Published by Creative Education P O Box 227 Mankato Minnesota 56002 Creative Education is an imprint of The Creative Company www thecreativecompany us Design by Stephanie Blumenthal Production by Christine Vanderbeek Art direction by Rita Marshall Printed in the United States of America Photographs by Alamy Mary Evans Picture Library Corbis Ted Spiegel Stapleton Collection Bo Zaunders Dreamstime Stasyuk Stanislav Getty Images Tom Dahlin Liz McAulay National Geographic STEFFEN ORTMANN AFP Popperfoto iStockphoto Zbynek Burival Andrew J Shearer SOMATUSCANI Duncan Walker Casper Wilkens ZU_09 Mary Evans Picture Library Shutterstock J Helgason Superstock age footstock Bridgeman Art Library London Fine Art Photographic Library Robert Harding Picture Library Image Asset Management Ltd Pantheon Prisma Universal Images Group Copyright 2013 Creative Education International copyright reserved in all countries No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gunderson Jessica Vikings by Jessica Gunderson p cm Fearsome fighters Summary A compelling look at the Vikings including the ways they terrorized western Europe their lifestyle their weapons and how they remain a part of today’s culture through books and film Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-1-60818-185-8 hard cover ISBN 978-1-56660-127-6 eBook 1 Vikings Juvenile literature I Title DL66 G87 2012 948 022 dc23 2011035801 First edition 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1
VIKINGS J S E S I C A G U N D E R S O N FEARSOME FIGHTERS Creative Education
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From the beginning of time wherever groups of people have lived together they have also fought among themselves Some have fought for control of basic necessities food water and shelter or territory Others have been spurred to fight by religious differences Still others have fought solely for sport Throughout the ages some fighters have taken up arms willingly others have been forced into battle For all however the ultimate goal has always been victory For nearly three centuries ferocious Viking warriors hungry for riches and territory sailed the seas in their majestic longships terrorizing coastal villages and Christian monasteries Wearing hel mets and wielding swords and battle-axes these Scandinavian war riors stormed the quiet countryside seizing captives valuables and cities During the dark winter months many Viking warriors lived peaceful lives as farmers in their homelands but once spring arrived they would embark upon dangerous journeys to foreign lands Sometimes they would never return home again instead set tling in places they’d invaded Although the Vikings have long since disappeared from the seas stories of their distant adventures and violent escapades have allowed them to sail on in our imaginations
