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From the first bloody attack on the Lindisfarne monastery in 793 to the settlement of Iceland and Greenland and the discovery of North America, the Vikings dominated Europe for over 300 years. What caused their outburst of violence and restless creativity, what sustained it, and what finally brought it to an end? Robert Ferguson's new history sheds light on some of the most characteristic aspects of the Vikings' culture, including their Heathen religion, their skill as shipbuilders and architects, and an extraordinary literary and poetic culture that celebrated the deeds of such enigmatically named leaders as Harald Bluetooth and Ivar the Boneless. This is the clearest and most compelling modern portrait of the Viking world yet.