Participants of sea expeditions from Scandinavia. Natives of Scandinavia - participants of maritime campaigns

The Scandinavian peninsula is a vast territory in the north of Europe. Known in history as the birthplace of the Vikings. But Scandinavia has become a place from where to go on trips and the famous travelers, and pioneers of modern times.

Who are the Vikings?

Vikings are participants of sea expeditions from Scandinavia. Most scientists believe that it was Vikings in Russia who were called Varangians, and in Western Europe - Normans. They became famous in history as fearless seafarers, pioneers of many lands. They are also spoken of as cruel conquerors and pirates. At the same time, the Vikings were also experienced traders.

Causes of sea hikes

The naval squadrons of the Vikings set off for several reasons. The first is the search for cultivable land, which is small in Northern Europe. The development of new sites here has always been associated with the heavy work of cleaning stones, uprooting trees and shrubs. And naturally, they wanted to find more comfortable and fertile land.

The second reason is trade. Vikings became the first who traded with both northern and southern peoples. No wonder the way "from the Varangians to the Greeks" was formed.

And the third reason is the conquest of fame and glory. It was of great importance at a time when the elected princes-the kings-ruled. In order to retain power in their hands, they had to become successful miners, whether by trade or sea robbery. They needed to find good places for the resettlement of their people, as well as protect them from attacks of both outsiders and their "colleagues".

The Age of Vikings

The history of Scandinavia remembers the names of the famous Vikings. This Hastings, horrified by France and Italy, Rollon - the first Duke of Normandy, and others.

The militant Normans did not even frighten the title of Charlemagne. Participants of sea expeditions from Scandinavia regularly appeared at the coast of France, since 799. Karl, who created the huge Frankish Empire, was seriously concerned about the Vikings' raids. By his order, measures were taken to strengthen the coast. In all seaports, as well as in the estuaries of navigable rivers, sentry vessels were set up to warn of the appearance of the enemy. There were built parking lots for military ships. The entrances to many ports were blocked by chains.

Subsequently, after the devastating campaigns of the Vikings to Europe, the plundering of Rouen and many other cities, it turned out that it is easier to concede to the Vikings patches on the coast and make them protectors of these lands from sea raids. This practice proved to be more effective.

In 966, King Harald Sinezuby of Norway adopted Christianity. After him, his soldiers were also baptized. It was the Vikings-Christians who subsequently seized royal power in England, on the throne was Svein Viloborodiy. And in 1130 Norman Roger II sat on the throne of the Sicilian kingdom. With the blessing of the Pope he managed to unify the possessions of the Vikings, located in the south of Italy and in Sicily.

Duke Wilhelm - the descendant of Rollon of Normandy - defeated the Anglo-Saxon king Harold II at the Battle of Hastings. He became the monarch of England and is known as William the Conqueror.

So the participants of the maritime expeditions from Scandinavia gradually settled on the conquered land, entered into kinship with the local nobility and even received the monarchic power. By the end of the 11th century, the warlike campaigns of the Vikings had almost ceased.

Viking Discoveries

But the era of the Vikings was marked by greater geographical discoveries. First of all, this is the discovery of Greenland and the foundation of the first settlement in it by Eric Red (Eirik Thorvaldson). Sent with his family from Norway, and then forced to flee Iceland under threat of blood feud, he went west across the Atlantic Ocean. Landed on the open stretch of the shore of the newly discovered island, Eirik the Red founded two settlements there. This section he gave the name "Green Land", subsequently Greenland began to call the whole island, despite the ice covering it.

Settlers established trade with their homeland. There were furs of polar bears, arctic foxes, walrus tusks, whale fat, and back - forest absent in Greenland, grain, iron, fabrics.

Eirik's sons - Leif (nicknamed "Happy") and Torvald - also came from Scandinavia, participants in maritime expeditions. Their names are associated with the discovery of America five centuries before Columbus.

When Leif returned from Norway to Greenland, he fell into a storm. A thoroughly shabby ship approached the shore, and the sailors saw hills covered with wild grapes, fields of wild wheat. This was in 999. The land called Vinland is a country of grapes, attracted them by a warm climate, a forest full of game, and fertile soil.

Not surprisingly, after returning to Greenland, they told about the lands they saw. Words about a new rich land interested Torfinn Karlssefni, who in 1003 equipped an expedition to Vinland. Several times having landed on the shore of the present Labrador, the island of Newfoundland, after one wintering they reached Vinland. Here the Vikings met with the locals. Their second meeting ended in a clash. In 1006, Carlssef returned to Greenland.

So the Vikings opened America, but later the road to Vinland was forgotten. Europeans took half a millennium, so that Columbus again opened the New World for them.

"The calling of the Varangians"

According to most historians, the beginning of Russian statehood was also laid by the Vikings - the Varangians. "The Tale of Bygone Years" tells that representatives of Slavic and Finnish tribes went on a campaign to Scandinavia to stop the civil strife, where they called Rurik to reign.

It is believed that Rurik came to Russia with his brothers - Truvor and Sineus. Subsequently, he began to reign alone, first in Staraya Ladoga, then founded Novgorod. From him went the dynasty of Rurik.

Participants of sea expeditions from Scandinavia in modern times

The spirit of the Vikings still lives in the hearts of the Scandinavians. Perhaps that's why among the names of great travelers there are so many Norwegian and Danish.

The list can be opened with the name of Fridtjof Nansen, the famous polar traveler. He is best known for his first pedestrian crossing across Greenland and an expedition to the North Pole that ended in failure.

Rual Amundsen is a great polar explorer, the man who discovered the South Pole, was the first to visit both poles of the globe (together with Oscar Adolf Visting), who made many expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic waters.

The famous Tour Heyerdahl is a worthy heir to the Vikings, who sailed across the oceans on ships created after the ancient means of navigation.

Karsten Borchgrevink, who studied Antarctica, became the leader of the first wintering on the ice continent.

Among the Russian navigators there are also the descendants of the Vikings. Vitus Bering, who sailed the strait separating Eurasia from North America, was from Denmark.

These are just some of the names of seafarers - people from Scandinavia, descendants of glorious seafarers and conquerors.