Environmental Influences
“When at the summit of his power, (Cnut) ordered a seat to be placed for him on the sea-shore when the tide was coming in; thus seated, he shouted to the flowing sea, “Thou, too, art subject to my command, as the land on which I am seared is mine, and no one has ever resisted my commands with impunity. I command you, then, not to flow over my land, nor presume to wet the feet and robe of your lord.” The tide, however, continuing to rise as usual, dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person. “Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws” (Aberth, 2012, p. 24).
This quote was attributed to one of the most powerful Viking kings to have ever lived, and while its historical accuracy may be subject to investigation, its message is clear and timeless. There is nothing in human existence withholding the passage of time that is so constant and powerful as the environment. From raging sea to quiet meadow, the shape of the world has shaped humanity.With that in mind, allow me to introduce the Environmental Influences of the Scandinavian Mercenary.
This section of the digital thesis is one of my favorites because it is unique. In the study of Medieval History, the environment often takes a back seat, and the discipline has suffered because of this disconnect. Despite this lack of attention, however, it is impossible to separate the human story from the environmental one. The two entities are forever in a dance of give and take, influence and change, in which the actions of one more often than not, shape the future of the other. The step of this ancient harmonious dance is no different in the Viking Age. The sudden expansion of Scandinavian peoples from their northern homeland around 800 to 1100 AD is the synthesized result of cultural, economic, and of course, environmental pressure. This interactive Storymap aims to take the reader on a journey through the Scandinavian environment, exploring everything from the mountainous ice glaciers to the various flora and fauna that make up the landscape. Unlike the other Storymaps, this one will be principally based on secondary research carried out by a variety of academic professionals. In conclusion, the primary goal of this map then is to synthesize what information geographers, ecologists, and global environmental historians have been able to gather to take the reader on a journey that showcases how things like sun coverage, soil quality, and water composition affected Scandinavian mercenaries.
For those who have slower setups or may be accessing the maps via WiFi I recommend slow scrolling. These story maps have quite a lot of media and data attached to them and if one scrolls too fast there is a chance that the page will not load or display properly.