An Overview of the Culture and History of the Viking Age - History

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Vikings history is as extensive as the people it studies. The seafaring Vikings in Danish, the Vikinger were a group of people that came from the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. They made an enduring A History of the Vikings for themselves in the 8th through the 11th centuries for being tactical warriors, smart traders, and daring explorers. In fact, they arrived in America 1, years before Columbus ever did, and archeologists have found some of their remnants scattered as far east as Russia. Click here to see more posts in this category. Scroll down to see our A History of the Vikings collection of articles on Vikings history. They were fully unprepared for the ferocity of the warriors, armed with sword, axe and shield. The attack and plunder of Lindisfarne, a rich and unprotected monastery, echoed throughout the next years of European history. The Viking Age had begun. Historians use the term the Viking Age to describe the turbulent expansion of the Scandinavian people A History of the Vikings Europe A History of the Vikings Russia. Beginning in A. Any unprotected community was a target. They terrorized, plundered, traded, explored and finally settled and farmed all over the lands they encountered. Simply put, the Vikings were Norwegians, Swedes and Danes, men who were usually farmers, traders, blacksmiths, and craftsmen. For various reasons, they took to raiding towns, churches and monasteries. Many of the places they attacked were on the coasts as they were easiest to reach. With their swift and easily landed ships, the Vikings could quickly swarm over the communities, killing and looting, and just as fast return to their ships and leave. They were gone before any defense or counter-attack could be made. Strangely enough, for most of the men who went a-viking, it was only part time. They often returned in time for harvest in the fall. Raiding was very profitable, however, and many farmers became full time pirates and raiders. The people called Vikings were also fearless explorers who actually reached North America, making them the first Europeans to discover America. They settled Iceland and tried to colonize Greenland. They were also shrewd and competent traders and merchants. They traded all the goods of the north — furs, amber, iron and timber — for all the goods of A History of the Vikings south — silver, gold, silks and spices. A History of the Vikings all along the trade routes, the Vikings traded in slaves. Read our articles to explore these aspects of the incredible culture of these intrepid and dangerous men. Scholars debate why the Scandinavian people began to go raiding in the late 8th century. Most likely it was a combination of factors that lead to the Vikings setting off in their long boats to raid other communities. Viking ship technology made the fearful Viking raids possible. Special ship construction techniques made the long ships and larger dragon ships versatile enough to sail great distances, carry up to men, withstand rough seas while still being light enough to drag over land or carry through portages. Explore with us as we consider Viking ship building and navigation skills. Contemporaries of the Vikings were awed by their ships and sailing skills. Find out why by reading further. They established new territories in Iceland, Greenland and temporarily, North America. From A. Popular movies and novels give you a glimpse into their lives, but usually show only a part of the impact these energetic people had on the known world of the time. Reading here will give you a much better grasp of their impact on other cultures. We will explore Viking culture and the structure of their society, A History of the Vikings roles of men and women and the daily life of the time. Here you will find articles on women and children in that warrior culture. Examine their stunning artwork and jewelry, as well as their weaponry and armor. The brave among you can read about a Viking raid from the point of view of the victims. Come with us as we take ship with Vikings to explore the new lands of Iceland and Vinland. Find out what your name would look A History of the Vikings in runes, the Viking writing system. Explore with us the mythology and literature of the Viking era. Scholars have many theories about the reasons why the Scandinavians began leaving home on extensive raids, trading missions, explorations and settlement, which include:. As the Viking Age raids and trading brought more wealth into Scandinavian, the growing prosperity might have led to greater population growth. The Vikings practiced primogeniture, which means the eldest son inherits everything and any younger sons nothing. Without land to farm, younger A History of the Vikings would need to find a way to make a living. This theory seems likely at least as one of the factors leading to the Scandinavian expansion into Europe. Vikings were not Christians, therefore, they saw no hindrance in attacking ecclesiastical centers such as A History of the Vikings. However, even in warfare, Christians did not attack properties of the Church—at least not often—so Church properties were unprotected. No doubt Vikings did see church properties as easy pickings, as the Church had grown very wealthy and usually had more wealth than even kings or merchants. While in previous