Editing Medieval warfare (section)

===Vikings===
{{Main|Viking invasions}}

[[File:Vikings 841 at Dublin.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Viking fleet [[Kingdom of Dublin|landing at Dublin]], 841]]
The [[Viking]]s were a feared force in Europe because of their savagery and speed of their attacks. Whilst seaborne raids were nothing new at the time, the Vikings refined the practice to a science through their shipbuilding, tactics and training.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyextra.com/period/viking/a-brief-history-of-the-vikings/|title=A brief history of the Vikings|last=Parker|first=Philip|date=May 25, 2016|website=The official website for BBC History Magazine and BBC World Histories Magazine}}</ref> Unlike other raiders, the Vikings made a lasting impact on the face of Europe. During the Viking age, their expeditions, frequently combining raiding and trading, penetrated most of the old Frankish Empire, the British Isles, the Baltic region, Russia, and both Muslim and Christian Iberia. Many served as mercenaries, and the famed [[Varangian Guard]], serving the Emperor of Constantinople, was drawn principally of Scandinavian warriors.

[[File:Arbo - Battle of Stamford Bridge (1870).jpg|thumb|Norwegian Vikings' defeat at the [[Battle of Stamford Bridge]], 1066|left]]Viking [[longship]]s were swift and easily manoeuvered; they could navigate deep seas or shallow rivers,<ref name=":0" /> and could carry [[warrior]]s that could be rapidly deployed directly onto land due to the longships being able to land directly. The longship was the enabler of the Viking style of warfare that was fast and mobile, relying heavily on the element of surprise.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/history-of-mechanical-engineering/engineering-the-viking-longboat|title=Engineering the Viking Longboat|last=Walsh|first=David|date=May 2013|website=The American Society of Mechanical Engineers}}</ref> The usual method was to approach a target with the element of surprise and then retire swiftly using [[guerrilla]]-style fighting. The fully armoured Viking raider would wear an iron helmet and a mail hauberk, and fight with a combination of axe, sword, shield, spear or great "Danish" two-handed axe, although the typical raider would be unarmoured, carrying only a bow and arrows, a [[seax]], a shield and spear. European countries with a weak system of government would be unable to organize a suitable response and would naturally suffer the most to Viking raiders. Viking raiders always had the option to fall back in the face of a superior force or stubborn defence and then reappear to attack other locations or retreat to their bases. As time went on, Viking raids became more sophisticated, with coordinated strikes involving multiple forces and large armies, as the "[[Great Heathen Army]]" that ravaged [[Anglo-Saxon England]] in the 9th century. In time, the Vikings began to hold on to the areas they raided, first wintering and then consolidating footholds for further expansion later.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

After the Vikings consolidated their kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, this period marks the end of significant raider activity both for plunder or conquest; adapting a more continental European tradition of warfare, whilst retaining an emphasis on naval power – the "Viking" [[Clinker (boat building)|clinker-built warship]] was used in the war until the 14th century. However, developments in shipbuilding elsewhere removed the advantage they previously enjoyed at sea, whilst castle building throughout frustrated and eventually ended Viking raids.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.timeref.com/castles/why_castles_were_built.htm|title=Medieval and Middle Ages History Timelines – Why castles were built|website=www.timeref.com|language=en|access-date=2018-05-19}}</ref>{{Clarify|date=June 2012}}

The Scandinavian armies of the [[High Middle Ages]] followed the usual pattern of the Northern European armies, but with a stronger emphasis on infantry. The terrain of Scandinavia favoured heavy infantry, and whilst the nobles fought mounted in the continental fashion, the Scandinavian peasants formed a well-armed and well-armoured infantry, of which approximately 30% to 50% would be archers or crossbowmen. The [[crossbow]], the [[flatbow]] and the [[longbow]] were especially popular in Sweden and Finland. The [[chainmail]], the [[lamellar armour]] and the [[coat of plates]] were the usual Scandinavian infantry armour before the era of plate armour.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reardon |first=Sara |date=19 July 2011 |title=Heavy Armor Gave Knights a Workout |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/heavy-armor-gave-knights-workout |access-date=26 April 2022 |website=Science.org}}</ref>