Overview

The Vikings, or Norsemen, of Scandinavia, were the dominant sea power in Europe from about A.D. 800 to 1150, exploring the coastlines of Europe, the British Isles, and North Africa. Their technologically advanced longships, skilled seamanship, and military-like raiding parties exerted Viking influence from Russia to Greenland, and established peripheral contact with the Byzantine Empire and the shores of North America. The presence of Norse raiders had a profound impact on medieval Europe. Trade routes established by the Vikings promoted the flow of coins, sliver, and limited goods from the Middle East to Northern Europe. Norse settlements changed the political map of the Middle Ages, not only by expanding its physical bounds, but by encouraging the rise of strong local leaders and armies to defend populations from Viking marauders. The Norse established direct rule in some places, and...