History of the Viking invasions and expansion

Vikings raid Lindisfarne

Jun 8, 793

After several years of raiding the Vikings set upon the coastal island of Lindisfarne off the north east coast of England. They targeted the monastery on the 'Holy Island' for its wealth and either took the monks as slaves or threw them into the sea to drown. This raid both shocked those who lived on the mainland in ways that previous ones had not and marked the beginning of the Vikings expansion around Europe. Source

Series of raids on Iona

Period: 794 to 825

A regional center of Christianity the island, off the western coast of Scotland, had numerous monasteries which were attacked in a series of raids in the years 794, 805, 806 and 825 due to the amount of wealth that still remained after each raid. source

Oseberg Ship

800

This well preserved longboat was found in a burial mound in Norway and dates back to the early 800s.It's an excellent extant example of the kind of ships that the Vikings used at the time. source

Spain is raided

844

After raiding the Iberian coast a Viking fleet went up river to attack Seville but were repelled after taking heavy losses, discouraging future attempts to raid Spain

Siege of Paris

845

Chieftan Reginherus took a fleet of 120 ships up the Seine and laid siege to Paris, sacking and plundering it. The Vikings withdrew from ,the city after being paid a ransom of 7,000 french pounds of gold or about 2,750kg. source

Vikings found Dublin

853

A group of Vikings conquer the area and establish the Kingdom of Dublin which lasted for 200 years

Luna Italy

860

Hasien led a fleet to raid the Medaterranian and attacked the Italian city of Luna thinking it was Rome. He faked an injury and begged to convert to Christianity so the guards would let him the men carrying him into the city at which point he instead led them in sacking it.

Founding of Novogorod

862

The Vikiing Rurik, one of the Rus, was invited to take power in order to stableize the region and established a capital in Novgorod that would later be moved to Kiev by his son Oleg. source

Heathen Army

865

A large coalition of Viking warriors landed on the Isle with the intent to conquer after years of raiding. Landing in East Anglia they marched north capturing York before coming back to take London and Wessex source

Battle of York

867

The Great Heathen Army defeated the Kingdom of Northumbria and took control of their capital York. The puppet king that was put in place lasted 7 years before a revolt in 1872 drove him from power. source

Beginning of the settlement of Iceland

874

Ingólfr Arnarson leads a group that establishes the first permenant settlement on the island source

Beginning of the Norman Duchy

911

To end the Siege of Chartres Charles III agrees to give the Viking Rollo control over Normandy in exchange for loyalty, protection from other Vikings and converting to Christianity. Rollo's people eventually developed their own identity and culture as Normans source

Rus attack Constantinople

941

During the reign of Igor I the Rus launched an attack on what they thought was a defenseless city with most of the Byzantine fleet and army away. They were met with a spirited defense and 15 boats outfitted with Greek Fire which caused many Vikings to abandon ship to avoid burning. When the Rus returned in 944 with a larger army the Byzantines opted for a diplomatic solution. source

Erik the Red settles Greenland

981

After being sighted by chance earlier in the century by Gunnbjörn Ulfsson. Erik the Red led a group of explorers there and upon finding the south west coast they landed up uninhabited started a settlement. Erik named the place Greenland in an attempt to lure people there thinking the conditions were much better than they are. source

Norman Conquest Battle of Hastings

1066

Duke William leads his invading Norman army to victory over the Anglo-Saxon army that had just fought off the last Viking invasion at Stamford Bridge. During the course of the battle the Anglo King Harold was killed, ending his line and making this the last time England was ruled by Anglo-Saxons source