Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping, and I am really looking forward to learning with you today all about the vikings.

And we're going to explore the question, why did they come to the British Isles? So, shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to retell the story of how the vikings came to settle in large parts of Britain.

Now, before we start, I would like to introduce you to some key words.

We'll be using these key words during the lesson, so it might be a good idea to write these words down.

The keywords we'll be using today are raid, monastery, settled, Danelaw.

I'm gonna say those again, and I'd like you to repeat them after me.

Raid, monastery, settled, Danelaw.

Good job.

Now, let's think in more detail about what these keywords mean.

Here are the definitions for each of our keywords.

A raid is a rapid surprise attack usually involving stealing something.

A monastery is a building lived in by a community of monks who follow religious vows.

When you are settled, you make a permanent home somewhere.

The area that Alfred allowed the vikings to rule was called the Danelaw.

Pause the video here to make a note of the keywords.

And when you are ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles that we will be working through together in today's lesson.

viking raids and early settlement, viking invasion and settlement, the Danelaw.

And in the first learning cycle, we will explore viking raids and early settlement.

So why did the vikings come to Britain? Well, the vikings came to Britain for different reasons over a long period of time.

The vikings first arrived in Britain in 793 CE, and began to raid the coasts of the British Isles because these were the areas they could easily access by boat.

So why did they raid the coasts of the British Isles? Well, the first targets for the viking raids were all religious buildings near the coasts, like monasteries, priories, and churches.

Monasteries and priories were also centres of manuscript production and filled with valuable religious objects.

Lindisfarne Priory was the first target of the viking raids.

So not only were they conveniently located on the coast, they were also filled with lots of objects that were very valuable that the vikings could take.

The vikings stole those valuable religious objects for trade and to increase their own wealth.

They also murdered monks and took people to be sold.

Would've been quite a terrifying experience, wouldn't it? Look at that illustration there of a viking raid at Lindisfarne.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

There was only one reason why the vikings raided monasteries.

Is that true or false? What do you think? There was only one reason why the vikings raided monasteries, true or false? If you said false, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

Now, looking at these two statements, which one would help to justify your answer? The monasteries were conveniently located and also full of valuable objects.

The monasteries were conveniently located and full of monks.

So which of these two statements helps to justify your answer? Pause the video here, have a discussion with your partner, and when you are ready to continue, press play.

What did you think? If you said the monasteries were conveniently located and also full of valuable objects, you are absolutely right.

That's why the vikings raided those monasteries.

After the raid at Lindisfarne, the vikings continued to raid other priories and monasteries across the British Isles in Northumbria, Ireland, and Scotland.

Throughout the 800s, the viking raids grew more frequent.

Instead of travelling home, the vikings began to establish camps on the major river systems around the British Isles.

Dublin was one of the early fortified camps established by the vikings in 841 CE.

These camps were examples of early viking settlements, and they helped the vikings continue their raids more often.

Let's take a moment to pause here.

Why did the vikings set up camps? To begin settling, to continue raids, to capture people.

Why did they set up camps? Pause the video here.

Have a quick discussion with your partner, and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said to begin settling and to continue raids, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

We're now ready to have a go at our first learning task.

I'd like you to explain to your partner why the vikings first came to the British Isles.

You may want to include these words in your answer, raid, monasteries, and camp.

So pause the video here.

Give yourself enough time to explain to your partner why the vikings first came to the British Isles and press play when you are ready to continue.

How did that go? Shall we take a look at an example? So your answer may have included the following.

The vikings first began to raid the British Isles in 793 CE.

The vikings raided priories and monasteries, like Lindisfarne priory, because they were conveniently located and filled with valuable objects.

The raids became more frequent.

And instead of travelling home, the vikings established camps.

The camps helped the vikings continue raids and were an example of early viking settlement.

Good job if you were able to explain to your partner why the vikings first came to the British Isles.

Well done for completing that learning task.

We're now ready to move on to the second part of this lesson.

We are going to explore viking invasion and settlement.

At the time of the viking raids, Anglo-Saxon Britain was divided into four kingdoms, East Anglia, Northumbria, Mercia, and Wessex.

Now, by 865 CE, the vikings had stopped raiding and began to invade Britain.

After years of successful raids, the vikings had realised that if they captured and settled in all the kingdoms in Britain, then they could become even wealthier.

The invasion of Britain began when a large viking army named the Great Heathen Army arrived in Kent.

This was the biggest viking army that had ever come to Britain.

The vikings intended to use this army to take control of Britain.

They planned to fight against the Anglo-Saxons and begin to settle on Anglo-Saxon land.

Let's take a moment to pause here and check our understanding.

The vikings invaded Britain so they could become wealthier.

Is that true or false? What do you think? The vikings invaded Britain so they could become wealthier, true or false? If you said that's true, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

Now, which of these two statements would help to justify your answer? Because of the successful raids, the vikings knew capturing and settling in Britain would bring wealth.

The vikings heard rumours that capturing and settling in Britain would bring wealth.

What do you think? Have a discussion with your partner.

Pause the video here.

And when you are ready to continue, press play.

How did you get on? Which of these two statements do you think justifies your answer? If you said because of the successful raids, the vikings knew capturing and settling in Britain would bring wealth, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

Now, in 866 CE, the Great Heathen Army travelled north to capture York in Northumbria, and they used it as a base for further invasion.

The army moved into areas of Mercia, but the Mercians were able to bribe them not to attack.

But in 869 CE, the army moved from Mercia into East Anglia.

And there, the Great Heathen Army killed the king of the East Angles' Edmund.

After the defeat of East Anglia, the vikings had made huge progress in their plans to take over Britain.

So the Great Heathen Army had invaded and settled in three of the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, East Anglia, Northumbria, and Mercia.

