The Vikings

Monks prayed while anticipating the arrival of their foreboding doom. A clairvoyant monk had a premonition about impending danger. The other monks followed his lead and started praying. The monastery referred to as the church of St. Cuthbert was nestled on the banks of England in Lundisfarne. Religious institutions were not protected from outside marauders in Europe. These places of worship were usually never in danger. The monks realized they were sitting ducks. A few of the monks took a break from praying and looked towards the open water and could not see anything but the spray of the sea as it hit the bank crashing into the rocks and sandy shore. They were willing to pay the price of man’s amassed sins without question. It did not mean they met their demise without trepidation.

            Early Viking raids began in 793. Many unsuspecting victims fell prey to the plunder of the harrowing, blood thirsty explorers. The first known Viking incident occurred at the Lindisfarne monastery off the coast of Northumberland in northeastern England, which marked the beginning of the Viking era. The Norwegians did not destroy the monastery completely, but the raid greatly upset the European inhabitants. The intruders appeared to have no respect for religious institutions.

            The monastery was situated near the shore. The monastery was soon spattered with the blood of some of the priests and its ornaments and sacred objects were confiscated. The monastery was held in highest regard in Britain. This unnecessary act of violence gained notoriety all over Europe and beyond, and the villains were considered barbarians (Chartrand, Durham, et. al., 2016).

           

            “Look at this. You put it in water and it shows you the direction to travel,” said Brynhild. He was demonstrating to Leif, a boat builder, how they could sail west by using the small round device. Halvor, Brynhild’s brother, grabbed the device and placed it in a bucket of water. It shifted momentarily and then the main dial moved and faced north. Brynhild moved the bucket and the dial turned around and faced north again. No matter how the bucket was placed the dial always pointed north. Navigation on the water would involve following the direction of the clever device. Brynhild held up a shard of glass which served as a prism. It glowed brightly when it faced the sun which rises in the east and it was early in the day. Leif was impressed.

            A few hundred years before the first Viking raid, the area in which they lived was hit by meteors. The sky blackened during that period of time. Food was scarce and fighting occurred amongst the inhabitants due to the uneasiness of the constant darkness and lack of food. When there was only darkness, they did not have a growing season. The people of the north relied heavily on the fish in the water and the planting and harvesting of food. Because of the scarcity of food and the fighting that ensued due to a lack of resources, aggression towards others as self-preservation was ingrained with the inhabitants, later referred to as Vikings.

            They were taught to defend themselves and became fierce warriors, even the women. The inhabitants discovered and explored some of the sites where the meteors had fallen and found some rocks that appeared to have magnetic properties. Some of the rocks were broken up and used in various ways. The make shift compass was one of the inventions. 

            “We know our lord will not be happy with our wanting to travel west instead of east to plunder other lands, but I feel very optimistic about traveling west,” said Brynhild.

            “We will need to be sneaky when we leave for our adventure,” replied Leif.

            “You mean to tell me you are going to let us use your fine boat,” said Brynhild. He was astounded con-cerning Leif’s generosity.

            “Under one condition, I get to go with you on your adventure.” Leif had constructed a sea worthy vessel that could accommodate up to 50 men. The boat was built with consideration of the open seas and the possible turbulence of the ocean.

            “I told my wife we will pretend we are going fishing for the bigger fish which will require us to go further out to sea,” said Brynhild.

            Halvor and Brynhild climbed aboard Leif’s boat and admired the sail and other parts of the boat. They were elated things were falling into place regarding their adven-ture.

                       

            The Northmen were of hardy stock and were known to endure harsh weather conditions that ensued during the long winter months. Surrounded by water, lakes and streams, they were no strangers to sailing. It was their nature to be on the water. Denmark had 50 islands and traveling between the islands and the mainland proved to be a challenge at times. The boat builders became masters at constructing boats that could handle the harshness of the waters. The boats were streamlined for speed.

            Oak trees were used for building because oak was considered a very durable wood that could withstand the harshness of waves and possible attacks from enemies. Out of dire necessity they were forced to use other woods such as ash, willow, pine and birch when oak was not readily available. Each ship was approximately 66 to 82 feet in length. Thousands of the Viking long ships were constructed during the Viking era. A master shipwright was an honorable trade and a master shipwright had a team of artisans working under him. The skill for the building of ships was passed down from one generation to the next (LaFay, 1972).

