So, suppose that kings Alfred and Aethelred of Wessex are much less lucky in beating back the Great Heathen Army, and see their lands conquered by it instead. England becomes "Jorvik", a brand new Norse state, or collection of warlord states, in the late 9th century.
So, what are the effects on history at large?
With a more reliable source of wealth in the form of the British isles, will the Viking exploration age in the Arctic be butterflied away?
What are the effects on Viking raids against France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the Mediterranean?
Will the christianization of the Norsemen be delayed ITTL?
 

Teejay

Gone Fishin'
So, suppose that kings Alfred and Aethelred of Wessex are much less lucky in beating back the Great Heathen Army, and see their lands conquered by it instead. England becomes "Jorvik", a brand new Norse state, or collection of warlord states, in the late 9th century.
So, what are the effects on history at large?

You would have a number of Anglo-Norse states forming, eventually perhaps a single rule would unify these states into one. However there is a chance that might not occur, because England becomes a part of the Danish Kingdom. One should never underestimate Alfred the Great and his successors, they created the English Kingdom. The English language would be even more Scandinavianised than it was in OTL, it might have switched over from a West Germanic Ingvaeonic to a North Germanic one.

With a more reliable source of wealth in the form of the British isles, will the Viking exploration age in the Arctic be butterflied away?

Not really

What are the effects on Viking raids against France, the Netherlands, Spain, and the Mediterranean?

Definitely much more raids, because England would become one massive base for Vikings raids to be launched into Francia and Hispania.

Will the christianization of the Norsemen be delayed ITTL?

Yes, however not for long because Christianity would provided the rulers of the Anglo-Norse states an excellent way to cement their legitimacy. However Christianity in England would face a setback and take some time recover to what it was before the Norse invasion.
 
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Yes, however not for long because Christianity would provided the rulers of the Anglo-Norse states an excellent way to cement their legitimacy. However Christianity in England would face a setback and take some time recover to what it was before the Norse invasion.

Again I doubt this, the Christianisation of the Norse was normally primarily through capture Christian women, e.g. Iceland. There is no reason to believe that if the Norse are more successful they would stop taking christian wives, ultimately this would speed up Christianisation not slow it down.
 
It would prolong a Viking Age - the crops and trade of Britain going towards Scandinavia instead of France and the low countries are no small thing.
 
If it means all the British Isles, it could even boost a wider and more prolonged Viking exploration of North-eastern America.
 
Another possibility is the extinction or weakening of Welsh culture if those kingdoms are conquered. I’d expect Anglo-Saxon and to a lesser extent Norse culture to pervade due to cultural mixing under the Danelaw.

I doubt that Hibernia/Ireland would be conquered in its entirety—it’s not worth it. Scotland would be rough but much more possible.
 
I think it's easier for the Danes to come in after Cunt. Not because the locals will support his descendants in an invasion, but because it might be easier to convince themselves afterthefact that the winner was "right" and it's best for the local elite to not distrube the order of things.
 
Politically a lot depends on how the Vikings divide up the Angle and Saxon kingdoms, Alfred and his descendant Athelstan centralised the post Danelaw administration that created a single Kingdom of the English.
Religiously the elite will christianise within a generation or too since the kingdoms were very Christian and the Church had great administrative power.
Linguistically the lack of Wessex as a standard probably doesn't change too much since it didn't last OTL.
Personally I see an AngloDane King of Mercia (possibly including East Anglia) go Christian and then set about creating a single Kingdom of Angles, Saxons, and Danes. I'm unclear what name it will eventually go by. Mercia, Britain, Albion?
 
If Norse influence is sufficient, they'll probably adopt a "norsified" name for the island. I mentioned "Jorvik" before, but i think it only applies to Northumbria.
Jorvik specifically applies to York as a translation of the Old English Eoforwic - probably via Jofurvik.
I'm unsure what Mierce/Myrce would translate to but perhaps Mjark if Merk is too literal.
Britain would be Bretland in Norse.
 
It would prolong a Viking Age - the crops and trade of Britain going towards Scandinavia instead of France and the low countries are no small thing.

I disagree, a complete Danish conquest of England will likely shorten the Viking Age, as we suddenly have new strong Norse and Christian kingdoms arising. These will push for a earlier conversion of Scandinavia and the integration of the Norse into Christian world.

I expect in the short term the conquest of all of England will lead to greater Danish focus on Ireland and France. The Norse-Gael kingdoms may end up in a stronger position to conquer more of Ireland and even result in the settlement of more (Anglo)-Danes in their strongholds. Next we will likely see greater "Norse" settlement in Normandy, with a lot of Anglo-Danes also settling there under the rule of Rollo (likely resulting in Normany ending up Norse speaking). This will pretty much cut the Norse off from easy raiding abroad. At the same time Norse kings will likely see a earlier benefit in becoming Christian (centralising the state). So we see a Danmish king converting and use the conversion as casus belli to go to war with his Pagan neighbours, who likely also convert to protect themselves. The Norse will still be pirates, but at the same time their conquest will focus on their eastern neighbours.
 
I just came across this discussion. In January, there was a thread about the consequences of a ninth century Viking conquest of Wessex. An interesting question is how a Viking conquest of Britain will effect the situation elsewhere in Europe. On the one hand, many of those who OTL went to France, would probably have gone to Britain in this time line, but later they would have a good base to launch attacks on France.

A Viking Britain would not necessarily be unitary. As other mentions, mariages of Vikings with Christian Anglosaxon women will ensure that at least the next generation will get a Christian upbringing, so Christianity will most likely just experience a temporary setback among the ruling class.
 
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