They then set their sights on the final kingdom they have not yet captured, Wessex.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms had the vikings invaded and settled in by 869 CE? Mercia, Wessex, East Anglia, Northumbria.

Pause the video here, have a discussion with your partner, which Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms had the vikings invaded and settled in by 869 CE, and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said Mercia, East Anglia, and Northumbria, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

This brings us to our second learning task.

Izzy has made a statement about what the Great Heathen Army achieved in 869 CE, but it is incorrect.

Using what you've learned, can you correct Izzy's statement? So Izzy says, by 896 CE, the Great Heathen Army had invaded and settled in all the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. So Izzy is incorrect here.

Using what you've learned, can you correct Izzy's statement? Pause the video here, give yourself enough time, and when you are ready to continue, press play.

How did you get on? Were you able to correct Izzy's statement? Let's take a look at an example, shall we? So your answer may include, by 869 CE, the Great Heathen Army had invaded and settled in three of the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, East Anglia, Northumbria, and Mercia.

They have not yet captured Wessex.

Well done for completing that learning task.

We're now going to move on to the third part of this lesson.

We are going to explore the Danelaw.

For many years, the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms of Britain had been under attack from the viking forces.

In 877 CE, the Kingdom of Wessex, led by King Alfred, still remained free of viking invasion.

However, this same year, that was all going to change.

The Viking King Guthrum and his army attacked Wessex and battles took place in Exeter.

The battles were not decisive.

Neither the vikings or Anglo-Saxons were victorious.

So towards the end of 877 CE, Guthrum moved his army to Gloucester for the winter to rest and plan their next attack.

And King Alfred and his family travelled to his royal settlement at Chippenham where they could celebrate Christmas.

Peace between the vikings and Wessex did not last long, as early in January 878 CE, Guthrum launched a surprise attack on Chippenham, and King Alfred was almost captured.

Luckily, he was able to flee and take refuge in the marshes of Athelney.

With King Alfred in hiding, the vikings began to take over the rest of the Wessex kingdom.

However, King Alfred was not willing to give up Wessex that easily.

He was able to establish a fortified base where he gathered a force to prepare for an attack.

In May 878 CE, Alfred rode out to challenge Guthrum and the vikings at Edington.

At the Battle of Edington, Alfred was victorious, and this forced Guthrum to withdraw from Wessex.

And after the battle, an agreement was drawn up between King Alfred of Wessex, Guthrum, and the Danes to divide Britain.

Alfred divided Britain and allowed the vikings to control some areas.

This was a clever plan because he knew he would not be able to get the vikings to leave Britain completely as too many had already settled.

Andeep and Lucas are having a discussion.

Who is correct and why? So Lucas says King Alfred was clever to let the vikings control some of Britain.

Too many vikings had already settled.

Andeep said King Alfred was scared so he let the vikings control Britain.

So who is correct and why, Lucas or Andeep? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner.

And when you're ready to continue, press play.

What did you think? Let's take a look, shall we? So Lucas is correct in this instance.

King Alfred allowed the vikings to control just some areas he knew he would not be able to get them to leave Britain completely, as too many of them had already settled.

So King Alfred divided Britain and allowed the vikings to control some areas.

It was agreed that King Alfred would control the South and the West, and the vikings would control the North and the East.

The areas the vikings controlled were called the Danelaw.

The Danelaw was north of a line between the River Thames and the River Mersey and included East Anglia, Northumbria, and some of Mercia.

So you can take a look at that map there of divided Britain.

You can see the Danelaw, which is Northumbria, a large section of Mercia, and then East Anglia.

And then King Alfred was in control of Wessex and a part of Mercia there in the South.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

The Danelaw referred to the areas of Britain that King Alfred controlled.

Is that true or false? What do you think? If you said that's false, you are absolutely right.

Now, taking a look at these two statements here, which would help to justify your answer? The Danelaw was the name of the peace agreement.

The areas of Britain that vikings controlled were the Danelaw.

Have a discussion with your partner.

Pause the video here.

Which of these two statements helps to justify your answer, and restart the video when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said the areas of Britain that vikings controlled were the Danelaw, you are absolutely right.

Well done.

This brings us to our final learning task of this lesson.

Can you write one paragraph retelling the story of how the vikings came to settle in large parts of Britain? You may want to include these words and phrases, raids, monasteries, invaded, settled, Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, Wessex, Guthrum, and Danelaw.

So pause the video here, make sure you've got a pen and some paper.

Give yourself enough time to write one paragraph retelling the story of how the vikings came to settle in large parts of Britain, and restart the video when you are ready to continue.

How did that go? Shall we take a look at an example? So your answer may have included, the vikings first came to Britain in 793 CE when raids took place along the coast.

They raided monasteries because they were located conveniently and they were full of valuable goods.

During the 800s, the raids became more frequent.

The vikings realised that if they invaded and settled in Britain, they could become even wealthier.

By 869 CE, the vikings had invaded and settled in areas of three of the four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Although Guthrum tried to invade and capture Wessex, King Alfred fought back.

He allowed the vikings to control parts of Britain called the Danelaw.

This allowed the vikings to settle in large parts of Britain.

Well done for completing that learning task.

Now, before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about why the vikings came to Britain.

The vikings first came to the British coasts for small raids on monasteries.

The Great Heathen Army came to Britain bringing lots of vikings who settled in three out of the four Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. Wessex, ruled by King Alfred, remained independent until Guthrum and the Great Heathen Army attacked the kingdom in 878 CE.

King Alfred fought back and defeated the vikings.

He divided Britain and allowed the vikings to control some areas called the Danelaw.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson.

I hope you enjoyed learning about the reasons why the vikings came to the British Isles.

I certainly did.

I hope to see you for another unit of learning.

See you then.