The Viking invasion
Who were the Vikings?
The Viking people came from the three countries of Scandinavia: Denmark, Norway and Sweden. They were also known as the Norse people. They were mostly farmers, but some worked as craftsmen or traders.
Many Vikings were great travellers and sailed all over Europe and the north Atlantic Ocean in their longships. Some went as fierce pirate raiders: they stole treasure and attacked local people. But most Vikings who sailed overseas were simply searching for better land for their farms.
The Viking Age began about 1,200 years ago in the 8th century AD and lasted for 300 years.
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'.
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.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/vikings/invasion/index.shtml