Conquered and Conquerors 1.1

Who were the Vikings?

The Vikings were raiders from Scandinavia, who attacked, invaded and then settled in western Europe and the British Isles from the 8th century.

When did the Vikings attack England?

There were 5 stages of Viking involvement in England:

❖The first major Viking attack on England was a raid on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in 793. They followed this with more raids on monasteries, mostly those near the English coast.

❖The Great Heathen Army invaded England in 865. From this point the Vikings began to conquer and settle in England, and had their capital at York (which they called Jorvik).

❖From 878 the Saxons fought back under Alfred the Great. They gradually re-gained control over the whole of England by the middle of the 10th century.

❖However, descendents of the Viking settlers remained in England, especially in the Danelaw in eastern and northern England

❖A Viking king, Cnut, became king of England in 1016. He and his sons ruled England until 1042.

Where did the Vikings come from?

The Vikings came to England mainly from Denmark, although some came from Norway.

Vikings invasions motives:

Rich monasteries; rich resources; the Heptarchy

What is a Heptarchy?

the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms established in England from 449 to 829

Rich monasteries (invasion motives)

England had many rich monasteries, but these tended not to be well defended. The Vikings were lured by the chance to plunder, and the monasteries were easy pickings.

Rich resources (invasion motives)

England was rich in resources, especially farmland. It is thought that the search for better land was a major reason for the Viking invasion.

The Heptarchy (invasion motives)

Saxons were not united. The Vikings could play them off against each other, and attack them one at a time.

Why were the Vikings significant?

There are 5 ways in which the Vikings are significant:

❖The Vikings settled in large areas of eastern and northern England, bringing Scandinavian customs and laws with them.

❖Because they still had links with their original homelands in Scandinavia, the Vikings promoted trade across the North Sea

❖The Vikings had great trade networks across Europe and the Mediterranean, which also led to England's increased trade links with these areas, as far away as North Africa and Constantinople.

❖Even though they settled in England, the Vikings stimulated the Saxons to fight back, and eventually to unite all of England as one kingdom.

❖Although England was eventually united as one Saxon kingdom, the Viking influence is still seen in many place names in England.

What was the Viking attack on Lindisfarne?

Lindisfarne is an island off the north-east coast of England. The monastery there was attacked by the Vikings in 793, starting a period of Viking raids on England.

When was the Viking attack on Lindisfarne?

The Viking attack on Lindisfarne took place in 793.

What happened in the Viking attack on Lindisfarne?

The monastery at Lindisfarne was dedicated to St Cuthbert. People had donated gold and precious objects to the monks, in return for their prayers. The Vikings wanted to raid these treasures.

It terrified the Saxons of England, who thought that the Vikings were a punishment sent by God.

It was followed by many more raids on poorly-defended monasteries in England, especially those on the coast.

What was the Great Heathen Army?

In 865 the Vikings changed their tactics. Rather than simply raiding, they invaded England with the Great Heathen Army.

What happened when the Great Heathen Army invaded England?

The Great Heathen Army landed in East Anglia, and conquered England all the way to York, which they turned into their capital (which they called Jorvik).

A combined army of Saxons from East Anglia and Wessex halted the Viking army at Nottingham, but agreed to pay the Vikings Danegeld to leave.

The Vikings continued to ravage England, and conquered the powerful Saxon kingdom of Mercia in 874.

The Vikings of the Great Heathen Army now settled the areas they had conquered, which became known as the Danelaw. They governed according to their laws, but allowed the Saxons to remain Christian.

What was the Battle of Edington?

In 878, Alfred the Great defeated the Viking army under Guthrum at the Battle of Edington. This major victory started the Saxon re-conquest of England.

When was the Battle of Edington?

The Battle of Edington took place in 878.

Who fought at the Battle of Edington?.

The Battle of Edington was fought between the Saxons, led by Alfred the Great, and the Vikings, led by Guthrum.

What happened at the Battle of Edington?

After the success of the Great Heathen Army, only the Saxon kingdom of Wessex remained unconquered.

King Alfred of Wessex was nearly defeated in 877-878, and went into hiding.

From his hiding place, Alfred sent messages to his followers, and managed to raise a large army, which he then led against the Viking king Guthrum.

