We already know that the Vikings liked nothing more than a good fight, so much so, that a Viking Warrior had to be prepared to fight any place, any time. Therefore, a man needed his weapons about him just in case they were needed. A warrior's weapons were varied and important and a typical warrior would carry an axe, a spear, a bow and a shield. His metal weapons were made out of iron, as was the mail shirt and helmet that he wore for protection. Can you imagine how heavy all that must have felt?
But, the Vikings most useful and best weapon of all had to be the Longship!
The Longship was...long, obviously! But it moved like a thief in the night. Made of oak these ships had shallow drafts that allowed them to sail close to the shore and up onto a beach. Because they were narrow, they could get into just about every waterway in Europe! Not only were they swift they were also finely crafted with a figurehead on the bow and one large sail attached to a central mast to catch the wind. If there was no wind to catch, they had many oars with which to row.
The rudder of the ship was usually an oar attached to the right side of the hull - the body of the ship. The wooden planks of the ship were overlapped and secured by nails and wooden pegs. Sealed with tarred rope, the boat could bend slightly allowing it to adapt to the water's movement.
The Vikings had other types of ships too, but their Longships are famous for their clever design. The largest known Longship ever found was 92 feet long! Their talent of raiding, looting and leaving quickly could never have happened without their Longship and the Vikings as we know them today, would never have been so fearsome!
A Viking Raid
The Viking's biggest advantage in battle was surprising people! When they launched an attack, many didn't know it was coming! Along they would sail with their great Longship, hugging the shoreline until they reached a landing port. Once there, they would get off their ship, attack quickly and be gone again. Anything they believed to be of value would go with them and if there were a particularly troublesome battle, they would use a shield fort for protection. Standing in two rows with their shields overlapped, the front row would kneel to protect the legs of the row behind them.
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