Contacts Directory
Alfred the Great
He was a talented military leader and won a number of victories against the Vikings
before becoming the King of Wessex.
The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum divided England between the two men – Guthrum
and the Danes settled in East Anglia and parts of north-east England, which became
known as the Danelaw.
He reorganised his army and built strong defensive fortresses that were permanently
guarded by well-trained soldiers and ordered the creation of an English navy.
Actions:
• Defeated the Viking King Guthrum at Edington in 878
• Established a strong Anglo-Saxon state that formed the basis for England
Significance:
• England would be a Christian country with a strong dynastic line based on the
House of Wessex
• Introduced the burghs and ‘the Hundreds’ which formed the basis of English
state for centuries to come
Emma of Normandy
She was the daughter of Duke Richard I and sister of Duke Richard II. In 1002, Emma
was sent to England to marry King Aethelred. She received a lot of land, including
Winchester. She had two sons with Aethelred, Edward and Alfred, and a daughter.
In 1013, she fled to Normandy when Sweyn Forkbeard invaded England, but was
back in 1014 after he died. In 1017, she was summoned to marry Cnut, and had a
son, Harthacnut, and a daughter with him.
When Cnut died in 1035, he was succeeded by Harold Harefoot, his first wife’s son. In
1037, Emma left England for exile. Harold died in 1040, and Emma’s sons Harthacnut
and Edward (the Confessor) became Kings of England.
Significance:
• Connection to Normandy changed the direction of England’s trajectory, giving
William the Conqueror a claim to the throne
• Made a political and religious centre at Winchester, consolidating England’s
political system through its link to the Christian Church
, Cnut the Great
He was the son of King Sweyn Forkbeard. His grandfather was Harold Bluetooth, who
established Christianity as the religion of the Danes. He was chosen by the Vikings to
succeed Sweyn in England, but the English exploited the situation and brough back
Aethelred.
In 1016, Cnut was made King of England after the death of Aethelred, and married
Emma of Normandy.
In 1018, Cnut also became King of England and united the crowns of the English and
the Danes. Cnut took Danegeld money from the English and paid off his soldiers,
sending most of them back to Denmark. He put reliable Saxon leaders in charge of
earldoms, to help run the country.
Cnut became the King of Norway in 1028 and established the North Sea Empire.
Significance:
• Established an empire – the North Sea Empire connected England to Denmark
and Norway, encouraging trade and cultural influences
• He was one of the most powerful monarchs in Europe at the time, attending
the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor in 1027
Henry II
He was the son of Matilda (daughter of Henry I) and Geoffrey, Count of Anjou.
In 1150-51, he came ruler of Normandy and Anjou.
In 1152, he married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the greatest heiress in western Europe.
In 1153, he crossed to England to pursue his claim to the throne.
In 1154, he became King of England, creating the Angevin Empire.
With the help of Thomas Becket, Henry reorganised the English justice system,
establishing courts and prisons for those awaiting trials in 1166. He made Becket the
Archbishop of Canterbury, but Thomas resisted Henry’s attempts to control the
Church and was murdered in 1170.
Henry II died as the ruler of the Angevin Empire.
Actions:
• Established stability in England after the civil war between Stephen and
Matilda
• Created a powerful dynasty, the Plantagenet rulers
• Spread his control through conquest and marriage
Alfred the Great
He was a talented military leader and won a number of victories against the Vikings
before becoming the King of Wessex.
The Treaty of Alfred and Guthrum divided England between the two men – Guthrum
and the Danes settled in East Anglia and parts of north-east England, which became
known as the Danelaw.
He reorganised his army and built strong defensive fortresses that were permanently
guarded by well-trained soldiers and ordered the creation of an English navy.
Actions:
• Defeated the Viking King Guthrum at Edington in 878
• Established a strong Anglo-Saxon state that formed the basis for England
Significance:
• England would be a Christian country with a strong dynastic line based on the
House of Wessex
• Introduced the burghs and ‘the Hundreds’ which formed the basis of English
state for centuries to come
Emma of Normandy
She was the daughter of Duke Richard I and sister of Duke Richard II. In 1002, Emma
was sent to England to marry King Aethelred. She received a lot of land, including
Winchester. She had two sons with Aethelred, Edward and Alfred, and a daughter.
In 1013, she fled to Normandy when Sweyn Forkbeard invaded England, but was
back in 1014 after he died. In 1017, she was summoned to marry Cnut, and had a
son, Harthacnut, and a daughter with him.
When Cnut died in 1035, he was succeeded by Harold Harefoot, his first wife’s son. In
1037, Emma left England for exile. Harold died in 1040, and Emma’s sons Harthacnut
and Edward (the Confessor) became Kings of England.
Significance:
• Connection to Normandy changed the direction of England’s trajectory, giving
William the Conqueror a claim to the throne
• Made a political and religious centre at Winchester, consolidating England’s
political system through its link to the Christian Church
, Cnut the Great
He was the son of King Sweyn Forkbeard. His grandfather was Harold Bluetooth, who
established Christianity as the religion of the Danes. He was chosen by the Vikings to
succeed Sweyn in England, but the English exploited the situation and brough back
Aethelred.
In 1016, Cnut was made King of England after the death of Aethelred, and married
Emma of Normandy.
In 1018, Cnut also became King of England and united the crowns of the English and
the Danes. Cnut took Danegeld money from the English and paid off his soldiers,
sending most of them back to Denmark. He put reliable Saxon leaders in charge of
earldoms, to help run the country.
Cnut became the King of Norway in 1028 and established the North Sea Empire.
Significance:
• Established an empire – the North Sea Empire connected England to Denmark
and Norway, encouraging trade and cultural influences
• He was one of the most powerful monarchs in Europe at the time, attending
the coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor in 1027
Henry II
He was the son of Matilda (daughter of Henry I) and Geoffrey, Count of Anjou.
In 1150-51, he came ruler of Normandy and Anjou.
In 1152, he married Eleanor of Aquitaine, the greatest heiress in western Europe.
In 1153, he crossed to England to pursue his claim to the throne.
In 1154, he became King of England, creating the Angevin Empire.
With the help of Thomas Becket, Henry reorganised the English justice system,
establishing courts and prisons for those awaiting trials in 1166. He made Becket the
Archbishop of Canterbury, but Thomas resisted Henry’s attempts to control the
Church and was murdered in 1170.
Henry II died as the ruler of the Angevin Empire.
Actions:
• Established stability in England after the civil war between Stephen and
Matilda
• Created a powerful dynasty, the Plantagenet rulers
• Spread his control through conquest and marriage
