'The ravages of heathen men...', or how Vikings were the major cause of insomnia in the Medieval World.

I’ve just recently finished watching the History’s “Vikings” and

even though, in my opinion, it won’t be the same anymore, because of the events of the 4th season, I’m eagerly awaiting season number five. In the meantime, I have decided to brush up a little on my knowledge about the Vikings, and so I opened a book today, and having learned some interesting facts, I decided to share them with my fellow Steemians! And so you are reading the first of two posts about the Vikings. Enjoy!

The party arrives, and starts the party.

On a calm day in June, 793, somewhere along the shore of the holy island of Lindisfarne in northern England, a party of men left their boats and attacked the islands monastery. The monks did not stand a chance. Some of them were mercilessly killed, others dragged into slavery. The church was plundered. This attack would be known as the first recorded raid by Vikings. The Christian Europe was about to become familiar with the pagan wrath. For the next 200 years, many places in Europe were looted and ravaged by the Vikings. Just within the six years of the raid on Lindisfarne, the Vikings were feared in England, Scotland, Ireland, and France.

The ravages of heathen men miserably destroyed God’s church on Lindisfarne with plunder and slaughter.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

Trade secrets.

Their fighting skills and their desire to die in battle were only part of their military prowess and the many successes of their military campaigns. Another reason was the Viking longship, which would allow them to sail up waterways deep into the mainland. Each of those longships could carry up to 80 people. Most of these people, if indeed not all of them, were skilled warriors, thirsty for blood and loot.

We all have our reasons to raid other places.

There were several reasons why Vikings were raiding places all over Europe. In some parts of Scandinavia, the growth population could have forced young men into the life of piracy. In other parts, constant power struggles resulted in people being exiled. In other parts still, the fame was worth more than money, and taking part in raids certainly provided opportunities for great deeds that would have made you famous.

A cowardly man
thinks he will ever live,
if warfare he avoids;
but old age will
give him no peace,
though spears may spare him.
Hávamál 16

That concludes part 1. I will upload the second part tomorrow.
In the meantime I invite you to comment below and thank you for your time!
JM