Negative Effects Of The Barbarians Of Vikings

When thinking of the term “Vikings,” what comes to mind? Ruthless, savage, barbaric, all relatively common answers to think of. Yet, what makes these people different enough to have negative terms describe them? Similar to the Germanics who lived in the region of Germania, both groups were considered barbarians for their violent fighting. Hailing from the region Scandinavia, the countries Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Vikings came from foreign lands that Europe had no knowledge of. The barbarians’ presence in the British Isles and western Europe brought about terror and fear across small towns that were vulnerable to attacks. There was a lasting impact on Europe due to the Vikings’ brutal, indiscriminate way of fighting for at least three centuries.

793, the Vikings revealed their true strength during the attack of Lindisfarne monastery, located in northeastern England. The monks and small force of soldiers were overwhelmed by the sheer power of the mysterious invaders. Marking the beginning of the Viking Age, the ferocious attack shook the religious world, striking fear into the hearts of Europeans across the continent. While the Europeans cowered in fear in the presence of the Vikings, they never expected them to have a religion.

The Vikings were dressed like “wild men” to the Europeans, so the assumption was they were too stupid to have a religion. The Europeans could have asked themselves, “How on earth could people like this be intelligent enough to have their own religion?” In reality, the Vikings did have their own Norse Religion that included the many gods they

The Vikings confined themselves to using this tactic to attack coastal areas of the British Isles. As explained in the name of the strategy, they would sail ashore and immediately attack the town or village that had no prior knowledge of the attack. There would be no warning and the Vikings would plunder the town of its treasures and anyone in their path was murdered. Their fighting style was close quarter and battled with heavy axes which, when combined with rapid attacks, made for a fearsome reputation across Europe. They would rely on quick attacks and their home made style of clothing made it easier for them to make brutal kills compared to the Europeans who wore heavy sets of armor that proved as a weakness due to slower