Between 800 and 1200, the Normans were a formative power in mediaeval Europe and around the Mediterranean. Scandinavian traders, warriors, and settlers, generally termed Vikings, developed into the Normans and in Eastern Europe the Rus’. Both groups adopted the names given to them by others and were masters of integration. In Eastern Europe and in Normandy, they set up mighty principalities. From Normandy, they reached out into new territories. Normans conquered England, fought in the Iberian Peninsula, established the kingdom of Sicily, the principality of Antioch, and for a short period even controlled parts of the North African coast. In their ventures, the Normans encountered different societies, cultures, and traditions. With great skill, they adapted and adjusted to a wide range of different situations. Even though they retained their description as Normans for a while, they changed all the time, never forming a homogenous group. Maybe their greatest success has been their constant new connection with other societies. In that way, they ensured the future of their families and groups. Norman history thus forms an integral part of European history and culture.
Gotland, c. 750–10th c.
Limestone, Bas-relief with fine incisions
Stockholm, National Historical Museums, Swedish History Museum, Inv. SHM 11521
Picture stones like this one were popular monuments in the early history of Scandinavia. The Smiss stone shows in the upper part a combat between two men armed with round shields and swords. The lower section depicts a ship with five people carrying shields and helmets. Representations of this kind on picture stones are often associated with ideas of the netherworld. At the same time both images represent the mobility and the warrior culture of Viking age Scandinavia.