The Vikings
Miguel B
The Vikings came from three countries of Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The name 'Viking' comes from a language called 'Old Norse' and means 'a pirate raid'.
The Viking age in European history was about AD 700 to 1100. During this period many Vikings left Scandinavia and travelled to other countries, such as Britain and Ireland. Some went to fight and steal treasures, while others settled in new lands as farmers and craftsmen.
Some Viking ships brought families to Britain looking for land to farm. Good farmland was scarce in the Vikings' own countries. The parts of Britain where most Vikings settled were northern Scotland and eastern England. For 500 years, the Vikings ruled the north of Scotland, the Orkney and Shetland isles and the Hebrides islands off the west coast. In Ireland, the Vikings founded the city of Dublin.
Some Vikings went to France and founded Normandy ('Land of the North-men'). Some Vikings also sailed south around Spain, and into the Mediterranean Sea. Other Vikings roamed along rivers into Russia.
Vikings used to rob Christian churches and monasteries because they were easy to attach, as monks had no weapons, and because churches and monasteries kept valuable treasures, such as gold, jewels and books. There were food, drink, cattle, clothes and tools too - tempting for greedy Vikings.
Did Vikings really wear horned helmets?
The popular image of the Viking in a horned helmet dates back to the 1800s, when Scandinavian painters included horned helmets in their portrayals of the Vikings.
It is likely that horned helmets were only used for ceremonial purposes by Norse and Germanic priests. However, there is no evidence that horned helmets were ever worn in battle at any point during the Viking Age.
