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I know that out of nowhere from about 800 A.D. to about the time of William the Conquerer at 1066 they raided Britian, Ireland, France, Iberia and even wound up in Russia and Bagdad and then around 1066 they subsided. Why did they start raiding at that time (800 A.D.) ? Was it do to over population? Why didin't they just go north into upper Scandanavia? Were they mad at Christianity that was spreading into Scandanavia? I mean for over 250 years they raided then mingled and/or subsided.
From the little reading I've done it appears the Vikings raided for loot and succeeded in securing some gains. It also appears they both integrated into some of the populations, but were thwarted as pirates earlier than William, I believe, with the advent of better ship-building and the mobilisation of an army by the Simple King (around 900).
This is a great question! I'll try to give at least a partial answer and recommend a great book. One of the foremost experts on the Vikings was Magnus Magnusson who was born in Iceland and lived most of his life in Scotland. He was th author of several books, including one titled Vikings! He was also the creator and narrator of the PBS-TV series of the same name. Magnusson passed away in 2007, but he held many academic positions, including Chairman of Stewards of the York Archaeology Trust, which is involved in a major Viking excavation at Coppergate in York, England. My wife and I had the pleasure of visiting the Jorvik Viking Centre at York and it is outstanding. It depicts life in the Viking colony. BTW, in my opinion, York is the most interesting small city a history buff could visit. It fairly reeks with history and culture. But on to Magnusson's words 'Bolt Out of the Blue' from his book, Vikings:
"The Viking raid on Lindisfarne in 793, a smash-and-grab assault by a prowling band of Norwegian marauders, is cited in every textbook as the start of the Viking Age. It makes a hauntingly evocative scene. On the bare and windswept tidal islet of Lindisfarne, long revered as a cradle of Christianity, peaceful monks are going about their devotions as usual. Suddenly all hell breaks loose, we are told. Grim-prowed ships with square sails and snarling dragon-heads loom menacingly over the sea-horizon to the east; oaken keels scrape noisily up the shelving sandy beaches; fierce-beared Vikings, ravening for Christian blood and plunder, leap ashore with manic abandon, and in a trice all is confusion and slaughter."
Note: We saw Lindisfarne, often called Holy Island, in the distance from the train while traveling from York to Edinburgh. I only wish we could have actually seen the island first-hand. Magnusson continues:
"Lindisfarne was only a curtain-raiser. In the next few years, there was a flurry of raids on other monestaries and abbeys. Wearmouth and Jarrow, Bede's old monastery, in 794, Iona in 795, and again in 802 and 806, Rathlin Island off Ireland in 795. By 799 the first raiders were reported at various islands off the Aquitane coast of France. The flood gates had opened."
To answer the question of why the Vikings raided and pillaged Europe, it's easier to say because they could. Magnusson explains that there was a lull in their raids for several years and that was probably because Charlemagne had consolidated his power in Europe by the year 800 AD. However, when he died in 813 AD, his son, Louis the Pious came into power. But Charlemagne's empire was weakened by successive wars and Louis didn't have the leadership qualities and a power vacuum developed. The Vikings took advantage of it and launched attacks on the Frisian coast in the 830s.
Magnusson has an interesting paragraph on the Viking raids that began in earnest later:
"When the Viking breakout from Denmark came-when the 'fury of the Northmen' was unleashed on continental Europe- it was not directed against Christianity or Christian church establishments, it was directed first and foremost against great trade centres like Dorestad on the Rhine, in the Low Countries of Frisia. And it did not start until -- somewhat later than the first Norwegian raids at the end of the eighth century."
The impact of the Vikings on Europe must have been considerable. Their raids on Ireland credits them with the founding of Dublin and the young Irish women carried off to Iceland are said to be the the reason for many Icelandic redheads and undoubtedly added to the gene pool. There was very little of Europe where they didn't go.They even ruled Sicily for a number of decades and some archaeological evidence indicates they may have even reached Western China. And, of course, they became the Normans of France.
It's hard to believe that such a terror could have come out of such a bucolic countryside as Denmark. As Magnusson says, "The 'fury of the Northmen' must have been very real, and very frightening, even in an age almost innured to violence. And when that fury was unleashed on Europe, systematically and purposefully, the full force of it came from the smallest of the Viking countries -- Denmark."
I hope this helps and that others will add to the discussion.
John
That is an excellent book and series. And you did a great job explaining why the Vikings raided Europe... 'because they could'!! In addition to that, many rulers "paid them off" with silver...they figured they had a good thing going.. so they kept showing up and demanding even more loot...Finally the 'French' gave up and let them have Normandy. Although, their ultimate impact was not that great in the long run, as they settled down and assimilated into the population.
Thanks alot John as you made some very good points about my question.
What do you think about the supposedly ''mythical'' Vikings known as the Jomsvikings. They supposedly helped install the Dane king as the new monarch of England after defeating the Anglo/Saxons.
They were many accounts of them but they have never found their settlements so archeologists/historians are not sure if they really existed or if they were mearly fable.
That is an excellent book and series. And you did a great job explaining why the Vikings raided Europe... 'because they could'!! In addition to that, many rulers "paid them off" with silver...they figured they had a good thing going.. so they kept showing up and demanding even more loot...Finally the 'French' gave up and let them have Normandy. Although, their ultimate impact was not that great in the long run, as they settled down and assimilated into the population.
Not that great in the long run? If they never settled in Normandy, would there have ever been a William of Normandy? How's that for a "what if"?
I'll have to read the PP...looks interesting but I always thought the raiding was partly due to a short growing season and thus a need to prevent starvation during the long winter months.
Thanks for the posts, as they help me broaden my thoughts as to what I have been trying to study in my geneaology search. I have figured out that to know who's who in the kingdom, takes alot of patience, as when authors explain it, they use the title King John, but they dont specify Of Scotland or Of England, so I had to learn the timelines of events. I am interested in the High Kings of Ireland, and a Gaelic name is hard to dechipher to the Angelisied English name.
Can anyone tell me if there was a Fergus Mor in DalRiata in Dunadd Fort, and was he on that land in Scotland in 501 AD? Or is that a myth? , but if he was real, was he related to the O Morda King of Leinster of 1014? Was Brian Boru really a High King as indigenous? or was he a viking? He and O Morda both died at Clontarf April 1014, but so many tales are told, I cant seem to find a truth. This is a great subject, Thanks for bringing it up.
The Vikings ( Norse and Danes) needed to expand and settle as agricultural land was becoming scarcer in many parts of Scandinavia due to population growth. They also needed to trade. n And had an excellent side-line in protection racket !
Also the richest lands were Christian lands, as monasteries, churches etc.. were the treasure houses of Europe.
Many Archaeologists believe their primary aim was reconnaissance for land expansion as well as lining their pockets. It was also good for slaves.
A very large part of the raids stayed behind for settlement. The Vikings were actually a very agrarian society and they took land where they could and made a great success of it , if ones looks at the legacy left behind.
We have been left with a very 19th century of the Norse and Danes as blood thirsty warriors but they were primarily excellent farmers and trades people. The trade goods found in graves show exactly how wide their commercial trading went.
The raids were no doubt terrifying for the Christian monasteries of Europe and the general populace but their settlement of the land was a hugely important contribution to Europe .
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Why the Vikings Raided
