Migrants In Britain: 1.1 Flashcards
Viking invaders/migrants
What are pull factors ?
Aspects of a country that appeal to migrants, such as economic growth or wealth, vast natural resources, a common religion or high religious tolerance, high race tolerance, job availability etc.
What are push factors ?
Aspects of a migrant’s home country that makes them want to leave, such as famine, drought, war, poor weather, poor economical state, lack of opportunities, religious persecution etc.
What natural resources was Britain rich in c800 ?
- iron
- silver
- copper
- tin
- fish (coasts)
- salt
- honey
- lead
- wool (many sheep)
- wheat + other grains
When was the first Viking raid on England and where ?
- 789
- south coast of kingdom of Wessex, Lindisfarne monastery
- recorded by monks
What were the most common Viking targets in England during raids ?
- rich abbeys
- rich monasteries
- southern and northern coasts
When did Vikings begin to attempt to settle England and how ?
- 850-865
- Vikings camped on British Isles mostly in the north throughout winters
- in 865 raiding stopped and invasion attempts began
What were pull factors of England for the Vikings ?
- rich/fertile land good for agriculture
- English towns had lots of economic importance as international trade centres
- Norse belief that would be rewarded in death by Odin if they fought, so many went looking for fights
- no common religion but many Vikings like Guthrum converted to Christianity after a couple years in England
When was the first Viking invasion of Britain and where did they attack, and how many Vikings were there ?
- 865
- attacked East Anglia
- Anglo Saxon Chronicle authors claimed that the Vikings numbered ‘tens of thousands’; most likely an exaggeration but this size shows that the Vikings were committing to taking Britain
Describe using key dates from 865 - 878 how the Viking Conquest succeeded in Britain
[] 865 - invaded East Anglia and agreed terms w/king
[] 866 - captured York and used as a base to capture/attack eastern England; controlled Northumbria
[] 867-68 - marched to Mercia and king agreed to their terms
[] 869 - conquered East Anglia + killed king
[] 871 - marched to Wessex + king Alfred used the Danegeld to pay them to leave
[] 872 - the Viking army as well as women, children and tradespeople stayed the winter in Wessex
[] 873 - conquered Mercia (king fled)
[] 878 - army defeated by King Alfred at Battle of Edington; treaty of Wedmone agreed
Describe the Vikings’ failure to settle the Anglo Saxon kingdom of Wessex
- Jan 878 attacked king Alfred + his army at Chippenham
- Alfred retreated to the Somerset marshes whilst most of Wiltshire and Hampshire surrendered to Guthrum (leader of Viking army trying to conquer Wessex)
- May, Alfred rallied local A-S leaders and beat the Vikings in the Battle of Edington
- Treaty of Wedmore agreed (Vikings could keep the lands they already conquered but had to leave Wessex alone)
Why isn’t much known about Danish society in England ?
didn’t keep many records; most known things come from archaeological finds
Which were the main 6 jarldoms (small kingdoms) in England and why ?
- Mercia
- Derby
- Leicester
- Lincoln
- Nottingham
- Stamford
all heavily fortified
What did Danes do for fun ?
- told sagas
- played chess
- played draughts
- played music w/harps, fiddles, pipes and flutes
What was a Thing ?
- local/regional Danish meetings where verdicts were decided by vote
- made laws
- ran criminal trials
etc.
What was day-to-day life like for Danes in England ?
- lived in longhouses w/central fire and thatched roofs
- many Danes converted to Christianity whilst still worshipping Norse gods
- Danish silver coins were minted and circulated, used for trade in villages and towns
- many villages/towns had workshops for craftsmen of all types
Describe fighting between the Danes and Saxons after the Treaty of Wedmore starting from c937
- Alfred’s son Edward + his grandson Athelstan fought a series of campaigns for control of the Danelaw
- 937 Athelstan won at Battle of Brunanburh
- England ruled by Saxon kings
- 959-975, king Edgar’s reign; peaceful
- Vikings started raiding to regain old Danelaw
- King Ethelred paid Danegeld to go away but raiding continued
- 13 Nov 1002, Ethelred massacred Danes living in England on St Brice’s Day
- Viking attacks increased in response
- Vikings drove Ethelred + sons out of England by 1013
- King Cnut crowned 1016
When did Cnut reign in England ?
1016 - 1035
Describe Cnut’s reign
- allowed Saxons to have power
- continued using the Saxon governmental and law system
- used Danegeld to pay off Danish soldiers who left by 1020
- made 4 earldoms by the names of the old 4 Saxon kingdoms (Mercia, East Anglia, Wessex, Northumbria) and put 4 earls in charge; Godwinson in Wessex
- supported Christian leaders in England and visited the Pope to create English archbishops
- English trade with Denmark and Norway increased as Cnut was also king of them
What was the Danish impact on the English language ?
- influenced English grammar and word structure
- place names with the suffix ‘-by’ were Viking farmsteads
- days of the week named after Norse gods (Woden’s day, Thor’s day, Frigg’s day, Tyr’s day)
- surnames with the suffix ‘-son’ are Norse
What was the Danish impact on English government and law ?
- introduced Things (the origin of juries)
- basis of Viking law = don’t kill/steal
- Vikings divided the Danelaw (Yorkshire/Northumbria) into 3 administrative areas (East/West/North) called Ridings from the Old Norse thirthjungr
- women had almost equal rights to men; could inherit + own land + spoke at Things