           

            “I promise you we will hit land and find vast treasures,” Brynhild stood above the men who were sitting listening to his speech.

            “What kind of treasures?” asked Reynard.

            “There will be gold and silver in abundance,” Brynhild replied.

            “The lord will be angry with us and may chop off our heads,” said Barnard.

            “We will have to make sure we bring back plenty of treasures so he would not be upset with us,” said Halvor.

            “Do you really think we will find land in the west?” asked Barnard.

            “I am sure of it,” responded Brynhild.

            The men were drinking mead while they were pondering Brynhild’s request.

            They were sitting on rocks near the harbor. All of the men explored Leif’s boat and they were very impressed with the vessel.

            As the night wore on, they began to be persuaded to go on the adventure as they drank more and more mead.

           

            The waves of the ocean were large and rolling. Water was splashing over the sides of the boat and everyone was getting wet. Leif’s boat was holding up nicely against the tumultuous sea. Many of the men were sleeping wherever they could find a place to rest their weary bodies. Only a few of men, Brynhild included, were manning the direction of the vessel along with the men rowing the boat. It has been days and they haven’t seen any sight of land.

            The sun was beginning to rise. The men started stirring. One grumbled and turned over to block the sun from his eyes. Some of the men looked out over the vast water with apprehension. Many were giving up hope they were ever going to see land as they traveled further west. Brynhild was beginning to feel discouraged. They released two ravens from cages and if they return they were not close to land. The birds flew off towards the west and did not return. Soon they saw seagulls. Everyone cheered. That meant they were close to land. They were approaching a shore.

            Several of the monks approached the doorway to the monastery and saw a boat emerging out of the fog near the shore. The sight of the massive structure was intimi-dating. They bowed their heads and began praying again. Some of the monks were trembling.

            The boat easily glided close to the shore. The anchor was set and the men got out of the boat and headed to the shore. The sandy embankment was easy to navigate. They spotted a large building, which ended up being a monastery. Brynhild motioned for them to get closer to the structure.

            Some of the monks tried to run for cover but could not get away from Brynhild and his crew.

            Several of the monks were murdered brutally immediately after coming into contact with the Vikings. The intruders needed to set an example of what could happen if others resisted. Some of them were spared to take back as slaves.

            The Vikings saw the vast amount of gold and silver such as a large gold cross with a dead man on it. They frowned and placed it in a netted basket.

            “Why does their god require so much gold? He appears to be a greedy god,” said Halvor.

            The men gathered more valuables: challises, more crosses and plates. They felt they hit a vast amount of treasure in just one building. What could the rest of the land produce?

            The slaves were bound and led to the boat. Most of the monks were trembling and praying silently. One of the monks actually died of fright on the voyage back to the Baltic Sea area.

            After their return, Lord Henry was crushed to learn that Brynhild was right about finding land to the west and they were able to bring back treasures. He gladly accepted the treasures but his ego was dinged considerably. He felt he was made to look foolish. Nothing can raise the hackles of a ruler more than to have his pride suffer under the tute-lage of his subjects.

            The Lord pointed to the treasures on the table and looked directly at Brynhild. “What do you want to take as payment for your service?” asked the lord.

            “I want the priest,” replied Brynhild adamantly. Brynhild was impressed with a specific priest who could speak the Norsemen language. He had plans to be taught the priest’s homeland language to be more prepared for his next visit to the lands in the west.

            Meanwhile, after the ceremony of welcoming the Norsemen upon their return from their voyage, the lord began plotting to get back at Brynhild. His deeds could not go unpunished. The lord had to instill fear back into his subjects and demand their utmost respect.

            Phillip, the priest, was skeptical about his new forced assignment of serving as a slave. He knew the Norsemen were considered barbaric and unruly. A memory of the time some of the English visited one of islands of Denmark to spread their religious beliefs. They were greeted with hostility and had to leave immediately soon after their arrival. The Vikings’ beliefs were vastly dif-ferent from his Christian beliefs. He began praying silently in his head for redemption. He clutched his Bible close to his chest when he laid on his bed made of straw at night.

