LESSON 7.12 What are some factors that led to the decline and end of the Viking Age?
LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to describe and explain the factors that led to the end of the Viking Age.
Tune in The chalkstone church in SOURCE1 is almost a thousand years old and there is evidence of three other wooden churches having been in the same place dating back to Danish King Harald Bluetooth. 1. Brainstorm three questions that this source raises about Viking religion and beliefs around the tenth century CE. 2. Share these questions as a class and see if you can come up with any hypotheses to answer them.
SOURCE1 The Christian Church at Jelling, Denmark, is recognised as having had over 1000 years of continuous use.
Historians agree that the Viking Age ended around the eleventh century due to several factors. It’s important to note that while the period of raids and expansion ceased, the Norse people remained in Scandinavia, where they have lived continuously for thousands of years. 7.12.1 The spread of Christianity The Vikings gradually became more exposed to Christianity. Initially, they accepted the Christian god among their own, but eventually most Viking leaders converted exclusively to Christianity. This conversion was gradual, with a period during which Christian and pagan practices coexisted. For missionaries, this approach allowed Christianity to gain a foothold without completely overthrowing the old gods. Sentimental attachment to pagan traditions may have also played a role, as evidenced by the later Christian sagas that recount pagan myths and legends.
194 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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