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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jolly Giant" data-source="post: 3252805" data-attributes="member: 5278">I notcie several people have already mentioned Vikings, but as I have the last two years spent an awful lot of my free time reading up on Viking history and culture, I'd just like to pipe in an say that they fit the bill perfectly. Going out exploring strange lands and risking their life for fame and fortune is exactly what being a Viking is all about.Even the bit about a desire to "do good" (see original post) fits; if you see things from the Vikings' perspective. They first started their raiding as a response to the extremely agressive expanionism and forced christianisation led by Charlemagne. This will take some explaining, read on if you want to:At the time of the first Viking raid, Charlemagne had conquered pretty much all of western Europe, and had just completed his campaign against the Saxons. He had stolen thier lands, looted their homes and killed an unknown number of Saxons. In a single infamous day, he forcefully baptized and beheaded all 4500 men in a Saxon town, because some of the citizens were still worshipping their old gods.The next step for Charlemagne was logically to go against the Celts and the Scandinavians. He established a monastery/military outpost on the island Lindisfarne, off the west coast of England. Very likely to launch an invasion of Scandinavia from there. Charlemagne's foremost advisor on religious matters (i.e. he headed the Christening process against the heathen Saxons, although he himself was of Saxon birth.), a priest called Alcuin, was head of this monastery.Simultaneously Charlemagne launched his first attack against the Celts (who were the Vikings' closest friedns and allies), from England into Scotland, but he was driven back. As he was amassing forces to strike again, the very first Viking raid happened. Norwegian Vikings pillaged, burned and looted Lindisfarne. They killed all the soldiers and most of the priests there, but allowed Alcuin to live so he could go tell Charlemagne what happened if you messed with the Vikings.In other words, the Vikings were defending themselves (figuring  the best defence is a good offence) and their right to go on practicing their own religion. In their eyes, this surely constituted as "doing good". They kept on attacking churches, monasteries and Christian lands. They even sailed up the river Seine and looted Paris, the capitol of Charlemagne's empire. Not only did they pillage and plunder his city and his palace, he even had to bribe them with an enormous treasure to make them leave again, just so he could get his city back.<end lengthy historical explanations and justifications>Finally, I'd like to mentioned another few histoical adventuerers; the earliest European explorers of Africa and South America. Guys like Dr. Livingston; and Stanley, who followed later, for example.</blockquote>

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