The Swedish Viking Age lasts roughly from…
820 CE to 963 CE
It is believed that Swedish Vikings and Gutar mainly traveled east and south, going to Finland, the Baltic countries, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, the Black Sea and even as far as Baghdad.
Their routes pass through the Dnieper south to Constantinople, on which they carry out numerous raids.
The Emperor Theophilos notices their great skills in war, and invites them to serve as his personal bodyguard, known as the Varangian Guard.
The Swedish Vikings, called Rus, are believed to be the founding fathers of Kievan Rus'.
The Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan described these Vikings as follows:
I have seen the Rus as they came on their merchant journeys and encamped by the Itil. I have never seen more perfect physical specimens, tall as date palms, blond and ruddy; they wear neither tunics nor caftans, but the men wear a garment which covers one side of the body and leaves a hand free. Each man has an axe, a sword, and a knife, and keeps each by him at all times. The swords are broad and grooved, of Frankish sort.
Groups
Regions
North Europe
View →Subregions
