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Viking Invasion of British Isles Facts & Worksheets

The Vikings were a group of people who lived in the Early Middle Ages (8th & 11th century).

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The Vikings were a group of people who lived in the Early Middle Ages (8th & 11th century). They are originally from Scandinavia but have been known to raid places around the world including England.

See the fact file below for more information on the Viking Invasion of British Isles or alternatively, you can download our 26-page Viking Invasion of British Isles worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

  • Vikings were brave and adventurous people who had no fear of setting out on long voyages and conquering whichever island or coastline they came across.
  • The Vikings are well known for their many battles and attacks on the British Isles.
  • After centuries of the Vikings repeatedly attacking and raiding the British Isles they began to settle down and create communities there.
  • The Vikings followed the Old Norse religion but later became Christian.
  • The Vikings were active in the British Isles throughout the Early Middle Ages (8th & 11th centuries).
  • Vikings are Norsemen from Scandinavia who came to the British Isles to settle new lives, trade goods, or raid the current inhabitants.
  • The term “Viking” was given to all Norsemen regardless of whether they raided people or not.
  • The Vikings from Scandinavia did not believe in Christianity, instead they believed in Norse Paganism which worshiped many different gods.
  • Compared to the British Isles in the 8th century, Scandinavia had a much smaller population.
  • Many places of worship would be located on a secluded island or near the coastline of England. This was done so that they could have privacy to worship without the interference of everyday society.
  • This also meant that places of worship were often left unguarded and easy for intruders to attack.
  • In the final period of the 8th century AD, Vikings attacked a group of Christian monasteries on the British Isles to raid their treasures and get slaves.
  • Vikings are now known as the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians.
  • The word Viking comes from the Scandinavian word “vikingr” which means pirate.
  • Norse people, or Vikings, also believed in a form of magic or sorcery called “shamanism.”

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Viking ships were often decorated with unique headpieces.
  • Viking ships were double ended meaning they did not need to reverse and turn around. This was helpful when sailing in icy conditions!
  • Although Vikings are traditionally shown wearing helmets with horns, research shows they did not actually wear these as they interfered with battle.

VIKING RAIDS 793-850 AD

  • The first known Viking attack on the British Isles was recorded in 789 AD when approximately three ships from Hordaland (modern day Norway) landed on the Isle of Portland (a small island in England).
  • Upon their arrival they were greeted by Beaduheard, the royal official from Dorchester. The vikings proceeded to murder Beaduheard.
  • When the Vikings first landed they were surprised to find so many churches and individuals unguarded and without any protection. Due to their lack of protection the Vikings found these places easy to invade.
  • Before the arrival of the Vikings, monks would practice their religion in seclusion at various monasteries.
  • It is believed there were raids prior to 793 AD however these records have been lost over time.
  • Historians note that one of the reasons the Vikings were so successful in their raids is because the people living in Britain were completely unprepared for their attacks.

TREASURE HOARDS

  • Many people living in Britain would bury their valuable possessions so that they would not be stolen by the Vikings.
  • Similarly the Vikings were also known to bury their treasure as a way of protecting it from being stolen.
  • In 1862 buried treasure was found in Croydon (now known as Greater London).
  • This loot of treasure contained approximately 250 coins and was believed to have been buried back in 872 AD.
  • The recovered coins came from multiple different kingdoms including Mercia and Wessex (former Kingdoms in Britain).

INVASION AND DANELAW: 865-937 AD

  • In 865 AD the Vikings began to view Britain as a place to migrate rather than a place which they could continuously loot and pillage.
  • Larger armies of Vikings began to arrive on the British shores with the intention of settling down and creating communities.
  • Many kings in Britain at the time began to surrender to the Vikings and as a result many areas in the Northern and Eastern parts of Britain came under Viking rule.
  • Some Vikings would allow kings to remain in their position so long as they took orders from the Vikings. These kings were known as “puppet kings.”
  • As the British became more prepared for Viking raids the Vikings had a harder time gaining and maintaining control over the country.
  • In 892 AD the Vikings had an army of approximately 250 ships. This army repeatedly attacked the British kingdom called Wessex, which is now known as the various counties: Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and Somerset.
  • In 937 AD the “Battle of Brunanburh” took place which led to the collapse of the Viking control in Northern Britain.
  • The Battle of Brunanburh was the first time multiple kings from various kingdoms had worked together to defeat the Vikings. This was one of the first examples of English Nationalism.

SECOND INVASION 980-1012 AD

  • Although Britain was stronger due to their unification, the Vikings continued their attacks from Scandinavia in 980 AD.
  • The British decided that instead of fighting the Vikings they would pay them protection money called danegeld.
  • In 991 AD the British gave the Vikings approximately £10,000 in protection money. This is tens of millions in today’s money.
  • Regardless of the protection money received, the Vikings continued to raid Britain.
  • In 1002 AD King Æthelred announced that all Danes (Vikings) living in England would be executed.

VIKING INFLUENCE OVER BRITISH CULTURE

  • While the Vikings were interacting with British people the two languages (English and Norse) began to overlap.
  • The Vikings influenced ship making with the invention of their signature “longboats.” These boats enabled them to travel globally.
  • The Vikings introduced the people of Britain to skiing as they were the first ones to use skiing for travel and recreational purposes.
  • Vikings brought with them the invention of the hair comb.
  • The Vikings recorded their centuries of battles in what are now known as “sagas.”

THE GREAT HEATHEN ARMY

  • The Great Heathen Army has also been called “The Great Viking Army.”
  • This army was composed of a group of Viking warriors who invaded England in 865 AD. Scholars believe the army could have consisted of thousands of men.
  • This army invasion raged against the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England at the time. The battle lasted 14 years and was one of the largest of its kind.
  • Some sources believe that the Great Heathen Army was sent in response to the murder of Ragnar Lodbrok, a prominent Viking ruler of both Sweden and Denmark.
  • His three sons,were said to have started the war in order to avenge his death. This story is called “The Tale of Ragnar’s Sons.”
  • The Vikings were defeated in 878 AD by King Alfred the Great at the Battle of Edington.

Viking Invasion of British Isles Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Viking Invasion of British Isles across 26 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Marshall Plan worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Vikings who were a group of people who lived in the Early Middle Ages (8th & 11th century). They are originally from Scandinavia but have been known to raid places around the world including England.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • United Kingdom Viking Invasion of British Isles Facts
  • Fact or Myth
  • Viking Helmet Design
  • Viking Historical Timeline
  • The Great Norse Crossword
  • Shaman Word Scramble
  • War of Words Wordsearch
  • Our Five Senses
  • Fill In the Blank
  • Viking Vocabulary
  • Diary of a Viking

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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