The Jomsvikings: Viking Mercenaries of the Baltic

How Viking Silver Forged a New Economy in the North

From the silver-rich caliphates of Central Asia to the hoards of Gotland, Viking Age Scandinavia was awash in dirhams. This episode traces how Arab silver coins transformed Norse society—funding chieftains, fueling trade, and reshaping power. Lucas and Luna explore the dirham routes, the Spillings Hoard, and the role of silver in the Danegeld and state formation. With references to Ibn Fadlan, Birka, Hedeby, and the Volga trade, they show how a simple metal remade the North. #VikingAge #Silver #Dirhams #SpillingsHoard #Birka #Hedeby #IbnFadlan #Danegeld #Gotland #VolgaTrade #Rus #Khazars #HaraldBluetooth #Numismatics #EconomicHistory #Scandinavia #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

How Viking Silver Forged a New Economy in the North

Lucas and Luna explore how Viking raids and trade created a silver-based economy that transformed Scandinavia between 800 and 1100 CE. They discuss the flood of Arabic dirhams through the Volga route, the hack-silver hoards like the Spillings Hoard on Gotland, the role of Birka and Hedeby as trading hubs, and how silver became a measure of status and power. The episode also covers the economic impact of the Danegeld in England, linking it to the rise of kingdoms like Denmark under Harald Bluetooth. Along the way, they touch on the weight-based economy of the 'øre' and 'mark' systems, the silver mines of the Islamic world that fueled the trade, and the decline of the dirham flow that contributed to the end of the Viking Age. No scripted ads—listener supported via buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. #VikingSilver #Dirhams #SpillingsHoard #Birka #Hedeby #Danegeld #HaraldBluetooth #HackSilver #VolgaTrade #Numismatics #VikingEconomy #Gotland #Ore #Mark #Samarkand #VikingAge #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Rus Khaganate: Vikings Who Built an Empire

Before the Rurikids, before Kievan Rus, a mysterious Viking-led state emerged in the forests of northern Russia. Known to Arab geographers as the Rus Khaganate, this shadowy realm ruled the Volga trade routes from the 830s to the 900s — long before Oleg sailed for Kyiv. Lucas and Luna explore the archaeological evidence from Staraya Ladoga and Timerevo, the disputed identity of the first Rus ruler, and the runestone that may prove a Norse king claimed the title 'khagan'. They discuss how these early Rus navigated between the Khazars, the Bulgars, and the Byzantine Empire — and why this forgotten kingdom may have been the true beginning of the Russian state. #RusKhaganate #VikingHistory #KievanRus #VolgaTrade #StarayaLadoga #Timerevo #Khazars #IbnRustah #Rurik #Varangians #Dirhams #EarlyMedieval #NorthernEurope #FexingoHistory #SlavicHistory #Byzantine #Scandinavia #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Varangian Guard: Vikings in the Byzantine Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the fascinating history of the Varangian Guard, the elite Norse and later Anglo-Saxon mercenaries who served the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople. Drawing on the Icelandic sagas, Byzantine chronicles like those of John Skylitzes, and archaeological finds from the Great Palace of Constantinople, they trace how warriors from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark traveled the long route from the Baltic through the Rus' river systems to Miklagarðr, the 'Great City.' Hear about the first recorded Varangians in 874, the massive influx after Basil II requested 6,000 men from Vladimir the Great in 988, and the guard's role in battles from Manzikert to the siege of Constantinople. Discover how the Varangians left their mark on the city—literally carving runes into the Hagia Sophia's marble balustrade—and how they evolved from imperial bodyguards to feared shock troops. Lucas explains the unique weapons they carried, the pay they earned in gold and silk, and the culture shock of Norse warriors adapting to Roman luxury. A surprising angle emerges: the tension between the Icelandic sagas' romanticized view of the guard and the cold reality of Byzantine politics, where loyalty was bought and betrayal was common. #VarangianGuard #ByzantineEmpire #Vikings #Miklagarðr #BasilII #JohnSkylitzes #HagiaSophia #Rus #Constantinople #NorseMercenaries #MedievalHistory #Emperor #Runestones #GreatPalace #Manzikert #Norse #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Jomsvikings: Mercenary Vikings Who Lived by a Code

Before the Varangian Guard, before the Danelaw, there was the Jomsborg — a fortress of elite Norse mercenaries who swore a brutal code of honor. In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the shadowy history and legend of the Jomsvikings: their possible origins under Harald Bluetooth, the famous laws of Jomsborg (no fear, no oath-breaking, no women inside the fortress), and their catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Hjörungavágr in 986. They explore the saga evidence from the Jómsvíkinga saga, the archaeological mystery of Wolin island in Poland, and the enduring debate about whether the Jomsvikings were real or a literary invention. With parallels to later mercenary bands, the episode unpacks what made these warrior-entrepreneurs unique: a brotherhood bound by ritual, violence, and a terrifying lack of fear of death. #Jomsvikings #Jomsborg #VikingMercenaries #BattleOfHjorungavagr #HaraldBluetooth #JomsvikingaSaga #Wolin #VikingAge #NorseHistory #MercenaryCode #PaganVikings #OlafTryggvason #HakonSigurdsson #VikingWarriors #MedievalScandinavia #OldNorse #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]