Vikings and Their Influence on the Dark Ages in Europe

Jack Mulderig

Western Civilization

Mr. Edwards

24 March 2013

The Vikings

Among the many Germanic tribes that shaped Europe, the Vikings were by far the most important. The Vikings were a sort of negative reinforcement, beating Europe into submission, making the continent weaker, consequently causing it to grow stronger. Like the tearing of a muscle, Europe came back stronger than ever to lash at its enemies with a prejudice previously unrivaled. The Vikings swept across Europe like a glacier, leaving in its wake a series of destroyed civilizations. Carving paths through the landscape like a runaway saw, the Vikings grew in ferocity. A plague of sorts, the Vikings took what they wanted, and left behind naught but refuse; and what was not killed immediately was slowly drained of life from a failing socio-economic infrastructure; for the Vikings, this was the way things should be. The beating of their drums was only rivaled by the beating of their enemy’s hearts. With every scream and cry, it seemed the Vikings grew stronger. A truly terrifying army, with every soldier a trained butcher of men, these warriors fought until only Vikings remained; psychotic in some terms, the Vikings systematically tightened their grip on Europe until it could not grow for fear of the Viking shadow that hung over it. As nomads and explorers, the Vikings visited almost every European civilization, following the waterways even as far as the Americas. The Vikings crippled Europe to such a point that they ruled all of Europe with William the Conqueror as their king. (2)

The Vikings, although barbaric in infancy, enjoyed their thriving culture and began to settle down on the landscapes they had previously pillaged and ravaged; for although the previous civilizations were destroyed, the forests and wildlife remained, the minerals and the earth were not charred, and for the Vikings, a fresh start was possible. With the previous inhabitants removed, the...