Doggerland in the North Sea?

Doggerland, A History: Part II (draft)

From: "Ran's Home: Doggerland, A History,"by Herr Doktor Professor Karl-Gustav von Schmetterling, Chair of North Sea Studies, University of Heidelberg

…Roman rule in Doggerland lasted about three hundred years, from the reign of Domitian to the reign of Theodosius…The Romans left their signature archeological signs underneath modern Kimberney, Doggerland’s capital…Graffiti and inscriptions testify to the presence of a permanent Legionary cohort, rotated from the legion based at British Eboracum (the future York)…as well as an auxiliary cohort borrowed on a rotating basis from further afield…Temples, a circus, and a forum have been uncovered from the Roman period…Fishing appears to have been the island’s main industry at this time…

…Roman rule over Celtic Doggerland was challenged for the first time during the crisis of the 3rd century AD, when Aurelian withdrew the island’s garrison during his wars against the separatists in Gaul and Britain…the first serious raids by Frisians, Jutes, Angles, and Saxons date back to this period…the status of Doggerland during the late 3rd century is obscure, but Roman rule appears to have been restored no later than the reign of Diocletian, most likely by troops under the command of Caesar Constantius, one of the original tetrarchs in the West…Although defeated in this, their first attempt, the Germanic tribes of the North Sea littoral hereafter maintained a healthy interest in Doggerland, as trade documents and unearthed good show…

…Doggerland records show growing Pictish and German raids during the 4th century, matching the gradual decline of Roman power in the north…the last known Imperial presence in Doggerland has been dated back to the reign of Theodosius in the late 4th century…With the end of Roman rule in Britain, there would be no more cohorts coming from Eboracum or anywhere else…The 5th century AD was a time of trial for Doggerland…Maritime raiders from Frisia, Germania, and Jutland began seizing permanent settlements on the coasts…The island appears to have fallen completely under Germanic control by no later than the mid-5th century AD…At this point, it is not clear who, if anyone, was in charge in Doggerland during the Volkerwanderung period…Most likely, a patchwork of chiefdoms of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians ruling over the basal population of Romanized Gauls…An early Christian manuscript of this period refers to a “North Frisia”, which might be taken to mean Doggerland, or at least that portion of it settled and ruled by Frisians…

…During the 6th century, Doggerland appears to have come firmly under Frisian rule…although clearly minority enclaves of other Germanic settlers persisted…Trade ties with Franks and Anglo-Saxons in Britain (esp. Northumbria and East Anglia) resumed…the first mention of Christian missionaries date back to this period, along with the remains of a humble church…Church records of this period contain several references to “North Frisia” or “New Frisia,” almost certainly Doggerland…

… The 7th century AD saw growing Northumbrian and Frankish influence on Doggerland…while the latter was confined to trade and diplomacy, the former was manifested in at least one documented invasion by either King Oswald or his son Oswiu…Northumbrian forces withdrew from Doggerland due to the threat from Mercia, and it remains unclear how much of the island they had controlled during their incursion…Western Doggerland does contain a number of graves and place names with links to Northumbria, which might be our best answer to date…Competing Celtic and Roman Christian missions were present on the island during this time…

…the late 7th century record both Mercian and Frankish embassies to Doggerland…as well as the first recorded mention of a “King of North Frisia”, suggesting the imposition of centralized control over the island…Incriptions from this period suggest the prevailing language was Old Frisian with significant Latin and Anglo-Saxon input…the Roman Catholic Church was now firmly established on the island…

…After the relative respite of the 7th century, Doggerland entered a new era of turbulence in the 8th…Starting in the mid-700s, Scandinavian raiders, especially Danes and Norwegians, began scouring Doggerland’s shores on their way to Britain and the realm of the Franks…A Doggerland Embassy to the court of Charlemagne is recorded as requesting his aid against the Northmen…We have a partial record suggesting a similar embassy to Mercia…Undoubtedly, Charlemagne’s conquest of Frisia and Saxony made him appear a potential savior to the besieged island…However, no record of assistance from either the Franks or the Anglo-Saxons survives…Doggerland was left alone to face the Viking storm…

…Danish invaders conquered Doggerland no later than the middle 9th century, with the participation of Vikings from elsewhere…Doggerland was subjected to wholesale Viking settlement and was entirely within the Scandinavian cultural and political sphere by 900 AD, as evidenced by written and archeological records…the earlier Frisian and other Germanic peoples were subsumed into a largely Danish population…no trace could now be found of Doggerland’s Romanized Gauls…the Scandinavian influx helped to shape Doggerland’s unique language, a robust mix of Frisian, Anglo-Saxon, and Danish with a strong Latin admixture…not very dissimilar from languages spoken in the north of England before the modern era…

…The apex of the Scandinavian era in Doggerland’s long history came during the rule of King Canute (Knut) the Great…Doggerland formed part of his sprawling maritime empire, along with Denmark, Norway, and England…Significant buildings appear to have been constructed on the island during this period in the early to mid 11th century AD, suggesting a period of vibrant growth…Doggerland appears to have been known as the “Duchy of North Frisia” during this period…
 
I am enjoying this TL. It is an original and interesting idea.

