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People who attacked Charlemange and
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V were brutal fighters who were very feared.
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They also were good sailors who started new trade routes.
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Some V took over parts of
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Land the V came from was mainly forest and rocky coasts.
§
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Other parts of SC had many fjords (narrow bays) so people used sea.
Ships
and Trade
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V built long and narrow ships that used both sails and oars.
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V spent a lot of the time on ships fishing and trading in spring and
stayed home during the winter.
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Traded lots of different things from different places.
Towns,
Villages, and Jarls
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Some towns started because of the need for places to trade good but
most people lived in small villages around countryside.
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People were isolated due to geography and distance so they did not have
a unified government.
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Jarls (military chiefs) were elected or inherited right to rule
different areas.
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When a jarl got enough land under his control he was a king.
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Families were large and included parents, grandparents, children,
married children, and grandchildren.
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Family honor was also very important.
The
People
§
Berserkers (Viking warriors) believed fighting well was important to
gain respect, money, and to please the gods.
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Warriors were called to battle by lit bonfires.
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Warriors wore some armor and usually fought with axes, swords, and
spears.
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Women were bought from their families on their wedding days and could
be sold by husbands.
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However women were able to get divorces, own property, and ran the
house.
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V did not have schools and instead either learned to keep a house in
order for girls or how to fight for boys.
Religion
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V worshipped many gods that they adapted from the Germanic gods.
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V gods had human strengths and weaknesses.
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Eddas (long tales or sagas) told of the gods and their actions.
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V started by speaking Germanic languages but then the language split
into four different ones.
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Languages all were written using runes (letters that were viewed as
sometimes being magical).
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Once V accepted Christianity they started writing using Roman alphabet.
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Population in SC grew so people started to look for new places to
settle and get money and fame.
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Lots of wars between different kings made people want to leave SC.
From
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V were able to set up a trade route to
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In 862 a Swedish chief named Rurik founded a Viking settlement that
became basis for start of
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Norwegian V set up trade and colonies in
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Abandoned
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Most V instead made surprise raids on W and
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V destroyed homes, burned churches, enslaved people and were feared.
The
Danes
§
Danes were a group of V that were able to take over part of
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After being defeated by Alfred the Great, the Danes were able to take
over.
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Danish king Canute defeated English king Ethelred the Unready.
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Canute was a just ruler who converted to Christianity.
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Danes lost control of
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Another group tried to take over
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These Danes settled in
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This area eventually was called