times, Scandinavians had traded with Europeans readily, as Europe became more Christian, Christian traders began to refuse to trade with pagans or Muslims. This created problems for the Vikings, and perhaps they saw raids as a way of fixing those problems. It seems likely that this was one of the causative factors of the Viking Age, as Vikings decided to go raiding or settle elsewhere. Vikings were bold, brave people who no doubt felt the lure of adventure in foreign lands. With these beliefs, why not take chance into your hands and go raiding? After the first raid, the profitability would have been obvious to all. In the early Viking Age, Viking traders noted that they suffered losses in trade contracts and deals because the other party was Christian. Christian traders tended to give more business and better deals to other Christians, discriminating against pagans and Muslims. They loved their own gods and were content with them. English and Frankish Christian priests and monks had begun missionary tours to the Viking lands from the s to s. However, the conversion of the Vikings took place over centuries. Even when a Danish or Swedish king became Christian and proclaimed his people were Christian, many still practiced their pagan ways and held to the old gods. By the end of the Viking Age, however, most Vikings had become fully Christian and were baptized and buried in that faith. Harald Bluetooth raised the Jelling Stone proclaiming that he made all Danes Christian, although the new faith lived side by side with the old for the next few hundred years. Danish Vikings accepted Christianity slowly. It was finished in By then, most Danes had become Christian. Through these violent methods, every part of Norway became Christian, at least in name. During the later Viking Age, Christianity began making inroads in Sweden, with Episcopal sees being established during the 11th century. By the 12th century, however, Sweden was predominantly Christian. Within the male-dominated Viking society, women had a certain amount of personal power, depending on their social status. Women were valuable members of the society and it was shameful for a man to harm a woman. Spinning, carding, weaving, cutting and sewing took a long time. Viking women married young—as early as 12 years old. By the age of 20, virtually all men and women were married. Life expectancy was about 50 years, but most died long before reaching Only a few lived to Marriages were arranged by the parents of the young couple. Since both families A History of the Vikings a financial investment in the new couple, a marriage was as much a matter for the families as it was for the people involved. Viking children did not go to school as we know it today. Girls worked along with their mothers and A History of the Vikings learning how to cook, garden, take care of the domestic animals and make clothing. By the time they reached adulthood at 12 to 15, both boys and girls could effectively run a household and a farm. As is always the case, there were exceptions to these general societal rules of behavior. When the men went to settle Iceland, Greenland and Vinland, women went with them. Vikings settled in England, Ireland and France as families. However, only men went raiding and trading while women stayed home and minded the farm. Women in Viking society had more power than most other European women of the time. They could divorce their husbands, own some property and sell their own handicrafts. Some women became wealthy landowners. Even a few weapons were found in female graves, giving the notion that some women were fighters along side of their men. Most women in Viking society, however, lived and worked in the domestic realm of the household. In the world of Norse mythology, we find gods and goddesses, giants, strange and powerful creatures, elves, dwarves and land spirits. It A History of the Vikings difficult for a 21st century person to conceive of the worldview of the Vikings, brimming as it was with such a variety of spiritual beings. Yggdrasil holds the Nine Worlds, home of gods, man and all spiritual A History of the Vikings. The gods live in Asgard and Vanaheim and humans inhabit Midgard. Giants live in Jotunheim, elves in Alfheim and dwarves in Svartalfheim. Vikings - History, Origins & Tactics - HISTORY

The Vikings were a seafaring people from the late eighth to early 11th century who established a name for A History of the Vikings as traders, explorers and warriors. They discovered the Americas long before Columbus and could A History of the Vikings found as far east as the distant reaches of Russia. While these people are often attributed as savages raiding the more civilized nations for treasure and women, the motives and culture of the Viking people are much more diverse. These raiders also facilitated many changes throughout the lands from economics to warfare. Many historians commonly associate the term "Viking" to the Scandinavian term vikingra word for "pirate. The Viking Age generally refers to the period from A. During this time, the reach of the Scandinavian people extended to all corners of northern Europe, and many other nations found Vikings raiding their coasts. The farthest reported records of Vikings were in Baghdad for the trading of goods like fur, tusks and seal fat. A Viking raid on the monks of Lindisfarne, a small island located off the northeast coast of England, marked the start of