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Home / Periods / Medieval Period / Viking Age

Period

Viking Age

793–1066 CE

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.

Related people for Viking Age

Abd-ar-Rahman III891–961 Alfred the Great849–899 Bardas Phokas the Youngerc. 940–989 Bardas Sklerostenth century–991 Basil II958–1025 Brian Boru941–1014 Charles the Bald823–877 Cnut the Great994–1035 Constantine II of Scotlanddied 952; reigned 900–943 Edmund Ironside988–1016 Edward the Confessordied 1066 Emma of Normandy987–1052 Eric Bloodaxe895–954 Godwin, Earl of Wessexdied 1053 Gunnhild, Mother of Kings910–980 Harold Godwinson1022–1066 Irene of Athensc. 750/756–803 Leif Erikson972–1020 Louis IV of France920–954 Offa of Merciadied 796 Olaf Guthfrithsonc. 9th century–941 Rollo860–932 Sigtrygg Silkbeard970–1042 Sweyn I of Denmark963–1014 Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson910–977 Vladimir the Greatc. 958–1015 Æthelred, Lord of the Merciansd. 911 Æthelred the Unready967–1016 Æthelstan895–939

Series

Series about Viking Age (7 series)

The Viking Blood and Blade Saga in Order

by Peter Gibbons 11 books 4.6(63,252)

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…

Last Viking in Order

by J. C. Duncan 5 books 4.6(8,037)

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…

Dragonheart in Order

by Griff Hosker 22 books 4.5(42,998)

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…

Ormstunga Saga in Order

by Donovan Cook 5 books 4.5(13,473)

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…

Norseman in Order

by Griff Hosker 3 books 4.5(7,308)

Norseman is a compact Viking adventure sequence about raids, revenge and sea-borne power. The books use the North Atlantic and Scandinavian world as a setting for warrior identity, family vengeance and the search for land, wealth and reputation.

A Time for Swords in Order

by Matthew Harffy 4 books 4.4(15,062)

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…

The Life and Times of Corban Loosestrife in Order

by Cecelia Holland 6 books 3.9(518)

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…

Books

30 Best Novels About the Viking Age

Non-Fiction

8 Best Non-Fiction Books About the Viking Age

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