How serious of a threat did Vikings and pagans in Northern Europe in general pose to Christian Europe?

by hashmaluum

Was there ever a chance that Europe could have become a pagan continent rather than Christian?

Athena_Nikephoros

Not really.

The Viking raids didn't really pose a threat to the long-term survival of Christendom. They never tried to convert anyone, and in the areas they settled/conquered (such as Normandy or Russia) they generally assimilated into the surrounding region. For instance, the Normans converted to Christianity before they even started speaking French.

The raids were a major problem in the short term, and several cultures/kingdoms, such as Ireland and the Carolingian Empire were knocked back on their heels for a time. But once the Franks established fortifications at river mouths, or the Irish began building towers in monasteries, the Vikings found it far more difficult to raid and get away quickly.

The Norse never had the organized agenda of conquering Europe, they simply wanted to steal what they could, and then either go home to Scandinavia, or settle in little pockets when the opportunity was presented.