Vikings

The Vikings of Scandinavia raided many places in Europe between the eighth and eleventh centuries.

During this time, Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden an Denmark) suffered from overpopulation and a shortage of land.

It was very difficult to farm around the fjords of the Atlantic coastline, where the weather was severely cold and soil was scant.

This created the impetus for the Vikings to raid other lands.

At first, the Vikings sowed crops before setting out on their raids, and returned later to harvest them.

As time passed, however, periods of violent internal dispute in Denmark and long family power struggles in the many small kingdoms in Norway forced many dispossessed Vikings to search for a living overseas.

Viking Ships

The success of the Viking raids depended heavily on the element of surprise. This was aided by their swift ships and their ability to come close to shore or penetrate shallow rivers.

The warships used by the Vikings for making sudden raids on their neighbors' lands were long and narrow, and thus known as "longships".

They had oars, and sometimes, a square sail. They carried between 30 and 40 oarsmen and could achieve high speeds.

The ships used by Vikings for longer voyages were also long and narrow, but larger and much more solidly built than longships, which were not very seaworthy and often broke in rough weather

Viking Religion

For the Vikings, death in battle was to the most glorious end to life on Earth.

Odin, chief of the Viking gods, particularly admired valor in fighting. In time of battle, he sent warlike goddesses, known as Valkyries, to collect dead heroes from the battlefield and transport them to the Valhalla, the hall of dead heroes.

In Valhalla, slain warriors fought again each day outside the heavenly palace. Those who were killed were later restored to life. Afterward, they feasted and drank wine.

Before wounded warriors died in battle on Earth, they chanted the record of their past victories and moments of bravery so that Odin would be reminded of how valiant they had been and would send his Valkyries for them.