Did Vikings and other barbaric tribes (Magyars) of the Medieval period have an impact on Medieval politics?
Why Vikings and Magyars are not an Integral Part of Medieval European Politics
Although the Vikings and Magyars are more than simplistic barbarians, their influence on the political culture of Europe, is not substantial. It would be myopic to by into the Viking and Magyar stereotype: uncivilized and bloodthirsty peoples. From legendary Viking kings like Ívarr, to the Magyar federation of tribes known as On-Ogur, these civilizations had rich and complex political histories. Their tradition of being pillagers and slave-drivers rather than settlers, ultimately overshadows any role they played in shaping long lasting, European political culture. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, the Vikings and Magyars caved into the conformist pressures of their Christian neighbours, and as a result, relinquished their pagan ways of life. Vikings and Magyars assimilated into Western, Christian society, ergo, their politics were far more influenced by their European neighbours.
