Viking

For four centuries the Viking declined , the people of the Shetland Islands off the north coast of Scotland continued to sell their goods through the North European Hanseatic League. The Hansas merchants bought shiploads of salted fish and in return the islanders got cash, grain, cloth and other goods. This lasted until the Act of Union between Scotland and England in 1707. This Act prohibited the Hansa merchants from trading with Scotland. Consequently Shetland went into an economic depression . The independent farmers of Shetland had to sell their land and were then obligated to pay rent, eventually becoming serfs.