Tag: Vikings

The History Of The Norse Settlements In Ireland During The Viking Age

During the late 8th century, the Norsemen commenced to set sail from Britain to Ireland and starting from the mid 9th century they built significant settlements which will later expand into present-day Dublin, Limerick, or Cork. At first, their incursions into the British Isles consisted of raiding and plundering Catholic monasteries and transporting the loot…


Who Were The Blakumen In Medieval Scandinavian Sources?

According to several primary sources (i.e. sagas and runestones), it seems that, at a certain point during the Viking Age, the Norsemen had encountered the Wallachians/Vlachs in the region of the lower Danube. A written account of this encounter is most notably preserved on a Scandinavian runestone found in Sweden, whilst at the same time…


The Norse Discovery And Settlement Of Iceland During The Viking Age

During the Viking Age (late 8th century-mid 11th century) the Norsemen travelled, traded, and established permanent colonies in many locations throughout mainland Europe and overseas. In their way to Iceland, they encountered the Faroe Islands, disposing of슠the small archipelago as a resupplying check point for stockpiles of resources that they could subsequently transport in their…


Possible Causes Which Led To The Start Of The Viking Age

Historians have tried to discover the main reasons that determined the territorial expansion of the Norsemen beginning in the 8th century. As there are several competing theories on the matter, it is clear that each of them can’t be universally accepted and that each can match the historical background. As such, four main causes/scenarios that…


The History Of The Vikings In Vinland And North America

If until now you thought that the North American continent was initially discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 along with his crew and three ships (the carrack Santa Maria as well as the caravels Pinta and Santa Clara), then you have been misled to acknowledge one of history’s greatest confusions. Putting aside the fact that…