The two armies met at Edington in 878. Alfred's Saxon army won a great victory, and King Guthrum later surrendered.

Who was the Viking king Guthrum?

Guthrum was a Viking king, and leader of the Great Heathen Army. He was defeated by Alfred the Great at the Battle of Edington in 878.

What happened to Guthrum?

After the Battle of Edington, the Viking King Guthrum surrendered to King Alfred.

Alfred insisted that Guthrum convert to Christianity. Guthrum remained king in East Anglia, and did not attack Wessex again.

Although Viking attacks continued, Alfred was now able to fight back, starting the Saxon re-conquest of England.

Who was Alfred the Great?

Alfred 'the Great' was king of Wessex, one of the seven kingdoms in England. He defeated the Vikings, and had a dream to unite England as one kingdom.

When was Alfred the Great king?

Alfred the Great was king of Wessex from 871 until 899.

Where was Alfred the Great king?

Alfred the Great was king of Wessex, one of the seven Saxon kingdoms of the Heptarchy. Wessex covered most of southern England, with the River Thames as its northern boundary.

What did Alfred the Great do?

He defeated the Viking Guthrum at the Battle of Edington, which saved Wessex from being conquered by the Vikings.

He built fortified towns, known as burhs, which defended Wessex from further Viking attacks.

He built the first English navy, in order to protect Wessex from Viking attacks by sea.

Alfred also encouraged education and learning in Wessex, and himself translated many books from Latin into English. Alongside this, he promoted the use of the law, and introduced a new law code.

He was very religious. He protected the Church, and helped to make it more powerful in England.

Alfred had a dream of uniting the whole of England as one kingdom, ruled by his descendents. To achieve this, he not only had to stop Viking attacks, but also to drive the Vikings out of England

What was the significance of Alfred the Great?

Alfred saved England from being totally controlled by the Vikings, and began the process of re-claiming England for the Saxons. His dream of uniting England was finally achieved by his grandson, Aethelstan, in the 930s.

Alfred promoted education, law and the Church, laying the foundations for a special 'English identity', which continued to develop during the medieval period.

Because of his achievements, Alfred is the only English king known as 'the Great'. His descendents continued to rule England to the present day - Queen Elizabeth II is a direct descendent of Alfred.

Who was King Cnut?

King Cnut was a Viking who ruled England from 1016 until 1035. He married Emma of Normandy, the widow of the previous Saxon king. As well as being king of England, he became king of Denmark and Norway, creating a North Sea Empire.

When did Cnut originally come to England?

Cnut originally came to England with his father, Sweyn Forkbeard, who defeated the English king Aethelred the Unready in 1013.

When was Sweyn's invasion?

Sweyn's invasion might have been prompted by the St Brice's Day Massacre of 1002, when Aethelred the Unready ordered the murder of all Danes living in England.

When did Sweyn die?

Sweyn Forkbeard only lived for a short while after defeating Aethelred, dying in 1014. Aethelred resumed the English throne.

When did Cnut become king of Denmark and Norway?

In 1018 Cnut became king of Denmark, and in 1028 he became king of Norway. He now presided over a North Sea Empire, based around Scandinavia.

Why did Cnut become king of England?

Because Cnut's father, Sweyn Forkbeard, had defeated the Saxon king Aethelred, Cnut believed he now had a right to the English throne

He was able to force Edmund Ironside to agree to divide England between them, and then became the king of all England when Edmund died.

Because the Vikings had ruled large parts of England in the 9th century, Cnut believed he had a right to take the throne.

Who was Cnut married to?

King Cnut married Emma of Normandy. She had been the wife of Aethelred the Unready, and was the mother of Edward the Confessor.

What was King Cnut's significance?

He made England part of his North Sea Empire, which increased trade between England and Scandinavia.

He created peace in England by sending his Viking soldiers home, and promoting Saxons - such as Earl Godwin - to help him rule the kingdom.

He married Aethelred's widow, Emma of Normandy, which ensured that, in the end, England had a Saxon king again in 1042.

He treated the Church well, and even visited the pope in 1027. This helped to ensure that Christianity flourished in England.

What was King Cnut's North Sea Empire?

