Timeline of Key Events:

Key Knowledge 700 AD The begins

 Britain was split into seven kingdoms in 660AD: 793 AD Viking attacks on Lindisfarne Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Essex, Wessex, The (also known as ) came from the countries we now 842 AD Viking raids on call Norway, and Denmark. This area is known as . Sussex and Kent 865 AD invade Norsemen travelled the seas on longboats raiding and plundering lands.  The Vikings were invaders and settlers who came The Viking Age in Britain began around 1200 years ago and lasted for from Scandinavia and travelled by longboats 866 AD Vikings capture York (which just over 200 years. Around the year 790 AD, Vikings first started to raid they named Jorvik) and make it their Britain. They started out as short trips to steal treasure and take slaves.  The word ‘Viking’ meant ‘pirate raid’ in the Old kingdom In time, Vikings drove Saxons out of part of Britain and made their Norse language 878 AD Battle of Edington homes. The Saxon King, King Alfred of Wessex, fought them in a great battle but he could not stop them at first so had to let them have part of 927 AD Athelstan unites English king- the country in a treaty known as . doms 950 AD Vikings from Ireland & Isle of Man raid the west coast of Wales

991 AD Battle of leads to the first payments of Danegeld Anglo-Saxon 994 AD Danish attack on London fails Seven Kingdoms 1000 AD Vikings reach Newfoundland

1013 AD King Sven of Sweden lands and becomes King of

1016 AD King Cnut becomes King of England What have the Vikings ever done for us? 1042 AD Saxon The English language was greatly affected by the inva- sions of the Vikings, in particular through town and returns to become King of England village names in the north and east of England. 1066 AD Edward the Confessor dies, It is also thought that Vikings may have been the first leading to several contenders claiming Europeans to have explored the Americas, around the throne. Harold Godwinsson be- 1000. comes King, but is killed by William The Vikings also were responsible for the world’s now the Conqueror at the Battle of Has- oldest parliament – the Tynwald – in the Isle of Man tings. Key Vocabulary

Anglo-Saxons—the main group of people living in Britain when the Vikings invaded

Chieftain – The leader of a village or small group of people

Danegeld—money paid to Vikings to stop them from raiding

Danelaw – The area of England ruled by the Vikings

Freeman – A person who is not a slave and free to choose who he or she worked for

Knarr—A Viking ship used for long voyages and trading because it had lots of stor- age space

Longship – A Viking ship with a sail and oars, also called a dragon-ship, which was used fighting and carrying out raids

Monastery – A place where people who have dedicated their lives to religion live e.g. monks and nuns

Norse—the medieval language of Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Sweden

Norsemen—the name given to people living in Scandinavia at the time of the Vi- kings (it means ‘men of the north’

Pagan – A person who believed in many gods Important People

Plunder—take loot during a raid, often causing damage at the same time King Alfred the Great (849-899 AD) – Raid—a surprise attack King of Wessex from 871 to 899 AD, de- fended Wessex from the Viking conquest Rune – a letter from the alphabet used by the Vikings (there were only 16) Athelstan (894-939 AD) – First King to Saga—a long Viking poem , which tells the stories of warriors and heroes unite English kingdoms,

Scandinavia—An area in Northern Europe that includes countries such as Norway, King Cnut (995-1035 AD) – Viking King Sweden and Denmark of England, Denmark and Norway be- Thatched – A roof covered in straw tween 1028 and 1035

Trade—sell items for money, or swap them for other items (1028—1087 AD) - became King of England in 1066 Trader – A person who sells goods after winning the Battle of Hastings. Treaty—an agreement made between two or more people, groups or countries.