Final Exam

Question: Were the Vikings "barbarians"?

Theses: Vikings, also called Northman, were ravages who captured ships, and killed men, while not all Vikings were barbarians, such as Leif who may of discovered America, most were, killing to get what they want.

Primary Source #1:

After the sixteen winters had lapsed, from the time when Eric the Red went to colonize Greenland, Leif, Eric's son, sailed out from Greenland to Norway. He arrived in Drontheim in the autumn, when King Olaf Tryggvason was come down from the North, out of Halagoland. Leif put into Nidaros with his ship, and set out at once to visit the king. King Olaf expounded the faith to him, as he did to other heathen men who came to visit him. It proved easy for the king to persuade Leif, and he was accordingly baptized, together with all of his shipmates. Leif remained throughout the winter with the king, by whom he was well entertained.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1000vinland.html

Modern History Sourcebook:

The Discovery of North America by Leif Ericsson, c. 1000

from The Saga of Eric the Red, 1387

Primary Source #2

of vikings, and they fought against them, and captured all the ships, and slew the men. When they werere turning homeward with the booty, a great naval force of vikings met them, andthen fought against them on the same day, and the Danish gained the victory. In the same year, before midwinter, Carloman, king of the Franks, died, and awild boar killed him; and one year before his brother died

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/angsax-chron1.html

Medieval Sourcebook: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle on Alfred the Great

Primary Source #3

Pirates of the Northmen's race came to Nantes, killed the bishop and many of the clergy and laymen, both men and women, and pillaged the city. Thence they set out to plunder the lands of lower Aquitaine. At length they arrived at a certain island [the isle of Rhé, near La Rochelle, north of the mouth of the Garonne], and carried materials thither from the mainland to build themselves houses; and they settled there for the winter, as if that were to be their permanent dwelling-place.

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/843bertin.html

Medieval Sourcebook:

Three Sources on the Ravages of the Northmen in Frankland, c. 843 - 912

Argument:

In source one we see that the Vikings may of made some discoveries, such as America By Leif Ericon, who was not a ravage. Though some Vikings were not as ravage as some others, most were still violent. By looking at Source Two and Three, we see that there was a lot of taking objects that were not theirs, and a lot of killing men who did not deserve to die.