Year 6 - History
Aethelflaed and Edward
The Vikings: how did Viking settlement change Britain?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn about how Viking settlement and the Anglo-Saxon response to it led to the making of England. They learn about the roles of Aethelflaed, Aethelred, Edward, and Athelstan and also examine how Aethelflaed's story has only recently received more scholarly attention.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how the campaigns of Aethelflaed and her brother Edward laid the foundations for the birth of England.
Key Notes
- After her husband's death in 911, Aethelflaed worked with her brother Edward, King of Wessex to attack the Vikings.
- She captured Tamworth, Mercia's old capital, and used it as a base from which to drive back the Vikings.
- At the same time, her brother Edward won numerous victories against the Vikings in East Anglia.
- In 917 Aethelflaed launched an assault on the Viking town of Derby, capturing it, followed by Leicester soon after.
- On the eve of Aethelflaed's death in 918, only York remained as a Viking stronghold.
Vocabulary To Learn
- formidable: when something is formidable it inspires fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, or capable
- campaign: a campaign is a series of military operations intended to achieve a particular goal
- stronghold: a stronghold is a place that has been fortified to protect it against attack
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may not understand that it was a combination of factors that led to laying the foundations of England.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
After her husband's death in 911, Aethelflaed worked with her brother Edward, King of Wessex to attack the Vikings. She captured Tamworth, Mercia's old capital, and used it as a base from which to drive back the Vikings.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'formidable'
when something is formidable it inspires fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, or capable.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: Pupils may not understand that it was a combination of factors that led to laying the foundations of England. Correction: Aethelflaed and Edward were able to lay the foundations for England by establishing strongholds to protect their towns and cities, combining their forces and leading campaigns together.
More Lessons In This Unit
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