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The Vikings in Britain

One of the best sources of income of the Vikings was the large and rich Britain and there was gained glory and prestige in Britain like nowhere else. They plundered1, extorted taxes (danegeld), acted as mercenaries and tradesmen. They also settled cultivated land and acquired big importance in the development of cities. This was the only place they captured well-established kingdoms and took over the Throne. This happened in several small empires in the ninth century as well as in the entire Britain after it had gathered. In the years 1018 to 1042 the country shared their king with Denmark (except for five years). The deep involvement in Britain throughout almost the entire Viking period became very important here and in Scandinavia as well. Besides the outrages in the South of Britain and steps against pirate attacks shortly before year 800 and the plunder of the Lindisfarne convent in year 793 only one piece of information exists about Vikings in Britain before year 835. This is about the plunder of the convent Donemuthan in year 794 which probably was situated near the estuary of the river Don in the South of Yorkshire. These gangs might have come from Norway, but they probably saw better prospects in Scotland and Ireland. In year 835 the expeditions on the mainland started for real and escalated in Ireland. The Vikings seriously devastated Britain and the Anglo-Saxon chronicle has the laconic2 paragraph This year heathen3 men ravaged4 Sheppey. This was the real beginning of more than 200 years of Scandinavian action and especially the Danes were active. In the chronicle the military progress can be followed almost year by year, but there are also other written sources as for example Assers history of King Alfred den Store (Alfred the Great) of Wessex. Just as in the Franconian Empires there were flourishing cities and a lot of wealth among the magnates so it was not particularly the convents which were plundered in Britain. At the beginning the development followed the same pattern as was seen at other places; at first quick attacks on islands and different localities along the coast either from bases on the European Continent, in Ireland or directly from home and later wintering. The first piece of information about this is from the winter 850-851 where the Vikings camped on the island Thanet at the eastern coast of Kent. A few years later they had their first winter camp on Sheppey. Then the expeditions came to the mainland and in year 865 an army that camped on Thanet made peace with the people of Kent in return for money. This was the first of several British danegeld payments. Then the events gathered speed. In year 865 a big heathen army came to Britain. The size was much discussed, but many people thought it had 2000-3000 men. It went into winter quarters in East Anglia, got horses and made peace with the people. The following year the army went to Northumbria and on 1 November it conquered York, the capital. It made peace with the Northumbrians, put a vassal king on the throne and overwintered there. It was probably also about this time that the Whitby convent was plundered and destroyed. Here metal furnishing was found which was probably tore off religious
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to steal large amounts of money or property from somewhere, especially while fighting in a war using only a few words to say something 3 not connected with or belonging to the Christian religion or any of the large established religions 4 to damage something very badly

From http://www.fortidensjelling.dk/jellinge48.htm

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things on that occasion, and place names in the area indicate that the landed property of the convent was taken over by Vikings. In year 867 the army went to Mercia; went into winter quarters in Nottingham and made peace with this empire. In year 868 the army went to York again where it stayed for one year. In year 869 it went through Mercia to East Anglia; it went into winter quarters in Thetford; conquered the entire country and killed King Edmund who was soon worshipped as martyr and saint. In year 870 Wessex was on the list. The army chose Reading as the starting point and according to the Anglo-Saxon chronicle nine big battles were fought in year 871 not counting many smaller battles. Nine Danish earls and a king were killed. But Wessex made peace with the Vikings. This was the year when Alfred den Store (Alfred the Great) became King. The method of constantly changing winter quarters and many peace settlements went on for a while. From 871-872 the army camped in London. The following year it camped in Torksey in Mercia. Mercia made peace with the army both times. In 873-874 it went into winter quarters in Repton. It drove away the King of Mercia and put a renegade on the throne. Repton was a turning point. In year 874 the big army split up. With part of it Halfdan went to Northumbria; went into winter quarters at the river Tyne; conquered the country in the following year and plundered westwards and northwards. It was also told that St. Cuthberts convent society on Lindisfarne left the exposed island in year 875 to find security on the mainland. For some years it went from place to place with St. Cuthberts and other relics apparently without suffering injury even though Northumbria was full of Vikings. In year 876 the chronicle brought the famous paragraph This year Halfdan shared out the land of the Northumbrians and they started ploughing and making a living. The Vikings had taken country in order to settle. Halfdan probably died the following year. The other part of the army which left Repton in year 874 under the Kings Gudrum, Osketil and Anund went to Cambridge where it stayed for one year. Then the army went into Wessex the last independent empire and King Alfred had to make peace. In 875-876 it went into winter camp in Wareham and the following year in Exeter. In the late summer of 877 the army went to Mercia where it shared out some land and also gave Ceolwulf some (their vassal king). However, not everybody settled, because there was a base in Gloucester and right after the commencement of New Year the army went back to Wessex and Chippenham and obtained power over most of the empire. King Alfred flew with a small troop into the marshland5 and fortified himself in Athelney. However, during the spring of 878 he managed to bring together an army, and at Edington he won the decisive victory over the Viking army. At the conclusion of peace the Vikings promised to leave Wessex and to baptize King Gudrum. Soon after, he was baptized with 30 other magnates and with King Alfred as godfather. They received many christening presents and were treated well. From 878-879 the army went into winter quarters in Cirencester. Then it went to East Anglia and the chronicle says that in year 880 the army settled there and shared out the land. Still, a separate group sailed to Gent on the Western European continent and in the following years Viking plunders especially took place there. After 15 years of wandering, the army in Britain had conquered three of four empires and got them a place to settle and land to cultivate. However, Gudrum did soon break the agreement with King Alfred; but a new agreement was entered into in year 886 or shortly after, and the text is still preserved. Here the border between Alfreds and Gudrums empires was determined and rules as to a peaceful intercourse between the two ethnic groups were laid down. Some hidden silver treasures from these years testify to the troubled times and the activities of the army in many parts of Britain. One of several articles of value taken by the Vikings in the ninth century a magnificently decorated evangelical script Codex Aureus6 can also be identified with certainty. Because later it was written in it that it was bought back from the heathen for gold.

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an area of low wet ground that is always soft http://www.soton.ac.uk/~enm/codexau.htm

From http://www.fortidensjelling.dk/jellinge48.htm

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Still, on the Western European continent many people earned their living in the traditional Viking way. But times got hard and in year 892 a big Danish army came to Britain from Boulogne. Furthermore, Hasting came with his army from Loire and wanted to settle like their colleagues had done. The army was supported by the Viking empires in Britain, but King Alfred had organized an effective defence. The big Danish army was fought so effectively that it gave up in year 896. After that some went to Northumbria and some to East Anglia. Others got hold of vessels and went southwards across the ocean to the Seine.

From http://www.fortidensjelling.dk/jellinge48.htm

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