FEUDAL SOCIETY

WHAT WERE THE SECOND INVASIONS?

NEW INVASIONS

From 850 to 1100, Europe was weak. Why?

As a result of the division of the Carolingian Empire and the decline of the Byzantine Empire

Thus, new peoples invaded Europe

VIKINGS MAGYARS SARACENS

VIKINGS: Conquerors

They come from Scandinavia

(Norway, Denmark,

Sweden...)

First, they attacked England

looking for treasure. Then they attacked

other places like France, Russia or the southern

Italy.

All European kingdoms were

afraid of Vikings

After those attacks, Vikings decided to conquer many places like England. They

also founded kingdoms. Lands in Scandinavia were very bad and they

wanted to settle in fertile places.

VIKINGS: Merchants

Vikings were also traders and they travelled to many

places like the Baltic coasts, the Byzantine Empire, Britain and the Mediterranean

Sea

They usually sold the treasure and the

slaves that they took from their invasions.

In exchange they had weapons, money or

food.

VIKINGS: Travellers

As result of their conquest and the trade, Vikings were great travellers and they

discover new lands like America

Vikings used long and small ships which could sail in rivers and seas. Those ships were very light and they even transported

them by land

Vikings weren’t only violent conquerors, but also they

founded cities and kingdoms like Russia or Normandy. Besides, they had a big

influence in countries like Poland, Holland, England or

Ireland

VIKINGS: Important dates to know793: The first Viking raid, on Lindisfarne monastery. After

that attack, Vikings devastated many cities and villages of the European coasts

878: Vikings settled in the north of England and Ireland. That land was known as Danelaw

911: Vikings settled in Normandy – north of France – making a deal with the king of France

1066: The VIkings from Norway tried to conquer England, but they failled. Months later, the Vikings from Normandy conquered England after the battle of Hastings defeating the last Anglo-Saxon English king.

1100: All Vikings became Christians

911: Vikings arrived in America

MAGYARS

They were also known as Hungarians

They come from Asia and attacked Europe from the east

After raiding Germany, Italy and France, they settled in the eastern Europe and

founded the kingdom of Hungary

They were Muslim pirates

SARACENS

They didn’t want to spread Islam, but they attacked the Mediterranean

coasts looking for treasure.

They blocked the Christian economy after the fall of the Carolingian Empire

HOMEWORKWork in groups of four. Look for more informations about the Vikings. Concentrate on three aspects:

• Their life

• Their beliefs

• Trade and exploration

• Most important kings

You can use the BBC website and other ones like wikipedia or an encyclopedia

Then you will prepare a PowerPoint presentation with your research

Group 1: Vikings from Norway Group 2: Vikings from Sweden

Group 3: Normans (Normandy) Group 4: Vikings in Iceland

Group 5: Vikings from Denmark Group 6: Vikings in England