| History weaves its influence into pop culture via | | | | that. So, they went farther into space to find two |
| many avenues ... | | | | other Viking caricatures.One was the Ferengi. The |
| One of the strangest is the Viking influence on | | | | casual Trekkie might think them to be inspired by |
| Star Trek, especially The Next Generation.Ever | | | | Shakespeare's stereotypical 'Shylock' in the |
| since that series found the airwaves, I've often | | | | Merchant of Venice, but the studied Viking |
| wondered if one or more of its writers were | | | | historian notes a deeper connection of names. |
| descended from peoples who endured raids from | | | | Vikings were known to be traders as much as |
| the North and then used this show to exact their | | | | fighters, and were very hard bargainers in every |
| version of revenge.I've always been interested in | | | | sense of the word. Ultimately, the King of |
| the influence that the Viking era had on western | | | | Byzantium (which became Constantiople and is |
| civilization, which is considerable. Here are but a | | | | now known as Istanbul) capitalized on both of |
| few examples:1. Vikings created the first | | | | these traits and created a regiment of Viking |
| governing legislature of 'common' citizens in | | | | mercenaries to become his own elite storm |
| history, calling their parliament a thing, which is also | | | | troopers, known as his Varangian Guard. The |
| where the English language derived that word. | | | | origin of this title was a Viking term that referred |
| 2. Viking law was the first in Europe, at least, to | | | | to a 'sharer of spoils,' and Varangians indeed |
| conduct trials with a jury of the accused's peers. | | | | became the best-paid troops of their time. Their |
| 3. It was virtually 500 years before any other | | | | ultimate goal was great wealth, and most of |
| culture would design a ship that could travel as | | | | them got it in one way or another.The last of the |
| swiftly as a Viking dragonship (and let's not forget | | | | great Vikings, Harald Hardraada --- who also |
| that those ships sailed to North America 500 | | | | reigned as a great Norwegian king --- spent time |
| years before Columbus did). | | | | as a Varangian. Legend said he stood seven feet |
| 4. Four of the seven days of the week --- in the | | | | tall, probably because his physical stature was |
| English language --- are named after Viking gods: | | | | such that he actually did tower over his |
| a. Tuesday, for Tyr - the god of truth, | | | | adversaries. This claim was, no doubt, 'stretching' |
| b. Wednesday, for Odin - the 'Allfather' of Viking | | | | reality a bit, but he was much more typical in |
| gods, | | | | appearance for a Varangian than are the Trek |
| c. Thursday, for Thor - the 'thunder' god, and | | | | race they inspired! |
| d. Friday, for Frigg - Odin's first wife. | | | | Comparisons between Varangians and Ferengi |
| (Some scholars argue the latter is named for | | | | may be subtle, but there is no mistaking the |
| Frey, the god of fertility, but I'll stick with the | | | | connection. Nothing was subtle, though, about the |
| Oxford Dictionary version, which gives the honor | | | | Trek writers' next and most ominous incarnation |
| to Frigg.) | | | | of Viking stereotypes --- the Borg.Even the name |
| 5. William the Conqueror was a Viking | | | | is Nordic. 'Borg' (actually pronounced 'bor-ee' in Old |
| descendant; enough said. | | | | Norse) is the Viking word for 'fortress,' which |
| Vikings dominated England for 300 years, so | | | | conjures an accurate vision of their |
| much of their language influenced English. The | | | | spacecraft.Vikings fought as a collective. In one |
| suffix '-by' is the Viking word for 'village,' hence | | | | famous instance, during one of those annual |
| city names such as Rugby and Grimsby, to name | | | | sieges of Paris, the French king du jour wanted to |
| only two. The suffixes '-bury' and '-berry' are | | | | negotiate a settlement. He was quoted as asking, |
| Anglicized spellings of the word 'berg' (pr: 'berry'), | | | | "Who is your leader?" The response is one of the |
| the Viking word for 'mountain,' hence names such | | | | most famous in Viking lore: "We're all equals!" |
| as Shrewsbury, Queensbury and Shaftsbury refer | | | | Sound familiar, Trekkies?Vikings were known for |
| to nearby landmarks.Elsewhere, the Slavic peoples' | | | | assimilation, too. However, theirs was the opposite |
| name for Vikings was 'Rus,' meaning 'rowing men.' | | | | of the Borg. Vikings who settled in foreign lands |
| Viking dominance of the Slavic river systems was | | | | adapted to the local customs. William, for |
| so prevalent that the region became known as | | | | example, spoke French. Kiev was a Viking outpost |
| 'Russia.' In France, King Charles the Simple was so | | | | and the first 'royal' family there was of Viking |
| fed up with Viking attacks on Paris that he ceded | | | | blood. Their offspring took Slavic names and |
| them land in exchange for a cessation of raids. | | | | spoke the local language. Yet, as I stated earlier, |
| The French word for Viking was 'Norman,' and | | | | the Viking influence did remain. There was only |
| the ceded region became known as Normandy. | | | | one Viking empire --- King Knut's realm of |
| The Viking chieftain who accepted these terms | | | | Scandinavia and the British Isles lasted for 30 |
| was the famous Rolf the Walker (so named due | | | | years --- but traces of Viking life and culture |
| to his height, as no horse was big enough to | | | | spanned all of Europe.During the Viking era, almost |
| carry him); Rolf, incidentally, was the forebear of | | | | every mass prayer in a European church was |
| William the Conqueror. | | | | prefaced by 'Deliver us, O Lord, from the wrath |
| Anyway, you get the idea. The Vikings may be | | | | of the Northmen.' While I do wonder if that's how |
| gone, but their mark on our lives, even today, is | | | | Guinan (played by Whoopi Goldberg) and her |
| indelible.Still, it's mildly surprising to see the Viking | | | | planet prayed (they were among the Borg's |
| stamp on one of the most popular science fiction | | | | conquests), it's clear that's how the Federation |
| series of the modern era. Not surprisingly, their | | | | felt. Until the Enterprise found a way late in the |
| 'presence' seems to be personnified by the | | | | series, resistance was futile.That's clearly more |
| villains.Take the Klingons. Until they became | | | | than the Trek's writers could say. They couldn't |
| uneasy allies of the Federation, they were the | | | | and didn't resist taking their liberties with Viking |
| scourge of that galactic quadrant which bordered | | | | lore. In spite of their efforts, though, the most |
| 'ours.' Their interstellar warriors' ultimate honor | | | | noble of all Viking deeds remains entrenched in the |
| was to die bravely and loudly in battle. Well, back | | | | Star Trek universe, given homage before every |
| in the day, that was every Viking's ultimate honor, | | | | episode. Perhaps that's the ultimate irony, because |
| too. Such bravery was seen as the only way to | | | | in an era when other cultures feared to venture |
| earn an eternity in Valhalla, Odin's castle of the | | | | beyond view of their coastlines, the Vikings --- as |
| 'chosen' slain, where only the most valiant would | | | | evidenced by their voyages to the New World in |
| reside forevermore in Viking nirvana, which | | | | 1000 AD --- boldly went where no man had gone |
| consists of fighting all day and partying all night. I | | | | before.And they did it without a script.J Square |
| cannot recall the episode, but it seems the | | | | Humboldt is the featured columnist at the Longer |
| Klingons thought that was a great way to while | | | | Life website, which is dedicated to providing |
| away the afterlife, themselves.Those guys were | | | | information, strategies, analysis and commentary |
| holdovers from the original Star Trek series and | | | | devoted to improving the quality of living. His page |
| the Next Generation writers didn't have the | | | | can be found at and his observations are published |
| license to make them much more sinister than | | | | three times per week. |