Vikings
A term which means "northmen",
which is what the raiders from Scandinavia
were called by British, French, etc. At one time the Vikngs
controlled much of the British Isles and western and northern France.
At one time in its history the French were so weak that they were bullied into
making a Viking the Duke Of Normandy and letting the Vikings raid and pillage
several Eastern French cities unimpeded. The honest Vikings kept to their word
and decided not to sack Paris.
The Vikings were also fine shipwrights that build long oar powered boats called
"longboats". These ships were long and thin, and despite their appearence they were very seaworthy. Despite popular
belief, the Vikings never used longboats for combat, but as a transport.
Under Erik the Red they were the first finders of North
America, but they didn't document it and therfore
didn't get the credit. It is believed that the Vikings explored as far into
North America as Newfoundland east of Quebec, near Newbrunswick and Prince
Eduard Island).
