Longships were ships primarily used by the Scandinavian Vikings and the Saxons to raid coastal and inland settlements during the European Middle Ages. They are often called "longboats", but "longship" is more accurate. The vessels were also used for long distance trade and commerce, and for exploratory voyages to Iceland, Greenland, and beyond. Longship design evolved over several centuries and was fully developed by about the 9th century. In Norway traditional longships were used until the 13th century, and the character and appearance of these ships were reflected in western Norwegian boat-building traditions until the early 20th century.
The longship was characterized as a graceful, long, narrow, light wooden boat with a shallow draft designed for speed. The ship's shallow draft allowed navigation in waters only one metre deep and permitted rapid beach landings, while its light weight enabled it to be carried over portages. Longships were also symmetrical, allowing the ship to reverse direction quickly. Longships were fitted with oars along almost the entire length of the boat itself. Later versions sported a rectangular sail on a single mast which was used to augment the effort of the rowers, particularly during long journeys.
Longships were the epitome of Scandinavian naval power at the time, and were highly valued possessions. They were often owned by coastal farmers and commissioned by the king in times of conflict, in order to build a powerful naval force. While longships were used by the Vikings in warfare, they were troop transports, not warships. In the tenth century, these boats would sometimes be tied together in battle to form a steady platform for infantry warfare.They were called dragonships by enemies such as the English.