Week Twenty: The Viking Raiders

What was the first planned Viking raid into Britain?

The raid on Lindisfarne in 793 by Norwegian Vikings, marking the start of sustained Viking raids in Britain.

Why was the Lindisfarne raid especially shocking?

It targeted a Christian monastery, signaling that Vikings deliberately attacked religious and economic centers.

What was another early Norwegian raid after Lindisfarne?

The failed raid on Jarrow in 794, after which Norwegian Vikings expanded raiding to Ireland and Scotland.

Which Viking group began the large-scale expansion into England in 865?

The Danish Vikings, starting with their raid on East Anglia.

What was the area occupied by the Danish Vikings in England called?

The Danelaw, where Danish laws overruled Anglo-Saxon laws.

Where was the Danelaw located?

Most of northern and eastern England, though its borders shifted with Viking success or failure.

How did Danish settlement affect Anglo-Saxons in the Danelaw?

In the north, many Anglo-Saxons were driven out or enslaved; in the south, Danes became landowners while Anglo-Saxons worked as farmers.

Which English kingdom resisted the Danes the longest?

Wessex, led first by King Ethelred and later by Alfred the Great.

What battle helped establish Alfred’s reputation as a leader?

The Battle of Ashdown in 871, where Prince Alfred helped defeat the Danish army.

What Wessex king delivered a series of defeats to the Danish Vikings?

Alfred the Great.

What treaty in 878 reshaped Viking control in England?

The Treaty of Edington, which pushed the Danes north and east and required their leader to accept Christianity.

How did Alfred the Great defend England from future Viking raids?

By building fortified towns (boroughs), strengthening the navy, and organizing coastal defenses.

Where did Norwegian Vikings establish a winter base in 841?

Dublin, which later became a major Viking seaport.

What was the main Swedish Viking settlement in Eastern Europe?

Kiev, which became a major Viking stronghold in the late 800s.

What three countries had Swedish Viking trade centers?

Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

The Viking settlement in Kiev became known as what?

The Kievan Rus.

What Rus prince destroyed Viking gods and accepted Christianity?

Prince Vladimir of Kiev.

What city did King Charles of France pay Vikings to stop besieging in 886?

Paris.

Which Viking leader gained Normandy through the Treaty of St. Clair-sur-Epte?

Rollo (also called Hrolf the Ganger).

How did Viking settlement in Normandy affect medieval Europe?

Rollo’s descendants became the Normans, ruled Normandy for centuries, embraced Christianity, and later played major roles in European politics and warfare.

Danelaw

The region of northern and eastern England controlled by Danish Vikings, where Danish laws replaced Anglo-Saxon laws.

Treaty

A formal agreement between groups or rulers, often used to end conflict or define land ownership, such as agreements between Vikings and European kings.

Descendants

People who come from a particular ancestor or family line, such as the Normans who descended from Viking settlers like Rollo.

Seine

A major river in northern France along which Viking raids and settlements developed, leading to the creation of Normandy.

Settlements

Permanent communities established by Vikings in conquered or raided areas for living, trade, and control.

Expanded

Grew larger in size or influence, such as when Viking-controlled territory increased after successful raids or battles.

Contracted

Became smaller or reduced in size, often when Vikings lost battles or were pushed back by local rulers.

Eastern Europe

The region where Swedish Vikings traveled and traded, establishing strongholds like Kiev and forming the Kievan Rus.

Colony

A territory settled and controlled by people from another land, such as Viking colonies in Greenland or Eastern Europe.

Base

A secure location used by Vikings to rest, plan raids, and store supplies, such as winter bases in Dublin.