Final answer:
The reputation of the Vikings shifted from feared raiders to medieval European settlers as they established kingdoms, converted to Christianity, and integrated into European society. Their legacy includes not only their early raids but also their significant contributions to exploration, trade, and settlement, including the first European contact with North America.
Step-by-step explanation:
As the Vikings migrated and settled into new lands, their infamous raids declined. By the mid-tenth century, Scandinavian rulers like Harald Bluetooth in Denmark, Olaf Tryggvason in Norway, and Olof Skötkonung in Sweden had established more centralized kingdoms. This era saw the diminishment of fear as the Vikings began to convert to Christianity around 1000 CE, leading to the cessation of their raiding. Conversion and the establishment of powerful states helped integrate Vikings into medieval European society, marking the end of their notorious raids that had previously caused widespread fear and sometimes forced people to surrender their rights for protection.
The Vikings' settlement in North America was brief, specifically in Newfoundland, with their presence ceasing mainly due to hostilities with Indigenous groups. Their early attempts at colonization in the 11th century were unsuccessful, and it wasn't until centuries later that Europeans, incented by the lucrative cod fishing industry, attempted to cross the Atlantic again.
Moreover, feudalism at the time involved a hierarchy of obligations where warriors were indebted to lords, and lords to kings such as in the case of Charles the Simple granting Normandy to Viking leader Rollo. However, this system sometimes weakened kings as they distributed lands and privileges to appease their feudal lords.
In exploration, the Vikings were unmatched navigators who ventured into uncharted territories like Iceland, driven by overpopulation and the scarcity of arable land back home. Their seafaring excellence, combined with a desire for wealth and land, propelled them into the annals of history not only as raiders but also as explorers and settlers who made the first European contact with North America and established the first Russian states.