The Viking Great Army and the Making of England

The arrival of the Viking Great Army on British soil in AD 865 had an immeasurable impact on England. No longer content with hit-and-run raids, this force – which was far greater than any previously seen in Britain – aimed for political conquest and settlement. In only a decade or so, the army’s presence became a catalyst for changes in land ownership, culture, and language, as well as for the growth of towns and industries, paving the way for generations of Scandinavian settlers. Until recently, what we knew about the Great Army came from a small number of written sources and a handful of archaeological discoveries. But about a decade ago, this changed radically. A combination of new