Who were the Vikings?
The Vikings were seafaring people from Scandinavia, present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden, who raided, traded and settled across Europe and beyond from about 793 to 1066.
The Viking Age is often said to begin with the raid on the monastery of Lindisfarne in England in 793. Vikings sailed in fast, shallow longships that could cross oceans and travel up rivers. They attacked coastal towns and monasteries, but most Vikings were farmers, craftspeople and traders.
Vikings traveled remarkably far. They settled in Iceland, Greenland, parts of Britain, Ireland and Normandy in France. Traders reached Constantinople and Baghdad through the rivers of Eastern Europe. Around the year 1000, Leif Erikson reached North America, and a Viking site has been found at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.
Myths and reality
There is no evidence that Vikings wore horned helmets in battle. That image became popular in the 1800s, partly through costumes for Wagner's operas. The Viking Age is usually said to end in 1066, when the Norwegian king Harald Hardrada was defeated in England.
Did You Know?
Several English words come from the Vikings' Old Norse language, including sky, egg, window, knife and husband.