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WERE VIKINGS AMONG HISTORIES STRONGEST MEN?

WERE VIKINGS AMONG HISTORIES STRONGEST MEN?

Vikings were seen as the strong men of their time of history. this was during a time of gods an beasts as well as other fables and the savagery and strength of a Viking might have just clocked them in at the top. Besides what the texts said about their intellect and their pillaging methods understanding how they exude their type of prowess comes first as surmised by Donna Kemp.

Vikings were known as one of the bravest warriors in history. But is this really true? Or do we just think this way due to modern TV shows and video games? Holding their own religion and beliefs played a huge role in their autonomy and strength. For the most part, the Vikings lived as farmers and did not migrate from their homeland. Until the time of the “Viking Age” struck did the Vikings start to raid lands further out. They raided for several reasons. Mostly it was for the loot or land ownership while others were more adventurous and were seeking fame and glory. The Vikings extended their reach and started attacking nearby kingdoms, such as the kingdoms West from their homeland and occasionally the East also. Their first target was the English Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, which weren’t united under one rule and were in constant conflict with each other. They were weak and unorganized. The Norsemen were not very well known. They traveled by sea which gave them the element of surprise. There was no one to warn the English about the upcoming attacks. English monasteries, villages, and even small cities were attacked."



What gave the Vikings their edge was their rich culture and religion? The Viking mentality was strongly perpetuated by their religion. They believed when they die, they enter through the gates of “Valhalla” as true warriors. The Vikings strongly lived by their religion. Such beliefs encouraged the Vikings to fight until the end and die with honor. The idea of an afterlife left the Vikings fearless. Whilst their opponents’ priority would be survival and returning home. The Vikings also had a slight physical superiority as well. They were physically stronger and slightly taller than their opponents. As for Viking equipment, it was not advanced at all. They used round shields, axes, swords, and spears. The famous knife they had was called the Seax. Their armor was not advanced as well. It consisted of chainmail, helmet, Lamellar, and cloth with leather. This gave them decent protection. However, a volley of arrows could do some serious damage despite their shields. While they may be considered advanced for their time, there are many variables one must consider which gave the Vikings an advantageous edge over their opponent.

So because of this, does that mean they were also unmatched in warfare as well? Most of their mythos comes from surprise attacks, could they win a fight had it been army to army, man to man with no decisive advantage of surprise?

If dying on the battlefield isn't an end suitable for the title of histories strongest warriors then there might as well not be such a thing to draw inspiration or motivation from this topic.

WORKS CITED

1. "Kimbap, Donna, and Hayden Chakra - June 11. “Were the Vikings Really as Strong as They Are Portrayed?” About History, 26 Oct. 2020, https://about-history.com/were-the-vikings-really-that-strong-and-tough-warriors/. "

2.“"Sjøgren, Kristian. “What Made the Vikings so Superior in Warfare?” ScienceNordic, 20 Dec. 2017, https://sciencenordic.com/denmark-history-society--culture/what-made-the-vikings-so-superior-in-warfare/1452248."

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