Viking Age War Fleets

The military operations of Scandinavian societies in the Viking Age depended on their ships. Different types of ships were used in order to transport troops and war supplies. Some ships were designed to conduct the speedy transport of large numbers of troops, while others were specialised cargo vessels used in military operations as carriers of supplies and sometimes troops as well. This book examines the building and use of ships for warfare in 11th century Denmark. The subjects are addressed through detailed analyses of aspects such as resources, organisational structures and naval warfare. The outcomes are a more informed understanding of 11th century Scandinavian military organisation, shipbuilding and resource management.

Morten Ravn is a curator at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde. He has a Ph.D. in archaeology from the University of Copenhagen and has lectured on ship and experimental archaeology, as well as Scandinavian Viking Age in general, at the University of Copenhagen. His career has involved large-scale digital recording of archaeological ship timbers, maritime heritage and research on Viking Age shipbuilding, seafaring, and naval warfare.