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Vikings Essay

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VIKINGS EINHERJAR – THE CHOSEN ONES                                                     Kenneth Dunn                           History 115 Professor Gordon “Never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race. … Behold, the church of St. Cuthbert, spattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all …show more content…

The definitions range from “pirate”, describing the actions of the raiders from Scandinavia; some say it is a reference to the people from Viken (Oslo Fjord); still others use the word to describe the entire ethnic group originating in the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Sweden. (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0217_040217_vikings.html) The word “Viking” is actually derived from “the Old Norse word vikingar” and “is exclusively applied to men, usually those who sailed from Scandinavia in groups to engage in the activities of raiding and trading in Britain, Europe and the East.” (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/vikings/women_01.shtml)      Even though the definition suggests that women could not be Vikings, evidence suggests that women maintained an honored and important role in their society, remaining behind while the men went trading, Viking, or hunting to keep the children and homesteads safe. The women had to ensure that their food would last through the long, cold winters of their homelands. They were expected to have a thorough knowledge of herbs for medicinal purposes and were responsible for the success of the farm while the men were away. (http://www.viking.no/e/life/ewomen.htm) Fortunately for the women, who married between the ages of 12 and 15 years, “the Vikings lived in

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