            Phillip worked in the garden and took care of the livestock for Brynhild’s family. He worked hard and prayed whenever he could for salvation.

            Brynhild told Phillip he could run if he wanted. Brynhild smiled when he did not run.

           

Another voyage to the west was being planned. Brynhild told his wife she could go with him. She was surprised. The women of the north were highly trained as warriors. Helka was a fierce warrior. Brynhild knew he could count on her if they were in battle. She has defended their homestead and children from other aggressive men from the north. Phillip was instructed to watch over their farm and children while they were away.

“Leif, we need to go on another voyage. I feel it in my blood. I know I will find even more treasure,” said Brynhild.

Lief was prepared for a request for further travel west. He had started the construction of another vessel so more men could travel west.

            “I believe you are right, my friend,” replied Leif.

            Leif began examining the vessel to make sure it is seaworthy.

            Brynhild elated about the impending venture, started approaching the lord to gain his blessing.

            The lord regretfully told Brynhild to go ahead with the voyage. His greed superseded his pride. Brynhild’s haughty attitude was more than the lord could handle. He always appeared to have a smirk on his face. He seemed to have a hidden agenda behind his actions.

            “Say Valhalla,” ordered Brynhild.

            “Valhalla,” stuttered Phillip.

            Brynhild was teaching Phillip more of the Viking language and Phillip in return was teaching the language from his homeland. They spent hours working on this task. Both became fluent in each other’s language. Brynhild was ready to make his second voyage to England. 

            The inhabitants residing near Lindisfarne were warned about possible future invading barbarians. They were prepared to fight the interlopers upon their arrival. A lot of confusion occurred when Brynhild could speak their language. They scratched their heads and held their swords in front of them ready for an attack.

            Halvor became inpatient and charged the Englishmen standing in front of them. The fighting began harshly and did not end well for the English.

            The lord sent his brother, Arvid, to keep an eye on Brynhild. Arvid was discovered by Helka raping an English woman. She pushed him off the woman and a fight ensued between Helka and Arvid. Arvid was trying to tear Helka’s clothing off her so he could rape her. Helka kneed him and he fell hard to the floor. She stabbed him in the neck.

            The Vikings discovered a vast amount of treasure in the castle. They managed to capture more men and women to take back as slaves. They headed back to the Baltic Sea area with their loot.

            Brynhild was taken away in chains because he admitted killing Arvid when asked where the lord’s brother was. Brynhild had a smirk on his face. Tears were running down Helka’s face because she was afraid she was going to lose her husband.

            Public court was held the next day. Brynhild was on trial for the death of Arvid. One of the Norsemen rules were if the killer admitted to the crime of killing, the sentence would be lessened. Since the lord had it in for Brynhild, he wanted Brynhild to be beheaded for his crime.

            Brynhild stood before the court and admitted to the killing again and then said, “Arvid was killed because he tried to rape my wife.”

            Helka approached the lord and told him she killed Arvid because he tried to rape her.

            “Now we have a man and his wife colluding to a crime they both supposedly committed,” said the lord.

            “I killed him to protect my wife and I should not be punished for doing so,” said Brynhild.

            Halvor approached the lord and said he was a witness to Arvid’s crime and witnessed Brynhild killing Arvid to protect his wife.

            The lord was forced to release Brynhild. He was furious.

            The next day, the lord sent his soldiers to kill as many of Bynhild’s friends and comrades as they could and burn their properties. Brynhild was hunting and heard the commotion. He managed to kill many of the lord’s men with the help of some of his comrades. He took a fierce stab to his chest and deep lash to his leg. His family and Phillip were waiting for him in a boat. They were laying down in the boat so they would not be spotted.

            Phillip dove in the water to rescue Brynhild. The injured Brynhild was brought to the boat by him. His family was glad to see he was alive. They headed to Leif’s home to seek his help. He lived across the river.

            Brynhild took a few months to heal from his injuries. Then he plotted revenge against Lord Henry. A fight occurred between the Lord’s and Brynhild’s fol-lowers. Lord Henry faced Brynhild. The others stopped fighting. Henry fought a valiant fight but finally lost to Brynhild. Lord Henry’s lady declared Brynhild the Lord.

