this document contains the key info for every subtopic in the Viking expansion topic - including the key dates, events, people and their impact - which if revised effectively will help you get grade 7+
- Very few written evidence – most evidence from Viking burials – on the Ardnamurchan
peninsula found a boat burial of a high-status Viking along with other associated grave goods
(shield + sword, suggesting high status) – mourners dragged the boat up from the beach to
be buried there due to a prehistoric religious site on the same field – expanded across the
Isles – huge farm houses found in the Shetlands – set up the ‘kingdom of Isles’ (continued to
1265AD)
Viking settlement in Ireland:
- 902 AD, Vikings expelled from Ireland for few years due to war with Irish chieftains – 914 AD
reoccupied their trading bases in Dublin, Wexford and Waterford – evidence suggests
longphort at Dublin became a highly defended town – with rectangular long houses +
earthen wall to stop attacks from local Irish tribes – lack of Viking close names inland –
stayed relatively close to the coast – used warfare with Irish as a source of slaves for trade
Viking settlement in Iceland:
- Settled around 870s – attracted by the walrus ivory – 1 st settlers brought boatloads of
animals to make them self-sufficient – 930 AD all fertile and useful land had been settled on
– lack of timber so houses built of earth + mud with sod (turf) for the roof – Icelandic society
recreated old Norwegian society – consisted of free farmers, 40 Chieftains and no kings –
‘Things’ set up as assemblies to make decisions – 930, the ‘Althing’ set up (all-Icelandic
assembly) took place in the open air of the ‘Thingvellir’ (the valley of the Althing)
Viking settlement in England:
- Danelaw lasted 50 years – considerable impact on northern culture and language – Anglo-
Saxon kings allowed much of the Viking culture to remain – e.g., place names and words in
the English language: -by = a village (Thorlby), -thorpe = a new village (copmanthorpe), -
Thwaite = a meadow (Micklethwaite), -toft = house (Lowestoft), -ness = headland (Skegness),
-dale = valley (Airedale)
Viking settlement in France:
- No significant raids that led to any settlement until 911 AD – Rollo attempted it but was
defeated by Charles the simple (Frankish king) – Rollo swore oath of loyalty to the king and
became Christian – given land in the north – Normandy = land of the north men – in return
Rollo and his Vikings protected the Franks – Vikings in Normandy took on Frankish identity –
Scandinavian culture declined – William the conqueror is a descendant of Rollo
Viking settlement in Greenland:
- Mostly an ice sheet – fertile land on the very southern tip – discovered by Icelandic outlaw,
Erik the Red – named it Greenland to attract more people – 986, 25 ships left Iceland for
Greenland only 14 made it – 2 settlements established – life was tough but land was more
fertile than Iceland – peak 1050, eastern settlement (Brattahlio) had 190 farms + western
settlement (Eystribyggo) had 90 farms with a population of 4k – by 15 th cent. all disappeared
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