Dr Tomasz Skirecki, IFA, UAM
History of Britain and the USA  1 BA, 2011-12
LECTURE SIX
Vikings and Normans
787 - first Viking raid on England
793-795 the Vikings sack English monasteries (Lindisfarne, Jarrow, Iona) and other coastal
areas
Paths of Viking invasions:
a. Norwegians  Scottish Islands: Shetland, Orkney, Hebrides, Scottish Highlands,
Man, and coastal Ireland.
b. Danes - East Anglia, Mercia, southern Northumbria
c. Wales remains relatively unaffected
The NORSEMEN are CATALYSTS of consolidation of power of English, Scottish and
Irish rulers and creation of national identities and statehoods
UNIFICATION (under Viking impact)
Kingdom of England
" 829 King Egbert of Wessex becomes the last overlord of the Heptarchy
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" House of Wessex becomes the first English dynasty (802  1066) (capital Winchester)
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" King Athelstan (10th cent) rules over entire England
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Kingdom of Scotland
" 843 Dalriada and Pictland form the Kingdom of Alba (Scotia) under King Kenneth
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MacAlpin
VIKINGS IN ENGLAND
9th century - the raids intensify and the Vikings settle north of the Thames
By 878 Vikings control: southern Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia
Only Wessex holds out against the Vikings
871-901 Reign of Alfred the Great
- 878  Viking army under Guthrum overruns Wessex  Alfred hides in Athelney marshes
- Battle of Edington 878   turn of the tide
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Dr Tomasz Skirecki, IFA, UAM
History of Britain and the USA  1 BA, 2011-12
LECTURE SIX
Vikings and Normans
Treaty of Wedmore 878 between Alfred and Guthrum
- the Danelaw (capital in JORVIK) established:
- two nations, similar in language and customs, governed separately
- Danes convert to Christianity
Alfred s reforms:
- Anglo-Saxon Chronicle starts (891-1154)
- improvement of fyrd
- origination of Royal Navy
- law giver - oral and customary law with no Roman influences
- improvement of scholarly activity and translation of many works of art and science
- Anglo-Saxon is the language of everyday speech AND the government
- burghs - fortified towns
- territorial shires (headed by sheriffs)
Legacy of the Vikings:
- place names (-by, -thorpe-, -ey, -ay, -wick)
- numerous borrowings, e.g. sk-words
BRITISH ISLES IN THE 10th century
Alfred the Great is succeeded by a few successful rulers:
Edward the Elder (899-924) - invasion of the Danelaw and gradual reconquest of England
Athelstan (924-939) - defeats a confederation of Scots and Vikings at Brunanburgh 937 
until 991 England is free of Viking attacks
Anglo-Scandinavian culture develops
Ethelred the Unready (978-1016):
" Danish raids renewed in 991  Battle of Maldon
" disastrous rule
" Danegeld
THE HOUSE OF DENMARK (1016-42)
" The House of Denmark rules in England (1013-42)
" ENGLAND, NORWAY and DENMARK under one rule - the North Sea Empire
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Dr Tomasz Skirecki, IFA, UAM
History of Britain and the USA  1 BA, 2011-12
LECTURE SIX
Vikings and Normans
" Anglo-Scandinavian culture is further developed
CANUTE THE GREAT (1016-35)
- wise and peaceful ruler  stability for 20 years
- legal and military reforms - Anglo-Saxon laws respected
- the country divided into four EARLDOMS under the control of four EARLS
(Northumbria, East Anglia, Mercia, Wessex)
SAINT EDWARD THE CONFESSOR (1042-1066)
After the rule of Canute's sons the Wessex dynasty is restored by Edward the Confessor
(1042-1066):
- the only canonized king of England
- introducing Normans to the court ( Norman Prelude )
- building churches in all villages in the country
- moving of the capital to Westminster
- consecration of Westminster Abbey - 1065
NORMAN ENGLAND
1066 Reasons for Norman conquest of England
Edward the Confessor s dynastic problems:
- no heir apparent
- Norman influences during the king's reign - appointments in administration
After his death on Jan 5, 1066 three successors to the throne:
1. Harold Godwinson - Earl of Wessex (elected by the Witan)
2. Harald Hardraada - king of Norway
3. William the Bastard - duke of Normandy
1066
Battle of Stamford Bridge  Anglo-Saxon victory against invading Norwegians  Hardraada
is killed
Battle of Hastings  Norman victory against Anglo-Saxons - Godwinson is killed
William the Conqueror marches towards London  crowned King of England on Christmas
1066 in Westminster Abbey.
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Dr Tomasz Skirecki, IFA, UAM
History of Britain and the USA  1 BA, 2011-12
LECTURE SIX
Vikings and Normans
Norman dynasty (1066  1154)
Kings of England are Dukes of Normandy - aristocracy possessing cross-Channel estates
Reign of William the Conqueror (1066-87)
" iron hand rule
" centralization of feudal system in England power
- Old English system - upwards based on choice of eldormen and king by the
Witan
- Norman system - downwards, the kings gives out land and privileges
" pacification of land and taking over Anglo-Saxon and church property
" new Norman nobility (BARONS) replacing earlier Anglo-Saxons  the title Earl
is retained
" new Norman bishopry - church as a policy supporter with separate judicial
system - separate common law
" lands are given to Norman barons in distant parts of the realm (Scotitish and Welsh
borders)
" building castles - Tower of London, Windsor, Warwick, Newcastle, Durham,
Carlisle, etc.
" forest laws
" Domesday Book (1086)
Reign of William II Rufus (1087-1100)
- further intrusions into Wales  Welsh Marches established  Norman Marcher Lords
highly privileged
Reign of Henry I (1100-1135) Beauclerk, Lion of Justice
- numerous legal and financial reforms of the country
Reign of Stephen of Blois (nephew of Henry I) (1135-1154)
- war with Matilda - Henry's daughter - the Anarchy, so bad that "Christ and his saints
slept".
With the death of Stephen, Henry II (son of Matilda) takes the throne, starting the new
dynasty of the PLANTAGENETS
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Dr Tomasz Skirecki, IFA, UAM
History of Britain and the USA  1 BA, 2011-12
LECTURE SIX
Vikings and Normans
Norman society and culture
Linguistic situation
Anglo-Norman (Norman French)- language of upper classes and the royal court, law courts;
English - unwritten dialect spoken by masses - sporadically by middle classes in
interaction - large number of French and Latin borrowings;
Latin  language of Church
" Anglo-Norman culture
" barons vs. appointed sheriffs - regarded as balance of power
" Normans - upper classes; Saxons - lower classes
" beginnings of wool trade with Flanders
" town charters - self-government and privileges
" Norman (Romanesque) style in architecture  English cathedrals
" offices of state known until today after modifications: Curia Regis - the cradle of
British cabinet, Chancery (writing office), Exchequer (finance office)
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