How Brutal Were the Vikings?

The Vikings were big on honor and facing one’s enemies with courage. Accordingly, the Viking law saw assassinations and killings without a fair warning to the victim as despicable, whereas challenging your opponent to a public duel before killing them was considered honorable. Even in cases of manslaughter/accidental murder, the perpetrator had to own up to his actions and pay the due compensation. Fleeing was seen as an act of disobedience. However, if someone was caught trying to kill someone by surprise, in their sleep, or without prior warning, it was seen as an act of cowardice, and they may be asked to perform the deadly execution method known as “The Fatal Walk.” This method was usually reserved for murders of high-profile targets. <a href="https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/how-brutal-were-the-vikings-3b56b19a0d92">Read More</a>