Vikings were violent due to a blend of economic ambition (plunder for wealth/status), cultural values (honour, bravery, fame, warrior ideology), and social pressures (lack of resources at home, surplus of unmarried men). Their brutality stemmed from raiding rich, undefended targets like monasteries for silver, seizing slaves, and a martial worldview where dying gloriously in battle meant Valhalla, all amplified by their surprising tactics (swift sea attacks) that terrified victims, creating a reputation often exaggerated in victim-written accounts.
The purpose of the Vikings' violence was to acquire wealth, which fed into the political economy of northern Europe, notably in the form of gift-giving. Viking warriors were motivated by a warrior ideology of violence that praised bravery, toughness, and loyalty.
Viking girls, often considered adults by 12-15, were trained from childhood in household management, cooking, textiles, and animal care, preparing them for marriage, which could happen as young as 12, and running a farm while husbands traveled; while some women were abducted for slavery, Viking society offered women more autonomy, including property rights and divorce, than many contemporary cultures.
Yes, it's highly likely there were gay people (men and women) among the Vikings, but their experiences differed greatly from modern LGBTQ+ identities, with same-sex acts sometimes tolerated if societal duties (marriage/children) were met, but passive roles in male-male sex stigmatized as unmanly (ergi), leading to insults and potential punishment, especially after Christianization, though evidence for lesbian relationships is scarce in sources, according to historians.
Their findings show that interpersonal violence – violence not meted out as punishment by authorities -- was much more common in Norway. This is evident in the much greater rates of trauma on skeletons and the extent of weaponry in Norway.
Women in the Viking Age enjoyed a remarkable position compared to other contemporary cultures. They had rights and freedoms that were not common in many other medieval societies. Women could own property, run businesses and divorce. These rights enabled them to play an active role in society and support their families.
1. Erik the Red. Erik the Red, also known as Erik the Great, is a figure who embodies the Vikings' bloodthirsty reputation more completely than most. Named Erik the Red due to the colour of his hair, Erik ended up founding Greenland, but that was only after he'd been banished from Iceland for murdering several men.
A range of evidence indicates that Viking-Age Scandinavian societies practised both polygyny, meaning that men could take multiple wives, and concubinage — a semi-formal relationship in which men and women engage in sexual activity and sometimes cohabit without marrying.
A study of over 6000 Northern European skeletons from the Early Middle Ages reveals that the average male height was about 5'8” and the average female height was about 5'2”. That is not much less (but certainly no more) than people today. Scandinavian skeletons matched these average numbers.
kærr - dear or beloved - adj. ástin mín - my love or my dear - n. hjartað mitt - my heart - n.
In addition to exchanging rings, Viking brides and grooms gave each other swords to acknowledge their union. The sword given to a bride from her groom would be a family heirloom—and would eventually be passed down to the couple's future sons.
Women that fought were in the Norse literature called vakyries or shield-maidens (skjoldsmøyer). There were several kinds of female warriors.
Viking women married young—as early as 12 years old. By the age of 20, virtually all men and women were married.
To sum up, it is impossible to use the word “racism” in the context of the Viking Age. The period people would probably not understand the concept of exclusively racial supremacy. However, the distinction was based on the status, property and appearance, and the final discriminating result could be similar.
Viking raids
Most of what we know about the Viking raiders comes from the tales of the survivors of these raids rather than the Vikings themselves. The survivors tell of ships shaped like dragons, of brutal killings, and whole villages burned to the ground.
While the Vikings as a group are gone, their descendants live across Scandinavia and Europe.
Infant mortality was high and the Vikings rarely reached 35-40 years of age. Only a few people lived until they were over the age of 50. As is the case today, the women often lived slightly longer than the men.
Jóhann Kristinn Pétursson (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈjouːhanː ˈkrɪstɪn ˈpʰjɛːtʏr̥sɔn]; 9 February 1913 – 26 November 1984), also known as the Icelandic Giant and the Viking Giant, was an Icelandic circus performer and actor who at his peak measured 2.34 metres (7 ft 8 in) in height and weighed 163 kilograms (359 lb).
The faces of men and women in the Viking Age were more alike than they are today. The women's faces were more masculine than women's today, with prominent brow ridges. On the other hand, the Viking man's appearance was more feminine than that of men today, with a less prominent jaw and brow ridges.
The myths and legends show that honored gods and heroes were believed to have taken part in homosexual acts, which may indicate that pre-Christian Viking Scandinavia was more tolerant of homosexuality, and history is altogether silent as to the practice of lesbianism in the Viking Age.
Later she becomes Bjorn's wife and the ultimate love of his life. She participates at the Siege of Kattegat and survives. When Lagertha crowns with Sword of Kings Bjorn, new King of Kattegat, Gunnhild becomes Queen of Kattegat.
Upon Ragnar's return, he is furious with Aslaug when he learns his sons nearly died and Siggy did saving them. Aslaug is questioned as to why she was not caring for their sons. He is highly suspicious of her story, enough so that he even refrains from making love to her.
Among the most famous Vikings was Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse hero regarded as one of the greatest warriors in history. He is believed to have led many successful raids against foreign lands, killing thousands of enemies in battle.
Harald Hardrada (Harald III Sigurdsson) is often known as "the last real Viking," and maybe he was what many understood by a real Viking king.
Ragnar. Just like Game of Thrones, Vikings also killed its main character… While the show lasted for 6 seasons, Ragnar was assassinated during the fourth one by King Ælle. And if it's not the most spectacular death of the show, it is surely the one that changed everything.