Reply #9: Here's another surprise: "viking" is a verb.

[DemBones DemBones]

The Danes (and perhaps other tribes from what is now Scandinavia) went viking, i.e., they went raiding in what is now England, Scotland, Ireland, and presumably Wales, too. They didn't call themselves Vikings, others gave them the raiders use the word "viking."

At least, so Bernard Cornwell says in his books of the Saxon Chronicles, of which there have so far been three. He's written a great many historical novels prior to this series. I picked up the first of the Saxon Chronicles (don't ask me the title) and am now waiting for him to publish volume four.

Uhtred of Bebbanburg, in what's now Northumbria, is the main character. Early on, he's captured by the Danes at age 10 and raised among them. Later, after his Danish "family" is killed by rival Danes, he rejoins his own people and fights for King Alfred the Great, who eventually unifies a bunch of small countries into what was eventually known as England. Uhtred doesn't really want to fight for anybody, he wants to go back to Bebbanburg and take the castle that's rightfully his from his slimeball uncle, but things keep happening . . .

Still later -- well, if you want to read about life in the 9th century, learn how to fight in a shield wall, about how the Danes sailed and rowed their ships, you'd enjoy the books.

Also, according to Cornwell, "Viking" helmets never had horns on them. That would have made it far too easy for your opponent to grab a horn, jerk your helmet off, and do you in. So, did some people somewhere wear horned helmets or is that all myth? Or is Cornwell wrong? What IS truth anyway? :shrug: