From the 8-11th centuries, the powerful Vikings emerged from their homelands in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and swept across Europe.They were superb ship-builders and navigators, and they used these skills to travel as far afield as the eastern coast of North America and the eastern Mediterranean. The word ‘Viking’ literally meant ‘a pirate raid’ in Old Norse.They had a reputation for raiding wherever they landed, and many of their leaders grew wealthy from plunder. However they were not all raiders - some did settle peacefully in colonies. In 793, a group of Vikings raided the monastery of Lindisfarne, northern England. The attack was the first of many raids along the coasts and up the rivers of Europe. Houses and Churches were plundered, people were taken as slaves and the Vikings demanded money before they would leave. They were great warriors who mastered weaponry.Some could afford strong mail armor, and others relied on leather tunics. But most wore pointed iron helmets and carried a round wooden shield. Most Viking warriors fought with swords or axes, although spears and bows were also used. Iron swords were the most important weapons of all. The Vikings defeated some of the most powerful people in Europe, such as King Edmund of East Anglia, who was tortured and killed when he refused to give up Christianity.The Vikings were great explorers who traveled by sea from Scandinavia, raided and laid out settlements along the coasts of Europe to other countries, and crossed the Atlantic to Iceland, Greenland, Sweden, and Newfoundland. They also sailed the rivers of Europe to Russia and Constantinople. They made their own ships to move across and raid the territories.Were Vikings skillful only as warriors? Why Viking helmets were used? Did a vast majority of Vikings speak a particular Norse language? There are many Viking myths that surround this once powerful race. Here we will try and bust many myths by sharing some interesting Viking sagas from different Viking settlements.The Vikings also had an upper hand on trade. Their traders bought furs, whalebone, walrus ivory, and timber from the Mediterranean to Britain and brought back wheat and cloth from Britain, and pots and wines from the Mediterranean.They traded animal products that could only be found in the North. They had a system of weights and measures. These five pieces would have been used to weigh small items, such as jewelry made from precious metals. The largest weighs around 1.4 oz (40 g). The Viking traders also owned coins by the end of the 10th century, until then practicing the barter system. It’s jaw-dropping to learn that the rich people among Vikings in these times wore brooches, rings, and gold or silver pendants. The poor wore bronze or pewter jewelry. All Viking ships had a keel, matching prow and stern, and were built with overlapping planks. Long, fast ships were used for raiding trips, while fatter vessels, with a large capacity, were used for carrying cargo.Do you often wonder what does the term Viking mean? Did they engage in the slave trade? Why Vikings did not recognize other groups. Read on to find out the original meaning of the term Viking and other interesting facts about one of the most popular groups from the known world.Afterward reading this article, also check out wind vane facts and Wizard of Oz facts.What were Vikings afraid of?Were these fierce warriors afraid of anything? Were they just those raiders who plundered and nothing more? Let us discuss.As per various Icelandic sagas and stories from other regions, this particular group of Norse people was scared of many things. For once, they were scared of anything that could kill them such as Scottish fjords, cold winters, warriors from other regions, and much more.On a more personal level, they were afraid of unhygienic conditions and were cleanliness freaks. Yes, even a millennium ago, Vikings liked to keep themselves clean using strong soap and ear cleaners. Excavations across multiple Viking sites have unearthed combs, ear cleaners, razors, and other hygiene equipment made from animal bones.On the other hand, Vikings were feared by a majority of people because of the Viking ship-making craft. A Viking ship used to be so robust that it enabled the warriors to travel to faraway lands and execute Viking raids in various coastal villages in the Scandinavian region.Some of the most well-known Viking warriors, who were often referred to as the berserker, were notorious for having a ferocious attitude in battle. Experts say that these berserkers used to fight in a trance-like state filled with blind rage and were said to have gone berserk. They used to howl like wild beasts and sometimes even used to bite their own shields. As a result, these warriors were many times even unable to differentiate between a friend or an enemy in the field of battle.Do Vikings still exist?The Vikings were legendary warriors and the Viking culture is still fascinating to the new