THE VIKING INVASIONS
The first place the Vikings raided in Britain was the monastery at Lindisfarne, a small
holy island located off the northeast coast of England. Some of the monks were
drowned in the sea, others killed or taken away as slaves along with many treasures of
the church.
The raid on Lindisfarne marks the start of the Viking migration from Scandinavia in 793.
In the years that followed, villages near the sea, monasteries and even cities found
themselves besieged by these sea-based foreign intruders. Soon no region of the
British Isles (Britain and nearby islands) was safe from the Vikings. They attacked
villages and towns in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man and England.
The Vikings came across the North Sea, just as the Anglo-Saxons had done 400 years
earlier. In time, like the Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings made their home in England. They
drove the Saxons out of part of the country and took it for themselves.
King Alfred, Saxon king of Wessex, fought them in a great battle, but he could not drive
them right away and had to let them have part of the country, called Danelaw.
Vikings were also known as the Norsemen.
Norsemen means 'people from the North'
They were great travellers and sailed to other parts of Europe, where they traded,
raided, and often settled.
Interesting fact
To find out which direction to travel, Viking sailors would
sometimes release ravens. The birds flew towards land and the
longships followed them.
Interesting Fact
Viking longships often had a dragon's head at the front, which Vikings hoped would
keep evil spirits away.
The Vikings came from the three countries in Scandinavia (in Northern Europe)
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Many Vikings were great travellers and sailed all over Europe and the Atlantic Ocean in
their longships. Their longships could sail in shallow water which meant they could
travel up rivers as well as across the sea.
A model of a Viking longboat
Why did the Vikings travel to Britain?
The Vikings travelled thousands of miles across the sea from their homeland of
Scandinavia where they were farmers, fishermen, seafarers, and traders.
Better land
Most Vikings were simply searching for better land for their farms. Their land was not
very good for growing crops or rearing animals:
Norway was very hilly,
Sweden was covered in forests, and
Denmark had a lot of sandy soil.
More Land
Some historians believe the Vikings left their homes because of overcrowding. There
was not enough good land for everyone to share.
In a Viking family, only the eldest son inherited the family farm so younger brothers
had to make their living elsewhere.
Treasures
The Vikings searched for treasures to make them rich. Britain was particularly a good
place to raid, as there was much to steal. The Vikings were attracted by the wealth of
the Monasteries and the easy treasure to be found within
Viking Activities
The Vikings were also farmers, fishermen, trappers, and traders. Viking craftsmen
made beautiful objects out of wood, metal, and bone; Viking women were skilful
weavers, produced fine, warm textiles.
What religion did the Vikings follow?
Like the type of religion in ancient Greece or Rome, the Vikings worshiped many
different Gods and Goddesses. Their religion was an important part of everyday life.
The three most important Viking Gods:
Odin - the leader of the gods - god of magic, poetry, and war. His wife was Frigg.
Thor (Tor in Scandinavian languages) was the god of thunder.
Thor had iron gloves, a magic belt and a hammer. He was also God of protection. He
provided protection from cold hunger, giants and other dangers.
The giants were (Jotun; Swedish pronunciation):
the Rimturs - giants of the cold world; (rim = rime, thurs = thirst; Swedish)
the Bergresar - giants of the mountains; (berg = mountain, res = giant; Swedish)
Freyr (or Frej in Swedish) - God of agriculture and fertility.
Frey was worshipped on a regular basis all through-out the year for future prosperity.
He was the twin of Freyja (goddess of love and fertility). Freyj wept golden tears when
she was unhappy.
Norse Myths (Sagas)
The Vikings told many stories about gods, giants, trolls, and dragons. They were full of
magic, adventure, trickery, and mischief. They describe people living
in Midgard (Middle Earth) and gods and goddesses living in a sky world called Asgard.
A beautiful rainbow bridge linked Midgard with Asgard..
Valhalla
The Vikings believed that men who died in battle went to Valhalla (Old Norse Valhöll,
"Hall of the slain"). It a great hall where dead heroes feasted with the gods.
Viking Houses
The Vikings built their houses from local material such as wood, stone or blocks of turf.
They lived in long rectangular houses made with upright timbers (wood).
The walls were made of wattle (woven sticks, covered with mud to keep out the wind
and rain).
Viking houses were often one room homes with a cooking fire in the middle. The
smoke escaped through a hole in the roof.
Animals and people lived in the same building. The animals lived in a byre at one end
of the house and the people lived at the other.
What did the Vikings Wear?
Viking clothes were made from wool, linen and animal skins.
The Vikings were skilful weavers and made their own clothes. Women, with the help of
children, made the wool into yarn and used natural dyes from plants to give it colour.
Men wore tunics and trousers, and women wore a long dress with a pinafore over it.
Their clothes were fastened with belts and brooches.
KING ALFRED THE GREAT
Now, let´s talk about King Alfred. He was the only king that managed to stop the Viking
raids. He negotiated with them so as to prevent them from invading his kingdom. In
order to stop them, he decided to give them part of his territory, which was known as
the Danelaw. So as to stop further attacks, he also bribed them. This bribe was called
the Danegeld and was a sum of money that the Anglo-Saxons paid not to be invaded.
Who was Alfred the Great?
There were many famous Anglo-Saxon kings, but the most famous of all was Alfred,
one of the only kings in British history to be called 'Great'.
His father was king of Wessex, but by the end of Alfred's reign his coins referred to him
as ' King of the English '.
How did he rule?
Alfred became king in AD871 when his elder brother died. He was the king of Wessex
in Britain but came to be known as King of the Anglo-Saxons after his military victories
over Viking adversaries and later successful negotiations with them.
During his reign he was advised by a council of nobles and church leaders. This council
was called the Witan.
To help protect his kingdom from Viking attacks, Alfred built forts and walled towns
known as ‘ burhs ’. He also built warships to guard the coast from raiders and
organised his army into two parts. While half the men were at home on their farms,
the rest were ready to fight Vikings.
The Vikings had begun their raids on Britain c. 793 CE and, by Alfred’s time, had
established themselves throughout the land from Northumbria through Mercia with
increasing incursions into Wessex. Alfred defeated the Viking leader Guthrum at
the Battle of Eddington in 878 CE, after which he was able to deliver terms including
the Christianization of Guthrum and his closest advisors, thus bridging the religious gap
between the two peoples. Although this victory did not end Viking raids in Britain nor
drive the Vikings back to Scandinavia, it allowed for a period of relative peace in which
Alfred’s reforms could be implemented and take root.
Alfred made good laws and believed education was important. He had books
translated from Latin into English, so people could read them. He also told monks to
begin writing the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
Alfred died in 899 and was buried at his capital city of Winchester.
