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Why did the Vikings raid?

60 second histories

This video covers:  Why the Vikings left their own country in search of adventure, new lands to farm and valuables to steel.  It also shows that many Norsemen settled in the countries they raided.

Have you ever wondered why we Norsemen went Viking? Well, if you were a younger son and your father left the family farm to your older brother, you would have nothing, so why not go on an adventure? And if food is in short supply, well it would make sense wouldn’t it to sail to another country and take their food, and whilst you are about it you could take all of their valuables too and their slaves if they have any. Oh there’s plenty of money to be made out of raiding, we spend all summer long raiding the coasts of different countries and when our ships are fully loaded with treasure and slaves we return home. But you know there are some Norsemen who settle in the countries we raid. I mean, who wants to spend winter in Norway with all that snow and icy wind. I may even settle myself, perhaps in England where there’s lots of good farmland and minerals like iron, tin and lead. But then again I may carry on Viking and join an expedition to sail up river in France and attack Paris instead.
Eras: 
Vikings
Topics: 
Explorers
Vikings
Invaders
Character: 
Viking raider
Key words: 
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