The Viking Age: Triumph of the Northmen

Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) tell the history of how the Vikings built kingdoms, explored continents and worshipped their Norse gods.----more----

In our first episode on the Vikings they had invaded England and England was now divided between a Saxon and a Viking Kingdom. Here we see how the Vikings repeatedly invade France. Eventually, the French give the Viking, Rollo, land to keep Paris safe from other Vikings. The land is called the land of the Northman, or Northmandy, eventually just Normandy.

Other Vikings sail to the Mediterannean Sea. They are paid by the nobles of Italy to fight their wars. When the nobles can’t pay they give the Vikings land instead. Eventually the Vikings own so much land and so many castles that they just take over the whole country and make a Viking Kingdom.

Other Vikings explore the Russian rivers. They get to a hill called Kiev which they think is a good place for a city. They capture it and build an empire which today we called Kievan Rus.

Some Vikings even made it as far as the powerful city of Byzantium. There they become the bodyguards to the Emperor of Byzantium. They are called the Varangian Guard and were loyal to the Emperor.

However, other Vikings look West. They take their ships across the sea to Greenland and make a settlement. One day a ship is blown off course thousands of miles and accidentally discovered North America. Other sailors follow until settlements are founded in what the Vikings called Vinland, which is in North America. The settlements do not survive though so when Columbus eventually makes it there, he if the first European to make permanent settlements.

We also learn about the Norse gods. We learn of Odin, Frigg and Thor. We also learn how Friday is named after Frigg and Thursday is named after Thor.

Finally we return to England. At first the Saxons defeat the Vikings and reconquer their lands. However, the powerful Viking, King Canute, decides to conquer England. The English kings are useless or unready as they were called. Canute becomes King. We tell his story of how he showed that Kings do not have the power by failing to turn back the tide.

The Saxons become King again. However, William of Normandy attacked the English at Hastings and makes himself King. Although history records him as a Frenchman. He was actually descended from the Vikings who were given Normandy to live in.

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