We don't know for certain there wasn't. Maybe they formed a settlement that failed like Vinland or interbred. At more implausible level maybe they built Zimbabwe although this gets a bit close to the Smith regimes attempts to tamper with archaeology to try and prove that African were incapable of building them i.e it was Arab traders. I suspect they probably didn't but the odd Viking boat may have gone down the African Coast and not returned maybe thwe crews became absorbed into local tribes
Africa was very rich, and if the vikings can make it there and back there is plenty of Gold, palm oil, spices, ivory, and of course since the vikings were superb slavers in Europe west africa.
Economically when the Portuguese began trading in West Africa, they were able to become one of the richest kingdoms almost instantly.
However "raid the west african coast at leisure" is simply not plausible.
First of all I don't think the Vikings could navigate well enough to find Madieras and the Azores. From what it seems to me is that they mainly navigated by following the coast.
Warriors extremely adopted to the terrain, and plenty of them. I don't see how a boatload of tired vikings could fight in tropical africa.
At sea the Vikings will have to deal with huge war canoes carved from 80 foot tall trees filled with a hundred or more warriors.
Point taken but the Vikings found Iceland and Greenland AND North America without following the coast. The Portuguese also used to the coast at first. Then Prince Henry the navigator drew maps.
Finding Madeira by accident the way the Portuguese did was possible. Once ashore they can build huts and adapt to the climate as they did in the MED.
Point taken but the Vikings found Iceland and Greenland AND North America without following the coast. The Portuguese also used to the coast at first. Then Prince Henry the navigator drew maps.
Finding Madeira by accident the way the Portuguese did was possible. Once ashore they can build huts and adapt to the climate as they did in the MED.
The Egyptians and Phoenicians are supposed to have circumnavigated Africa so it's not impossible for the Vikings to have reached the Cape.I doubt it's easier. Going through the west coast of Africa would be very dangerous, as many tribes were extremely hostile to foreigners. Dealing with diseases near the Niger and Congo river deltas, not to mention having to forage for food in the regions and deal with the occasional storm- with little prospect of trade, would make the voyage tough. What would they do when they got to the Cape? It's not like there was any shipping there at the time.
It's interesting but not impossible. Now, if you have Vikings mitigate some of the diseases in the region, perhaps launch raids on richer civilizations like the Kingdom of Congo or Ashanti.. hmm.
The Egyptians and Phoenicians are supposed to have circumnavigated Africa so it's not impossible for the Vikings to have reached the Cape.