Vikings

history · explorers · sailors

Master sailors. Vikings came from Scandinavia and were expert seafarers, traveling far across oceans in their famous longships from the late 8th to late 11th centuries.

World travelers. They voyaged amazing distances, reaching the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, Greenland, and even a place called Vinland in North America.

Not just raiders. Besides raiding, Vikings were also traders and settlers who built communities in many parts of Europe.

Big impact. They shaped the history of England and France, and helped found Kievan Rus', an ancestor of modern Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.