How did the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings get on with each other?

The Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings fought to control Britain. Around AD801-AD900, there was some peace when Alfred the Great allowed the Vikings to settle in their own area of England (Danelaw).

Some Anglo-Saxon kings took the Danelaw regions back from the Vikings. In Viking times, a king had to be strong to fight and keep his land. In 1016, Cnut was King of England.

At the Battle of Stamford Bridge in September 1066, King Harold II of England defeated King Harald of Norway and Tostig Godwinson. At the Battle of Hastings in October 1066, King Harold II of England was killed and the Normans conquered England.

In AD793 some Vikings attacked and destroyed the monastery of Lindisfarne. They killed the monks and took precious ornaments.

The Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings fought to control Britain.

In the 9th century (AD801 - 900), Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great helped to make peace and some Vikings settled in their own area of eastern England, called the Danelaw.

• After Alfred, Anglo-Saxon kings took the Danelaw land territories back from the Vikings.

• Alfred's grandson, Athelstan, pushed English power north as far as Scotland. He was the first 'King of all England.'

• In AD954, the Anglo-Saxons drove out Eric Bloodaxe, the last Viking king of Jorvik.

• After Eric was killed, the Vikings agreed to be ruled by England's king.

• The most powerful Anglo-Saxon king was Edgar. Welsh and Scottish rulers obeyed him as well as the English, and his court at Winchester was one of the most splendid in Europe.

• In Viking times, a king had to be strong to fight and keep his land. Ethelred the Unready was a weak king of England.

• Ethelred gave the Vikings gold and land to stop them invading. This money was called Danegeld. But it didn’t work – the Vikings took the gold and attacked anyway.

• Ethelred's soldiers killed many Viking families in the Danelaw. This made King Sweyn of Denmark angry. He invaded England and Ethelred ran away.

• Sweyn's son Cnut (also known as Canute) became king of England. Cnut was a strong ruler and England was part of his Viking empire with Denmark and Norway.

• In 1042 there was a new king of England called Edward, also known as Edward 'the Confessor.'

• He had no children so it was unclear who would become king next.

• After Edward died in 1066, the English Witan (council of Anglo-Saxon kings) chose Earl Harold of Wessex as the next king.

• Duke William of Normandy and Harald Hardrada both believed they should have been made king.

• In 1066, England was invaded twice.

  • First, a Norwegian army led by Harald Hardrada landed in the north.
  • King Harold killed Harald Hardrada at the Battle of Stamford Bridge.

• Three days later William's Norman army landed in the south of England.

  • William and Harold's armies fought at the Battle of Hastings.
  • The Normans won, King Harold was killed, and William became King.

• This brought an end to Anglo-Saxon and Viking rule. A new age of Norman rule in England had started.

Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.

• What historically significant event happened in AD793?

• Who was the most powerful Anglo-Saxon king?

• Why did Ethelred the Unready run away?

Edward was the son of Ethelred the Unready and ruled England from 1042. Find out about his life by clicking below.

Are you a parent, carer or teacher? Take a look at some of the links below with your children on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.