6 - The Viking Plague from the North.

It seemed that whenever Europe was about to settle down and the people could enjoy safety and prosperity, some new group came along to make life miserable. Shortly after the death of Charlemagne in 814, a new and frightening threat came to loot and destroy. There was no trouble recognizing them. They wore layers of animal hides and leather helmets and carried round, wooden shields. Their long, wooden ships, with a snake or dragon head on the prow and single sail, moved swiftly to attack and then left quickly after they had robbed and burned. Of all the invaders who had attacked Europe, they were the most feared. The people prayed: “God, deliver us from the fury of the Northmen.” Scandinavia was home to the Vikings, and they were ancestors to the Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes. At home, they lived in small villages, grew crops, and raised livestock. Their villages were well organized and were governed by a council (Folkmoot). It was the Folkmoot, not a king, who made the decisions for the community. It decided when they would go to war. It seems the Vikings loved the thrill of war more than any other people in history. In battle, Vikings often used a two-edged sword and aimed at the enemy’s arms and legs. They also used a broad axe, arrows, and spears. Their most fierce warriors were the berserkers, who prepared for battle by eating wild plants and other foods that drugged them and made them crazed. The Vikings were pagan worshippers of the gods Odin and Thor. Odin was the god of battle and death. Thor ruled the sky and controlled the storms and winds. At sea, Thor helped them more, but when they landed, Odin became the more important god. They attacked in small raiding parties; small seacoast towns, churches, and monasteries were favorite targets. There were no sailors as daring as they, and their explorers set out for distant places. They reached Iceland in 870; Eric the Red landed in Greenland in 982. About the year 1000, Eric’s son, Leif Ericson, landed on the North American coast, found wild grapes, and named his discovery Vinland. An attack on Dublin in 795 was followed by plundering raids along the coasts of Ireland, western England, France, Germany, and eventually as far south as Sicily. Overland raids from Sweden spread into Russia and down the rivers to Baku on the Caspian Sea and Istanbul (Constantinople) on the Black Sea. By about 875, some Vikings continued to raid, but others were ready to settle down. A group of Danish Vikings, called Normans, settled on the coast of France (Normandy). With William the Conqueror as their leader, they attacked and defeated the English in 1066. The Vikings would eventually establish peaceful kingdoms in the Baltic area. They became Christian and began to fit in better with other Europeans. But in general, the turmoil they created was harmful to the peace of others. People turned to local leaders to protect them. This led to the system of feudalism that dominated Europe for many years. How did the Vikings decorate their ships? What modern nations had their beginnings with the Vikings? Who among the Vikings made the decision to go raiding? Who were the fiercest Viking warriors? Who were the two most important Viking gods? What targets did the Vikings especially like to raid? What Viking explorer reached North America? What did the Vikings call North America? What Danish Vikings settled on the west coast of France? Who led the army that invaded England in 1066? What system developed in Europe as the result of Viking raids?