The Vikings were north Germanic people who raided, traded, explored, and settled in Europe, Asia, and the North Atlantic islands from the late eighth to the middle eleventh centuries. By Drakkars, the Vikings' warships, they traveled from Scandinavia, modern Sweden, Norway and Denmark, to east as Constantinople, Baghdad and the Volga, to west as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland in North America, to north as islands of the Arctic Ocean and to south as Morocco. This period, known as the Viking Age, is very important element of the medieval history of Scandinavia, Baltic, Russia, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the rest of Europe. Most of the Vikings were warriors, because agriculture in Northern Europe was hampered by several climatic conditions and infertile lands. Their arms depended on their social status and wealth. Rich Vikings had a helmet, shield, mail shirt, and sword. A typical freeman fighted with a spear, knife and shield. Bows used in land battles and at sea too, but Vikings used their less than a melee weapon. Vikings were unusual warriors for that time, because they used axes as a main battle weapon. For example, the Huscarls, the elite guard of kings, were armed with two-handed axes that could split shields or metal helmets very easy.