The Vikings

Podcast transcript

One of the most feared groups of people from the 8th to the 11th centuries was the Vikings.

The Vikings stuck fear into the hearts of people all around coastal Europe. They could appear like a bolt out of the blue to raid and pillage villages.

Yet the Vikings were more than mindless pillagers. They were also explorers and traders and had a much more vibrant society than how they are depicted in popular culture.

Learn more about the Vikings and how they impacted the course of civilization on his episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

The Vikings were one of the most significant civilizations to come out of pre-modern Europe.

They were unlike other groups that were considered great civilizations. Many times, our view of civilizations is based on the physical legacy they left behind.

The Romans, the Maya, the Egyptians, the Babylonians, and other ancient people are considered great civilizations because of the monumental architecture that they left behind. Today, millions of people visit these ruins, which keeps their memory alive.

The Vikings were, for the most part, not monument builders. They built out of wood, not stone. They didn’t have large cities that had to support large populations.

In many respects, their physical legacy in terms of what they left behind is quite minor.

Yet the Vikings have left an indelible mark on history far beyond that of other civilizations.

So, why?

Let’s start with who the Vikings were.

The Vikings originated from the Scandinavia. They came from what is today Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. These lands were rugged and marked by fjords, dense forests, and limited arable land.

Given its extreme northern latitude and cold temperatures, life was very difficult. You couldn’t grow abundant crops, given the limited growing seasons. At that point in history, creating a civilization with a large population like Rome would have been impossible.

This harsh northern reality forced the population to look outward for resources and opportunities. If they couldn’t get what they needed at home, then they could just take it from those who had it.

The Viking Age is considered to have begun in the year 793. It marks one of the most infamous and pivotal moments in Viking history, the attack on Lindisfarne Monastery.

Located on a small island off the northeast coast of England, Lindisfarne was a center of Christian learning and worship, renowned for its wealth and treasures. On June 8, Vikings arrived in their longships, launching a brutal raid that shocked the Christian world.

The raiders plundered the monastery’s riches, killed or enslaved monks, and desecrated sacred relics. The attack’s ferocity and sacrilegious nature profoundly impacted medieval Europe, inspiring widespread fear and marking the start of frequent Viking raids across the British Isles and beyond.

The key to the raid on the Lindisfarne monastery and the next several centuries of raids was the Viking longship.

The Viking longship was a revolutionary vessel that played a crucial role in the Vikings’ success as raiders, traders, and explorers. These ships were designed with a sleek, elongated hull, making them exceptionally fast and maneuverable on both open seas and shallow rivers.

Their shallow draft allowed the longships to approach coastlines and navigate inland waterways that were inaccessible to most other ships of the time, enabling surprise attacks and rapid retreats. Built with overlapping planks similar to shingles on a roof, a technique is known as clinker-building, the longships were both lightweight and durable, capable of withstanding rough ocean conditions.

Equipped with a sail and oars, they could harness wind power or rely on manpower, ensuring versatility in different environments. The iconic dragon or serpent carvings on the prows not only symbolized strength and intimidation but also reflected the Vikings’ cultural artistry.

Viking society was hierarchically organized into three primary classes: jarls, who were nobles; karls, who were freemen; and thralls, who were slaves.

The jarls were wealthy landowners and leaders who wielded significant political and military power. Karls made up the majority, consisting of farmers, traders, craftsmen, and warriors who were essential to the economy and defense of Viking communities. Thralls were at the bottom of the social order, often captives from raids, performing labor-intensive tasks.

Viking society was deeply rooted in kinship and communal ties, with family and clan loyalty playing a central role. Men and women had defined but complementary roles; women managed households, farms, and family affairs, with some holding positions of power as priestesses or landowners.

Honor and reputation were highly valued, shaping their legal system and daily interactions. The Vikings practiced a polytheistic religion centered on Norse mythology, influencing their cultural values and practices. Over time, with increased contact with Christian Europe, Viking society began to transform, adopting new religious and social norms.

The raid on Lindisfarne monastery was so successful that it prompted other raids. Raids in the late 8th and early 9th century were sporadic, targeting unprotected coastal monasteries and settlements in England and Ireland. These initial incursions were carried out by small, mobile groups seeking treasure, slaves, and resources.

In the 9th century, Viking raids intensified, with fleets of longships attacking multiple locations in a single season. On average, historical records suggest there may have been anywhere from 5 to 10 significant raids annually during the height of Viking activity, though exact numbers are difficult to determine due to limited documentation.

These raids were not confined to the British Isles; the Vikings began targeting the Frankish Empire in modern-day France, the Iberian Peninsula, and even sailing into the Mediterranean. Major river systems like the Seine, Loire, and Rhine became highways for Viking incursions deep into the heart of Europe.

What made Viking raids so effective was the element of surprise. The mobility of their ships enabled sudden, unexpected attacks. This shock-and-awe approach left defenders little time to organize a defense.

While these sudden attacks were their bread and butter, they were able to adapt. Vikings were adept at reading their enemies and adjusting tactics. In addition to raiding, they could lay siege to fortified positions or negotiate if it suited their needs.

