The Vikings were first sighted off the English coast in 793 when they attacked a monastery on Lindisfarne, in Northumberland. They were looking for treasure.
Viking raids continued for decades, causing misery and fear along the East Coast of Britain.
In 866, everything changed. The Danes decided to sail to England with their Great Army. This time, they planned to stay and to conquer.
They arrived at the gates of Eoforwic, the Old English name for York, in 867. They laid siege and were victorious.
Eoforwic means "town of wild boar". The Vikings kept the name but translated it into Old Norse. And so Jórvík was born.
In 1030, King Canute, a Viking king, unified England, Denmark, Norway and areas of Sweden into one kingdom. The kingdom was called the North Sea Empire.
This is the news that Knutti heard, and this is what encouraged him to journey to Jórvík to seek out his own story in a new land. The saga! The adventure!
This image is available as a high quality wooden jigsaw to buy.
Visit our city and its Jorvik Viking Centre to discover an authentic Viking experience.