Why were the vikings less evolved than the people they raided? In History's Vikings Rollo states that the Nortumbrian's army has superior steel swords.
And aside from that, their people, Northumbria, Wessex, Mercia and Paris, seem more evolved that Ragnar's people. Is this accurate? If so, why was this? Did the Vikings evolve "slower" because they had other worries such as surviving harsh winters? Or was this a result of cultural difference?
Cheers!
You should amend your question. Civilizations are not less or more evolved. They adapt to their surroundings and enviroment. If you want an answer you should clarify your question and avoid descriptions like "evolved."
As the other user said, it's more about perspective. We might say that an isolated tribesman in Africa is "less evolved" than a person in the West because they haven't had a traditional education, but if you and that tribesman were dropped in the middle of the desert, who do you think would thrive?
The vikings may not have had a lot of the luxuries that Europe had at the time, but that was due to the harsh climate and relatively bare land that the Vikings lived in. They may not have developed weapons and armour to the same quality as the English and French, but they did invent the longboat which revolutionized sailing and allowed the Vikings to be so successful. I think it would be inaccurate to describe the Vikings as "less evolved" because this implies they were inferior. The fact is that Vikings were very successful.