THE VIKINGS

THE

VIKINGS

By Edward O'Shea

WHERE THE VIKINGS

ORIGINATED

Vikings were first noticed in Rome by the Romans in 100 BC. The Romans thought they were from Jutland though they were from Scandinavia .They suspected that they were only part of a bigger danger up North.The Romans described them as destructive humans coming from Gotland (Sweden's largest island). The Frankish Empire that beat them in Gaul (a place In Western Europe) got more and more aware of the Northern threat. I know that this sounds like the vikings were horrible raiders and warriors but they were also explorers. As seen on next page.

EXPLORATION

The Vikings travelled through Russia, Mediterranean Sea, Southern Europe and Northern and Western Asia. Some sailed the Atlantic Ocean by Iceland and Greenland and some explored North America.

CRAFTING

Vikings were very good at crafting things and craftsmen were very important to the vikings. All vikings had to know how to make stuff. The men had to be carpenters, blacksmiths, farmers and warriors. They cut down trees made tools and weapons and made furniture. They made leather from animal skin and tools from iron.

VIKINGS IN IRELAND

The viking first attacked Ireland in 795 AD. They raided the monasteries for they had many valuable things such as gold crosses and golden chalices that they used in they're masses. They stole anything of value and the buildings were set on fire. People were killed or taken away as slaves. Because of this the monks began to build round towers to protect themselves, their things and people living around their monasteries. If they saw a viking longship they would climb up the tower, pull the rope ladder up and close the door.

some vikings thought Ireland was a great place to live instead of a land just to be raided. The Irish weather and countryside were a much nicer climate than in Scandinavia , so they decided to start settling here. Like in Scandinavia they build their homes beside rivers and coastal areas. The vikings built their first towns in Ireland and they soon settled in to Ireland. They build forts on the rivers Liffey, Slaney, Suir, Shannon and Lee. (Wow that took a while to write!)
Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Limerick and Cork came from their settlements. Though some Vikings just kept on raiding Ireland.