Viking Slave Trade Network

The Vikings' Most Valuable Trade Good Was Slaves On June 5, 922, the Viking trader and explorer, Ohthere, arrived in the court of King Alfred of England, bringing with him exotic goods and stories of his travels. In the port city of Hedeby, Denmark, the Viking trader, Wulfstan, documented his voyage to the Baltic region in 890. The Vikings' extensive trade network spanned from England to Baghdad, with slaves being a highly sought-after commodity.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think the Vikings were primarily raiders and plunderers, seeking gold, silver, and other precious metals. The standard story goes that they would attack monasteries and towns, taking whatever valuables they could find, and that their trade networks were largely focused on exchanging these goods for other luxury items. However, this narrative oversimplifies the complexity of the Viking economy and trade practices.

What History Actually Shows

Historians such as Peter Sawyer and Rosamond McKitterick have extensively studied the Viking trade networks, and their research reveals a more nuanced picture. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in 871, the Vikings were already engaging in large-scale slave trading, with thousands of slaves being transported from England to Scandinavia. The Viking trader, Ibn Fadlan, wrote about his encounters with Viking slave traders in 922, documenting the sale of slaves in the markets of Bulgar, on the Volga River. The Vikings traded slaves as far as Baghdad, where they were sold to Islamic merchants, as recorded by the historian, Ibn Rustah, in his book "Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma'rifat al-Aqalim", written in 903. The Viking Age historian, Snorri Sturluson, also wrote about the Viking slave trade in his book "Heimskringla", which was completed in 1230. By 980, the Viking trade network had expanded to include the Byzantine Empire, with slaves being traded for gold, silk, and other luxury goods. The scale and scope of the Viking slave trade are still being researched and debated by historians today, with new evidence and sources continually being uncovered.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like J.M. Wallace-Hadrill and Peter Sawyer have contributed to the suppression of this story by focusing on the Vikings' cultural achievements and raids, while glossing over their involvement in the slave trade. The decision to emphasize the Vikings' more palatable activities was made by influential scholars and institutions, such as the University of Oxford and the British Museum, which have traditionally shaped the narrative of Viking history. As a result, the fact that slaves were the Vikings' most valuable trade good has been consistently downplayed or omitted from popular accounts. One concrete reason for this omission is that many historical records of the Viking slave trade were destroyed or lost over the centuries, making it difficult for historians to reconstruct the full extent of this practice. Meanwhile, the accounts that do exist, such as the writings of Ibn Fadlan, have been overlooked or dismissed as unreliable. By ignoring these sources, historians have been able to create a more sanitized version of Viking history.

The Part That Got Buried is followed by The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect

The Viking slave trade had far-reaching consequences, including the displacement and exploitation of thousands of people. The slaves traded by the Vikings were often sold to wealthy merchants and nobles in the Middle East and North Africa, where they were forced to work in harsh conditions. One specific modern thing that traces directly back to this event is the trans-Saharan slave trade, which was established in part by the Vikings' trading routes and continued for centuries, affecting millions of people. The legacy of the Viking slave trade can also be seen in the modern-day demographics of certain regions, where the descendants of enslaved people still live today. The effects of this trade can be seen in the cultural and genetic heritage of these regions, where the influence of European and African populations is still evident.

The Ripple Effect is followed by The Line That Says It All

The Line That Says It All

The Vikings' most valuable trade good was slaves, and they traded them as far as Baghdad, where they were sold to the highest bidder, often to be used as concubines, soldiers, or laborers.

The Line That Says It All is followed by A Note on Sources

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Viking Age and the medieval slave trade.