Welcome to History: Further Viking Invasions and Danegeld!
Have you ever wondered what happened after the famous King Alfred the Great and King Athelstan united England? For a while, England enjoyed a time of peace. But in the late 10th century, longships appeared on the horizon once again. A brand new wave of Viking attacks had begun!
In this guide, you will discover how Anglo-Saxon kings tried to buy peace with massive piles of silver, why a king was given a confusing nickname, and how England ended up being ruled by Viking kings!
Part 1: The Second Viking Wave and King Æthelred
After King Athelstan became the first king of all England in 927 AD, the country was strong and united. However, starting in the 980s, large and highly organised Viking fleets sailed across the North Sea to attack England again.
During this dangerous time, England was ruled by King Æthelred II (who ruled from 978 to 1016 AD). You might have heard of his famous nickname: Æthelred the Unready.
Did You Know? The Truth About "The Unready"
Don't worry if you thought "Unready" meant he was caught in his pyjamas or was not prepared for battle! That is a very common mistake.
• The nickname actually comes from the Old English word unræd, which means "badly-advised" or "ill-counselled".
• His actual name, Æthelred, meant "noble counsel" (good advice).
• People made a clever pun or joke on his name: Æthelred the Unræd ("Noble Advice the Badly Advised") because he listened to poor advice during the Viking attacks!
Key Takeaway: King Æthelred II was called "the Unready" because he took poor advice from his counsellors, not because he was unprepared.
Part 2: Danegeld – Paying the Vikings to Go Away
When the Viking armies invaded, King Æthelred and his advisors decided to try a different tactic instead of fighting every battle: paying the Vikings silver to leave England alone. This payment was called Danegeld.
What Does Danegeld Mean?
• Danegeld translates directly to "Dane-tax" or "Dane-gold".
• The Silver Secret: Even though the word has "geld" (gold) in its name, Danegeld was almost entirely paid in silver coins and silver bullion (bars of silver weighed on scales)!
The Battle of Maldon (991 AD) and Rising Costs
The first giant Danegeld payment under King Æthelred happened after the Battle of Maldon in 991 AD. The Anglo-Saxons paid an enormous sum of \(10,000\) pounds of silver to Viking forces (partly led by Olaf Tryggvason) so they would sail away.
However, paying the Vikings created a huge problem. Think of it like paying a school bully to leave your lunch alone: once the bully knows you will pay, they will just keep coming back for more!
Look at how the silver payments grew over the years:
• 991 AD: \(10,000\) pounds of silver
• 994 AD: \(16,000\) pounds of silver
• 1002 AD: \(24,000\) pounds of silver
• 1007 AD: \(36,000\) pounds of silver
• 1012 AD: \(48,000\) pounds of silver
How Was Danegeld Collected?
Where did all this silver come from? King Æthelred set up a clever nationwide land tax. Every landholder across England had to pay a tax based on how much land they owned (measured in units called "hides"). This proves that Anglo-Saxon England was not poor or disorganised—it had a very rich economy and an advanced coin-making and tax system to raise such massive sums.
Key Takeaway: Danegeld was protection money paid in silver. Instead of creating permanent peace, it encouraged the Vikings to return again and again demanding larger payments.
Part 3: From Raids to Rulers – The Viking Kings
Eventually, the Vikings decided they did not just want English silver—they wanted the English throne!
1. Sweyn Forkbeard (1013–1014)
Sweyn Forkbeard, the King of Denmark, led major invasions of England. In 1013, Sweyn successfully conquered the country and forced King Æthelred to flee into exile in Normandy. Sweyn became the first Viking King of England, but he died suddenly just five weeks later in early 1014.
2. King Cnut the Great (1016–1035)
After Sweyn's death, his son Cnut (also known as Canute) invaded England. He fought fiercely against Æthelred's brave son, Edmund Ironside, in 1016.
After Edmund died in late 1016, King Cnut became the undisputed King of England. Cnut was a powerful and successful ruler who created the North Sea Empire by ruling three kingdoms at the same time:
1. England
2. Denmark
3. Norway
King Cnut changed the Danegeld tribute into a regular military tax called Heregeld ("army tax"). He used this money to pay for a full-time royal fleet and standing army to protect England.
Key Takeaway: In the early 11th century, Danish kings took control of England. King Cnut ruled England as part of his great North Sea Empire alongside Denmark and Norway.
Part 4: The Anglo-Saxon Restoration
What happened after King Cnut died?
• Cnut was followed by his sons, Harold Harefoot and then Harthacnut.
• When Harthacnut died in 1042, he was the last Danish king of England.
• The English crown was given back to the Anglo-Saxon royal family! Edward the Confessor, the son of King Æthelred II, became King of England in 1042 and ruled peacefully until his death in January 1066.
Key Takeaway: In 1042, the Danish line ended with Harthacnut, and Edward the Confessor restored the Anglo-Saxon monarchy.
Quick Review & Common Pitfalls
Watch Out for These Common Mistakes!
• Myth: Æthelred was "unready" because he was unprepared.
Fact: "Unready" comes from unræd, meaning "badly advised".
• Myth: Danegeld was paid in gold chests.
Fact: Danegeld was almost entirely paid in silver coins and silver bullion by weight.
• Myth: Danegeld bought lasting peace.
Fact: It was a temporary bribe that made the Vikings return for even more silver.
• Myth: The Viking attacks were all one single, continuous war.
Fact: The 9th-century attacks (under Alfred) were separate from the 10th- and 11th-century invasions led by Danish royal armies (Sweyn and Cnut).
Quick Summary Timeline
• 978–1016: Reign of King Æthelred II ("the Unready").
• 991: Battle of Maldon; the first major royal Danegeld of \(10,000\) lbs of silver is paid.
• 1013: Sweyn Forkbeard conquers England and becomes king.
• 1016: Cnut defeats Edmund Ironside and rules the North Sea Empire (1016–1035).
• 1042: Death of Harthacnut; Anglo-Saxon rule is restored under Edward the Confessor.