Читать книгу The History of Piracy and Navigation - Dr. Suk Kyoon Kim - Страница 12
Chapter 4 The Vikings The Emergence of Vikings While Saracen pirates were rampant across the Mediterranean, Vikings were terrorizing England and the northern coasts of Europe. In terms of the etymology of ‘Viking,’ various theories have been put forward. A leading theory is that the word means ‘a person from a valley river.’ Presumably, this word was derived from the unique Scandinavian geography, specifically the formations known as ‘fjords’ – long, narrow inlets with steep sides or cliffs, created by glacial erosion. Over 800 years, the word Viking has been used to indicate the Scandinavians both at home and abroad who had lived in Sweden, Norway and Denmark throughout the era of aggression, trade and colonial activity. Originally, the Vikings had been ordinary people actively engaged in trade. By the first century, they had traded with Romans, and by the fifth century, they invited foreign merchants to thriving Scandinavian commerce cities and were actively engaged in trade with them. While trading with foreign countries, the Vikings observed the wealth of their trading partners and dreamed of taking it by force. The Vikings first ruthlessly looted monasteries in England and on other European coasts, and they killed or enslaved monks. Afterward, the Vikings developed a reputation as brutal, bloodthirsty predators. One might be curious about what made the Vikings turn to piracy instead of continuing normal trade. Amongst various factors, the infertile natural environment of Scandinavia is usually considered the most salient. Other than fishing and hunting, the cold weather and barren soil of Northern Europe made the Vikings struggle for their livelihood. The population had constantly increased, and farmlands were insufficient to support it. Under these circumstances, they took to the sea. Because of the Viking tradition that the first son was to inherit the entirety of the family’s wealth, younger siblings had no choice but to engage in trade or plunder at sea. Additionally, political instability served as a driving force. In the late ninth century, King Harald of Norway, who had unified small kingdoms throughout Scandinavia, intended to get rid of the rulers of provinces. These provincial lords escaped to foreign countries with their people. But above all, it is believed that the Vikings had a natural drive to explore, along with fearlessness in sea-faring, and a toughness of spirit derived from their harsh natural environment.
