Relationship Between Viking And Fairhair

The impact of the new wealth brought by Viking raids and payoffs such as the Danegeld had noticeable effects on the gap of authority between Scandinavian kings and their petty chieftain counterparts. The conflict between these parties played out across the Scandinavian world, however, two apparent examples are the rise of the Gorm and Fairhair dynasties. Wealth from raids and tribute across the targets in Britain and Frankia, and funneled back to the treasuries of Scandinavian kings which elevated their abilities and strength well beyond the power of petty chiefs. These dynasties subjugated regional chieftains who resisted their collection of power and authority. However, the well-funded and seasoned armies of kings such as the Harald Fairhair
The expansion of centralized power and the authority of kings in Scandinavian did occur without resistance, however. The once unrestricted and disorderly world of Scandinavian petty chiefs and chiefdoms found itself increasingly bound by the restrictions of kingly authority. According to the tales of Norse sagas, the jarls and rulers to whom raids brought new wealth and subsequent power flexed their muscles and confined the freedoms of the chiefs under their control. The Íslendingabok provided proof of this changing political environment. In the saga, Ketill Björnsson the Flatnose fled Norway to escape the tyranny of the Norwegian King, Harald Fairhair, authority, and power. With the freedoms of regional rulers stifled by kings like Harald Fairhair, Cnut, and Harald Hardrada, petty chieftains left their homes in an effort to gain the independence they once held in the early and pre-Viking periods. Although the exodus of chieftains and powerful warriors who strained under the authority of their lords resulted in the formation of settlements in across the islands of the North Sea as well as Iceland and Greenland, the centralization of Scandinavian political systems did not stop. Kings continued to centralize their authority and expand their military strength past the end of the Viking
Ragnar’s saga depicted his character as a seasoned warrior who adventured throughout the British Isles and France until he was captured and killed by King Ælla of Northumbria. However, scholars remain in disagreement over the existence of Lodbrok. Although the character of Lodbrok may be entirely mythical, the raids and ferocity associated with him were reflected in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles. The presence of heavy raiding and the involvement of kings in combat against Danish “pirates” does reflect the increasingly problematic presence of Scandinavian warrior bands across the British