Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings

by Neil Price

Edward the Elder would come to inherit the throne of Mercia on the death of his sister, Aethelflaed, in 918, and further territorial gains by his successor, Aethelstan, would see all of England come under the rule of Wessex in 927. In a curious sense, then, the Vikings were responsible for the creation of England itself, perhaps the element of their legacy that in later centuries would prove to have the greatest consequences for the world.

Over time, the river world of the Rus’ changed dramatically—from its origins as the arena of Viking voyageurs to a mighty state that would ultimately play a part in the evolution of Russia itself. The decisive shift came in the late tenth century, when the Rus’ archon (war leader) Vladimir married into the Byzantine royal family, accepted baptism, and adopted Christianity as the religion of the state.