What is the area of Doggerland in square miles and its estimated population in the mid 11th century? What is the name of its capital?

Does Doggerland have the equivalent of the Witenagemot?
 
alt.doggerland, a butterfly purist's version

No offence to Aleks, I really like the idea so far and his timeline...

Ifan Cantanuson pulled on the reigns of the sail car bringing it to a halt outside the central telegraph office. Ifan was a man in a hurry, a man bringing news of war and rebellion in the Westlands. He felt familiar stir in his breast as he glanced up at the crest of the Pan Nordanian Empire over the massive arched doorless entrence, the lack of doors symbolised how this hive of communications and intelligence never slept, a 24 hour clearing house for news, reports, gossip, and rumour from across what sometimes seemed like half the world.

Here, he didn't need his leather encased imperial warrant card to get him passed guards and attendents, a simple stern and noble look from his steely blue eyes was enough to clear the way into the dark heart of this temple of infomation.

The massive man mountain and loyal warrior Bjorn Fitz Hammereilly was sitting cleaning his brass serpent muzzled boluspistol outside the scorched oak door of the 'black chamber', direct link to the capital in Talinn.

"Ifan, you old dogger what's up? You look like a wench who's just seen my horn of plenty for the first time!" he boomed heartily.

"I've no time for banter my old friend," Ifan grasped the solid wrist of his comrade.

"The red republic has risen again in the west, and Vinland is threatened." He ejaculated.

Bjorn's brow darkened and his fiery masculine eyes glittered.

"Those damn redskins, I knew the treaty of Mahiccinpoe' was a worthless sham," He clenched his grip on the handle of his gun.

etc, etc...

Coming soon, chapter two - steam powered virtual reality, and troop carrying ironclad kites, and probably airships right?
 

Deleted member 5719

No offence to Aleks, I really like the idea so far and his timeline...

Ifan Cantanuson pulled on the reigns of the sail car bringing it to a halt outside the central telegraph office. Ifan was a man in a hurry, a man bringing news of war and rebellion in the Westlands. He felt familiar stir in his breast as he glanced up at the crest of the Pan Nordanian Empire over the massive arched doorless entrence, the lack of doors symbolised how this hive of communications and intelligence never slept, a 24 hour clearing house for news, reports, gossip, and rumour from across what sometimes seemed like half the world.

Here, he didn't need his leather encased imperial warrant card to get him passed guards and attendents, a simple stern and noble look from his steely blue eyes was enough to clear the way into the dark heart of this temple of infomation.

The massive man mountain and loyal warrior Bjorn Fitz Hammereilly was sitting cleaning his brass serpent muzzled boluspistol outside the scorched oak door of the 'black chamber', direct link to the capital in Talinn.

"Ifan, you old dogger what's up? You look like a wench who's just seen my horn of plenty for the first time!" he boomed heartily.

"I've no time for banter my old friend," Ifan grasped the solid wrist of his comrade.

"The red republic has risen again in the west, and Vinland is threatened." He ejaculated.

Bjorn's brow darkened and his fiery masculine eyes glittered.

"Those damn redskins, I knew the treaty of Mahiccinpoe' was a worthless sham," He clenched his grip on the handle of his gun.

etc, etc...

Coming soon, chapter two - steam powered virtual reality, and troop carrying ironclad kites, and probably airships right?

Better, but the languages are still too close to OTL.
 
@Aleks:

Just a little something - even if the weather isn't changed that much there may still be some implications on the west coast of Jutland due to having this big wave-breaker in the North Sea!

During the Little Ice Age beginning in the 11./12. century the west coast of Jutland changed its appearance from a coast filled with inlets and fiords to whats known today, opened up the Limfiord to the west and began driving the population eastwards. The diocease of Vestervig was abandoned in the process and moved northeast to Boerglum.

Not much of a change in the big picture but the process could be halted somewhat giving rise to a string of trade ports along the west coast of Jutland and serve to boost cross peninsular trade along the rivers/streams.
Quite a change in Denmark/Jutland making for more equal destribution during the Medieval time of towns in Jutland east and west instead of almost only the OTL east.
 
If Doggerland Had Not Drowned

If the climate of Europe had warmed up by just 2 or 3 degrees Celsius less after the last Ice Age, the 'whole' of Doggerland would still be here today playing its part in world affairs - and wrecking all human history as we know it! (If Doggerland Had Not Drowned)

Europe-terrain-map-borders-alt.jpg
 
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