Viking Age in Europe and Britain

The Viking Age in Europe and Britain

• The Viking Age began in 793 with a raid on Lindisfarne Island.
• This instigated fear of further Viking attacks along British coasts.
• England was divided into seven kingdoms (the Heptarchy), lacking a unified navy and often disorganized armies.

Viking Raids and the Fragmentation of English Kingdoms

• Within fifty years, Vikings raided Canterbury, Dorchester, London, and numerous other English towns.
• This period saw significant changes within England:
  • Northumbria fractured into three parts due to internal conflicts.
  • East Anglia gained independence under Mercian control.
  • Mercia, controlling Middlesex and Essex and dominating neighboring kingdoms, experienced internal strife and lost its power.
  • Wessex expanded significantly, annexing Sussex and Kent and defeating Mercia, establishing a border along the Lee and Thames rivers.

The Great Danish Army's Arrival and the Conquest of Northumbria

• In 865, a 5,000-10,000 Viking army (Great Danish Army), led by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok (Ivar the Boneless, Ubba the Terrible, and Halfdan Ragnar), arrived in Britain.
  • Historians believe Ragnar Lothbrok may be a legendary figure, and that the events surrounding his death aren't definitively confirmed.
  • This conquest wasn't motivated by revenge (though often portrayed that way).
• Kent paid a ransom to stave off Viking attacks.
• In 866, the Vikings attacked Northumbria:
  • King Ella II fled York, which was captured by the Vikings, and both Ella II and his brother Osbert were killed.
  • Northumbria was divided along the River Tyne.
  • York was renamed Jórvík, becoming the capital of the Danish kingdom of Jórvík.

Vikings Confront Mercia and East Anglia

• In 868, the Vikings captured Nottingham.
• Mercia's King Burgred I sought help from Wessex, temporarily stopping the Viking advance through a truce in return for payment.
• In 869, Vikings invaded Mercia again but again honored the truce and then attacked East Anglia.
  • King Edmund of East Anglia was killed at the Battle of Thetford.

The Great Summer Army and the Rise of Alfred the Great

• In 870, the Great Summer Army (led by Bagsecg) arrived in East Anglia, substantially increasing Viking presence.
• The Vikings seized Reading, clashing with King Ethelred of Wessex.
• Alfred the Great, Ethelred's brother, won a battle at Ashdown, killing Bagsecg and forcing the Vikings to retreat from Wessex.
• Ethelred was killed, and Alfred became King of Wessex.

Guam's Leadership and the D-geld

• In 871, King Guthrum (leading over 3,000 Vikings) resumed the offensive.
• He besieged Alfred's forces at Wilton but ultimately agreed to leave Wessex in exchange for a ransom (D-geld).
• A new tax, initially temporary, was imposed in Wessex.

Viking Expansion and Alfred's Military Reforms

• Vikings settled in London, maintaining plans for further conflict.
• Alfred reformed his army, achieving professionalism by having only one man out of ten serve in the military.
• In 876, Guthrum established himself as king of East Anglia.
• Halfdán Ragnar brutally put down a Northumbrian uprising.

Continued Viking Invasions and Alfred's Defenses

• In 878, Guthrum invaded Wessex, capturing Chippenham.
• Alfred escaped, and at the Battle of Edington, defeated Guthrum's forces.
• Guthrum and his Vikings were forced to leave Wessex and converted to Christianity.
• Alfred established a protectorate over Mercia through a marriage alliance.
• Alfred fortified defences, built 'burs', and strengthened the navy.
• Wessex expanded, but England remained divided.
• The Danelaw extended from London to Chester, following prominent Roman roads.

Alfred's Final Years and the End of the Viking Conquest

• In 892, a Viking force (led by Hostein) landed in Kent but was forced to retreat.
• Hostein settled in Essex but was expelled by Alfred in 895.
• Alfred died in 899, and his son, Edward I, inherited the throne.
• Vikings continued raiding but were eventually defeated by Edward I, paving the way for the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of England.

The Unification of England

• Edward I annexed East Anglia and Mercia.
• He established a protectorate over Jórvík which was later conquered by his son Æthelstan.
• Æthelstan unified England.

The Anglo-Saxon Struggle to Retain Power

• King Constantine II of Alba (Scotland) aided Vikings against the Anglo-Saxons, culminating in Æthelstan's conquest of Jórvík.
• Constantine II allied with other Viking/Celtic rulers, launching an invasion in 937.
• Æthelstan decisively defeated them at the Battle of Brunanburh, finally unifying England and establishing it as a major European force.