Gone Medieval (History Hit)

Episode: What Caused the Viking Age?

Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Dr. Eleanor Janega
Guests: Dr. Terry Barnes, CJ Adrian (historians; hosts of the Vikingology podcast)

Episode Overview

This episode of Gone Medieval dives deep into the puzzle of what caused the Viking Age: What motivated the people we call “Vikings” to set forth from Scandinavia and become some of the most famous navigators, raiders, and settlers in history? Host Dr. Eleanor Janega is joined by historians Terry Barnes and CJ Adrian to unravel this classic conundrum. Together, they examine the complexities surrounding the "start" of the Viking Age, scrutinize popular theories such as technological innovation, climate change, social factors, economic motivations, and political transformations, and discuss how these forces entwined to spark centuries of expansion and adventure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. When Did the Viking Age Begin?

(04:38–11:06)

• There isn’t a single, universally agreed upon date for the start of the Viking Age.
• English Perspective: Traditionally, it starts with the raid on Lindisfarne in 793, but this is seen as "very Anglo-centric."
  • CJ Adrian: “A couple of English historians got together and said, well, when did the violence in the west start? 793 in the Anglo Saxon Chronicle. But... in 789 the Vikings appeared at the port of Portland and killed the king's reeve. So it wasn’t actually the first.” (06:23)
• French/Continental Perspective: Early raids such as that on the monastery at Noirmoutier in 799 are cited.
• The term “Viking Age” itself is a modern construct and somewhat nebulous.
  • CJ Adrian: “That term in and of itself is problematic. It's just another label that we modern people are putting on something that's a little bit more nebulous.” (06:56)
• Technological innovation (keel, sail) is a more meaningful marker for the beginning.

2. Ship Technology as a Catalyst

(07:33–09:14); (14:30–15:49)

• Introduction of the keel and large sails revolutionized mobility and reach.
• Ships became larger and more structurally complex, allowing longer and more daring voyages.
  • Dr. Janega: “They certainly don't have the kind of ships that can, for example, float in really shallow bodies of water. Right. And that is one of the things that is incredibly important.” (14:30)
• However, possessing advanced ships alone doesn’t “cause” raiding; it facilitates it.

3. Is Technology Cause or Enabler?

(09:14–10:36); (15:49–15:58)

• Shipbuilding improved the options available, but doesn’t explain the why.
• Dr. Janega: “It facilitates it, but it doesn't cause it.” (09:14)
• The shift from travel and trade to aggression requires further social and economic context.

4. Pre-Viking Raiding – A Deep Historical Context

(16:58–18:12)

• Raiding and piracy were not new; similar activities by Northern Europeans predate the “Vikings.”
• The label "Viking" is activity-based; not all Scandinavians were “Vikings,” and others had been raiding before.
  • Dr. Janega: “Stealing... via boat is like human activity that's been going on forever. And the Scandinavians don’t live on a separate planet...” (16:58)

5. Climate Change as a Factor

(20:14–24:20)

• The theory that the Medieval Warm Period spurred Viking expansion is contested and likely overstated.
  • Dr. Janega (citing James Barrett): “Climate is an old chestnut of limited relevance.” (21:01)
• The timing of climatic shifts doesn’t perfectly align, and scant evidence connects climate changes to the initial burst of raiding.
  • CJ Adrian: “...They found this really interesting dip in the average height during the Viking Age. ...But does that mean climate hypothesis has any teeth? ...with the evidence we have, we can't really say, oh, it was climate.” (25:39)

6. Social & Cultural Motivations

(27:39–32:05)

• Reputation, social capital, and glory played roles: fame was crucial in warrior society and motivated aggressive actions abroad.
  • CJ Adrian: “My titular character, Hasting, is all about ... reputation is everything. ... But to get reputation, you can't just sit idly in Scandinavia. You have to go do things.” (28:27)
• Material gains – "bling" and loot – are historically evidenced in grave goods and cultural narratives.

7. Demographics, Bride Price, and Polygyny

(32:16–37:14)

• The “bride price” hypothesis: A surplus of young men, exacerbated by polygynous elites, spurred raiding to obtain wealth/marry.
  • Dr. Janega: “Maybe a little bulge of young men in population demographics ... need to compete in the marriage market ... so they get in boats and go out and steal things.” (32:44)
• Genetic and archaeological evidence shows movement and mixing, not static populations.

