13. Decline and End of the Viking Slave Trade
The Viking slave trade eventually waned as Europe transformed. The spread of Christianity across Scandinavia brought new moral and legal objections to slavery, influencing both elite and popular attitudes. Meanwhile, changing European laws—such as bans on enslaving fellow Christians—further eroded the practice. Economic shifts, including the rise of new labor systems and diminished demand for slaves, also contributed to the trade’s decline. By the late Middle Ages, Viking slavery had virtually disappeared. Learn more in this Cambridge University article.
