also the royal riches when
they conquered England. The Crown Land also grew when farms were given
to the king as a fine for manslaughter. Several farms which Cnut the
Holy in 1085 gave to the cathedral in Lund were acquired by him or his
predecessors in this way.
Detail, Ravning bridge, foto:GB
The realm of gravity up till Harald's rule was in Jutland - usually the
king was able to keep the peace which gave the Danes and the visiting
merchants a reasonable security both in Jutland and on the Isles. In
the 800s and maybe before some Danish kings extended their power to the
island east of Storebælt and up into the southern part of Norway. In
these districts the king was probably the overlord of the
local potentates while they in Jutland were directly regents. A supremacy
like this had to be maintained by force or with the threat of the use
of force and the power of a king depended on the fidelity and skill of
his warriors (his lid).
Northern Empire, 1000s, wikipedia
The procedures of the government were also in the 1000s primitive and
severe - as Cnut the Great did show, when he commanded his regent in England , Thorkel, to defure evildoers who else could not be prosecuted. Harald
Bluetooth's rulership in the eastern part of Denmark probably had the
same reprisals like Godfred had 150 years before, but Harald showed that
he was able to mobilize many good forces at Zealand and Funen and in
Jutland so he could build his big fortifications and roads and bridges.
It might be Harald who initiated the conversion of the townships into
administration units which made it easier to collect taxes and other
benefits. .
Sweyn, wikipedia
Twice in the 900s it was clear how vulnerable Jutland was to German attacks, and Harald Bluetooth might have seen that the countries east of Storebælt provided the highest security against the threat from these mighty neighbours. It was not until the rule of Sweyn Forkbeard that the gravity of the kingdom moved east to the districts around Øresund. King Sweyn founded the towns Roskilde and Lund. The Danish king now wanted to be overlord of the whole country - and "landefreden" ( the peace of the country) spread along the coasts of Øresund. Piracy was still a nuisance, but inspite of Adam of Bremen's assertion that both Storebælt and Øreasund were harrassed by pirates, the traffic through Øresund was probably not suffering from great hindrances, when the travelling merchants were on their way to the Baltic Sea. They had been proned to follow the coast of Jutland in order to get the protection which the Danish king provided. Now they were guaranteed the same security if they chose the direct way through Øresund, which now became the gateway to the Baltic Sea and the key to the power of the North.
The Danish royal power originated in its time in Jutland, and in the first centuries of the kingdom Jutland was kernelandet (the core country). When the scalds still celebrated Cnut the Great as Jótlands jøfurr (Jyllands høvding) it was a memory about that time. But by supplying their Jutland power with a firm grip of the regime of the Danish Isles and Scania - the large area, which until then were considered the outer districts of the kingdom ( danernes mark), the last great Viking kings, Harald, Sweyn and Cnut had created a strong and viable unit in Denmark with a future.
The big Jelling stone , photo:GB
Source: "Da Danmark blev Danmark" (700-1050) by Peter Sawyer, Gyldendal og Politikens Danmarkshistorie bd 3.
photo: Grethe Bachmann and photocopies:: wikipedia.
The Ravning Bridge
is a bridge from the Viking period, built in oak in ab 979 at the same
time as Trelleborg, Fyrkat, Aggersborg and Nonnebakken, all being
counted to Harald Bluetooth's ruling period. Seemingly they lost their
military significance and fell into decay after ab. 5 years of use. The
Ravning bridge was discovered in 1953; it is situated 10 km south of
Jelling in Vejle River Valley and has a natural connection to the
longitude road of Middle Jutland, called Hærvejen (The Army Road) and to
the old roads southwards. The bridge is 760 metres long and 5 metres
broad, and the building was characterized by an impressing accuracy. The
sequences of the bridge only differed up to 5 cm from a straight line.
Kongens Kær English: the King's Fens/ the King's Meadows
Kongens Kær was named by the citizens of Vejle. It lies in eastern part of Vejle River valley and forms a wedge into the western part of Vejle city. It is a unique nature area which together with the lake Knapperup Sø creates a wet area of over 100 ha.
