The name of Vikings (or “ Vikingr ", In ancient Norse language) indicates the people of Scandinavian explorers, traders and warriors who between the eighth and mid-eleventh centuries conducted their trade and conquests in Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic .
How long did the Viking Age last?
The Viking age goes from 793 (date of the first looting in the Lindisfarne monastery , in the north of England) at the decisive battle of Hastings of 1066 . The Vikings had a huge impact on the medieval history of all of Scandinavia , as well as from Great Britain , Ireland and many other European countries.
What was the religion of the Vikings?
The religion of the Vikings it was based on Norse mythology, prior to Christianity and based on the cult of numerous divinities including Odin , Thor , Loki and Freyr . For the Vikings killing in battle was the noblest way to find death, the one that guaranteed a place in the Viking paradise ( Valhalla ), a huge hall ruled by Odin where sumptuous banquets and rituals were held every night to support the god in the bloody battles that would precede the end of the world ( Ragnarǫk ). Most Vikings converted to Christianity between the 10th and 11th centuries, while retaining many pagan beliefs until the late Middle Ages .
The Viking explorers
The Vikings are famous for their feared ships, long boats capable not only of crossing the oceans, but also of navigating in shallow waters and docking directly on the beaches. The Vikings they traveled the length and breadth of the then known world. Contrary to popular belief, however, they not only engaged in invasions and looting, but were also skilled traders and established thriving settlements in England , Scotland , Ireland , Normandy and Iceland .
How far did the Vikings go?
The first Europeans to set foot in North America it was the Vikings who founded a settlement in today's Canada , under the leadership of Leif Erikson . In 845 instead they crossed the waters of the Seine and besieged Paris , beginning to demand the payment of large taxes from the capital and conducting several attacks on the city up to the siege of 886 , which put an end to the reign of Viking terror. In addition to terrorizing the entire North Atlantic coast, the Vikings pushed south towards North Africa and east towards Russia, Constantinople and the Middle East.
What does “Danegeld” mean?
The term “ Danegeld ”Indicates a tax imposed by Vikings to the subjugated territories to guarantee immunity from future attacks. The English rulers , the French and others throughout Europe they agreed to pay even large sums to the Vikings in the form of silver coins and other valuables to ward off other attacks.
What are runes and runestones?
The Viking alphabet was based on the runic script of the Germanic peoples, known as Futhark . It is with this writing that the Vikings they carved the story of historical events on stones known as runestones. Runestones depicted the heroic deeds of the leaders and their men or the victorious campaigns waged around the world. Much of what we know today about Vikings derives from runic inscriptions found throughout Scandinavia , in the British Isles and elsewhere up to the Black Sea . The most famous runestones are those of Jelling.
Viking mythology
False beliefs about the Vikings are countless and continue to survive today. Here are some of the anecdotes about Vikings which find no confirmation in history:
- There is no evidence that the Vikings wore helmets with horns, except on the occasion of certain ceremonies; on the other hand, such headgear would have been a hindrance during the battles. In reality they wore conical-shaped helmets in leather with wood and metal reinforcements, or in iron, sometimes equipped with a mask. The belief that Vikings wore horned helmets spread in the 19th century.
- The Vikings weren't those merciless savages, wind-haired, fiery-eyed warriors that mythology handed down to us. In fact, the invaders of Great Britain were described by the Anglo-Saxons as excessively devoted to hygiene and cleanliness as they used to wash once a week and take care of their hair!
- The Vikings did not sound the lur, the long horn with which we often see them represented.
- Vikings weren't buried in dolmens.