1.1 - Vikings & Saxons - Impact of War on England Flashcards
How did the Viking Raids come about?
Vikings used to peacefully trade with the Anglo-Saxons but due to an increase in population and disruption in trade, the Vikings turned from trading to raiding.
Who were the Vikings?
The people of Scandanavia
Who were the Anglo-Saxons?
The people of England
What years was phase 1 of the viking raids?
790-855
How were the vikings suited to raiding?
Had excellent seafarers, ship builders and navigators
Longships could cross open sea or sail long distances of shallow rivers. = Huge advantage as it meant they could appear unexpectedly off the coast or inland without warning / element of surprise.
Why were the anglo-saxons unprepared for the raids?
New to mobile raiding warfare
Most valuable places of worship were undefended. i.e monastery of Lindisfarne was attacked.
What were the 2 impacts of phase 1?
Economic damage
The people
How did phase 1 create economic damage for England?
Archaeologists in Scandinavia found lots of Anglo-Saxon coins and jewellery showing that the vikings took a lot in their raids which meant there could have been large scales of piracy and looting.
How did phase 1 create damage for the people in England?
Evidence from skeletons found in viking settlements also suggested that many Anglo-Saxons were taken back as slaves.
People would have also been taken away from their homes and families to be treated unfairly.
What years was phase 2?
865-990
What was phase 2?
In 865 the ‘great army’ of Vikings landed.
The Vikings aim was now to conquer and settle so they moved deep inland.
They overran Northumbria and established their own Kingdom in York. They also took control of Mercia and East Anglia.
When did Alfred become King of Wessex?
871
Why was Alfred the King of Wessex named ‘Alfred the great’?
Because he took Wessex from the brink of defeat to victory over the Danes.
What were the 2 battles against the Vikings that Alfred won?
- Christmas 878 when the Danish leader Guthrum launched a surprise attack. Alfred was forced to flee for his life but Alfred rallied his troops and fought a campaign using guerrilla warfare tactics to harass the Danes and stop them from gaining full control of Wessex
- Battle of Edington in Wiltshire in April 878
How did Alfred gain control of Wessex and stop the vikings? (He also did this in his period of peace)
Reorganised his forces - ‘always half its men were at home and half out on service’
Set up a chain of Buhrs across Southern England - expensive but effective.
In 896 ordered a new type of boat to be made that could fight against the Viking longships as they were twice the size
He used the efficient administration of Wessex to collect taxes to pay for everything.
How did Alfred ally Mercia with Wessex?
By marrying his daughter Aethelflaed to Ethelred of Mercia.
When did Alfred die and who succeeded him?
899
His son Edward continued his work in Wessex and his grandson Athelstan captured York in 927.
What were Alfred’s reasons for success?
Identity and culture
Compromise
What were Alfred’s reasons for success?
Identity & culture
The adoption of Christianity was reinforced by the church.
Churchmen wrote the legend of Alfred to make him seem more spectacular
What were Alfred’s reasons for success?
Compromise
Although Athelstan captured York, he didn’t force the Vikings out of Northumbria and East Anglia
When did Alfred’s son Edward die and who became king after?
924
Athelstan became King
What were the impacts of phase 2 of the viking raids?
Archaeological evidence suggests violence, including graves and layers of ash where settlements were burnt down.
Over time the Anglo Saxons and Vikings began to trade with each other.
Modern DNA techniques have also shown that Anglo-Saxons and Vikings intermarried.
When was phase 3?
991-1066
What was phase 3?
In 991 a large army defeated the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Maldon in Essex.
In 1002, Athelred sent out an order to kill all Danes living among the Anglo-Saxons but many noblemen refused. He was unable to enforce his authority over them so when the Danish King Sweyn Forkbeard launched a full scale invasion in 1013, he faced ittle resistance.
