Medieval Scandinavian sea warrior, who traded
with and raided Europe in the 8th-11th
centuries, and often settled there. In France
they were given Normandy. Under Sweyn I they
conquered England 1013, and his son Canute
was king of England as well as Denmark and
Norway. In the east they established the
first Russian state and founded Novgorod.
They reached the Byzantine Empire in the
south, and in the west sailed the seas to
Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and North
America; see Eric the Red, Leif Ericsson,
Vinland. In their narrow, shallow-draught,
highly manoeuvrable longships, the Vikings
penetrated far inland along rivers. They
plundered for gold and land, and the need for
organized resistance accelerated the growth
of the feudal system. In England and Ireland
they were known as `Danes'. They created
settlements, for example in York, and greatly
influenced the development of the English
language. The Vikings had a sophisticated
literary culture (sagas), and an organized
system of government with an assembly
(thing). As `Normans' they achieved a second
conquest of England 1066. The Swedish
Varangians were invited to settle differences
among the Slav chieftains in Russia 862. The
Varangians also formed the imperial guard in
Constantinople.