the Viking migration from Scandinavia in This location was a well-known abbey of learning, famous throughout the continent for the knowledgeable monks and its extensive library. During this raid, monks were killed, thrown into the sea or taken as slaves along with many treasures of the church, and the library A History of the Vikings razed. This single event set the A History of the Vikings for how Vikings would be perceived throughout the Viking Age: savage warriors with no respect for religion or appreciation for learning. In the years that followed the initial raid, coastal villages, monasteries and even cities found themselves besieged by these sea-based foreign intruders. Due to the frequency of sea attacks, many developments were made in developing fortifications in the forms of walled-in harbors and sea-facing stone walls, defenses that proved to be quite effective at deterring raids. The reason behind these attacks is a topic of debate among academics, though the reasons often stem from such things as the Christian persecution and forced baptism of pagans to reduced agricultural outputs in the Scandinavian region. Many more documented reasons might have prompted these people to leave their cold and harsh homes to seek out the means to survive elsewhere. Yet, despite how unforgiving their homeland may have been, most Vikings still returned to their homeland at the end of each season with treasure, slaves A History of the Vikings goods to survive yet another winter. At the heart of the Viking culture lies the Viking ship. These extraordinary vessels — longships in particular — shaped the lives of the sea-faring Norse and changed the course of European history. Honed for more than 10 centuries, the ship-building skills of the Norse led to a variety of vessels — from small fishing boats and big-bellied cargo vessels to the famous lightning-fast longships used for raiding. But no matter the size, most of the ships were designed to be narrow in shape with short drafts vertical distance between waterline and bottom of shipfeatures that gave them high adaptability for use in the ocean and rivers. The Vikings' ship-building craft reached a high point in the 7th century when they invented the keel, a structural beam that runs from the bow to the stern and sits lower than the main body of the ship. The keel, along with the addition of a large mast and sail, would ultimately allow the Norsemen to make long journeys across the North Atlantic. These vessels are now looked back upon as revolutionary in design and a technological miracle. To begin the ship-building process, the Vikings would drive wedges into freshly-cut trees until the wood split along the grain. Up to 20 great oaks might be cut down for a ship. A History of the Vikings wood was shaped and arranged so that the planks fit together perfectly in a clinker construction, overlapping like a fan. In clinker shipbuilding, the outside is started first, and then the frame is put inside it, according to the living history site Regia Anglorum. The ship was coated with a watertight mixture of tar-soaked animal hair, wool or moss and stabilized with iron rivets. The end result was an A History of the Vikings fast and flexible longship that nothing could catch. The men rowed with a series of oars, supplemented with a large sail most likely made of wool. Rather than a rudder, the longships had a steerboard fastened to the right-hand side of the ship at the stern, according to Royal Museums Greenwich. By the middle of the 9th century, the raids really picked up as word spread across the Norse region of Europe's removable wealth. Norse villages and communities came together to build ships with the intention of improving their lives through the business of raiding. InVikings ruthlessly attacked Nantes on the French coast, and because of their ability to maneuver up rivers, they went on to raid towns as far inland as Paris, Limoges, Orleans, Tours and Nimes, according A History of the Vikings History. The Vikings paid as much attention to art as to craft. The longships were usually adorned with carved dragon heads at the bow, which were believed to keep evil spirits away. The dragon head coupled with a large square, red-striped sail would come to be known as the signature of the Vikings. The sight would strike fear into A History of the Vikings hearts of Europeans for A History of the Vikings centuries. The Vikings set up colonies on the west coast of Greenland during the 10th century. A History of the Vikings Viking sagas tell of journeys they undertook from these Greenland colonies to the New World. They mention places named "Helluland" widely believed to be Baffin Island"Markland" widely believed to be Labrador and "Vinland" a more mysterious location which some archaeologists believe could be Newfoundland. At present the only confirmed Viking site in the New World is located at L'anse aux Meadows on the northern tip of Newfoundland. That site was excavated in the s. Additionally there are three possible Viking sites that archaeologists have recently excavated in Canada. Two of the possible sites are located in Newfoundland while a third site is located on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. One possible Viking site is located at Point Rosee in southern Newfoundland; at the site, archaeologists found a possible bog iron roasting hearth beside a structure made with turf. Another A History of the Vikings