Social Classes in Viking Society

The Viking society was divided into a hierarchy of four social classes. At the bottom were the slaves, above the slaves where the Karls, in the middle where the Jarls, and at the top where the royals, such as the Kings and Queens.
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[@TheSaneHatter]

I have a sinking feeling that, if I'd been born in the Viking Age, I'd have been born a slave. It would be just my luck.

[@joshuatraffanstedt2695]

Me too. But id have won my freedom by cutting off the head of king harold and becoming King. And id have bedded all the bitches.it would Have been an epic fuck fest.

[@Eclipse-mf6hc]

I’d be a Jarl. Oh wait min farfar spent all my family’s money on his second wife... guess I’d be a Karl

[@e.mailissimo2146]

@hunter christensen Hmm... thats a good thing i assume, never heard of any mass school axeings in the viking age :D

[@alfredospautzgranemannjuni5864]

It’s still not impossible to move up. Guthred was a slave, and became a Northumbrian king.

[@thesanfranciscoseahorse473]

But there were a whole lot more murders that went unsolved due to knife crime. Trade one form of violence for another.

[@colinp2238]

The story of Rig gets a bit ambiguous as when he appears later because in that time he resembles Odinn. There is a line of thought that says that Odinn, disguised as Rig teaches men how to war so that he can collect and train warriors for Ragnarok. It is also thought that one of Odinn's ravens is used to suggest to man that instead of killing animals it is more beneficial for him to kill other men in order to possess their land and property, in other words campaign for war.

[@Skjalden]

Its true there is a lot more to the saga of Rig, which is why I tried to summarize the most important parts for this video. To be honest, we do not know much about Heimdall, and the story of Rig is also incomplete with pages missing. It might have been as you said, probably Odin who interfered with what Heimdall was doing, by disguising himself as Rig and used one of his ravens to influence the jarls to campaign for war.

[@stianberg5645]

Damn Odin always pushing his agenda into other æsir's projects

[@karamlevi]

@@stianberg5645 it’s the long game to save all of life... that is his target 🎯... preparing for the trusts fight all (or decedents) will face in the future... it’s the ultimate in winter preparations so to speak. 🗣 hail Odin 🤘🏿🌑 ⚔️🕯 🤘🏽 Getting the job done-

[@johngeddes4161]

bullshit not true odin and his family not as many wrote,men took themselves down.

[@jamesroche5937]

i would so love to hear you're message of knowledge , but i'm deaf! so i have to have someone tell me what is being said. i would love it if closed caption was on here.

[@kenhart8771]

Understandable 👍🏻

[@Greye13]

Skjalden, what a wonderful achievement for you. Congratulations on receiving your Master's.

[@BrodieB762]

As a “Veteran” of the Swedish Army Iv seen that slavery is prevalent in a lot of places that Iv seen. Sorry my English is not best Denna kanal är den bästa! Kommer att titta på den här kanalen hela dagen. Kärlek från Sverige 🇸🇪.

[@Trailerglotzer]

I'm happy that I found your channel. Keep up the good work :)

[@Skjalden]

and I'm happy that you liked the videos :)

[@antoninaheath3671]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have just one little issue to reconsider. English term "slave' comes from classic Latin and is a little older than the Viking Age. The etymology of that word might come from Slavic people living to the south at the Roman Empire borders. Who have been a source to the slaves but also were people who were running the slave market. There are actually a lot of historical primary sources supporting that. I wouldn't connect etymology of word slave with Viking Age because they were as you say using a different term 'thrall' for a slave and also a different term for Slavic people at that time: Wenden. All the best.

[@GOLDRAINFEATHERS]

Educational and thought out. Unique topic.

[@CAM-fq8lv]

Thanks for another wonderful video. Good luck with your studies. Please continue to post.

[@jennifermcdonald5432]

I have always wondered at what stage in human development, did humans decide that people could be slaves. Also did it develop at different times in different cultures. I mean there must have been times when no one was a slave, surely.

[@_gold_eye_2656]

No. Everyone is a slave if you want to get all philosophical and you gotta realize we probably captured women by force as slaves. Slavery is likely as old as human consciousness in my opinion. If you ask when slavery first became a class than the answer would be soon after farming was invented and possibly before then as to build the first megalithic structures.