8. Political Upheaval and State Formation

(42:37–54:07)

• Political centralization, nascent kingship, and chieftains seeking resources and prestige contributed to instability.
  • Dr. Janega: “Of all the things that we've talked about, I would say that's probably one of the biggest ones that you could say. Yes.” (43:22)
• External pressures: Frankish/Carolingian expansion, e.g., Charlemagne’s wars and mass killings, had ripple effects in Scandinavia.
  • CJ Adrian: “Charlemagne ... took ... prisoners and drowned them in the river ... He was sending a message to the Saxons and anybody else who dared to challenge him.” (46:39)
• Push factors (overpopulation, excluded elites) and pull factors (political and economic opportunity) worked in tandem.
• Harald Fairhair’s unification of Norway (late 9th century) drove displaced chieftains to leave and seek fortunes abroad—particularly towards Iceland, but this is a later development, not the initial spark.

9. Trade Networks, Silver, and Economic Causes

(54:07–67:07)

• Scandinavia had robust trade networks pre-raiding; Vikings were not venturing into the unknown.
• Silver—primarily imported from the Islamic world—was critical for social transactions (e.g., bride price).
  • CJ Adrian: “There was so much silver coming into Scandinavia, they didn't know what to do with it ... if the silver economy is what's holding family units and the social order together, that's a problem.” (59:13)
• Overabundance or fluctuations in silver may have destabilized the traditional social order and incentivized expansion.
• The search for salt (for preserving herring) may have motivated repeated raids on certain regions, including Noirmoutier.

10. Popular Misconceptions & Modern Narratives

(67:53–70:11)

• Modern perceptions are often shaped by gaps in the historical record and anachronistic ideas.
  • Dr. Janega: “People just love to pour themselves right in, you know, and just, you know, manipulate that stuff and make the Vikings who they want them to be.” (68:26)
• The idea of “Vikings” has shifted and been repurposed throughout history—from 19th-century nationalism to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
  • Dr. Janega: “The Vikings don't change—who looks at them and what they see does.” (70:11)

11. Why Did the Viking Age End?

(70:15–74:31)

• Christianization and the formation of strong, centralized monarchies in Scandinavia are the main reasons.
  • Dr. Janega: “I say Christianization, and I'd also say state building. I'd say monarchies in Scandinavia.” (70:40)
• Fortification, changing economics, and shifting European political landscape reduced opportunities for raiding.
  • CJ Adrian: “...the Christianization of Scandinavia, the fortification of Western Europe... consolidation of power...” (71:02)
• Such “ages” fade gradually—no one “woke up and declared” the Viking Age over.
  • Dr. Janega: “As much as we like, as historians, to have neat categories ... fundamentally, things—no one wakes up and says, hey, guys, I think the Viking age is over.” (73:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• CJ Adrian on periodization:
  “The paleontologist Jack Horner said scientists like to name things, and I like to say historians like to delineate things.” (14:18)

• Dr. Janega on monocausality:
  “Obviously we can't chase monocausality either. So it's like, yeah, sure, climate change probably did, you know, have an effect ... but it's always going to be, you know, sort of part of a network of ... complex factors all sort of coming together, I think, at a certain point in time.” (23:04)

• CJ Adrian on the patchwork of causes:
  “...when you zoom in just a little bit, you start to see that it's really just this patchwork of all these different people doing all these different things all at once...” (67:07)

• Dr. Janega on popular perceptions:
  “The Vikings don't change, who looks at them and what they see does.” (70:11)

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:38 | Beginning of the Viking Age – Dating and Periodization | | 07:33 | Technological innovations (keel, sail) and their impact | | 16:58 | Pre-Viking and early medieval raiding traditions | | 20:14 | Climate change and environmental factors discussed/debated | | 27:39 | Social and cultural drivers – glory, reputation, prestige | | 32:16 | Bride price, polygyny, and demographic explanations | | 42:37 | Political upheaval, state formation, kingship | | 54:07 | Pre-raiding trade, commerce, and silver economy | | 59:13 | Deep dive into silver, salt, and fluctuating economic needs | | 67:53 | Modern misconceptions and popular images of Vikings | | 70:15 | The end of the Viking Age – Christianization, monarchy, aftermath |

Conclusion

Gone Medieval’s exploration of “What Caused the Viking Age?” reveals that there is no single answer—no isolated trigger—but rather a complex intersection of technological innovation, social transformation, political ambition, changing trade and economic circumstances, and shifting climates (plus a healthy dose of the unpredictable chaos of history). Throughout, the hosts demystify simplistic or nationalistic narratives, underline the challenges posed by sparse evidence, and celebrate the enduring fascination (and occasional confusion) that “the Vikings” inspire today.

End Note:
If you enjoyed the episode, check out the Vikingology podcast for more on Norse history and culture.