Travel back in time and discover the amazing world of the Vikings with award-winning author-illustrator Marcia Williams. Meet legendary warriors, daring explorers and clever kings in this colourful introduction to the Vikings. With Marcia Williams (and Loki!) as your guide, discover incredible stories of Viking raids, voyages of discovery and conquered kingdoms. Told in comic-strip style and packed with jokes and facts, this is the perfect guide to the Viking world.
Learn about Viking citizens, politics, food, fashion, religion, currency, commerce, literature, art, architecture and travel. Through innovative group and individual projects, students discover the intricacies of Viking society and the accomplishments of one of history's most fascinating peoples, separating fact from fantasy as they examine the everyday lives of these infamous old world traders, raiders and explorers.
In one harrowing day, Viking raiders capture Bree and her brother Devin and take them from their home in Ireland. After the young Viking prince Mikkel sets Devin free on the Irish coast far from home, Bree and Devin embark on separate journeys to courage. Readers will be captivated by the unfolding drama as Bree sails to Norway on the Viking ship and Devin travels the dangerous road home. They both must trust their all-powerful God in the midst of difficult situations.
Viking shipwrecks are amongst the most abundant and best preserved archaeological remains of a culture which has always exercised a strong hold on the imagination.Underwater archaeology therefore provides the key to understanding a people that have been portrayed in historical sources as a marauding and pillaging horde who arrived in their longships to terrorise communities on the coasts of Britain, France and Ireland.In recent decades, archaeological discoveries have presented us with a more balanced picture of a seafaring culture that established a network of trade and settled urban life across a vast region from the Black Sea to Newfoundland from around AD 750 to 1150.
'the volume will indeed be a treasury for pictorial sources, and the illustrations to more off-the-beaten-track chapters (especially Noonan's, on European Russia) are correspondingly unusual.' -Guy Halsall, War in History, 8, 3, 2001'the truest picture yet of the Vikings and their age.' -Publishing News
The definitive history of the Vikings -- from arts and culture to politics and cosmology -- by a distinguished archaeologist with decades of expertise The Viking Age -- from 750 to 1050 -- saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples into the wider world. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. But for centuries, the Vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval clerics and Elizabethan playwrights, Victorian imperialists, Nazis, and more. None of these appropriations capture the real Vikings, or the richness and sophistication of their culture. Based on the latest archaeological and textual evidence, Children of Ash and Elm tells the story of the Vikings on their own terms: their politics, their cosmology and religion, their material world. Known today for a stereotype of maritime violence, the Vikings exported new ideas, technologies, beliefs, and practices to the lands they discovered and the peoples they encountered, and in the process were themselves changed. From EirÃk Bloodaxe, who fought his way to a kingdom, to Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir, the most traveled woman in the world, Children of Ash and Elm is the definitive history of the Vikings and their time.
The popular image of the Vikings is of tall red-headed men, raping and pillaging their way around the coast of Europe, stopping only to ransack monasteries and burn longships. But the violent Vikings of the 8th century became the pious Christians of the 11th century, who gave gold crosses to Christian churches and in whose areas of rule pagan idols were destroyed and churches were built. So how did this radical transformation happen, and why? What difference did it make to the Vikings, and to those around them, and what is their legacy today? This book takes a "global" look at this key period in Viking history, exploring all the major areas of Viking settlement. Written to be an accessible and engaging overview for the general reader.
""Viking History"" explores the profound impact of Scandinavian seafarers on European history, challenging the notion of Vikings as mere raiders. The book delves into the socio-economic factors driving Viking expansion, their technological advancements in naval engineering, and the cultural influence of their settlements across Europe. It presents a nuanced view of Viking society, portraying them as complex traders, settlers, and explorers who shaped the medieval world. The narrative unfolds chronologically, from the first recorded Viking raid in 793 CE to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Along the way, readers discover intriguing facts about Viking life, such as their skilled craftsmanship and the role of women in Norse society. The book draws on diverse evidence, including archaeological findings and contemporary chronicles, to support its arguments. It also makes interdisciplinary connections, examining how climate change influenced Viking expansion and the lasting impact of Old Norse on European languages. What sets this work apart is its holistic approach, offering fresh insights that challenge popular misconceptions about the Viking Age. By balancing academic rigor with engaging storytelling, ""Viking History"" appeals to both general readers and students of medieval history, providing a comprehensive understanding of the Vikings' lasting legacy on European culture and warfare.
