This was the first reported documentation of the Vikings.

The Vikings went on all over the known and unknown world claiming land as theirs and raiding many countries. They discovered and settled Greenland and parts of modern Canada. They conquered countries such as Ireland and England. They also established Russia and cities such as Kiev and Dublin. But behind the terror that they possessed, the Vikings were civilized. Many words in our language are derived from the Vikings, they established one of the first democracies, and they traded all around the world. Even in modern times theirs a football team named after them and a comic strip all about a Viking named Hagar and his family.

To start off I'll talk about what they are most known for, raiding.

Viking raids came by total surprise. Using quick and maneuverable longships, they would land ashore and go straight to the churches. There they would kill whom they saw and steal the gold and

By raiding countries and lands the Vikings got recognition for being giants, killers, rapists, and devil worshipers since they attacked churches. Using this to their advantage they would take bribes, goods, money, and land as long as they would promise not to attack. For instance, once they were offered 700 pounds of silver to spare Paris, and another instance they were given the land of Normandy. Probably the best reason for their great accomplishment in raiding is because of their boating.

goods. Afterwards they would ravage the town for other goods. Ironically, later on the Vikings had to defend their own lands from raiders and pirates.

Viking clothes were simple. Viking men wore a long woolen shirt and long cloth trousers, which were held up by a sash or a drawstring. On top of this was worn a sleeved jerkin or a three-quarter coat with a belt. On his feet he would wear socks and soft leather shoes or long leather boots. During battle he would wear a chain-mail shirt and a helmet, which contrary to belief usually didn't have horns on it. Women wore long linen dresses covered by a tunic. Her feet were covered by thick socks and light shoes. Both men and women wore fur or woolen hats and cloaks in cold weather. The cloaks were fastened at the shoulder with a brooch or a pin.

Popular Viking foods consisted of porridge, meats, wild birds, grain, and fish. It is also believed that Vikings used wild plants growing in nearby woods to add vitamins to their diet. Another important part of the Viking diet was honey. Honey was used more often than then sugar was. The Vikings loved their honey so much that they even made laws concerning it.

In Dark Age Europe they stand out for the scale of their exploits, for they conquered large areas of Britain, Normandy, Sicily and Russia; they traded with Byzantium, Persia and India; they discovered and colonized Iceland and Greenland and reached the coast of North America. And, in the end, far from destroying Western civilization, they enriched it. Parts of their legal system, their tradition of ind

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