Please welcome Gina Conkle to the blog today! I've never read a book about Vikings before and this one is a lot of fun!
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The
Curious Case of Melkorka
The word slave carries dark meaning, doesn’t it? History’s rife with harsh examples of stolen
freedom. Viking marauders were no different in taking thralls (slaves in Viking
speak). Yet, I hear occasional reader comments: “No thrall/slave would act like
that and survive.”
Oh really?
Dig deeper. Go beyond your preconceived
ideas, because history paints an interesting picture of Vikings and their
thralls.
Consider Melkorka’s story found in the Laxdoela Saga.
Vikings raided the land of Eire, taking
the beautiful high born princess. Crafty Melkorka decided to play mute as soon
as she was taken captive to Norway.
There a Rus merchant sold her to Hoskuldr, an Icelandic Viking.
Hoskuldr travelled on his own merchant
business, and he paid a hefty price for Melkorka. He “knew” her in the Biblical
sense, but then headed home to Iceland.
Once home, Hoskuldr stayed faithful to
his wife, Jorunn Bjarnadottir, and Melkorka was required to do household
chores.
The following winter, Melkorka gave
birth to a son from Hoskuldr. The boy, Olafr, developed quickly, talking
profusely by age two. Melkorka still
played mute and hatched her own plans.
She secretly taught her young son
Gaelic. She treated Jorunn with disdain.
Yet, there’s no record of cruel treatment for her bad attitude --- quite the
opposite.
One day, Hoskuldr discovered his haughty
thrall talking to her son. She told him
everything: who she was, where she was from, and about her Irish king
father. And she didn’t stop the
insolence either. Peace in the Hoskuldr
long house disintegrated.
You know what Hoskuldr did?
He built Melkorka her own long house on
the other side of the river. She lived independently and grew her wealth.
When Olafr was older, she wanted him to
visit the family back in Eire. Hoskuldr
opposed the trip, refusing to provide trade goods to help with expenses. Melkorka took matters into her own hands. She married a farmer who had helped manage
her lands in the past. Her wealth
increased even more.
To this day, Melkorkustadir is the site where her 10th century farm
was established.
The more you explore Viking history, you
find thralls --- men and women--- woven into the fabric of everyday life. Their lives played into Norse families, Norse
communities as valued members of society.
And sometimes the girl with an attitude
gets what she wants.
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Gina’s a lover of history, books and
romance, which makes the perfect recipe for historical romance writer. Her passion for castles and old places (the
older and moldier the better!) means interesting family vacations. Good thing her husband and two sons share
similar passions, except for romance…that’s where she gets the eye roll. When not visiting fascinating places, she can
be found in southern California delving into the latest adventures of organic
gardening and serving as chief taxi driver.
Connect with Gina on the web:
Norse Jewel
A stolen woman of rare
qualities…
Seized by marauders and
taken to the icy northlands by the wolf-eyed Viking warrior, Helena will do
whatever it takes to earn her freedom and return to France.
A mighty Viking
Chieftain…
Betrayal has turned
Hakan’s heart to ice, but the spirited Frankish maid warms him in a way he’s
never known. The spell she weaves leaves them both breathless, but can he keep
his promise to return her home even if it means he’ll lose his precious jewel
forever?
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I didn't know that about Viking thralls! Research sure leads you down interesting pathways!
What's one of the most interesting pieces of research you've come across?
