Medieval invasions of Britain

Medieval England was invaded on several occasions by three different peoples: the Saxons, the Vikings, and the Normans.

The Saxons came from Northern Germany, Denmark, and Holland. They invaded the East and south coasts of Britain many times between AD 450 and 650 for farming land, fresh water, and more land for people to live on. They initially came in the early 400s when the king of England requested that the Saxons come and help the king fight the Scots when they invaded from Ireland. The Saxons agreed and the Angles and Jutes came along to help and gain lands in Britain.

Viking Invasions

The Vikings came from Norway, Denmark, and Scandinavia. They attacked the north-east coast of Britain. They invaded in AD 793 and then later in AD 1000-1060. The Vikings raided the land of England for many reasons. Primarily, Viking raiders saw the coasts of England as easy targets for looting, as well as rich lands for farming and settlements. Their seafaring expertise, and the very small draft/displacement of their longboats, gave the Vikings unparalleled access to the English countryside via sea. In addition, the kingdom of Denmark captured much of England and held it until the days of Alfred the Great in the mid 900s when the Anglo-Saxons finally defeated the Vikings. Another invasion occurred when Harald Hardrada, invaded England from the north in 1066 after Edward the Confessor died and left no heir. The Vikings were defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge by Harold Godwinson who claimed the English throne. After this, the Vikings did not attack England.

The Vikings eventually established themselves as a permanent presence in England, establishing the Danelaw.

Norman Invasion

In 1066, the king of England, Edward the Confessor, died and left no heir. He had promised the throne to William the Bastard (better known as William the Conqueror)who was the duke of Normandy, a strong kingdom in northern France. However, Harold Godwinson seized England instead of allowing William to take it. As a result, William the Bastard invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson's forces as the Battle of Hastings. Because of his conquering of England, William the Bastard became known as William the Conqueror centuries later. The victory at Hastings was partly due to the English army having to travel in a hurry up to Yorkshire to battle the invading Vikings at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Just after this victory, Harold Godwinson's forces needed to travel all the way down to southern England to battle the Normans. After the victory, the invading Normans spent many years consolidating their hold on the country and subduing a rebellious English population, and their descendents became known as Anglo-Normans.

The Norman conquest of England was the last successful invasion of England in history. Every future attacker or potential attacker, whether it be the Spanish Armada or the Luftwaffe, were either driven off or the attack was simply cancelled.