How was Viking society organised?

The Vikings were not all bloodthirsty raiders. Some came to fight, but others came to Britain to live peacefully.

An illustrated Viking scene with a warrior and a longship.
VikingWho were they?What did they do?
KingThe most powerful person in all the landRuled the people and everyone looked up to him
Jarls (nobles)Rich landowners or tradersThey employed men to work for them
KarlsEveryday people like farmers and craft workersThey weren't as rich or important as jarls but they weren't poor either
Thralls (enslaved people)Bottom of the hierarchyThey did the hardest, dirtiest jobs and if they tried to run away they could be killed. However, if thralls could earn enough money they could buy their freedom
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Who was Eric Bloodaxe?

 A silver penny of Eric the Bloodaxe.
Image caption,
Eric Bloodaxe was the King of the Viking city of Jorvik. This is one of his silver coins. It has ‘Eric Rex’ written on it, which means ‘King Eric’ in Latin.

Norwegian Eric ‘Bloodaxe’ led his own kingdom in York in the 950s.

31 coins minted at York bear Eric’s name but he was betrayed and killed in AD954.

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What jobs did Vikings do?

Four Vikings standing in a field.

Many Vikings worked as farmers. Everything had to be done by hand on a Viking farm, so life was tough.

Farmers grew oats, barley and wheat. They ground the grain to make flour, porridge and ale. They planted vegetables, and kept animals like cows, sheep, pigs and chickens.

Four Vikings standing in a field.
 Viking wooden plates and bowls
Image caption,
Vikings were skilled at shaping things from wood. These wooden bowls and cups were 'turned' (cut to shape) on a machine called a lathe.

Other jobs were:

  • Craft workers who made plates, cups, belts and shoes.
  • Jewellers who made rings and brooches from precious metals.
  • Blacksmiths who hammered red-hot iron into tools, knives and swords.
  • Potters who baked clay pots in a wood fire oven.

People sold these goods at markets. Here a family could buy anything from amber beads and apples, to walrus tusks and wolf-skins. Vikings also sailed the seas to buy silver, silk, spices and furs.

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Where did Vikings live?

An open hearth in a Viking home.
  • With just one room for all the family to share with their animals, a longhouse would have been a crowded and smelly place to live.

  • This was built from wood or stone and had a thatched or turf roof on top.

  • There was no bathroom inside, but the Vikings kept clean by washing in a wooden bucket or beside a stream.

  • Instead of toilets, people used a cesspit, which was a hole outside dug for toilet waste.

An open hearth in a Viking home.
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What did the Vikings believe?

Viking goddess sitting on a throne in the clouds.

The Norse people worshipped many gods and loved to tell stories of magic and monsters around the fire.

The Vikings loved to tell myths and legends about their gods.

Viking goddess sitting on a throne in the clouds.

Watch: Viking beliefs

Find out more about what the Vikings believed

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Did the Vikings have laws?

 A Viking 'law-speaker' overseeing a 'Thing'.
Image caption,
The 'Thing' was an early version of today's parliament where people met to discuss new laws and settle disputes.
  • Vikings had their own laws and government.
  • People gathered at a meeting called a ‘Thing’. Here they would settle problems and make decisions.
  • People could vote on what should happen. For example, the Thing might decide who owned a piece of land or how to punish a criminal.
  • All this was overseen by a judge known as a law-speaker.
  • Viking laws were not written down, so laws were passed from person to person by word of mouth.
  • People who broke the law became outlaws. They had to live in the wilderness and anyone was allowed to hunt them down and kill them.
  • Vikings could also settle arguments with a fight known as a Holmgang. Whoever won the duel was seen as chosen by the gods.
 A Viking 'law-speaker' overseeing a 'Thing'.
Image caption,
The 'Thing' was an early version of today's parliament where people met to discuss new laws and settle disputes.
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Activities

Activity 1: Viking families

Click on each of the Viking family members below to find out more about their life.

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Activity 2: Viking homes

Click on the labels to find out more about what was inside a longhouse.

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Activity 3: Quiz – Viking life

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