Discovery Homepage

The Vikings

The Vikings were the scourge of Britain for almost 300 years. They came on raids from Norway, Denmark and Sweden, murdering, kidnapping and pillaging along the coast of Britain. Records for this period in British history are not completely reliable, because many accounts were written 200 years after the event. But we do have evidence from letters and chronicles written by churchmen and from archaeological finds both here and in Scandinavia.

Got to know? Here are some great Viking facts:

• It’s believed that the word Viking comes either from ‘wik’, meaning fortified settlement, or ‘vik’, which means someone who lurks in a bay. Vikings were basically considered to be pirates.

• Vikings were excellent seamen. Their longboats were shallow and easy to push up onto the beach before an attack. Viking boats could also be sailed on inland waters, up rivers and streams.

• There were no permanent Viking armies, they were made up from merchants, farmers and craftsmen, who were in it for the adventure and plunder and who usually returned home once the battle was won.

• Vikings learned how to handle weapons from an early age. Each man had his own weapons and leaders were also expected to provide weapons for their armies. The favoured weapon was the spear and a good spearman could inflict double the damage by throwing two at a time.

• Warriors also used battleaxes, bows and arrows and swords. These weapons were often decorated with intricate designs made of silver, bronze and copper and were seen as status symbols, as well as instruments of war.

• Vikings were often buried with their weapons, some graves have even been unearthed that contained boats.

• The ‘Berserks’ were among the most fearsome warriors and madmen in battle, hence the term, ‘to go berserk’. They wore bearskins, rather than more protective hides, because they believed they were protected by Odin and were superhuman.

• In AD793 the Vikings stormed Lindisfarne, a holy island off the coast of Cumbria. They stole treasures and relics from the monastery and slaughtered the monks who lived on the island. They went on to attack monasteries and villages up and down the coast, working their way inland, taking holy relics and anything of any value back to Scandinavia.

• They were considered to be heathens by the British population of the time, because Vikings had their own gods and had no respect for Christian values or property.

• Vikings got their ruthless reputation because, as well as stealing treasures, they killed without mercy and took people to be sold into slavery in other parts of Europe. In some places, like the Isle of Thanet in the south, the Vikings invaded and then demanded protection money from the local kings.

• Good farming land was hard to find in Scandinavia, so once the Vikings had subjugated an area, they colonised it. They farmed the land and set up trading posts. Although we now know that the Vikings were traders and not just raiders, they will always be seen as the brutal warriors who raped and pillaged their way across Britain.