Open History Book

The Viking Age

Before 793: the North

c. 790Scandinavia around 790 8th – 11th centuriesShips and sails

793 – 865: the first raids

8 June 793Lindisfarne, 793 795–807Iona and Ireland, 795–807 804–810Godfred and Charlemagne, 804–810 834–837Dorestad, 834–837 843–844Nantes and Seville, 843–844 845Paris and Hamburg, 845 859–862Björn and Hastein in the Mediterranean, 859–861

865 – 896: the Great Heathen Army

865–869The Great Army, 865–869 December 870 – 871Ashdown and the year of battles, 871 872–877Repton and the division of the army, 873–877 January – April 878Chippenham and Athelney, 878

Battle of Edington, 878

May 878The march to Ethandun May 878The shield wall at Ethandun May 878Fourteen days before the stronghold

878–886Wedmore and the Danelaw, 878–886 892–896Hastein’s army, 892–896

902 – 954: York and the kingdom of England

909–918Tettenhall and the Five Boroughs, 909–918 918–937York and Brunanburh, 919–937 939–954Eric Bloodaxe and the end of York, 939–954

879 – 1066: Francia and Normandy

879–884The Great Army in Francia, 879–884

Siege of Paris, 885–886

July 885 – October 886Sigfrid’s fleet on the Seine, 885–886 26–27 November 885The assault on the tower, November 885 31 January – 2 February 886Rams and fire ships, January 886 6 February 886The flood and the fall of the small tower, February 886

911Rollo and Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, 911 911–1066The duchy of Normandy, 911–1066

837 – 1014: Ireland and Scotland

837–853Longphorts and Dublin, 837–853 853–902Ímar, Amlaíb and Dumbarton, 853–902 c. 870–1014Orkney and the Isles, c. 870–1014 914–919The return to Dublin, 914–919 964–1002Brian Boru and Glenmama, 968–1002

Battle of Clontarf, 1014

1012 – 23 April 1014The revolt of Leinster and Dublin Good Friday, 23 April 1014, from sunriseThe lines at Clontarf Good Friday, 23 April 1014, eveningThe rout at high tide

c. 750 – 1054: the Rus'

c. 750–839Staraya Ladoga and the Rhos, c. 750–839 18 June – 4 August 860The Rus' at Constantinople, 860 862–911Rurik and Oleg, 862–911 913–943The Volga route, 913–943 941–957Igor, Olga and the Greek fire, 941–957 965–970Sviatoslav, 965–970

Siege of Dorostolon, 971

Spring 971Tzimiskes takes Preslav 23–25 April 971The battle before the walls July 971The last battle and the peace

980–1054Vladimir and Yaroslav, 980–1054

c. 800 – 1010: the North Atlantic

c. 800–870The Faroes and Iceland, c. 800–870 870–930The settlement of Iceland, 870–930 982–986Erik the Red and Greenland, 982–986 c. 986–1010Vinland, c. 986–1010

Life in the Viking Age

c. 790 – 1100Jarls, farmers and thralls c. 900 – 1100The thing and the law c. 800 – 1100Gods, temples and ship burials 786 – 1009Silver and trade c. 800 – 1150Runes and runestones c. 790 – 1066Weapons and the shield wall

c. 872 – 1035: kings in Scandinavia

Between 872 and 900Harald Fairhair and Hafrsfjord c. 936–986Gorm and Harald Bluetooth 995–1000Olaf Tryggvason and Svolder 1015–1028Olaf Haraldsson 1029–1035Stiklestad

991 – 1042: England and the Danish kings

Battle of Maldon, 991

August 991From Folkestone to the Blackwater 10 or 11 August 991The causeway 10 or 11 August 991Byrhtnoth’s fall and the last stand

1002–1012St Brice’s Day and Thorkell’s army August 1013 – April 1014Sweyn Forkbeard takes England 1015–1016Cnut and Edmund Ironside 1016–1042Cnut’s North Sea empire

1042 – 1066: Harald Hardrada

1030–1065Harald Hardrada, 1030–1065 5 January – 24 September 1066Riccall and Fulford, 1066

Battle of Stamford Bridge, 1066

20 – 25 September 1066Harold marches north 25 September 1066The fight at the bridge 25 September 1066The shield wall 25 September 1066Orri’s storm

Battle of Hastings, 1066

September – 13 October 1066William lands in Sussex 14 October 1066, from about 9 in the morningThe first attacks 14 October 1066, morningThe Breton flight 14 October 1066, afternoon to duskThe death of Harold

After 1066

1098–1266Magnus Barefoot, Largs and Perth, 1098–1266 1200–1450Greenland and the sagas, 1200–1450

793 – 1066

The Viking Age

The raiders, traders and settlers of Scandinavia, from the raid on Lindisfarne in 793 through the Danelaw, Normandy, the Rus' and the North Atlantic to the battles of 1066.