           

            The Vikings were conquerors and unscrupulous raiders during the warm months and hunkered down with family and other community members during the colder months. Not all of them settled in the countries after they pillaged them. Raiding and plundering goes back in time to the earliest inhabitants of this world. It was a quick way to provide for someone’s village by taking things from others.

            The Vikings came from the areas of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and other Scandinavian countries. Vikings were considered more barbaric by the Europeans and most importantly they were not Christian. The word Viking came from a Scandinavians word meaning the Old Norse word “vik” (bay or creek) which formed from the root word “vikingr” which meant pirate. They were also referred to as Nordmanni  meaning Northmen or Normans. Germans referred to them as Ascomanni meaning ashmen because they built their ship by using the wood of ash trees. The Spanish Muslims called them al-Madjus which meant “heathen wizards.” They were despised and feared by many people (Chartrand, Durham, et. al., 2016).

            During the Viking Age, wealth was amassed by conquest and from the lord’s massive land holdings. Revenue was obtained through the collection of taxes which was collected by the lord’s officials. The king had certain obligations such as ensuring the merchants could carry out their transactions without being attacked. They also converged on other regions and pillaged and raided to build up the kingdom’s wealth. The major portion of the lord’s debt involved maintaining a standing army of professional warriors. Expenses involved housing, training, and feeding of the warriors.

            When residing at their home locations, the governmental structure was highly stratified and resembled a hierarchal society. The king or lord was the highest order, then the aristocracy, the military leaders, and the powerful landowners with much control of the regions’ resources. It was a diverse group of individuals filling the role of many types of jobs such as fishermen and craftsmen.

            Professional warriors held a special rank because of their ability to protect the kingdom. Social status, like other parts of the world, was determined by the extent of the individual’s wealth. At the base of the pyramid of control were the slaves, who were regarded as having a little more status than animals and they were usually treated with little respect, more like objects. Many of the slaves were abducted during raids. The avarice and superiority of the rulers often fed the violence behind many of the raids (Chartrand, Durham, et. al., 2016).

             The religion of the Vikings was forced onto their slaves. They believed in various deities. Sacrifices of animals, crops and humans were often made to appease their gods. Slaves were used for the human sacrifices. They strived to live in a world they thought was flat and surrounded by a vast ocean. Within the ocean realm lived the Midgard Serpent. The earth was supported by a giant oak tree referred to as Yggdrasill.  The roots of this tree expanded from the freezing depths of Hel to Jotunheim, the home of the giants. This realm existed on the far side of the ocean at the world’s end.

            The Vikings were influenced by an ancestral group of fallen angels who encouraged their beliefs. They served as gods when they lived in their Baltic lands during ancient times. For example, Thor was a Nephillim and possessed great strength and abilities. Their religious practices were fraught with supernatural undertones similar to other religious practices including Christianity.

            Odin, the almighty of the gods was one of the strongest and wisest of the fallen angels. He provided them with knowledge, understanding, magic and poetry. They were instructed on the tenets of war. The worldly creatures were the wolf and raven. Every Viking warrior wanted to die a hero’s death on the battlefield defending their country and be chosen to be placed in Odin’s great “Hall of the Slain,” Valhalla. The legends of the ancient gods were passed down from one generation to the next.

            Weapon handling was a finely tuned skill. Many of the warriors could throw javelins with ambidextrous skill, using both hands and arms with equal ability. Spears were caught in the air and returned. Archery was also an achieved skill and considered a legal requirement. They needed to acquire and maintain strength and accuracy, skills required in warfare. Warriors needed to employ quick thinking and reflexes to fully utilize their warrior abilities, which was why they were able to take over so many people from outside their homelands.

            Viking women were strong, durable and considered equal partners to their mates and pursued blood feuds. They have ordered Viking men into battle. When a husband went on hunt or voyage he would hand her the keys. The keys were kept on her person at all times. The most important of the keys protected the family’s treasures. Most families had chests which hid their family’s precious items. The slaves assisted the Viking women with handling the daily household chores which involved weaving, brewing drink, preparing food, spinning, stitching, making clothes and handling farming chores.

