Fact-check log

The National Museum of Denmark dates the Viking Age from 800 until 1050 AD. Nat. Mus. Denmark

On King Harald Bluetooth's rune stone at Jelling, Denmark is named for the first time around 965 AD. Nat. Mus. Denmark

At the end of the Viking Age, Denmark's king also ruled over England and Norway during certain periods. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The Vikings themselves wrote short messages in runes on wood and stone. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The Vikings did not write books themselves. Nat. Mus. Denmark

Written sources that tell us about Viking activities in Europe should be viewed with caution: they were written from one side, often with a political purpose. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The National Museum of Denmark notes written records of an attack on the south-east coast of England as early as 787 AD. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle account quoted by the museum dates the Lindisfarne attack to the sixth day before the ides of January in 793. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is one of the most important sources for the history of England in the Viking period. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The core of the chronicle was written down in Wessex at the end of the 800s. Nat. Mus. Denmark

Viking ships reached as far as Greenland and the American continent in the west, and the Caliphate in Baghdad and Constantinople in the east. Nat. Mus. Denmark

In the second half of the 9th century it became increasingly common for Vikings to settle in countries they had previously raided. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The Danes lived especially in England and Normandy. Nat. Mus. Denmark

Scotland, Ireland and the islands of the North Atlantic were favoured by the Norwegians. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The Swedes settled in north-western Russia. Nat. Mus. Denmark

These newcomers made a living as farmers, craftsmen and traders. Nat. Mus. Denmark

The longship is the best-known Viking ship type. Nat. Mus. Denmark

Trading vessels ranged up to large ocean-going ships with a cargo capacity of up to 60 tons. Nat. Mus. Denmark

Most Vikings were actually ordinary farmers, not full-time raiders. Nat. Mus. Denmark

English Heritage dates the Lindisfarne attack to 8 June 793, when "heathen men came and miserably destroyed God's church on Lindisfarne, with plunder and slaughter." English Heritage

The raid on Lindisfarne was not the first Viking attack in England. English Heritage

A few years earlier, in 789, three ships of northmen landed on the coast of Wessex and killed the king's reeve. English Heritage

News of the raid quickly reached Alcuin, a Northumbrian scholar living in the Frankish kingdom. English Heritage

Alcuin wrote to the bishop of Lindisfarne of "a place more sacred than any in Britain." English Heritage

By 850 foreign armies were overwintering in England. English Heritage

By 870 the Danish conquest of the northern, midland and eastern Anglo-Saxon kingdoms had begun. English Heritage

Despite the ferocity of the attack, a Christian community survived at Lindisfarne. English Heritage

The cult of St Cuthbert moved, reaching Durham in 995. English Heritage

The Domesday stone at Lindisfarne depicts a troop of seven uniformed warriors brandishing Viking-style battle-axes and swords. English Heritage

The British Museum describes "Viking" as covering the pagan peoples of Scandinavia who spoke Old Norse, from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Gotland. British Museum

The Vikings were mainly farmers, fishers, hunters and skilled craft workers. British Museum

Many Vikings traded with Europe, Russia and Asia, exchanging furs, walrus ivory, amber and slaves for silver, gold and luxury goods. British Museum

The earliest recorded raids in England were in AD 789 at Portland, Dorset, and in AD 793 at Lindisfarne. British Museum

From AD 870 Danish Vikings moved west and invaded Wessex in AD 878. King Alfred of Wessex defeated them in battle and established a frontier dividing England in two. British Museum

The north and east came under Danish control (Danelaw), while Alfred controlled West Mercia, Kent and Wessex. British Museum

King Cnut, or Canute, ruled 1016-1035. During his reign Denmark, England, Norway and parts of Sweden were politically united under a single ruler. British Museum

In Britain the Vikings established major towns at York (Jorvic) and Dublin, which issued their own coinage and became important trading centres. British Museum

In Scandinavia, market and manufacturing settlements such as Ribe, Hedeby, Birka and Kaupang grew into centres for international trade. British Museum

By AD 1050, Christian kingdoms were established in Scandinavia and, in the British Museum's words, the Viking Age was over. British Museum

Odin was the most powerful god, whilst the most popular god was Thor. British Museum

Amulets of Thor's hammer were very common. British Museum

L'Anse aux Meadows was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. UNESCO

UNESCO describes it as the first and only known site established by Vikings in North America, and the earliest evidence of European settlement in the New World. UNESCO

The site contains the excavated remains of a complete 11th-century Viking settlement. UNESCO

It consists of eight timber-framed turf structures built in the same style as those found in Norse Greenland and Iceland from the same period. UNESCO

The buildings include three dwellings, one forge and four workshops. UNESCO

The remains of the camp were discovered in 1960 by Helge and Anne Stine Ingstad. Parks Canada

The Ingstads found that the overgrown ridges were the lower courses of the walls of eight Norse buildings from the 11th century. Parks Canada

The walls and roofs had been of sod, laid over a supporting frame, of the same kind as those used in Iceland and Greenland just before and after the year 1000. Parks Canada

Finds such as a spindle whorl show that not all the Norse settlers had been men. Parks Canada

A great deal of slag from the smelting and working of iron was found, together with a large number of iron boat nails or rivets. Parks Canada

Parks Canada describes L'Anse aux Meadows as the first known evidence of European presence in the Americas. Parks Canada

The Viking encampment was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Parks Canada

