The Vikings
Short History Of...
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The History of the Vikings
William Fitzhugh is director of the Arctic Studies Centre at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The Norse legends are first written down centuries after the Viking period. But one thing is certain, the Vikings show little fear in the face of danger. They sail their ships into treacherous oceans and run into combat. Some say their pagan beliefs fuel a fatalistic fighting spirit. According to the Prose Edda, warriors who died gloriously in battle are the chosen ones whose souls may go to Valhalla,. There they feast and fight alongside Odin and other war heroes.
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