Viking Explorers

The Viking period in history stretches for about three to four hundred years from 790 A.D. to 1100 A.D. During this period, Viking warriors raided nearby lands, explored uncharted seas, and searched for and found trade routes throughout Britain, Ireland, Southern Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.

The first recorded raids occurred in 793 A.D. when warriors raided a small island on the northeast coast of Britain and attacked the monastery on Linisfarne. The last recorded battle took place in 1066 when the Norwegian king, Harald Hardradde, invaded England to claim the throne of Edward the Confessor. The new Anglo-Saxon king, Harold Godwinsson defeated Harald in Yorkshire on September 25. Nineteen days later, Harold himself was defeated by the Norman (of Viking decent) William the Conqueror at the battle of Hastings. After this timeframe, the Vikings eventually settled down to a peaceful life as traders.

Vikings or Norsemen originated from what are now Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The geographical location of these three Norse countries determined the routes their inhabitants took to raid, explore, and trade. The Norwegians traveled to and raided south toward the isles of Scotland, then toward England, Ireland, France, and even the innermost end of the Mediterranean. One route they had to themselves was across the North Atlantic because the Norwegian coastline afforded them easy access. The Swedes' routes led them to the Baltic and south to Russia along river ways. The Danes explored and raided west to England, south to France, and locations beyond.

Wherever Vikings went, they adopted the language of the area. They eventually became French, Russian, Scottish, and Irish themselves. They found, used, and traded timber, weapons, jewels, pottery, falcons, Arab furs, feathers, wheat, glass, spices, slaves, walrus ivory, soap stone, tin, gold, sword blades, hides, cloth, honey, amber, wine, silk, and fish.

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