The Viking warrior ethos was deeply rooted in concepts of honor, bravery, and personal reputation, with a strong emphasis on martial prowess and the glory of battle. They believed that dying courageously in combat could earn them a place in Valhalla, Odin’s hall of the slain, reinforcing their willingness to take risks and fight fearlessly. Warfare was seen not just as a necessity but as a path to prestige, wealth, and social standing.

Vikings wielded a variety of weapons, which were both practical tools of war and symbols of status. The sword was highly prized but expensive, making it a mark of wealth and prestige. Most warriors carried axes, which were versatile, deadly in close combat, and widely accessible.

Wealthier warriors could afford chainmail and helmets, while many relied on leather armor or padded clothing for protection.

Viking tactics were as effective as their weapons. In large-scale confrontations, they often employed the shield wall, a tight, interlocking formation that provided defense and allowed for coordinated advances.

In smaller skirmishes or raids, they relied on speed, surprise, and mobility, using their longships to approach targets stealthily and retreat quickly if needed.

Among the most fearsome Viking warriors were the berserkers, legendary figures who were said to fight in trance-like fury. Berserkers were thought to channel the power of animals, often wearing bear or wolf pelts into battle, which added to their terrifying appearance.

They fought with frenzied aggression, seemingly immune to pain and fatigue, and their unrelenting attacks could break enemy lines and sow panic. While the exact nature of their ferocity is debated—whether induced by rituals, substances, or psychological conditioning—the berserkers became iconic symbols of the Vikings.

As the Viking Age progressed, the focus of their raids evolved. By the late 9th and early 10th centuries, Vikings began transitioning from hit-and-run tactics to establishing more permanent settlements.

In England, the Great Heathen Army invaded in 865, conquering large portions of the country. In France, Viking leaders like Rollo negotiated land grants, which led to the establishment of Normandy. Simultaneously, Vikings explored further afield, reaching Iceland, Greenland, and North America by the early 11th century.

Here, I’ll refer you to my episode on L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, which is the first, and to the best of our knowledge, only, Viking settlement in North America.

The motivations behind these expansions included not just wealth but also opportunities for land and political power. Over time, Viking raiding gave way to more structured trade and settlement as they integrated into the regions they had once plundered.

As the Vikings began to settle, they became more European. In particular, they began to adopt Christianity.

Around the mid-10th century, Harald Bluetooth became one of the first prominent Viking leaders to convert to Christianity. He did so partly to consolidate his power and align with Christian neighbors.

FYI, Harald Bluetooth is the namesake of the Bluetooth wireless protocol.

Olaf II Haraldsson was a Norwegian king and a central figure in the Christianization of Norway. Born into a noble family, Olaf became a Viking warrior and participated in raids across Europe before embracing Christianity during his time in England. Returning to Norway in 1015, he declared himself king and worked to unify the country under his rule. Olaf sought to spread Christianity, often using force to suppress pagan practices and convert the population.

He was later declared Saint Olaf.

The Christianization of the Vikings wasn’t just a change of religion. It fundamentally changed Viking culture and ended the entire Viking era.

As the Norse people adopted Christianity, they abandoned many of their pagan practices, including raiding, which was often tied to their warrior ethos and belief in an afterlife for fallen warriors. The Christian Church promoted stability and centralized governance, which discouraged the chaotic and decentralized nature of Viking raids.

Another key factor in the Vikings’ decline was the consolidation of power in Scandinavia. As Viking leaders formed unified kingdoms in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, their focus shifted from raiding to building organized states. Kings like Harald Hardrada and Canute the Great sought to establish lasting political legacies rather than temporary wealth from plundering.

Improved defenses in Europe also contributed to the decline of Viking raids. Coastal settlements and monasteries, frequent targets of Viking attacks, eventually learned and became better fortified. European kingdoms developed stronger militaries and navies, making Viking incursions less successful and more dangerous.

Finally, the economic landscape changed. As Viking societies became more integrated into European trade networks, wealth flowed through peaceful commerce rather than raiding. The rise of medieval trade hubs and structured economies made trading more profitable and sustainable than plundering.

The end of the Viking Age is often marked by the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, where England’s King Harold Godwinson defeated King Harald Hardrada of Norway. This marked the last major Viking invasion of England and symbolized the end of the era of Viking expansion.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge took place just three weeks before the Battle of Hastings, where a group of settled Vikings from Normandy, France, led by William the Conquerer, conquered England.

The Vikings’ legacy endures today through their contributions to exploration, culture, and language, which impact the modern world in various profound ways.

As skilled navigators, they established trade routes connecting Europe, the Middle East, and even North America, fostering cultural exchange and early globalization.

Their influence is evident in the languages and place names of regions they settled, particularly in England, where Old Norse words like “sky” and “window” remain in use today.

Viking mythology and sagas continue to inspire literature, films, and popular culture.

In Scandinavian countries, they still celebrate the Vikings as a cornerstone of national identity even though the people who live there today couldn’t be any more different.