The Carolingian Empire fell following Charlemagne’s death in 814.

During the ninth and tenth centuries Western Europe was beset by a wave of invasions from different, foreign peoples which added to the disintegration.

The most far reaching of these attacks came from the Vikings, who raided, pillaged, destroyed cities and even defeated small armies.

The Vikings, or Norse, were a phenomenal race of Scandinavian warriors who raided Northern Europe, Eastern Asia, and Eastern North America.

The word Viking means one who lurks in a “Vik” or bay, in effect, a pirate.

Vikings were not just pirates and warriors but also traders and colonists.

The main goal of the Vikings was food, land and loot.

Vikings come from Scandinavia area where food and good farmland was scarce.

They needed food, land and goods to sustain life.

So they raided, pillaged and plundered, driving people out and taking their money and other valuables they had.

Vikings left many traces of their settlements that are still visible today. Archaeology provides physical evidence of their conquests, settlements, and daily life.

Surviving accounts of Viking activity was almost exclusively written by churchmen.

The chronicles reflect the fact that Vikings attacked these monasteries for their wealth and the accounts had a hostile tone to give a popular image of Viking atrocities.

The Vikings were considered heathens for their invasions in monasteries and as a result were portrayed in the worst possible way.

Vikings loved to target the Church and monasteries, which were the major sources of wealth at the time.

It probably helped that the monks couldn’t (or rather wouldn’t) fight back.

One of the most recognizable symbols of Vikings were their ships.

Vikings ships were designed with a shallow drought which meant they were able to reach far inland by sailing up a river or stream to strike.

Many villages far up a river would never suspect a Viking attack; therefore, the strike would take place before local forces could assemble.

The ships were extremely fast and would carry crews of about 60 men each.

Some ships were said to have even had over a hundred warriors.

Within a matter of minutes, hundreds of Vikings would attack without much warning.

Vikings had no professional standing army and tactics and discipline seemed at little development.

They didn’t fight in regular formations.

At best, it could be said it was an organized chaos.

Many times, Vikings just killed their opponents, those were the lucky ones.

Captives became Viking slaves.

The most famous of Viking warriors were the Berserkers.

Berserkers believed that Odin (Viking god of war) gave them superhuman power and they didn’t even need armor in battle!

Berserkers would fight in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury.

The main weapons used by Vikings were swords and battleaxes.

Weapons were not just for battle, but signs of status and wealth.

Swords being the most coveted because they were more expensive and difficult to make.

Typical Viking helmets would have looked something like the helmets pictured.

Most often times, armor was expensive and time consuming to make so more often than not, most Vikings did not even have helmets!

Viking helmets with horns would have been extremely rare and likely more myth than reality.

Vikings struck far an wide across the Carolingian Empire.

The Vikings mainly attacked the British Isles and parts of northern Europe but they did in fact go as far Russia and down into the Mediterranean such as Spain and Italy .

They even attacked Constantinople!

Vikings went westward as well.

Vikings founded settlements in Iceland and Greenland.

It has now been confirmed that Vikings made as far as Newfoundland, Canada!

That would make the Vikings the first Europeans to discover the Americas around 500 years prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus!

Viking attacks over time became less and less until they ceased altogether.

Many of them settled down in normal society and became normal citizens of Europe.

Many converted to Christianity and stopped their barbaric ways.

It is also possible the new social and political system known as feudalism slowed the attacks as well.