Jack, Viking History and a Day Out in Largs

Scotland and Norway today have a strong, amicable relationship, no doubt owing to their proximity to each other and the similarities in their national interests. So much so that Scottish politicians have been advocating for Scotland to join the Nordic Council alongside the Scandinavian nations. However, this friendly relationship is a modern and relatively recent one, as Scotland and Norway have historically been fierce rivals and at times bitter enemies. Tensions have simmered now but the effect and influence from this history can still be felt across all of Scotland and one where it is felt most strongly is Largs in Ayrshire.

Largs holds a very important place within Scotland’s history and formation. It marked the last mainland battle between Norway and Scotland in 1263 and represented the end of the Norwegian crown’s expansionist ambitions within Scotland. Before 1263, Norway and Norwegian vassal kingdoms had controlled the Western Isles and coast of Scotland in what is now known as the Kingdom of the Isles. This comprised practically all the islands from the Isle of Man up to the Outer Hebrides and allowed the Vikings who established the kingdom and the later kingdom itself to project its influence throughout the region.

At this time, the Northern regions of Scotland, namely Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney and Shetland had also been under Viking and Norwegian control for many hundreds of years as the Earldom of Orkney. As a result of these encroaching kingdoms, Scotland, or at this time the Kingdom of Alba, was desperate to carve out a space for itself. Under the newly crowned Alexander III, the Scots set out to do just that as the Norwegian King Haakon Haakon was planning a campaign to solidify his power in the Western Isles. Meeting the Norwegian fleet at Largs in 1263, Alexander stalled for time until Scotland’s infamous tumultuous weather scattered King Haakon’s fleet, allowing the Scots to drive them away. Consequently, King Haakon fell ill and retreated back to Orkney, where he eventually died of his illness.

King Alexander later negotiated the Treaty of Perth with King Haakon’s son, giving Scotland back control of the Isle of Man and the Western Isles, among other things. As a direct result of the Battle of Largs, the newly emerging Kingdom of Scotland was able to secure its borders and ensure future tranquillity with the Kingdom of Norway, further assert its authority and power, gain the support and strength of the people living in the Isle of Man and the Western Isles, and commit its attentions and resources elsewhere. If the Battle of Largs had been decisively lost by Scotland, Alexander III’s kingdom likely would have been quickly overrun or weakened to a critical point, unable to recover from.

The town of Largs is very aware of this Viking and Norse history and has chosen to celebrate it. Every year since 1980, at the beginning of September, the Largs Viking Festival is organised by a Board of Directors made up of ten local volunteers. The festival generally has the support of several sponsors as well who help to make the festival possible. While there are general, standard attractions like theme and amusement park rides, live music and entertainment and a local marketplace for people to buy goods and trinkets, the main attraction is definitely the living Scots and Viking Village. The village itself is jam packed with activities and opportunities to engage more with the history of Largs itself and the wider scope of both Scottish and Viking/Norse history.

Historical reenactors, each specialising in a particular area of said history, are stationed throughout the village, enthusiastic to engage in discussions about the history or answer any questions one might have. There were amateur blacksmiths forging the tools a Viking would use on his farm, apothecaries dispensing knowledge in herbology, seamstresses and weavesses plying their trade in lambswool, and many more. While I was only there for the first day of the festival, one can see from their website that the festival offers several different spectacles and activities. At one tent, children were having their faces painted like either a fierce Pictish warrior or a marauding Viking, after which they happily ran off to smack something with their wooden swords.

At another, Viking reenactors were showing how to shape and mould clay to form Mjölnir, Thor’s Hammer, giving a crash course on Norse mythology and Viking religious belief as well. I spoke with many of the reenactors on what was their favourite thing that the festival does and most of them said either one of two things: The Viking skirmish or the burning of the longship. According to them, the festival’s skirmish is when several serious reenactors, fully armoured and fully trained, engage in a mock battle, hoping to faithfully depict what a small scale skirmish between Viking and Scot warriors would have looked like, which sounds like a wild time. The burning of the longship is probably the overall favourite, of both the reenactors and the festival goers. Saved for last, it involves a replica Viking longship being burnt on the shore before it is sent out into the harbour at nightfall. I was unable to see this as well but I imagine that the sight of the burning Viking longship sailing out on its last voyage into the night is quite something.

Much of the Scots and Viking Village is geared towards the material, tangible history of the Vikings and Scots and that is where the benefit lies in something like the living history village. The visual image that comes from seeing how the Vikings and Scots would have lived their lives is invaluable in teaching people history and this goes doubly so if they are able to physically interact with it. The physical presence of textiles, the dress that reenactors wear, the smell of burning herbs and coals, the sounds of a blacksmith’s hammer ringing out against the anvil all allow one to feel more intimately connected to history than simply reading about it would do. The village is certainly focused upon the material and tangible, both in terms of the activities prepared and the consumerist basis but there are still parts of the village that give a more in-depth view of the history, both of the Battle of Largs and Norse occupation.

In one hut, reenactors representing the festival’s patron, Madame Pauline Hunter of Hunterston Clan Chief of Clan Hunter, were ready to enthusiastically talk about the Viking history and the lasting influences of it during the rise of Scotland as a medieval kingdom. Their focus was more on promoting historical awareness and directing festival goers to the resources that would allow them to learn more to better understand the timeline and events that had allowed for Scotland to become the nation that it is today. Additionally, it is important to note that the festival also works closely with the Vikingar, a storytelling exhibit that is part of the yearly Håkon Håkonsson Lecture.

Every year thousands of people witness and participate in Up Helly Aa, the fire festival celebrated in Shetland’s capital, Lerwick. Held on the last Tuesday of January and lasting 24 hours, it is a bit of Shetland history not to be missed. On the same day there are also smaller versions of the festival celebrated across Shetland.

In the beginning in the late 1800s when the festival started to become more organised, it was rather rowdy and unruly but has calmed down since! Its roots date from more than twelve centuries ago when the return of the sun after the winter solstice would be celebrated with torches and fire and some of the rituals from the festival resemble old Norse cremation ceremonies.

Led by the Guizer Jarl (the Viking Chief) standing on a longship, or ‘galley’, as the Jarl’s squad pulls it along to the burning site, a procession is formed and proceeds through the streets followed by up to a thousand people dressed in all sorts of costumes, all bearing torches.

At the burning site the Jarl leaves the galley and after a bugle call the torches are thrown into it and ‘The Norseman’s Home’ is sung by all at the site.

The evening procession is now streamed live on the Promote Shetland Facebook page, so anyone in the world can join in and watch. There are a few public events you can attend, however, most of the parties are still private. It seems to be a great time to dance, drink and catch up with friends!

For more information, please visit the Shetland.org website.