Who Are The Vikings?

The Vikings lived in north-eastern Europe which is Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. The area which they lived is cold and harsh which drove them to doing what they are known for, attacking towns and villages in other parts of the world for food, gold and supplies.

Archaeological evidence shows that they were great at making iron and steel tools which gave them an advantage when fighting soliders from a different land who only had bronze or copper tools and weapons. They were very good at making and using boats which they used to sail to other countries and the Vikings were treated as pirates.

Their has been evidence that in places like England the Vikings had built permanent settlements and started to conquer other lands instead of raid. Their has also being evidence of Vikings living in Iceland which was discovered by Eric the Red. The Vikings had lots of weapons such as; swords, axes, tomahawks[ small throwing axes], spears, shields, bows, pole-arms[spears but with different variety of blades],battle axes[ axe with two axe heads], large hammers, maces and many more. The Vikings had no professional standing army, and tactics and discipline seem to have been fairly rudimentary. They did not fight in regular formations, although the bonds of loyalty between men and their lords would have given their armies some discipline. Weapons training began in youth in hunting, sports and raiding. Viking warriors are really farmers called to leave their farms and go over seas to steal what they can get before going home.

In conclusion, the Vikings are great warriors and are master craftsmen. But are misjudged by most people today as fearless barbarians whose only intensions is to pillage and destroy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/weapons_01.shtml
http://www.vikings-history.com/viking-weapons.html