Major Viking attacks occurred somewhere in western Europe from the early 800s right through to the
end of the 11th century--almost three hundred years of the "Viking terror." In the end,
however, the "Vikings" became Norwegians and Swedes and Danes. They became an integral
part of the newly-forming European community.
To my mind, the Vikings--and especially the 10th century--mark the end of the Carolingian era,
which itself marks the end of Late Antiquity. The Carolingians attempted to put together a sort of
western revival of the Empire. Perhaps the attempt would never have succeeded, but the tremendous
blows struck by the Magyars and especially the Vikings guaranteed that the Carolingian experiment
would not last. Instead, the Viking era marks the beginning of a new age: the age of Europe. They
were the final ingredient; or, to put it a better way, they were an integral part of a
transformation, that gave final cultural shape to Europe.
They helped form new kingdoms. Not just the Scandinavian kingdoms, but they also made a
profound impact on England, Ireland, and France, by way of Normandy, on Sicily and southern Italy,
as well as distant lands such as Kievan Russia. In all these places they brought their language,
their customs, literature and culture.
The Tenth Century - Page 15 of 15