For centuries, the idea of the Viking has been etched into popular consciousness as a fair-haired, blue-eyed warrior from the icy fjords of Scandinavia. However, I challenge this stereotype, based on further research that points to some legendary Danish Viking kings and warlords being, in fact, Black. Drawing from historical texts and archaeological insights, this article explores the evidence and implications of this provocative claim, shedding light on a more diverse Viking past.

The basis of my argument lies in Thomas William Shore’s 1906 publication, Origin of the Anglo-Saxon Race, which cites primary sources, including Irish annals, that reference “Dubh-Ghenti” or “Black Gentiles” – Viking raiders of dark or black complexion who were active during the 9th century.

These Black Vikings are said to have established settlements near Dublin and engaged in conflicts with the “Fair Gentiles,” likely fair-skinned Danes or Northmen. Shore notes a significant occurrence in 851 when the Black Gentiles arrived at Ath-cliath (Dublin) and a notable battle in 877 at Lock-Cuan where Albann, a chief of the Black Gentiles, perished.

“The invasion of the coast of the British Isles by Vikings of a dark or black complexion rests on historical evidence which is too circumstantial to admit of doubt. In the Irish annals the Black Vikings are called Dubh-Ghenti, or Black Gentiles. These Black Gentiles on some occasions fought against other plunderers of the Irish coasts known as the Fair Gentiles, who can hardly have been others than the fair Danes or North-men. In the year 851 the Black Gentiles came to Ath-cliaths-i.e., Dublin.” Reads on page 113 (Our Darker Forefathers)

The Black Vikings appear at this time to have had a settlement in or close to Dublin, and during the ninth century were much in evidence on the Irish coast.

“In 877 a great battle was fought at Lock-Cuan between them and the Fair Gentiles, in which Albann, Chief of the Black Gentiles, fell. He may well have been a chieftain of the race of the Northern Sorbs of the Mecklenburg coast.”

RESEARCH FINDINGS: According to Thomas William Shore “So far as I am aware, not a single instance occurs in which the Welsh are mentioned in any Anglo-Saxon document as black or brown people; on the con-trary, the Welsh annals mention black Vikings on the coast, as if they were men of unusual personal appearance.”

“There is another old word used by the Anglo-Saxons to denote black or brown-black—the word sweart. The personal names Suart and Sueart may have been derived from this word, and may have originally denoted people of a dark-brown or black complexion.”

Some names of this kind are mentioned in the Domesday record of Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire. These may be of Scandinavian origin, for the ekename or nickname Svarti is found in the Northern Sagas. Halfden the Black was the name of a King of Norway who died in 863.

The so-called black men of the Anglo-Saxon period probably included some of the darker Wendish people among them, immigrants or descendants of people of the same race as the ancestors of the Sorbs of Lausatia on the Chauncy, Sir H., ‘Historical Antiquities of Hertford-shite,’ 265. Annales Cambriae, A.D. 987. ‘Corpus Poeticum Boreale,’ by Vigfusson and York Powell, Index.

This historical evidence, though indirect, implies a presence of darker-skinned individuals within the Viking ranks, possibly connected to the Wendish people or the Sorbs of Lausatia.

Genetic and Archaeological Insights

Genetic research in recent years substantiates the idea of diversity within Viking society. A 2015 study published in Nature by Margaryan et al., which sequenced DNA from over 400 Viking skeletons across Europe and Greenland, demonstrated that Viking identity was not exclusive to individuals with Scandinavian ancestry. The study found genetic contributions from Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southern Europe, indicating a diverse makeup. Notably, skeletons from Viking burial sites in Scotland, buried with swords and Viking artifacts, showed genetic similarities to modern Irish and Scottish populations, suggesting local adoption of Viking identity. This supports the notion that complexion varied widely, potentially encompassing darker-skinned individuals as described in historical accounts.

The Case of Geirmund Heljarskinn

One specific figure mentioned in Viking lore aligns with this narrative: Geirmund Heljarskinn, a Norwegian-Mongolian prince who lived between 850 and 905.

Described as “dark-skinned” in sagas, Geirmund’s heritage reflects the intermixing of Viking explorers with diverse cultures. His story, passed down through oral tradition and later recorded, underscores that Viking society was not homogenous but rather a melting pot of traders, navigators, and warriors from various backgrounds. This challenges the neo-Nazi appropriation of Nordic imagery, which often ignores such diversity.

The Vikings Were Not Exclusive to One Race

As Shore notes, the Welsh annals mention “black Vikings” as individuals with distinctive physical characteristics, in contrast to the fair-skinned Welsh and Anglo-Saxon populations. The occurrence of terms like “sweart” (black or brown-black) in Anglo-Saxon records and nicknames such as “Svarti” in Northern Sagas further suggests the presence of darker-complexioned individuals, possibly immigrants or descendants of Wendish tribes.