'The ravages of heathen men...' (part 2)

Here is the second part of my post on Vikings, as promised. Enjoy!

Settlers.

We finished with different reasons Vikings had for raiding different places in Europe. However, not all the Vikings were just raiders. Some of them, when the invading parties became larger, settled in the conquered territories, mostly England and France. England at the time was divided into a number of kingdoms, and France was consumed by civil war. In England Vikings conquered northern and central parts, where they established a kingdom that lasted for nearly one hundred years. In France, their descendants became French-speaking Normans.

Accepting the Christian God.

All the good stuff, like raiding, pillaging, conquering, and invading, ended by the end of eleventh century. By that time, most Scandinavian kingdoms accepted Christianity and turned from to more organized settlements.

If we have to go out, we’ll go out swinging.

The last good period in the Viking age was under Cnut of Denmark, who created a Viking North Sea empire that included Denmark, Norway and England. The last attempt to shake the Medieval Europe was when in 1066 the Norwegian King Harald Hardrada unsuccessfully tried to claim the English throne. That concluded the age of Vikings.

He should early rise,
who another’s property or life
desires to have.
Seldom a sluggish wolf
gets prey,

or a sleeping man victory.
Hávamál 58

Move over Columbus.

The Vikings discovered many new lands thanks to their knowledge of winds and currents. One example would be the discovery of Greenland by Erik the Red, who exiled from Iceland for murder, stumbled upon Greenland in 982. According to Norse saga, 18 years later, Erik’s son, Leif Eriksson, was driven off course at sea and landed in an area full of hardwood forests and wild grapes. He named that place Vinland. This area was is known today by a different name - Newfoundland, Canada. Researchers found a small Viking colony there, which was abandoned, because of the hostile indigenous people. Nevertheless, the Vikings were the first Europeans who set foot in North America.

I invite you to leave a comment below and thanks for stopping by!
JM