The Northmen's Fury: A History of the Viking World

The Northmen's Fury: A History of the Viking World The Viking story begins with a single, devastating raid in 793, when death arrived from the sea at the island monastery of Lindisfarne. This marked the start of two centuries of terror and the rise of the Vikings as a force to be reckoned with in northern Europe. Their reputation as bloodthirsty warriors was well-deserved, but the Vikings were also a sophisticated culture that produced art of great beauty, literature of abiding power, and kingdoms of surprising endurance. As the Vikings expanded their reach, they forged far-flung empires whose sinews were the sea and whose arteries were not roads but maritime trading routes. They explored and conquered new lands, including the icy fjords of Greenland and the riches of the Byzantine empire. Yet, despite their ferocity, the Vikings were eventually tempered by the coming of Christianity and the growing power of kings, which stemmed the tide of raids and brought an end to their reign of terror. The legacy of the Vikings continues to be felt today, with their blood running in millions of veins across Europe and the Americas. This book tells the story of their conquests, explorations, and achievements, and is a fascinating account of a region that dominated and terrorised much of the continent for nearly three centuries.