Units of History - Viking Berserker DOCUMENTARY

Today, the Vikings of pop culture are almost always depicted as yelling and screaming wildmen who slaughter all those around them in a blood rage. While this is certainly an inaccurate caricature of your typical Viking warrior, it does actually come quite close to describing those within their ranks whom even the Northmen feared and reviled for their animalistic savagery. These were the Viking Berserkers. Today, let us dive into their fascinating history. and even related genres like science and crime, which are historical in nature. If you like our content, I can highly recommend you check out the documentary series Warrior's Way, which traces the lives of famous warriors from childhood training to bloody battle. MagellanTV is compatible with Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Play, and iOS, which means you can watch it anytime, anywhere on your television, laptop, or mobile device. Sign up today to get a one-month free membership trial by visiting the link in the description below or going to try.magellantv.com forward slash Invictor. From the get-go, it must be stated that the topic of Viking Berserkers is a mysterious one. Studying the old Norse sagas and medieval chronicles, for instance, yields a myriad of diverse and even contradictory descriptions of their nature, which makes them hard to nail down as a well-defined unit of history, as compared to some of the other groups we've previously described in this series. In fact, it's a matter of much academic debate whether Viking Berserkers even existed at all. That being said, there are just too many mentions of Berserkers across the geographic and temporal history of medieval Scandinavia to assume that they were just made up out of whole cloth. Therefore, we will be doing our best in this episode to piece together an accurate reconstruction of who they really were. Our model of the Berserker will begin at the foundation of their identity with one of the most universally held notions about them, that they were animalistic. This is a quite common phenomenon that pops up across many human civilizations. It seems to have its origins in early religious ideas of animism, which hold that the line between the material and spiritual realms are blurred. In such a world where all things from humans to animals, plants, objects, and more can have spirits, it is often the case that these entities can become intertwined. Thus, throughout history, we see many cultures with ideas of human hybrids. In Europe, for instance, this might occur with a wolf, in Africa with a hyena, in Asia with a tiger, and in Central America with a jaguar. Shamans and other religious figures with a closer connection to the spiritual realm were often the ones to make such transformations. Thus, with the Berserkers, it seems that they were part of the ancient Norse tradition of human-animal hybrids. This manifests in many ways across the ancient sagas, where individuals can be seen transforming into eagles, ravens, wolves, and bears. Odin and other legendary figures from mythology are commonly described as shapeshifting, and we even hear of mortals doing the same after being gifted or cursed in some way. Such transformations grant the subject the physical traits of the creature in question, which can be quite helpful in overcoming challenges they might face. In addition, we also hear of supernatural advantages which accompanied a transformation, such as an invulnerability to normal weapons. In Egil's saga, for instance, a shapeshifter is only slain when his throat is ripped out. We've therefore seen the prevalence of the human-beast concept in Viking culture. But it's important to note that not all shapeshifters were Berserkers. We are just dealing with a subset here. So, what were some of the other distinguishing qualities? Well, it seems that the second major characteristic of the Berserker was their rage, known as the Berserker Gang. This fury occurred not only in battle but could also occur during hard work, as a result of some triggering event, or for no apparent reason at all. The condition is said to have begun with shivering, the chattering of the teeth, a chill in the body, and a swelling of the face which changed color. As the transformation progressed, individuals would spiral into a state of increasingly hot temper until they lost all human reason, again tying us back to the animalistic qualities we discussed. Berserkers might begin to yell, to howl, and to bite the edge of their shields. According to Hrolf's saga, a group of warriors fell into such a fury that they could not control themselves but killed men or cattle, whatever came in their way, and did not take care of itself. While this fury lasted, they were afraid of nothing, but when it left them, they were so powerless that they did not have half their strength and were as feeble as if they had just come out of bed from a sickness. This fury lasted about one day. The blinding nature of the Berserker Gang was apparently so strong that, according to Egel's saga, men even became threats to their own family members. It is this fact that leads us to one of the last major qualities that is broadly associated with Berserkers – their rejection by the community. This was in response not simply to their violence, which might be lauded in certain contexts, but to the way it was directed indiscriminately at both friend and foe. The Vikings held dear to the heroic ethic which demanded honor, loyalty, and fidelity to one's friends. Crossing this line was a huge cultural sin. Even if a Berserker wasn't guilty of such an act, the fact that they entered a state in which they very well might do so basically marked them out as social outcasts. Added to this are additional traits which made them generally unpleasant to be around. Many sources describe Berserkers as hideously ugly, with the figures of trolls and the manners of boars. They might be tolerated within a king's retinue or army due to their military utility, but were always kept at arm's length. Most of the time, Berserkers were out roaming the wilds or terrorizing communities. In fact, though they often get glorified today, they were actually the villains of many sagas against whom the heroes fought. So, to recap, the three main qualities of most Berserkers are their association with animals, their enraged state, and their rejection by the community. Beyond these, one can find all sorts of variant Berserker qualities when diving into our sources. So how do we package all this into a simple unit of history for discussion in our video? The