INTRODUCTION

To the common populace, the history of the Vikings is usually portrayed in movies and games as rogue elements plundering and raiding the countryside of northern European kingdoms. Known for their adventurous and avaricious attitude, the Vikings were deemed as a scourge for both the Christian Church and the people who lived along the coastline. The Vikings flexed their militaristic tactics in order to successfully make hit-and-runs across countries like England and France during their glory days. Their societies were nuanced with a hierarchical structure where owning land was a status symbol. Many such examples of their practices included runestones, burial sites, and their long ships that could navigate rivers.

Despite these descriptions, I argue that a lot of what we know about the Vikings are either untrue or overdramatized. Vikings had a profound impact on different nations across the world that were just about raiding. Many played a role as hired mercenaries in wars across the world, where the best fighters accumulated massive amounts of gold before returning to their homeland. Other impacts the Vikings had came from their societal practices and how it impacted the places they settled. Throughout the activity, we will see more examples of the impact that the Vikings and their societies had globally.

ACTIVITY

Let’s start by watching John Greene’s video on the Vikings:

Next, let’s read about some of the places where the Vikings had made an impact:

Vikings in the Byzantine Empire

Vikings in England and Ireland

Vikings in Sicily and Italy

Now that we have gone through this activity, let’s answer the following questions in the comment section:

1) What do you think played a part in our modern perceptions of the Vikings?

2) Do you think money was the only factor in exploits and adventures of the Vikings?

3) Do you think that Vikings had more success by raiding, trading, being mercenaries, or settling new lands? Why?