The popular image of the Vikings is of tall red-headed men, raping and pillaging their way around the coast of Europe, stopping only to ransack monasteries and burn longships. But the violent Vikings of the 8th century became the pious Christians of the 11th century, who gave gold crosses to Christian churches and in whose areas of rule pagan idols were destroyed and churches were built.

ContentsMap viiiTimeline of Key Events xKey People xviiiGlossary xxvIntroduction 1Chapter 1: The Pagan Vikings 8Chapter 2: Storm from the North 23Chapter 3: The Viking Conversion in England 39Chapter 4: The Cross and the Hammer: Christians and Pagans 54in the North of EnglandChapter 5: The Other Island... 69Chapter 6: The Duchy of the Northmen 83Chapter 7: The Christian Vikings of Denmark 95Chapter 8: The Christian Vikings of Norway 111Chapter 9: The Christian Vikings of Sweden 126Chapter 10: Vikings in the East: Christian Vikings 140in Russia and the Byzantine EmpireChapter 11: Christian Vikings of the North Atlantic 159Chapter 12: The First American Christians 175Chapter 13: A Christian Viking King of England 189Chapter 14: Christian Jarls of the Northern and Western Isles 203A Final Thought: The Viking World in 1150 218About the authors 222Notes 223Bibliography 248Index 251