Viking site is located at Sop's arm in Newfoundland and includes a series of "pitfalls" that would have been used to trap large animals such as caribou. These pitfalls are arranged in a straight line, and archaeologists believe that the Vikings could have driven the animals toward these pitfalls where the animals could have been trapped and killed. At the third possible Viking site, located at Nanook on Baffin Island, researchers found artifacts that may have been used A History of the Vikings metal production and the remains of a structure that may have been built by the Vikings. Many modern perceptions of Vikings found their origins through Catholic propaganda. Upon the sacking of multiple Christian facilities and the loss of countless relics and treasures, the Catholic ministry sought to dehumanize them. Until Queen Victoria's rule of Britain, the Vikings were still portrayed as a violent and barbaric people. During the 19th and 20th centuries, perceptions changed to the point where Vikings were glamorized as noble savages with horned helmets, a proud culture and a feared prowess in battle. With regards to the more popular Viking myths created through these misperceptions, the following are proven to be clearly false according to historical record:. While the living conditions in Scandinavian regions were certainly harsh and made a hard people, many Vikings suffered from the scarcity of resources and the people set up their homes over great distances with no real unified leadership. During the Viking Age, the Scandinavian people were able to make a stronger push to the outside worlds and create a reputation for themselves beyond simple barbarism. While some Vikings were driven with the lust for riches, many sought more peaceful economic relationships with the surrounding nations. Indeed, as Forte et al wrote, there was no dramatic end to the Viking Age. The authors contend that the Scandinavian kingdoms were slowly acculturated and integrated into the "wider body politic of European Christendom. Live Science. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. Vikings - Wikipedia

Over the course of around years, seafaring Norsemen left their homes to pursue riches abroad. The era has become almost legendary and left a lasting legacy on the world. But how much do you know about the long history of the Vikings? When it comes to the history of Norway and Scandinavia, few times are more iconic than the Viking Age. The fascination with this time in history continues at pace, and its cultural legacy lives on. One of the most popular parts on Life in Norway in our Viking blog. Each time we publish a new article, emails with questions come flooding in. Many of these are from students doing assignments on the era. Last year we published a timeline to help piece together the story of what happened and when. But now we're taking things a step further and diving into the details! Ready to learn more? Let's get going. First things first, how do we know so much about the Vikings? It's for the same reason we know so little! Very little archaeological evidence remains from the era. That's why the recent discoveries of Viking ship burial sites are so important. Aside from these sites and the burial mounds, rune stones are some of the few remains we have to study. Read more : Popular Viking Names. However, many of the stories were passed down orally over the years. While they are sure to have been twisted and misinterpreted to a certain extent, Icelandic scholars wrote them down a few hundred years later. The combination of these stories with archaeological evidence gives us an insight into the history. To learn more about the sagas themselves, visit the Saga Museum in Reykjavik, Iceland. Learn about the disastrous Black death, the A History of the Vikings devastating pandemics in human history, which claimed anything between 75 to million people. Aside from occasional trade they had very little to do with one another, and in fact often fought amongst themselves. That being said, the Viking were united as a group in one circumstance: the eyes of the conquered! They came from foreign lands, were seen as uncivilised, and were not Christians. That would come later, of course! Viking history tends to focus on the warriors, typically men. Much has been written lately about the role of women in the Viking age. You can read our own summary of the findings here. Relatively few Norsemen actually set sail on raids and trade missions in the early years. At A History of the Vikings, until settlements were founded elsewhere. Instead, many worked out their lives as farmers or fishermen. Throughout Scandinavia, settlements were typically small farming communities home to just one or a handful of families. Power was far from centralised, relying instead on a local chieftain and the alliances he would make along the coastline. Lofor Viking museum on Norway's Lofoten Islands has a lot of great information about the role of a chieftain. The museum goes on to say that the chieftain would have to be generous with his wealth in order to gain support. This would involve the chieftain collecting taxes from the people in exchange for protection, the development of infrastructure and the organisation of other common business. In this way, the chieftain developed his power, alliances and wealth. Viking families lived in longhousesa building split into sections with a fire at its heart. Benches surrounding