Viking Warrior

In 793 CE, a wave of Viking warriors broke with a fury onto British shores. In a blizzard of blades and battle-axes, they attacked the Northumberland monastery of Lindisfarne, butchering the monks who lived there. Those not killed were carried away in chains; others drowned in the sea. Having looted the monastery for silver, the warriors set sail for home. The Viking age had begun. From their longships, the Vikings made further raids on the coastlines of Britain, France, and Ireland; they sailed up rivers to attack cities such as Paris and London; they murdered, kidnapped, and enslaved thousands of people; and they plundered enough wealth to bring whole kingdoms to their knees. But that is not the whole story. The Vikings also established large trading networks as far away as Constantinople and built settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and—the first Europeans to do so—North America. Meanwhile, their society was rich and complex, with a developed sense of honor, as well as law, religion, and the rights of women. Illustrated with more than 200 maps, photographs, and artworks, The Viking Warrior examines these fearsome fighters through their origins, social structure, raids, weaponry, ships, trading networks, and settlements.