The Northern Routes to Kingship

Know about the book -

The Northern Routes to Kingship is written by Dagfinn Skre and published by Routledge. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 1138831379 (ISBN 10) and 9781138831377 (ISBN 13).

This book argues that tribal Scandinavia was set on the route to kingship by the arrival in the AD 180s-90s of warrior groups that were dismissed from the Roman army after defeating the Marcomanni by the Danube. Familiar with Roman institutions and practices, these well-equipped, and battle-seasoned warriors seized land and established lordly centres. To acquire wealth to reward retainers and bestow on partners, lords initiated production of commodities for trade with peers and Continental associates, Romans included. In these transcultural circumstances, lords and their retainers nurtured artisanal production of exquisite quality and developed a heroic ethos and refined hall etiquette. In the volatile politics of lordly cooperation and competition, warfare surged. In the 400s, the Western Roman Empire crumbled, and merged tribes like the Alemanni, Franks, and Goths established kingdoms in former Roman territories. The newly-formed Danir tribe migrated from the northern Continent to conquer southern Scandinavia. These events inspired lords and tribal leaders across Scandinavia to form kingdoms, emulating what they for centuries had considered the superior polity, the Roman Empire. The book's fresh take on disputed research topics may inspire scholars, students, and interested readers to delve further into this pivotal period of European history.