Final answer:
Viking populations established permanent settlements upon conquering territories, with notable regions including Normandy, England, and Russia. They transitioned from raiders to traders and played a significant role in the cultural and political evolution of medieval Europe. Their legacies influenced later explorations and discoveries.
Step-by-step explanation:
Once they conquered a territory, Viking populations established permanent settlements. This began prominently in 865 with their invasion of Britain, excluding Wessex, and continued with the settlement of northern France, now known as Normandy, in the year 911. The Vikings also established settlements throughout the British Isles, Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, and briefly in North America. Besides raiding, the Vikings advanced in trade, setting the stage for the medieval European economic system.
The Viking influence is not limited to their role as raiders; they were also explorers, colonizers, and traders. By the end of the Viking Age, they had assimilated into the cultures they settled in, adopting Christianity and transitioning from raiders to established members of the medieval European world. Their settlements in England and Normandy, in particular, had a significant impact on the cultural and political development of these regions.
The Vikings' colonization efforts had a profound influence on the early development of countries like Russia, where they established trade connections and settlements. The Viking-led territories eventually evolved into established states, such as the early nucleus of Russia, formed by Viking settlers along their trade routes.
Despite some failed colonization efforts, such as in Newfoundland, the legacy of Viking exploration influenced future explorers, potentially including Christopher Columbus. Their conquests and settlements reshaped much of the European and North Atlantic worlds.