Jomsborg
Jomsborg (German: Jomsburg) was a semi-legendary Viking stronghold at the southern coast of the Baltic Sea (medieval Wendland, modern Pomerania), that existed between the 960s and 1043. Its inhabitants are known as Jomsvikings. Jomsborg's exact location has not yet been established, though it is maintained that Jomsborg was somewhere on the islands of the Oder estuary.[1] Lauritz Weibull dismissed it as a legend.[2]
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[edit] Location
Jomsborg is thought to be identical with the present-day town of Wolin (also Wollin) on the southeastern tip of the isle of Wolin, probably located at Silberberg hill north of the town.[2] In the Early Middle Ages, modern Wolin was the site of a multi-ethnic emporium (then known as Jumne or Julin).[3] The Nordic sagas use "Jomsborg" exclusively, while medieval German histories use "Jumne" or "Julin", with the spelling variants "vimne", "uimne", "Jumneta", "Juminem", "Julinum", "uineta", "Vineta" and "Vinneta".[4] In 1931/32, Pomeranian historian Adolf Hofmeister was the first to establish - by comparing the events reported by the different chronicles - that all these terms describe the same place, which is at or near the modern town of Wolin.[4]
Other theories see Jomsborg in the northwest of nearby Usedom island, on lands now submerged.[5] The small islands in this area are remnants of a long stretch of land between Usedom and Rügen, which fell victim to storm floods in the early 14th century.[6] Suspected locations in this area are the Veritas grounds between the petty islands of Ruden and Greifswalder Oie, and the Peenemünde shoals.[5] While Viking Age jewelry has been found at the side, archaeological evaluation of these theories has not yet been possible.[7]
[edit] The fortress
According to the Knytlingasaga and Fagrskinna, Jomsborg was built by the Danish king Harold Bluetooth (910-985/86) in the 960s.[2][8] The Jomsvikinga Saga mentions Danish-Welsh Viking Palnatoki as its founder.[2][9]
In medieval records, Jomsborg is described as a fortress with a harbour.[2][8] The harbour was overseen by a stone tower mounted with catapults, built on an arch spanning over the harbour entrance which could be closed by an iron gate.[2][8] According to the oldest records, the harbour had space for three ships,[8] later records give a capacity of up to 360 ships.[2][8]
Jomsborg was destroyed in 1043 by Norwegian king Magnus the Good.[10] The fortress was burned down, and many of the inhabitants were killed.[10]
[edit] Jomsvikings
Most records name the jarl of Jomsborg Sigvald(i), son of petty king Strut-Harald of then Danish Scania.[9] Sigvald died some time before 1010.[11] The Jomsborg Vikings (Jomsvikings) were composed of selected warriors, adhered to a special codex, and were loyal only to their leader.[9] In 1009, many Jomsvikings left Jomsborg and followed Sigvald's brothers Herring and Thorkell the Tall to England, where they became the nucleus of Cnut the Great's Thingmen or Huscarls.[10]
[edit] Historical events involving Jomsborg
Harold Bluetooth died at Jomsborg in 985/86.[12] Jomsborg was also the base for several expeditions:
- Styrbjörn the Strong and a force of Jomsvikings departed from Jomsborg to reclaim the Swedish throne from Eric the Victorious, yet were defeated in Fyrisvellir near Gamla Uppsala in the late 980s.[10]
- Sweyn Forkbeard and a force of Jomsvikings departed from Jomsborg to eliminate jarl Haakon Sigurdsson of Norway, but were defeated in the Battle of Hjörungavágr (~990).[10]
- Olaf I of Norway and a Jomsviking contingent departed from Jomsborg for the Battle of Svolder in 999 or 1000 AD.[10]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ T. D. Kendrick, A History of the Vikings, Courier Dover Publications, 2004, pp.179ff, ISBN 048643396
- ^ a b c d e f g T. D. Kendrick, A History of the Vikings, Courier Dover Publications, 2004, p.179, ISBN 048643396
- ^ Jan M Piskorski, Pommern im Wandel der Zeit, 1999, p.31, ISBN 839061848
- ^ a b Johannes Hoops, Herbert Jankuhn, Heinrich Beck, Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde Band 16, 2nd edition, Walter de Gruyter, 2000, pp.120-121, ISBN 3110167824
- ^ a b T. D. Kendrick, A History of the Vikings, Courier Dover Publications, 2004, p.180, ISBN 048643396
- ^ Ingrid Lange, Paul Werner Lange, Vineta, Atlantis des Nordens, Urania, 1988, p.120, ISBN 3332001973
- ^ T. D. Kendrick, A History of the Vikings, Courier Dover Publications, 2004, p.181, ISBN 048643396
- ^ a b c d e R. Chartrand, Magnus Magnusson, Ian Heath, Mark Harrison, Keith Durham, The Vikings: voyagers of discovery and plunder, Osprey Publishing, 2006, p.88, ISBN 1846030870
- ^ a b c R. Chartrand, Magnus Magnusson, Ian Heath, Mark Harrison, Keith Durham, The Vikings: voyagers of discovery and plunder, Osprey Publishing, 2006, p.89, ISBN 1846030870
- ^ a b c d e f R. Chartrand, Magnus Magnusson, Ian Heath, Mark Harrison, Keith Durham, The Vikings: voyagers of discovery and plunder, Osprey Publishing, 2006, p.90, ISBN 1846030870
- ^ R. Chartrand, Magnus Magnusson, Ian Heath, Mark Harrison, Keith Durham, The Vikings: voyagers of discovery and plunder, Osprey Publishing, 2006, p.91, ISBN 1846030870
- ^ T. D. Kendrick, A History of the Vikings, Courier Dover Publications, 2004, p.182, ISBN 048643396
