The Viking Great Army
A tale of conflict and adaptation played out in northern England
By DANIEL WEISS
Monday, February 12, 2018
Tens of thousands of Vikings flowed into northern England beginning in the late 9th century, first as an invading army and then as a wave of migrants. A 10th-century illustration depicts a Viking force disembarking in England.
At first glance, the historic county of Yorkshire in northern England seems as English as can be. It gives its name to Yorkshire pudding, a staple of English cuisine dating back to the eighteenth century. Earlier still, it was home to the royal House of York, whose line included King Richard III. But a closer look reveals a more complicated history. Take Ormesby: Today a suburb of Middlesbrough, its name derives from the Old Norse for “Ormr’s farm.†Or the many streets in the city of York that end in “gate,†from the Old Norse gata, meaning “road†or “way.†Even the city’s name comes from the Old Norse Jorvik.
https://www.archaeology.org/issues/289-1803/features/6355-viking-great-army
