Vikings

The Vikings were a Germanic Norse seafaring people from the late eighth to early 11th century who established a name for themselves as traders, explorers and warriors. They discovered the Americas long before Columbus and could be found as far east as the distant reaches of Russia. While these people are often attributed as savages raiding the more civilized nations for treasure and women, the motives and culture of the Viking people are much more diverse. These raiders also facilitated many changes throughout the lands from economics to warfare.

Trivia

 * The word Viking means "Raider."
 * The Vikings were the first to land in the New World (America) five-hundred years before Christopher Columbus.
 * Many Vikings used to wear a small hammer around their neck for good luck. Also, when there was a feast they would give the sign of Thor over their food much as Christians do the sign of the cross in an act of prayer.
 * The country Russia derived its name from Rus, a group of vikings who entered the area in the ninth century.
 * The Vikings once served as bodyguards to the Byzantine Emperor.
 * The Vikings setlled much of Great Britain, founding many great cities such as Dublin.
 * Erik Thorvaldsson, better knon as Erik the Red, gave the country Greenland it name in hopes of attracting other settlers.
 * The name of Normandy, one of the regions in france, is derived from the settlement and conquest of the territory by the Vikings ("Northmen").