At the end of the eighth century A.D., England was a fully settled Christian land occupied by largely Anglo-Saxon peoples. Much of the land lay within great estates owned by kings, noble families and the Church.
The ninth century saw the Vikings first raid, then conquer and finally settle in England. The Anglo-Saxons gradually lost control of almost the entire country: the low point came in 878 when Guthrum’s forces drove King Ælfred into hiding in Somerset. The remarkable Ælfred immediately returned for a second try and defeated Guthrum soundly, thus beginning the long process of restoring Anglo-Saxon rule, and eventually creating the English nation.
By 920 A.D., Ælfred’s descendants ruled most of the country, although the Danelaw remained a distinct administrative region and numerous Norwegian and Danish settlers retained their lands. In the latter part of the tenth century, a new generation of Vikings launched fresh attacks, first raiding, then extorting tribute and finally bringing England under Danish rule which persisted sporadically through the 11th century: the formidable King Knutr or Canute ruled England, Denmark and Norway from 1016 until 1035.
In 1066 England was conquered one final time by the Viking-descended Normans so it may be said that the Vikings are still with us.
Throughout the ninth to eleventh centuries, Christianity was wielded as a political weapon. Defeated monarchs were forced to convert and allow the Church to set up its administrative structure in their lands.
The Viking attacks were not necessarily seen as the cause of the problems of England: Æelfred considered them a punishment for and consequence of the decline of religious practice.