The purpose of the Vikings' violence was to acquire wealth, which fed into the political economy of northern Europe, notably in the form of gift-giving. Viking warriors were motivated by a warrior ideology of violence that praised bravery, toughness, and loyalty.
The Brutal Nature of the Vikings
Vikings murdered slaves and prisoners at will and historians say that they did not even regard non-vikings as humans. Every male was also expected to prove themselves on the battlefield and so entire wars were started just so leaders could demonstrate their worth.
However, if we are asking whether the Vikings were exceptionally fierce compared to other people of their time, the answer is unclear. It is true that the Vikings were known for their raiding and pillaging and that they were responsible for a great deal of violence during their raids.
Fighting was very important for the Vikings. They attacked and raided settlements to find treasure and slaves. They fought wars as a way of taking control of more land.
Peaceful tradesmen and mead drinkers
The Vikings are mostly known for their relentless pillaging, and rightly so. At the same time, many of them lived peacefully as traders and farmers, and many expeditions were based on barter deals. Those who stayed home supported their families through simple farming activities.
Because they were swift and ruthless strikers with expert fighting skills, the Vikings were greatly feared. Through their raids, trading, settlements, and colonization, they had a significant influence on Dark Age Europe.
The Viking reputation as bloodthirsty conquerors has endured for more than a millennium but new research shows that some Norsemen approached the British islands with more than a little trepidation.
Vikings would win. Vikings fought guerilla style and seemed to have heavier weapons, as for Spartans, unlike the AC game, they fought in phalanx formation, a disciplined formation warfare like the Romans and British and had lighter weapons.
Although the Vikings were great traders, settlers and explorers, their most famous reputation seems to be their apparent bloodthirsty and insatiable appetite for war. Whilst there is far more to the Vikings than just raiding and pillaging, they did breed some of the most hardened warriors the world has ever known.
The average height of Vikings as found by researchers and scholars, varied depending on a number of factors, including their age and gender. Typically, the average male Viking would usually be between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 9, while the average female would be between 5 foot 1 and 5 foot 3.
Viking Teeth-Filing
The grooves were intentionally and skillfully done and appeared on the two upper front teeth. The exact purpose of these grooves is unknown, but it is believed to have been decorative, a symbol of one's status as a warrior or meant to intimidate and frighten.
Many Vikings used picks to clean the gaps between their teeth, and some historian believes they may have also used fibrous hazel twigs and similar tools as a kind of brush. The Viking skeletons discovered over the decades have usually had relatively strong teeth too.
A simple answer the Vikings were brutal on a small scale and were no more brutal than other tribes in Europe with similar traditions. Not including full scale battles they were probably responsible for only thousands of deaths. The Romans carved out a vast Empire and were brutal on a much larger scale.
While there is evidence to suggest that Vikings may have been more diverse than previously believed, including the possibility of Viking presence in Africa, the evidence for the existence of black Vikings is still extremely limited. We can therefore say that no, it is not likely that there were black Vikings.
A human life was the most valuable sacrifice that the Vikings could make to the gods. We know from written sources that Odin – the king of the gods – demanded human sacrifices.
Besides occasional raids, Vikings were explorers, traders and extraordinary craftsmen. It is by virtue of their shipbuilders and weapon makers that the Vikings were so successful in raiding European countries.
The chances are Vikings were a lot leaner than many people today, thanks to their protein-rich diet, and their commitment to hard labor. However, it's likely that the comparative 'largeness' of Vikings was down to their muscular bodies and strength, rather than simply being “fat”.
The most important Vikings in Clan Sturlungar - the Chieftains - were Sighvatur Sturluson and his son, Sturla. The major Chieftains in the latter clans were Gissur Þorvaldsson and Kolbeinn ungi Arnórsson. These were the most powerful Viking clans in Iceland, forever seeking more power in my country.
King Alfred and the Danes
King Alfred ruled from 871-899 and after many trials and tribulations (including the famous story of the burning of the cakes!) he defeated the Vikings at the Battle of Edington in 878. After the battle the Viking leader Guthrum converted to Christianity.
Any fight between a Roman force and a Viking force would depend on which one is dictating the terms of the battle. However, the Romans fought and won much more territory than the Vikings, suggesting they may have had an edge. That said, this doesn't entirely mean that the Romans were better than the Vikings militarily.
By stopping the Viking advance and consolidating his territorial gains, Alfred had started the process by which his successors eventually extended their power over the other Anglo-Saxon kings; the ultimate unification of Anglo-Saxon England was to be led by Wessex.
Vikings are completely outclassed by both Knights and Samurai in equipment, Samurai however would lose to Knights in close combat if they managed to close in despite the Samurai's horseback archery.
Viking on Lough Ree
However, the problem worsened for the monasteries in the eight century when the Vikings or Norsemen from Scandinavia began to raid Ireland. They were feared by everyone because they killed anyone who got in their way or took them as slaves.
Yet, while the Vikings had success raiding Ireland, they failed to conquer the island as they did other lands in Europe.
The events of 1066 in England effectively marked the end of the Viking Age. By that time, all of the Scandinavian kingdoms were Christian, and what remained of Viking “culture” was being absorbed into the culture of Christian Europe.