Empire and Migration

• Anglo-Saxons


  A group of people that spawned from areas near Germany and Denmark, who took over Britain after the Romans left
• Anglo-Saxons

  • They were Christian
  • They managed to organize Britain under certain leaders who controlled certain areas of England
• Britain


  A good country to move to, with a flat, hilly landscape, good climate, and fertile land for farming
• Scandinavia


  A rocky, mountainous region with harsh landscape and poor conditions for farming
• Scandinavia's harsh landscape and overpopulation

  Pushed the Vikings to move to Britain
• Britain's wealth and resources

  Pulled the Vikings to raid and move to Britain
• Vikings


  • They raided and attacked Britain, with the first major raid on Lindisfarne in 793
  • Some Vikings moved to Britain to live, not just to raid
• Vikings moving to Britain

  Caused conflict and wars with the Anglo-Saxons who controlled Britain
• Vikings


  Invading Britain to get gold, food, farmland, and a better way of life
• Vikings invading Britain


  1. Taking over York

  2. Taking over other areas

  3. Killing and warring with Anglo-Saxons
• Alfred


  22-year-old man, son of a king of Wessex, fought against the Vikings
• Alfred wins the Battle of Eddington


  First time the Vikings saw a massive defeat at the hands of the Anglo-Saxons
• Peace terms between Alfred and the Vikings

  • Vikings convert to Christianity
  • Britain split, Vikings get half (Danelaw), Anglo-Saxons get half
• Danelaw


  • Area became an extension of Scandinavia, with Scandinavian words, culture, and ideals
• Alfred


  Became seen as overlord of all Anglo-Saxon kings, became the king of Britain
• Alfred's actions


  1. Wanted everyone to learn to read and write

  2. Brought in just laws from other kingdoms to make Britain more just
• Burhs


  Structures built by Alfred to stop Vikings invading or fighting against Anglo-Saxons, later became castles
• Alfred died, and other members of his family (Athelstan, Edgar the Peaceful) took over
• Athelred

  A young boy who became king at age 12
• Athelred became king

  His older brother was killed
• Athelred

  • Had poor advisors who were corrupt and trying to benefit themselves
  • Tried to pay off the Vikings to get them to leave Britain instead of fighting them
• Danegeld

  The money Athelred paid to the Vikings to get them to leave Britain
• Athelred earned the name "the Unready" because he was not prepared to deal with the Viking invasions
• Athelred

  Spent thousands of pounds paying off the Vikings, costing 1.8 million pounds in today's money
• How Athelred dealt with the Vikings

  1. Married his daughter/sister to the Duke of Normandy to deny the Vikings a place to hide

  2. Decided to massacre Vikings in the Danelaw to scare them off
• Forkbeard

  A prominent Viking and pirate lord whose sister was killed by Athelred
• Forkbeard

  Invaded Britain after Athelred killed his sister and took over as Viking king
• Cnut

  Forkbeard's son who became king of Britain after Forkbeard's death
• Cnut

  • Had connections in Scandinavia, Denmark, Norway and Britain
  • Established Britain/England as a Danish colony run by Vikings from afar
  • Unified England with Denmark, Norway and other countries into a "North Sea Empire"
  • Was well-liked by both Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, being a Christian
• Cnut

  Married Emma of Normandy, Athelred's ex-wife
• Cnut was able to be king of England for 20 years, indicating he was a successful ruler
• Norman kingdom

  Kingdom established by William the Conqueror after he invaded England in 1066
• Angevin empire

  Empire expanded by Henry II, grandson of William the Conqueror, which included England, Ireland, and parts of France
• William the Conqueror

  French nobleman from Normandy who invaded and conquered England in 1066, becoming King William I
• Succession crisis in 1066

  Three people - Harold Godwinson, Harold Hardrada, and William of Normandy - claimed the English throne after the death of King Edward the Confessor
• William of Normandy won the Battle of Hastings and became King William I, the Conqueror
• Changes made by William the Conqueror

  • Built many castles to control the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
  • Established French as the language of the upper classes
  • Controlled Britain with an iron fist
  • Introduced levied taxes and the Domesday Book
• William the Conqueror's three sons

  • Robert
  • William
  • Henry
• William the Conqueror divided his lands among his sons

  One son got England, one got Normandy, and one got nothing
• Henry, the son who got nothing, went to war with his brother to take back Normandy and became Henry I