real answer is that we can't. But if we take some historical liberties and force ourselves to do so, then we can perhaps present Berserkers in two forms on the battlefield. As the individual duelist, or as the member of a noble's retinue. When it comes to the equipment of a Berserker, it's once again hard to pin things down with any uniformity. However, we can at least present a general idea based on the broad strokes from our sources and the translation of Berserker as meaning bear of shirt. For defense, this meant going into battle with basically no clothes and no armor. Instead, they donned the skins of animals such as wolves or bears. This must have been an extremely intimidating sight. It was a clear sign of the warrior's supreme confidence in their abilities and disregard for their own safety. Perhaps, as some Germanic warriors were known to do, they may have even dyed or tattooed their bodies. Yet, they would not be completely without protection. A Berserker would have also sported a shield. These were typically 90cm wide circular discs made of wood planks with a central metal boss handgrip and a rimmed rawhide edge held in place by nails. Additional metal bands could also be installed perpendicular to the wood to improve a shield's structural integrity. The front might be covered in rawhide with additional patterning painted over the top. For offense, Berserkers carried the usual mix of viking weapons. The most basic would be a 2-3m spear. Some had long pointed heads for stabbing while others had broad sweeping heads for slashing in the manner of a polearm. Both might sport metal wings which flared out to either side to help parry attacks or disarm an enemy. Another simple weapon would be the axe. These were one or two-handed weapons with a single edge. Popular variants included the short bearded axe which could be used to execute a flurry of quick blows or tear down an opponent's shield. Another version was the long swept blade Dane axe which could deliver incredibly powerful blows. Yet while viking axes could take many forms, this did not include the double-sided or dual-wielded variants commonly depicted in modern media. The last type of primary weapon wielded by Berserkers was the sword. This would probably be their favored weapon as swords were harder to produce and thus highly valued as a symbol. A berserker might have been granted one in exchange for service, won one from a duel or purchased one using the spoils from their victories. Most swords were one-handed, double-edged weapons. Blades were usually about 70cm long pieces of pattern-welded iron with channels down the center containing inlays. These could be quite beautiful but the true craftsmanship was built into the decorated hilt and pommel. Additional backup weapons might include smaller axes, single-edged swords or daggers. This is the standard depiction of the berserker. However, I don't think that it's out of the question to imagine some of these troops bearing the heavy gear of their elite peers, especially if they were integrated into a ruler's retinue in battle. After all, the term berserker is sometimes translated as bear-shirt rather than bear-obshirt, which gives some wiggle room in terms of their depiction. Thus, one could speculate that a berserker might be seen sporting a male vest or even some form of lamellar armor and a common spangenhelm or spectacled Yermenbu helmet. To maintain their visual animal tires, perhaps skins might be worn over the top of this gear or integrated into their shield design. However, I won't go much further than this as we have already traveled far enough down the road of conjecture when it comes to equipment. We can now discuss the training and tactics of a berserker. The first place to start is to ask how did one even become a berserker? Our sources are not very helpful in this regard, with most attributing it to some supernatural source or overlooking an explanation altogether. However, some scholars have linked the berserkers to members of the cult of Odin and to the wider practice of Germanic warrior societies. New members wishing to join would likely have been put through ritual practices and initiation rites. Details are sparse, but some sagas mention that this involved defeating a fearsome adversary. Grete's saga tells of a warrior descending into a bear den and emerging with its paw as a token of victory, while archaeology reveals artwork depicting men grappling with one or more bear-like creatures. Sometimes, however, the initiation rite was more symbolic, as in Harolf's saga, where a protégé merely attacks a hung dragonskin before witnesses as a means to join their ranks. Other rites may have resembled the gothic dance practiced by the Varangian Guard, where figures leapt about with animal costumes, weapons, and ornaments. Now, assuming that one had become a berserker, how did they train? Unfortunately, we know little about this either. Generally speaking, though, elite Scandinavian troops performed activities to build their strength, stamina, and dexterity. This might involve carrying logs, throwing stones, running, swimming, and shoving one another with shields. Basic unit drills would practice the defensive shield wall or offensive wedge, but the greatest source of training was actual combat, either through duels or through battle. Berserkers would have racked up a lot of experience as a consequence of their supposed bloodlust. For instance, if they served in a Jarl's retinue, then they would have been placed in the front lines any time the men deployed for war. Otherwise, the sagas tell us that they sometimes made a living challenging people to legal duels, known as Holmgang, and grew quite skilled as a result. Another important part of training to be a berserker would be to learn how to go berserk. Some sources claimed this just happened spontaneously, but we have a lot of other examples and theories of how the state might be triggered. For instance, one could drink animals' blood in an attempt to gain their power. The guest of Denorum quotes the following advice. Straight away, bring your throats to its steaming blood and devour the feast of its body with ravenous jaws. Their new force will enter your frame, and unlooked-for vigor will come into your muscles. Accumulation of solid strength soak through every sinew. Others have pointed to the idea that intoxicants were used. This might simply involve alcohol, or it could involve the use of more potent hallucinogenic substances such as the Amanita muscaria mushroom. Yet more theories point towards exhaustion rituals, religious ecstasy, and even