viikingit

The term viikingit refers to the Norse people who originated from Scandinavia and conducted raids and trade expeditions across Europe, parts of Asia, and the North Atlantic from the late 8th to the early 11th centuries. The Viking Age is traditionally dated from 793 AD, the year of the raid on Lindisfarne monastery in England, to 1066 AD, the year of the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

Viking society was stratified, with kings, chieftains, free farmers, and thralls (slaves). They were skilled shipbuilders and navigators, which enabled their extensive voyages. Their longships were technologically advanced for their time, capable of both shallow riverine exploration and open-sea travel.

The motivations for Viking expansion were varied, including population pressure, desire for wealth and new lands, and political instability in their homelands. They established settlements and kingdoms in areas such as England (the Danelaw), Ireland, Normandy (in modern-day France), and Kievan Rus'.

While often depicted as brutal warriors, Vikings were also traders, explorers, and settlers. They engaged in extensive trade networks, exchanging goods such as furs, timber, and slaves for silver, silk, and spices. Their influence can be seen in language, place names, and cultural artifacts across the regions they reached. The end of the Viking Age is often attributed to the consolidation of Scandinavian kingdoms, the spread of Christianity, and the increased resistance from European kingdoms.