Slavery In The Viking Age: An Interview with Historian Ben Raffield

The Northern Fire History Podcast

This week, we discuss one of the more unsavoury aspects of the Viking age, slavery. Whilst most cultures in the early middle ages had class systems which contained some forms of servitude, the Vikings took it to the next level and to some extent, their entire culture was built on slavery. From slave raids in surrounding kingdoms, slaves manning the oars on their ships and their general thrall system, it is one of the aspects least discussed within the community.

We were lucky enough to speak with Ben Raffield, an associate professor and researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden who has been conducting some research on this sensitive topic.