Vikings were they really Thugs

[Mike]

I watched a programme this evening about the
Vikings, one of the opening statements made me
think!

They said, "How can an illiterate society be anything
other, than violent thugs"!

How can they be illiterate, when they have an alphabet,
a "Runic", alphabet, to match either Danish or German,
alphabets of the time.

Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, was the capital of the Norse Men,
for many years, I won't say of another country, because I
don't know.

They conquered much of Europe, the Whole of Britain and
Ireland, they also settled Greenland and a place in Canada,
that they called "Vinland", which is Newfoundland today,
They had a crystal that they called, a "Sun Stone", when it
was held up to the sky, on a cloudy day, it pointed out the
Sun and they could navigate and they were far from being
ignorant thugs, I don't think.

Maybe I am biased, being a Scot, we are often told that, we
are descendants of the Vikings, I was a blue-eyed, blonde
haired child and I was often told that I looked like a Viking,
or how they looked.

What do you think?

Mike.

 

[CaliS]

I think they did what they had to do then, to survive and thrive. I think they were intelligent with a strong culture that had an influence on the world and are remembered as strong, fearless and yes, brutal.

I am biased, no doubt. I love history and the Vikings were an exciting part of that.

 

[Imogene]

To win in those times, leaders had to be brutal —- ANNND—— intelligent. I highly doubt any one with a two digit IQ would have been able to conquer what the Vikings did.

Another faction of warriors with an equally bad and somewhat undeserved reputation are the Huns. Atilla The Hun was merciless in some ways. He ran the Hun empire and was a great strategist. If I remember my readings correctly, he was poisoned by one of his wives

 

[Naturally]

People often exaggerate “barbarism” or “civilization” to fit a story. Calling Vikings “illiterate thugs” is a TV simplification. They were literate in their own way, technologically skilled, and culturally rich. Raiding was just one part of a complex society.

 

[January]

The people they invaded weren't any more literate - vast majority of people were illiterate in those times. And plenty of internal brutality in the places they raided too.

The stereo type comes from years of exaggerating the flaws of the enemy for sake of the story.

 

[Lilac]

A while back there was a documentary series about the Vikings on TV & was very interesting to watch. This episode centered around the parts of England that they had settled in. It was said in this show that the English women preferred the Viking men over their own because they had better hygiene because they took regular baths.

 

[JustDave]

Everyone is interested in the Vikings. It is believed they discovered North America long before Columbus, but for some reason they didn't want to colonize there or settle there. They just walked away from what may have been the biggest find of the century, but they didn't know what to do with it, I guess. Who knows?

 

[Sunkist]

Everyone is interested in the Vikings. It is believed they discovered North America long before Columbus, but for some reason they didn't want to colonize there or settle there. They just walked away from what may have been the biggest find of the century, but they didn't know what to do with it, I guess. Who knows?

Not everyone.

 

[Rakaia]

The stereo type comes from years of exaggerating the flaws of the enemy for sake of the story.

Now there's a tried tested ploy, it's still effective today.

 

[JustDave]

Not everyone.

Everyone = a lot of people. But I don't want to get caught up in semantics. I over reached on that one, but I demand forgiveness. I won't do it again.

 

[IrishEyes]

Everyone is interested in the Vikings. It is believed they discovered North America long before Columbus, but for some reason they didn't want to colonize there or settle there. They just walked away from what may have been the biggest find of the century, but they didn't know what to do with it, I guess. Who knows?

Maybe too far from home? And no available women to begin to grow their population. I bet the Natives were watching them closely and
realized not to be seen by them.

 

[IrishEyes]

When I asked my grandpa when I was little about our heritage, he said Irish, total Irish until those Vikings came over.
He was a touch of Archie Bunker personality

 

[Aunt Bea]

I suppose that it all depends on who is telling the story.

 

[JustDave]

Maybe too far from home? And no available women to begin to grow their population. I bet the Natives were watching them closely and
realized not to be seen by them.

They must not have taken their women with them on their adventure. Apparently, they made their way as far as Minnesota, and I suspect a few of them stayed and populated the state, home of the Minnesota Vikings.

 

[Imogene]

I was at a convention many years ago, where a newspaper editor told me to always remember:

”Freedom of the press belongs to those who own it.”

 

[January]

Now there's a tried tested ploy, it's still effective today.

Yes agreed.

Some things never change.

 

[JustDave]

I suppose that it all depends on who is telling the story.

View attachment 495663

Those people don't look like real vikings. That guy isn't even wearing a helmet, which is a dead giveaway.
I think they're just faking it.

 

[January]

Oh Dave you remind me of when i was a young child and saw a photo of the Queen- " but it isn't the real Queen,she isn't wearing a crown"

 

[gruntlabor]

The people they invaded weren't any more literate - vast majority of people were illiterate in those times. And plenty of internal brutality in the places they raided too.

The stereo type comes from years of exaggerating the flaws of the enemy for sake of the story.

Economics. They were a warring people. It was their nature just as it is the nature of some others to be 'peaceful' people. They called themselves 'berserkers' owing to the frenzy they would whip up before attacking.

 

[JustDave]

Oh Dave you remind me of when i was a young child and saw a photo of the Queen- " but it isn't the real Queen,she isn't wearing a crown"

I remember that same experience when I was very young. The Queen just looked like an ordinary woman, but dressed well, and wearing a Sunday hat. Her dress may have struck me as slightly old fashioned, but maybe I remember it that way, because it would be old fashioned today.

 

[Lavinia]

I think that as with most societies, there were the ignorant thugs and the more cultured. Viking art shows a great awareness of the spiritual side of life. They were great explorers and there have been remains found in China which appear to be of blond and red-haired people.

 

[CaliS]

If you like Vikings, one of my very favorite shows - originally on the History channel. Fiction, but very well done - in my opinion.

I believe it's on Netflix now.

Vikings

 

[OldOld]

I suppose that it all depends on who is telling the story.

View attachment 495663

I will be going on a cruise trip in the Baltic ship. There is a viking custume party one evening. I am not sure what to wear .

 

[Imogene]

I will be going on a cruise trip in the Baltic ship. There is a viking custume party one evening. I am not sure what to wear .

Buy something simple and plain, that you might wear around to do chores or even go to Walmart. If people can go too Walmart with their butt cracks exposed, you can go their in Viking shirt & pants

Retro Vintage Medieval Renaissance Pants Outfits Waist Belt Pirate Viking Ranger Fancy Dress Men's Viking Fantasy Halloween Carnival Masquerade Carnival Performance Masquerade Adults' Shirt Pants Belt 2026 - $58.86

 

[jimintoronto]

A slight correction. Vikings did indeed establish one small settlement in what is now Newfoundland, at a place called L'ans Aux Medows. They did not stay very long. That site has been excavated and rebuilt, as a National Historic Site, in Canada. JIMB>