the fire would serve dual purpose as daytime seating and nighttime beds. Typically, the building would A History of the Vikings shared with livestock and used to store all manner of goods. Some of the best known settlements in Norway include Borg, home to the Lofotr museum, and Avaldsnes. The latter, near Haugesund, was on a strategically important shipping route. The Avaldsnes Viking Village is well worth a visit. Meanwhile, Denmark's Ribe is the oldest extant town in all of Scandinavia. Founded in the first decade of the eighth century, Ribe flourished as a trading centre. One of the most common questions I receive is why did the Viking Age begin? No-one is entirely sure, but it was clearly a transition. In the 7th and 8th centuries, Europe was growing wealthier. Scandinavian furs were prized items and it's believed this early trade taught the pre-Viking people about sailing technology and the politics and weak points of Europe. There is pre-Viking evidence of trade between parts of Scandinavia, too. In fact, recent research shows that whetstones found in Ribe came from the Lade peninsula in Trondheim. Some believe overpopulation caused the Vikings to begin their travels. But that seems unlikely because the early raids were for riches, not land. Norsemen always had an important relationship with the water for food and transport. The development of faster, more reliable ships seems to have played at least a part in triggering the expansion overseas. This is one of the factors that makes recent archaeological discoveries of ships so fascinating. He explained that a new digital model of the Tune ship revealed new A History of the Vikings about its likely function. It now seems likely the vessel could have crossed the North Sea powered by a sail large enough A History of the Vikings make it the fastest Viking ship ever discovered. For any student of history, the name Lindisfarne conjures A History of the Vikings images of the Viking raid in As they're the first written sources referencing a raid, it's typically taken to be the beginning of the era. It was the first of many attacks on monasteries along the British coastline. The Norsemen quickly identified these buildings as sources of wealth with weak defences, making them very attractive targets. Despite the written sources, archaeological evidence for the raid has been thin. The visible ruins on Lindisfarne today are from a later priory. However, archaeologists recently discovered a board game piece preserved in a ditch. Bearing similarities to chess, the strategic board game simulates a Viking raid. It's hard not to imagine the warriors playing the game during their days at sea. Archaeologists don't know if the piece was dropped by a Viking raider or owned A History of the Vikings a local. But they can draw some conclusions based on its high quality and the dating of the ditch to around the time of the raid. Buoyed by this early success at Lindisfarne, Viking raids became more numerous. Just two years later, they struck undefended island monasteries in the Hebrides and A History of the Vikings Ireland. Four more years on, and continental Europe was hit. Despite this, A History of the Vikings was the British Isles that remained target number one for Viking raids for many years. It wasn't for another 40 years or so that attacks in continental Europe became commonplace. They achieved this in part by taking advantage of internal conflicts in Francia. As towns, abbeys and rivers were fortified from A History of the Vikingsthe Vikings—principally from Denmark—turned their attention back to the British Isles. However, many historians consider the stories and even his very existence dubious. Some think Ragnar is actually an amalgamation of several people. As raids became more numerous, Vikings started to create settlements. They gained control of many Scottish islands including Shetland, Orkney and the Hebrides, along with A History of the Vikings of the mainland. Ireland saw the founding of trading towns including Dublin, A History of the Vikings and Limerick. From these bases, the Norsemen launched attacks elsewhere in Ireland and across the Irish Sea to England. The attacks on England were so numerous that only kingdom was able to resist. Aside from Wessex, much of England fell. After this, the Danes settled north of Wessex in an area that became known as Danelaw. This period saw the establishment of many trading cities that still exist today. The best known, York, is now home to a comprehensive Viking museum. This dominance would last for around 50 years, until English armies began to take back control. The descendants of Alfred of Wessex led the charge, eventually killing the last Dane leader—Erik Bloodaxe—around the year While Danes were in power and then driven out of the British Isles, other Vikings remained active in Europe. Many towns suffered including Nantes on the French coast and towns further inland. Vikings stormed the Arab-controlled Seville and Italy's Pisa as they spread ever further. Read more : The Viking Lifestyle. Inthe king in West Francia granted A History of the Vikings Viking chief Rollo a substantial territory for preventing other raiders accessing the Seine. Norwegian Vikings also began to colonise Iceland and then moved on to Greenland. Archaeological evidence found in the s confirmed this. However, it remains the only confirmed Norse site in or near North America, aside from Greenland.