[@SIG442]

Well, that explains a lot of why I have specific dreams and thoughts haha I have Viking ancestry, with the dreams, thoughts etc. I didn't figure out yet in what class my family falls, but I do know that the rumor of 'always have been farmers' is a common answer in my family. It just didn't state which side of the family that was and even in the family tree this shows to be not true. At least up to early 1700 which is not even close to the Viking era. This is however the time period my family came from Norway to Denmark. From the story you told, I personally have traits of all 4 groups in me. Specially the middle 2 seem to be most likely for me. I did hear 'Jarl' being thrown around in my family past and even a slight mention of royalty. Not sure yet about the details or whether they mean the same thing even.

[@thesanfranciscoseahorse473]

There are actually "more" slaves today, in 2021, that there ever where back then. Unfortunately. Do some research on human trafficking and the sex trade. Millions currently in captivity against their will. Somehow this goes largely unnoticed. It's one of thr biggest crimes against humanity on earth today.

[@ryanmcmahon3555]

What where the first humans names? I have my volume at full & couldn't hear what he said they where called.

[@S-Walt3r]

Love your videos they are so educative!

[@Tina06019]

Best of fortune in your studies. May you have good teachers & good health.

[@Skjalden]

Thank you, Tina :)

[@Higgins8]

Good video. Very interesting.

[@akatosh2795]

You uploaded this last week, what is the different between that video and this week’s?

[@Skjalden]

The changes are only minor, but they were big enough for me to want to change it. Next time it will be a completely new video.

[@colinp2238]

Thank god for that. I thought I had experienced a Mandela moment!

[@libertycowboy2495]

What is your source saying the thralls had undyed clothing? If they had any free time, they could have dyed their clothes with local plants and urine. Also, wode, which makes blue grows wild.

[@sleepless9994]

Helpful for history class. Thx

[@dillonrogers7496]

hallo can u please Research the name Rogers it has been said that it comes from Denmark during the Norman french invasion

[@josecaballero7977]

good work very interesting

[@amandahugankiss4110]

Love the slave kids names! Great new nicknames for the cousins. :)

[@vladtimofte6511]

3:25 Sounds like the Scotsman from Samurai Jack throwing insults at Jack

[@shepglennon8760]

I would love to hear more about revolts against kings. Do you have any sources I can refer to?

[@historie123]

Du er dansk tipper jeg 😁 ❤🤍 God video ! 👌

[@martinan22]

In any society where a majority of people die from starvationrelated illness, slavery is unavoidable.

[@shepglennon8760]

I find that very interesting! You mean that people would feel forced to sell themselves into slavery? Do you have any resources on this?

[@raiffelsdad]

@@shepglennon8760 Look at institutions such as workhouses in Victorian Britain. Slavery under a different name and after Britain has abolished slavery.

[@thorunns.craftstudio]

congratulations on your masters!

[@Eclipse-mf6hc]

1:31 hold the phone! Du er dansk også? I feel so stupid, I am horrible with accents. I knew u were Scandinavian, just didn’t realise u were also Danish (I’m half)....

[@matthewhenderson6821]

I was told my ancestors last name means son of sven so they must've been rolalty and then warrior

[@e.mailissimo2146]

What was that building project in southern denmark called? Is it still a thing, if yes, where is it? We are in southern (more mid-western) denmark later this year, would love to visit new things.

[@CatsAndRandomStuff]

Dannevirke ? da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dannevirke use google translate if u can't read danish :)

[@shawnerickstad129]

Unfortunately slavery is still alive and thriving in Africa today

[@toriwori6308]

Not just Africa, it’s world wide…

[@johngeddes4161]

men took themselves down due to greed and why would he have to collect any warriors from earth,when his true ones are out there all over the galaxys and unverses,he does not need earthlings and you were supposed to be the guardians of earth but you let yourselves be taken down.

[@dolmenkollen2786]

Good video, but swords was not really that rare during the viking age, thats a myth.

[@Angie2343]

Any fans of How to Train Your Dragon here?

[@rampantmutt9119]

God video.

[@rechasmiths4736]

The song remains largely the same. Be well.

[@danjohansen1002]

Træls i Jylland !

