I just completed the DVD version (36 half-hour lectures) of this course (the link is here: http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/course_detail.aspx?cid=3910) . For me, it was a good and illuminating course. I learnt a lot about the history of the Vikings and their significant influences to our modern world. This is my second course by Prof. Kenneth Harl (my first was his course on Alexander the Great & the Macedonian Empire - which was excellent).
This course covered the chronological development of the Scandinavian society: The first third of the course talked about the Scandinavian society before the Vikings age (from the Bronze Age, to the Age of Migrations (400 - 600 AD)). This first third of the course also covered the religious myths, the martial ethos & the importance of poetry within the Scandinavian society, and the legendary kings and heroes during the pre-Viking age. This first part finished with a discussion on the future Vikings' 'competitive advantage' in shipbuilding and travel by sea.
The second third of the course covered Viking raids from the late 8th century toward the Western European Carolingian empire (and the formation of the Duchy of Normandy), England, Ireland, and western parts of modern Russia all the way to Constantinople. It also covered Scandinivian adventures to occupy Iceland, Greenland and the north-eastern part of North America (modern-day Newfoundland).
The last third of the course discussed the post-Viking age; it specifically covered the formation and further evolution of the three kingdoms in Scandinavia, namely: Norway, Denmark and Sweden. It also discussed influential historical Scandinavian leaders during this era including: St Olaf (from Norway) and King Cnut the Great (from Denmark - who temporarily unified Norway, England and Denmark).
What I was truly impressed and didn't expect until I learnt them in this course were these following facts:
1. Significant Vikings influences in the development of England and the English language.
2. Significant Vikings influences toward the development of western European societies, including the establishment of the duchy of Nornandy.
3. The significance of the Swedish 'Rus' in the creation of the Russian principalities, including the introduction of Orthodox Christianity brought from Constantinople.
4. The transmission of literary and poetic tradition from Scandinavian settlers in Iceland toward the literary heritage of Western Europe during the middle ages and the world today.