By 1028, Cnut was also king of Denmark and Norway. This meant that England was now part of a 'North Sea Empire'.

What trade was there in Cnut's empire?

As part of Cnut's North Sea Empire, England developed closer ties with Scandinavia. Trade and cultural exchange increased.

Significance of Cnut's death

The empire began to collapse after the death of Cnut in 1035

Who succeeded Cnut?

Cnut was succeeded by his first son, Harold Harefoot, who ruled from 1035 until 1040.

What happened when Harold Harefoot died?

When Harold Harefoot died, his half-brother Harthacnut became king. Harthacnut ruled England until his death in 1042.

How did the North Sea Empire finally collapse

With the death of Harthacnut. In England, the Saxon Edward the Confessor became king.

Who was Emma of Normandy?

Emma of Normandy was the wife of two kings of England, and the mother of two kings. She was also the great-aunt of William of Normandy, who took the English throne in 1066.

When was Emma of Normandy Queen of England?

Emma of Normandy became Queen of England in 1002, when she married Aethelred the Unready. She became queen again in 1017, when she married King Cnut.

What was Emma of Normandy's connection to William duke of Normandy?

Emma was also the great-aunt of William, duke of Normandy, who conquered England and became its king in 1066.

Who did Emma of Normandy secondly marry?

She later married King Cnut, the Viking king of England, with whom she had a son - Harthacnut.

Her step-son, Harold Harefoot, became king of England in 1035.

Her son with Cnut, Harthacnut, became king of England in 1040.

Who did Emma of Normandy first marry?

She first married King Aethelred (the Unready) of England, with whom she had two sons - Alfred and Edward

Her son with Aethelred, Edward (the Confessor), became king of England in 1042

Who were Emma's blood relatives?

She was the daughter of Richard I, duke of Normandy, and the sister of Richard II, duke of Normandy.

Why was Emma of Normandy significant?

She had been married to Aethelred, the previous king, her marriage to Cnut helped to legitimise his rule.

She was the mother of two kings of England - Cnut's son Harthacnut, and Aethelred's son Edward. Her step-son, Harold Harefoot, was another king of England.

Emma was influential in her own right, as she possessed large areas of land and wealth. She had a particular connection with the important town of Winchester.

She had a strong connection to the Church, and was a supporter of Stigand, who became Archbishop of Canterbury. As such, Emma helped to strengthen Christianity in England.

Who were the Normans?

England was ruled by Saxon kings from 1042 until 1066. In 1066 England was conquered by William of Normandy. England was now part of a continental 'empire' in Europe.

Where did the Normans come from?

Normandy is in the northern part of France. At this time, Normandy was a semi-independent state, ruled by a duke. The Normans had achieved great success in conquering Sicily, and fighting for and against the Byzantine Empire. England was another of their conquests.

Who were the Norman rulers?

The Norman kings were also dukes of Normandy. They were Norman-French rather than English. Many Norman lords held lands in England and Normandy.

Who did the Normans trade with?

After the Norman Conquest, England became part of a continental 'empire'. Trade between England and France increased, and England absorbed many aspects of Norman-French culture.

Why were the Normans significant?

Under the Normans, England became closer to continental Europe. Trade with France increased, and the English adopted elements of Norman-French culture.

Many aspects of Norman-French culture remain in Britain today - including elements of the law and government, and language.

The descendents of the first Norman king, William I, have ruled England ever since the conquest. Queen Elizabeth II is a descendent of William I.

What was the Angevin Empire?

From 1154 until around 1204, England was part of the Angevin Empire, ruled by Henry II and his sons.

Where was the Angevin Empire?

The Angevin Empire comprised lands ruled by Henry II and his sons. The empire stretched from Scotland to the Pyrenees, and included around half of modern France.

How did the Angevin Empire develop?

Henry II gained control of the lands in his empire by different means.

He became count of Anjou on the death of his father, Count Geoffrey.

He claimed England through his mother, who was the daughter of Henry I. He reached an agreement with King Stephen that he would be Stephen's heir, and became king in 1154.

He gained Aquitaine, a large area in southern France, through his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine.

He gained other areas, such as Brittany and Maine, through conquest or through deals he made with those areas' rulers.

Who did the Angevin Empire trade with?

