The Viking Age

Lore & Background

The Viking Age began with the attack on Lindisfarne in 793, though some scholars argue for an earlier start around 700–750. The Norse people voyaged by sea from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, settling in the British Isles, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Normandy, and along the Baltic coast and the Dnieper and Volga trade routes in eastern Europe, where they were also known as Varangians. They briefly settled in Newfoundland, becoming the first Europeans to reach North America, a feat achieved in 1021.

Reader's Guide

The Viking Age represents a significant period of expansion and cultural exchange, driven by factors such as the growth of wealthy towns and monasteries overseas, weak kingdoms, overpopulation, lack of good farmland, political strife, and the aggressive expansion of the Carolingian Empire. Sailing innovations allowed the Vikings to travel farther and longer. Information about the Viking Age is drawn largely from primary sources written by those the Vikings encountered, as well as archaeology, supplemented with secondary sources such as the Icelandic Sagas. The Norse founded several kingdoms and earldoms, including the Kingdom of the Isles, Orkney, York, the Danelaw, Dublin, Normandy, and Kievan Rus'. The homelands were unified into larger kingdoms, and the short-lived North Sea Empire included large swathes of Scandinavia and Britain. Scholarly reassessment of Viking achievements, recognizing their artistry, technological skills, and seamanship, began outside Scandinavia in the 1890s.

Did You Know?

• The Viking attack on Lindisfarne in 793 is regarded as the beginning of the Viking Age, though some scholars push the start back to 700–750.
• In 1021, the Vikings reached North America, a date not determined until a millennium later.
• The Norse were also known as Varangians in eastern Europe along the Dnieper and Volga trade routes.
• The Vikings founded several kingdoms and earldoms, including the Danelaw, Dublin, Normandy, and Kievan Rus'.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

Some people think all Scandinavians during the Viking Age were Vikings, but the facts show that “few of the Scandinavians of the Viking Age were Vikings in the sense of being engaged in piracy.” Another common misconception is that the Viking Age began with a single, undisputed date; while the attack on Lindisfarne in 793 is regarded as the start, some scholars argue for an earlier beginning around 700–750.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The Viking Age endures in historical imagination because it bridges the classical and medieval worlds while stretching across an extraordinary range of territories, from the Baltic to North America. It also highlights how a relatively small maritime culture could transform politics, trade, and settlement patterns across an entire continent, leaving lasting legacies in languages, place names, and legal systems.