As the most notorious of the pagan hordes to descend on Christian Europe in the Early Middle Ages, the image of the Vikings has transcended the centuries; even today their name evokes images of murder, pillage and desecration. This graphic and complete history considers the totality of the Viking experience, taking their story from their origins in the fjords of Scandinavia to their great voyages and lasting impact on the wider world. Magnus Magnusson channels his years of writing and research in the field to produce a chronological account of Viking activity in the varied cultural areas of Europe with which they came into contact. Raiders, heathens and murderers, but also explorers, pioneers and artists; the remarkable contradictions that characterised the Viking Age are explored and illuminated.