Middle Ages
Rurik (862): The Varangian Prince and the Founding of Rus
According to tradition, Rurik became ruler of Novgorod and founded the Rurikid dynasty, which ruled Rus and later Muscovy until 1598.
Region
Europe
Middle Ages
Cyril and Methodius (863): Apostles to the Slavs and Glagolitic
The brothers created the first Slavic alphabet and literary language; their disciples carried this legacy to Bulgaria, where the Cyrillic script emerged.
Middle Ages
Great Heathen Army (865): The Viking Invasion of England
The army destroyed the kingdoms of Northumbria, East Anglia and Mercia; only Wessex survived, and Scandinavian settlement created the Danelaw.
Middle Ages
Jorvik: Viking York and the Coppergate Excavations (866)
York became the capital of a Scandinavian kingdom and a major trading town; the Coppergate dig of 1976-1981 revealed its everyday life in exceptional detail.
Middle Ages
Diamond Sutra of 868: The World's Oldest Dated Printed Book
The scroll survived in a sealed cave for about 900 years and is now recognised as the earliest complete printed book bearing a date.
Middle Ages
Martyrdom of King Edmund of East Anglia (869)
Edmund was killed and East Anglia fell to the Danes; he was soon venerated as a martyr, and his shrine grew into the abbey of Bury St Edmunds.
Middle Ages
Battle of Hafrsfjord (c. 872): Harald Fairhair Unites Norway
Harald Fairhair defeated a coalition of western Norwegian rulers, a victory later seen as the founding moment of a united Norwegian kingdom.
Middle Ages
Viking Winter Camp at Repton (873): The Great Army in Mercia
The Great Army expelled King Burgred and installed Ceolwulf II, ending Mercia's independence; excavations later revealed the camp and a large mass grave.
Middle Ages
Settlement of Iceland (874): Norse Settlers and Ingólfr Arnarson
Within about 60 years Iceland was fully claimed by settlers, who founded the Althing in 930 and created a lasting Norse-speaking society.
Middle Ages
Battle of Edington (878): Alfred the Great Defeats the Danes
West Saxon victory; Guthrum's army surrendered after a siege, Guthrum accepted baptism and his army later withdrew to settle East Anglia.
Middle Ages
Oleg of Novgorod (882): Taking Kiev and Founding Kievan Rus
Oleg made Kiev the centre of a Rus state uniting the northern and southern river routes, traditionally seen as the start of Kievan Rus.
Middle Ages
Siege of Paris (885-886): Count Odo Holds the Seine
Paris was never taken, but Charles the Fat bought off the Vikings with 700 pounds of silver and let them raid Burgundy, which damaged his standing and raised Odo to the throne in 888.