35+ Tremendous Facts About Vikings

Vikings, the most famous raiders of world history from the Scandinavians. They were mysterious, brave, and powerful warriors from the north. Many stories and legends about Vikings have fascinated mankind for years. Vikings were made of many races from many Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They were mainly seafaring people raiding new lands for resources.

Vikings are subjects of many novels, films, and tv series. Vikings had a very different socio-economic system than many other societies and civilizations. There are many surprising Viking facts. These are some of the most mind-blowing Viking facts.

Vikings had ships of their own kind named Longships.

Viking ships were faster than any vessel of their era. With these longships Vikings were able to travel up to 125 miles per day.

Vikings were expert sailors and discovered many new lands.

Vikings reached England in 1066. Before that, they were raiding in Scandinavian lands.

Vikings also served in the Byzantine empire as the guards of the emperor.

The exact causes of Viking expansions are still in doubt. Many researchers suggested that Vikings started raiding especially for the quest of new women.

Vikings had a different type of alphabets called runner. These alphabets were based on sound levels.

Two Vikings, named Sweyn Forkbeard and his son Cnut the Great ascended to the throne of England.

Viking age that started from the early 700's has ended in the early 1100's because of cultural and religious influences.

Viking society had three classes. Called Thralls, Karls, and Jarls. Jarls were aristocrats, Karls were free peasants and Thralls were slaves.

Sometimes slaves were killed and buried with masters in the Viking society.

Viking women had a relatively free status. They could be the head of the clan and family. They could divorce and remarry.

Viking women lived longer than in earlier societies. In most cases, they lived at least for 35 years, more than a decade than other societies of the same time period.

Not all Viking trips were raids. Many of them traveled around the globe and settled in many places peacefully.

The horned helmets are a later added fantasy to the Vikings. Designer Carl Emil Doepler designed these helmets as costumes in 1876.

Leif Erikson a Viking explorer discovered the American shores 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

Six days of a week without Saturday is named after Viking gods.

Thursday is named after Thor, the Viking God of Thunder.

If a village, town, or city has a name ending in “-by”, “-Thorpe” or “-ay” then it was likely settled by the Vikings.

The last Viking king was Harald.

Though portrayed as having a less hygienic lifestyle, many Viking things found, shows different life. Archaeologists have found tweezers, razors, combs, and even ear cleaners at excavations sites.

Vikings bathed at least twice a week, more than any other Europeans of their time.

Vikings had a god of skiing named Ullr.

The majority of Vikings raised cattle, goats, pigs, and farmed barley, rye, oats most of their time.

Vikings never called themselves Vikings.

Vikings never wrote history, most of the histories of Vikings are written by their enemies.

The Bluetooth symbol consists of the last Viking king Harald's initials (H and B), but then in the runic alphabet.

Glíma, the Scandinavian martial art used by Vikings is the national sports of Iceland.

Viking nobles and legendary warlords were often buried in a boat filled with food, drink, and weapons.

The frontier force of Vikings was called the berserkers. They were full of rage and superhuman strength. They were often drunk while fighting.

Most of the Viking noblemen used to be fully armed all the time.

Vikings wore silk clothes.

Vikings kept bears as pets, where the polar bear was only permitted for nobles.

Vikings traded slaves as major trades.

Many Cristian monks and priests believed that Viking was a punishment from god.

Modern-day Russia was founded by a Viking king named Rurik.

Anger, hell, ugly, weak, skull, and slaughter all of these words are derived from Viking language.

Vikings had their own laws and court.

Vikings carried their own fire with them.

A week or handicapped children were abandoned by their parents.

Gifting kittens to new brides were a custom practiced in Viking society.

Vikings were paid over 5500 pounds of Golds and Silver to leave the coast of Paris.

Vikings were incredible. Still, in many ways, Vikings are present in our life. Their exceptional way of living, culture, and heritage has to be studied and discovered more and more. Now, these are all Viking facts we have, see you all in Valhalla.