Tenth Century (Ethelred the Pious)

England
During the Tenth Century, England changed from an Anglo-Saxon country under Viking occupation into a Scandinavian country with a downtrodden Saxon minority. Much of this transformation came from the waves of immigrants from Denmark and Norway. They formed a new class of peasant freeholders, independent-minded and pagan. Local things were established to govern each province, and the balance of power was held by noble jarls.

Most of these immigrants settled in the Kingdom of Østangeln and in the northern parts of Jorvik, around the City of Jorvik and in the Jarldoms of Mercia. The South remained under Jorvikish rule, but clung more strongly to its Anglo-Saxon ways, partly because of the local autonomy its shires enjoyed under the Angelagen. However, its land was controlled by great jarls, descendents of Vikings who received large fiefs during the conquest.

A hybrid culture developed combining the native with the Viking. The Beowulfssaga, thought to originate in Mercia, is considered a prime example of this cultural blending. The old inhabitants of the island influenced the invaders' language as well, and by the end of the century both peoples were speaking various dialects of what can be called Old Englesk.

Jorvik's kings were able to maintain a stable and functioning government for their kingdom&mdash; relatively speaking, of course. The Saxon administration was preserved in the Angelagen region, and many of its ideas were imported north, helping to establish the rule of law throughout the kingdom. The kings were more successful than in OTL at putting down ambitious or rebellious Vikings who disturbed the peace of the kingdom. However, assassination and insurrection remained commonplace means for attaining the crown.

Østangeln never achieved a truly stable government. The crown seemed to pass from one assassin to the next. Mid-century, the Norwegian kings of Dublin and Man conquered Østangeln and merged the three into a single kingdom.

Jorvik and Østangeln continued their sporadic warring, several political marriages notwithstanding.

Scotland
It is at this point that the POD begins to make itself felt outside England. The Vikings' focus on England in the earlier part of the century, while ultimately leading to more raids on the European continent, actually provided a respite for the nascent Scottish state, Alba, during the critical reign of Constantine II. Constantine is regarded as the monarch who did the most to establish the Scottish kingdom. He extended his rule over the Saxon remainder of Northumbria and had great influence over the northern Welsh kingdom of Strathclyde.

Norway
Two Norwegian kings, Haakon I and Olaf I, spent formative years in England. They did not convert to Christianity in this pagan country, and therefore did not bring the new religion back to Norway. The eleventh-century King Olaf II was the first Christian monarch of Norway.

English raids in Europe
Meanwhile, the era of the Viking raids extended longer than in OTL. The continued practice of paganism in England and Norway was largely to blame for this. The sons of many Norwegian nobles came to England to prove themselves by raiding neighboring countries, while many English Vikings continued to attack neighboring countries for profit and glory.

Northern France was largely blocked as a Viking target after 911, when the French king granted the Duchy of Normandy to the chieftain Rollo, in exchange for his defending France's coast. Sigtrygg the Squinty, part of the Anglo-Norse family, was granted a similar fief on France's west coast, the Duchy of Anguèlènie. Attacks on mainland Scandinavia and Scotland were also dangerous.

Viking attacks in the tenth century were focused on Ireland, Iceland, and Spain. Ireland came under the domination of a constantly shifting network of Nordic and Celtic petty kings. The larger stream of ambitious Norse to Iceland resulted in more feuding between chieftains than in OTL; this turbulent early history delayed the establishment of Iceland's council, the Althing, by several years. The constant attacks crushed the Christian kingdoms of northern Spain, all of which were absorbed by the Cordoba Caliphate before 1000. A few small Nordic kingdoms took their place on Spain's northern coast.

Timeline of events
Main Timeline
 * 900: Domnall II of Alba is killed in a battle with the Jarl of Norðr-eyjar (Orkney). Constantine II, a first cousin still in his twenties, becomes king of the Picts and Scots.


 * 902: A local rebellion drives out the Viking rulers of Dublin. When Hvitserk does not grant them land or title in Jorvik, they take possession of Anglesey Isle, part of Gwynedd Kingdom, their former vassal.


 * 903: The sons of Ivar, rulers of Østangeln, are driven from the kingdom. Hvitserk of Jorvik gives them refuge in his capital.  The jarls of Østangeln choose a chieftain named Halfdan to be the new King.


 * 905: Hvitserk provides Ivar's sons Sigfrid and Sigtrygg with an army to invade Østangeln. Sigfrid is killed in battle, while Sigtrygg is captured.  Hvitserk refuses to pay any ransom for his client and former enemy.


 * 906:
 * Winter: Sigtrygg Ivarsson is executed.
 * Summer: Eadulf, king of the remainder of Northumbria and the last Saxon ruler in Britain, submits to Constantine of Alba as overlord. Over the course of his reign, Constantine incorporates Northumbria into his kingdom.


 * 911: The Viking conqueror Rollo becomes a vassal of the King of France, establishing the Duchy of Normandy.


 * 914: Hvitserk invades Northumbria and is met by Albian troops. The battle is indecisive.  Hvitserk makes a treaty of friendship and peace with Constantine of Alba.  Constantine begins building castles in Northumbria, increasing his control over the small Saxon kingdom.


 * 918: Halfdan of Østangeln is killed and replaced by a nephew, Knut.


 * 920: Sigtrygg the Squinty, a son of Sigtrygg Ivarsson, departs England with a raiding fleet and lands at the mouth of the Garonne in southwest France.


 * 921:
 * Spring:Haakon, the infant son of King Harald I of Norway and his maid, comes to Jorvik to be raises by King Hvitserk. He is brought up in the pagan ways.
 * Summer: Sigtrygg the Squinty captures the city of Bordeax and begins to terrorize the towns and monasteries upriver.


 * 924: Hvitserk dies. The jarls and things elect Bjørn I King of Jorvik.


 * 925: Sigtrygg is baptized and takes a feudal oath of loyalty to King Raoul of France. The County of Bordeaux is abolished and its lands incorporated in the new Duchy of Anguèlènie.


 * 927: Sigtrygg dies and is succeeded by his cousin Góröðr (in French, Godefroy). Godefroy marries Ermengard, daughter of the Duke of Burgundy.


 * 930: The is established as the ruling institution of the Isles of Scilly.


 * 935: Haakon leaves England to unseat his brother Erik "Bloodaxe" as King of Norway. Erik amasses followers in Orkney and Eastanglia and conquers Dublin.


 * 943: Constantine retires, succeeded by his nephew Malcolm.


 * 952: Godefroy inherits the Duchy of Burgundy through his wife.


 * 956: The chiefs of Iceland organize the Icelandic Commonwealth, with the Althing as its ruling body.


 * 960: Harald Bluetooth of Denmark is the first Scandinavian king to convert to Christianity.


 * 984: Olaf Trygvasson, son of a minor Norwegian king, flees to England after losing a battle. He does not convert to Christianity in this pagan country.


 * 985: The Caliph's army burns Barcelona.


 * 986: Erik the Red leads settlers from Iceland to Greenland.


 * 987: Hugh Capet unseats the last Carolingian king of France, with the support of both Normandy and Anguelenie.