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15 July 2009
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Viking invasion

The Vikings in Britain
In the year 793 Viking pirate raiders sailed across the North Sea to a Christian monastery at Lindisfarne in north-east England. They stole its treasures, murdered the monks and terrified everyone. This was followed by other violent 'Viking raids' all over Britain.

In 865 a 'Great Army' of Danish Vikings invaded England. There were fierce battles for several years. In the end the Vikings conquered all of northern, central and eastern England, and seized much of the land for their own farms. This area was called 'The Danelaw'.

Map showing the area known as 'The Danelaw' and the remaining Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex.

During the same period, Norwegian Vikings sailed to northern and western Scotland, and seized land for their farms around the coast and islands. They also settled in the Isle of Man, and parts of Wales.





The Vikings fought battles with swords, spears, axes, bows and arrows. They protected themselves with round wooden shields.
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