Saxons vs. Vikings — What's the Difference?

Germanic tribes that migrated to and settled in England.

Norse seafarers known for their exploration and raids.

A people who converted to Christianity in the early medieval period.

Warriors with a strong oral tradition, including sagas.

Early inhabitants of England who spoke Old English.

Inhabitants of Scandinavia during the Viking Age (8th to 11th century).

Warriors and settlers who had frequent interactions with neighboring tribes and groups.

A people who gradually converted to Christianity during the late Viking Age.

A group that, along with Angles and Jutes, played a foundational role in English history.

Expert shipbuilders who designed the iconic Viking longship.

The Saxons (Latin: Saxones, German: Sachsen, Old English: Seaxan, Old Saxon: Sahson, Low German: Sassen, Dutch: Saksen) were a group of early Germanic peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, Latin: Saxonia) near the North Sea coast of northern Germania, what is now Germany. In the late Roman Empire, the name was used to refer to Germanic coastal raiders, and also as a word something like the later "Viking".

Vikings is the modern name given to seafaring Norse pirates from southern Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden) who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and settled throughout parts of Europe. They also voyaged as far as the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, and North America.

A member of a West Germanic tribal group that inhabited northern Germany and invaded Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries AD with the Angles and Jutes.

One of a seafaring Scandinavian people who raided the coasts of northern and western Europe from the eighth through the tenth century.

A person of English or Lowland Scots birth or ancestry as distinguished from one of Irish, Welsh, or Highland Scots birth or ancestry.

A Scandinavian.

A native or inhabitant of Saxony.

Plural of viking

The West Germanic language of any of the ancient Saxon peoples.

The Germanic element of English as distinguished from the French and Latin elements.

The Saxons originated from what is now Northern Germany.

While Vikings are often associated with raids, they were also explorers, traders, and settlers.

Initially, the Saxons practiced a polytheistic religion but later converted to Christianity.

The Saxons established kingdoms, introduced Old English, and played a foundational role in England's history.

Yes, the Vikings used runes, an alphabetic script, for writing.

While many Vikings were warriors, others were traders, craftsmen, and farmers.

The Viking Age refers to the period from the late 8th to the early 11th century when Vikings were most active.

The Saxons spoke Old English.

Viking longships were versatile boats designed for both deep-sea travel and river navigation.

Vikings explored regions including Europe, Asia, and North America.

Yes, the Vikings invaded and settled in areas of Saxon-controlled England, leading to conflicts and cultural exchanges.

The Saxons initially followed a polytheistic Germanic religion.

The Anglo-Saxons were a blend of tribes, including the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes, who settled in England.

Both had warrior cultures, rich oral traditions, and over time, both groups transitioned to Christianity.

Yes, the Vikings had a strong sense of honor, detailed in sagas and their oral tradition.