Vikings & Anglo-Saxons
History: KS3, topic 2.1.1
Vikings and Anglo-Saxons
In 793 AD, England was ruled by the Anglo-Saxons and divided into seven kingdoms. That year, England was attacked for the first time by Viking invaders.
Anglo-Saxons
- Anglo-Saxons were people who migrated to England from parts of central Europe (around Germany) from the fifth century.
- From the fifth century, the Anglo-Saxons ruled England.
English kingdoms
- However, England was divided into seven kingdoms:
- Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia, Essex, Kent and Sussex.
- These seven kingdoms were often at war with each other so England was unstable and at risk of invasion.
Vikings
- The Vikings were people from Denmark and Norway who started to invade England from 792 onwards.
- They had a reputation for being fierce, eager to kill anyone who got in their way, and unafraid of death.
Viking boats
- They travelled to England on long-ships that were strong enough to travel from Denmark to England, but narrow enough to travel inland along rivers.
- In 792, the Vikings invaded England for the first time.
Test yourself on Vikings & Anglo-Saxons
In 792, how many kingdoms was England divided into?
Which of the following is NOT one of the seven kingdoms of England in 792?