Quote Originally Posted by [b
Quote[/b] (lonewolf371 @ Mar. 29 2003,23:49)]Europeans unfortunately developed a habit that mingled history with falseness and often described any enemies they faced as savage and when they lost they described the enemy as having huge numbers of forces, yet when they won they described the enemy with still a large force to make it sound more honorable and great. The Vikings and Mongols were some of these cases, however Mongols actually were savage in many ways due to the fashion in which they subdued their enemies.
Believe me, the vikings deserved their reputation for being savage. Although the vikings themselves didn't keep detailed written accounts of their deeds, their decendants did a few generations later.

One example from the Icelandic sagas is the explanation of the nickname barnakarl meaning babies man. This nickname was given to one guy (as a vice) because he was considered exceptionally soft for not wanting to participate in the popular game of tossing toddlers from spear to spear, when attacking villages. Sounds savage enough to me.