The Viking Invasions

The Viking InvasionsAldo Munoz

Carissa ReynaAnthony K. Sebastian

The Vikings• Collectively known as

the Norsemen, the Vikings were a seafaring people that lived along the Scandinavian coasts

• Consisted of the Swedes, the Norwegians, and the Danes

The Vikings (cont.)• Known for helmet visors,

Dane axes, wolf skins and Viking longboats

• Survived on land by farming and fishing, but most remembered for their acts of piracy at sea

• In early Scandinavian languages, vikingr means ‘pirate’

The Vikings (cont.)• Norse society was based on

agriculture and trade• Large emphasis in honor and

warrior attributes. • The explicit reason to Viking

expansion is not known. o Theorized reason is spread of

Christianity among pagan people

o From the artifacts left by the raided peoples, that looting was the primary motive behind their raids.

The Vikings (cont.)Technology• Longshipsi. travel vast distancesii. hit-and-run attacks• The Vikings were competent

sailors, adept in land warfare as well as at sea

• Attacks were usually seasonal and isolated in small bands

i. Along coastal cities• They struck deep fear into the

victims on where they attacked.

A Viking ship on its way to conquer vulnerable citizens of

Britain!

The Vikings (cont.)• Scandinavia: Denmark,

Norway and Sweden.• The Vikings invaded

Britain, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and

France• Three phases of raids:• 1st phase: 790-840• 2nd phase: 841-875• 3rd phase: 876-911

• The Vikings invaded all around Scandinavia including Europe.

Invasion of England• 790-840: small fleets

using hit-and-run tactics– Earliest known invasion

occurred at the Lindisfarne monastery in 793

– Attacks were seasonal and isolated in small bands

– Deeply affected Carolingian empire

Invasion of England (cont.)

• 841-875: increase in size & intensity of raids– Vikings arrived

unexpectedly, plundering and killing the inhabitants and then leaving the conquered land

– formed the "Great Army" that consisted of thousands of individuals

The Viking Invasion (cont.)

• 876-911: the Great Army began conquering Europe– Colonized English and

France– Began facing opposition

from conquered peoples– In 892, the Vikings could

no longer freely roam England

Fall of the Vikings• 9th-11th centuries: Danes

and Saxons lived side by side peacefully– Established power shifted

between Danes and Saxons

• 1066– Final Danish invasion of

England– Saxon control fell into the

hands of the Normans

Works Cited• "The Coming of the Northmen." The Viking Invasions of

England. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.• David, Koeller W. "Vikings Raid European Mainland:."

Viking Raids: 800-900. N.p., 2011. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.• James, Edward, DPhil. BBC News. BBC, 29 Mar. 2011.

Web. 02 Nov. 2013.• "Viking (people)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2013.• "War and Battle Directory." History Curriculum

Homeschool. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013.