The Jelling mounds, runic stones and church in Denmark were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1994. UNESCO

Jelling was a royal monument during the reigns of Gorm and his son Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century. UNESCO

The complex includes two flat-topped mounds, 70 metres in diameter and up to 11 metres high. UNESCO

After introducing Christianity into Denmark, and integrating Norway with the country, Harald Bluetooth proclaimed his achievements by erecting a stone between the two mounds. UNESCO

The large runic stone's inscription says that Harald "won for himself all Denmark and Norway and made the Danes Christians." UNESCO

On the south-west face is the earliest depiction of Christ in Scandinavia, with an inscription relating to the conversion of the Danes between 953 and 965. UNESCO

The Gokstad ship is 23 metres long and about 5 metres wide. Mus. of the Viking Age

It is clinker-built, with 16 strakes of overlapping planks. Mus. of the Viking Age

There are 16 oar holes on each side, and the ship was wide enough for two men to share each oar. Mus. of the Viking Age

The ship could probably reach speeds of up to 11 knots, or about 20 kilometres per hour. Mus. of the Viking Age

It was likely built around the year 890 in the Oslo Fjord region. Mus. of the Viking Age

It is constructed of oak, with some elements of pine. Mus. of the Viking Age

In October 2025 the ship was carefully transported to the new Museum of the Viking Age. Mus. of the Viking Age

Tynwald Hill at St John's is the traditional meeting place of the Manx parliamentary assembly, dating back at least 1,000 years. Manx Nat. Heritage

The parliament of the island has its origins in the things of the Viking Age: a thing (pronounced "ting") is a Viking gathering or assembly. Manx Nat. Heritage

Manx National Heritage describes Tynwald as a living legacy of the Viking era. Manx Nat. Heritage

The hill is an artificial mound, with sods of earth from each parish forming each tier. Manx Nat. Heritage

Tynwald Hill is one of four known Viking assembly sites on the Isle of Man. Manx Nat. Heritage

The other known assembly sites were Castle Rushen, Kirk Michael and Keeill Abban. Manx Nat. Heritage

In 1979 the Manx people celebrated its millennium as a continuous parliament. Manx Nat. Heritage

The Vikings called an outdoor meeting place thingvollr, "assembly field." From this word comes the name Tynwald. Manx Nat. Heritage

Many people think Vikings wore horned helmets, but this is not true. Manx Nat. Heritage

A wealthy burial at Balladoole in Arbory is among the Viking Age finds on the Isle of Man. Manx Nat. Heritage

England's Key Stage 2 history programme includes "the Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor." GOV.UK

The programme of study names Viking raids and invasion among its examples. GOV.UK

It also names further Viking invasions and Danegeld. GOV.UK

The Old Norse word vikingr usually meant "pirate" or "raider." Britannica

Britannica describes the Vikings as raiders, traders, explorers and colonizers during the 9th to 11th century. Britannica

In England, desultory raiding occurred in the late 8th century, notably the raid on the monastery of Lindisfarne in 793, and began more earnestly in 865. Britannica

A truce with Alfred the Great was made in 878, which became the basis of a treaty in or soon after 886, recognising that much of England was in Danish hands. Britannica

Scandinavian power in Northumbria was finally ended by Eadred in 954. Britannica

The stereotype of Viking helmets having horns goes back to costuming in 19th-century opera. Britannica

Horned helmets would have been impractical during combat. Britannica

They may have been worn only for ceremonial purposes in pre-Viking times. Britannica

Settlers poured into Iceland from at least about 900. Britannica

From Iceland, colonies were founded in Greenland and attempted in North America. Britannica

The same period saw settlements arise in the Orkney, Faroe and Shetland islands, the Hebrides, and the Isle of Man. Britannica

Two Norse sagas, the Saga of the Greenlanders and Erik the Red's Saga, offer somewhat different accounts of the first Viking visits to North America, which they called Vinland. Britannica

Scandinavian invasions of Ireland are recorded from 795. Britannica

Viking women were able to own property and divorce their husbands, and they often ran their family's finances and farms in their husbands' absence. Britannica

Viking society was organised into three classes: karls (freemen and landowners), jarls (wealthy nobles), and thralls (slaves or bondsmen). Britannica

The Danelaw was the northern, central and eastern region of Anglo-Saxon England colonised by invading Danish armies in the late 9th century. Britannica

The name comes from Old English Dena lagu, "Danes' law." Britannica

In local administration the hundred was generally called a wapentake. Britannica

Canute was Danish king of England from 1016 to 1035, of Denmark from 1019 to 1035, and of Norway from 1028 to 1035. Britannica

He died on 12 November 1035. Britannica

After a victory at Ashingdon, Essex, on 18 October 1016, the kingdom was divided; Edmund died on 30 November, and Canute succeeded to the whole. Britannica

Canute married Emma, the mother of King Aethelred's sons, in 1017. Britannica

The Battle of Stamford Bridge was fought on 25 September 1066, about 7 miles east of York. Britannica

Tostig and Harald of Norway crossed the North Sea with a fleet of 300 ships. Britannica

At the Battle of Fulford on 20 September the Viking army defeated the earls of Northumbria and Mercia and occupied York. Britannica

Stamford Bridge is remembered as the last time the Vikings attempted to conquer England, though it is overshadowed by Hastings three weeks later. Britannica

Only three weeks later, King Harold died at the Battle of Hastings. Britannica