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Home / Historical Periods / Early Medieval / Viking Age

Period

Viking Age

c. 793–1,066

The Viking Age is usually dated from the late eighth century to the mid-eleventh century. Scandinavian raiders, traders, settlers, and rulers moved across the North Sea, Atlantic, river systems, and eastern trade routes. Their activity shaped Britain, Ireland, Normandy, Iceland, Greenland, Rus, the Baltic, and parts of the Mediterranean world.

Its importance lies in the mixture of violence, commerce, settlement, and cultural exchange. Raids on monasteries became part of the period’s reputation, but Viking power also built towns, trade networks, dynasties, and mixed communities. The age changed the political future of England, Normandy, Ireland, and the North Atlantic.

Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories, Giles Kristian’s Raven and Rise of Sigurd books, Robert Low’s Oathsworn series, and Frans G. Bengtsson’s The Long Ships are central reference points for Viking fiction. The setting supports seafaring, raiding, settlement, blood feud, pagan belief, Christian conversion, and long-running warrior series.

Related people for Viking Age

Basil II958–1025 Cnut the Great994–1035 Edmund Ironside988–1016 Edward the Confessordied 1066 Emma of Normandy987–1052 Godwin, Earl of Wessexdied 1053 Leif Erikson972–1020 Sigtrygg Silkbeard970–1042 Æthelred the Unready967–1016

Series

Series about Viking Age (7 series)

A Time for Swords in Order

by Matthew Harffy 4 books 4.4

A Time for Swords follows Hunlaf, a Northumbrian novice monk whose life is transformed by the Viking raid on Lindisfarne in 793. Becoming a warrior without abandoning the questions raised by his faith, he travels with a mixed band of Northumbrians and Norsemen through Scandinavia, al-Andalus, Byzantine territory…

Dragonheart in Order

by Griff Hosker 22 books 4.5

Dragonheart is a long Viking saga centred on Jarl Dragon Heart, his kin and his warrior band. The books move through raiding, revenge, settlement, family succession and conflict across the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man, Saxon England, Norway and wider Viking routes. The sequence is less a…

Last Viking in Order

by J. C. Duncan 5 books 4.6

The Last Viking series follows Harald Sigurdsson from defeated prince and exile to Varangian commander, king of Norway and claimant to the English throne. Moving through Kievan Rus, Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire and Scandinavia before reaching the campaign of 1066, the novels trace the ambition, warfare and political…

Ormstunga Saga in Order

by Donovan Cook 5 books 4.5

The Ormstunga Saga follows Ulf Bjørnson, a young Norseman driven from his former life by murder and vengeance. His search for his father’s sword carries him from Scandinavian feuds into raids, exile and the violent politics of Francia and Denmark. Across the series, Ulf’s reputation grows as he…

The Life and Times of Corban Loosestrife in Order

by Cecelia Holland 6 books 3.9

The six-volume Corban Loosestrife saga begins in tenth-century Ireland when a Viking raid destroys Corban’s family and carries away his twin sister, Mav. His pursuit takes him through Dublin, Jórvík and Denmark before the family attempts a new life across the Atlantic. The later volumes shift much of…

The Viking Blood and Blade Saga in Order

by Peter Gibbons 11 books 4.6

The Viking Blood and Blade Saga follows Hundr, Einar the Brawler and the crew of the warship Seaworm across the violent, interconnected world of the ninth-century north. Their voyages carry them through England, Frankia, Brittany, Ireland, Norway and Sweden as they serve or oppose rulers such as Ivar…

Books

30 Best Novels About the Viking Age

Bestselling authors first, then star rating.

Non Fiction

4 Non-Fiction Books About the Viking Age

Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.