Key Terms
- Danegeld: Silver tribute paid to Vikings for peace
- Danelaw: Viking-controlled northern/eastern England after 878
- Longship: Shallow-draft warship enabling surprise raids
- Varangian Routes: Swedish trade routes to Constantinople and Baghdad
- Knarr: Cargo ship for trade and colonisation
- Jorvik: Viking York, captured 866
Key Dates
- 793: Lindisfarne raid, start of the Viking Age
- c.841: Dublin begins as Viking base
- 866: Jorvik (York) captured
- 878: Edington and Wedmore; Danelaw takes shape
- 885 to 886: Siege of Paris
- 911: Rollo given Normandy
- 1016 to 1028: Cnut’s North Sea Empire
Key People
- Guthrum: Viking leader defeated by Alfred at Edington 878
- Alfred the Great: Won Battle of Edington 878; agreed terms with Guthrum
- Rollo: First ruler of Normandy; ancestor of William the Conqueror
- Cnut (Canute): King of England, Denmark, Norway; adapted to English rule
- Harald Hardrada: Norwegian king; killed at Stamford Bridge 1066
Must-Know Facts
- Viking longships could operate in about 1 metre of water
- Siege of Paris (885 to 886): a huge fleet; 700 pounds of silver paid
- Cnut ruled England, Denmark AND Norway by 1028
- Danegeld was paid to buy off Viking attacks
- Rollo’s descendants led the Norman Conquest 1066
- Varangian routes stretched from the Baltic to Baghdad
Common Mistakes
- Describing Vikings as only raiders: Trade and settlement were equally important. Jorvik was a busy trading city; the Varangian routes connected the Baltic to Baghdad. Always cover all three phases: raiding, trading, settling.
- Listing raids without explaining their significance: Don’t just write "Vikings raided Lindisfarne in 793". Explain what this shows about Viking strategy (hit-and-run raids on undefended monasteries holding concentrated wealth) and its consequences (terror across Christian Europe, forced defensive reorganisation).
- Ignoring ship technology as a causal factor: The shallow draft (about 1 metre), combined oar-and-sail design, and clinker construction are specific technical reasons why Vikings succeeded. Use these details rather than just saying "they had good ships".
- Only agreeing with the essay statement: In "how far" questions you must argue both sides. If the question says ship technology was the main reason, you must also consider political weakness of opponents, economic incentives, and tactical flexibility before reaching a supported judgement.