Vejle city and a bird island in front
A view from the platform to three Vejle towers
the start of one of the nature paths.....
Kongens Kær was through many years kept relatively dry by help of pumps which dewatered the area, and it was possible to use it for farming. In connection to the weat area- project the pumps were switched off. To secure the neighbours against flood an earthen embankment was built around the area.
the bridge out to the small view platform...
...and a bird watcher on the small platform
The seagulls nest in every place they can find.
The living conditions of the bird life and the rare birch mouse (Sicista betulina) are improved by establishing bird islands and earth banks. The low water level creates ideal conditions for a varied and species-rich plant society.
The birds are quick to acknowledge the improved living conditions. Here are many waders and waterfowls, and birds of prey like the marsh harrier, the red kite and occassionally the osprey. Even the white-tailed eagle has visited the area. The white-tailed eagle is a top-predator and in top of the food chain, and it tells us that Kongens Kær has a good, versatile and rich nature.
-the platform reaches out in the air like the bridge of a ship
Kongens Kær has become an attractive destination for the citizens of Vejle and other interested, also the schools. From the large platform at the country road you can watch across the pretty landscape of Vejle River valley and the bird life in the wet meadows. The big platform has also access for wheel chairs. Downside by the path is a bridge out to a small platform in the edge of the wet area.
The hilly valley along Vejle river is one of the prettiest in Jutland - and furthermore the district around Vejle has many famous historic places, one of the most wellknown is Jelling with the runestones and Gorm's and Thyra's hills. But this day the tour went first to Haraldskær, which lies close to the river, it's an old manor, known since the 1400s. Today it is a fine white hotel. Behind Haraldskær upon a hill lies one of the first stone churches in Denmark, a small Romanesque church without a tower, named Skibet. Its name refers to that it was possible to sail up to this place in the early Middle Ages. In the church is a uniqe Romanesque frescoe-frieze with horsemen, which possiblty was painted by an English artist. It is one of very few representations of the legend about the Holy Grail in Denmark. The landscape by Skibet is often referred to as a Viking period- landscape, a fine hilly landscape, formed by Vejle river. The close connection between the church and the manor Haraldskær reaches possibly far back in time, and the church was probably built for a magnate.
From Haraldskær we drove inland and uphill to a place called Højen, which actually means hill, and the small village was placed upon a hill. After passing the the cosy village the sun broke through the misty landscape and there was a field with Hereford cattle and a little calf. This called for a stop.They are so peaceful and calm, I wonder if they might be a good medicine for stressed people in one of those clinics where they have to stress off. They might have a field outside the clinic with Hereford or Highlanders. The sun had a difficult time trying to break through the haze on this day. It takes some time before the winter's cold from the sea and the land disappears. I actually like a misty landscape. Reminds me about English paintings and water-colours.
Bredsten
along the narrow country road to Nørup.
We came to a large village Bredsten. The big white church had a Baroque, bulbous-shaped spire like many other churches in the district of Vejle and Horsens - and like the big manor Engelsholm, which has four of those spires. They might have had the same architect who dominated in the Baroque-period. We were looking for a very rare little fern at bredsten church, which grows upon walls and stones. It is found in less than ten places in Denmark, one at Kronborg castle. It is totally protected, but we couldn't find it. Maybe someone has removed it. We don't know yet. (Last news: the fern is still there on the dike and it is fresh and fine.)
The next was the church in Nørup with a bulbous spire and with a fine view to the manor Engelsholm with four spires by the beautiful lake. Engelsholm belonged to a Rosenkrantz in the early 1500s. Was Rosenkrantz ever in England? Did he meet Shakespeare? I haven't got the faintest idea, but it's fun to imagine things. Engelsholm is today a highschool for art. Music, visual arts, glass art etc. In April they have a course about Bob Dylan.
From Nørup church hill is a fine view across the lake to Engelsholm and down to the country road.
