🏔️ Who Were the Vikings?
The Vikings were a Norse people who came from Scandinavia, in particular from Norway, Denmark and southern Sweden.
In the late eighth century, they began carrying out looting raids in their Viking longships across the North Sea to steal from places in England, Ireland, Scotland and northern France. At first, these raids were aimed at rounding up valuable items and slaves from monasteries and settlements across Britain and France, before returning to Scandinavia.
- 🏔️The Vikings came from Scandinavia: Norway, Denmark and southern Sweden
- ⛵They sailed in famous Viking longships across the North Sea
- ⚔️Their raids began in the late eighth century (around 700s AD)
- 🏴They targeted England, Ireland, Scotland and northern France
🏰 Vikings Settle in New Lands
However, during the ninth century, many of these Vikings began to settle in the regions they had just invaded and established their own kingdoms there. Vikings settled in parts of England, particularly in Northumbria in the north and East Anglia in the east of the country. The Vikings also established their own towns and principalities in parts of Ireland, including Dublin and Waterford, and in Normandy in northern France.
- 🏴They settled in Northumbria and East Anglia in England
- ☘️Viking towns were founded in Ireland, including Dublin and Waterford
- 🇫🇷They established Normandy (meaning “land of the Northmen”) in France
- 🏰During the 9th century, Vikings began building kingdoms in conquered lands
👑 Viking Kings and Conquests
By the tenth and eleventh centuries, the Vikings ruled most of the major kingdoms in the North Sea world. Cnut the Great, for instance, ruled Denmark, Norway and England for nearly twenty years between the mid-1010s and his death in 1035. Eventually, the Vikings also colonised Iceland and even landed in the Americas long before Christopher Columbus.
- 👑By the 10th and 11th centuries, Vikings ruled major North Sea kingdoms
- 🤴Cnut the Great ruled Denmark, Norway AND England for almost 20 years!
- 🧊Vikings colonised Iceland around the 9th century
- 🌎They reached the Americas hundreds of years before Columbus!
