DenmarkKing Godfred kept strengthening Dannevirke. In the defensive wall system, there were placed a wooden defense, where each warrior had his place, and there were lots of wooden towers, where you could fire arrows at the incoming enemy. There was only one entrance, where you could enter the Dannevirke, the Germans called it Wiglesdor and the Danes called it Karlegat. Both names meant the same Gate of the warriors. Rune Inscriptions at Dannevirke contains, the first written evidence of the Danish language.
The meaning of runes and rune magic
Runes originally meant secret wisdom because few people knew them and lacked the ability to use them correct and the invention was believed to come from Odin. But in reality they were a modification of the Roman Latin alphabet, but made specific for writing on wood, B and R were to round to be written on wood. There were original 24 signs but they were later reduced to only 16 signs. In the heathen viking period, a superstition meant that people believed that runes could be used for sorcery and have a supernatural effect, where they were made. Strong runes and wooden sticks, had secret powers and could silent the enemy's weapon, create storms and stop storms and bad weather, stop fires, shape shift people, predict future and summon spirits.
Victory runes were roasted onto the sword or the belt, to secure victory in battle. Love runes were believed to make people fall in love,by roasting the rune N, called Naud(meaning necessary) on the nail it was believed that a woman's faithfulness and love was secured. People were careful by using these runes, because if they were used wrong, they could cause illness and death when it should cause aid and savior. Ordinary runes were used for trading and contracts when with bravery the Scandinavians sailed the sea, as a trader, later as a viking, and often switched between the two occupations. They brought Amber,fish and fur which they traded to weapons, metal,salt,corn & clothing.
France
Ongoing conquest and battle in Bohemia and a famine in the Frankish Empire (805/806), made Charlemagne drop his Northern invasion plans, the famine in France, was so horrible that in December, Charlemagne ordered to sell cheap wheat and secure that people did not die of starvation. A prohibition was announced:no export of food out of the empire. A ban was issued for export/import of weapons (swords, armor) from Slavic countries,the Avars and Scandinavia.
