The Völsunga Saga on Vikings

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > With Excerpts From The Poetic Edda > Introduction

• attestation: The Viking age began after the Scando-Gothic land route southward was blocked by earlier settlers' descendants during Charlemagne's time

  "It was their own kin, the sons of earlier invaders, who stayed the landward march of the Northmen in the time of Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road by land was henceforth closed. Then begins the day of the Vikings"

• attestation: Vikings first appeared in the Western Isles near the end of the eighth century

  "Under many and brave leaders they first of all came round the "Western Isles" (2) toward the end of the eighth century"

• attestation: Vikings invaded Normandy and raided the coasts of France

  "soon after they invaded Normandy, and harried the coasts of France"

• attestation: Vikings founded kingdoms in Ireland at Limerick and Dublin

  "In Ireland, where the old civilisation was falling to pieces, they founded kingdoms at Limerick and Dublin among other places"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > With Excerpts From The Poetic Edda > Endnotes:

• attestation: The term Viking derives from Old Norse vik (bay or creek) meaning men of the bays, or freebooters

  "Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", belonging to, (or men of) freebooters."