We went to Ravning next, also in the river valley. Here was in the 1950s found an old Viking bridge, which possibly was a part of Harald Bluetooth's road system through Jutland. The bridge was, according to a dating of the oakwood, built ab. year 980. It was a 800 meter long and 5 m broad timbered oakwood-bridge across the river valley. The bridge was based upon 1.800 massive oak-posts, cut with axe and knocked down into the moist soil of the river valley. There is a reconstructed bridge span at the edge of the valley. They are restoring it now, it's probably ready for summer.
bridge restored.
Observation platform
West of the town of Vejle is a piece of land, which has now been laid out as a nature area. It is called Kongens Kær. (the King's Meadow). This wetland is a magnificent place for people from Vejle and of course also others who want to see it. There is a rich bird life with water- and wading birds, and there are walking paths and a big observation platform at the country road. The project also contributes to an improvement of the water environment in Vejle fjord by removing nutrients from Vejle river. (Vejle Å) To secure the neighbours of the area against flooding a dike has been built. The living conditions for the bird life and the very rare birch mouse have been improved by the construction of respectively 2 bird islands and earth banks.
The Birch Mouse. (Northern Birch Mouse) Sicista betulina.
The birch mouse is on the redlist of endangered species and is governed by all the strongest international protection. ( EU's habitat-directive). And Denmark is thereby obliged to protect the breeding places of the birch mouse.
The birch mouse (it's not a real mouse) is the only Danish rodent who belong to the family of hoppemus (hopping mice) , and it is probably also the most rare and most endangered mammal in Denmark. At the same time it is among the species we know the least. As far as known the birch mouse lives in isolated lommer (pockets) in North-, Middle- and South Jutland. It lives apparently mostly in the open land, with moist meadows, windbreaks etc. The special characteristics of the birch mouse is the long black stripe on the back, which goes from the eyes and down to the root of the tail, which is longer than the body. From snout to tail the birch mouse measures 5-8 cm, while the tail can be about 11 centimeter long. It weighs 5-15 gram, less than an ordinary letter. The birch mouse sleeps wintersleep more than half of the year
GB
Sources: Natur og Miljø, Vejle kommune; Politikens store Danmarksbog, Engelsholm Højskole, Danmarks kirker; Slotte og herregårde i Danmark.
The Franks and the Germans did not only affect their Danish
neighbours - they also wanted to have power over them, but they did not
succeed. The Danes could retriet from Jutland to security on the Danish Isles and
gather new strenght while the peninsula Jutland was attacked - and the Saxon hertug
Bruno and his army had to learn this in 880......the only Danish king
who in the 800s had to acknowledge the supremacy of the Franks was
Harald Klak, and he was deposed and driven into exile .
Harald's kingdom was exposed for disturbances from Viking fleets. As the leader of the expeditions to the west Sweyn Forkbeard saw
to that his men were awarded like other men of the Viking chiefs.
Torkel's fleet represented the biggest threat however. He was now in the service
of the English king, but it was Sweyn who in 1013 seized the English
throne and thereby got access to the rich sources in England.
Merchants, wandering craftsmen, Christian missionaires, diplomats and
the Vikings themselves were all the cause of influences from abroad in
Denmark. The Danes connected more and more to the outside world during
the Viking period than ever before and the consequences began to show in
the beginning of the 1000s - cities were founded, bishoprics and a
royal coinage were established. It is clear via archaeology that all
parts of society were affected by the contact to the outside world. In
each archaeologically examined village from the Viking period are rests
of mill stones from the Rhine district and soapstone-vessels and
grindstones from the northern Scandinavia. In Jutland are found western
European ceramics - and Slavic clay ware or Danish copies are found in
the eastern part of Denmark . More perishable goods like clothes and
wine were probably also widespread. The imported goods were spread all
over Denmark - but they were not for free. Wealthy Danes who lived in
the 1000s were capable of paying their shopping with coins and other
silver - but the import was through the whole period generally paid
with Danish export products or with services and catering to the foreign
merchants who visited the Danish harbours on their tour between the
Baltics and Western Europe. Cattle was one of the most important export
products
