Who would win, American Indians or Vikings?

Question

An American Indian once told me that the two groups of people had fought in battle on several scirmishes. I wondered if this was true and how these battles transpired.

Answer 1

Boredlawyer is correct. The only historical recordings of such meetings of the Indians and the vikings are in the Viking Sagas. The Vikings couldn't beat the Indians for a number of reasons. One being the numbers of Indians and another being the bow and arrow used by the Indians and another being that the Vikings were far removed from any support.

Answer 2

It depends largely on the terrain and what the fight was over. Were it in the middle of a desert, the Indians would have an advantage over the vikings, definitely. Were it in the cold, wet, north European-ish climate, then the vikings would have a decided advantage.

If the Vikings were trying to pillage the Indian's village, the Indians would definitely have a very strong morale since most Indians saw being captured or beaten worse than death. Were it some minor dispute, then the vikings would beat them go home, get drunk and party.

Then again, the vikings were known for having incredibly strong armor, and fashioning metal better than some do today. They knew how to fashion shield that wouldn't break, and painted them with bold colors to hide the grain so their enemies wouldn't know where to hit it to make it break. Their swords were tempered, which made them SO much stronger than just flint and such of most of the more traditional Indian tribes. And Vikings had to fight hard and become heroes to get into Valhalla.

Overall, my vote goes to Vikings.

Answer 3

Some similar situations have happened. When the Vikings settled in Greenland, the Inuit people were already there. They are distantly related to American Indians. The Vikings thought the Inuit inferior heathens and refused to have anything to do with them. The Vikings managed on their own for a while. When the weather in Greenland proved too cold for crops and Viking style living, most of the Vikings died out rather than learn from the Inuit who were practiced in living in the difficult climate.
Likewise, some Vikings came to Vinland, now in Newfoundland in Canada. Those Vikings also disappeared, but nobody quite knows what happened to them. It is possible that they were friendlier and simply married into the Native American society there. With so few of them, they would not be apparent after a few generations. Or maybe they too stayed apart and died off. In any case, they were never heard from again.
There are often smarter ways to encounter strangers than to stand up in all out war. It seems that with a little patience and a lot of knowledge about how to live in difficult environments, American Indians got the better of the Vikings. It was only when large numbers of Europeans arrived in more manageable climates that they overwhelmed the Native Americans.
And the Vikings have learned too. The modern Scandinavian countries are places of prosperity and decency. And many Scandinavians live here in the U.S. as well very well, still Vikings. I am one of them.

Answer 4

The vikings would win. They are better trained had better leadership and had better mobility. The native Americans didn't have the mindset to beat the vikings in any battle. The Vikings where also more technologically advance then the native Americans.

The native Americans had no real advantage on any type of terrain because the vikings came from forested areas and where also natural seamen.

The vikings where also kicking all the Europeans asses who later kicked the native Americans asses so that just shows that the native Americans couldn't possibly win.

Answer 5

I think it will depend on several factors

first the terrain
if the battle was fought on the hot mexican desert surely the indians would have an advantage but if it were in the in the northern lattitudes suerly the vikings are at advantage

2 The leadership
3 the strategy
4Morale

whatever the condition the group with the best srategy and leadership wins

Answer 6

According to the Viking sagas, such confrontations DID occur when Norsemen (aka Vikings) landed on the North American coast. The Native Americans (who the Vikings called "skralings") reportedly attacked the Norse in large numbers and drove them off. The Vikings themselves admitted their defeat. If the Vikings had been able to defeat the Native Americans, there would probably have been permanent Viking settlements in North America instead of the seasonal camp-sites they actually established. Your friend is right -- and most of the answers here are wrong.

Answer 7

Vikings 35 Indians 8...just my guess

Answer 8

The Native Americans did in fact claim victory over the Vikings. Hmmmmm, see above narrative from Boredlawyer, best reference here and does not need repeating.

Answer 9

I remember reading somewhere about a small skirmish with vikings in their vinland - our northeast - one of the viking women charged the indians, beating her bare breast with the flat of her sword. The indians took off. Those nutty vikings!

Answer 10

If they had a battle the Vikings would have won. They would have catapulted lutefisk at the Indians. Everyone knows that lutefisk was the first biological weapon. LOL