Vikings

In AD 789, three strange ships arrived at Portland on the southern coast of England. The “Reeve” or representative of the King of Wessex rode out to meet these visitors. He took with him only a small group of men under the impression that the strangers were traders. The strangers slew them. According to Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, "the ravages of heathen men miserably destroyed God's church on Lindisfarne with plunder and slaughter" in June of the year 793. …showed first 75 words of 1420 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1420 total…of the Christian Church since the Roman Empire had already died away a few hundred years ago. Vikings deeply affected the fragile political and stability of Europe. This is one reason why their fierceness is overblown. One inference is the priests (the only educated people, therefore historians as well) exaggerated the Viking’s damage since the Church was deeply affected by them. One such example is how the Vikings are portrayed in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles.