Hostage taking and exchange in Viking Age Scandinavia The aim of my thesis is to investigate hostage taking and exchange within Old Scandinavian religion and medieval Christianity. In our own times, hostage taking is associated with extortion and terrorism, the purpose being to put pressure on people for political, religious, economic or other gains. In the Viking Age and the Early Middle Ages, the purpose with hostage taking was different: It appears to have been a key theme in peace processes. However, the hostage theme has rarely been touched upon within Old Norse studies. When mentioned, it is seen as an insignificant component in peace treaties or in other contexts. My thesis will contribute to filling in a gap in research.
Stefan Olsson University of Bergen stefan.olsson@ahkr.uib.no Supervisor: Professor H책kan Rydving Ass. Supervisor: Ass. Professor Richard Natvig
Sources The method will be literary analysis with source criticism. I will rely on skaldic and older Eddic poetry, runic inscriptions, archaeological material (excavation reports), iconography and place names. I also use continental records such as Bishop Chronicles.
Research questions 1. What kind of ritual elements can seen in processes of taking and exchange of hostages? In what ways did ritual elements play a role in peace processes? 2. The meeting of Christian and Non-Christian traditions during peace negotiations, and its aftermath: Did Christian traditions have any impact on peace processes and the practice of hostage exchange? Is it possible to speak of aspects of acculturation? 3. Moral issues: How were hostages treated? What were the attitudes to violence or non-violence in hostage situations? How were the hostages treated during captivity?