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The Tenth Century

Vikings in 10th Century England

Viking influence was even greater in England than in France. There were isolated raids even in the late 8th century, but the first significant attack came in 835 when the Danes sailed up the Thames River. King Aethelwulf of Wessex defeated the Danes in 851, after which the major efforts were directed against East Anglia and Northumbria, where a flourishing monastic culture made the area an attractive target. The Vikings captured York in 866 and Nottingham in 867. In contrast with France, almost from the beginning, the Danes not only invaded but built permanent settlements.

Alfred the Great became king in 871 and began his long struggle with the Vikings. That same winter, the Danes captured London and wintered there. Alfred won a great victory in 878, but he was unable to liberate London until 886. Viking remnants of the great army that had devastated France occupied southern England in 892, but they dispersed four years later. At Alfred's death in 899, Danes still occupied England north of the Thames and as far east as Cheshire and up to Scotland. So many Danes had settled in eastern England that Alfred was unable to pry them out. They acknowledged him as their king, but he let them stay and live under their own customs, so that this area of England was known as the Danelaw.