| | | 1000 | Athelred attacked Strathclyde and Isle of Man. |
A-S C
| Athelred the Unready attacked Strathclyde and Isle of Man. |
| See Also |
| |
| Leif Ericsson lands on North American coast |
| |
|
|
| 1001 | Danish raids  |
A-S C
| Danish raids on Sussex and Devon. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1002 | Another Danegeld paid  |
A-S C
| Athelred was forced to pay the Danes that were camped on the Isle of Wight another large amount of money for them to leave. |
| See Also |
| |
| Nov - Athelred marries Emma |
| Athelred paid the Vikings a sum of £24,000 to try and stop further invasions. In an attempt to strengthen his position against the Vikings he married Emma, the daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy. Athelred also ordered the murder of all Danes in England but some escaped to report back. Not surprisingly the Viking attacks started again. |
| See Also |
| |
| Nov 13 - Massacre of St Brice's day  |
| Athelred ordered the massacre of all Danes living in England because he was fearful of them plotting against him. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1004 | Swein attacks Norfolk |
A-S C
| A Viking raiding fleet landed in Norfolk. The Ealdorman in the area was Ulfcetel who ordered some men to reach and burn the Viking ships to strand Swein. The plan failed and Ulfcetel's small army was defeated by the Vikings. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1005 | Malcolm II becomes Kings of the Scots |
A-S C
| Malcolm killed his cousin Kenneth III to become Malcolm II, King of the Scots. |
| See Also |
| |
| Aelfheah becomes Archbishop of Canterbury |
| Aelfheah becomes Archbishop of Canterbury. |
|
|
| 1008 | A large fleet is ordered  |
A-S C
| Athelred ordered England to build a massive fleet of ships. The people of England had to supply armour for the crew as well. It was a huge undertaking but was completed the following year. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1009 | Church of the Holy Sepulche destroyed |
A-S C
| The unstable sixth Caliph of Egypt, Al-Hakim, ordered the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulche in Jerusalem. |
| See Also |
| |
| Danes repeatedly attack England  |
| Swein Fork-Beard and Olaf Trygvasson repeatedly attacked England over several years destroying the land. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1011 | The Vikings murder Aelfheah  |
A-S C
| The Vikings captured Canterbury and obtained a payment of £48,000. In a druken rage the Vikings murdered the Archbishop of Canterbury, Aelfheah. Aelfheah was the man that had baptised Olaf Trygvasson in the Winter of 994. Outraged by the actions of his fellow men Thorkell the Tall defected to the side of Athelred along with 45 Viking ships to help defend England from further Viking attacks. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1012 | Danegeld paid  |
A-S C
| The Danes were paid a large sum of money, known as the Danegeld, to leave England. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1013 | Swein Fork-Beard and Canute attack England  |
A-S C
| Swein Fork-Beard and his son Canute sailed from Denmark to attack England. Again London defended itself and the Vikings moved elsewhere, taking Wessex, Mercia and Northumbria. |
| See Also |
| |
| Lyfing becomes Archbishop of Canterbury |
| Lyfing becomes Archbishop of Canterbury. |
| See Also |
| |
| Autumn - Emma and Edward leave England  |
| Forced to leave England by the inavsion from Denmark, Emma Athelred's wife, fled to Normandy assisted by the Bishop of Peterborough. Sons Edward (the Confessor) and Alfred followed later along with the Bishop of London. Ethelred was not far behind. |
| See Also |
| |
| Nov - London surrenders to Swein  |
| London was the last part of the country to accept Swein as the new king of England. Swein and his Viking army had already taken control of the Danelaw and the rest of the country accepted him as their new ruler. Swein's rule of the country would only last a few months. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1014 | Athelred goes into exile  |
A-S C
| Athelred had to abandon his country to Swein and went to Normandy to join his wife Emma and his sons. |
| See Also |
| |
| Feb 3 - Swein dies  |
| Swein Fork-Beard died. Canute left England not sure of his ability to hold the country but returned a year later. Athelred sent ambassadors to England, including his own son Edward (later the Confessor) to negotiate a possible return. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1015 | Qtr 3 - Canute returns to England  |
A-S C
| Canute invaded England taking control of Mercia and Northumbria. Athelred was ill and England was in the hands of Edmund (Ironside). |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1016 | Apr - Canute attempts to take the throne  |
A-S C
| Canute advanced on London for a fight with Athelred but Athelred died in the same month. London accepted Edmund Ironside as their ruler. Canute would have to defeat Edmund if he was to become King of England. |
| See Also |
| |
| Apr - Edmund II (Ironside) becomes King |
| Edmund II became king at the death of his father Athelred II in London. London chose prince Edmund as king but it was short lived as the Southampton Witan chose Canute, who then invaded England. |
| See Also |
| |
| May - Canute attacks London |
| Edmund had gone to Wessex to accept the support of the people there as the new king of England but Canute had reached London and was besieging its inhabitants. The Londoners held out against Canute's attempts to defeat them while Edmund travelled back to help. Edmund's army grew as he advanced towards Canute. The English won a couple of battles forcing the Danes to retreat and regroup but the Danes won the important battle at Ashingdon. |
| See Also |
| |
| Oct 18 - Treaty between Canute and Edmund  |
| Canute defeated Edmund Ironside at Ashingdon and a treaty was signed leaving Edmund with only the area of Wessex. |
| See Also |
| |
| Nov 30 - Canute becomes King of England  |
| Edmund Ironside died only a month after the treaty with Canute. Canute then became King of England. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1017 | Jul - Canute marries Emma  |
A-S C
| Canute married Emma, the widow of Athelred the Unready. This helped Canute secure ties with Normandy as Emma was the daughter of Count of Normandy. |
| See Also |
| |
| Dec - Death of Eadric Streona |
| Canute had the treacherous Ealdorman Eadric Streona of Mercia killed. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1018 | Large Danegeld paid |
A-S C
| Canute arranged for a massive Danegeld to be paid to the Viking fleet. Happy with the sum of money they received from the English, the Viking army returned home leaving just a small number of ships under the control of Canute. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1019 | Canute takes Denmark  |
A-S C
| Canute travelled to Denmark after the death of his brother to ensure his own succession to the Danish throne. |
| See Also |
| |
|
|
| 1020 | Aethelnoth becomes Archbishop of Canterbury |
A-S C
| Aethelnoth became Archbishop of Canterbury. |
| See Also |
| |