moreinfo1.jpg (4374 bytes)

Click here for 'advanced' information

Title

vikingher.gif (2110 bytes)Back

vline.jpg (1363 bytes)

Around the year 800 the Vikings began to travel from their homes in Scandanavia....  from the countries we now call Norway, Sweden & Denmark.

Europe

The Vikings were farmers.

When the farmer died the farm was passed to the oldest son in the family.

The Vikings had a lot of children! This meant that there were a lot of people which had to choose between being workers on their brother's farm or going over the seas in search of fame and fortune or new land.

Stories about how easy it was to get rich on such expeditions spread like wild fire over Scandinavia.

  vline.jpg (1363 bytes)

Let's go and discover America

"There's not enough room on the farm for all of us.

Let's sail westwards and discover some new land for ourselves... sharpen the swords."

So said the Vikings from Norway.

"We're not working for our brother", said the Vikings from Sweden.

"There's new land and riches to the east ... let's go and trade there ... it's a better way than fighting.."

We're off to Russia!

  vline.jpg (1363 bytes)

So the Scandanavian or Nordic people began to explore, trade, attack both to the east and the west. Some of them went a very long way.

vline.jpg (1363 bytes)

vikingher.gif (2110 bytes)Back