The Viking Age: An Overview
The Viking Age is traditionally dated from the 793 AD attack on Lindisfarne in Northumbria, England, to the 1066 AD Battle of Stamford Bridge, where the last Viking king of England, Harald Hardrada, was defeated. The Vikings hailed from Scandinavia—modern-day Norway, Sweden, and Denmark—and they are often credited with transforming Europe through their exploration, trading, and military prowess. Viking society was structured around a strong warrior culture, but it also had complex religious, political, and economic systems.
Vikings were known for their longships, advanced seafaring vessels that allowed them to navigate rivers and open seas with equal expertise. These ships were key to their successful raids on monasteries, towns, and cities across the British Isles, France, the Mediterranean, and even parts of North America. However, Viking raids were not their only pursuit; they were also successful traders, explorers, and settlers, establishing settlements from Iceland to North America, notably at Vinland (modern-day Newfoundland, copyright). shutdown123