Children of Ash and Elm audiobook cover - A History of the Vikings

Children of Ash and Elm

A History of the Vikings

Neil Price

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Children of Ash and Elm
New Perspectives+
Historical Roots & Geography+
Family, Gender & Society+
Law & Governance+
Mythology & Worldview+
State Consolidation & Christianity+
Transition to Medieval Period+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What is a central theme about the Vikings presented in the text, challenging popular historical stereotypes?
  • A. They were completely isolated from the rest of Europe and relied solely on internal resources.
  • B. Their legacy is defined almost exclusively by their military conquests and violent raids.
  • C. They were multifaceted contributors to medieval Europe through trade, poetry, and extensive cultural exchange.
  • D. They rejected maritime navigation in favor of establishing massive, land-based empires.
Question 2 of 7
How did the environmental crisis of the mid-sixth century, known as the 'dust veil,' impact Viking culture?
  • A. It forced the complete abandonment of the Scandinavian peninsula for several centuries.
  • B. It is believed to have heavily influenced their mythology, inspiring tales of a great winter and the end of the world.
  • C. It led to the immediate and peaceful unification of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark to share scarce resources.
  • D. It caused a permanent shift in their economy from maritime navigation to strictly land-based agriculture.
Question 3 of 7
Which of the following best describes the role of marriage and relationships in Viking society?
  • A. Marriages were strictly romantic unions with little to no political or economic implications.
  • B. Women had absolutely no agency in marriages and were legally forbidden from initiating divorce.
  • C. Marriages were strategic alliances designed to bolster familial networks and establish political connections.
  • D. Polygyny was strictly forbidden because it threatened the stability and inheritance of the nuclear family.
Question 4 of 7
What was the primary function of the Viking assembly known as the þing?
  • A. It served as an early form of participatory democracy combining legal resolution, trade, and social bonding.
  • B. It was exclusively a military council used by chieftains to plan raids on neighboring European territories.
  • C. It was a religious ceremony dedicated solely to human sacrifice in order to appease the Norse gods.
  • D. It was a closed administrative meeting reserved only for kings and the highest-ranking nobility.
Question 5 of 7
According to Viking cosmology, what does the concept of Ragnarök signify?
  • A. The eternal paradise where fallen warriors go after dying peacefully in their sleep.
  • B. An inevitable apocalypse where the gods fall, followed by the world's rebirth from the ashes.
  • C. The primordial void from which the elements of fire and ice first emerged to create the universe.
  • D. The sacred World Tree that connects the different realms of humans, gods, and giants.
Question 6 of 7
Why did Scandinavian elites primarily adopt Christianity during the Viking Age?
  • A. They were forced to convert after being militarily defeated and occupied by the Frankish empire.
  • B. They sought a new mythology to replace the traditional tales of Ragnarök that had been lost to time.
  • C. It provided a strategic framework to legitimize their rule, centralize power, and establish stable hereditary systems.
  • D. It allowed them to completely separate the church's influence from the political and administrative arenas.
Question 7 of 7
How does the text characterize the end of the Viking Age?
  • A. As a sudden societal collapse caused by a unified European military campaign against Scandinavia.
  • B. As a distinct, overnight shift directly triggered by the Norman conquest of England.
  • C. As a seamless transition and gradual continuum of social transformation into the evolving medieval landscapes.
  • D. As a period of rapid decentralization where large kingdoms fractured back into small, isolated regional tribes.

Children of Ash and Elm — Full Chapter Overview

Children of Ash and Elm Summary & Overview

Children of Ash and Elm (2020) provides a sweeping and nuanced exploration of the Viking Age, spanning the years 750 to 1050. Rather than relying on the distorted narratives shaped by historical biases, it delves deeply into the Vikings' culture, politics, and cosmology, offering a more authentic portrayal of their world. It highlights the Vikings’ profound impact as traders, raiders, explorers, and colonists, tracing their influence across an astonishingly vast region – from the eastern shores of North America to the Asian steppe. 

Who Should Listen to Children of Ash and Elm?

  • History enthusiasts fascinated by Viking culture and expansion
  • Readers interested in authentic, archaeologically-backed historical narratives
  • Scholars exploring pre-Christian religions and ancient cosmologies

About the Author: Neil Price

Neil Price is an English archaeologist who specializes in Viking Scandinavia and the archaeology of shamanism. He is a professor in the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History at Uppsala University in Sweden. Price has authored several significant works, including The Viking Way, a critically acclaimed study of the Viking world and pre-Christian religion. He was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017.

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