           

            Brynhild’s wife, Helka, was weaving cloth on a large loom.

            “We eat when I am done with this row. Phillip has cooked the lamb. I have roasted beans. Please be patient my child,” order Helka.

            “I am hungry,” pleaded Brynjar, Helka’s oldest son.

            Helka reached into her pocket and handed a piece of hard cake to Brynjar. He thanked her and ran outside to play with his sister.

            The running of the household and farm was arduous work. All family members assisted with the taking care of the animals and gardens. The making of clothes took a lot of the women’s time and energy. All cloth was woven by hand. The clothes were made from woolen cloth. Lots of steps were carried out to produce the clothing. Yarn had to be spun from fleece after removing it from the sheep and then the yarn was dyed and woven into a finished cloth on a loom.

            Helka was covered in dust and her feet were covered in mud. She spent much of the morning practicing the art of warfare with her oldest son. He was taught to never lose sight of his opponent and to not waste time thinking about his next move. Brynjar needed to act more quickly. Helka had him pinned against the wall of their home with a knife to his chest. She made her point. She was known to be a tough and fierce warrior amongst her people and she was highly respected.

            “I taught our son a valuable lesson today, Brynhild,” said Helka.

            “What is that?” asked Brynhild.

            “I taught him how to never take his eyes off his enemy and get the best of him. He still has more to learn,” replied Helka.

            “I will continue working with him,” said Brynhild.

            Brynhild touched the fabric Helka was weaving and smiled at her. “I like this. What are you going to make from this?” asked Brynhild. The colors of the fabric were a light brown, tan and off white.

            “I plan on stitching you some britches and a vestment,” replied Helka.

            “I look forward to wearing them.”

            Phillip placed wooden serving bowls on the table and filled the bowls with roasted lamb and beans. Mead was poured in the horns and handed to Helka and Brynhild. The children were handed small wooden bowls with water to drink. The atmosphere of Brynhild’s domain was filled with light chatter about their day as Brynhild’s family satisfied their appetites. Phillip smiled at Brynhild’s daugh-ter, Elsi, when she told her story about finding a frog and a butterfly.

            Another group of Vikings set fire to a monastery near the coast of Spain. The Vikings used a unique liquid to start fires. They were pretty ingenuous with their inventions. They collected a fungus called touchwood from tree bark and boiled it for several days in urine. Then they pounded the material into something that resembled felt. The sodium nitrate found in urine allowed the material to smolder rather than quickly burn when set on fire. They placed the smoldering material around the inside of a monastery. Some of the material was laid upon bedding made from straw which quickly caught on fire. The clergymen were tied to posts while the monastery was blazing (La Fay, 1972).

            “I found some small pieces of gold in the monastery before we started the fire. We need to find out if there are more treasures to be found,” said Ivar, a Viking warrior.

            “They do not speak the language we do so we will have to show them what we want,” replied another Viking.

            Ivar held up a gold coin in front of one of the clergymen and asked where he could find more. The clergyman did not know what he wanted so he shrugged his shoulders. He was slapped hard and asked again. The clergyman pulled a coin from his robe and handed it to Ivar. The Vikings ordered them to strip and hand over their clothing. No more coins were discovered. The clergymen’s clothing was thrown on the fire of the burning monastery.

            Many of the nuns were caught and raped by the Vikings.

            Word was spreading fast about the barbaric intru-ders. Terror was felt throughout the coasts of many of the countries on the western portion of Europe including England and to the northern tip of Africa.

                       

            Eric the Red, a Norwegian, was a notorious Viking. He had a murderous streak. After his marriage to a wealthy heiress named Thuodhild, he settled down on a large plot of fertile land. Eric killed two of his neighbors in order to gain hold of their property. Eric was causing dissention and chaos in many areas near his newly found territory. Iceland’s king condemned him and he was banned from the country for three years.

            These circumstances put Eric in the worse of moods.  He was fretting and fuming and decided to leave and explore an island west of Iceland. Eric discovered land with fertile valleys and beautiful streams filled with fish. Eric recruited a large host of volunteers from Iceland to join him in his newly found land. He called his new land base Greenland. He picked the name because more people would be drawn to the land due to what the name repre-sented.

