The Anglo Saxons & The Vikings in Britain

First Anglo Saxon raids in England

350

The first Anglo Saxons raid English shores and are beaten back by the Romans.

The Romans leave Britain unguarded

410

As the Romans leave England, Britain's shores are left unprotected.

New settlers arrive in Britain

449

449 - 550 AD: Jutes from Jutland, Angles from the South of Denmark and Saxons from Germany arrive and settle in Britain.

The Kingdom of Kent is established

455

The Kingdom of Kent is established primarily by the Jutes.

The Kingdoms of Wessex and Essex are formed

477

477 - 495 AD: the Kingdoms of the West Saxons (Wessex) and East Saxons (Essex) are formed.

More new kingdoms formed

547

547 - 586 AD: The Kingdoms of Northumberland, East Anglia and Mercia are formed.

England is ruled by Seven Kingdoms

556

The seven kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England were: East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex, and Wessex. Anglo-Saxon Britain wasn't ruled by one person and the Anglo-Saxons were not united. They invaded as many different tribes and each took over different parts of Britain. Each group of settlers had a leader or war-chief. The strongest and most successful would became a 'cyning' (king). Occasionally, the strongest kings would claim to be 'bretwalda' (ruler of all Britain).

Christianity arrives in Britain

597

St Augustine brings Christianity to England from Rome. King Æthelberht of Kent gave him land in Canterbury to build a church. Æthelberht became the first Anglo-Saxon king to turn his back on paganism and become Christian. By 600 AD, Æthelberht had become one of the most powerful kings in England.

Northumbria becomes the Supreme Kingdom

617

After a number of battles in the 6th century, some of the smaller kingdoms of the north joined to form the kingdom of Northumbria. This combined strength made Northumbria a powerhouse, and the kingdom expanded to rule the entirety of middle Britain. Northumbria was perhaps the most powerful and successful of the early kingdoms to emerge in post-Roman Britain. It produced great works of art (such as the Lindisfarne Gospels) and some of the finest scholars in Europe.

Mercia becomes the Supreme Kingdom

779

Mercia becomes the Supreme Kingdom and King Offa builds a Dyke along the Welsh Border. Much like Æthelbald, Offa was both a strong and enduring king, as well as being renowned for his overwhelming lust for power. During his 39 year reign he reaffirmed Æthelbald’s claim to the south of England and built his famous 140 mile dyke along the Welsh border to fortify Mercia against any future Welsh incursions. Offa is often regarded as one of the most powerful Anglo-Saxon kings to have ever lived.

First recorded Viking raid in England

787

787 - 789 AD: The Vikings begin their attacks on Britain. The first known account of a Viking raid in Anglo-Saxon England comes from 789, when three ships from Hordaland (in modern Norway) landed in the Isle of Portland on the southern coast of Wessex. It is likely that there were other raids (the records of which have since been lost) soon afterwards. In 792, King Offa of Mercia began to make arrangements for the defence of Kent from raids perpetrated by "pagan peoples".

The Vikings raid abbeys and monasteries on the coast of England

793

Vikings attack Anglo-Saxon abbeys and monasteries. In 793, the monastery at Lindisfarne (an island off England's eastern coast) was sacked by a Viking raiding party on the 8th of June. The following year they sacked the nearby Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey.

First recorded Viking raids in Scotland and Ireland

794

While there are few records, the Vikings are thought to have led their first raids in Scotland on the holy island of Iona in 794, the year following the raid on the other holy island of Lindisfarne, Northumbria. The earliest Viking activity to be recorded in Irish annals occurred in 794, when the Annals of Ulster noted that heathens devastated ‘all the islands of Britain’.

Egbert becomes king of the largest Anglo-Saxon kingdom

802

One of the most famous West Saxon kings, Egbert became King of Wessex in 802. After successfully annexing Surrey, Sussex, Essex and Kent, the balance of power in Anglo-Saxon England completely shifted in just one year. By 826, Wessex was seen as the most powerful kingdom in the country. After victories in Mercia and Northumberland, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles named him ‘Ruler of Britain’. In reality however, Wales and Scotland remained fiercely independent whilst parts of England rebelled.

Great Viking Army invades England

865

The Great Heathen Army (also called the Great Danish Army or The Great Viking Army) was a large force of Danish Vikings that attacked Anglo-Saxon England. This army appeared in East Anglia in 865. Unlike earlier Vikings who made brief raids on England, the Great Army stayed for many years in an attempt to conquer all of England.

The Danes capture York

866

The Danes capture York (Jorvik) and make it their kingdom.

Alfred the Great ascends the throne

871

In 870, Alfred and his brother Æthelred fought many battles against the Danes. Alfred gained a victory over the Danes at Ashdown in 871, and succeeded Æthelred as King of Wessex in April 871 after a series of battles in which the Danes had been defeated. Not all his campaigns were so successful however; and on a number of occasions he had to resort to buying off the Danes for a brief respite. Five years of uneasy peace followed while the Danes were occupied in other parts of England.

Vikings from Denmark, Norway and Sweden settle permanently in England

876

The Viking raids in England were sporadic until the 840s AD, but in the 850s Viking armies began to winter in England, and in the 860s they began to assemble larger armies with the clear intent of conquest. The Viking leader, Hálfdan, led his army to a conquest of Mercia in 874 AD, organised a parcelling out of land among the Vikings in Northumbria (876 AD), and simulatenously moved south, forcing most of the population of Wessex into submission.