world. You would be amazed at the fact that on the west coast of Norway, people live by adopting their positive values and skills. They preserve history by staying true to their roots.The existence of Vikings is indeed a big question. The answer would be a yes and a no! This is because, in the present world, no one would set sail to explore, conquer lands, make helmets and axes and tools, raid and plunder lands. Even if there are such groups, these modern-day Vikings would be confined to their forest lands as such and not beyond. However, it’s widely believed that their descendants live today across Scandinavia and Europe.Much to our surprise, there are certain groups of people in these Scandinavian countries of Norway, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark, who continue to follow the track of the Norse men and keep up with their lifestyle. Countries of Norway and Denmark have Viking villages where people, in this modern era, live in a Viking society by receding tools, boats, and ways of life that the Vikings set forth centuries ago. Time has traversed and phenomenal changes have conquered humans in this globalized world. The question of the continual of this particular group of Norse people and their lifestyle hardly pops up.When you hear of Vikings, you imagine tall men with blonde hair, blonde beards, and the Viking helmet decorated with an animal horn. Excavation of Viking sites has turned up worn helmets used by many Vikings. Yes, Vikings wore helmets of various types, shapes, and sizes. But it is a myth that Vikings wore the horned helmet. The only authentic Viking helmet that has ever been discovered does not have any horn. In fact, the iconic horned helmet was created by costume designed by a person named Carl Emil in the year 1876. But without a doubt, Viking helmets are one of the most distinguishing features of the personality of a Viking warrior.Who is the most famous Viking?It’s evident that Viking men had commendable warrior skills and that would have definitely had an array of mighty kings who led the subjects through thick and thin. Keep reading for a few insights on the great Viking warriors who created history.Around 700-1100 CE, the Vikings gained a reputation for their unparalleled raiding, pillaging, and plundering skills and for their bloodthirsty aggression. King Eric the Red, who founded Greenland, was one of those applauded Viking kings. He was known for his violent temperament and obviously red hair, as the name says it all! Leif Erikson was considered to be the first to set foot in North America. He was the son of Eric the Red, and landed on the New World, around 500 years prior to Columbus. The land was called Vinland. Ragnar Lothbrok was another savage warrior who owned well-established fame with his belligerent battles.You would be remembering those series titled ‘saga’ that was a popular television show on the history channel. He is known for his Francia and Anglo-Saxon England raids, which earned him the name ‘Shaggy Breeches’. Bjorn Ironside, the son of Ragnar rewrote the history with his brash battles on the Mediterranean coastline, France, and England.Another aggressive Norse king who pillaged and plundered along Norway and Denmark was Gunnar Hamundarson, who was a formidable fighter, known for his swordsmanship. Ivar the Boneless - the fighter who fought in trance-like fury and conquered several Anglo-Saxon kingdoms was a widely admired ruler of the times. Eric Bloodaxe gained name and fame with his bloody raids since the age of 12. Egil Skallagrimsson and Harald Hardrada were mighty warriors.Who was the most famous female Viking?Viking kings were ferocious. How about the Viking females? Many of us are least aware of the fact that there were legendary female kings who crowned the Viking history.Did you know that Freydis Eiriksdottir, the daughter of Eric the Red and sister to Leif Ericson was no less than her father and brother? She was also a fierce warrior. With just two Vinland sagas, we don’t know much about Freydis. One legend says that, while exploring Vinland with her brother, Freydis, despite being pregnant, single-handedly chased off the natives. Lagertha was an incredible woman who volunteered to help Ragnar and rushed to the battlefield to slaughter and win over the enemies.Admiring her skills and bravery, Ragnar approached her to make her his wife; though she refused, she got married to him in the end. There were bands of females called Shieldmaiden for the other Viking women who hailed from other varying spheres of lives, who marched to battle with their male counterparts. They were found in the popular battles of Siege of Dorostolon and the Battle of Bravalla.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Viking facts and myths, then why not take a look at bigfoot facts or calculator facts?
From the 8-11th centuries, the powerful Vikings emerged from their homelands in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, and swept across Europe.