PTSD. In the end, we can't know for sure. So how would these new, rage-ready berserkers be used in battle? Again, it's hard to say as we have very few details on Viking warfare overall. Generally speaking though, battle would begin with an opening stage of posturing as both sides took up each other's measure. In Germanic culture, this has traditionally involved the banging of weapons on shields and group chants. One can imagine that berserkers may have played a part in this psychological part of battle by psyching themselves up before the enemy in a display that would evoke a fear already planted within the hearts of warriors by their sagas. The next part of battle would involve an exchange of missiles from a distance, with everything from stones to javelins and arrows. In this aspect, one can't imagine the berserkers faring too well up in the thick of things. But then again, perhaps wading out into the rain of projectiles was just a further way for them to show their bravery and ferocity. In any case, if up until this point neither army had withdrawn, then the forces would approach for a clash of arms. This is the moment that the berserkers lived for. They likely would have been positioned near the front of the army and been stationed close to or within the leader's retinue of herdmen and more professional troops. These would be the ones meant to take the brunt of the fighting and dish out the most damage. Berserkers probably would have served as shock troops who helped break the enemy line through either physical force or terror. If their blood rage is to be believed, then once past the shield wall, they would have carved a bloody swathe through the retreating foe. At least that's a tentative model of how Viking berserkers were used tactically in battle. Let's now cover their service history to provide some more concrete examples. A complete narrative is not possible to analyze, but at least we can string together a few key moments to paint a general picture. For instance, one of the earliest records of berserkers in battle is recounted in Hrolf Kraki's saga. Here we learn about the story of the semi-legendary Danish king, who was supposed to have ruled around the 6th century AD. He had succeeded to the throne following the death of his father at the hands of the Swedish king, against whom he pledged vengeance. To that end, Hrolf assembled a team of twelve great berserkers and led them on an expedition to exact retribution. The story tells of an epic battle in the Swedish king's great hall, involving pit traps, fires and hidden warriors. Ultimately, the Danish squad proved victorious, but could not prevent their target from fleeing. Several years later, Hrolf and his champions were beset by another challenge. The king's half-sister and her husband had plotted against him. The two raised an army in secret, bringing them to a mid-winter celebration, in Lyra, in apparent peace, but with wagons filled with hidden weapons. A confused fight soon broke out and threatened to destroy the surprised Danes. The famous poem, Bjarkamo, tells of how a sleeping berserker by the name of Bjarki had sent out his spirit in the form of a monstrous bear to aid in the conflict. This he had apparently done many times before, and is described as follows. Men saw that a great bear went before King Hrolf's men, keeping always near the king. He slew more men with his four paws than any of the king's champions. Blades and weapons glanced off him, and he brought down both men and horses in King Hjorvard's forces. And everything which came in he crushed to death with his teeth, so that panic and terror swept through King Hjorvard's army. Unfortunately, however, Hrolf's sleeping berserkers were roused to aid in the battle, which broke Bjarki's trance. This well-intended action ultimately doomed the army and all the berserkers who were slain after a long, brutal fight. Another famous example of berserkers in battle can be found within the king's sagas about Harald Fairhair. These trace his struggles in the late 9th century AD to unify and rule Norway for the first time in history. It seems part of his ambitious plans involved using berserkers as shock troops. One of the old Norse poems speaks of them in the following passage. I'll ask of the berserks you taste as a blood. Those intrepid heroes, how are they treated? Those who wade out into battle. Wolf-skinned they are called. In battle they bear bloody shields. Red with blood are their spears when they come to fight. They form a closed group. The prince in his wisdom puts trust in such men who hack through enemy shields. They developed quite the reputation and feature prominently in the climax of Harald's campaign at the famed naval engagement of Hafsfjord. Snorri Sturluson paints a vivid picture. A great battle began, which was both hard and long, but at last King Harald gained the day. There King Erik fell, and King Sulc, and his brother Earl Søte. Thor Haklang, who was a great berserk, had laid his ship against King Harald's, and there was above all measure a desperate attack. Until Thor Haklang fell, and his whole ship was cleared of men. Then King Kjotve fled to a little isle outside, on which there was a good place of strength. Thereafter all his men fled, some to their ships, some up to the land, and the latter ran southwards over the country of Jadar. Elsewhere we find more references to berserkers in battle, but they remain quite vague with passages such as this one. The berserkers roared, the battle was in full swing, the wolfskins howled and shook the irons. These are small tantalizing tastes of a larger story we are alas not privy to. Eventually, as the Viking Age progressed, it seems that the berserker fell into decline. This was in part due to the disruptive nature of their existence, which posed a threat to the increasingly unified and Christianized land of Scandinavia. For example, in 1015 King Erik of Norway outlawed berserkers and jewels, while in later 12th century Iceland we see laws which stated, if someone goes berserk he is punished with lesser outlawry, and the men who are present are also banished if they do not bind him. Thus, the pagan religion and the practice of berserker gang slowly faded from history, though not from memory. We hope you've appreciated this deep dive into the history of the Viking berserker. A huge thanks is owed to our supporters on Patreon and the many talented researchers, writers and artists who made this video possible. Please consider contributing to fund future content and let us know what units of history you want to see covered next. Thanks for watching!