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Vikings History Trivia Quiz

This is a rather tough quiz about the history of Vikings, or Norsemen. "Viking" actually means or meant " [Norsemen] going on a raiding tour" across the sea. If you score 10/10 you are a true expert on Norse history!.

A multiple-choice quiz by King_Yngvar. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
King_Yngvar

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
193,728

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
1376

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Lets start with an easy one. In which year was the first recorded raid on Lindisfarne? Hint

793

795

787

777

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is the name of the animal or bird that is believed to have been used on most "Viking" war banners? Hint

Wolf

Boar

Raven

Eagle

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Question 3 of 10

3. Harald Fairhair (H�rfagri) united Norway. What is the name of the final battle in this war of unification? Hint

Hafrsfjord

Svolder

Halvfjord

Stiklestad

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Question 4 of 10

4. What the traditional date for the battle of Hafsfjord set by Snorri Sturluson? Hint

872

885

852

900

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Question 5 of 10

5. What is the original Old Norse name for Norway? Hint

Northweg

Nordriki

Noregur

Nordvegr

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which small kingdom, before the unification of Norway, is said to have controlled the town of Skiringsal (which some call "Kaupang")? Hint

Agder

Ranrike

Jylland

Vestfold

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Question 7 of 10

7. What was the name of Harald Fairhair's royal family, according to Snorri Sturluson? Hint

Yngling

Folkung

Skjolding

Harding

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Question 8 of 10

8. Who was the first king to unite all of Denmark? Hint

Gorm the Old

Svein Forkbeard

Knut the Mighty

Valdemar the Great

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Question 9 of 10

9. Who is the first European believed to have set foot on "Vinland" (North America)? Hint

Lif Erinson

Sigurd the Crusader

Erik the Red

Leif Eriksson

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Question 10 of 10

10. And to end the Viking quiz, we will have a look at the last "Viking King" that fell in Ulster by an ambush, in the year 1103. Who was he? (Norwegian forename, English nickname) Hint

Edvard the Red

Sigurd the Crusader

Magnus Barefoot

Harald Hardrada

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Most Recent Scores

Mar 03 2024 : Guest 84: 3/10
Mar 02 2024 : Guest 31: 8/10

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Lets start with an easy one. In which year was the first recorded raid on Lindisfarne?

Answer: 793

The Viking Age is believed to have begin in 793, when the first recorded raid occured at Lindisfarne in Northumbria.

2. What is the name of the animal or bird that is believed to have been used on most "Viking" war banners?

Answer: Raven

The raven is often believed to have been used by the pre-Christian armies of Scandinavian warbands, there has even been found evidence suggesting this. The raven was a sacred animal in the Norse religion, because of the two ravens that sat on each of Odin's shoulders. Since Odin was a god of war, his ravens also became associated with war.

3. Harald Fairhair (H�rfagri) united Norway. What is the name of the final battle in this war of unification?

Answer: Hafrsfjord

The battle of Hafsfjord was the last of the many great battles fought by Harald Fairhair to unite Norway. After that battle he ruled for about 60 years (according to tradition), with little resistance in Norway. However after his death and then his son H�kon's death in 961, troubles began again for the young Kingdom of Norway.

4. What the traditional date for the battle of Hafsfjord set by Snorri Sturluson?

Answer: 872

The year was 872 is that given by Snorri and by tradition, but Saxo Grammaticus however sat it as far back as 852.

5. What is the original Old Norse name for Norway?

Answer: Nordvegr

It is Nordvegr, or one can say Nordveg, depending on context. It means the "Road to the north" - "From Skiringsal to H�logaland" as Ottar said it.

6. Which small kingdom, before the unification of Norway, is said to have controlled the town of Skiringsal (which some call "Kaupang")?

Answer: Vestfold

The town of Skiringsal/Kaupang ("Kaupang" means "town or market place") is believed to have been founded around 800 in the Kingdom of Vestfold, at this time held by the Yngling family.

7. What was the name of Harald Fairhair's royal family, according to Snorri Sturluson?

Answer: Yngling

The Yngling family, said to have been of divine blood, extended back through about thirty generations to Freyr! Hence the name Yngling, from Yngvi-Frey.

Harding was never a dynasty name by the way, Skjolding was the Danish dtnasty until the death of Harda-Knut (1042), and Folkung was the Swedish dynasty from 1250 to the 1350s, and Norwegian from 1319 to 1387.

8. Who was the first king to unite all of Denmark?

Answer: Gorm the Old

Gorm the Old, according to tradition. Snorri dates him back to the time of Harald Fairhair, but that is unbelievable as his death occurred in the 940s or 950s when his son Harald Bluetooth became king.
Some historians have set the date of the unification around 930, but everything is a little vague with regard to dates in early Scandinavian history.

9. Who is the first European believed to have set foot on "Vinland" (North America)?

Answer: Leif Eriksson

It's believed he landed on the coast of Newfoundland.

10. And to end the Viking quiz, we will have a look at the last "Viking King" that fell in Ulster by an ambush, in the year 1103. Who was he? (Norwegian forename, English nickname)

Answer: Magnus Barefoot

If anyone wrote Edvard the Red, well, they should actually read the question again, because I wrote (Norwegian forename). Edvard cannot even be an Americanized version of a Norwegian name, it is a modern "norwegianized" version of Edward. And I just made him up by the way.

Magnus Barefoot was the last "Viking king", he ruled for a short period and can be quoted with at least one good line: "A king should have honor, not a long life!". The words of a true king, born in 1073, hailed king in 1093, who died a hero's death in 1103.

Source: Author King_Yngvar

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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