The Vikings in Britain

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

Vikings Also called Norsemen The word „Viking“ means „Pirate raid“ Great seafarers Skillful craftsmen Their expansion ended with Christianization Fierce warriors

Earliest raids First raid in Dorset Monastery of Lindisfarne Small raids common since Large army of Danes invaded East Anglia Northumbria conquered and settled by the Danes Invasion of Wessex repelled by Alfred the Great

Map of Viking attack routes

Viking Invasion continues… Most of occupied lands captured back by the army of Wessex Danelaw established New wave of viking attacks Norwegian king Eric Bloodaxe captured York Sweyn I ( ) Canute the Great ( )

Danelaw Map

Kingdom of Canute the Great

What happened next? Troubles with inheritance Harthacanute vs. Harold Harefoot Return of Edward the Confessor from exile in Normandy Restoration of Saxon Wessex dynasty 1066 – Last attempt of Norwegians to invade England, defeated by Anglo-Saxons who were in turn defeated by William of Normandy

Vikings in Scotland Scotland – Norwegians defeated Picts who lost their power and Kingdom of Scotland was found Islands off Scotland coast were part of Norway until 1468

Vikings in Wales and Cornwall Of all parts of nowadays Great Britain Wales was least settled by Vikings Vikings were not able control Wales for longer period Cornwall became an ally of Vikings and helped them conquer Wessex, remained independent of Vikings

Vikings in Ireland Ireland was devided into many small kingdoms Heavily settled by the Vikings Norsemen could not conquer whole island and were finally defeated by Irish allied forces High Kingdom of Ireland was founded though after danger was overthrown it felt apart

Areas settled by Vikings

Ships Longship - „Drakkar“ Merchantship – „Knarr“

Famous Misconceptions Horned helms were used only for ritual ceremonies not in combat Vikings were not savage marauders, they had advanced trade and culture They did not use sculls of their enemies as cups Uncleanliness? No way, look at the Anglo- Saxons instead