Throughout history, Vikings have been portrayed as graceless and boorish pirates. Their tale is notorious. They were well known, and feared, by those they conquered. They seemed intent on wreaking havoc on all civilizations, and blithe of the well being of their own. These accusations have originated, though, mainly from the victims of Viking conquests, and have, in most cases, been exagerated. Although Vikings have the stereotype of being cruel barbarians, they actually lived complex, …showed first 75 words of 1155 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1155 total…Iceland and Greenland. There is even evidence that the Vikings were the first Europeans to set foot on North America (pp.173-175, New American Desk Encyclopedia). Vikings left little for modern man to remember them by. Few writings or artifacts remain from the Viking era. It is known from the brief bits of information that time has given, that the Vikings were a complex and martial people even though history gives them a brutal reputation.