            The inhabitants of Greenland ended up depending on trading with the greedy Norwegian merchants. The colonists needed to be supplied with iron, timber, grain, and salt in which they traded buckskin, sealskins and rope made from walrus hides.

            Freydis, Eric’s daughter, was as bloodthirsty and power hungry as her father. She convinced her husband, Thorvard, to kill everyone on one of their enemy’s ships. Thorvard refused to kill the women so she took over the ax and killed the women.

            Hastings was another famous Viking who led his Danish fleet to the city of Luna between Pisa and Genoa. The towering walls and marble buildings led Hastings to believe he landed in Rome. He was elated. The citizens of Luna barricaded their city against the marauders. Hastings took it upon himself to plead with the king to allow him to enter the gates. He assured the king that he came in peace and he was in poor health. Hastings requested to be baptized and he agreed to join in their religious practices. Hastings said he needed the bishop’s blessing because the end was near for him.

            He headed back to his ship and had his men place him in a coffin and had them carry him back into the city for a Christian burial. He had his men wear armor and axes under their clothing. The bishop was clothed in sacred vestments and carried out a prayer ceremony to save his soul. Hastings burst out of the coffin and killed the bishop and his count. It was a bloody massacre of the inhabitants of the city of Luna. The people who were not killed became slaves for Hastings and his followers.

           

            In 860, Rus, a northern warrior, attacked Constantinople. The fighting abilities of the Vikings were admired by the Byzantine emperors. A treaty was signed in 911 and the Norsemen were recruited to serve as guardians of the empire of Constantinople. The Vikings joined the empire’s royal guard and served as the Varangian Guard. Harald Hardraada considered his role on the Varangian Guard an honor before taking on the throne of Norway. They were regarded as loyal to the emperors and held fast their commitment to protect the empire they were guarding. They fought battles for the empire from Sicily to Syria. In 1066, the Guard changed when William the Conqueror took over England. In order to avoid annihilation, the Anglo-Saxons and Anglo Danes enlisted in the Guard.  (La Fay, 1972)

            The Norsemen had a soft side. A custom of the Norsemen was the creation of elaborate poems. One Viking warrior escaped execution because of the poem he created in short order and recited to a lord. The lord was impressed and saved his life.

            The Norsemen have taken on many harrowing adventures and have braved the north Atlantic seas in winter. A poem the “Seafarer” gave a rendition of their escapades.

…Lest man know not

That he on dry land loveliest liveth,

Weathered the winter, wretched outcast

Deprived of my kinsmen;

Hung with hard ice-flakes, where hail-scur flew,

There I heard naught save the harsh sea

And ice-cold wave, at whiles the swan cries,

Did for my games the gannet’s clamour,

Sea-fowls’ loudness was for me laughter,

The news’ singing all my mead-drink.

Storms, on the stone-cliffs beaten, fell on the stern

In icy feathers; full oft the eagle screamed

With spray on his pinion. (La Fay, 1972)

            A sleepy little village in northern Africa was about to be awaken by sadistic intruders. The long boats of the Vikings crept along the coast. Waiting for a sign of life along the banks, they maneuvered their crafts along the shoreline. They saw the faint light of a camp fire in the distance. When they got closer to the shore they saw movement from the small village. No one appeared to be watching for any trespassers.

            It was late in the afternoon. The sun was shining brightly. Common Kingfishers, chirping, were swooping down to gather small fish from the clear water near the coast. The birds broke the silence of the quiet little cove. The Vikings docked their boats along the shore and retrieved their swords from the bottom of the boats, the blades of their swords shown luminously in the sunlight. They stealthily walked as a group of foreboding voyagers up the narrow path through the trees to the village.

            Women were cooking over fire pits and weaving mats of straw. They looked up at the visitors with surprise and fear, gathered their children and tried to run into the woods on the other side of the village. The women were stopped by a wall of Vikings. The women sat down in a huddle near the fire pits. They were trembling and hanging onto their children tightly.

