I don't think a call for retiring the term is motivated. It is a completely relevant word to apply for certain events and processes taking place in the centurie

I don't think a call for retiring the term is motivated. It is a completely relevant word to apply for certain events and processes taking place in the centuries before the medieval age. People from current Scandinavia went out in the world to pillage and trade, they were called vikings (according to rune stones raised in their homelands by their families back there), and what they did has affected history. If the word is used too broadly, that is something that can be called out, but calling for retirement of the entire word is taking it too far.