No contemplation of the Middle Ages should leave out the signature influence of the Vikings. Viking warriors exhibited in raw form the native attributes of the northern white races – aggressiveness, the desire to dominate, and the intelligence to achieve it. The Normans derived their name from northmen. Before they appeared on the pages of history, their ships appeared on the horizon, their long oars driving them swiftly over the water. Upon making landfall, they wasted no time in making their intentions known. They came to loot and pillage whatever they could and slew anyone who stood in their way. Their favorite targets were monasteries, where they found silver, gold, and jewels. Returning to their homes, their newfound wealth gave them instant status, rearranging the social order. This awakened a spirit of adventure, their minds giving way to the knowledge that there was a larger world just waiting for those with the daring, courage, and strength to take it.
This was all made possible by the Viking warship. These ships were of a unique and original design, made with relatively simple tools. The boards were not sawn but were made by splitting old-growth timber and planing the boards to the desired thickness. They were fastened together with the boards overlapping one another and riveted together with iron rivets. The ends were riveted to large posts, resulting in the stem and stern being basically symmetrical. The seams were sealed by calking made of animal hair and pitch. The frame, not needed for strength, was added later. Their seaworthiness was achieved by their flexibility. Their shallow draft allowed them to navigate rivers as well as the sea.
For 250 years, beginning in the eighth century and ending in the eleventh century, the Vikings colonized Iceland, the southern shore of Greenland, and touched the shores of North America. They made inroads into England, Ireland, and Scotland. Their bloodlines became intertwined with the royalty of Europe. They established themselves as the princes of Russia, giving origin to a nation that would contend for the greater part of the European and Asian continents.
Philosopher’s Corner – Gene Ross