On this day in 793 a group of Vikings raided the monastery of Lindisfarne killing and enslaving most of the monks living there. This event signals the start of the Viking age in British history.

In year 6 we also discussed this event and the Vikings at length. We were able to debunk some of the myths surrounding Vikings and criticize their stereotypical image. Here are three conclusions about Vikings my students should be able to explain:

1) Vikings shouldn't be called Vikings 

Viking literally means raider or pirate in old norse. To call a diverse group of people living in Scandinavia who shared a culture, religion and some traditions 'pirates' or 'raiders' is very superficial. On top of that, most 'Vikings' were farmers or craftsmen. Only a small percentage of the population raided and this was usually only in the summer months. It will be hard to change the name now, but one must always remember this when talking about Vikings. 

2) Vikings didn't raid because they liked killing and weren't 'that' bloodthirsty 

A big question surrounding the Vikings is why they started raiding. In our public imagination we have this image of bloodthirsty berserkers who like nothing better than killing and stealing. Although there was certainly a warrior culture, the main reasons for raiding were economic. It was hard to farm in the North, so the Vikings looked for other sources of income. Raiding was one of the ways to grow the economy, but Vikings were also great traders and later on (peacefully) settled in different parts of Europe and even America as Scandinavia lacked the means to sustain a large population. 

3) Vikings and Anglo-Saxons eventually got on well together 

Based on the raid in Lindisfarne and TV shows such as 'Vikings' one would imagine that Vikings and Anglo-Saxons were arch enemies and this was certainly the case in the beginning of the Viking age. However, in the 10th and 11th century Vikings and Anglo-Saxons would also intermarry, mix culturally and be ruled by one Viking or Anglo-Saxon king. On top of that, for a common farmer it did not make a big difference if you were ruled by a Anglo-Saxon or Viking chief.

Originally posted on Instagram on June 8, 2021