Final answer:
The correct answer is option a) Exploration and trade opportunities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Vikings began raiding southern regions for several reasons. Initially, their motive was largely centered around trade and exploration. They sought new trade opportunities and wealth in the form of goods such as furs, amber, and honey which they could take back to their homelands or trade for other valuable items, including hard currency from Byzantium and the Abbasid Caliphate. The Vikings were also interested in expanding agricultural lands and seeking new territories to settle, as evidenced by their settlements in various parts of Northern and Western Europe, and later as far afield as Iceland and Greenland.
Another compelling reason for Viking raids could be attributed to population growth and the scarcity of arable land in Scandinavia. This situation compelled them to look for new lands where they could establish farming and sustain their growing communities. Moreover, they utilized their advanced seafaring and navigational skills to venture into unknown territories, a reflection of their audacious spirit.
The establishment of early Russian states by the Vikings along trade routes and the formation of the duchy of Normandy in northern France further exemplify their role as settlers and traders, not merely raiders. Their voyages of discovery also led them to be the first Europeans to make contact with North America. However, as strong states emerged in Scandinavia and the Vikings converted to Christianity, these expeditions gradually transformed from raiding to establishing more stable kingdoms and regions, mirroring other medieval European societies.