Sea Wolves. The History of the Vikings, Their Heroes and the Scandinavian World

Historian Lars Brownworth brings to life the extraordinary Scandinavian world of epic heroes, poets, and travelers through the stories of great Vikings, exploring the profound influence of the Northmen on the future history of the entire map of Europe, from Ireland to Russia and Byzantium. Leif Erikson, who discovered a new world; Ragnar Hairybreeks, scourge of France; Harald Fairhair, the first king of Norway; Erik Bloodaxe, who ruled in York, and many other real and less real heroes come to life on the pages of this book. The book shows that the Vikings were not only a people of war but also transformers and reformers, who gifted the world a new form of trial by jury in England, settled Iceland, founded Dublin, and created a vast trading network that stretched from Baghdad to the shores of North America.