In the space of three centuries the Vikings went from being the scourge of Christianity to good Christian warriors. In the process they travelled to four continents, founded Russia, were the first Europeans to reach North America, created England and forged a great North Sea empire. As well as fighting for and against Byzantium, they also pillaged the Muslim world. While on continental Europe they besieged Paris and founded the Duchy of Normandy. Beginning with the causes of the Viking Age and using a wide range of contemporary evidence, this history takes a chronological and geographical approach in order to trace the Vikings as they moved from raiders to sellers to kings. Perceived today more as explorers and settlers, this new history brings all these strands together in a concise and accessible manner, placing the Vikings firmly within the context of their age.