            The men stopped cleaning fish and charged the Vikings with their sharpened rocks and spears they were using to catch and clean fish. Two of the men were killed instantly while the others were tied up by the use of vines. Some of the villagers were killed and some of the men were taken as prisoners. The male and female prisoners were going to serve as slaves for the intruders. The Viking warriors were ravenous. It’s been days since they had their last meal. They helped themselves to the food that was being prepared over the fire. They began pillaging the huts to find things they may find useful. They discovered more spears and bowls made of hardened clay.

            Living a calmer and quieter existence did not prepare the villagers for the onslaught of the invasion of the Vikings and many communities started living in fear of brutal attacks from the unwanted barbarians. Many of the communities settled down to an agricultural way of life in which they abandoned their nomadic way of life of hunting and gathering. The inhabitants were living off the land, hunting wild game, catching fish, picking fruit and growing vegetables. They provided for their own and did not feel the need to seek outside resources. They went from an adventurous nomadic way of life to one of mostly peace and harmony.

            Several of the villagers were murdered one by one as the others watched to demonstrate what could happen if they ran away or were not submissive to their new owners. Many were held captive in little burrows dug into the side of a hill. Some of the villagers were able to escape because they were out gathering berries for the evening feast and heard cries of anguish as the victims suffered terribly under the harsh lashings of raw steel as it ripped at their flesh. The survivors who were not held captive made their way to another village to seek their assistance.

                       

            The villagers were ordered to build homes for the Vikings. They wanted nicer homes than the ones the villagers were living in which were grass huts with thatch roofs. Axes were used to build elaborate houses in the trees with ladders and various levels. Feathers were collected and added to netted mattresses to provide comfort for their masters.

            During the day the slaves could roam freely to enable them to get their work done. At night they were forced to stay put in their rudimentary huts and guards were assigned to watch over them at night.

            The days were filled with hunting by some of the Viking warriors. The slaves continued to build fortresses to protect the settlement from outside invaders in the little quiet village in Africa. They feared other Viking groups or outsiders may try to take over their little community. The Vikings were suspicious and untrusting by nature.

            After a few years went by, many of the trustworthy male slaves were taken under some of the Vikings’ wings and trained in combat. Some of the Vikings intermarried with the women of the village and started procreating to build up the village. The Vikings raided nearby villages and took those villagers to their village to build up the population.

            The village became a citadel and was becoming a prominent settlement. The Vikings set up a government and appointed a king who ruled over the village and the surrounding areas. Many of the women were taken and made their wives to warm their beds at night. The Vikings, who landed on the little plot of land ten years ago, never left to return to their homeland in Norway. They enjoyed the weather, the availability of game and slaves to do their bidding.

            The Vikings established a prominent trading system with many countries. They traded slaves for gold and they purchased treasures such as jewels. The Muslims could not make slaves out of free men and women so they purchased slaves from the Vikings. One of the most prominent trade centers for the Vikings was Constantinople.

            Fear and terror existed in many countries as a result of the Viking era which lasted for approximately 250 years. The mayhem ended about the year 1066. The Scandinavian kingdoms became Christian so in essence the previous Viking culture was absorbed into the culture of Christian Europe. The Viking legacy has been discovered in many places such as Ireland with remnants of Viking forts. The Vikings made their way across much of the coastline from the Baltic Sea to England, Ireland, and Sicily and as far away as North Africa and North America. They descended on unsuspecting villages and towns with their longboats and entered the rivers of Europe to raid settlements such as Kiev, Cologne, York, London, Rouen, Bordeaux, Florence, Tripoli and smaller communities. Some of the place names in the areas they settled including northern England, France, Scotland and Russia were derived from the Viking period. The beaches of Normandy in France were named after the Norsemen (La Fay, 1972).

           

            Throughout history, people of many lands traveled to find a suitable place to reside permanently. Warfare, loss of suitable resources such as wild game, a change in climate, curiosity, a desire for a better life and other reasons such as cruel or unyielding governance of their homelands caused them to travel to other lands. Suitable locations were determined by the amount of available wild game, climate, and clean water sources and land suitable for agriculture. Eventually, they adopted some of the cultural and religious practices of other countries. Some of the locations in Europe they invaded were named after this unruly group of people. Greed, hatred, and lack of respect for human life was the driving force behind the actions of the Vikings.