Viking question
 

Ok so a friend and I were discussing an odd variety of things the other day and he mentions that during a time in history the Nords or Vikings if you please, had at one time invaded Europe all the way down to the Vatican, and that the reason for it was that they were apalled at the corruption of the church. Now I haven't been able to find any info on this, what about you guys anyone know about this?

Doesn't seem likely to me, although this site http://www.luth.se/luth/present/swed...king_age3.html suggests that Vikings invaded Rome in the mid-ninth century.
sk

Suggested?

The Vikings did sack Rome.

What they thoght of the Vatican I don't know.

But the sacking of Rome is not a suggestion, but rather a fact.

Mr Mephisto

The site I listed merely suggested it, based on the presumption that the city of "Luna" was Rome. If you have better info, Mr. Mephisto, please clue us in.
sk

Point taken rev_skarekroe.

In "History of the Vikings" Gwyn Jones writes that this story was
recorded both by Dudo of St. Quentin and Benoit of St. Maur.

It may well be apocryphal.

Mr Mephisto

And may the good lord take a Viking to you.

The Vikings did, in fact, invade the Eastern Empire, demanded and received tribute from Constantinople. Viking warriors became the personal guard of the emperor. Vikings were responsible for spreading Eastern Orthodox Christianity to all of Eastern Europe and Russia, in particular.

By the time these events took place, however, the Western Empire was decrepit, if not non-existant; the Italian penninsula was well on the was to fracturing into city-states and Rome was easy pickings for whomever wanted some.

During this age, most well-off cities, such as The Vatican, would buy their way out of danger and avoid actual invasion.

You are talking about the Russ, more so than the Vikings.

But yes, they are both very similiar, as the Russ (and Muscovy Principates) were created by Vikings.

The Vikings who became the Imperial bodyguards were known as the Varangian Guard. Pretty impressive they were too...

Mr Mephisto