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
THE DAWN OF THE VIKING AGE On June 8 793 a d a Viking longship sailed quietly along the northern coasts of the British Isles and dropped anchor at Lindisfarne Viking warriors poured from the ship and stormed the sleepy Lindisfarne monastery They wreaked havoc upon the island stealing valuables such as statues fabric and jew els and capturing fleeing monks to sell into slav ery The Lindisfarne raid was the Vikings first upon Britain but it would not be their last From the late 8th century to the 11th Viking longships would dominate European seas striking fear into the hearts of all who saw the ships silhouette on the horizon The Viking Age had begun More than 300 years before the raid at Lindisfarne the Roman Empire which once ruled much of Europe northern Africa and parts of Asia had collapsed opening trade between the Middle East Europe and Russia Tribes of people migrated across mainland Europe in search of trade work and land At that time the present-day Scandinavian coun tries of Norway Sweden Denmark and Finland were controlled by many chieftains who owned large chunks of land and had their own small armies During the so-called migration period Scandinavia became exposed to the goods and riches of other regions Scandinavian merchants desired gold silk spices and wine while traders from the south coveted Scandinavian bearskins reindeer hides furs and ivory from walrus tusks cultures and Scandinavian advancements in seafaring and shipbuilding bolstered trade Scandinavia was a land of water Norway had an expanse of coastal lands and fjords Denmark had a multi tude of islands and Sweden and Finland featured numerous inland lakes and rivers in addition to their coasts For centuries Scandinavian people had been closely tied to the sea sailing often The Vikings sailed widely to fight pillage and settle coming into conflict with an array of peoples 6
