From about 800 to 1000, invasions destroyed the Carolingian Empire. In 846, they sacked Rome. The vikings set sail for Scandinavia, which was a wintry, wooded region in Northern Europe. The largest of their ships held 300 warriors, who took turns rowing the ship's 72 oars. A ship might weight 20 tons when fully loaded. Yet, it could sail in a mere three feet of water. A Viking explorer named Leif Ericson reached North America around 1000, almost 500 years before Columbus. As Vikings gradually accepted Christianity, they stopped raiding monasteries. A warming trend in Europe's climate made farming easier in Scandinavia.
Some more terms:
Lord
a landowner.
Fief
a portion of land
Vassal
The person recieving a fief.
Knight
mounted horsemen who pledged to defend their lord's lands in exchange for fiefs.
Serf
People who could not lawfully leave the place where they were born
Manor
the lord's estate.
Tithe
Church tax
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