Alfred goes into hiding as Britain becomes overrun with Vikings

878

By 878, Wessex had become overrun by Vikings. In January, the Vikings succeeded in taking Wessex and Alfred, King of Wessex was forced to seek refuge in the marshes of Athelney (Somerset). After Easter, he called up his troops and defeated the Viking king Guthrum. This led to the Treaty of Wedmore, which divided England into two. Guthrum accepted baptism as a Christian and agreed to leave Wessex and settle in East Anglia.

Boundaries of Danish territory (later known as Danelaw) formally established

878

The Danelaw was an area of Northern and Eastern England that was under the control of the Danish Viking empire from the late 9th century until the early 11th century. In these areas, the laws of the 'Danes' held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with 'West Saxon law' and 'Mercian law'. There were 5 boroughs of Daneslaw that established its boundaries. These included the 5 most prominent towns now known as Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Stamford and Lincoln.

Alfred takes London from the Danes and agrees treaty to divide England

886

Alfred, King of Wessex, had retaken London and now brought the Vikings under King Guthrum to terms. The treaty between Wessex, Guthrum and the East Angles divided England. Alfred and Wessex retained the west, while the east (between the Thames and Tees rivers) was to be Viking territory - later known as the 'Danelaw' - where English and (Danish) Vikings were equal in law.

The Vikings raid the Mediterranean and beyond

900

Viking expansion refers to the historical movement of Norse looters, traders, colonists and mercenaries across the North Atlantic - reaching as far as North Africa, Russia, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. 900 - Vikings raid the Mediterranean coast.
911 - Viking chief Rollo is granted land by the Franks and founds Normandy in France.
941 - Rus Vikings attack Constantinople (Istanbul).
981 - Viking leader Erik the Red discovers Greenland.
986 - Viking ships sail in Newfoundland waters.

Æthelstan becomes first king of all England

925

Æthelstan was the first king of all England, and Alfred the Great's grandson. He reigned between 925 and 939 AD. A distinguished and courageous soldier, he pushed the boundaries of the kingdom to the furthest extent they had yet reached. After Edward the Elder conquered eastern England (Danelaw), Æthelstan had most of England under his control. He added Northumbria to his kingdom, which made him the first king of all England.

Æthelred the Unready deposed (and later killed) as Danish Kings rule England

1013

During the reign of Anglo-Saxon King Æthelred the Unready, England was subjected to waves of invasions by Danish armies. Around 1013, Æthelred was deposed by Swein Forkbeard, leader of the invading Danish forces. In 1016, Swein’s son, Canute, finally toppled the West Saxon dynasty and seized the crown of England. After 1016, the Kingdom of England became part of a larger empire, ruled alongside Denmark and Norway, whilst the legitimate Anglo-Saxon heirs were killed, dispossessed or exiled.

The Danes under King Canute rule England

1016

Recognised as one of the most prominent kings of the Anglo-Saxon era, King Canute (Cnut) conquered England, Denmark, Norway, and areas of Sweden. Following the death of Anglo-Saxon king Æthelred ‘the Unready’, his son Edmund Ironside became the contested king of England. After many fierce battles, Canute won a decisive victory at Assandun in 1016. Edmund and Canute divided the land among themselves.
However, Edmund died the same year, making Canute the King of All England.

Edward the Confessor becomes king and restores Anglo-Saxon rule

1042

Edward was the son of Æthelred II 'the Unready'. His family was exiled in Normandy after the Danish invasion of 1013, but returned the following year and negotiated Æthelred's reinstatement as king. After Ethelred's death in 1016 the Danes again took control of England. Edward lived in exile until 1041, when he returned to the London court of his half brother, Hardecanute. He became king in 1042.

Edward the Confessor dies

Jan 5, 1066

Edward the Confessor dies on the 5th January 1066, leaving no children as heirs to the throne. It is thought that Edward had named William, Duke of Normandy as his successor some years previously; but later changed his mind. Upon his death, Edward is thought to have wanted Harold Godwinson, the Earl of Wessex, to become king. A third claimant, Harald Hardrada, based his claim on the fact that his ancestor, King Cnut, had once ruled England
(1016 - 1035).

Harald Hardrada is defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge

Sep 25, 1066

King Harald Hardrada of Norway assembles a Viking fleet and arrives in Yorkshire. He defeats the northern Saxon army at the Battle of Fulford. Harold Godwinson (now crowned Harold II) gathers an army and marches North. Taking Hardrada by surprise, he is defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on the 25th of September). Some historians consider his death to mark the end of the Viking Age.

Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon king is defeated at the Battle of Hastings

Oct 14, 1066

Harold II, is defeated at the infamous Battle of Hastings by William the Conqueror. His death marked the end of Anglo-Saxon rule over England.

William I crowned the first Norman King of England

Dec 25, 1066

William was crowned the the first Norman King of England on Christmas Day, 1066. He made arrangements for the governance of England in early 1067 before returning to Normandy. Several unsuccessful rebellions followed, but William's hold was mostly secure on England by 1075, allowing him to spend the majority of his reign in continental Europe.