Final answer:
The Vikings were a Northern people known for their seafaring skills, raids on European villages, as well as their trade and exploration activities. They originated from Scandinavia and significantly impacted the development of the northern world, establishing trading routes and settlements across Europe and reaching as far as North America.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best description of the Vikings is a Northern people who made quick, fierce raids on European villages. Coming from Scandinavia, they spoke Germanic languages and shared cultural similarities with the Germanic peoples of the Roman Empire. They were known for their polytheistic beliefs, honoring gods like Odin and Freyja, similar to ancient Germanic deities. With the population growth in the 8th century and limited farmland, the Vikings, including Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes, sought resources through plunder. They traveled as far as Constantinople and established settlements in Eastern Europe, becoming known as the Varangians. While their reputation for violence is well-documented, they were also traders and explorers, navigating through Europe's waterways and oceans with their advanced seafaring skills, establishing trade routes, and even reaching North America.
The Viking period spanned from the late 8th to the late 11th century, and they had an immense impact on European history. They employed their longships in both raiding and trading, which were significant for their speed, versatility, and artistic design. Additionally, the Vikings were not purely raiders; they were also settlers, colonizing uninhabited lands such as Iceland, and served as mercenaries in the Byzantine Empire. The Vikings were pivotal in the development of the northern world, influencing territories from Russia to Iceland and even North America.