Every now and then I love a good Viking Romance. Not fantasy, not paranormal, just straight up historical romance from the time of the raiding Northmen. The Viking Age was that part of the medieval period from the end of the 8th century to the middle of the 11th century, although there are Norsemen still around beyond that. It was an age of valiant and sometimes ruthless warriors and raiders.

There’s nothing like a Viking raid and a strapping tall warrior to get your blood boiling, right? Well, of course, it must be well done and we want a strong heroine to give the guy some grief. And a little history thrown in doesn’t hurt either. If you like ‘em, you can see my list of the best HERE.

In my research for my Medieval Warriors series, I have learned much about the Nordic peoples who at one time raided and ultimately settled in England and Scotland. These included the Danes, who settled in Yorkshire and what became known as the Danelaw, as well as other Nordic groups. There were also Danes who remained in Denmark, which in 1069, launched 240 longships against William the Conqueror.

To write scenes in the home of my half-Danish heroine in York for Rogue Knight, I had to understand the names, the personal grooming habits and the clothing, even the jewelry. And for Rebel Warrior, I had to know their preferred weapons and whether the leader of a raiding band might have dark hair. Here are some of the things I discovered about “Vikings” along the way. See more.