We believe that perhaps our best source about how Viking-age people used their weapons are the sagas. The stories tell us about their fights, their weapons, and their fighting moves. More importantly, the stories tell us about the people who fought: the Vikings. They tell us about the mindset of these Viking-age people, about the behaviors that were considered honorable and were admired, and about the behaviors that were considered dishonorable and were reviled. They tell us about the lengths to which these fighters would go to succeed in their struggles.

Accordingly, we think it important that the people using the Hurstwic® Viking Combat Training system know about these Viking-age people and their stories: the sagas. When potential students approach us to ask about joining our group, or about using the system in their group, we test them on their knowledge of the sagas and the people of the sagas. We encourage them to read the sagas for themselves.

In Eyrbyggja saga, Steinþór jumped over
an incoming attack while delivering a
counter-attack. We practice this and
other fighting moves from the sagas.

Steinþór Þorláksson

Steinþór was called one of the three best fighters in saga-age Iceland. His disputes are recorded in Eyrbyggja saga, a saga filled with disputes between multiple families and groups that continued for generations.

Gunnar Hámundarson

Gunnar was an imposing fighter, and the saga author says that no man has ever been his equal. He was handsome, fearless, generous and even-tempered. He fought equally well with either hand.

Þórdís Súrsdóttir

Þórdís was the sister of Gísli, the outlaw-hero of Gísla saga. Even before the family left Norway to settle in Iceland, Þórdís was the source of problems and conflict for Gísli.

Auður Vésteinsdóttir

Auður, like many women in the Viking age, was a tower of strength. In many ways, women of the Viking age were even harder than men.

Skarphéðinn Njálsson

Skarphéðinn was the eldest son of Njáll, bold and fearless and always ready with sharp retort or a cutting insult.

Gísli Súrsson

Gísli was an ordinary man placed in the extraordinary situation of having to decide between two bad choices.

Þrándur Ingjaldsson

Þrándur was one of those ordinary Viking-age people who, when circumstances required, showed himself capable of some extraordinary moves with weapons.

Leifur heppni Eiríksson

Leifur is perhaps best known for exploring Vínland, in North America. He built houses there, paving the way for other explorers and settlers who followed later.

Tyrkir

Tyrkir was a family servant who was part of Leifur's voyage of exploration to Vínland. One of the reasons the sagas are valuable is that they tell stories not just about the elite and the heroic, but about ordinary people as well.

Þorbjörn öngull

Þorbjörn öngull (hook) was a bully and a trouble-maker. He was a big, strong man, tough to deal with, and ruthless.
 

Hörður Grímkelsson

Hörður was an outlaw, but unlike the other outlaws in the sagas, he did not lead a solitary, lonely life.

Bolli Þorleiksson

Bolli and Kjartan were raised together as foster-brothers and were inseparable, but circumstances eventually led to Bolli ambushing and killing his beloved foster-brother.

Guðrún Ósvífrsdóttir

Like many women in the Viking age, Guðrún was even harder than the men in her family, unwilling to allow a dishonor to stand unavenged.

Hallgerður Höskuldsdóttir

Even as an child, Hallgerður was marked as evil. Her uncle remarked that she was beautiful, but that she had the eyes of a thief.

Helgi hinn magri

Helgi the lean was one of the first settlers in Iceland. Like many Viking-age people who converted to Christianity, he held strong beliefs in the old religion, too.

Þorbjörg litilvölva

Viking-age people had a mixed view of magic. When people used their magic for good, they were admired. Þorbjörg was such a woman.

Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir

Guðríður sailed to North America with her husband on a voyage of settlement. While there, Guðríður gave birth to a son, Snorri, thought to be the first European born in the new world.

Þorgerður brák

Þorgerður brák was a bondswoman and a servant to the family of Egill Skallagrímsson. She gave her life to protect Egill when he was a young man.

Þórður

Viking-age people enjoyed competitions of all kinds. Grappling was a competitive sport practiced for fun wherever people congregated. At a regional assembly, Þórður grappled with Grettir the Strong.

Ingólfur Þorsteinsson

Fighting men used whatever was available to help them succeed in their fight. Ingólfur cleverly improvised some armor to protect him as he entered a house to attack some thieves.

Þuríður Óláfsdóttir

Þuríður was married to a scoundrel who tried to sneak out of the marriage by sailing away from Iceland without her. She turned the tables on him by taking his prized possession: his sword.

Búi Andríðsson

Fighting men in the Viking age improvised, using whatever tools were available. Búi threw stones to kill his ambushers before they got close enough to use conventional weapons.

Þormóður Kolbrúnarskáld

Society demanded that lost honor be recovered, but wise men knew that there was a proper time to do it. Þormóður was one such man who knew the proper moment to deliver the blow.

Egill Skallagrímsson

Egill was a powerful farmer, chieftain, Viking, brawler, and poet. He was never at a loss for words, and he was skilled with weapons as well. Like his father, he was black-haired and ugly.