As part of a continental empire, England benefitted from economic and cultural trade.

England was able to trade with large areas of France, from Normandy in the north to Aquitaine in the south. This developed England's economy.

England imported culture from all over France, including art, literature, and ways of behaviour. These affected the nobles primarily, but created a 'court culture' that continued throughout the medieval period.

How did the Angevin Empire end?

The Angevin Empire began to collapse during the reign of King John (1199-1216). He lost many of the French lands of the empire, including Normandy, which led to England's isolation, and the development of English identity.

Why was the Angevin Empire significant?

Becoming part of the Angevin Empire brought England into a large, continental empire. This increased trade and cultural exchange with France.

England was now part of a strong empire, whose rulers were amongst the most powerful in Europe.

Under the Angevin Empire, England took control of Ireland, which the kings of England continued to control until the 20th century.

How were the Angevins involved in Ireland?

One of the achievements of the Angevin Empire was to gain control of Ireland. England's control of Ireland continued until the 20th century.

When did the Angevins conquer Ireland?

The Angevin conquest of Ireland took place between 1169 and 1175.

What did the Angevins do in Ireland?

In 1155, the pope declared that Henry II had the Church's authority to take control of Ireland.

In 1169, an Anglo-Norman lord, Richard 'Strongbow' de Clare, went to Ireland to help the king of Leinster in his quarrel with the High king of Ireland. Strongbow took over a number of territories in Ireland.

Henry II then went to Ireland in 1171, as he was worried that Strongbow was too powerful. He wanted to ensure that his authority was established there.

In 1175, the Treaty of Windsor saw the high king of Ireland give homage to Henry II. The Angevins took direct control of the east coast of Ireland.

What was the significance of the Angevin conquest of Ireland?

It was the beginning of English rule of Ireland. Although full control was not achieved until the 17th century, Henry II's conquest started the process.

Ireland has been ruled or controlled by England, in different ways, right up to the present day. The Republic of Ireland achieved independence in 1922; but Northern Ireland still remains part of the United Kingdom.

Who was Henry II?

Henry II was king of England, the founder of the Angevin dynasty, and ruled over the Angevin Empire in the 12th century.

When was Henry II king of England?

Henry II was king of England, and ruler of the rest of the Angevin Empire, from 1154 until 1189.

Where was Henry II king?

Henry was originally the count of Anjou, but he became king of England and ended up ruling extensive lands in France. These included Normandy, Aquitaine, Brittany, Anjou and Maine.

Who was Henry II's family?

Henry II was the founder of the Angevin dynasty, which ruled England from 1154 to 1216.

Henry was the son of Count Geoffrey of Anjou (in France), and of the Empress Matilda, who was the daughter of King Henry I of England. Matilda gave Henry his claim to the English throne.

Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, who brought the large and prosperous duchy of Aquitaine into the Angevin Empire

Two of Henry's sons rebelled against him, but they both died before Henry did.

Henry's third son became King Richard I (also known as Richard the Lionheart). He was a famous and respected warrior king

Henry's youngest son was King John, who succeeded Richard I. John lost Normandy to the king of France, which began the disintegration of the Angevin Empire.

How did Henry II become King?

Henry II became king of England in 1154, after a long period of civil war. He made an agreement with King Stephen, that he would succeed Stephen as king when he died.

What did Henry II do in 1170?

In 1170, Henry crowned his eldest son (also Henry) to rule alongside him. However, the young Henry and his brothers were not satisfied with the amount of power they were given

When did Henry II's sons rebel against him?

In 1173, Henry's sons rebelled against him, assisted by their mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Henry was finding it difficult to control his large empire.

As well as dealing with his sons' rebellions, Henry also spent much of his reign dealing with challenges from the French king, who was jealous of his power. The king of France supported his sons' rebellions, which weakened the foundations of the empire.

Treaty of Windsor

In 1175, Henry took control of Ireland with the Treaty of Windsor. This was the start of English control over Ireland.

When did Henry II die?

Henry died in 1189, in the middle of another rebellion by his sons. He was succeeded by the elder of his surviving sons, Richard I. Richard spent much of his reign trying to keep the Angevin Empire from being taken over by the king of France.

What was the significance of Henry II?

