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793
793 AD
Some of the vikings raided a church in northern England called Lindisfarne. This is was when the Viking age was considered to be the started. -
860
860s AD
After years of raiding different villages, the vikings decided to settle in eastern England. The area that was taken control of was named Danelaw. This had significant impacts with norse language to english. -
872
872 AD
Unification of Norway: Harald Fairhair's victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord is traditionally seen as the moment Norway became a single kingdom. This centralization of power in Scandinavia had significant implications for Viking expansion. -
910
911 AD
Establishment of Normandy: The Viking leader Rollo was granted lands in northern France by the Frankish king Charles the Simple, in exchange for protecting the region from other Viking raiders. This area became Normandy, named after the "Northmen" (Vikings). -
1000
986-1000
Greenland and North America: Erik the Red established the first Norse settlement in Greenland after being exiled from Iceland. His son, Leif Erikson, went on to reach North America around the year 1000, nearly 500 years before Columbus. The Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland is the only confirmed Viking site in North America outside Greenland. -
1013
1013
Conquest of England: Sweyn Forkbeard, king of Denmark, successfully conquered England, though he died shortly after. His son Cnut the Great would rule over a North Sea Empire including England, Denmark, and Norway. -
1066
1066 AD
End of the Viking Age: The Battle of Stamford Bridge, where the English King Harold Godwinson defeated the invading Norwegian King Harald Hardrada, is often considered the end of the Viking Age. Shortly after, Harold was defeated by William of Normandy (himself a descendant of Vikings) at the Battle of Hastings, changing the course of English history.