Vikings means "people of the fjords" and refers to the Danes, Norwegians and Swedes who lived in Jutland and Scandinaia in northern Europe during the Middle Ages. The area where the Vikings lived had scarce and barren arable land. Due to the high latitude and insufficient heat, it was not suitable for the development of agriculture. But here the fjords are crisscrossed, the forest is dense, there is an inexhaustible supply of wood and many fine harbors. Therefore, the Vikings mostly fished and hunted, and were good at sailing. Another great migration of the Germanic peoples of the North when the Vikings invaded, which began in the 8th century and lasted for 300 years, a period known in history as the "Viking Age". The Vikings lived at sea for a long time. In order to survive, they often plundered passing merchant ships and were regarded as "pirates" by Western Europeans. There are many reasons for the Vikings to invade Western Europe. First of all, because of the limitation of the natural environment, the land is barren, the agriculture is underdeveloped, and the residents mostly make a living by fishing, hunting or robbery. Around the 8th century, the Viking population surged, and people's survival became difficult. Secondly, at that time, the social division of the Vikings intensified, the royal power was strengthened, and many Vikings who were politically oppressed were forced to emigrate overseas to seek a way out. The Vikings who invaded Britain were mainly from Denmark. At this time, the United Kingdom was not unified, and several small kingdoms were independent. In 793, a monastery in northeastern England was suddenly attacked by a powerful Danish fleet. The Danes looted and slaughtered many monks, and went away with a great deal of gold, silver, jewels and holy emblems. From 835 AD, southern England was continually sacked by Vikings, sometimes with pirate fleets of several hundred ships. The Danes moved up the Chinmes and attacked the British interior. At the end of the 9th century, the Danish Vikings set up camps in York and Nottingham in the hinterland of England, and controlled London and Cambridge, and Northumbria, a small kingdom in England, fell. The Danes also wanted to conquer another small kingdom, Mercia, and Mercia appealed to neighboring Sussex for help. King Alfred of Sussex was an excellent military strategist. He led his men against the invaders, recaptured London, and forced the Danes to make peace. Alfred also created Britain's first naval fleet to deal with threats from the sea. After his death, another group of Danish Vikings invaded and was defeated by King Edward. In 1002, the King of England ordered the execution of all the Danes who remained on British soil, and the United Kingdom was basically freed from the harassment of the Vikings.
View more about New Beginnings reviews