Henry II brought England into a vast continental empire, which led to increased trade and cultural contact with France.

Henry brought peace to England after a long civil war, and strengthened the power of the king through the restoration of law and order.

Henry claimed control over Ireland. Ireland remained under English control until the 20th century; and Northern Ireland is still part of the United Kingdom.

Henry spent much of his reign in conflict with the king of France, because the French king was jealous of Henry's power. His conflict with the French king, and his sons' rebellions, laid the foundations for the collapse of the Angevin Empire in 1216.

Who was King John?

King John was king of England. He was unpopular with his barons, and was criticised for losing Normandy to France. He is most famous for signing the Magna Carta. He died during the First Barons' War.

When did King John reign?

John was king of England, and ruler of the Angevin lands in France, from 1199 to 1216.

Where did King John rule?

John was king of England, but also ruler of extensive lands in France. These included: Normandy, Aquitaine, Anjou and Maine. He was also Lord of Ireland.

Who were King John's family?

King John was a member of the Angevin dynasty.

His father was Henry II, who had established the Angevin Empire in 1154.

His mother was Eleanor of Aquitaine, who had brought the large and prosperous duchy of Aquitaine into the Angevin Empire when she married Henry II.

John's elder brother, Richard I (also known as Richard the Lionheart), had been king from 1189 to 1199. Richard had been a famous and respected warrior king.

John had had two other older brothers - Henry and Geoffrey - who died before their father. Both those brothers had rebelled against Henry II.

When John died in 1216, he was succeeded by his nine-year-old son, who became King Henry III.

What did King John do?

During his brother Richard's reign (1189-1199), John conspired with the king of France on a number of occasions, hoping to take over his brother's throne.

John lost control of Normandy to the king of France in 1204.

During his reign, John had an argument with the pope, which led to England being laid under interdict for a number of years. This meant that there were restrictions imposed on England from the Catholic Church.

John angered his barons in other ways, especially because his demands for taxes to pay for his attempts to regain his French lands. He also treated his barons very badly, and was accused of murdering his nephew, Arthur.

By 1215, the barons were so angry with John that they forced him to sign the Magna Carta. This document was the first attempt to control the power of the king.

When John repudiated Magna Carta, the barons invited Prince Louis of France to replace him as king. This caused a civil war in England, during which John died, in 1216.

After John's death, his son Henry was proclaimed king. When the barons decided to support Henry, they ejected the French, and the civil war ended.

Why was King John significant?

John was responsible for the collapse of the Angevin Empire in France, which led to England becoming isolated from the rest of Europe.

This did, however, lead to the continuing development of a sense of English identity. This was especially the case as, in 1216, the English barons were fighting against a French pretender to the throne.

Even though the Magna Carta was created because John was such a bad king, the document is seen as the beginning of England's development towards a democracy, with controls on the power of the king.

To this day, John is remembered as one of England's worst kings. However, his reign did see the start of English democracy, and a sense of English identity.

What was the loss of France?

The loss of French lands in 1204 saw the collapse of the Angevin Empire, and England's isolation from the rest of Europe. It also saw the start of the development of English identity.

When was the loss of French lands?

Normandy was conquered by the king of France, Philip II, in 1204. After that, he also gradually conquered most of the rest of the Angevin lands in France.

What were the causes of the loss of French lands?

The king of France had always been jealous of the power of the Angevin kings. He had been trying for decades to take the Angevin lands in France. King John's poor kingship gave him the excuse to invade Normandy in 1204.

What happened in the loss of French lands?

The king of France had been trying to take lands from the Angevin Empire for decades, but King John's predecessors had been too strong for him.

King John was already unpopular in England. His rule was challenged by his nephew, Arthur, whom some English barons felt should be king. Arthur was also supported by King Philip of France.

Arthur died in 1203, and John was suspected of having murdered him. This gave Philip of France an excuse to attack John in France, and some of John's French barons switched their allegiance to Phillip

In 1204, Philip of France inflicted a number of defeats on John, ending with the conquest of Normandy. This was a great humiliation for John, as Normandy was seen as the 'heart' of the Angevin Empire.

John's reputation suffered greatly as a result of this, and the opposition from his own barons increased until 1215, when they forced him to sign the Magna Carta - a charter that restricted the king's powers.