[@TristanMtBHS]

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

[@anthonyfox585]

blonde hair pale skin I guess I must have been royalty lol

[@j3tztbassman123]

Good luck at University

[@Skjalden]

Thank you J3tzt

[@johngeddes4161]

odin is not a god,no such thing as gods no religeon,just ancient advanced technology star beings.

[@daddypoil]

Nice, as always.

[@slyaspie4934]

Such a fantastic channel packed full of great informative videos, just like this one thanks for all your hard work

[@garretjenkins8720]

Could Vikings marry there slaves???

[@Skjalden]

Technically, yes.

[@DouglassHoldings]

Being of Norwegian decent on my mothers side I found video to be of great interest. Thank you.

[@methatswho300]

the kids’ names though😂😂😂...if only😂

[@shepglennon8760]

I love your work and the topics you choose! Do you believe that the story of the creation of the four classes might have started with elites in order to justify their hierarchy?

[@prince-electorsnoo2540]

I feel as if portraying this hierarchy as a pyramid is sort of misleading, as I think the majority of people would have been Karls, not slaves

[@fyrivikingcombat]

The pyramid represents hierarchy, not the amount of people within those classes. He mentions that the majority of people would have Karls.

[@w0t3rdog]

At 20:29, the island of Gotland seems to be counted as Götes. That is way wrong. If anything, they were Gutes, a seperate group, and they could possibly be referred to as Rus, as some sources indicated Svear and Gutes to have been the main groups to head east into todays russia, ukraine and turkey, and thus were called Rus. Depending on the time, they also voluntarily vassaled themselves under the svear kings.

[@huymammin5915]

and i have suspecioses that word "jarl" is connected to russian "viking kind of" yarilo, means "sun". kind of a bright knyaz. yarilo, yarl. same roots

[@huymammin5915]

what you think jarl means? or knyaz in russland etc. its a member of a kings familia, or very rare "equal" to a kings children, respectful leader of another family, that will be marryed to a jarls daughter anyway and become a member of a one family 😂 its all a one sucessfull familia

[@huymammin5915]

bullsht. it was a mafia of brothers and sisters familyes. oldest "father" was a king. and rest are not from family, some are good fighters or workers familyes too that lived nearby kings familia. some bad workers, some are for dirtyest work or to sell to other family of some viking as a slaves 😴 its a family, wealthy prospareing one family members

[@sheltowee8079]

What??? According to the United Nations humans rights council on slavery there are more people in some form of physical slavery than any other period in time.

[@johngeddes4161]

disgusting done to dishonour wrote by enemys of vikings,insulting family not on.

[@dennisw.truman3325]

Farmer, hunter, gatherer, and fisherman. Go a Viking in the summer months.

[@matthewmann8969]

The class totem pole was very precise

[@johngeddes4161]

this comes direct from odin and his valkerie

[@leeloxleigh1471]

This i really liked. You described the four classes very well. I have now subscribed to your channel. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

[@DDd-vg9gt]

plz! Add subtitles!

[@eduardoesteban9823]

Great video

[@RenanL.S.]

What about the housecarls, were they farmers or jarls?

[@menotyou717]

They were Karls. Housecarl translates to hus-karl or house-farmer/man.

[@dianeteeter6650]

Thanks

[@metalman7825]

That part towards the end there about kings being expected to be generous and give gifts to their supporters reminds me of what Dr. Jordan Peterson has said about primate group leaders, sure the strongest most violent ape can take control but if he is brutal or tyrannical he will inevitably be taken out by the 2nd or 3rd etc... strongest apes who team up. Where as the ape that is generous and shares food and things with the others, who protects AND provides for them will last much longer in the leadership position.

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

No thanes?

[@MMArigo]

Thane is an Anglo-Saxon class, it doesn’t really have an equivalent in Norse culture. Thanes would be above karls and below jarls

[@cannett8966]

I so enjoy studying Scandinavian history and culture. My qustion is :how are people of colour and the gay community are treated now? C from the little haunted cottage in Ireland 🍀🍀🍀👻👻👻

[@tommycattap]

I am a descendant of King Grom The Old and his son King Harold Bluetooth.

[@creatifetudes8553]

Slave word do not come from slavic people. Do your research that's ignorance.

[@MMArigo]

Yes it does.

[@TristanMtBHS]

HEEEEMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEE

[@Orion-of9oq]

White is by far the most beautiful skin tone