What role did leadership play in the loss of French lands?

King John himself was not a bad general, but he was very unlucky. He had also managed to turn many of his barons against him, which meant that he did not receive strong support.

King Philip of France was a stronger military leader than John, and had more support from his barons. He was able to defeat John in a series of battles and sieges, culminating in the conquest of Normandy in 1204.

What was the significance of the loss of French lands?

It ended England's close relationship with Normandy, which had existed for over a hundred years.

It led to the barons' rebellion against King John, and to the Magna Carta, which restricted the power of the monarch - eventually this led to a complete change in England's political system.

Because England was now cut off from Europe, the loss of Normandy contributed to the growth of English identity, which was to develop further during the Hundred Years' War.

The loss of Normandy contributed to King John's poor reputation as a king and a military commander, which exists to this day

What was the Hundred Years' War?

The Hundred Years' War was fought between England and France, and was an important period in English history. It played a key role in the development of English identity.

When was the Hundred Years' War?

The Hundred Years' War lasted 116 years, from 1337 until 1453. It was characterised by famous English victories such as Crecy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415).

What were the causes of the Hundred Years' War?

Between 1307 and 1327, England was ruled by Edward II, a weak king. The French king had tried to exploit his weakness, by making him travel to France to pay homage for Gascony, the last major English possession in France.

Since the loss of French lands in the early 13th century, England had desperately clung on to Gascony, which produced a lot of wealth for the king of England due to its wine trade. Losing Gascony to France would have been a great blow.

England's main export was wool, which was sold to the cloth merchants in Antwerp. When the French began to threaten Flanders, and therefore the Antwerp cloth trade, the English were worried about losing money.

From 1327 the new English king, Edward III, became convinced he had a better claim to the French throne than the French king, Philip VI. Edward was the grandson of the previous French king, while Philip was only his nephew.

Edward III was a warrior king. His father's weak rule had weakened the power of the king, and Edward III wanted to prove his worth on the battlefield.

What happened in the Hundred Years' War?

The Hundred Years' War lasted for 116 years, although England and France did not fight continuously during this period. These are some of the key events of the war.

After Agincourt, Henry V married the daughter of the French king, and was nominated as the heir to the French throne. Even though Henry died only a few years later, his descendents continued to claim the French throne.

Henry V was succeeded, however, by his nine-month-old son, Henry VI. The new king's reign was weak, which gave the French the upper hand. The Hundred Years' War ended with a great English defeat, when the French used artillery at the Battle of Castillon.

Battle of Crecy

In 1346, the English defeated the French at the Battle of Crecy. The English victory was largely due to the power of the longbow, wielded by ordinary soldiers - they decimated the best of the French knights.

Battle of Poitiers

In 1356, the English used the longbow again to defeat the French at the Battle of Poitiers. The French king and his heir were both captured during the battle - a humiliating defeat for the French.

Agincourt

In 1415, King Henry V scored his own massive victory over the French at Agincourt. Again, it was the longbow, wielded by ordinary soldiers, who massacred the best of the French nobility.

What role did technology play in the Hundred Years' War?

The Hundred Years' War saw the use of different types of technology to win battles.

The English were particularly successful in their use of the longbow, such as at Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt. Ordinary English people used the longbow to defeat the great knights of the French aristocracy.

However, by the end of the war, the French were able to defeat the English, such as at Castillon, through their use of cannon. They used this new type of artillery to break the charge of the English knights.

What was the significance of the Hundred Years' War?

England lost all its remaining land in France - Gascony, and the land it conquered during the war. The only French land that England still owned was the town of Calais, which was finally lost in 1558.

Although the war had started as a dynastic struggle between two kings, it later developed into a war between two distinct countries - England and France.

As England became more isolated, and lost more of its lands in France, people began to develop what became known as a special 'English identity'. They felt that England had a special destiny.

The rivalry between England and France developed into a rivalry that lasted until the end of the 19th century. There is still a memory of this rivalry in the minds of many English people today.

The war saw a great change in how warfare was conducted. The English showed that armoured knights could be defeated by ordinary soldiers with the simple longbow; the French showed that artillery could be used to shatter a charge of armoured knights.